So very rarely does spring break correspond with actual Spring in Indiana. However, this week, while I am on vacation at home from work & school, God has seen fit to give 60' temps & gorgeous, beautiful blue skies & sunshine.I spent today walking & sunning myself in a local park (Holliday, thank you Kristin & Jeff & Ade for the find ;). So good to just sit & breathe, with nowhere to be, no schedule to keep.
Yesterday was spent at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, where these very springy pics were taken. This is one of my favorite places in Indy, because it holds art, it is free to the general public year-round, and will open a 100-acre woods :), a sculpture park, in June. It has an historic home (Lilly House, whose endowment makes the free entry possible) and beautiful greenhouse & gardens, along the White River, where the trail from downtown comes thru' (so now I can bike to the museum).
I love museums because art & science remind me that I am created. For me, every piece of art is a commentary, a dialogue on God and His work, whether the artist is seeking, rejecting, or in ignorance or apathy of Him - because God first created, every act of the creation's hands is part of that conversation, whether it is acknowledged or not. Perhaps this is why museums feel like sacred spaces to me, and every work is an altar to something, a chance to reflect on a particular aspect of God's story.
Vacation began with yucky weather but a beautiful wedding that was a testament to God's faithfulness to His children, and my friend Miriam's faithfulness to Him (and of course, Steve's :). Friends & de facto family trekked to a tiny church in a tiny town to celebrate, and tho' the rain rained & the wind blew, and none of us had ever been there before, and few of us had met the groom, it felt like family had reassembled for just a few hours in this place. I remain convinced that the honoring of God in that place is what brought the spring.
Sunday Dawn & Katie & I worshipped with Jeff & Ade & Glori at another community of believers in Indy, and it felt good & right to once again seek God together, and then share a meal & rest together before heading out to our individual callings.
I took Katie to my small group in the evening, because I'm the only non-nurse/doctor/med student, and sure 'nuff, she fit right in. To my great delight, this group of followers (in Indy) was able to share their resources to help Katie (from Orlando) find the next step in her vocational journey - an organization of Christ-committed medical centers that can offer support & contacts as she seeks to treat the whole person in underserved communities. In the words of my friend Lori, is God good or what? ;)
Monday I had the chance to show Katie my favorite coffee shop (Henry's on East, where I sit now in the late afternoon sun), visit the IU bookstore, and try on beautiful sparkly bling @ Tiffany's (because sometimes you just need to feel like a princess ;). Followed by a few lazy days of reading in Borders and watching movies and bathing in sunshine, I feel refreshed to head back to work & school craziness. Tonight is laundry & homework night, tomorrow I meet my friend Julia at a legendary Indianapolis blues joint for lunch (The Slippery Noodle), and tomorrow night I head back to work.
Sorry for the ramble, and if you made it thru' to the end, thanks for letting my contentedness ebb over onto your day. Now I'm going to go listen to & give feedback on an Onion posting for a stranger at the next table, because I'm not busy ;).
