sharing

Sarah take me by my arm,

tomorrow we are Canaan-bound

where westward sails the golden sun

and Hebron's hills are amber crowned

So, bid your troubled heart be still

the grass they say is soft and green

the trees are tall and honey-filled

so Sarah come and walk with me...

...I trembled at the voice of God

a voice of love and thunder deep

with love he means to save us all

and love has chosen you and me

Long after we are dead and gone

for a thousand years our tale be sung

how faith compelled and bore us on

how barren Sarah bore a son

come to Canaan, come

Andrew Peterson's music and words have played an instrumental role in Kellen and my love since the beginning. He is a spiritual father to us in a way, beckoning us to more deeply enter into the double love of God and one another. I think we listened to Carried Along constantly when it came out, falling more in love with each play, and every succeeding album has been just the same. His music has met us in different places, many times when we weren't together, and the sound reminded us of our longing for one another. It is something we shared and still share.

I can't listen to Hold Up My Arms without remembering the time Kellen wrote me the lyrics in a birthday card when I was sixteen, or the song Coins without thinking of our first date to see Andy in Rome, GA. I still can feel the overwhelming joy we shared the first time we saw Behold the Lamb at the Ryman in Nashville now seven years ago. Sharing something that beautiful changes you and binds you. Now tonight, in Louisville, we get to experience for approximately the 24th time, the music and story-telling of Andrew Peterson.

I guess our love for AP is kind of silly. It is something we cannot necessarily explain, but understand together because we have shared it for so long. Aren't the greatest things in life, when shared with someone else, silly and simple, but pure? I don't mean pure in an moralistic way, I mean it with the notion of being real and true. AP's music opens our eyes to the wonder of God that words cannot contain and his lyrics succinctly articulate that which we could otherwise not speak.

"How faith compelled and bore us on..." These words resonate so deeply within me, as they do in Kellen, especially over the past few weeks. We were taking our nightly walk about a week ago and casually he started humming the tune. I about exploded! What a perfect "theme song" (I'm such a nerd) for this season in our life.  Like Abraham and Sarah, Yahweh is calling all of us to the Divine Plane of deep, abiding faith. The greatest part is that the assurance of Canaan still holds, for all the promises of God find their YES is Christ Jesus (2 Cor 1)! Knowing Christ and following Him is our Canaan!

Another thing we recently shared is some visitors from the motherland.

Lara, Abby and Jackie

Having these three beautiful guests in our apartment, delighted us to the core. We ate yummy food, dared to venture into many of the weird shops of Louisville, endured the last heat of the summer, and enjoyed our Maker's beauty together: in friendship and nature. What a blessing to have such dear friends that would make the trip to bring us the gift familiarity and love (not to mention an amazing, vintage, illustrated copy of Wind in the Willows--these girls are so thoughtful)!

Abe: how could KY not be proud of bringing forth such a man?

Jeeks and Rala got soaked from head to toe playing in the splash park--
in their dresses. I love their child-like hearts!

We celebrated Jeeksies 18th birthday! The candles got a bit hazardous, but
 the smoke alarm did not go off (this time)!!

Tree-climbing at our picnic

Cinnamon rolls before the flight home

Praise the Lord for all the lovely things in the world...and lovely people to share them with! Come to Canaan, come!