Scenes from a summer

{location: outside on the deck under the stars}

Me: "This is perfect. All we need is a blanket and some tea."
John-Luke: "And a big sister."

(later)
Me: "I wish I had a big sister."
John-Luke: "I don't."
Me: "Why?"
John-Luke: "I'm not sure I could take two of you."

Me: Look at that tiny star. It's moving, but not like a plane, like a little bug.
John-Luke: "Maybe it's a mosquito. With a flashlight."

A small sampling

I like admiring people's senior pictures a lot. I think my friends are pretty. But when I got to have my own done I was little bit nervous because I was all like:

WHAT IF I'M NOT AS PHOTOGENIC AS MY MIRROR SAYS I AM.

True story.

But photographers, you see, practice the art of making non-photogenic people look like they must look this great all the time. And in my case, the practiced artist is Keilah Engstrom over at Vanilla Bean Photography. I never really realized all the stuff that goes into photography (like this little invincible light reflector thing. That was cool.) and it takes skill and knowledge -- something which she's definitely not lacking in! (I just point and shoot and stick it in a filter. Not real photography, kids.)

Contrary to my preconceived expectation ("taking pictures of yourself...that sounds vain. and awkward.") this was really really fun, (and not awkward at all), and I highly recommend her if you need senior, family, or wedding pictures. (and while I guess I can't say I speak from experience on the wedding part, if you look at her blog there are some SUPER gorgeous ones. ahh! wedding pictures make me kinda happy.)

Here's a bit of the fun we had, and you can see more of them HERE and be sure to check out her facebook page HERE.

 

A trivial post about things that make me happy.

RECORD SEATTLE SUNSHINE. It hasn't rained in months. I know I post about the weather too much but seriously if it was this sunny all the time I think I would be considerably happier.

It honestly is so good that I feel as if school is supposed to be ending. It's OCTOBER! the leaves are actually crunchy. I am so pleased. 

Also, you know how I used to be able to say that I don't watch tv?

I sort of can't really say that anymore. Although it still holds true that I don't watch live streamed television with advertisements and set showtimes. I just watch stuff when they post it on the internet.

And I have rather unfortunately fallen prey to yet another cultural trend on the internet, by the name of  "Doctor Who"

Yep.

All that wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff.

It's fascinating. Intriguing. It's also terrifying and completely thrilling. Refreshing, too. I needed a break from romantic drama. I keep forgetting how much I like science fiction.
Also Matt Smith is really good looking.

School is positively delightful. I'm learning all sorts of fascinating things in all of my classes, and all of them make me think, which I like. I've also been working in three different teaching environments, which challenges my teaching skills in multiple directions.

Lastly, in what bits of spare time I can find -- waiting for my ride, in the 10 minutes before class starts, while I have my after school snack -- I've been soaking up A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle.

I really need to write an entire post devoted to her. Her writing is wonderful.

Such is my life at present. But I swore I wouldn't procrastinate my homework any longer so off I go.

-H

Questing.

There are days where it seems as if transcendence is lost.

As if this quest might be a lost hope, deep in the darkness of the dungeon. 

  

But it is not. We will refuse to believe otherwise.We will press on through the darkness.

"Do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it (as the soldier said about happiness) something that you might just as well do, since,in the end, it really makes no difference to anyone but you?" (Kate DiCamillo)

Savour for a moment, if you will, this beautiful song, written by a newfound fellow blogger, Keeper of the Tardis.

One step closer to the end, my heart learns to sing again,

Life’s a journey, not a trial, not a race.

And when I am long gone, they’ll tell my story in a song.

I’ll have lived with a smile on my face.

And though it’s just a simple story, one more to join all the rest.

I lived, I loved, I gave it all I had.

I know that in the tales we dream, we dream of these same things.

Because it was you know… it was the best.

One step closer to the future,

Once more tread upon this road.

Roads go on whether I follow or I stay.

I have found a greater peace,

So come and sing with me.

In this love, I am happy, I am free.

Though I’m just a simple thread in the Tapestry of Time,

I mattered – we all matter in some way.

I’m content to live in grace

And to love with each new day…

And I think love’s all that matters in the end.

See the full lyrics and listen to it HERE. It is simply beautiful.

A thread in the Tapestry of Time.

Excuses for Empty

We've all heard those testimonials -- the story of a friend's struggle with sin and their redemption from it. They say things like "I was chasing empty pursuits that ultimately left me unfulfilled." 

Uh-oh, you say. Hannah's going to take apart another cliche again. 

Well, sort of. Stick with me, okay? 

