love[ers] in japan.

I recently was forwarded an email from my new friend, Joel. (We’ve met once and hung out, so in my world, that means friends.) He is on a short-term mission trip to Okinawa, and shared some of the things he and his team are doing, and I was really touched by one activity in particular.

“…Instead of a political or business agenda, the signs have encouraging phrases or words on them such as "You are beautiful" "We love you" "You are amazing."  In Hawaii, we usually just stand at corners and wave/shaka/smile/shout at people.  This time, we did all this but we MARCHED!  So if you can imagine over 50 people with signs walking around downtown Naha waving/shouting/smiling/blessing people that pass by whether, they are just walking, hanging out, or in their cars…”

This then led me to another thought I had just read about in my friend Natalie’s blog:

Loved people love people.

Isn’t that the truth? One of the most over-arching themes of the gospel, boiled down into one single point? 

Think about all the things love is: patient, kind, humble, not jealous, believing, hoping, sustaining.

We can not do things with out love. By the same token, if we have received the most epic love of all, we are able to love in the most epic of ways. The world would never be the same if everyone moved and lived and breathed to this realization.

What a gift. 

(take that, los angeles).

Endless Summer (Breakfast): In Search of the Croissant Parfait

I didn’t know that parfait meant 'perfect' in French until my friend said it the other night. Who knew that when you said, “I’d like a fruit and yogurt parfait” at Starbucks, that you were really saying, “I’d like a fruit and yogurt perfection, please”?

Foreign languages are sweet. Finding the perfect croissant, event sweeter.

Honestly, there is nothing quite like a coffee and croissant on a weekday morning. It is the perfect marriage of business and pleasure – business meaning I am dressed in my work clothes, pleasure meaning I am eating.

I don’t know why I like croissants that much. But they do hold a special place in my heart, somewhere in between my grandpa, the beach, and old home videos.

I digress.

Amandine Patisserie. The first time I had see this greenery covered bakery, I quickly entered into my Blackberry notes and promised myself that one morning, I would go.

A turquoise door welcomes you into a space luminated by the morning Santa Monica sun.

The place is cheerful, and mounds of pastries greet the senses as you step into a place that feels all too much like Europe.

A chalkboard appears lively with all that is written on it – things like Tarte Citron, Omelette Lorriane, Fresh Vegetable Pain de Mie, and of course, their freshly baked breads and pastries.

The first time I bit into their butter croissant, my eyes lit up, and a smile swept upon my face. It’s that good. Each bite seems to be autographed with care and artful consideration of the consummate pastry experience. Flaky and smooth on the outside, the inside is carefully woven in butter and air to create something that is truly spectacular.

I love Amandine’s concept:
“Our concept is to bring freshly unique, quality food to your everyday life.

We like to think of it as being that special part of your day, where you can break away from

the hustle and bustle of life

to find a moment of leisure and a savory indulgence that

satisfies your craving.”

Maybe that’s why I love this place so much. Maybe why I love bakeries in the morning. It allows me to take some time to myself or with a friend to fill my heart with things other than the day ahead. Maybe cause for the 30 minutes that I could be sitting in traffic, I choose to enjoy a slow start.

Before the business of the day sets in, I find quiet times to be as valuable as a quarter in the seat when you need money for parking. They’re good for the soul – to be still and soak in the day that is to come.

Couple it with a croissant and a cappuccino with extra foam, and there is no reason a day should ever be bad.

i-love-my-life kind of moments.

We’ve all had them. That powerful surge of the realization that yes, you’re life at that moment, is awesome.

They’re just really special, mind-blowing moments, only ones that your heart can fathom.

Nothing is better than a soul satisfied.

I was reminded the other day that there is a significant difference between joy and happiness. I think happiness can be crafted by circumstance. True joy rests in the fact that we just simply can’t make this moment up. It’s too good, too precious.

I think we’ll find that the i-love-my-life kind of moments do not come from purchasing anything, or maybe relate to anything material for that matter.

