Aaah, it's been a long lovely day. It was Courtney's birthday today, and we covered her bed in plumeria flowers. They're abundant here in Hawaii.
It's hard to believe, but two weeks from today I will leave Hawaii! It feels like I just got settled in. I always feel really existential at times like this. "This" being a time where life is shifting again and I'm reflecting on the stage which is ending while listening to a cool song (Poison and Wine - The Civil Wars), and no one is really around, but I can hear people not far away.
We're learning about science this week. I secretly love science. Especially when I'm not tested on what we learned about. Did you know that the earth is insanely unique? It's true. If you wanna learn something, read "Rare Earth." Or watch the DVD about earth... I don't remember the name. Another true statement: It's rained every week we've been here, multiple times.
Shifting topics, for those of you who don't know, I had a dog named Daisy (see photo above. She's behind Lex). I got her for my 16th birthday. She was $75 at a baseball game, and the best dog anyone could hope for. At first I hated her because I didn't know anything about taking care of dogs. But eventually I watched enough of "It's Me or the Dog" and got the hang of it. Daisy, unfortunately, died a year ago. She was only two years old. But Daisy is a testimony of God's relentless, unstoppable, over the top, extravagant pursuit of my heart, my whole heart. During the two years I had Daisy, I lost most everything that was important to me (all in the relationship column). I actually told someone a week before she died that, "I lost all I cared about except for my dog." When I found her dead on my back porch at ten in the morning, the only thing I could think was "God loves me." How backwards is that? It's like He was waiting on my back porch so He could hold me while I cried. I knew very quickly that the reason she died is because, even though she was just a dog, she was kind of like a lifeline; the only thing I could hold on to. But do you know what? My Lover said, "I want all of you, my darling. I'll stop at nothing." He's jealous for every affection I have. I've been learning in the last year that it's a happy life to give Him every affection. No one is happier to receive it than He is; and no one returns affection like He does. He was seeking my affection before I cared about Him at all! He loved me before I even looked at Him! I was made to freely give all of my attention and affection to Him. I was made for Him.
Well, sleepy time. Good night!
