Sister Eva

I call her every month or so, but it should be every day or so. If I were really practical, and wanted to win this whole life-battle, I would call her every time my faith so much as trembled.
I didn't know it was possible to be so one with God and remain in a body. I am almost convinced that when she leaves her body will burn to dust at the fire of her spirit breaking its bonds. (Like Feanor, but with holy fire, for anyone who read the Silmarillion.)
It's strange to talk to someone who only needs me to give her a reason to speak. The more I learn of her, the more I open myself to take in what she says. I pretend I'm a thirsty plant opening itself to her words, words that are not hers, but the Spirit's.
I've wondered many times who it is that waters her, and by now I'm pretty sure she gets everything direct delivered from the Father. She sees Him in everything, and one of her favorite things is to see growth in her "children". Growth and romance, which are sometimes the same thing.
Despite her own incredibly difficult marriage, she loves romance.
"God is in everything you do. If you are married, to love your husband is to love God," she says. When she says simple things like that, I think,
I knew that. But it is so good to hear her say it. 
I know she lives in God like a baby in its mother's womb. Sometimes I think she's the closest thing I can get to God. And yet, "Life is a journey. You keep moving, keep looking forward. I'm not satisfied with the depth I'm at," she says, lapsing into a wild, childish cackle.
She will never be satisfied until she sees His face, touches His hands. I never want to be, either.
"Don't magnify yourself in no kind of way. It's all God, all for His glory."
My point in all this is to thank God before you all that I have the blessing of knowing this woman so full of Him. It's the Him inside her that is so beautiful and strong. I pray that everyone who reads this will find their own Sister Eva(or rediscover her) and take in all the glimpses of Christ they can.

The Grand and Glorious Mercy

After June has showered its way into July, and the bemused sun stumbles out each morning, startled to be able to see past the clouds, I know summer is here.
Mom's hibiscus are coral shouts of joy. The lawn is lush and beautiful, the trees hold deep secrets, and I love Ohio.
These beautiful things made me think of beauty and its myriad of manifestations. I opened my Rosetti  this morning and read this:

Passing and Glassing

All things that pass
Are woman's looking-glass
They show her how her bloom must fade,
And she herself be laid
With withered roses in the shade;
With withered roses and the fallen peach,
Unlovely, out of reach
Of summer joy that was.

All things that pass
Are woman's tiring-glass;
The faded lavender is sweet,
Sweet the dead violet
Culled and laid by and cared for yet;
The dried-up violets and dried lavender 
Still sweet, may comfort her,
Nor need she cry Alas!

All things that pass
Are wisdom's looking-glass;
Being full of hope and fear, and still
Brimful of good or ill,
According to our work and will;
For there is nothing new beneath the sun;
Our doings have been done,
And that which shall be was.

I first thought, Rosetti, that is depressing. Why do you have to know so much about life?
But then, No, what she's saying is that what we have here, our bodies, are not the end of beauty. Beauty lives on, in its fullest form, in our souls. It will never die here, with our bodies. We carry this soul-beauty to Heaven, where all beauty meets its Maker.

What a grand and glorious mercy, though severe at times.

It's startling to walk around and think, My best beauty is inside me. This body is only one part of how it will be manifested.

I love to think that the best is yet to come. (I save my favorite foods to eat last, and when I get to a good part in a book, I pause for a while. That's why it takes so long for me to read O'Brien, because it's all so good.)

He gave us these bodies to use, to live in beautifully. But in His great mercy, He does not allow the beauty to stop here. We do try to make it stop. I am guilty of this. I don't always see the eternal. I think, If I can make my body look like that, or this, I would be perfect. I try to do what has already been done, convincing myself that it's new.
It's the ultimate idiot moment, because I know God is wringing His hands, saying, No, no, no! There is so much more to you. I have endless beauty to offer, if you will only accept it.

I'm not sure how to learn to accept it, but I'll begin by thinking about it and asking Him to help me.

This kind of beauty is a fascinating subject to me, so if anyone has thoughts, discussion questions, please comment below. I'd like to know what you think.