"A lady must be gentle by nature and rearing. She must know all there is to learn from books, have wide experience to cover all emergencies, she must be steeped in social graces and diplomatic by nature. She must rise unruffled to any emergency, never wound, never offend, always help and heal. She must be perfect in deportment, virtue, wifehood and motherhood. She must be graceful, pleasing, and beautiful. She must perfect herself in learning, arts, and graces. She must always be refined in appearance, actions, and speech."
Gene Stratton Porter

"i listened while you ran yourself in circles. it saddened my soul to hear this string of fallacies uttered in such a sincere voice. your entire life is comprised of mashed up, tie-dyed morals and ideologies. your whole philosophy is paper thin. your world operates without regard to truth and logic. you’ve whisked together erroneous information to create a world that makes you happy. that which is crooked is straight and that which is meaningless brings you peace. i wonder, in your world, do our cappuccinos even taste the same? your eyes sparkle as you sit and wait for me to speak after your marathon. you have no idea of the maelstrom within my chest as my soul weeps, oh God, give me words."
-andie jael haugen {cloudno9.tumblr.com}
how sad and empty.  thank God for the HOPE we have in Christ!

The Joys of Today:

the light peep through the windows
seeing a man smiling while at church
rest and rejuvenation
funny remembrances
holy songs
renewal from the Father
grey socks
grandma's love
tumblr
AND holiness and purity

Homeless Man

God saved my new friend, a homeless man, just last week on Friday morning!  This precious homeless man believed in Jesus, was saved by God, and became a believer inside the Starbucks on the corner of King and Main in Madison, Wisconsin, right in view of the gorgeous capitol building.  Little did I know when I walked in that Starbucks with a group of believers that would we walk out with him, holding the door for us like a gentleman, now a new believer, one of us.  Can't wait to see him again!

King and 

Before We Ever Met

[written in hopes of a person I do not know becoming a believer]

Today I asked my Father
For the recipe of a delicious meal
In which
Some lost item becomes found (and you are the lost item)

You are the one I want to randomly meet,
To become the dough
To become rounded by the Maker's hand
To be un-graced transformed to grace

I look forward to the whimsical day when
I run into you,
Eyes all aglow
And I know

You were made for eternity

An eternity starting today with
A conversation
That I'm not scared to have
And neither are you

You know I have to tell you something you need to know
And I know I need to tell you something you need to know
So we speak and you hear
And we hug and we cry

It's not make-believe
It's request become true
I love being with you and you with I
The moment is better than the poem

You're an organic sinner
Let me wash the dirt off you
And place you somewhere nice and hot
So you can be added to this recipe of the body of Christ

It's delicious.
The basil.
The tomato.
The wheat.

Love found you because God is love and...

Love had a purpose
For your existence
A meal now, a word, a soft tender look
Because now we're together, you and I

In the body of Christ.

{picture source: awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com}