the tree of life

come away with me...

be still, and delight in beauty...

my my grandpa passed away today. it was sort of sudden, and a shock, but really his health has been failing slowly as he's gotten older. i'm having a hard time processing it, with the suddenness of it, and how far away my dad's whole side of the family lives... joey got to meet him last year around this time, and that was our last trip up to northern california. i'm thankful that he (just in the last decade or so) chose to trust Christ.  never too late until it is. 

trying to process all this has reminded me of an amazing movie i saw recently that i've been wanting to recommend: The Tree of Life. it's an anomaly of a movie to me. super artistic, abstract, and spiritual, but has big (BIG) name actors in it, like Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and my current favorite actress, Jessica Chastain. as a friend described it, this movie is deeply Christian, as long as your idea of a "christian movie" doesn't stop at "fireproof". it's basically about grieving, learning to process with God all of life, seeing the bigger picture. as i said, it's really abstract, with lengthy sequences of creation imagery, and lots of whispers. dialogue between a woman and her God, a man and his brother. if you get annoyed by lack of plot, or feeling lost as to what exactly is going on in a linear way, be forewarned: this movie does not fit into any neat and tidy categories. but is a.mazing.

all these shots are from a day i spent alone (rapture!) at descanso gardens. a time to rest, be alone with my God, enjoy his created glorious beauty. he met me there and i danced with him. more glory in just these flowers and trees and SPACE than a soul can take in (in a day or ever!)... hope you can get a little taste of it here... and then go. - drive to pasadena (la canada flintridge, really), and take a breather for yourself. $8 for a day is so worth it...

"my spot"