Car for a Day.

The waitress just called my feet feminine. I’ll drink to that.

So today I got a chance to drive away from camp for a while which is always a treat. I have some very kind friends and coworkers that loan me their cars without hesitation when they know I’m feeling ancy and need some space. I must say, I have been tremendously blessed by their giving spirit this season.

And let me tell you, I forget how much I miss driving. I look forward to these next two months where driving will be more accessible to me as I plant one foot in the rolling hills of Tennessee, the other in Home Sweet Home, Alabama.

Something about the hum of the wheels beneath me as I glide along the terrain is beyond satisfying to me. As I wind around these Redwood trees, following the Yellow Brick Road to Hippy-ville… I mean, downtown Occidental… I feel connected to the earth in such a tangible way, deeply rooted and intertwined into her existence, memorizing her movement with every twist and unexpected bend in the pavement. I feel myself sinking deep into her lap with every mile, every left turn, right turn, stop, and yield. It’s like I belong in that very place. Resting on the knees of our inconceivable planet.

And then there’s always those night drives when I am alone in the car and yet for some reason or another, I never truly feel alone. In fact, on these night drives, sometimes I feel more alive than ever and more connected to the world around me than if I were standing in the mid-day glorious sweat of Bonarroo.

I’m just going to go ahead and claim it: Jesus is there with me on these drives. His presence is incredibly, exceptionally thick. Just imagining it, I am suddenly wrapped in the heat of summer, standing barefoot on the noise-creaking, splinter-giving dock with Lake Tuscaloosa at my toes. Humidity at its finest. That’s what His presence feels like to me. So thick, you feel twenty pounds heavier almost immediately.

During those night drives, I hear the voice of God so clearly, it’s incredible. As I pray aloud, I literally feel God swarm around me. Tears fall effortlessly as I thank Him for the blessings He has lavished on my life as of late.

I mean, my goodness, I’m about to be an aunt! Life is overwhelmingly beautiful to me sometimes. Every once in a while, I actually do pause and take in its raw, indestructible beauty. Every once in a while, I become truly aware of God’s goodness that He pours out on me at each waking moment whether I recognize it or not. And every once in a while, I thank Him.

So. 

How about we call this a “once in a while” kind of moment as we pause and remind ourselves that God is good. God is SO good. I wish I could take this time to write out every single blessing I have received from Him during this season of adventure in the Redwoods (which will continue in January) but I do not have the appropriate time or space to even contemplate such a task.

But since this is one of those once in a while opportunities, I shall share just a few…

     An Abbreviated Thank You List-

For trees that grow so tall I cannot see their peak.

For mornings off where I have nothing better to do than practice Blue Moon on the

   ukulele.

For socks so dirty after just one day of playing outside.

For the most majestic of bike rides to the Russian River AKA my Sanity Sustainer this fall.

For bright blue nail polish on my fingers and toes that I never seem to get tired of.

For Psalms.

For Madrone trees.

For skype.

For gardens.

For chacos.

For morning yoga.

For waking up but not getting out of bed for another hour thanks to some good ole

  morning day dreams… always the best kind.

For adventurous, child-like runs through the forest.

For the mere fact that sending kids off ziplines and swings is part of my current job description.
And then for the sweet blessing of watching them smile as wide as the heavens when they touch ground.

For spontaneous prayers with roommates.

For my boyfriend becoming my best friend.

For the incredible God-given grace that feeds my heart, my mind, and my soul daily 

   whether I notice it or not.

Ok now it's your turn.