Coming up for air

My heart was pumping faster and faster: it felt as if it was pounding through my chest. You know, like in the cartoons when a scared person (or duck or rabbit or rooster for that matter) has their heart pounding out far away from their body. Well, that was me. I was stinking scared, and it was the whole entire enchilada: sweat on my neck, trembling hands, dry mouth, goosebumps - you name it. I took a few kids to the cinema in our area to see the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth. First - we loved it. Second, I haven't been scared like that in years. I was rotating little people in my lap (hah, I wasn't the only one scared!) I rarely like a movie adaptation of a literary story...but I loved this one. Read the book and go and see it.

One scene in the movie fully describes my summer: when three of the characters landed in a deep pool of water. I don't know about you, but when I see a movie when people go under water, I try to see how long I can hold my breath. If they aren't able to breathe air, they are trying to get to the surface. Could I do it? So they are under water, and I am holding my breath...and not making it to the surface before I had to take a breath. Man alive, I would have drowned or needed someone to reach down and draw me up to the surface.

I feel like the activity of this summer has been like that deep pool and my attempts to stay above water have been a hard fight. It has all been edifying and fantastic, but very full. July has been a kicker! I have taken 16 tests this month, written 20 book reports, read about 4,500 pages, and I still have 20 pages to type for two papers. We have had 5 baseball tournament games, Music and Arts camp, several women's ministry and youth ministry events. I have packed and unpacked and repacked suitcase after suitcase, and the laundry from that should never be counted (it would only lead to depression!) I have driven over 5,000 miles, written about 17 poems, 12 sermons and played about 10,000 notes. I have painted 400 nails, and needed to sunscreen dozens of young ones. There has been tie die and balloons and Jesus songs. My pointer finger on my right hand has developed a callus from camera shutter button overuse.

I practice a new Spanish sentence each week...actually that was a new sentence of mine.

Aprendos una nueva oracions en el espanol cada semane.

This week is very poignant...El amor no mira con los ojos, sino con el alma. William Shakespeare
Love looks not with the eyes but the soul. William Shakespeare

I have finished a blanket, a sweater, a cross stitch project and 4 pillows.

I typically post on xanga and eblogger, trying to make sure it happens in the same day. But today's post included a ton of pics, and I'm including the link to my xanga because it would take me an additional hour to complete. And, sorry, time's of the essence right now. So consider this an invitation: follow the link over for the photos.


http://xanga.com/lifeisjoy

Have a great Sunday of worship with the God of Divine Hope.