Tuesday, June 18

Today was another hammocking day and progressing through my library books. It was quite enjoyable, and I only had one person creepily ask if I needed a push. Uh … no. Thank you. The wind is sufficient.

In regards to books, which is what I seem to be talking a lot about, I read the third instalment of these books taht weren’t exactly a series, but were all about some of the same people and written by the same person. They weren’t half bad actually. Bewitching Season, Betraying Season, and then today’s Courtship and Curses. Not bad at all.

I picked up the other book at the library because I distinctly remembered reading it in sixth grade, but I just could not remember what it was about. It’s called “Once Upon a Marigold”, and it was a nice little read. Completely juvenile in it’s detailing and humour (I spent half an hour relaying the horrible pun jokes to my friend), and as I read it it slowly came back to me. Oddly enough there was one part about silverware and knowing which one to use … ok if you read it you know what I’m talking about, it has occasionally just popped up in my head and I couldn’t remember where it was from. Now I know. It was kind of fun to take a walk down memory lane with the book though.

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Sunday, May 19

Three Things:

1. Good message. I really enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I was going to. He was speaking on some verses in 1 Timothy 6 with the purpose of showing how we are to share amongst believers. The concept was two-fold. First off, we should be content in what God as given us, needing only God food and clothing, because we both come into and out of the world with nothing (6-9). In addition, everything that we do have is purely a gift from God while we’re here (17-19). If it doesn’t belong to us anyway, why would we have qualms about giving it away? We wouldn’t. It was definitely something to digest for a while.

2. Seeing old friends. I surely wasn’t expecting to run into a camp friend today, especially the one I did. I realize the camp is in the same town as the church and my family, but it was a blessing to run into him anyway (he was a counsellor of mine 3 years ago and is still working). Camp people just always are good run-ins because pretty much all the memories you have are good ones, and seeing them reminds you of those good memories

3. Slackline. I taught my sister and my other two cousins how you’re supposed to slackline. I say “how you’re supposed to” because they can’t do it yet. I, personally, have finally mastered the “step up” and can take about one step. Yay! (I also got in a good hour of hammocking. It was delightful.)

Tuesday, May 7

Today was beautiful, so I decided to go for a walk after I did my little bit of Greek studying this morning. My tan was fantastic afterwards. I don’t understand how two days in the sun make this much of a difference in my tan lines, but apparently they do. Not that I’m complaining …

Anyhow, the walk was so that I could scout out potential slack line and hammock places. So it was exciting. I was a little worried that people were going to see me walking and think I was crazy for walking up to trees and trying to guess their diameter … but I don’t think I freaked TOO many people out …

The best part of this walk was actually not finding trees that I think will work (though I did find some), it was walking these paths I haven’t been on in ages. Being gone for the last two summers, I didn’t frequent the parks around my house very much, but today I did. I walked ways I haven’t gone in a long time, and remembered some pretty strange things I did as a child. The most startling realization as I walked around (this is weird, ok?) was that everything I thought was HUGE as a child was actually … pretty small.

Do you know how when you were younger, things seemed large? The slide at the park was super big, trees were gigantic, and distances were measured in Mr. DressUp shows (at least for me) when driving, and when walking things took forever. Well … it didn’t take near as long as I remember walking to my elementary school took. I guess my legs grew a bit! But the most startling thing that I used to think was big was this one curb. I remember biking to school and having to walk my bike over the bump. The first day I rode over it I felt so big and accomplished. I took a picture today to remember how … actually tiny it is. It’s sort of pathetic really…

Pathetic, I know

However pathetic my former self was, it reminded me that God is bigger than my problems. yea, right now they look huge, I have to walk my bike over them or I’m stuck and don’t know how to get out … but God see’s my problems (similar to how my parents saw this curb) and sees it as a little teeny tiny bump. It reminds me about how I’m supposed to trust.

Trust unconditionally.

Friday, May 3

Today was FANTASTIC because I got to pull out my hammock for the first time this year! It is also the picture on the header of the blog.

I’m so happy I can’t even begin to tell you.

I went out today to hammock and slackline with my friend. I’ve never slacklined before, but I was like “hey. No big deal. Looks easy!” Boy was I wrong …. I guess it’s actually kind of difficult to balance oneself on a piece of webbing tied between two trees. Go figure. Well, hard before practicing extensively (which I still have to do).

Anyhow, I watched her set up the slackline, toiling and things, from my own lovely, wonderful, fantastic hammock:

I realize this picture is not the best, and that it doesn’t particularly look wonderful, but let me tell you. That nest of parachute-like cloth is so comfortable and amazing … yea its great. You should really get a hammock!

Anyway, I rather enjoyed the slackline experience (partially because first we went to McDonalds to get milkshakes), but also because it reminded me of the “steps of faith” we have to do in life. Stepping up onto the slackline was terrifying for me the first time. I counted myself down from 3 about 10 times before I built up the courage to just go for it.

I didn’t die. (clearly)

That first step up took so much faith in the webbing that it wasn’t going to break, and that I would be able to step off if I couldn’t do it. But I was fine! It is similar to my walk with God. I sit there on the balance beam I think he’s asking me to walk across, and I hold on for dear life instead of trusting him and walking (excellent Francis Chan illustration, just had to use it). That first step (or second … or fiftieth…) step into the unknown “realms” He is calling me into is frightening, but I can choose to trust that he will hold me, I don’t even have to worry about stepping off because he is holding my hands!

And for those of you wondering …. this is what slacklining looks like when you can actually do it …