They’re the times where you have company over for dinner and realize that you love every single person in the room.

The times where you decide to curl up and read a book because you want to.

Most recently spotted i-love-my-life-moments include, but are not limited to: mornings that consist of breakfasting, farmers’ marketing, and beaching; really well done sunsets; realizing that the people in your life are incredible; running in i-can't-help-but-be-outside weather.

Raw and uncrafted, rare and treasured, the beauty of these moments is a sheer matter of gratitude and appreciation.

Found anywhere, by anyone, in anything.

[insert your own moment here]

so live your life.

I had a visit with one of my dearest friends on Saturday. The whole day was wonderful, but my favorite part was sipping on Whittard’s Dreamtime tea while sitting on her balcony and downloading life.

Life downloads with sweet friends are so good for the soul. I always am blown away by the things my friends are doing, how the Lord is shaping their life.

The thing I remember talking about most is the ever so applicable word to people I believe in the age category of 22 - 101: transition.

Our conversation spurred on a question: Where is the balance between living the life we’re living and going to do the things we’ve always dreamed of? Can the two ideas be married ever, or are we torn by the wide spectrum?

People say to post graduates “Oh, you’re in the transition stage of life.” That’s like brushing off a teenager and chalking it up to adolescence, waiting till they come out on the other side.

Follow me: Transit = (for example) the Metro.

Lots of stops.

Lots of opportunities to get off and step onto ground.

I suppose the great beauty and the great difficulty of transition is knowing when to park and when to keep going. I don’t want to ever take for granted or wish away today.

I love today, today is so exciting.

But I also think it’s ok to gut check ourselves and make sure that today is en route to our greater life dreams.

This is the day the Lord has made,

I will rejoice and be glad in it (and thank him for giving us lives to live and dream and go and discover and do and become.)

the thing about.

the thing about blogging is that it comes with the idea that whatever you write has to be relevant.

cool, or people won't read it.

meaningful, or people won't like it.

all i'm saying is, (albeit short and non-topical) there is something to be said about:

kiva.org

twitter and what it is doing in the tehran protests.

game nights.

finding time to read a book or journal.

sleeping in.

post-dinner strolls.

oswald chambers.

fin.

frames.

Living life frame by frame. 

To maximum exposure. 

I think there’s some sort of balance to be achieved between seeing the grandiose, overarching theme of what I deem to be my life’s purpose, and what happens in the short span of 24 hours. There’s got to be, because at this point, I haven’t achieved success in fully committing to one idea or the other.

I wake up, read something in the Bible that strikes me as ‘yes, this is my jam for the day’, and by the end of the day, the thought has managed to seep into my overall modus operandi for life. How does that happen? I thought tonight, do I waste days planning for the next?

I would love to wake up every single morning, and think, “Yes! I have one more day to love, and receive love!”

One more day to just be blown away by the earth, creation, air, breath, life.

One more day to connect with another human being.

One more day to breathe in air, mercy, and grace.

24 hours, captured in a frame. I would love to be fully known in one frame. To be fully understood of what I am made of.

planning and worrying, you can subside. 

being and doing, you can ensue.

things that last.

This past weekend, my sister got married.

It was incredible, an affair that brought so many things full circle through God's faithfulness, grace and love.

One thing that I was starkly reminded of this weekend was the marvelousness and beauty of girlfriends. I got to stand by my sister on the day of her wedding, with 6 other women who have also walked with Megan and were willing to come from near and far to stand by her and affirm her commitment.

I see this vision of my dearest friends, the ones who journey together, as holding hands in front of a rolling sea.

our faces to the waves, hands clasped

 ready to take on the life that ebbs and flows.

feet planted firm.

There is something sacred about the link of a girlfriend. There are countless times that I have met the friends of my friends and given them hugs in lieu of handshakes because I know that if they are friends of my friends, they must be friends of mine. The link becomes a chain all too easily.

And it's beautiful.