The Beauty of Backpacking

I am not coordinated. I am not competitive. I am not sporty. I am no athlete.

I am an outdoor enthusiast. I am a nature lover. I can pick one foot up and put it in front of the other. I am a hiker.

This is the beauty of backpacking. It takes little skill, it takes minimal basic coordination and can hardly be considered any more competitive than bird watching.

It does take a small amount of equipment, some outdoor skills and some common sense. Now, you can make a big deal out if backpacking like any hobby. They market a million specialized pieces of equipment that make you feel elite or really prepared.

The beauty of backpacking, though, is that you don't need all those elite gadgets. You just need something to strap your stuff to your back, a place to sleep, food to eat and a set of clothes. You also need water, but that can be done easily too.

We have a few fun gadgets but mostly just try to be minimalists. The less you carry or the lighter your pack, the easier it is. We packed our packs carefully, cutting out any unnecessary items. I obviously don't bring extra outfits, accessories or makeup like I'd pack on vacation.

The beauty of backpacking is the simplicity. Your goal is to reach a destination that few people can find and those that do have to walk their way out there like you did. The best part is waking up in the morning smelling the purest air you can smell, seeing a landscape that few people have seen and being unplugged from anything that requires a plug.

As I packed my Kelty (a gift from my 16th birthday), I thought about the things I needed for this trip, the things I needed for emergencies and the things I wanted for convenience. My convenience items are a collapsible coffee cone, a UV light water purifier and a Therm-a-rest self inflating sleeping pad. The latter two were recent additions from last Christmas. This was my first trip with those items and I was excited to use them.

My trusty Kelty all packed and ready to go.
This pack was only 35 lbs! That's the
lightest full pack I've ever had!

We picked our trail the night before we left and changed our minds again that morning before we left. This is also the beauty of backpacking. There is only so much information out there on any given trail, so you do what research you can and hope for the best. In essence, it's good to have a clear trail, plan and goal but it's also good to be able to improvise.

We set out for Bird Creek Meadows in the Mt. Adams Wilderness area. Bird Creek was a fairly short hike that gave us the option of going to Bird Lake, Mirror Lake or Bluff Lake to set up camp. It seemed like the perfect start-of-the-season hike.

As we drove up to our trail head I looked up at the looming clouds that threatened rain and out at the dozens of flowers that were sprinkled through the meadows. I was excited to try out the aperture settings on my 'new' camera, a Christmas gift that I'm just getting around to understanding.

We displayed our parking pass, laced up our boots, strapped on our packs and took the traditional trail head picture. We were off. We were free to roam and move at our own pace, mine slower than Blake's. We had the beautiful snow covered Mt. Adams in front of us and subalpine forest all around us.

The official trail head was further up, but the road was
closed at this point, so this is where we started.
It added some miles to our hike, but we needed the exercise.

The cloud shrouded Mt. Adams.

Here are some flowers that I saw along the first part of our hike. I couldn't wait to get to the real trail, which promised many meadows and hopefully those flowers we drove past, and more.

Not sure what this flower is called, but it was everywhere.

There was a fire some time ago, and this flower is spread
throughout the scarred forest, bringing life to it.

Okay, who am I kidding. I don't know
what any of these flowers are called.
Pretty though!

These were my favorite.

So after hiking about half a mile, maybe three-quarters of a mile, we see a white truck coming toward us. Oh, did I forget to mention that this part of the Mt. Adams Wilderness area was part of the Yakima Indian Reservation? Well, the white truck belonged to a member of said Indian Nation and they had control over who uses their land and when. We knew that they would charge a five dollar fee per day for use of the land, but everything we read said that it was open July-October. Apparently just not this July.

We were told to turn around and go home, and that is what we did.

Not how you expected this story to end huh? Ya, us either. Flexibility, improvising and unexpected changes.

Oh the beauty of backpacking.

Alternate titles for this post: Wilderness: CLOSED or Backpacking FAIL.

