Happy Thanksgiving!

So thankful this ISN'T how pumpkin pie is made :D

Thought Provoking....

I ran across this quote today:

"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering."

Saint Augustine

My New Toy

Too bad it is only as smart as its user!

Jenny Lake

Going to bed last night, I had decided to drive up to Jenny Lake today. I had pretty much caught up my homework on Saturday night and Sunday. Sunday's weather turned out to be rather crumby, which was fine with me since I couldn't spend much time outside anyway. However, the weather today was perfect. It did freeze last night and I had to scrape my windshields. It didn't get much about 50 in the Tetons, but the air was crisp and clear and there was no wind. After loading up all my stuff and cleaning the condo, I picked up a coffee at "Elevated Grounds" and took off town toward Jackson.

Had I know that I would have to pay a fee to get into the park, I probably wouldn't have gone. Rather than turn around once I got that far, I paid the fee and drove on into to Teton National Park. From there, I pretty much just looked at the map and drove around. I loved every minute of it. Hopefully I can use my pass next weekend to go to Yellowstone :)

Math in the Mountains

I had the wonderful opportunity to stay in a friend's condo out of town this weekend. At first, I had decided not to go because I have too much homework. However, I got thinking about it and decided that I could still go and do homework while I was there. So here I am! Enjoying the Lord's goodness to me and the change of scenery. He knows what I need and I am so thankful that He is teaching me to be a little more spontaneous and receive the blessings that He wants to give me. I think so many times He is offering things to me, but I don't know how to receive them.

Anyway, although I still have hours of College Algebra homework to do, I am so thankful I am up here, at the base of the Tetons, enjoying the time I have. :-)

I Like :)

This soda is delightful!

O Deer

This was in my backyard 2 weeks ago...

Summer Break

Wow! I haven't updated this thing for ages! That's kinda sad. Maybe I need to go on another trip overseas so that I can reestablish the habit of blogging :)

Someone said the other day, "summer is half over". I'm like, "No! I have been in school for 8 weeks. I haven't even started summer yet!" Actually, I have officially been on summer break for one week now. This is the first real break from school that I have had in 13 months. Even while on Christmas and Spring vacation from EITC, I still had my U of I online classes that I had to work on. It feels kinda weird to be home and not have the pressure of studying. In fact, now that I have had a few days off, I am excited to get started again. I don't want to lose the momentum that has already been established. However, I probably should relax and enjoy the next month because next semester I am taking my two most dreaded classes....College Algebra and Speech. Ug.

To add to the "weirdness" of having a break, my "family" moved to Boise 3 weeks ago. That has been tough. I have been in Blackfoot almost 14 years with them and now they are far away. They have truly been a big part of my life and now I am being forced to really find my own identity in the Lord apart from them. Yeah, Boise is only 4 hours away so I can still visit, but I can no longer pop in on a Friday morning for coffee or hang out after work.

I'm still wrestling with what I am doing in Blackfoot. I like my job, I love the people I work with, and now that I have moved to an upstairs apartment, I love where I live. I am so blessed and thankful for what I have. I just can't seem to find a sustained state of peace where I am not wondering if I am missing God by making the decision to stay. I just keep plugging along day after day and nothing is changing. People around me are getting married, having babies, and basically going somewhere in life. I am going to school to do something that I don't really particularly enjoy, but somehow I think it will open doors for me down the road. I am trying to be faithful with what I have at my hand to do and be content with this prolonged season of life. It just gets discouraging when nothing changes...

Regardless of what I feel or see with my natural eyes, I have to stay in place of faith and trust that the Lord sees and knows. He is faithful and good to me. I may feel stuck in the waiting room, but He is after my heart and is more concerned about the process of trust rather than answering a prayer. But perhaps the trust may have to come by dropping everything here and doing something crazy....

Taking a Moment...

"I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."

