Leap year. Such a glamorous day! I mean, this day is anticipated and hyped up for four years! And then it repeats its cycle all over again. Of course, I always have felt bad for the unfortunate souls who were born on this day. To feel like a birthday nomad every 3 out of 4 years must be truly upsetting. Yes, you would have the decision of celebrating on February 28th or March 1st, but it wouldn't be your true birthday. I'm sure it'd be special knowing you were one of the few to share the 29th of February as your day of birth, but I'd still feel lost during all the years that didn't have my special day.
Anyway, at bible study last night, one of the members in my group was trying to come up with something adventurous and exciting to do on this extremely memorable day. Her roommate had yet to accept her suggestions of driving to Canada (2 countries on the same day) or going sky diving (too expensive anyway). So I felt the need to toss out an idea.
"You could always go swimming in Green Lake. That would definitely qualify as daring." I said with a gleam in my eye.
"Yeah!" she said with a laugh, "And I'd still have the parasites with me come next leap year!"
Don't worry. I wouldn't dare to actually swim in the murky, slimy, algae filled water that makes up Green Lake. But I do think about it every time I drive by or run around the lake. I mean, it looks like they used to have swimming there. There's even a small stadium with bleachers looking out at the water. And it wasn't built with the intention of not being used for something.
The lake is great to walk, bike, run, or blade around. But I wouldn't dare to even touch my baby toe to the top of the deceivingly glassy water.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Some Days...
Some days I'm slow
Lost in the laziness of life
Contemplative, reflective, and introspective
Focused on everything and nothing
Letting my mind roam here and there
Conversing with God
Wrestling with myself
Some days I'm active
Filled to busting with the chaos of life
Exuberant, joyous, and smiley
Full of energy, full of love
Flitting from one thing to the next
Inhaling deeply and laughing loudly
Unable to slow down and rest
Some days I'm melancholy
Restless about my future and what to do next
Dejected, depressed, and lackluster
Weary from the daily struggles thrown in my face
Caught up in self pity, loneliness, or sorrow
Filled with pain
Lost in regret
Some days I'm happy
Loving others and loving life
Bouncy, bubbly, and free
Reveling in the beauty around me
Rejoicing in the company I keep
Thankful for the life I lead
Consumed with optimism
Today, I'm simply content.
Lost in the laziness of life
Contemplative, reflective, and introspective
Focused on everything and nothing
Letting my mind roam here and there
Conversing with God
Wrestling with myself
Some days I'm active
Filled to busting with the chaos of life
Exuberant, joyous, and smiley
Full of energy, full of love
Flitting from one thing to the next
Inhaling deeply and laughing loudly
Unable to slow down and rest
Some days I'm melancholy
Restless about my future and what to do next
Dejected, depressed, and lackluster
Weary from the daily struggles thrown in my face
Caught up in self pity, loneliness, or sorrow
Filled with pain
Lost in regret
Some days I'm happy
Loving others and loving life
Bouncy, bubbly, and free
Reveling in the beauty around me
Rejoicing in the company I keep
Thankful for the life I lead
Consumed with optimism
Today, I'm simply content.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
It's been a fun run...
Today is the last day I can proudly proclaim "I'm 24." In a little over 16 hours, as the clock chimes 3:30 am, I will transform once again into a new age. Not that I will feel any different. But I will then be the dreadful quarter-of-a-century old. In honor of my last day as a twenty-four yearlite, I thought I'd post some pictures documenting a bit of what the last 24 years brought my way.
Obvioulsy I had to select only a few photos, but you get the idea. Sadly, many of my favorites have been scrapbooked and were therefore unavailable for use. But, what you get is a snapshot of me from a baby on up to college...I figure most present day photos can be accessed on my facebook account anyway, so there was no real need to include them.
Obvioulsy I had to select only a few photos, but you get the idea. Sadly, many of my favorites have been scrapbooked and were therefore unavailable for use. But, what you get is a snapshot of me from a baby on up to college...I figure most present day photos can be accessed on my facebook account anyway, so there was no real need to include them.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Soaking & Chewing
My church is currently doing a 12 week study on Philippians where we are encouraged to "soak" in it. Meaning read it straight through 3-4 times a week throughout the 12 week period. This way you absorb the scripture more than you would if you simply read it once or twice a month or a scrap here and a verse there. Who knows, maybe I'll come to memorize the entire book by the end of the series!
