matrimony: day the first

rehearsal feelz.

Just learning to sort emotions and words again after these last 41 days of resting and building and moving and settling and missing and rejoicing and growing and being forever and ever and ever blessed. These golden days.

So, not saying much here.

(Photo cred to Peter Mahar and assistants and the volume and magic of them all is untold here. These are just the ones I picked for this ole’ blog.)

dress from my Ukraine and my family there. weep. ❤

here’s a space of home that walks and talks and comes and goes and prays and laughs with you. and is cozy even when it isn’t and you feel like everything is going to be okay while you’re doing the least safe thing you can imagine on earth.

 

grandpa’s truck.

 

Love (III)

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lacked anything.

“A guest,” I answered, “worthy to be here”:
Love said, “You shall be he.”
“I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on thee.”
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
“Who made the eyes but I?”

“Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.”
“And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?”
“My dear, then I will serve.”
“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.”
So I did sit and eat.

-George Herbert, 1593 – 1633

best of all imaginable gifts is the people we somehow have.

“Alfred’s” last ride.

 

“Love is what carries you, for it is always there, even in the dark, or most in the dark, but shining out at times like gold stitches in a piece of embroidery. ”

― Wendell Berry, Hannah Coulter

Surely goodness and mercy have been with us every moment of our lives, behind and before.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.