History

Why didn't I appreciate history when I was learning it in school? I don't think I hated it but I don't remember it being my favorite subject either. This probably had more to do with the various teachers I had and not the content. I'll have to add here that during the years that I was home schooled (my mom being my teacher) I enjoyed history. She really had a way of bringing it alive and what I learned through those history lessons is most of what I have retained until now.

Lately, I can't get enough history! Several weeks ago I was riding through the Columbia River Gorge soaking in the general splendor and felicity of the change in scenery from brown to green. It crossed my mind on that trip, as it has on many trips before, that during the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805 this gorgeous area might have looked much different.

That time my curiosity was peaked and I googled to find out what they really thought about my Columbia gorge during their voyage. As it turns out, they weren't as impressed with it as I expected them to be. However, they also had some significant challenges to deal with which can not be appreciated from the climate controlled seat of one's car.

This was just the beginning. When we arrived at my parents' house that weekend, I was sharing a new book with my mom and came across one of her new books, The Journals of Lewis and Clark. What great timing! After reading little excerpts on google, I had decided to search for a book of more original journals when I got home. My mom wasn't planning on reading it right away (or so she said) and she let me borrow it. It has been somewhat slow reading, but still very interesting.

The real history lesson comes from the combination of books I'm reading/listening to: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, for my book club; the aforementioned Journals; and the biographical novel Undaunted Courage. Ben Franklin finishes his autobiography just before the Revolutionary war has been won, and Undaunted Courage picks up a little before then. The three literary works compliment each other nicely and paint a very clear picture of that point in history.

I can easily recall certain dates, names, presidents etc from that time period, a feat that prior to this literary journey I would have failed at miserably. I could actually tell you who the first three presidents of the US are, and what they were famous for! I'm still reading The Journals and Undaunted Courage but have finished Ben Franklin. The history lesson continues!

It has been so fun to truly appreciate history lately. I am soaking it in and enoying the captivation that leads to learning.

Here are some pictures from a visit my family and I look to Fort Clatsop in 2004. Fort Clatsop was where the expedition corps stayed after reaching the Pacific in the winter of 1805 I can't wait to go back again after all of this reading!

A bed and fireplace

Beds and candle molds (hanging)

This was a demonstration of candle making

My dad (left) and our friends outside the cabins, in the fort

My parents and I, leaving the Fort.

A better idea of what it really looked like.
Amazing that they have made this working replica
and what an incredible journey that brought
the Corps of Discovery there.

con·tent

/kənˈtɛnt/
–adjective
1. satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.
2. British . agreeing; assenting.
3. Archaic . willing.

–verb (used with object)
4. to make content: These things content me.

–noun
5. the state or feeling of being contented; contentment: His content was threatened.
6. (in the British house of Lords) an affirmative vote or voter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French < Latin contentus:  satisfied, special use of past participle of continēre; (source)

::

I know, another definition!? So soon!? Sorry. I just like them!

I am sitting here tonight, on the couch, next to Blake, in silence and this is all I can think. How content I feel.

Blake is editing a document for work and I was reading until I decided to waste time on the computer blog. I love nights like this. They are few and far between for several reasons. First, Blake almost never, ever brings work home. I can count maybe three times, including tonight, that it's happened. He also worked late, which is just as uncommon.

In case you are wondering now, what does this elusive husband do (I realized the other day that I don't talk about him much)? He is a chemical engineer and works for a company called WRPS (Washington River Protection Solutions) which is a company that contracts for the Hanford nuclear facility and the Department of Energy. He is part of an engineering group that is working toward nuclear waste clean up at the Hanford site. Hanford (in case you aren't from this area) is where they built the nuclear bombs for WWII and most of the 60,000 nuclear weapons for the Cold War. He isn't exposed to radiation because he works in town at a desk doing math and making the most amazing spreadsheets/graphs/models you've ever seen. Well, if you could see them that is. I've never actually seen them because it's 'CLASSIFIED'. I've never even seen his desk or been in his building because I don't have security clearance. They freely allow my baked goods to enter though, some double standard that is! Anyway. It's pretty interesting to hear about his projects and to hear about what they plan on doing to dispose of all those tons of seeping nuclear waste.

