all i need.

i've had a mat kearney obsession lately.
once i found a song of his i liked, i looked for more
and realized i already knew a bunch of them, from pandora i assume.

i wasn't sure right away if he was a christian artist or not (he is),
if maybe i was just hearing his lyrics as being about god
because i want them to be about him. one song in particular--
the inspiration for my blog title--i think is really expository of
how love for god and love for someone you're close with
can be and should be intertwined, laced with each other,
in real, god-centered relationships.

i think it exposes something else really awesome
and huge and beautiful about god--his constant,
still, persistent voice is everywhere. even if Mat Kearney didn't intentionally
write about god in this song, even if he wasn't a christian, god still shines
full force right through it, the message of love still prevails.
it just blows my mind to see some of the mediums god chooses and uses
to reach his people. his persistence is what we need
and i know i still walk by his works all day long without realizing his
active hand in everything.

never mind the day dawning, becoming light from dark every morning,
never mind the babies being born today, and the lives being saved, and
god's people singing his praises out loud... sure, we look past those things sometimes,
but i think all believers can agree in the obvious miracles apparent in them.

god's laced in poetry and conversations and interactions,
and canceled classes that grant extra time for reflection,
and songs and laughter and flowers that bloom after the frost.
god shows up in little things too.

and he works through flawed people--
which is just one of the most mind-boggling
and loving things he does for us, i think.
every single day i miss opportunities and
say the wrong things and don't convey the love that
i know and that god fills my life with. i sin and am selfish
and feel sorry for myself. but even now, through
my shortcomings and failures and human condition,
he chooses to work through me--

it's like shannon lamb's example of a parent baking cookies with his/her child.

come on liz,
let's bake cookies together.
it doesn't matter that i can do it myself.
it doesn't matter that last time
you got eggshells in the batter,
and put in too much sugar.
and yea, you might mess it up again.
you might spill the batter,
or forget the vanilla,
and you'll most likely leave a mess.
but i can fix it.
and none of that matters,
because i want to do this with you.
i want to see you do it, and help you.

and most of all, i want to hear you say
'i made cookies with my dad today.'
i want to see you smile, and tell your
friends about your awesome father
who helps you make cookies,
and cleans up your messes,
and keeps you safe,
and lets you take chances and grow.



check out mat kearney--all i need.

some other good ones.. where we gonna go from here. nothing left to lose. undeniable. closer to love. won't back down.