I started to get emotional when I saw this flag.


This was in the interesting antique shop I went to

During my thoughtful walk in the park, I came across this tree that seemed to me the most beautiful one in the park.



I've always thought it would be cool to ride one of these puppies
This was in the awesome little used book store that you had to practically weave your way through because the aisles were so small

Chicago Adventures - Part 1

It's nice to finally be back to writing about life a little bit at a time. Whenever I went on the biggest adventure of my life last year, there was so much happening, and there were so many things I was experiencing that it became impossible to slow down and write out each individual thing. I wish I could have captured the sensations and experiences during those amazing times while they were still fresh in my mind and heart, but there were so many for me to pin point and re-live.

Though I miss the life of constantly going on adventures so much so that I can't even get the time to sit down and write them all out, it's nice to be able to go on smaller adventures that I actually can record.

The smaller trips I've been on since Ecuador have each been great in different, unique ways. With this recent one to Chicago, the biggest thing I think I've realized is that I can have a great adventure even if I brave the city streets solo.

Day 1 -

My bus left from Kansas City at 11:40am, Saturday May 12th

I just barely made my bus. The attendant who let me on said if it weren't for the lady who came before me, I would have missed the bus. So I was the very last person to get on, and as soon as I sat down on the bus we left. I was trying to calm myself down from the bitter frustration I felt as my parents got stuck in one-lane traffic, and I was on the edge of my seat, trying to form words into a prayer in my mind for us to be able to make it. It took me a little while to calm myself down as we were departing.

We arrived in Colombia two hours later. I had enjoyed the bus being only a quarter full, but after that stop it was completely filled up, and a young Mexican gentleman by the name of Adrian sat down by me.

We ended up talking through half the trip there, and had some great conversations. He was telling me about how he is studying Forensic Science, about how he was going to Mexico to visit his grandparents in a week, and spouting off random facts he knew about reptiles due to his fascination for them.

He also was telling me about how his whole family was Roman Catholic, and about the five steps necessary to secure their salvation. I decided to use the evangelizing technique I've been learning in a class at church, and it went pretty smoothly. We didn't end up getting in a heated debate over it, and it was a good sort of discussion. He asked me a few questions he wasn't sure about, like if the Christians that were apart of the crusades held the same beliefs as the Christian faith I was telling him about, and if I believed there were a such thing as a just war.

He had a suit he had taken on the bus that was what he was to wear for his sisters' "confirmation", which he explained to me that it was a confirmation of her faith, and that was the fourth step out of five.

Through that sparked a topic about salvation based on works. After I explained to him what us Christians believe about our salvation, and about how good works flow from it, he told me that that made more sense to him, to my surprise.

We were also speaking Spanish to each other here and there throughout the trip...and he told me he was surprised with how much I knew, and even asked me a bit about how life was in Ecuador.

Later on, it was starting to get dark, and Adrian asked if I wanted to play cards. We played a couple of games for a while, until it got so dark that we were squinting and couldn't see anything. Then he started to tell me about different restaurants and places in Chicago I should go to as we were arriving to our destination.

I also brought out my Bible later on, and he was showing me a couple of his favorite verses, and I showed him a couple that I loved as well

We got off the bus, and wished each other well. I was picked up by Chris, who I haven't seen since August, and on the way he was telling me about how his life has been and the different things he had been studying. We arrived to their little apartment, they showed me around briefly, and then I crashed in the little guest room they had for me to stay in. I felt very content to be there. I slept soundly and peacefully, and sighed happily.

My Puppy!!

Adventure!

So much has happened in the last month...but I never got to write about my awesome trip to Arkansas because I've just been so busy and haven't been writing very much at all. Also I was going to hold off until I had pictures to post...but I don't have my camera back yet. =(

From April 1st through the 4th, I went on an awesome trip to Arkansas where I went rock climbing for the first time ever...and I absolutely loved it!
My favorite things about that trip were:

1. Meeting Kim and Sean. They were so easy to get along with, and fun to be around. Kim and I were surprisingly a lot alike. =)

2. Spending some time outside of work with Josh! I love about him how he just goes with the flow with everything, is very spontaneous, a great leader, and is almost always up for an adventure. He was the one who invited me along, and thanks to him I went on a trip I consider to be the best trip since Ecuador!

3. Being surrounded by mountains once again. Given, they were not as impressive as the ones I was so use to seeing in Ecuador, but it was still incredibly beautiful and was reminiscent of Ecuador at least.

4. Seeing many, many stars! When we first arrived to our camp (at like 5 or 6 in the morning) I looked up and was able to see tons and tons of stars...it was so beautiful! I could have stared up there for hours.

5. Camping out in a teepee. That was quite an experience, though if there's a next time I'm probably at least going to bring a mattress pad and another blanket, because it wasn't so cozy sleeping on a boarded floor with just my sleeping bag...and every night I was freezing cold! Also if there is a next time, we need to take advantage of the little fire pit that was inside!

