Blessed Is This Life

So, I just wrote that last entry, and it was whatever. Then, I read a previous entry, and I wondered why I don't really write like I used to several months ago. So, I will tell of recent adventures that I have enjoyed.

So, this weekend, 40 other college students joined our community of about 40. They were off to hike half dome to watch the sun rise (remember the blog I wrote about that a year ago faithful blog-readers?!?). The 40 people who came up were a strange collection of people I had met my first semester at APU, last semester at High Sierra, this summer at camp, people I didn't know, and they were all mixing with the people I am just now getting to know at High Sierra this time around. Basically, it was a collision of the four communities I have been a part of in the past year. And, before they came, I was scared out of my mind of the effect this collision would have on my emotions. But then they all got here, and I was just so stinkin' happy to see everyone. It didn't even matter what I knew them from or when I knew them or what I was like when I knew them. Tears were threatening me the entire night.

And that night, after the 40 visitors had left this little place, I laid in bed wide awake for a few hours. My mind was racing. I was just so happy. I realized how blessed I have been to get to know so many fantastic people in such a short amount of time. It has been kind of draining to be switching communities every 4 months or so, but now I am seeing the benefit of it all.

sheesh. tonight, I am so stinkin grateful.

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Anyway...the adventure! After a lengthy preparation, 2 new friends and a bit of an older friend and I headed off to one of my favorite places (i've written about it before...I called it washer-dryer). We biked a couple miles down the road, stashed the bikes in the trees, and hiked up a creek. We stopped at some lovely spots, and jumped in the pools for a little swimmy swim. There's this place with a bunch of little pools in the rocks where you can jump in. It reminds of that middle land in The Magician's Nephew where they jump into the pools to get to different places. I kept hoping to jump into Narnia. We kept on hiking up and up. And then...the big kahuna. There is this glorious 40-ish foot natural slide. yes please! So, my buddy jumps in the pool at the bottom of the slide to make sure we're going to have a good time and not wap (the technical term) our heads on some rock or something. Of course the boys go first. Then, I am convinced. I climb up the rocks...and I always get nervous before I jump in the water for no reason. So, I get all nervous and stuff, and then slide into the water, and fly down this rock into the cold yet wonderful pool below. Ahhhh. wooooohoooo! Such a thrill. Take a jump off a rock into the water and head back home (biking right before dinner...the sun is perfect. felt too good) for some dinner with good company.

As I was walking with a friend from camp after dinner, she reached down to hold my hand, and at that moment I realized how precious that friendship and every friendship from this summer is to me.

May I never take anyone for granted. May I recognize how blessed this life is and celebrate being alive. May I see how precious each person and relationship is and live accordingly.

I'm thinking about the future.
this is odd for me.

but it's a good thing...i'm smiling.
I'm excited for the future.
for new people.
for old friends that will be a part of my life later on.
for new adventures.
for sharing my favorite adventures with others.

i'm resting in the hope that God will work out all things perfectly.
and i know he will. that's the sweet thing.


oh. and don't you worry.
i have not forgotten my life now.
i love seeing the progress of new relationships.
no matter how slow they move sometimes.
i love new books and new ideas (at least new to me).
i'm enjoying relationships that are changing and growing.

and right now...i am enjoying some willy fitz and Good Earth tea,
while thinking about the Odyssey


this positivity is new for me. i don't know where it came from. i like it though.