butuful prinssis

Don't we all...

my people

I've mentioned my roommates and we now have a family pic from New Year's Eve. 

redemption. hope. humanity.

redemption. hope. humanity. selfishness. These are words running through my head. I am convinced God is in the work of redeeming us and this world. I see it in the trees, the clouds, a deep expression of joy on an otherwise downtrodden face. This truth gives me hope, but its been slipping through my fingers these past few days. Are you ever so keenly aware of our humanity that you get discouraged? There is a lot of bad in the world. The reality check is that although I am frustrated with the selfishness that breaks the hearts of people I love, no one is incapable of such action. We each make decisions that lead us one direction or the other. We are capable of greatness as well as its awful counterpart. Though I am angry at people who cause pain to others, I must recognize we are part of the same race. And here we return to the source of redemption. A friend responded to some of these thoughts last night by saying "Grace is a gift. By the grace of God is a big statement." That is so true. By the grace of God. That's how we still have hope and rise to the occasion when faced with decisions to live for self or others.

city...

my bff since childhood, megan, flew in thursday from her round-the-world tour. I decided to surprise her and join the welcome wagon... in NYC. Last minute super sweet ticket on Wednesday and flight on thursday. Hometown friends- sean, sy and solomon plus megs sis are all part of the festivities. Its snowing in NYC right now. Happy Holidays!

roommates

I am blessed with some great roommates. Last night we (female roommates) recapped the weekend, talked about the ponderings we've had, areas we are working on and laughed at our awkwardness. This is family.

Ruidoso = Leah’s roots.

I was driving back to the downs (named such for the horse race track) and a moment of clarity regarding my roots came about. I was returning from a hike in the woods with my mom and ruby (who is amazing) in which we searched for pine knots (full of sap so they burn better and more fragrant) and pretended to be tall pine trees, swaying in the wind (ruby was the best at this). We collected enough to barely carry back to the cars. After our adventure I played 9 holes of disc golf with one of my best friends, his gf and dad amidst the trees and vegetation we grew up roaming through. And this is what launched my roots thoughts. Some of my roots I have prayed to be like that of the Enset tree in Ethiopia, so shallow that the tree is easily uprooted and therefore these habits or family traits won’t be part of my story forever (we all have a list I’m sure). Other roots I imagine weaving together, deep into the ground and anchored among rocks so massive that my life will forever represent these traits and traditions.

Roaming through the forest with my mom and Ruby reminded me of when I was Ruby’s age and my parents took us along while they cut wood for the winter. My older two siblings and I would be left to create a world where each tree bore fruit to be used in a potion or soup we might all imbibe, rationed of course, since we were castaway children left to fend for ourselves (imagination of a child… why did we always want to be orphans?). We created a world in the great outdoors and hours later we’d all pile into my dad’s truck and return home. Those are the roots that are still thriving as Ruby and I pretended to be trees in the wind and had to hunt for food before returning to the car. Thank you mom and dad for giving me roots… a stage for my imagination, a love for the high desert wilderness, and a vision for great things amidst simplicity.

from one of my kinder boys:

Thanksgiving is a time when you get together and share love.