I digress. I got home before him and tidied up the house before I sat down to read. It's a treasured solitary moment when I can read in the evening. Usually, our evenings are filled with the noise of the TV. I could live without the TV, easily. Blake doesn't even want to consider the possibility. He thinks and reads too much at work, he says. Which is probably true. We canceled cable, our goal being that we'd watch less worthless TV, maybe less all together, and save money. Now we just stream Netflix and watch commercial free, back-to-back episodes of whatever series we choose. I think that now we watch more TV. Goal FAIL.

Tonight though, tonight was different. I read in the quiet living room until he came home and announced that a friend's apricot tree might be ripe (they are out of town for months, and we are kindly obliging to pick their fruit when it's ripe.. like we did with the cherries). The apricots weren't ripe but we were out of the house and feeling a little snacky, so we went on a mini-date to happy hour at Bob's Burger's & Brew (if you went to Western, you'll recognize this name. Yes, they've expanded east and are now in Kennewick). We hardly ever go out to eat, we almost never have a night of no TV, we rarely sit in silence (which I love) and I am so rarely ever content! What a randomly special night!

We returned home to the situation I described above. Pure contented bliss. Sitting here with my thoughts, no TV, no background noise, no outside world trying to paw it's way into my head. Just me and my thoughts and my love.

What a rarity but what a joy.

be·lieve

verb /biˈlēv/ 

1. Accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of
   - the superintendent believed Lancaster's story
2. Accept the statement of (someone) as true
   - he didn't believe her or didn't want to know
3. Have faith, esp. religious faith
   - there are those on the fringes of the Church who do not really believe
4. Feel sure that (someone) is capable of a particular action
   - I wouldn't have believed it of Lois—what an extraordinary woman!
5. Hold (something) as an opinion; think or suppose
   - I believe we've already met
   - four men were believed to be trapped
   (source)

I really like definitions (if you haven't noticed).

I enjoy reading the Amplified Bible when I'm doing some studying. It takes word meaning and context and builds it into the verse. It basically gives contextual definitions within the passage, which is probably why I love it. I particularly like how the Amplified version defines believe in: "Believe in [cling to, adhere to, rely on, trust in]."

For example:

Do not let your hearts be troubled [distressed, agitated]. You believe in [adhere to, trust in, and rely on] God; believe in [adhere to, trust in, rely on] Me also. John 14:1

Through Him you believe in [adhere to, rely on] God, who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God. 1 Peter 1:21

And whoever continues to live and believes in [has faith in, cleaves to, and relies on] Me shall never [actually] die at all. John 11:26

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in [trusts in, clings to, relies on] Him shall not perish [come to destruction, be lost] but have eternal [everlasting] life. John 3:16

But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority [power, privilege, right] to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in [adhere to, trust in and rely on] his name. John 1:12

The scripture says, "no man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed Romans 10:11

This word has found it's way into my home in a few different ways:

I liked this wedding card, we received it and I've
bought it for a few other couples too.

I think this sign came with that card, actually.

It sits up there in our kitchen

I like the idea of word signs, but can't usually commit to a saying. I really like this one though. It was a great wedding gift, something I wouldn't have bought myself but ended up being perfect. I think that the gift giver probably meant for it to mean 'believe in love', since it was a wedding gift. I like that it can mean more than one thing, and can fit many situations. To me, it means believe in Jesus, believe in His love, believe in our love, believe in God's design for marriage and believe that we can make it because of these beliefs.

Even though I like the idea, I think that the word signs or phrases/verses written on your wall thing is probably a fad and it might end up dating our house, but it can be done well and can look cute. If we own a house in the near future, I will try to make myself commit to a verse or two ;).

