oh my, my...

i'm not much of a person to be whiny or needy, but this is on my mind right now. i really would like to be away from oklahoma right now. apart from the plus-100 degree heat we've been experiencing, my wife is in maine, and that sounds like the perfect place to be for me. i really miss her a lot. a lot. being married for a year doesn't warrant a month of being apart; shoot, 50 years of marriage doesn't even warrant that. but i understand why we're better off for it in the long run, and i'm definitely learning a thing or two about taking care of myself without her watchful eye and patience (usually too much of the latter).

she really is wonderful, and i can't wait to see her again on the 22nd. after a week in new hampshire, it's off to russia for us! i suppose in the long run, it's not too far off until i'll be headed up to the northeast, and that'll be a nice change of pace for me. i've been in oklahoma for too long, and i need to travel a bit.

with that said, i'll be by myself for the next couple of weeks, so if one of you oklahoma types feels especially nice, feel free to stop on by. i may cook you dinner. or if you're traveling through the area, i've got an extra bed, so i'd be happy to be a hotel for a night or two. it's not like i'm doing anything besides working and going home, so chances are, i'll be up for some adventure.

in other news, i just got mewithoutYou's latest album, "It’s all crazy! It’s all false! It’s all a dream! It’s alright," and i must say, it's quite fabulous. it's certainly a departure from their earlier music, being that it's essentially their take on folk music. not that they weren't experimenting with that in "Brother, Sister," but this album solidifies the folk trend in their music. enlightening lyricism, as always, and an enjoyable listen throughout. check it out, if you feel so inclined.

much love and peace to you all!

i simply don't understand.

why do we so often place so much stock in the temporary things that we're experiencing now? i could turn anything into an example. the bed i sleep in every night; yes, it is very comfortable and warm, but not too long from now, it will be worn out, dirty, and laying in a dumpster somewhere. the bikes that i ride; they are fun and useful now, but they'll eventually rust and become useless. my job and my income; it provides me with the ability to live comfortably, but in today's world, i'm never guaranteed a thing. besides, billions of people survive on far less than what i make in one day. it all just makes me think, do i really need what i think i need, or what the rest of society tells me i need?

job 1:21 --
"naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked i will depart.
the LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

i am never guaranteed anything will last forever except for faith, hope, and love, of which love is the greatest.

so i ask again, why do we wrap ourselves up so much in the petty things (they may not seem petty now, but in the scheme of things, they are.), when there is so much more waiting for us to grab onto? i, for one, have made the decision to live life as simply as possible. that is the essence of what my life goal is. i don't want a multi-hundred-thousand dollar paycheck. i don't want to be at the top of the food chain. in a world where everyone is looking out for number one, i want to be the failure. if what jesus said is true, when he told us that the first will be last and the last will be first, i want that.

so go ahead. call me a screwed up failure. we all are in the long run, and i'm ok with not hiding the fact that i am. it's easier for everyone that way. i know who loves me. i want everyone else to know that love too. i think that's the purpose in my life.