Cambodia

Here are some pics from my time in Cambodia last year. Stoked to share these! Some of these appear on my friends new non-profit website, check it out!

http://www.artandjustice.org

Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a pure heart,
O God!
and renew a steadfast spirit
within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
Or take your Holy Spirit
from me.

Restore to me the joy of your
salvation!
and grant me a willing spirit,
to sustain me.

Prospect Road

Spent the day at the parents. Prospect Road, where I grew up. The day was beautiful. Here are some pics of the day!

Miller Road

The first nine years of my life was spent at our house on Miller Road, a quaint little house, with a neighbor on each side, and cornfields to the front and back. We had ample space to play as kids, and I remember the warm summer nights, playing with my brother and sister in the yard, as our father tended to the garden. I remember helping plant the seeds and watering them once we had buried them in the strait as an arrow rows.

In the fall, the huge trees that bordered our property would shed their coats, much to our delight, as our dad would rake the leaves into big piles for us to romp around and jump into. I have good memories of that place. My parents eventually grew tired of the water problems that they continually had, and decided to move into the house where I would spend the rest of my childhood and teenage years.

A memory came to me today of when I lived on Miller Road. The first time I said a bad word. There were some big rocks out in the front corner of our property and as I was playing one day, I decided that I was going to flip this one rock over. I flipped it over and to my surprise, there was a whole colony of ants living under this rock. Ants were everywhere and for some reason the word that came flying out of my mouth was a long, well pronounced, "Daaaaaamn!!" It rolled off of my tongue so effortlessly, and I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach as I realized what I had just said. I just swore!! Good little christian Matty was talkin like a sailor. Where did that come from? My immediate response was to run indoors and confess my sin to my mother, so as to release me from the guilt that I felt.

It's interesting, the things that sometimes spew out of our hearts without thinking. Makes me wonder. Is the heart good or bad?

oh memories.

Art and Justice League

Today is the launch of my friends non-profit! The Art and Justice League. Check it out!

http://www.artandjustice.org/

Years

An experience in life today got me thinking about its brevity. One day I will be old, slow moving, and have more to look back on then to look forward to. It's a reality that's not thought about often, but yet is inescapable. When I was younger the years slipped by seemingly slow and I remember older people always talking about how it just gets faster with every passing day. As I look back on my life, I find this to be so true as the years go by...




The years go by, like stones under rushing water. we only know, we only know when it's gone...


{oh yeah. needtobreathe. world live cafe in philadelphia. april 7. Let's Go!! anyone?}

Las Montanas

This weekend was glorious. We hiked, shot guns, ate food, laid around, warmed ourselves by the fire, and even went mattress sledding down the stairs. The sun was shining and memories were created. Good times were had by all. Here is a glimpse of our weekend...--

















And yes, even mom and pops got in on the action. Kudos to their adventurous spirits. Can you picture your parents mattress sledding down the stairs?

This Too Shall Pass

How far we've come

Sometimes, when I take time to reflect on my life thus far, I'm blown away. Blown away by how faithful God has been to me. Through all the pains and sorrows, the fears and unknowns, I've always made it through. This hit me last night as I reminisced with my brother. As we talked of old times and laughed together, I couldn't help but feel this swell of gratefulness rise up in my heart. I thought of all the times when fear was alive and well in my heart. Of times when anxiety would rule over me. When it would beat my spirit into submission, and drag me to depths of places where no human should have to tread. Of all the tears that have fallen from my eyes, for I've cried so many. And though they sometimes still fall, I'm learning to feel safe. As we talked, I think I began to realize that I have been safe all along. Safe in arms that have never stopped holding me.

I guess the only thing that had stopped was me believing that arms were still holding me, even when my emotions told me otherwise.

I'm so grateful for how far we've come. Or maybe it's how far He has brought me. I don't know, but either way, the question now is, where do we go from here?