12 Months of Music

My favorite albums of 2009

Disclaimer: many of these albums did not come out in 2009, they just found a nook in my heart.

January

Radiohead

In Rainbows

Chosen because it afforded dancing moments all year long.

February

John Fahey

The Best of John Fahey

Chosen for its sheer excellence-- "When the Springtime Comes Again" breaks my heart every time and this music never grows tiresome on winding, mountain roads.

March

The National

Alligator

Chosen because "Slow Show" is beautiful. The vocals are rich and raspy and desperate, all in one.

April

Indelible Grace

Wake Thy Slumbering Children

Chosen because of its creativity and female, soulful vocals.

May

Page France

Hello, Dear Wind

Chosen for its quirks--anyone who can entitle a song "Dogs" or "Elephants" and then still surprise me with a smile and tapping toes, is noteworthy.

June

Angus and Julia Stone

A Book Like This

Chosen for Julia's rich, entangling voice. "Mango Tree" makes my heart sing.

July

The Avett Brothers

The Gleam II

Chosen because these 3 boys were a good find this year. This album is simple, pure, lovely.

August

Neko Cake

Live from Austin, TX

Chosen because Neko is the first female artist that has caused me to stop everything and listen since Patty Griffen.

September

It's a tie:

1. Beirut

The Flying Club Cup

2. Ra Ra Riot

The Rhumb Line

Chosen as a tie because both were recommended and loved at the same time. Many a Friday was spent cleaning, or baking, or relaxing to these wonderful tunes. Upbeat and ambient at times, they are perfect for a day off.

October

Bon Iver

For Emma, Forever Ago

Chosen out of nostalgia. I sang "Flume" when I saw my first flume on the Occoee River in TN. Some hippy men sang "Skinny Love" and made me swoon in Seattle.

November

Ryan Adams

Heartbreaker

Chosen because Ryan Adam's languid, alternative, country soul transforms many days for me.

December

Sufjan Stevens

Songs for Christmas

Chosen because it is one of the few Christmas albums I do not grow tired of. And, many of the songs I listen to year-round.

Last Batch of Photos

These were taken from either me or Christina's phones. Who knew?

Featured song: "Curs in the Weeds" by Horse Feathers

Highlights of My Roadtrip

Below are three brief photo slideshows capturing Road Trip 09.

1. Chicago

Featured song: "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens

2. Train Ride from Chicago to Seattle

Unfortunately, these photos play in reverse order.

Featured song: "Easy Plateau" by Ryan Adams

3. Seattle...sigh.

Featured song: "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver

I love my church

Tomorrow morning, Work Day 1 begins at Four Oaks' new church home. I am eager to jump in and paint furiously for hours with some wonderful people who have become family to me. This is our first church building in many, many, years. It may not seem like much, but it is a joy to move into one. It is an even deeper joy to realize that our leadership's vision is to see this as a hub for satellite campuses going out into all of Tallahassee. As one elder is known for saying, "You can rest when you are dead." Until you come, Jesus, may we be faithful to be "gospel-ers", spreading your Kingdom's name.

In the midst of busyness, I appreciate the ridiculousness of our Preaching Pastor's "Rodney videos." You can view them here.

I pray for you

For a few months my heart has held this thought: "I may never see any fruit from time spent at Sunrise Apartments." This statement is only partially true. I have seen fruit:

The smile on Cashen's mouth, his toothy grin and expressive eyes lighting up as he articulates in little boy language that we all are born with dark hearts, and then follows by shouting that Jesus is perfect.

D'Erykah's hugs and sheepish, shy smiles. She has become a beautiful lady in the past 3 years. Her heart is tender and compassionate, she is kind and considerate of others. She is a follower, easily led by the schemes of others, who do not honor God.

Ke'Yondre is one of the first boys I met at Sunrise. This is what he wanted painted on his face at the last Family Day we had there. Does he fear God? I do not know. I am glad he at least has the sentence "Fear God" etched in his mind. May it be etched on his soul.

Jatia and Kashura. Last year they came to help decorate my Christmas tree. Kashura can break my heart. She cannot decide if she loves God or not. The pull of all else, of the world, of the flesh, of the devil are too strong. Lord, free her. Teach her that power comes through your Son. May your Gospel free her.

And so my very short season at Sunrise has come abruptly to a close. Our church partner that sustains the ministry there has faced intense opposition, making it nearly impossible to do ministry in the community. The church that has overseen this ministry will relocate to their new church building, only a mile or so away, and can begin ministering to surrounding neighborhoods and housing projects from there.

My heart aches. My spirit prays. My mind wonders. I wish I could give them Jesus and know they took him and loved him. God, how will you take care of these little ones? I pray your Word fell on good soil. I pray they love you and cling to you and cherish you. Please guard them from all the world's evils, from Satan's onslaught, from the dominion of darkness that lurks around the complex. Be gracious. Save. Help. Rescue. Redeem.

May your Word reign true.

Psalm 126:5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

Home from R.T. 2009

The Bean. Downtown Chicago.

Outside our hostel, outside Pike Market in Seattle

The Windy City at its best

Taken during the swooning over the street musicians in Seattle

So Road Trip 2009 was a lovely trip. Several life goals, or really just dreams of a silly girl's heart, were crossed off:

Driving a manual car for 2,000 mi.

Taking a train

Seeing the northwest coast

Some scattered highlights of those 10 days:

My heart was fueled by awe as I shared the gospel on the train

Some beautiful, hippy men singing Bon Iver's "Skinny Love". These street musicians blew me away. I was swoony. I'm sorry, Mr. Iver, but they rocked your own song.

I was refreshed in God's presence as Nina and I sat for hours in Starbucks having Jesus time. We had nowhere in particular to go and no rush to get there, so we sat.

I was dazzled with creation:

.crisp fall on the drive up through Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois

.Chicago's windy, yellow-tree clad streets

.the harbor

.looming, big sky Montana

.the calming, rolling hills of N Dakota

.snow covered firs as our train chugged through the Cascade Mnts just before daybreak

the dewy, sleepy towns of northern Washington, blanketed in fall's fog, fires gently burning inside, smoke curling through the morning air

.the glories of Puget Sound

.the majesty of mountains meeting the ocean, fall trees touching the rocky bay below

Photos to come. I took the ol' film Rebel.

Road Trips Make My Heart Sing

On Wednesday night after work, my friend, Christina and I will leave for our 2nd road trip together.

View Larger Map

Our route looks somewhat like this:

Tallahassee--> Birmingham, AL

Birmingham--> Nashville, TN

Nashville--> Chicago, IL

Chicago--> Seattle, WA

Seattle--> Chicago

Chicago--> Louisville, KY

Louisville--> Tallahassee

We are traveling to Chicago by

Then to Seattle by

Then back to Chicago by

Then back to Tallahassee by

I am looking forward to cold weather, my first train ride, reading books, back country roads with good tunes, coffee, and friendship. I am excited to explore 2 cities, stay in a hostel, meet new friends via Christina. I am eager to wear winter clothes and boots. Whew...I can't hardly wait.