The Little Things

As much as I wish my life were a fairytale, it quite simply is not. Thanks to the effective persuasion of my counselor, I have begun to acknowledge and deal with the tragedy that was most of my childhood. Things that are extremely unpleasant and have long been forgotton (or pushed out of mind) have resurfaced and presented themselves as facts that must be dealt with. I have learned, however, that our desire for a better world full of love and perfection is God-given. We truly were meant for better than this. Thankfully, we are not alone or completely surrounded by devastation and depression - regardless of what I may think sometimes. We are fortunate that there are still good things in this world - beautiful things.

I think it is extremely important for us to acknowledge the beautiful things in our lives. The things that give us the teeny-tiniest glimpse into what it will be like when evil is no more. For me, these things include the exultant joy and love that permeate the weddings of close friends, the peals of laughter from a 1-year-old girl simply because she sees me come through the door, and the "singing" of a boy with Downs Syndrome who loves and responds to music better than almost anything else.







Regardless of the things that I have endured in the past or the difficulties I face in the present, I am constantly encouraged by these gracious gifts. I am not nearly as grateful as I should be, but I am so glad that among all the sadness there is hope - a glimpse of the beauty that is possible, and a promise of the joy that is to come.

Wyoming Adventures

Sorry it's taken me so long to do this post, but we haven't gotten internet at our apartment yet so I really haven't had the chance. But, here it is!



Chris and I joined my dad and a friend of his for a 2-week adventure in Wyoming. The goal was to summit Gannett Peak, the highest peak in Wyoming - a goal we did not quite reach. This was due to the area having a 300% snow year (this means 3x more snow than usual) and some delays due to traveling with 2 60-year-olds. (Don't ever ever ever tell them I said that.) But I will say that Chris and I learned a lot of things throughout this trip - lessons about life, relationships, loving others and backpacking in general. I have included a few (very few) pictures and a few little lessons from our trip. There is so much more to tell, but I don't have the time/patience to put it all in a blog. :)

Note: All total, we hiked for 7 days, 50 miles, with 65-70 pound backpacks. We climbed, we traversed, we slid, we snowshoed, we fell, we crossed, and we plowed. Good times were had by all. :)

1. Nothing but freeze-dried meals and protein bars for lunch really messes up your system. :( There is such a thing as too much protein.

2. When you are planning on walking across 10+ feet of snow and the temperature is supposed to reach 80, you should probably get an early start. Sinking into the snow up to your thigh with a 65-pound pack is incredibly frustrating and drains you like no other.

3. When you are climbing over 4,000 feet in elevation, you need to drink lots of water. If you do not, you will get sick.



4. It is extremely important that you trust God to take care of you. For one, you are days of hiking away from civilization/other people/cell service. Also, when the rapid snow melt makes rivers 5x bigger than normal, but you have to cross them anyway with the aforementioned 65-pound pack, it's great to know that He's on your side.

5. Hiking poles are absolutely essential. I probably would have died without mine. Literally.

6. You really learn to appreciate the little things - dry socks, getting your tent set up before the rain/hail storm, becoming used to the multiple blisters on your feet, a level campsite, not forgetting to pee before taking off your boots and climbing into your sleeping bag, and much, much more. It truly puts things in perspective.



7. When it becomes apparent that you will not reach your goal, it is okay to be mad/angry/furious with the world for a little while. But then it is important to get over yourself and realize that God is teaching you a great lesson in acknowledging others before yourself, and letting things go for His greater purposes. Extreme disappointment is allowed, however.

8. God's amazingness can be truly evident when you reach the trailhead, have no signal to call your ride, the town is 12 miles away, you've already hiked 13+ miles today, and a hippie horse wrangler from Asheville comes out of her truck just in time to offer you (and all your stuff) a ride. Apparently, the night before was whiskey night at the bar, and she had come out to camp but had chosen to sleep in her truck instead. Also, her truck had seen as many as five passengers and a dog in it at one time, so she had no qualms letting us cram our gear and our super stinky selves into it. Natalie, I love you. For real.



9. There is something truly beautiful about meeting a family of six who moved to a town of 962 people where it's winter 9 months out of the year and the closest grocery store is over an hour away, just to lead a church of 50 and fight against the extreme alcoholism and indifference that permeates the area. Comfort zone? I think not. Beautiful shining lights? Absolutely.







10. It's amazing what God can do in 2 weeks. Way more than can be included in a blog post, that's for sure. He can show you more than you ever wanted to see and can push you to do more than you thought you could. Praise be to Him who both created the mountains and gives me the strength to climb them.