Moving through the crowd with my parents, I search for the best vantage spot. Crowds are already gathered, but most of them are in lawn chairs. We will stand. We find a place, nice and clear, and stand in anticipation. I watch the group of men near us; they're chatting, smiling, shaking hands, calling each other "brother" and "man" and last names. ( Read more... )

I don't really remember when we met. I was really more friends with your across-the-hall neighbor, and to be honest, rather foolish and flirtatious with said neighbor. The first time I really remember you was one day when you were scolding him for missing me in chapel. "C'mon, man," you said, blue eyes wide. "I always notice my friends!" Thinking ( Read more... )

The first time I met him, I wrote in my journal,
He is indeed a great boss, like B. said he would be. But I am insanely curious about his background. He speaks perfect American-accented English, perfect (as far as I can tell) Hebrew, walks and dresses and acts like an American man, has a small tattoo between the thumb and forefinger of his left ( Read more... )

Tonight, I started thinking back on the last few months ( Read more... )

I would like to write. I really would. I would like to write about the way the three year-old's blue eyes twinkle and spark when he laughs, about the warm soft white fur on the belly of my purring cat, about the distinct muscles in the legs of the mailman whose quickness and cheer make me want to match the laughter in his eyes, about the freckles ( Read more... )

I'm angry a lot these days. I'm angry at the kids I work with; I'm angry at my political "representatives." I'm angry at my church; I'm angry at random rude people. I'm angry at the "Christian" community in the States; I'm angry at my family. Mostly, though, I'm angry at myself . . . and at God.

I want to scream--"You went to Israel and back, yet ( Read more... )

(This is a repeat post, from my Israel blog, so I apologize. However, as this is the weekend we celebrate the death and resurrection of the Messiah, and my heart has been crying echoes of these thoughts in recent days . . . it bears repeating, I think.)I prayed for yellows- meadows of flowers, sunshiny breakfasts, warm laughter with good friends ( Read more... )

Today I decided that, once and for all, I was going to sort through my Israel journals, in order to figure out what exactly I wanted to put into the book I'm "going" to write about my four months there ( Read more... )

Sometimes, I like to dream ( Read more... )

Closing time
Open all the doors and
Let you out into the world

I was thinking about this song last night, while I was closing up the library. It's such a sweet feeling at the end of the night-- switching off all the lights, closing and locking all the doors, making sure the computers are shut down or monitors are turned off, tidying what needs to ( Read more... )