I came in late to work this morning as a result of the long night.

I was grappling with issues I do not desire to divulge into in this format, but to me they are intellectually and emotionally irreconcilable.

Thus the head screaming and nausea. Irreconcilables are not easy for me.

But this is a bit of what I know for today:

-I desire my life to be a vessel of reconcilation and love, through Christ to those He died for.

-There are some mysteries too great for me, and I will leave them as mysteries; not dogmatic necessities.

-Gentleness is far superior to harsh criticism.

-To love at all is to make oneself vulnerable.

-It is very good indeed, following a night like last night, to be thankful for friends.

There are a few other things I know.

I went to lunch with my friend Erin before I came in to work. Despite all the mess of this life and this world; all the angst that we face--there is still hope. I see it in her eyes as we understand one another. Or I see it in the grass stains on my skirt from tromping through the jungle backyard of her apartment, when we were locked out of the front door. It's in the fact that I can go hold the Diehl's baby tonight, or that Matt keeps his secrets.

There is hope.

There is joy.

Veiled, at times; and so I wait for the day when the veil is taken away.

May the Holy Spirit be your comforter and convict you, leading you into the truth that sets us free.

With humility, Trace

P.S. Quote of the Day: (taken without permission from Trisha's friend Kayle's diary -- I figure if he posts it in diaryland, that makes it fair game for quote material).

In reference to "doing ministry"...

"I'm going to release my passion down in Medicine Hat. How does that sound? If it ever gets boiled down to ministry, hit me."

I liked that.