Adventuring

I watched a documentary on a group of people who thru hiked (backpacked) the John Muir trail. My newest ambition is to go backpacking for at least a week at some point in my life. Just thinking about it makes me super excited. I of course haven't thought out logistics, but my pinterest board is full of great ideas. Where were we before Pinterest? Anyway, thats what I want to do. Going adventuring in the wilderness away from civilization for a while just sounds so inviting. Roughing it. Camp fires at night, with only the lights from the moon and stars instead of the noisy and bright lights of populated areas. I live in the country as it is, but there is a walmart 5 minutes away from my house, so it hardly similar.


And after next month I hope to do some serious hiking. I have a warrior dash race I'm running in August, and then a week later I have a half marathon, so I have to finish my training for those before getting much quality trail hiking in. I live about a mile away from 1 trail, round trip (if I cross the road and then turn around) its 5 miles. I run it at least once a week, and its not difficult at all. Unfortunately I'm not super close to any other trails. At least not that I know of. The trail I'm near by is part of trail that travels around my entire state (over 1300 miles), I just can't figure out where it continues after you cross the road.

For now though, I'll stick with obsesivly pinning backpacking related things on pinterest, and dream a little. And continue with training for my upcoming races.

I can't wait to start hiking.

Milestone

Another year older, another year wiser... I hope so anyway. Yesterday I hit a milestone birthday. The big 2-5.  A quarter of a century. I don't feel any wiser. Just older. So I sit here hoping that the salad I am eating for lunch makes up for the venti iced caramel machiatto I am consuming. Only because it was free. The Starbucks that is. I cashed in my free birthday drink today, and the friendly barrista wrote happy birthday on my cup, misspelling my name though, of course.

Yesterday was a good day. Despite having someone back into my car at work. Broken headlight is not the way I wanted to celebrate, but they are paying to have it repaired anyway. But I got home from work yesterday, made myself some Teavana Cocoa Mint tea (which is glorious, by the way) read out of Jane Of Lantern Hill (one of my favorite L.M. Montgomery books) and then was given lovely red roses by a certain someone special (draw your own conclusions heehee) and ate a wonderful dinner of tacos! watched one of my favorite Deanna Durbin movies (my favorite actress from the '30s and '40s) and then had hot fudge pudding dessert with vanilla ice cream! it was lovely. And I finished off the evening by starting The Screwtape Letters (another birthday gift). All in all, it was lovely.

Nothing much exciting has been happening. I have kept very busy, leading worship for various functions at different places. Trying to get back into my healthy regime, and getting my workout schedule back on track. Though its been rather soggy lately, so I haven't been able to do any running. It has, however, been so nice and warm! today, all though it is dreary and rainy, is wonderfully warm! I didn't even need to use a jacket!

I am so looking forward to clear weather, where I can go running whenever I please! or don't please....

Finally

For the first time in months, we've had a break from the endless snow, freezing cold, and the general dismalness  of a harsh winter that seemingly has no end. Alas, we have a taste of what spring shall be, despite the fact that the snow still covers most of the ground.  Spring is in the air. I awoke this morning with the sounds of spring in the air, birds singing their collective hearts out. You can finally smell the earth again. Even though its a muddy mess in the areas where the snow has completely melted, its a glorious sight compared to our three months of endless white. The sun is shining, and all is right.
I was able to go out running the other day without feeling cold at all, and infact wishing I had worn something a little lighter. The temperature was about 45 degrees out that day, if thats any indication of the temperature jump. When 45 degrees feels balmy, you know its been a cold winter. Tomorrow I hope to go run, right before I trash my healthy eating habits by taking my nephew out to Steak and Shake for his birthday.
   When all is said and done, I am supremely happy that the weather has finally decided to change. Finally.

Tea

The only thing this weather is conducive to is drinking tea, reading, blogging, drinking tea, watching literary vlogs (its modernized culture. Don't judge) and drinking more tea. I found chocolate mint tea. I can't wait to try it. Chocolate. And Mint. and tea. What genius decided that would be a good combination? they deserve a hearty "atta-boy" or "atta-girl", depending on  which it was who actually thought of it. At least I assume they do, as I have yet to try said chocolate mint tea.
I believe I have become seriously addicted to tea. Its reached the point where I don't remember the last time I actually got a non-tea related drink at Starbucks. Today I am trying a black tea latte. Its ok. Not nearly as good as chai. Speaking of chai, I would like to take this moment to sing the praises of Vanilla Chai. I had a lovely cup of it last night, which then in turn kept me awake half the night. Its probably my favorite tea. It needs no sweetener, no milk/cream or what have you. And its lovely. Perhaps this is a phase, perhaps not. Either way, I am enjoying it tremendously.