Reading the Amplified Bible, however, is not a fad... although I think it was when it first came out. Now it's just a good study tool. You can see it online at biblegateway.com by selecting this as your translation, it is also available in most Bible apps. Try it out next time you want some deeper understanding of a verse.

Time for Tidbits

Busy weeks mean less time for blogging and more things going on… which is a recipe for tidbits, in order to catch this digital journal up!

~ 

I took a new job. I mentioned that I was considering another job. I had a phone interview, an in-person interview and the next day accepted their offer. I had decided to find a different job because my current job was not giving me as many hours as I had been getting during my first few months. After giving it plenty of time for the caseload to pick back up (about seven months), I was still getting only 2-4 hours a day. Here's the irony (because there has to be irony)… the very next week, after accepting the new job, I worked a full 40 hour week. AHH! So most of this busy week has been spent at work.

 ~

I have been waking up earlier, striving to meet one of my goals and in preparation for my new job (which doesn’t start until August 30th). It has been going well. I’ve been getting up between 6:00 and 6:45 each morning, which is a pretty big deal for me. It has been helpful to have my cool new table on the balcony, which motivates me to get out there before it gets blistering hot. This has also helped accomplish another goal of better quiet times.

~

 Half the table full!

Cherries as far as the eye can see.

It has been cherry season around here. We were able to pick some cherries from a friend’s tree… and by some, I mean around 10 pounds. It was cherry insanity. I didn’t think it was possible, but I actually ate so many cherries that I got tired of them... for a little while.

~

Blake’s family has a fourth of July gathering, which is more like a family reunion. It is said that this gathering started out as a family picnic/BBQ at which friendly outdoor games, such as horseshoes, were played. Not anymore. Now this event is a family horseshoe tournament (complete with bracket) at which food may be consumed. These people take their horseshoes very seriously. My enjoyment of this event is limited due to my lack of interest and ability in competitive games, including horseshoes. I bring this up to (a) vent my frustrations with this holiday event and (b) share my enjoyment of making this dessert for the party. I have decided that it is my favorite dessert (I find it hard to commit to a favorite in most categories). I ate such a dessert in Paris (at the airport) and in Venice.

So simple, so delicious, so chocolately. Oh how I crave it!



My Red (white) and Blue Chocolate Tart for July 4th

My Paris 'tarte au chocolat'

My venice 'crostata alla cioccolato' or in this case
'crostata alla Nutella' because it's chocoate-hazelnut.
This is my favorite way to have a chocolate tart.. with hazelnuts.

~

We just finished The Truth Project in our small group/Bible study. The Truth Project is a 13-week DVD series put out by Focus on the Family and I highly recommend it. It was unbelievably well done and exponentially increased our understandings of the current world views and our own Biblical world view. It was not only a great source of interesting information, but has also increased my confidence in speaking with people of other religions (or lack thereof) and differing world views. A really great experience! We also switched from Tuesday to Thursday nights, which causes a welcomed little adjustment in our weekly routine.

~

Our small group is now working our way through Westminster’s Shorter Catechism, with some scrutiny, and with the purpose of learning the answers to the basic questions of our faith and the scripture that supports it. The intention is that if such an opportunity comes up to share our faith, we can speak with confidence and evidence in scripture, rather than saying, “I think the Bible says,” or “my pastor says.” I love the idea of EBP (evidenced based practice) in my faith too ;). I find that when I search for scripture, to answer a question or share with someone, I usually recall it more readily after finding it myself vs. being told.

~

We had church outside again today, and it was the one Sunday a month that we have one service at 10:00. This time of year the amphitheater service is moved to the 8:45 service because of the heat. So by the end of this 10:00 service, we are all sweating and melting. It is so very convicting because often times I am complaining (in my head) about the heat, the grass, the sweat dripping down my back etc. I am reminded of the believers in Haiti that walk long distances, dress in their finest clothes (not shorts and a tank-top) and sit in a stuffy rough structure or tent on hard wood benches for the joy and privilege of worshiping and hearing God’s word. Not to mention the thousands of believers that meet in dark, stuffy, hot rooms after traveling for miles and risking their lives to meet in secret because it is illegal for them to do so. What a privilege to sit out in the open, enjoy God’s creation and listen to His word… and to have an air conditioned building readily available. We are so spoiled.

