untitled.

Hello world,

I am switching over to WordPress. You can follow my new blog here:
http://rachelbrazell.wordpress.com/

Love,
rachel

minds as quiet as time

How long we wait, with minds as quiet as time,

Like sentries on a tower.

How long we watch, by night, like the astronomers.

Heaven, when will we hear you sing,

Arising from our grassy hills,

And say: "The dark is done, and Day

Laughs like a Bridegroom in His tent, the lovely sun!"

How long we wait with minds as dim as ponds,

While stars swim slowly homeward in the water of our west!

Heaven, when will we hear you sing?

                                                                                 -Thomas Merton

small beginnings

My Soul Waits

I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait,

And in His word do I hope.

My soul waits for the Lord

More than the watchmen for the morning;

Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord;

For with the Lord there is lovingkindness,

And with Him is abundant redemption.

[psalm 130]

A Journal Entry: February 13, 2012

I sit here, on this rainy morning, with much on my heart.
So many things I want to write, but how do I even begin to express it all?

Maybe words will come eventually, maybe not.

Either way, on this rainy morning, I am sure of one thing.

in all our afflictions,
he is afflicted;
and the angel of his presence saves us;
he lifts us up and
carries us all our days.
           

limbs&branches

I am overwhelmed by grace today.

I look up and I see its branches, extending far and wide beyond my sight. Like a mighty pine tree, it seems to tower over me.

There is nothing unusual or special about today. But it is here in the commonplace that I recognize its beauty. It is here, right where I am, that I realize I am constantly blessed with gifts of grace. Everything is because of God's grace.

and I am so thankful for that.

"I have tasted of your goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more." -tozer

porcelain beauty

She is the porcelain doll that sits inside the toy store window.
She is the picture of beauty, contentment, and perfection - the very thing a world of young girls earnestly long for as they gaze upon the doll's perfect complexion.

Her china blue eyes stare expressionlessly out the window, telling the world she is content, and her scarlet lips seem to whisper, "Only beauty is required."

She is the porcelain beauty in the toy store window.
She is the standard by which I will no longer measure my worth.

For although she is beautiful, she is also breakable.

Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man
he will be what most people call 'humble' nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily.
He will not be thinking about humility.
He will not be thinking about himself at all.
-CS Lewis

on faith and mountains

I recently returned from an adventure to Colorado with my family.

(Well, most of my family. Jimmy is serving Christ in China, and was very greatly missed.)

It was an incredible week of skiing, snowshoeing, reading, and reflecting.

Now, I love Colorado and I love the mountains.

 Mountains remind me, for a moment, of how small I am. The enormous mountains seem to enclose me, and it is almost overwhelming. Most of all, though, it is breathtaking. And It is when I see my frailty compared to these massive cliffs that I realize my inconsistency compared to His steadfastness.

I realize that I am small.

I needed to be reminded of that.

it was a grand time.

We missed you, Jimmy.

~

"At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above and about me."

Clyde Kalby

Love,

Rachel

for Japan, with love

Japan is in desperate need of our help.


pray.
give.

A Reminder.

"Remember oh man, that you are dust, and to dust you will return."

these are a few of my favorite things.

                                                       1949 Royal HH typewriter

1946 Brownie Target six-20 box rollfilm camera

old things never get old.
-rachel

why do we so easily forget how blessed we are?

"all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -e. burke

empty me

burn away
anything within me
that is contrary to love

another adventure

so, i started a blog.

and for those who don't know me very well...
 i'm rachel, and here is my story.