Summer of TOMS.

Me and my pair of TOMS have traversed the states this summer. From California, to Colorado, to Virginia, back to Colorado, I never go anywhere without them. (so. comfortable.)

1. Fox Run Park in Monument, Colorado.
2. Black Canyon National Park, Colorado.
3. Monument, Colorado.
4. Hiking near Denver. (Yes, I even hike in them.)

P.S. in care you're wondering, they are the blue cord classics. No longer for sale.

Rejecting apathy.

"After returning to the states, I emailed our contact in Cambodia to see if he could send me any “relics” from sex slavery in Cambodia for a human trafficking museum I was opening in Missouri. The next week he emailed me back and told me about some pajamas he recently recovered in a brothel raid. They belonged to a 7-year-old girl in the village where he was based. The only problem, he explained, was that they were still stained with her blood from sexual abuse.

When most men first start looking at pornography, they often fail to consider the consequences of their actions. But the other end of pornography is the blood-stained pajamas of 7-year-old girls."
Benji Nolot, Does Modern Slavery Start at Home? @ Reject/Apathy

Benji Nolot brought those pajamas to The Call Sacramento last year.

Every time I read something about sex trafficking something burns inside of me. Just thinking of a girl being paid for a service, like a machine, makes holy indignation rise up inside of me.

And I know it is His heart beating inside of me, breaking inside of me.

At The Call, Benji spoke to the crowd of about 10,000 or so. He described the injustice. For some reason, details made it more tangible. When the senses are activated, so is the heart. Actually seeing the pajamas before us, a holy weeping swept across the entire assembly. The weight of a holy heart breaking bore down upon us along with the intense physical heat of September in Sacramento. We prayed. A spirit of intercession like I had never experienced before rested upon us as “groans that words cannot express” wracked our bodies. Tears. Sweat. Snot. There were no holds barred as the heart of the Father poured out upon His children.

Reading this article reminded me of the impartation given that day, fanned the flame of His heart in mine, to care, to do justly, to reject apathy.

Motto.

There's nothing I hold onto.

Exceptional moment.

I treasure these.

Clyde's.

In Georgetown.

Happy Harry Potter Day.

I just can't resist, seeing as its the last chance I'll be able to do this with any sort of justification whatsoever.

The pincers. Hahaha.

And just for laughs...

I hope you'll forgive me for my slightly nerdy indulgence.

Feeling random today.

I will always love this show.

Loving this summer style.

My summer in a nutshell.

Summer so far.

1. The park on the day I got back home to beautiful Colorado.
2. Hiking on a trip that will not be forgotten any time soon.
3. Food of champions (especially while camping).
4. Sage tea and baclava at a restaurant called The Heart of Jerusalem in Colorado Springs.
5. Yerba maté at my all-time favorite Wisdom Tea House.
6. Denver Botanical Gardens. What a breath of fresh air.
7. Red Rocks Amphitheater for a movie.
8. Coloradoan to the core.
9. Lounging in the park on a Friday afternoon.
10. Smoothies and reading at Whole Foods for lunch.
11. Mountains, mountains, mountains. Can't get enough.

Tea, books, coffee, cats.

(by Mayya Subrosa)

(by more_vnutri)

(by Luke Beard on thrilld.com)

(all from Tea, Coffee, and Books)

Tea, Coffee, and Books is one of the most escapist tumblrs I have ever seen... and I love it. Soft, nice quality photos of our worldwide symbol of relaxation and comfort. Along with some cats, because what's better than having a cat cuddle on your lap while you're escaping into an author's mind? Which leads me to the next tumblr of the week: dreamcats. Entirely dedicated to cats in soft-focus, hence the dreamy effect of film.

Movies minimalistically.

Can you imagine how cool our world would look if all movie posters were minimalist posters?

A dose of awe.

Photos from Nat Geo's annual photo contest. These are beautifullll.

Summer Reading List.

I always create these lists and then never stick to them, or sadly enough replace them with Summer Movies To See, but this summer I have no excuse. I have the books and the time and the need for some intellectual stimulation. Here it goes:

Because I read This Present Darkness and it was extremely eye-opening to the spiritual realm around us (not to mention one of those books you just can't seem to put down.)

Because I studied Dietrich Bonhoeffer in my World Civilizations class last semester and he easily made my top 10 most inspirational people list.

Because I think I read it when I was in middle school but I truly did not appreciate it. I think it deserves to be read again with with new-found urgency.

Because a mentor read some meaty passages from it and I need something to chew on over the dry summer months.

Camping.

I went to REI yesterday, the flagship store in a restored 1901 Denver Tramway building, and breathed in the outdoor adventure air. Just a glimpse of a backpack and hiking boots gets me all excited!

Fresh air. The sounds of nature. Starry skies. Dirt. Grass. Trees. I'm ready.

This just made me laugh.