6. Humble living. I do enjoy it actually...It gives you a different, fresh perspective on certain things in life.
Other than the humble housing conditions, we also didn't have a shower. Also was quite reminiscent of my Ecua trip.

7. Storms in the middle of the night. I love waking up to an awesome storm...and it was especially awesome since we were sleeping in that teepee!

8. Going on the coolest hike I've ever been on! We went to this place called "Sam's Throne", and the coolest part was going through the catacombs (that's what they were called, right?). There was quite the element of danger, I especially realized when I climbed down from one boulder to another, looked back and saw that if I would have taken the wrong step, I could have fallen to my death. That's what makes the adventure more thrilling though. ;-)

9. Exploring the shops. They had the most interesting little antique stores and cafe's in this little town called Jasper that was a little up the road from the place we were staying.

My favorite store was this little art store, where this sweet lady made a bunch of necklaces and tiles all on her own, and she by herself. She was showing me a little bit of the process she goes about making her things, and was so open with me when I started asking her a little bit about herself. I decided to hand her a million dollar bill tract as I was leaving, and she said, "I love it!" And started to read it immediately. =)
I wanted to go back and buy this really awesome tree necklace she made, but when we went back, she was closed.

10. Rock climbing of course! Especially when I was able to finish climbing a route I couldn't before (and leaving a trail of blood in the process).
The highest one I climbed was about 70 feet, and when I got to the top, I was actually able to stand up. So I took in the magnificent view, and let out a barbaric YAWP! =)

11. Singing in a cave.
On the way back home, we left quite early...so Josh being the spontaneous one he is tried to look for some cool pit stop for us. After failing once (Hahahaha), we spotted Mystic Caverns. They had an awesome little gift shop with little figurines from Peru, different kinds of rocks on display behind glass, coon hats, staffs (one of which had a compass on them!), and different neat little things like that. We decided to tour two caves, and the second one, I was volunteered to sing on a "balcony" inside of the cave, while everyone else on the tour was watching below on the "dance floor". I sang the solo I was supposed to sing on Easter Sunday. I will never forget it! The acoustics were amazing in there. =)

12. Going to Lambert's for the first time.
Lambert's is probably one of the coolest, if not the coolest restaurant I've ever been to! Anything you order is unlimited, and they have different workers going around with fried okra, amazing, delicious rolls, and some other sides. Though I wish I had more of an appetite whenever we went. =(

So that's all I have for now...hopefully I can get my pictures to post soon! For now here's an amazing one that was taken by Kim during the awesome hike we went on:Sam's throne

Slow Down...

Oh how I just can't seem to do this very thing.
I've been getting so caught up in work, and so distracted from the things I hold most dear.
I need to plan a get away...


I have this fantasy in my mind of the perfect place to be...it's always somewhere on a farm out in the middle of no where, where you can see billions of stars. I always picture myself being there on a cool summer night. I would have a little space in a barn to myself...surrounded by hay and stringed white lights. A little opening in the roof for a perfect view of the sky. I would be safe, secure. I would have a field to frolic through, and my heart would burst with excitement at the beauty all around me. I would sigh deeply and take in every precious moment. I feel at peace, and complete contentment. I lay on my back, with my hands folded behind my head, and search for shooting stars....

What a wretch...

Today I am feeling quite the weight...

I feel I keep getting my arms yanked in either direction in my life. Never would I thought that some plans that I had that I felt so sure about would seemingly start to drift away without a care in my heart.

And what a wretched thing it is indeed...this heart of mine.
It has hurt many, and has been hurt many
It has both compromised, and been set on one affection only

How I wish things would be as easy for me as it seems things are to others....

I embrace changes in my life so easily and could easily leave behind places and people I love, as terrible as it sounds.

I am truly the wretch the song refers to....

Today I am feeling the weight of responsibility...

I am humbled to think of the position I have been put in, and the weight of my influence. I have so many titles that I bear...

Big sister, little sister, daughter, co-worker, friend, fellow church member, fellow band member, etc.

I am weighed down by the thought of how I fill those roles each day.
Oh, how miserably I fail to fulfill all those roles in a loving, Christ-like manner to each of those people who refer to me under each of my titles.

How I long to fulfill those roles the way God wants me to...

I know I'm a wretch, my dear friends...but know that I am aware

Know that I have to rely on God's grace each day to help me fulfill the roles He has placed me in. I know I've made the excuse that I'm a busy person, but it gives me no excuse to shirk these responsibilities I have.

I cannot bear to imagine what it would be like if I were to leave the earth anytime soon without more reconciliation than I have to those who are around me. I cannot bear thinking that they might have been hurt by me for not fulfilling that role for them.

My dear Lord, help me with those roles each day...guide me in my steps each day as well, as I go out in this world as an ambassador for You. It's for Your glory alone that I live...and I thank you for that privledge. Amen.