i miss dance parties with gigi and her unceasing love of christmas music no matter what time of year it is....

christmas music + gigi + dance party from rachel baransi on Vimeo.

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love is free

Love is Free from Homeless Drew on Vimeo.

(i suggest clicking the four-arrows, in the bottom right corner, 2nd over, to make it full screen)

i really respect this guy, he's got a lot of creativity and insight. this is a sixty minute documentary that drew daniels created after going homeless for forty days in the summer of 2008.

"Love is Free seeks to bring awareness as well as action among it's viewers, pushing them outside of their comfort zone to understand the marginalized through relationships. Drew doesn't call for distant charity, but for all individuals to get their hands dirty in the very personal work of caring for the world's needy."

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from julia:

a conversation between lucas & i at bedtime:

lucas: 'mom, how am i going to figure out who i'm going to marry?'
me: 'lucas you don't have to worry about that for a long time.'
lucas: 'but i just want to know now!!!'
me: but you won't get married until you are 20 or 30 or 40
lucas: but do i just find a girl with no dad (he meant husband) and marry her?
me: sort of. but you should love her too. but yes she should have no husband.
lucas: so who's it going to be? brooke or allie?
me: either one would be a great pic. i think you should marry one of them. but they're a bit old.
lucas: so when i'm 25 they will be dead?
me: no, but they're a bit old. you should ask the lord.
lucas: i can't hear his voice.
me: well, just take a deep breath and say 'lord please speak to me'
lucas: (deep breath) 'lord please speak to me
lucas: (a few seconds later): 'God said rachel baransi'

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a year ago today, i wrote this:

rushing diagonally

Do you know what it's like to be in such a hurry that you can't even afford to cross the street in straight lines, that you have to save time by not only walking across the street but also nearing the direction you must go next? I call this rushing diagonally and it really hit me today how much my life has been a crazy jumble rushing from one activity to another for the past two to three years.

It started out with school, then a job, then church, then driving, then the college search, then the college applications and visiting schools, then being class president, then putting together graduation speeches and invitations and parties and then traveling and now moving. None of these things are bad at all, but when you don't have time to walk across the road there is something wrong! I brought all of the stress upon myself and it has been so worth it, but now is a time to slow down to catch up. Catch up with Jesus, catch up with investing in his kingdom, catch up with his plan and who he wants me to be! I'm so thrilled to have a break from everything that's been so normal these last few years, and focus on people and a family and a church plant.

I love the last lyrics from "Beauty of the Lord" by the Desperation Band.... "Jesus your love, it takes my breath away/ I'm living everyday for the beauty of the Lord/ Jesus your love, it takes my breath away" I don't want fast paced living to take my breath away, I want it to be that I am captured by the beauty and love of the Lord. Goodnight!

& tonight I'm reflecting on where I am now, I'm loving the place that I'm at. I feel much less stressed than before. I feel really joyfully invested in the things I am doing right now: ESL, School, Work (part-time) & I've been blessed with some really amazing people in my life, just hanging out, doing life with them!

I have the time to cross the street without rushing diagonally . I have the time to drive around and get lost getting to know downtown Columbus. I have time to finish the dishes. I have time to make my bed. I have time to hang out with kids. I have time to learn names. I have time to go for a bike ride. I have time to dream and encourage others to dream too. I have time to wait four minutes for french pressed coffee. I have time to waste....... I have time to blog.

Goodnight world!

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today i miss:

today i miss:

silly moments

& reading Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree to Lucas!

Once there was a tree..... and she loved a little boy. And every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest. He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide-and-go-seek. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree.......very much. And the tree was happy.

But time went by. And the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone. Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said "Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy"

"I am too big to climb and play", said the boy. "I want to buy things and have fun. I want some money. Can you give me some money?" "I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money, I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy." And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away. And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time.. and the tree was sad. And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy and she said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy." "I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm," he said. "I want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. Can you give me a house?" "I have no house," said the tree. "The forest is my house, but you may cut off my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy." And the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time. And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak. "Come, Boy," she whispered, "come and play." "I am too old and sad to play," said the boy. "I want a boat that take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?" "Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away...... and be happy." And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away. And the tree was happy....

but not really. And after a long time the boy came back again. "I am sorry, Boy," said the tree,

"but I have nothing left to give you----" "My apples are gone." "My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy. "My branches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them------" "I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy. "My trunk is gone," said the tree. "You cannot climb--------" "I am too tired to climb," said the boy. "I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something------ but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump." "I don't need very much now," said the boy. "just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired." "Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, "well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest." And the boy did. And the tree was happy.

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