To the Narrows || Road Trip to Zion

On the road again and what a beautiful weekend. Seaneth had his first race this weekend so Stace and I packed up the truck and headed to Utah. Unbeknownst to us, Zion was hosting a half marathon so  while everyone else was running on asphalt, we hiked the most popular hike in the park with no one around.

Besides being super sick, it was a great success. The water in the Narrows was in the upper 30's to low 40's so with the help of Mike at Zion Mountain School, we got some neoprene socks to keep our toes from falling off. They are a great store to rent gear from. They're prices are fair and Mike was very helpful (and had an awesome mustache).

Highlights of the trip (which maybe only Stacey will understand) include but are not limited to:

- Giving Stacey and Sean's first daughter the best name ever (please have a daughter).
- Teaching Stacey the difference between a trailer and container
- Laughing at the blurp in time when I had a "real" job in transportation
- Noticing how some mountains resembled scallop potatoes
- Being educated about Rockville's population of 247. Used to be 249 but we don't like to talk about it.

Scallop Potato Mountains 

"In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous." -Aristotle

The Good Life > American Dream

The American Dream. What is it? Living the good life. What does that mean?

I've lived the high life, making plenty of money, going on weekend getaways, enjoying happy hour three nights a week, going on 10 days of vacation because that's what my "good job" allotted me. All I needed was a sexy husband and two kids, and I was living the dream. Oh, the American Dream, it's what we all strive for.

Except, I don't want the American Dream, I want to live my dream.

I want to live the good life, finding beauty all around me. Seek love, and hold on to it. See the world, and share it with those around me. Let God speak to me through nature. Be drawn to tears in awe of the magnificence we call earth. Breathe in clean mountain air. Sleep outside. Share conversation with a stranger. Invite the world to change me so I can change the world. Do things that make me feel good. Isn't that the good life?

For the next 6 months, Alaska is where I'll be. Welcome to Denali.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." Psalm 23:1-3 

Gaining and Giving

I've been struggling on what to "give up" for lent and found it difficult. I wanted to do something challenging and good for not just my body, but for my mind as well.

This morning, Pastor Eric posted something pretty cool about positive change for lent. Of course! Why wouldn't I add something into my life that makes a lasting change, rather than just giving up a habit for 40 days only to pick it back up again?

I thought about this and remembered Rick Warren's 40-day devotional, "Purpose Driven Life." Ironic with his time frame, and so was 40 days of Jesus fasting in the wilderness, 40 days of Moses at Mt. Sinai, 40 days and nights of Noah on the ark, and 40 years of the Israelites in the desert.

Lent is something any believer ought to consider in a time of reflection of what Jesus did for us. We do this through prayer, fasting, and willingness to love and serve others just as Jesus did while walking this earth.

So, while I'm going to give up drinking for the next 40 days because it's good for my physical health, I'm also going to add a 40-day devotional and daily random act of service for my spiritual health.