~

Lastly, we are driving to Seattle on a Sunday afternoon to surprise some friends at a birthday BBQ. It will be so nice to visit with them! I hope that our surprise appearance isn’t an inconvenience! We didn’t think that we’d be able to swing a Sunday afternoon party, but decided if we could, we’d make it work.. which we did.

*this didn't post as scheduled, so let me just add that the birthday party was fantastic. Great food, fun games and most of all, great friends. It was a fun visit, even though it was short.

Chocolate Tart

I love this dessert. It is simple, elegant and so delicious. My favorite way to make and eat it is with toasted and peeled hazelnuts scattered across the top and baked in.

Here is my version of the recipe, adapted from here.


Ingredients

Tart Shell Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (or use salted butter - which I do)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
  (or 1.5 cups half & half, or any combination of milks and cream equaling 1 and 1/2 cups)
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chips or chopped (I use Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips)
1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder or instant coffee*
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

Directions

To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and add the butter cubes while pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and the ice water through the chute, while pulsing until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a large flat disk by pressing it out with your fingers on a piece of plastic wrap. Try to make it about the size of your tart pan bottom, which will make rolling easier later. Put another piece of plastic on top and place in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until it is really cold and firm to the touch.

Roll out the pastry between the two sheets of plastic wrap, until it is a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Peel off the top layer of plastic wrap and use the bottom layer of plastic to help you lift and place the dough inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (solid glass works too). Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; it might crack some but just push it together and make a seam. Make sure to get it all the way into the corners and into the scalloped edges - this is what gives it that cool 'tart' look (if you are using a pan w/removable bottom). Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Poke the dough all over with a fork to help prevent bubbling. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, or in the freezer for 5 minutes if you are short on time (I usually am).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tart pan on a cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil or cheese cloth and add pie weights (or dried beans/rice) to make sure the tart keeps it's shape. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown (it will be cooked again with the filling). It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. If you think you over cooked it, cover the edges with pieces of foil, so they don't burn in the second baking. Set aside until you have your filling completed. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

To make the filling (I usually do this while the pastry is baking): Heat the heavy cream/milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chips/chopped chocolate and espresso powder and stir until melted and smoothed out. In another small bowl, mix the sugar and salt and whisk the eggs in until blended and the sugar is dissolved. Add a small amount (about 1/4 c, but don't bother measuring) of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Repeat this again, this prevents the warm chocolate from cooking your eggs and giving you chocolate scrambled eggs. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the tart shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy (shake the tart, if the center jiggles like Jello, it is done, if the center sloshes or seems liquid, keep cooking). If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away - that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

I've made this recipe many times with many different shapes and sizes of tart pans, adjust baking times slightly for smaller tarts. Can easily be made ahead and refrigerated overnight, covered in plastic wrap.

Serve with lightly sweetened whip cream, top with fresh berries, chocolate shavings or just serve plain. Can also be served with toasted peeled nuts by dropping them in just before putting it into the oven. This way they bake in.

*Instant espresso powder or instant coffee does not add a coffee flavor, but simply makes the chocolate taste more chocolaty.

Project

We live in Washington's wine country. We have done some wine tasting at some of the many local wineries. At several of the wineries we saw some patio furniture made from old wine barrels. Some wineries also sell used wine barrels.

Last year we bought a wine barrel, hoping to make a patio table. Thanks to my older brother, Jared, this project was finally started and finished! I'm so glad to finally have a patio table! This was how we spent our third of July, 2011:

We started with the table top, which was the top
of the wine barrel.

It needed to be attached to something sturdy
because without the pressure of the barrel
it would separate over time.

