stories of a real life wonder woman

On her day of passing. Her writing and life have inspired me. She always wrote with honesty and there was such a beauty in that. From Letters to my Daughter chapter 27 titled "Mt. Zion" pg 161-62: " Once in San Francisco I became a sophisticate and an acting agnostic. It wasn't that I stopped believing in God; it's just that God didn't seem to be around the neighborhoods I frequented. And then a voice teacher introduced me to Lessons in Truth... At one reading, the other students, who were all white, the teacher, and I sat in a circle. Mr. Wilkerson asked me to read a section, which ended with the words "God loves me." I read the piece and closed the book. The teacher said, "Read it again." I pointedly opened the book, and a bit sarcastically read, "God loves me." Mr. Wilkerson said, "Again." I wondered if I was being set up to be laughed at by professional, older, all-white company? After about the seventh repe...

It's been a long but satisfying day. We went out the the cabin for my nephew's birthday party. And it was my first time in a long time really being outside for a long period of time. I walked all over the place. Climbed on a drain from the pond that leads to a creek. Walked along corn fields and a gravel road. Took out the "tractor" which is an old mower. And got to see some pelicans on the pond. It was also the first time in a long time that I have really taken out my camera. I took more than 500 pictures today. I can't remember the last time I did that. And admittedly more of them are of nature than of people. I like shooting nature much more. I have joked to myself before that I would rather work for "National Geographic" taking pictures than any other magazine but I don't actually want to take pictures for a living. I say that just to let you know I am more of a sweeping nature shot girl. Those to me are breath taking. I have to say I loved...

Call me old fashion but I love handwritten letters. I try to send them out as often as I can to friends of mine. I don't always get the chance to send them out but I feel like there is something very beautiful about sending snail mail to someone. And as a result I have a bit of an obsession with stationary. If I had the room to store it I feel like it would be very possible that I would have a collection. Instead I have a canvas drawer full of blank card waiting to be sent. It's sort of like hugs in the mail. At least that's how I feel about it. And lately I have been trying to remind myself daily that that is what the Bible is. A letter full of hope and love. A letter reaching out and calling for continued connection over a vast distance. A letter that says this is who you are too me. A letter that tells us that we are cherished, that we are loved, and that we are not alone. And that to me is better than a hug in a card because it's more than a hug in a card. And f...

Really quick before anything else - I have slowly been getting into documentaries. I watched one this week called 20 Feet from Stardom and I happened to love it a lot. It also won an Oscar and well it should have cause it was incredible. The singers are mind-blowingly good and have really interesting life stories. I think you should listen to some of the singers - Tata Vega, Judith Hill, Merry Clayton, Darlene Love, Lisa Fischer, Claudia Lennear, and The Waters (Not the same Waters family that I know. The Waters family of back-up singers that sang with the Jacksons a lot.) I just had to share that cause it has been on my mind. So today is Mother's Day and I love having a reason to celebrate my mom. And not just my mom but the mom's in my life. But today I want to talk about my mom and my grandma (GG). How thankful I am for them and the lessons they taught me. Sometimes I love seeing how lessons are passed on from one generation from the next. And I love to see how my grand...

Yesterday was a really good day so I thought I would post about it. I started volunteering in the library again since I have the time to do so. And gosh I still love it. I think I needed that reassurance because classes and homework is not always fun and it makes me start to doubt this life path. But then I get in to the library and I start working and I begin to feel like I am in the right place. So that is very nice. Also nice is that I only have one class and one assignment left of this semester.  I have been sleeping less. Which is a little weird with my insomnia. It sounds like it would be a bad thing but I haven't really been tired. I have been waking up before my alarm and I haven't been napping during the day. And yet I don't feel completely worn out like before which obviously is a bonus. Feeling like I have energy to get through all the things that happen in the day is a great feeling.  I am beginning to be able to look back at the last couple years and se...

First the nerd in me has to wish you all a happy May 4th aka Star Wars day! May the fourth be with you! I have spent almost everyday of this week with my grandpa. It has been a lot of fun. I love spending time with him and hearing his stories. But it has left me at a bit of a loss when it comes to what to write about this week. So I guess maybe I should give some updates. My dad's leg is doing better. Mom told me he doesn't really have any swelling anymore and the wound is not as deep. He is still mostly stuck in the house at the moment. He can't put on his prosthetic until the wound is completely healed so he has to use his crutches to get out of the house. Which also means the wheelchair gets loaded into the car so that he can get around when we go places. That is taking a bit of a toll on mom. She hasn't been lifting the chair unless she has help so that she doesn't throw out her back. But she is worn out. I am doing what I can to help her out but what sh...