Joy Dare 8 & 9

8. light that caught you, a reflection that surprised you, a shadow that fell lovely

• the striking sunlight juxtaposed to the blue, blue sky: it was such lovely weather and bright, bright, bright. i don't get outside enough-- Beauty defined. I don't think He gets tired of seeing such loveliness either.

• being able to look into the mirror and not despise myself. Facing head-on such deep hurt and brokenness as self-hatred left a trail of shattered shards and heartache during my college years. The gift of healing and ability to see me and not wince is a precious one indeed.

• shadows of the houses in Balboa Island painted on the beach walk as dusk fell and I meandered along the small town with my family: i didn't think about it at the time, but now the memory clutches at me, begging to be remembered and not tossed aside. how many more moments like that will I have with them? God willing, another half-a-lifetime more.

9. a gift in your hand, a gift you walked by, a gift you sat with

• in my hand: my ability to draw decently. I think in visuals and movie reels, and I often long to sketch down on paper what comes fleetingly in and out of my mind. Today's attempts were not that much in vain, thank goodness.

• I walked by a lovely skeleton of a tree today in the playground of the school where I'm doing my internship. The bark was ivory, textured, with branches stretching out cautiously. The tree painted itself against a bright, bold blue. I love trees.

• my clients, every single one, at internship and at work. They teach me painstaking and painful lessons about the heart of the Father for the least of us.