Check it out

I don't know if you can see how amazing this photo is, but it is. My sister Anna took it with the twin-lens (Argus Argoflex Seventyfive, made circa 1960) she bought at the Allegan County flee market for $5.

Song For My Family

This is a song for my family
outside the walls of sunday
morning from some within.
This is a song to confess our sins,
lay it all out, and try to begin
again. To hope again.

Please forgive our ignorance
in looking down on you
Please forgive our selfishness
for hiding in our pews while the
world bleeds
while the world needs us
To be what we should be

This is a song for my family who
just can't believe in the Jesus that
you've seen on Sunday morning.

This is a song for the
cynical saints.
The burned out and hopeless.
The ones that we've cast away.
I feel your pain.

Please forgive the wastefulness
of all that we could be
But don't forget, there's more than
this.
Her beauty still exists.
His bride is still alive.
His bride is still alive.

This is a song for my family inside
the walls of Sunday morning.
Be what you should be.

This song was written by Michael Gungor

the christmas-esque colors had to go...

On Bicycling and the Outdoors

This is the second day I've had off in a row... its been beautiful. Yesterday I did absolutely nothing of any value (aside from reading) until 5pm. :) Today however, I rode my bicycle doing random errands and trying not to get too soaked by the rain that was falling, realizing again how much I enjoy being out on my bike. I do complain once in a while about not possessing a vehicle but truly I am thankful that I must ride instead. It makes me slow down and notice things; I fear that if I had a car I would find it even more difficult to take it easy and notice people.
I found a great little bookshop today, tucked downstairs in the huge building on the corner of Western and Selby, near the Cathedral. A woman who came into my work a couple weeks ago told me I should look for it because I told her how much I love books. I would recommend it.
The trees are great! I was coming down my road here in Frogtown and noticing how some of them have changed over to that red/orange and some are still in that green/brownish state. I could literally smell fall.

Clarity Shmarity

I remember the days

When life was easy, carefree,

Questionless. Now all

I have are the questions,

Following me.

Taunting me,

Answers that seem

So correct

But yet not so.

I yearn for clarity.

Could it be that

Questions are

Given to grow me, given to

Carve and mold me?