You know how sometimes God turns things around, sometimes good turns into bad, sometimes bad into good. Here is some goodness. "I love you, Lord, but shopping at garage sales and Goodwill for clothes gets old. Living with roommates, having to put things on the credit card just to survive till the next check comes when turning 30 is around the corner is disheartening. The constant battle to find work is exhausting. And I wonder how much longer I can keep up the pace. Lord, I'm tired. I look at my friends - who are interning at the Mayo Clinic, finding placement in law firms, driving fine automobiles, and buying hopes - and it's hard. They've chosen lucrative professions. I've chosen the one that You placed in my heart. I'm not in Africa. I'm not even in ministry. But sometimes I still feel like I'm paying a cost for following You - for following Your will for my life. I believe this is Your will for my life. If I didn't, I'd climb the tallest corporate ladder I could find. But this thing - this desire to write and the joy I find in it - seems inescapable. It's dark right now, Lord. I don't know when this storm will break."
-Margaret Feinberg, twentysomething
I think I may have to get a hold of this book and read it.
...still waiting...
Yesterday was my parents anniversary, 30 or 31 maybe, I really do not know. I remember at 25 we had a big surprise party for them, but I do not remember when that was, so it is not much help. I wrote the date last night and remembered it was their anniversary, so they got a phone call at 11, I'm glad they were still awake.
I have had two jobs in my "field of study" so far. One at a place in Ohio called CB, the other at Houghton College in NY. I am glad I have worked at these places. By working I have learned a whole lot about marriage. My old boss "taught" me things by not doing things he should. He actually taught me lots of things, whether he knows he did or not. Now working with a married couple (and living with them) has also shown me new things. Things I see verify my thoughts of how I would like to be a husband. Not the fact that I do want to be a husband. But how. The things I learn go into my brain, others I have written so I do not forget. That's all I have to say about that. Hay más pensamientos en la cabeza en este sujeto, pero en yo no quiero decir esas cosas en este momento. Quizá algún otro tiempo.
Now some randomness:
I really enjoy bouldering with a group of people. It is much fun. M & W are my climbing days. Hopefully Saturday's or Sundays too once I get paid so I have money to drive to real rock.
I am thinking as well as getting a different bike-trade with JR if he will let me.
Red Tea is really red. Roobis. It is herb tea, but then I drown it in refined bleached sugar. That cannot be healthy.
Earl Grey tea is a "cold in the morning, I am outside tea"-not a sit down in my house read a book tea.
Bigelow Constant Comment is my favorite. It has the spicy flavor. The best part is as follows...
spending 93 days on a NOLS semester is good. Spending the last 12 days of those 93 in Yellowstone National Park during the winter is better. Boiling water at night, pouring 32oz of that water in my thermos is also good. Now, take that water and add brown sugar-better. Add a Constant Comment tea bag to all of that and wait-yes, you guessed it; better. Now imagine you are sleeping in a tent without a bottom, so under a tarp really. It is around -20F. The wind blows snow all around your bag, in it if you are not careful. You chat with some friends, journal and read until you fall asleep. You are not cold because you are in a -40F bag the size of Texas with the weight of five full nalgene's. You sleep really well, although you are sweating and wake up a bit wet. You wake up to find another two feet of fresh powder that you get to ski through today. You are in the middle of Yellowstone with only a handful of friends and mountains all around. The snow is beautifl. Hopefully you aren't the one who has to break trail for the rest of the group. Hopefully you are fat and slow and are in the back where 11 others have now groomed the trail for you. You do not want to get out of your bag because it is still -20F outside of your comfy home. You roll over and hit something made of stainless steel. Your face lights up with the radiance of 100 Tika's. Now imagine grabbing that thing you just hit and realize you should put gloves on. You ruffle through your sleeping sack and find them. You put your paws in there, grap the steel, and twist off the lid. As steam engulfs your face you thank God for Nissan Stainless Steel and the people that invented it. I would describe how the tea feels and tastes at that time when its -20F outside, you are still in your sleeping bag, you are still scratchy eyed and all your tentmates are still sleeping, but I do not want to. I believe it is something you have to experience.
Happy Trails!
more tea critique to come...
Yesterday I made pumkin bread. I really miss home cooked meals. Not even really home cooked, but cooked meals. Soon I am going to get real food, and have a feast. You may ask yourself why is Dan talking about cooking food. The other complicated thing about cooking, is cooking or baking in someone else's kitchen. This picture is of the kitchen back home. Like? my dad, bro and I did it all. Anyway. Cooking and baking there is easy. #1-i know where stuff is. #2 i know it has measuring utensils and basic ingredients like baking soda #3 it has spices in it #4 there is a gas stove #5 my dog lives there
