I tried to write a book this summer. And I failed. You see, I was always that girl in class who didn't want to draw out a storyline, or write a rough draft. I just wanted to write until I arrived. So Mom, I apologize that I'm not going to write a book. I got as far as creating one of those story webs but I've realized that I'm not an author, I'm a person. I'm not going to stop writing however, I'm going to write life and if and when I arrive, I will claim authorship.

I have less than a week here on Lopez Island and I have to say that I am thankful for this little place where everybody waves, everybody recognizes you and everybody accepts you. This island has less residents than my tiny university, with just enough wifi to still feel current. Indeed I am grateful for my lonely summer because not much is required but to simply BE. My favorite mornings are ones like this where I can sit out on my deck and write life.

Life these days are all about overcoming.
When I was young, I had a speech impediment. For the first ten years of my life, I was unable to say my R's. And although I can laugh about it now, I can still recall the pain and embarrassment of leaving class every Tuesday and Wednesday to attend speech therapy. My speech therapist gave me a picture of a clock to tape to my desk with the time that I was supposed to leave for therapy. What was supposed to act as a friendly reminder, was only a constant blemish on my desk representing what I thought was a blemish in myself. The hardest part of it all was that I was born with the desire to lead, but the fear to speak.

On February 26th, I gave my first KONY 2012 presentation in front of 1,000 Catholic School boys. And when I spoke, there wasn't a flaw in my pronunciation but a realization that God does not forget the desires of our heart. And better yet, that He is the one that places those desires there in the first place. And He will continue to pursue those desires in you until you overcome.

I am given new reasons daily to pursue a life where my flaws become my tools for praise. These are my porch thoughts.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for being.