heart breath

okay.
so, again, i am supposed to be studying, but i really wanted to tell you about today.
language was first, as usual, but afterwards is what i wanted to tell you about. so my brain was floating in vocab and i realized that except for going to the corner minimart once i hadn't left my apartment for two days... yikes. i have gotten the most studying done in a while, though.
but anyways, needless to say i was really itching to just walk. didn't matter where. just walk.
so i went and got some borek and 'talked' with the lady there. it was fun, i sort of got what she was saying too. at least i think i did. but i thought it was strange that she was offering to sell her co-worker.
after that i bought an apple at the market and walked.

after a while of walking and taking interesting looking side streets i came upon the river with a sweet bridge. so i crossed. on the other side i was met by heaven.
seriously. do you ever feel like our Father is giving you a glimpse of what is to come. it's not so much in the physical surroundings. it's really unexplainable. i don't think i will ever be dramatic or poetic enough to really recount the feeling. but it's just like a heart-knowing that you are in His presence.
it was a giant beautiful park. nearly entirely deserted. the only other occupants were stray dogs and the occasional little old european man in a sewater on an old-timey bike.
tall trees
multiple soccer fields (ultimate frisbee fields...)
jungle gyms
a big abandoned communist building of some sort with some sweet architecture
rows and rows of cabbage fields
and a rushing river with a kayak course marked out on it
i walked around here for a while and couldn't help but whisper over and over, "thank you"

i walked down by the river where every single stone was perfectly tumbled and polished by the flowing fresh water. reminds my of how the river of life can smooth away our rough edges...
i began to walk home and at every turn i had to stop and say, "this is amazing. thank you. i LIVE here!"
i passed a honey bee farm. a ton of cabbage and various other vegetable fields. a little precious man playing fetch with his darling dog. a chubby little girl walking with a bag ful of bread. a little herd of kittens that purred like engines and ran to me for some loving. some albanian girls and their mother smiling and playing. the macedonian soccer team practicing. the beautiful foothills with rain clouds draped over their shoulders.
it's like i could not breathe deep enough to soak it all in. i didn't want it to end. the weather was perfect and my heart was content.
in His presence.

i was a beautiful day.

i am getting my bike fixed this weekend. i will be revisiting this route often.

now, back to the grind.