Hi

I'm here :-D

Mac

Well, I did it. I bought myself a Macbook today. I am so excited! I have always wanted one, but never had the courage (well, mostly the money), to switch from a PC to a Mac. Everyone I talked to about it over the years said they would never go back to a PC after using a Mac. Someone made the comment that Mac is Zion and PC is Babylon. May be a pretty true analogy. The Kingdom vs the World System. Watch this:

Thoughts on January

In years past, I think I have unconsciously dreaded January. When it first starts getting cold here in October, it is exciting because there is the whole holiday season to look forward to with all it's cheer and preparations and family time. It goes by fairly quickly, especially with all the events scheduled. However, at least in my mind, there is this looming shadow of "January, February, and March" in the distance. January especially seems dark, cold, and just plain boring. This year I have determined to look at it a different way.

January is a time when things seem to be dead in the natural. At least in this area of the world, there is nothing green. It is cold, and often covered in ice. Morning after morning we go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. Ice on the windshield every morning is the constant greeting. There is no emotional "pick me up" to temporarily prop up our vitamin D deprived bodies. Finances are generally tight due to the holiday frenzy only weeks before, and the day in and day out drudge seems like a death sentence.

However, this year as I was examining my heart, I found a little green sprout of joy. At least that is what I think it is. It can't be explained any other way. Yes, in my mind, I always "know" that winter will come to an end, both the natural and in the spiritual. But this is different. This is an expectation that I can't understand with my intellect. It is deposit of something fuller that I know is coming. January looks dead and cold. But deep under the earth, there is life and growth and expectation. I love January. It is an exercise of character. When all seems dull and boring and there is no emotional fluff to keep us afloat, that is when our true heart is revealed and we see if we are truly rooted and grounded in love. We develop deep foundations as we walk out the process of life and godliness even when no one sees.

I am so thankful for January seasons. I pray that the hopes and dreams and purposes that seem dead would produce much fruit as they are tended to, even in the darkness and cold, by the Author and Perfector of our faith.

Here and Now

I love updating my blog...can't tell by looking at it right now though. I haven't written anything since Novemeber? That can't be! How did that happen? O well, here I am again anyway :-)

Back to school tomorrow. Second half of Anatomy and Physiology. I am also taking an online Pyscholgy class and finishing the online Algebra class.

Came through last semester with a 4.0. People keep saying that I must be really smart, but I think it has more to do with working really hard. I know in my mind that grades aren't really that important, but I really want to do well and put forth my best work. If I get less than an A, I know that I could have done better. I often wish that I could just not care what I get, seems that the people who do that have more fun. Anyways, I think maybe that is just who I am. I like school and I like learning and I do well in a classroom. I might as well excel at what I do well and not compare myself with other's expectations, or lack of.

A year ago, I was planning a trip to Rochester, MN for a job interview. I was leaving Blackfoot. I was leaving Idaho. I was trying to obey what I felt the Lord was prompting me to do. But I am here. I was offered the job, and for more than I make now. But the Lord told me not to take the job. That doesn't make sense. Why go through all that - the applying for jobs, the Minnesota nursing license, the plane ticket, the hotel rooms, the rental cars, the cold of Rochester, the turmoil of telling my boss that I was leaving...not sure where, but I was leaving.

And I am here. "This is the way, walk in it". The illuminated letters above the door option called "Blackfoot". But why Lord? I thought I was on another adventure with You? I thought we were going somewhere and you were opening NEW doors for me to walk through. You said Blackfoot was too small for me. But nevertheless, I want to obey you. Not only obey you, but trust you, even if I am not hearing you right. Trust you to lead me because my heart is yours.

So here I am. Location is not the point. Proximity to large populations is not important. Living in the Kingdom is the focus. Blackfoot may be too small, but when I am seeing with the eyes of my spirit and living before the Lord, physical location is unimportant to Him. If I can cultivate a heart that is His and His alone, the world is at my door step. He can take me where He wants me, and bring people to me for His Kingdom purposes.

I am happy to be here. I love school. I love my job and people I work with. I find little things every day that bring joy to my heart. I like who I am becoming. I think that God is doing a good work in me and He will get what He deserves from me.

So here I am, living not in regret or disappointment, but in thankfulness and expectation. Here and Now, for the glory of God...