pummeled by love

It's 2:36am, and I feel pummeled by love . . . literally beat up by it.  I cried so hard, from the overwhelming feeling of love that I cried my lashes off just now.

I've been up since 5:11am when I awoke to my bestie who was outside our house - waiting to help us get the yard sale stuff ready.  Then after running around all morning, went to buy us breakfast.

Shortly thereafter 5 friends showed up & washed every window in the house (inside & out!), along with the bathrooms, and helped organize a mountain of stuff.

Not to be outdone, my other friend showed up with her hubby & deep cleaned our kitchen!  Now THAT's love.

Me & Bobby

At approximately 7pm, I showed up to teach my final salsa class in LA, with my friend Bobby who gave me my first "real" salsa teaching opportunity last year.

Not to be outdone, my salsero friends threw me the most incredible, awesome, overwhelming party I can remember.  They got me this awesome cake & danced with me, and lavished the most incredible gifts on me. 

Me & Ruben - as painted by Ali

I got sparkly shoes, bracelets, paintings, vintage Mahalia Jackson vinyl framed, flowers, fans, wine, photo albums with pictures of SO many beloved friends.  I drove away sobbing . . . but not from sadness.  I felt beaten up by love . . . like it sat on my face & punched me all day long, so I won't ever forget just how good God is, and how kind his people are.   

Thank you Los Angeles . . . you have pummeled me with love & I will never forget you! 

sanctuary

When I think of a sanctuary, I usually envision the  gathering room of the church I grew up in.  Or I picture it as a holy place where only certain people can go.

In my mind, it's always been a big place where thousands of people could gather comfortably - all listening to one person preach.  I think that's definitely one good way to utilize a sanctuary.

However, today I realized I've come to view a sanctuary as a completely different kind of place.  

This is the picture of my sanctuary in Pasadena.  Though it doesn't look very impressive, it is a sacred space.  It's a safe place - a place where two souls came together every week for three years.

It is the place where I was listened to without judgment.  It is the place that has been a catalyst for change.  It is the place where I received God's deepest healing.  It is the place that reminds me of the goodness of God, and the strength of His love.  It is the place I have re-learned how to love . . . myself, God & others.

today's creations

I've been inspired lately . . . to create . . . especially in the midst of the transitions.  It's therapeutic - helps me think.

I plan to start my own small business when I get to MN - maybe get a booth at the Midtown Market on the weekends.  It's right in my favorite part of city. 

I'll be selling my own one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry (and maybe fun purses, sunglasses & hats too).  We'll see how it goes.

Here are today's creations.  Let me know if you want to buy one (or five :-). 

human spirit

Wow!  I needed this today . . . to be reminded of how beautiful & how strong the human spirit is.  This is worth the 8 minutes.

sparkles

Given the sheer volume of extreme situations that have come our way these last few months (near drowning, 8 day hospital stay, loss of all summer work & moving across the country), there has been an extraordinary amount of stress . . . which has lead to many sleepless nights, agonizing decisions, teary-eyed conversations etc.

Yesterday I jokingly told someone that I only had two goals: to stay out of jail & to stay sane.  To call life "stressful" is a GROSS understatement.  It has been excruciating.  And to make matters worse, in an attempt to be helpful, people (even friends) have said many incredibly hurtful & unhelpful things.

I would go so far as to say that I've been in danger of losing my "sparkle."  So yesterday, I went down to the fashion district (my favorite place in Los Angeles), and found these two gems as reminders of who I am.  I've decided that I will wear them every day between now & whenever I get my full sparkle back as a reminder of who I am.

Let the sparkle SPARKLE!

cracked up

In the midst of moving, there are so many things to do every day that I feel like my hair is on fire & I'm running as fast as I can to keep the fire out of my face.  

"Shatter" nail polish 

There are moving plans to make, goodbyes to say, interviews to complete, parties to throw, boxes to find, change of address forms to fill out, electricity to shut off, mail to forward etc.  

And then there is the larger task of trying to keep life as "normal" (whatever THAT is now) for our kiddo as possible.  

One of the things I do every week to help me feel normal - no matter the week - is to do my nails on Sundays after church.

  

This week I decided to try something new - the "shatter" polish from OPI.  I think it's a symbolic expression of how I feel - fragmented, but new - and cool.  Every time I look at them & crack up.  What am I?  Like 12 years old?  Yep - just trying to find something edgy to remind me of LA, while also reminding me of the newness & goodness of things to come.