Red Ruby.

Today I said goodbye to a beloved companion of five years.

Red Ruby, thank you for carrying me for work and for play. Uphill through snow, and uphill through sweltering summer days. Honestly, it never felt like I was riding you downhill because of your (much lamented) single speed. There were many sore-derriere-days until I replaced your original (vintage) seat with a much better (modern) one. Your brakes were squeaky and unreliable, your wheels detested my back-alley-riding, and sometimes you were pretty wobbly.

All that aside, Red Ruby, you served me well. You helped develop (along with my father) my great love for bicycle riding. I will find a new companion, trusty steed, and ride off (comfortably and easily) into the sunset. And your legacy will carry on forever.

Bloom.

http://plainsongfarm.com/bloom-church-actual-innovation/

This total stranger heard of our Bloom somehow, and wrote this incredibly encouraging blog post about it. I'm so excited about where we've come from and where we're going.

Light.

I'm thankful for the long light that lasts into the evening, even on a cold and windy night like tonight. I'm thankful for the flickering glow of a simple candle in my home and a wide array of them on the stage of a show that blessed me so deeply. I'm thankful for the light of friends from all my "lives" this weekend, and for the fact that the weekend was soaked through with worship.

Redemption.

Last week was a redeeming week. Something really hard happened at work around Thanksgiving but things have come full circle and there is a new start. It's so refreshing and encouraging and perfect for the beginning of spring.

David and I are talking a lot about the future and what our dreams might look like. We've been talking about how much we love our life right now, and how much it seems like we've been placed here for a reason. I don't know what the next years will hold, but I'm thrilled to see and walk through them with him!