Chai, Vlogs, Winter and other Non-Essentials

I've discovered something. I LOVE chai lattes. As in, I crave them. Thank goodness for Starbucks rewards. I have in front of me (or rather next to me, my little table is full of my computer, my phone, my water and my salad) a venti classic chai latte. Because it was free, go for the biggest, right? right.
I seriously should cut back. I'm afraid, in spite of my salad, my eating habits have fallen to indulging in too much unhealthy food. Not all the time, but more often than I should, I say yes to junk when I should say no. I blame the weather. Winter where I live lasts forever. And its cold. Very cold. As in negative double digits. The other the day the windchill was nearly 30 below zero. The area I live has been listed as one of the coldest cities in the U.S. This intense cold has made me sluggish, unmotivated and rather inclined to eat too many cookies. My mom has been baking and baking and baking, much to the detriment of my will power to avoid such things. I can't wait until this winter is over. I am dying to go running, and to help my self get out of this slump of my healthy ideals. Instead, we get snowstorm after snowstorm, rendering it practically impossible to run outside. Plus, I'm a wimp when it comes to running in the cold anyway. Though negative double digits is a pretty good excuse to stay inside and sit  reading, playing music, or my most recent activity of binge watching vlogs. But seriously, when you take my favorite books and turn them into modern video blogs with superb acting. My favorites? Lizzie Bennet Diaries (Pride and Prejudice), Emma approved (Emma) East and West (North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell) and one I discovered last night, Green Gable Fables. Seeing as I go through the entire Anne series at least every few months, you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that they have a vlog about it now. Seriously. Its as if YouTube has become my biggest time waster ever. Though, one can hardly call Anne Shirley a waste of time.  Plus, they are making a season two, which will follow Anne of Avonlea. One can only hope they will at least do Anne of the Island, ( seriously, how awesome would a Phillipa Gordon be?) Anne of Windy Poplars (I would love to see a good rendition of Rebecca Dew) and Anne's house of dreams.

To completely change the subject, I have a wonderful new computer. Well, new to me. And I got it for free from my sister in law (Thanks Bethany!) A 2008 MacBook White. It doesn't run the latest operating system, but it has Garage Band! and its a Mac. And it was free! and its much faster than my old PC, which would take in the neighborhood of 10 minutes just to turn on. Anyway, Its wonderful having a computer that is fast. Its a good in between computer while I save up for a new Macbook Air. Save up for a long time. I'm hoping by this time next year I'll have a new computer.

Come as You are.

Ever have one of those "wow" moments where you are just struck by the fact that God loves you? I mean really loves you. I had one of those moments on my way to work this morning. I was sitting in my car, listening to David Crowder singing "Come as You are" and the thought struck me, that no matter what we have done, God is still there, always in the back ground, waiting for us to realize that he is there and wants to have a relationship with us. Its astounding. Its something that I've always known, but sometimes it strikes me again, and I am again in awe of Jesus. No matter what I have done, Jesus still wants me. No matter how far I've wandered, Jesus is still there, waiting for me to return. No matter how ashamed I might be, God looks past that and calls us to him. He is always there, always waiting for us to come to our senses and realize that he is the reason we draw breath every day. That with out him, everything is meaningless. Yet we still search for other things to fill the void that only He can fill. Even if we know, and have experienced Jesus, why do we still wander? why do we forget what he wants with us, and search for fulfilment in other things? Nothing can, nothing will ever satisfy us the way a personal relationship with the one who created the earth and all that is in it does.
He invites, as we are. Only he can erase our pasts from our eternity. Only he can grant us eternity with him. He calls us to him, regardless of our miserable attempts at life with him.
Come as you are...

Come out of sadness from wherever you've been
Come broken hearted let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh sinner, come kneel

Earth has no sorrow
That Heaven can't heal

So, lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer, come home
You're not too far
So, lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are

There's hope for the hopeless
And all those who've strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace
There's rest for the weary
Rest that endures

Earth has no sorrow
That Heaven can't cure

Come as you are
Fall in His arms
Come as you are

There's joy for the morning
Oh sinner, be still

Earth has no sorrow
That Heaven can't heal



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE6QXWFL6jY

Its been to long

Here I am, in the familiar old spot. Its been a long time. Life gets away from you when you are busy, and non-essential activities get laid aside to make way for more important priorities. But, I have now found the time, and perhaps more often I will be able to keep up with this blog. I hope so anyway.

Its been ages since I've been inside a Starbucks to just chill. This one in particular. Doris chopped her hair. It is now very closely cropped. There are baristas I don't recognize, The eternally perky one has grown a beard. I have exchanged pleasantries with the artist by the door.Small talk on how its been a while since I've been here. I am in his seat right now, the one where he usually is by the door. When I got here he was having one of his meetings, at a different table, so I took advantage of the only seat with an electrical outlet that was left unoccupied. After his meeting was over, he did say he might have to beat me for stealing his seat. We chuckled, and that was that.

I have gone through some changes since last blogging. For instance, I have stepped down as the youth director of my church. It became too much, I was working two other jobs, and didn't have the time anymore. It was a difficult decision,  but after much prayer, I felt that God was giving me peace about making the decision to step down. I am still very much involved in the youth group.I lead worship for it, and I am still a leader, I just don't have to call the shots anymore, or prepare a message every week ( on top of leading worship, preparing games etc...) Its nice to have some time to call my own again. I have been doing a lot of worship leading now though, 4 times last week. 4 different days. Exhausting, yes. Rewarding? for sure! I think that is the direction God is leading me. Opportunities popping up somewhat often for me to lead people in worship. I like that. It pushes me to better myself in areas of music that challenge me. It makes me work harder than I may have otherwise done, working more on the piano. I've slowly seen some progress. Slowly, but surely.