ready.

i have now been away from redcloud for 2 1/2 months and i am more than ready to be back. i feel as if my life is in limbo right now and i am just anxious to begin my life in lake city.

but i also don't want to live as if my life here in houston is without purpose. i have been thankful for this time in texas to reconnect with great friends and spend more time with my sister. this time is precious and i'm sure that when i'm miles away in the mountains i'll want a trip to texas every now and then.

but...i CAN'T WAIT to be back in the mountains, being a part of full-time ministry. learning. serving.

an adventurous spirit.

i have kept a small piece of paper in my Bible for over a year now. i read over the words weekly and been increasingly encouraged by them:

Many people are so preoccupied with future plans and decisions that they fail to see choices they need to makes TODAY. Without any conscious awareness, they make their habitual responses. People who live this way find a dullness creeping into their lives. They sleepwalk through their days, following well-worn paths of routine.

I, the Creator of the universe, am the most creative Being imaginable. I will not leave you circling in deeply rutting paths. Instead, I will lead you along fresh trails of adventure, revealing to you things you did not know. Stay in communication with Me; follow my guiding Presence.

take away what you may. but be encouraged by God's seemingly adventurous spirit.

another day at redcloud.

quick story for you to enjoy:

as you all know, it is fall in lake city, CO. prime time for hungry bears to make their way into camp on a mad search for food. well, tonight smoky the bear decides to invite himself into MY cabin. he opens the door on his own, saunters inside, leaving his muddy pawprints on our counters, mattresses, and windows. thank you, mr. bear! he makes his way to my bunk (which is at the back of the cabin, by the way) and manages to steal my apples out of their wal-mart bag, eating half and leaving the rest on the floor! he doesn't even clean up after himself. sheesh.

all the while, kathryn is sitting on the top bunk reading. noticing it is smoky that is making a scene....and not me...she yells and screams until he saunters back outside. welcome to fall in lake city!

the times, they are a changin'.

or maybe just the leaves. my favorite thing to do at the moment: look up at the mountains and see small patches of bright yellow. this means fall in colorado is fastly approaching...and i couldn't be happier.

the pace of life has changed a bit, too, recently. outdoor ed has started and my weeks are filled with rowdy 5th graders calling me "tipper" and learning all there is to know about animals and the solar system. man, i missed out on field trips. these kids are lucky. but i love 'em.

for those of you who care: LESS than 2 months until i'm re-united with 340. oh goodness.

a beautiful world

we live in a beautiful world...yeah we do, yeah we do.

as i listen to coldplay, i am reminded of this simple truth. i do live in a beautiful world. one that God created perfectly. it is filled with beautiful people that i can learn and grow from. i sit here trying to understand the process of photosynthesis so that i can adequately teach 5th graders the mystery of plant life. and once again, i'm reminded of how beautiful and complex our world is. we are woven together in an intricate pattern, designed to be a reflector of God's glory.

so, thank you to coldplay for this beautiful reminder.

i have watched more movies in the past five days, than i have all summer. it's been wonderful. i have a new-found appreciation for the "chick-flick" and cried along with tom hanks in cast away. this week off has been restful and productive. i have had ample time to think about the summer, as well the next months ahead of me.

i began my blogging career talking about my life that was in transition. although i do believe i will always be in some form of transition, it's a great feeling to know i can settle in to life here at redcloud for the time being. and...God is good, all the time. this i will always know.

over the course of 3 months i have enjoyed life. and realized several things about myself:

- i LOVE to laugh. at anything. at any time.
- i thoroughly enjoy '80's music...and dancing.
-marmots might just be my new favorite animal.
-and i might not dislike city life as much as i admit too. in fact, sometimes miss it.