Fires.

The water pours down in the most torrential manner, but I all remember is the fire.

It starts slow.  Tingeing everything around it with foreign colors, outlines of red here, auras of yellow there.  But it grows, at a pace that seems methodical, taking over at a quicker rate than I expect.  My world is ablaze.  The deep, warm, brick colors, the brights that can't decide between yellow and green, and the  flaming oranges sweep over my corner.  The fire is lovely, beautiful, and magnificent.  I watch as the flames slowly engulf the land, turning the last of the greens to yellow to orange to red to.... brown.... black.  The fire grows steadily, then retreats in a manner that jolts you.  I look around and suddenly notice it's gone.  The bold hues have left and all my eyes take in now is brown and dreary, an alien, smoky landscape.  I've a dull pang in my chest and a bittersweet tone in the back of my head as I breathe in the lack of color.  But resignation comes easier now, and I don't cringe like I used to.  I stand with the composure of someone who's been here before and wait.

Something has been building up through the fire, something I seem to overlook every time the flames tear through this place.  The ash.  It's hesitant at first, as if it has a semblance of respect for the fire. Then it pours down, building until my corner is no longer recognizable as the green place, the red place, or the gray place. The ash, covering the area in a white duvet. Because the ash, like many things, isn't quite what it seems. This spot has a new identity, a fresh, white, chilly restart. I revel in the crisp, daring beauty of it all.

For my hopes and happiness are not dependent on my surroundings and I am slowly learning that it's not about the fire, smoke, ashes, or even the restart. This is beautiful. This is my place. This is life.

walmart.realsies.galumph.ciao.furby.BAM!!!!!.escapism.

It is late. I am hyper. And I have just visited walmart at an hour that is not my custom.

oh boy.


1. My mother needed a padlock. We asked a dude, (who was lookin' a wee bit fancy for walmart) (I mean, khakis and a button-up shirt? In walmart? for realsies?), where the padlocks were and he was like "Pad- LOCKS? They're over here."
Pad - LOCKS?
What other two syllable word that starts with 'pad' is there?
The only thing I could think of was "Paddington", but that has three syllables (pad-ding-ton),
and why would we be looking for a Paddington anyway? He's a bear that wears a raincoat and galoshes, (gaaah. I love that word. So much more fun than "rain boots". Though, "wellies" is a good term too. The word galoshes reminds me of the word "galumph", which is basically to do a victory dance, if I remember correctly. Galumphing in Galoshes. hehehe. ), and he's in an australian children's show. I'm not even sure why this came to my mind, because I've never really even watched it myself, I just know of it because one of my friends has an adorable little sister who watches it.
yeah.

2. I saw a notebook featuring characters from the movie "Cars". Lightning Mcqueen to be specific.
And, of course it had his catchphrase on it. "KA - CHOW".
'Cept for they had spelled it like so: "KA - CIAO".
WHAT THE TRASH!?????
That's just not right.

3. On our departure through the gateway to walmart, mine eyes perchance to linger upon an announcement of an upcoming newfangled children's plaything.
Except it wasn't really newfangled. Just a re-imagining.
It was an announcement for furbies. Which are pretty dang creepy on their own.
But the slogan on the sign said: "Furby - a mind of its' own", and it had a little creeper furby right above this odd statement.
Pardon me,
but isn't that..
just a little bit..
Unsettling?

I'm pretty sure this was dumb and that when I look at it again sometime tomorrow, I'll face palm like no other.
But here's a good song.
Hey Marseilles – Marseilles
Hey Marseilles – Marseilles
I'm feeling lazy (as usual) so if you don't have spotify I'm sure you can find a way to bring this to your ears. You're pretty smart.
This song is lovely and perfect and parisian, so naturally I absolutely adore it.
It's pretty mellow.







But all of a sudden.....




BAM!!!!!
The cymbals and such crash and it is louder and sweeping and glorious.
Pure.
Instrumental.
Brilliance.
It's wonderful and emotional without using words, which is something that's a little harder to find from modern musicians.
It makes me want to hop on the next flight to france and never return.
Gorgeous Escapism.
That's what this song is for me.

Goodnight. It's lateish and I need to actually get up tomorrow.
-Maeve

the aftermath of camp.

To the Campers and Staff of Pioneer Bible Camp and Worldview Academy, and anyone else who's attended any sort of camp/retreat/conference this summer. 

You learned so much, didn't you? You had conversations that reminded you of what it all comes down to: We're sinners saved by the love, grace and mercy of our creator who sent down His son to take the punishment for our sin. 

The fact that we're dirtbags washed in the blood of the Lamb of God and then wrapped in the biggest stinking fluffy white robe of Christ's righteousness was again brought to the forefront of your mind.

You were shown the power of the gospel, and the need to share the greatest news you could ever possibly fathom with the world was something you felt quite strongly.

You were challenged, and made decisions to start being a disciple of Christ. 

You were pushed to depend upon God in new and old ways.

You had some amazing fellowship, times of learning, and time in prayer.

Or maybe you learned about these things for the first time ever. 

Either way, it was solid, all-out amazing. 

But the mountaintop is no longer where you're residing.

We return to the mundane routine, and most of us prepare to go back to school and such, and it can feel like such a letdown, and you're feeling more alone, and not as 'spiritually high', and the decisions are beginning to prove themselves to be a little more difficult than you maybe expected. 

But guess what?

You are NOT ALONE. You've got an extensive network of brothers and sisters in Christ. Reach out to each other. Hold each other accountable. Watch out for one another. We are the Body of Christ. 

Pray for one another. I'm praying for you. I'd really like to pray specifically for you too, and maybe meet with/chat/encourage you. 

And NO MATTER WHAT, you've got God. And more importantly, He's got you. Use that bible of yours and look up John 10:29. If you've trusted in Christ, that verse is about you. 

What now? 

Here's some real good instructions. 

Colossians 3:12-17. (yeah, I'm expecting you to look that one up too.) 

But guess what else? We can't do that. Not on our own. But like I said, we're NOT ALONE. 

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 and Philippians 1:6. God is faithful NO MATTER WHAT. He's going to complete the good work he started in you, and He's got a good and perfect plan for you.

Rest in the peace that passes understanding from our Prince of Peace.