Every time I hear someone give that kind of testimony ("I was chasing after money...I was pursuing external beauty instead of internal beauty...I was trying to be loved instead of loving others first..."etc etc) I always get this picture in my head of the person sitting down at their desk in the morning and making a list of all the ways they can pursue that sin. 

I imagine them living for it 24/7 the way a homeless man might worry about staying alive. "I was living for myself," they say.

I get this picture of these people praying to themselves. Of them reading books on the topic and listening to sermons, going to conferences...then they literally and deliberately proclaim: "This is what I live for!!! This is my ultimate goal in life!!" 

And despite its incorrectness (although it is possible for people to be obsessed), one can understand this viewpoint, right? If you take the opposite of all those, it sounds just fine. "I'm living for God. My goal is to glorify Him. I am seeking to love others before myself."

But see, the opposite of love is not hate. It's pride. It's complacency. And those aren't things you have to deliberately obsess over in order for them to rule your life. That's the trick of the word. Complacency.

You have to actively seek God. You don't have to actively seek sin. You were born into it. 

Evil sneaks up on you from behind.  It doesn't start out as an obsession. It starts out as a little idea, a harmless idea -- just a little lifestyle improvement.

"You should get some nicer clothes." 
"You can't afford to lose any piano students."
"It would be good if you sounded more polished and confident when you say that."
"A pair of shoes to match this outfit would be nice."
"Your blog posts need to be more winsome and well-written."

...and on the list goes. Are these ideas bad? No, not really. But every time I hear someone say "Now don't get me wrong, these things aren't inherently bad," ...I begin to use it as an excuse for me to continue thinking that way. 

You don't realize it when it becomes too much. It's not an obvious. It's not like you're deliberately trying to be evil. Soon, though, you discover that it has more control than you thought.

Is it my every waking desire? No. Is it obvious to public view? Probably not. Is it the reason I live? Of course not. 

But still has a grasp on me. A grasp I am fighting to be free from. We often limit evil to a proactive thing -- like the bad guy in the movie who is trying to do wrong. But evil is not like that. 

It's not a matter of finding the men in black suits with masks. There is a much deeper battle at play.

For the Speech/Debate Nerds among us...

I know some of you are out there.

I just discovered THIS blog and if you are a speech and debate person it is absolutely imperative that you read it. It had Raymond and I in stitches for a good half hour.

Chandler, please publish a book.

Music of the week month summer {brave}

So, everyone sings about touching the sky.

Like. Everyone. Go ahead. Google "touch the sky" and "lyrics." If you make it through the second page there are at least 6 different artists with that as their song title.

Despite the cliche, banal (I just learned that word today. SAT studying for the win! not.) use of the title, this post is my shameless promotion of my undying love for the BRAVE soundtrack and its opening song.

As of yet, (the movie came out in June) I have not yet tired of listening to this music. At all.

Just...listen to this song...and let your spirit dance a little with joy.



"Touch the Sky" is probably in close running with "Learn Me Right."



We will run and scream
You will dance with me
We'll fulfill our dreams and we'll be free

Yes, it's gorgeous. And there are bagpipes.

Go outside. Blast this song out your windows. Spin in the sunshine. Climb a pine tree. Delight in the sheer beauty that surrounds you.

PS - if you haven't seen the movie Brave, you need to. There is no question. It is better than Dawn Treader (the movie) and that says something important.

Summer Bucket List

Read the Lord of the Rings (Hey...at least I started it! I got lost in the forest somewhere.)
Read the Space Trilogy
Write a New song (only sort of. Like little bits of 3 different songs)
Get permit
Then get license (I AM SO STINKIN CLOSE.)
Climb a new mountain (I did climb old mountains though)
Vacation to the beach
Camp in the backyard
Learn Beethoven's Sonata Op. 10 #3 in its entirety
Buy a violin
Stay off the computer
Pikes Place
Cook dinner more
Read 5 nonfiction books (okay, I started 5…I didn’t actually *finish* 5…)
Learn calligraphy/lettering
Learn to draw
Get a job
Learn to ride a horse (more like clomping around on my friend’s chubby pony…let’s just say I have a ways to go till I’ve actually “learned.”)
Go to the Highland Games (well, I missed the Highland Games due to awana camp. But I went to a rodeo instead. Not the same thing obviously, but I decided it qualified for long-distance outdoor fair-type/entertainment sort of thing)
Learn archery
Find a medieval dress/cloak
Taking a shopping trip to the thrift store
Take pictures in a photobooth at the mall
Get a toy from "THE CLAW"
Write Nana a letter every week
Get hair cut

It was a good summer.