Anyway...here are several verses that were exceptionally thought provoking for me:
"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Phil. 1:3-6
Praying with joy. What does that mean? What does it look like? How do I pray to God? Do I approach him humbly with joy in my heart despite my current circumstance? Sadly, most of the time I don't. I often send out blanket prayers or talk to God before going to bed, when weariness and sleep are claiming my body. Or I'm multitasking...driving, cooking, running. Whatever I'm doing, the point is I'm normally distracted by doing something else other then simply focusing all my attention on Him and connecting emotionally at a deeper level then I do when I just send up a quick thank you or "please pray for...." request. By praying this way, I lose the ability to pray with joy. To approach God with a heart of gladness and thankfulness to Him for all the blessings in my life. Even if it's been a bad day or I'm faced with adversity, I still need to take time out to joyfully fellowship with God. I yearn for it. And so does He. "
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." - Phil. 1:9-11
I want this so desperately. To transform more and more each day into the person Christ designed me to be! To love without bounds, embrace each day with celebration, lean into my longing to know Christ, become vulnerable and broken, to glean more knowledge from His Word, to lose myself and find myself all at the same time. Being filled with righteousness...it's almost something I can't understand because I feel like it will never be fully accomplished.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:" - Phil 2:3-5
I do this. I mean, I think I do this. Okay, I do this most of the time. Alright...some of the time, but I still do it! I honestly wish I could say this is something I do consistently, but often my motives are not pure. They are spurred on by the ugly, by self recognition or vanity. I do things because it's in my best interest, and sure it may be in the interests of others, but that isn't always the driving force behind my actions. I'm not saying I don't ever put other's interests ahead of my own. Because I do. Just not all the time. And that last sentence, "your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." It knocks the wind out of me because I know deep in my heart my attitude often doesn't reflect His. Let's just tack this on to my already expanding list of areas Christ is working at transforming in my life.
Anyway...here are several verses that were exceptionally thought provoking for me:
"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Phil. 1:3-6
Praying with joy. What does that mean? What does it look like? How do I pray to God? Do I approach him humbly with joy in my heart despite my current circumstance? Sadly, most of the time I don't. I often send out blanket prayers or talk to God before going to bed, when weariness and sleep are claiming my body. Or I'm multitasking...driving, cooking, running. Whatever I'm doing, the point is I'm normally distracted by doing something else other then simply focusing all my attention on Him and connecting emotionally at a deeper level then I do when I just send up a quick thank you or "please pray for...." request. By praying this way, I lose the ability to pray with joy. To approach God with a heart of gladness and thankfulness to Him for all the blessings in my life. Even if it's been a bad day or I'm faced with adversity, I still need to take time out to joyfully fellowship with God. I yearn for it. And so does He. "
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." - Phil. 1:9-11
I want this so desperately. To transform more and more each day into the person Christ designed me to be! To love without bounds, embrace each day with celebration, lean into my longing to know Christ, become vulnerable and broken, to glean more knowledge from His Word, to lose myself and find myself all at the same time. Being filled with righteousness...it's almost something I can't understand because I feel like it will never be fully accomplished.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:" - Phil 2:3-5
I do this. I mean, I think I do this. Okay, I do this most of the time. Alright...some of the time, but I still do it! I honestly wish I could say this is something I do consistently, but often my motives are not pure. They are spurred on by the ugly, by self recognition or vanity. I do things because it's in my best interest, and sure it may be in the interests of others, but that isn't always the driving force behind my actions. I'm not saying I don't ever put other's interests ahead of my own. Because I do. Just not all the time. And that last sentence, "your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." It knocks the wind out of me because I know deep in my heart my attitude often doesn't reflect His. Let's just tack this on to my already expanding list of areas Christ is working at transforming in my life.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Wednesday Encounter
I recently moved & consequently don't have internet yet at my new place. Which means, I am only able to blog while at work. Hence the lack of posting. However, I did want to divulge this little tidbit from my Wednesday morning.
Jen & I had to make a trek down to the Tully's in Pioneer Square...right by Quest Field...to pick up a substantial order of coffee to supply over 300 people for a company function. We pulled up to the Tully's, and thinking this would be a quick load & jet, we parked our car in the 3 minute load zone. Simple in and out, right? Not quite with us. We were overwhelmed by the vast quantities of coffee carafes, creamers, sugars, cups, teas, and any other item one may need in their morning coffee. Our 3 minute stint outside was going to be a bit longer and fellow coffee lovers were starting to get testy towards us and our coveted 3 minute load spot. But what could we do?
We foolishly assumed these Seattle drivers would understand our plight.
However, we neglected to think about this man. He pulled up next to us about the time we hit our 4 minute mark in the spot. Blinker flashing, he angrily waved his hand at us and scowled from beneath his sparse eyebrows. We flailed our hands back at him, signifying that we weren't moving. He sweared under his breath and whipped a fast U-turn, parking his car on the other side of the street in another load only zone. Furiously he slammed his car door and stomped his way over to us. Raving about how we needed a load permit and didn't we know there was a loading dock in the back for people like us? We apologized and tried to explain that we would be leaving in a few minutes, we were simply loading coffee for an event. But he would have none of it. As he departed from our car and into the nearest building he left these parting words, "If I get a ticket, I'm throwing a rock at your car!!" Seriously?
I would have loved to see him try.
And I don't know how he would have been issued a ticket. He was in and out of the building in about 45 seconds flat.
