loving life. giving the fingernails a chance.

People who read this might be thinking my life these days is a little intense and dark even. Here I am writting blogs about rape or the oppression of Muslim women. Not the kind of things that will necessarily put a smile on your face or make you feel happy inside. You got me there.

The thing is though, Im loving life. Im always loving life. I have a lot to be thankful for. A lot that makes me happy, inspired, grateful... I am surrounded by people who fill my heart up like crazy. If you're an avid "Live Now" blog reader, the young girls I talked about and wrote poems about are some of the greatest people I know. I am so blessed by having them in my life. I get to hang out with Andrew everyday, and a lot of days I get to watch him tease, joke with and hang around some of these same teens. I mean seriously, how much better can it get? My heart totally melts like on those sick, gag me romantic movies. I know, I never thought I'd be one of those girls. For real. After 30 days I used to run like my life depended on it.

Then there are days like today when I get to go to North Central and tutor a grade 5 girl then take her to Tim Hortons for an Iced Capp and just chat about nothing. Learn about her life, how her dad got a new car and her older sister got a full scholorship for her highschool education. Those things make my day for sure.

I write about deep things sometimes. A lot even. My heart is drawn to that stuff, to those people. I was made that way. But I also carry joy. When you read things that are sad, hard to hear, or depressing even, know that I write with optimism in that we have hope, and the power to change what hurts us. We have each other to offer help to in the rough times, and to dance with in the good times. We have Jesus who taught us how to live and how to love. The same guy who gives us chance after chance after chance to get it right.

If you are sick of hearing about deep and maybe depressing stuff, I don't mean to wear you out. I don't mean to drag any spirits down. I write about the life that happens around me. The stuff I happen to see and be a part of. It is what inspires me, and I hope it can inspire you too. It is the stuff that moves me, pushes me and yes, sometimes breaks me. But that's life. And to have joy isn't necessarily to have continual happiness. There can be joy in sorrow. It is different, deeper, and real. It moves with the motion of life, not against it or with a dependance on the circumstances. It keeps the spirit strong and dependant on it's source.

In other news...I quit biting my nails and I retired my belly button ring - 7 years, good times.