Rude Brothers

I am sitting at a coffee/bagel shop called Rude Brothers near my house watching people. There are so many people here that ride their bikes. It is so great. The cool thing here is to be "green." The exact opposite of Oklahoma. My computer says it is 60 degrees outside and it is sadly pretty cloudy. I am drinking a hot chocolate that certainly wins no award for being the best. I want Aspen! Oh how I miss thee. If any of you Aspen peeps read this and want to send me a hot chocolate my address is...

But really I would think the coffee shops here would be phenomenal because it is a ski town.

Which by the way someone informed me that Charles Barkley likes to spend his summer days out here. I can only imagine his ridiculous house. My roommate says Tiger Woods has a place here...this town is crazy.

The thing that has blown my mind the most about this whole trip is the amazing provision of God. I mean he gives us a great place to live with a great roommate. One week into this venture we met two great gals and the list goes on. The Lord just keeps sweeping Erin and I off our feet. We are so easily impressed by Him. Life in Tahoe is funny. I never could have expected everything to be like it is. Whether good or bad it is what it is. I wonder everyday what more this summer can hold. It is a great blessing to have Erin's brother and wife here. I had never met them before, but I like them! 

Tahoe would be perfect if we could just burn ALL the flat bill hats that every guy out here wears. Where is the creativity people? I almost just need to buy one to fit in...that will not happen, don't you worry!

I miss you dear parents and friends. Distance makes the heart grow fonder AND realize how key people are in your life.

A summer adventure...

I have been in Lake Tahoe for over a week now.  Life has been pretty much insane and a roller coaster of emotions.  I miss those I have been so close to these past few years.  It is hard to accept that life will never be like it has been.  I will never stomp down the stairs of my house in Stillwater and find Nichole making coffee or Lydia coming home from work.  Now, I walk outside my door, walk 100 ft and see an enormous lake surrounded by mountains. 

I have seen so much beauty recently.  Whether it be the amazing painted desert or the huge canyon in Arizona.  Man, you go there knowing it's big and find it is bigger.  I think I might have seen a glimpse of brown known as the Colorado River.  Then we saw the biggest and oldest tree in the world.  It was there when Christ was walking around. I wish I could ask that tree if it knew anything about life.  Sounds weird, but I think even the tree would have some wisdom to tell.  Later we witnessed the most quiet, yet extraordinary sight.  A view I hope I never forget. There are pictures of it on my Flickr page...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33710195@N02/

We finally arrived in Tahoe after a three day long road trip.  The whole week following our arrival was a struggle of feeling lonely and seeing more beauty.  Going to the beach near our house is always refreshing; reminding me how Big and Amazing God truly is. 

Praise the Lord...Erin and I have met new friends.  They are awesome.  It is  great blessing to meet people with similar interests.  Our two new friends love the Lord and truly appreciate God's creation. Amen.

It is crazy thinking three months from now I will be home, but until then I want to enjoy life.  I want to come back a different person.  More loving and more courageous.

No one knows what the future holds...I like it best this way.  

“I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.”

Soon my best friend and I are heading to a new place, with new people. I will see things I could have never imagined and do things I have only dreamed. I love it. I am so excited and can't wait to go. I know I m going to fall in love with everything I encounter these next three months. Time will fly, but I hope and pray I will be like a sponge.  Soaking up everything. I hope I learn new things. 

Let's GO!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.”

-helen keller

“Adventure must start with running away from home”

-william bolitho

The beginning of the end...

Three and a half weeks of college. I don't know where time went, but if you find her tell her she's going too fast. 

Pretty soon I graduate, and a new chapter of life will begin. I will be in California, living life in a way that is exciting and scary. When I tell people what my plans are for the next year their jaw drops. I guess what I am doing is crazy, but I see it as awesome! 

Life is crazy.

Jesus

While I sat at church the night before Christmas and quieted myself to listen to those sitting in wood pews around me, I heard something. Something maybe I might I have heard and let it go from my mind, but instead I got to thinking. They said, " I am not feeling very Christmasy." Now, while the music that was being played wasn't the usual music heard, I was so struck by this woman's comment. I wanted to turn around and say, "Hey, what do you matter anyway, we are celebrating the birth of Jesus..." Then I remembered how I say things like that as well. I am an only child and sometimes I just expect the party to be about me. 

I wish I had this living in love and my relationship with Jesus all together. I wish I knew how to simply love others and to easily forgive, but the news is, I don't and I never will have it all together. I hope I make strides and change my way of thought because Jesus helps me to.  I know that I will always love Jesus. Why? Because He calls me His Beloved, even when I cheat on Him for something or someone way less redeeming, forgiving, and worthless. 

Amen, for His birth, sacrifice, and being the living God.

Good, Good End

Many times I am inspired, touched, and moved by words of lyrics, books, and quotes. Some of my greatest revelations come from the words of others. Here is one quote I find to be deeply true in what I believe, and how I hope I walk out my life.

We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home.
www.twloha.com

There is also a song that has recently made my heart sing. It is so true of how I look at Jesus and my life right now. (by waterdeep)

You can leave right now
You can ring a bell
You can tell ‘em you think I ain’t doin’ too well
But when I stood like you
I eventually fell
So you can leave right now
Go on and ring your bell

I’m amazed by life
And it’s amazed by me
We’re a strange old pair- me and eternity
It don’t make good sense
It ain’t easy to see
But I’m amazed by life
And it’s amazed by me

It’s a long hard road

With a good, good end
And if I keep on walking on past the crooked bend
I will meet my Maker
I will meet my Friend
It’s a long hard road
With a good, good end

to live would be an awfully big adventure...

St. Augustine

“Some people, in order to discover God, read books. But there is a great book: the very appearance of created things. Look above you! Look below you! Read it. God, whom you want to discover, never wrote that book with ink. Instead, He set before your eyes the things that He had made. Can you ask for a louder voice than that?”

Life is crazy, but I'm glad to be living it.