This may have been overkill, but all those screws will
certainly keep it from warping or separating.
The plywood you see here is the only part of the
completed table that didn't come from the barrel
besides the screws!
The next step was to make blocks to attach legs.

While my brother was busy measuring, cutting and
fastening, I was sanding and sorting.

Barrel slats, sorted according to width
down to the nearest 1/8".. although now I wish
I'd used millimeters, so much more precise!
(not that it really mattered)

Attaching the legs (now my dad is helping too)

It was harder than it looks to get those support pieces
in the right spots and even. It took my brother,
my dad and Blake.

It's getting there! Legs on, and
support pieces in place!

Nearly finished! Just needs the metal band.

Construction complete!
This is my fantastic and quite handy brother
:)

I was project manager and design consultant
up until this point. Now I got my hands
dirty and did some staining.

Late that night.. FINISHED!

The table top - still bears the branding that tells us
the barrel company (Kelvin), type of oak (American Oak,
as opposed to French), and the amount of toasting that was
done before it was filled with wine (med +).

We will also make stools from the remaining barrel slats, but that is a project for another day/weekend/year. I'm so excited to sit outside and enjoy our balcony. I look forward to things like enjoying my morning coffee, reading on the balcony and dinners outside with food straight from the grill!

Here are a few pictures of the table in it's new home:

Out on the balcony :)

I had to move it to the corner because..
It's HOT out there! Even at 6:30 am!
I'm loving this table. It makes getting up
early for a QT and coffeee a little sweeter.

Mere Mortals

C.S. Lewis once said, “You have never talked to a mere mortal.” This quote really made me think when I heard it. We all have an immortal soul. Part of us will continue on for eternity, and eternity is such a long time.

The other day I was thinking that prior to the explorers and missionaries, this American soil was separated from the people we read about in the Bible, but still populated. From what we can tell from the Bible in Genesis 11:9, North America was likely populated after the tower of Babel. So for centuries, this land was inhabited by people that were not followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, much like the other cultures that surrounded the Israelites. The cultures that inhabited North America were pagan.

It makes me wonder what chance these people had. The cultures that lived near the Israelites could at least see the Israelites and were exposed to the one true God. The people on the other continents though, how did they have any hope of learning about our God? Obviously, being near God’s chosen people (or even being God’s chosen people, for that matter) didn’t help the cultures near the Israelites turn toward God. Yet, it seems like the people that were separated by oceans, had no chance to even know our God, to hear about the coming Messiah, or to hear the words of God's prophets. I struggle with this a little bit, but also trust God that He is fair and just and knows the hearts of those immortal souls..

I want to make excuses for those people that didn't have a chance to believe, that didn't live during or after Jesus did. I want to think that they will have some chance to know Jesus. I have to remind myself that God's law is written on our hearts (Romans 2:15): “For what can be known about God is plain to them” (Romans 1:19-21 ESV), and that the heavens proclaim the glory of God (Psalms 19:1-4 NLT). We all have a 'God-shaped hole in our hearts,' as the saying goes.

It is the same for people that choose not to follow God today. He is written on their hearts too. They are faced with the choice to acknowledge or deny God’s existence daily. It is in the littlest of moments that they make this life or death decision. It isn’t a well thought out choice to exclude God from their lives, it’s a choice made a hundred times a day when they could see Him working but instead tell themselves something ‘more logical.’ I see it in the conversations, actions and faces of so many people around me. I see them consider repentance but instead choose pride and self-actualization. I see them ponder intelligent design, but instead choose the poorly understood theories of evolution.

I look at them and I see the greater choice they are making and I think, “but God, they don’t know what they are doing. They don't realize the depth of the choice they just made. They don’t see that they are believing the pernicious lie that Satan is feeding them. God, how can they make such a decision, without realizing it." Yet, again I recall the words of Paul, 'God is plain to them.' His law is written on their hearts and our Father knows their hearts. He knows when they are choosing Him and when they aren't. He is just and faithful to forgive, just as he forgave me. He doesn't give up on their immortal souls.