Needless to say, this guy made my day.
Jen & I had to make a trek down to the Tully's in Pioneer Square...right by Quest Field...to pick up a substantial order of coffee to supply over 300 people for a company function. We pulled up to the Tully's, and thinking this would be a quick load & jet, we parked our car in the 3 minute load zone. Simple in and out, right? Not quite with us. We were overwhelmed by the vast quantities of coffee carafes, creamers, sugars, cups, teas, and any other item one may need in their morning coffee. Our 3 minute stint outside was going to be a bit longer and fellow coffee lovers were starting to get testy towards us and our coveted 3 minute load spot. But what could we do?
We foolishly assumed these Seattle drivers would understand our plight.
However, we neglected to think about this man. He pulled up next to us about the time we hit our 4 minute mark in the spot. Blinker flashing, he angrily waved his hand at us and scowled from beneath his sparse eyebrows. We flailed our hands back at him, signifying that we weren't moving. He sweared under his breath and whipped a fast U-turn, parking his car on the other side of the street in another load only zone. Furiously he slammed his car door and stomped his way over to us. Raving about how we needed a load permit and didn't we know there was a loading dock in the back for people like us? We apologized and tried to explain that we would be leaving in a few minutes, we were simply loading coffee for an event. But he would have none of it. As he departed from our car and into the nearest building he left these parting words, "If I get a ticket, I'm throwing a rock at your car!!" Seriously?
I would have loved to see him try.
And I don't know how he would have been issued a ticket. He was in and out of the building in about 45 seconds flat.
Needless to say, this guy made my day.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Creation at it's Best
Here are some pictures Ryan & I took at Sunset Hill in Ballard.
If you don't already know, sunsets are one of my favorite things. I just love reveling in God's glory as the sun shines and fades behind the mountain peaks, glistening gently on the water in hues of orange, pink, red, blue, and purple. It's moments like these when I am acutely aware of God's presence and his incredible beauty.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Weekend at a Glance
Friday night was pretty mellow, which was greatly needed after one hectic week. I feel like by Friday I typically have no energy left and am simply content to just chill on the couch watching a movie instead of going out with friends. I tend to go to bed by 11 too, which, strangely, is something I relish.
This Friday, I spent hanging out at my older sister's place. She had apple cider ham brewing in the crock-pot (smelled so good in her place!) and whipped up scalloped potatoes to complement the meal. We drank champagne and sparkling cider and settled in for a night of conversing and watching movies. Plus, I brought over the most delicious cupcakes from Trophy Cupcakes in Wallingford...we had lemon-strawberry and chocolate-vanilla. Simply to die for! The frosting was so sweet and creamy and melted in your mouth. Basically after bite one you knew it was "no good" as my dad would say.
I spent the night on her couch and roused myself around 8am to head over to the gym to workout with my sister and our personal trainer, Kate. She's pretty awesome and encourages us to push past the pain and keep going even when we think we can't. After training, it was out to my parents for the weekend. My dad's 55th birthday was on Sunday, so I stayed the night there and attended church with them on Sunday. Ryan & Beau came out for the day too and we played an intense game of ladder-golf. Ryan & I started out strong as the team to beat, but after 2 victories we lost our momentum. In the end, my mom & dad took the ultimate victory. I guess it was our birthday present to him. ;) Then it was inside to view the best Super Bowl in history...at least in my history...that I remember. Simply unbelievable how the Giants pulled it off! Talk about a dramatic ending! We were cheering, high-fiving, and pumping our fists in the air. What a great way to end an amazing day.
This Friday, I spent hanging out at my older sister's place. She had apple cider ham brewing in the crock-pot (smelled so good in her place!) and whipped up scalloped potatoes to complement the meal. We drank champagne and sparkling cider and settled in for a night of conversing and watching movies. Plus, I brought over the most delicious cupcakes from Trophy Cupcakes in Wallingford...we had lemon-strawberry and chocolate-vanilla. Simply to die for! The frosting was so sweet and creamy and melted in your mouth. Basically after bite one you knew it was "no good" as my dad would say.
I spent the night on her couch and roused myself around 8am to head over to the gym to workout with my sister and our personal trainer, Kate. She's pretty awesome and encourages us to push past the pain and keep going even when we think we can't. After training, it was out to my parents for the weekend. My dad's 55th birthday was on Sunday, so I stayed the night there and attended church with them on Sunday. Ryan & Beau came out for the day too and we played an intense game of ladder-golf. Ryan & I started out strong as the team to beat, but after 2 victories we lost our momentum. In the end, my mom & dad took the ultimate victory. I guess it was our birthday present to him. ;) Then it was inside to view the best Super Bowl in history...at least in my history...that I remember. Simply unbelievable how the Giants pulled it off! Talk about a dramatic ending! We were cheering, high-fiving, and pumping our fists in the air. What a great way to end an amazing day.
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