Luke 18.25
by Karsten Piper

He spread his blanket on the sand,
kneeled and arranged his bowls and tools:
hook, mallet, clamp, chisel, rasp, razor.

His smile glinted in the rongeur’s claws,
and upside down in the curette’s spoon.
Light shone out of the needle’s eye.

“Hoosh,” he said and began plucking hairs,
paring calluses, shearing wool, shaving
to the follicles, cutting to the quick.

He sorted these, trimming skin with skin,
hair with hair, into rows of clay bowls,
and set a large basin to catch each sour drip

as he sliced the hide and used both fists
to yank back the whole stubbled, gray pelt,
as wet and red on its underside as afterbirth.

He piled this heavily away, draping it
in clean linen, and turned to the meat and bone
heaving under sheer, tight membrane.

Sawteeth chewed into femur, rib and shoulder.
Pliers twisted and wrenched away tendons
until everything softened, canted, and collapsed—

yet not one sliver dies. Each ribbon and shard
bawls for the horror and hurt of their missing,
wishing for the old braying wholeness.

Pain bloodies evening and morning,
stabbing day after day from even the first cuts,
like the slow light of far stars.

Eyeballs and heart float alone in the last bowl,
dark and defenseless, quavering when he leans down
and they recognize in his eyes how little is left.

“Easy now, Camel,” he says and lifts me
in his fingertips, one quivering strand at a time,
through the eye of the needle.

my obsession with the Pipers apparently extends beyond john.

blah blah blah

since school started back, no one's really blogging. it makes me sad.

however... i actually see some of you now. so thats good. and my sister got a blog. thats good. you should follow her. shes got funny stories from the 83 inner-city 8th grade boys to whom she teaches science.

i have no idea what im doing in 9 months. my parents asked me THE question today. what the hecks is i sposed to say to that? (answer: what do you get when you cross an elephant and a rhinoceros?)

im taking theology 101 from dr. bart box at the disciple-making institute at brookhills. yippee!

sara and i want to go to europe this summer. wanna come?

3 things:

1. labor day

2. molly chambers. meeting her for coffee in the morning :)

3. this verse: "return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." i like to think about what it means that the Lord has dealt bountifully with my soul. any ideas?

the more encouraging ones...

"O Lord, grant that I am more amazed that I am forgiven for my wrongs than that I have been wronged."
(john piper. i follow him on twitter :) dont make fun.)

"but he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? what he desires, that he does. for he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind."
(job 23:13)

in the midst of rush. 2 goals:
1. stay emotionally detached
2. stay OUT of the drama. i wont even let people tell me what's going on

i love my upstairs team. theyre a lot of fun... and its already day 4! so only 2 more days :) and then bid day!!

the gospel and alpah chi

"never be content with your current grasp of the Gospel. the Gospel is life-permeating, world-altering, universe-changing truth. it has more facets than any diamond. we will never exhaust its depths."

(c.j. mahaney)

back in tuscaloosa... rush workshop started today... back in my house with sara(h).

i really want to portray the Gospel during workshop and rush- talk about a challenge. you can pray for me if you want :)

"love is patient."

in the middle.

im moving back to tuscaloosa in 4 days. 

mixed feelings? yes. 

pros: cons:

sarah     rush

sara      class

caple-HOOD. summer friends

friends

mary lynn!

i made a playlist called long dress. cause some music you just need a long dress for... this occurred to me last summer in my kitchen, listening to nelo with sarah teague. summer, long dress, barefoot, grass. dancing around. 

kitchens have the best memories. freshman year, sitting in the floor of my kitchen with sarah and jessica, talking and laughing well into the night

all growing up with my family, cooking and hanging out. most of our memories involve good food

last summer cooking almost nightly with sarah, dancing  barefoot

this summer, too... various kitchens, various families, sweet conversations. learning to love new people and finding out who they are. 

i think this has been my favorite college summer.

lessons learning.

right now the Lord is teaching me...

to wait. (story of my life.) on Him, on His plans. Love is patient.

to be satisfied in the morning by His steadfast love. everyday. (psalm 90)

how to hope in Him and let everything else be a pleasant surprise.

to lean into Him and His wisdom.

that if pleasing man is my goal, i am no longer a servant of Christ. (gal 1)

to trust Him. (im trying)

i feel like i learn the same lessons over and over again... isaiah 28:10...

goal-oriented

new goal: stop biting my nails.

we'll see how it goes.