I return to what C.S. Lewis said (sorry for the long quote, but it is worth the read):

____________________________________________________________________________
It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilisations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whome we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit -- immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously -- no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner -- no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment.  - C.S. Lewis From: The Weight of Glory (Source)
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I have a tendency to think that a person has made their choice and there is no hope in sharing the love of Christ with them. This is so wrong! I am so often reminded that to our Father in heaven, we are precious. He knit us together in our mother's womb and He does not give up on our immortal soul's easily. His grace and forgiveness are extended to us at every hour of our lives. There is always hope in Jesus!

Independence Weekend

2011 Lake Merwin

One of my all-time favorite places is Lake Merwin, Wa. Being there usually means I am visiting with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Alicia. Her dad has a lake cabin and this is where I spent at least a week or several weekends of my summer from about age 14 on.

Alicia and I had a tradition of camping out on a little island. We used to canoe ourselves and our camping gear out to our island for a weekend or up to a week before we worked. The little island barely had enough room for our tent and a place for us to sit, but it was enough. As the years went on, the island got smaller and we got bigger. The set up changed every year. Some years we just used tarps, others we used tents and then others we had good intentions of sleeping out there but came canoeing back late at night to sleep in the cabin.

The island tradition originally started as a way for Alicia to escape her new step-mother and step-sister. I was always up for an outdoor adventure. As we got older and the step-mom and step-sister left the picture, we continued the tradition because, well it was a tradition, and we loved the independence.

On this little island my friend and I talked about everything. We talked about our faith, our families, the kind of men we dreamed of marrying, what we thought we'd do with our lives and every other silly thing that teenage girls talk about.

We managed to continue this tradition every year (I think anyway), for at least one night out on the island until Alica got married. We did go out for one last camp-out after she was married, but then it became a day trip destination.

I went up to Lake Merwin and visited Alicia again this year, but only looked at our island from the binoculars. We found out during our last day trip to the island that some new girls had claimed it and we decided to pass the torch.

Such fond memories that I will treasure forever.

The same view as above in 2003

2001 - Our last summer before we went off to college.

The Island
(if the water wasn't high enough, then it
could also be considered a peninsula)

We were never afraid of getting splashed
as we camped waaaaaay up there!

The view from our tent in the morning

Alicia and our trusty canoe.

Barely room for our tent

Our tiny little sanctuary.

Happy 4th of July! I am so thankful to be able to celebrate our freedom and independence. What a great nation we live in and what brave souls that fight to keep it free and great.

Days That Count

700 days is how long I've been married.

10238 is the number of days I am old.

19165 days until I reach the average life expectancy for a white American female.

2738 Saturdays until I reach the average life expectancy for a white American female.

719 days until I am thirty.

208 days until my husband is thirty.

30 days until my second wedding anniversary.

39 days until we leave for Australia.


I have an app on my iPhone that keeps track of these things for me. I like to look at it from time to time. Sometimes just to see the numbers grow and shrink and sometimes to get some perspective on things. I also use this app to keep track of things like: how long since I've been to the doctor, how long I've worked somewhere, how long until my next dentist appt, or how long I have left to return an item.

Could I live my life without this? Yes, quite happily. Yet, I still enjoy the frivolousness of having an app that keeps track of it for me.

The number of Saturdays is something that I added recently because of a story I heard on the radio. I realized in college how quickly the year goes by when you think of it in weekends but this story talked about the number of Saturdays left until you reach the average life expectancy.

Here is the story. The premise is that a man thinks about how many Saturdays we are expected to live (on average) and counts out how many Saturdays he has left. He puts that number of marbles in a jar and takes one out every Saturday from then on. The story is worth reading but his point is that when you watch your time go by you are likely to spend it more wisely.

Our lives on Earth are so short, particularly when compared to eternity. It's easy to count the days away but the important thing is to make the days count.