Road things.

The road is
a balm of soothing rest made mandatory,
a wave of perspective washing over me slowly,
a siren song that pulls my self from settling ever .

Fall trees painted with a wash of burnt and dusty fire-shades
line the roads and hills
and slowly wash my mind, too, with their colors
sweeping, sweeping, sweeping --- hours, hours, hours ,
of giving in to a rhythm of rest and disconnection from
settled spots,
closing in to-do lists
and tidying one's own cocoon.

Instead, we drift out free,
floating across other peoples' worlds .
Peace
(whispers.)

I love the Natchez Trace Parkway.

And now, five things:

First, because long car rides are the time to really absorb and meet music, three road musics:

1. Gling-Glo , a Bjork album. Jazz. How did I not know about this? I haven't been as delighted by a voice since I-don't-know-when. Be amazed.

2. Cassadaga, the Bright Eyes album. I recommend listening to this when fully awake, in daylight, so as to appreciate it as a whole and a piece of musical literature. The way lyrics and music meld on this album is ethereal, surprising, near perfect. The lyrics need the music, and the music needs the words, and they feed and edify one another. And this man writes incredibly. In each song, there are about fifty brilliant phrases that would build whole songs on their own for most of us. But he keeps them flowing and flowing .

3. On a very different note. The song "So Not My Baby" from Josh Turner's new album, "Everything is Fine." You have to have some classic country on a roadtrip through Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. And oh man. Maybe it's just me, but there is something ridiculously catchy about this chorus. It soothes the psyche in some odd physiological way. This goes on repeat. I danced with a three-year-old to it (sung by me) last night. I think she approved.

4. is a film. 'Once Upon a Time in the West.' Seen it? I hadn't. So good. Not sure I can describe it well. Epic; but quiet. But full of sound. Not a happy world, but you still don't want to leave it. One of those movies where you linger in the special features so you won't have to step back out.

5. The most delicious chocolate item (possibly; I'm always willing to keep looking) on the face of the earth: Lindt Lindor Extra Dark Truffles.

let's have a happy post!

pondered: is anything i like not tinged with a touch of melancholy? of bittersweetness...? i even prefer dark chocolate.

Maybe Muppets. And tickling darling little children. And maybe 1980s Disney World. That's pure raucous happy-ness. Robots and purple plastic and rainbow colored souvenirs.

Still learning to "go with joy" am I.

Still stumbling very clumsily to true realization of facts like: "I don't know what's best to do for the world." i.e., "I don't know how to fix the world."

You'd think that one would've been obvious.

I guess it's one of those things you have to make the journey to, to really understand. To really understand what a big and hard and necessary thing it is to trust God to know how to run the world.

outside of that, what hope have we? Lord orchestrate all our little wee efforts

into a grand and glorious symphony. A riotously colored rag quilt sewn together with golden thread.

Lord, place me in that tapestry. Somewhere. Somehow.

If You don't know best, then no one knows anything.

Hey guys, I'm going with Word Made Flesh! To Rio! In February. For four months of learning learning learning.

After all: You gotta start somewhere. Somewhere to start asking the questions. Somewhere to start walking the walk that will last the rest of my life.

And to continue the walk with the Most Patient of Walkers, Leaders--Lord.

I'm so thankful for this open door. It looks beautiful.

Your prayers: incredibly appreciated.