May Randomness

I was thinking today on my way home from work about needing to update my blog... had all these thoughts in my head about what to write about. Now that I'm home and my laptop open, I can't think of a single thing! 

So, who knows where this post will end up....

The month of May is always a busy one. My dad and sister arrived home from Africa, Europe and/or the Lower 48 on my birthday. The next day I had the day off work. It was nice to have everyone together again. We grilled and had a relaxing day. 

May also means the beginning of the seasonal tourist season - which for me means my second job. Last summer, I worked nights at the airport cleaning airplanes (among other things). I started that back up a couple weeks ago, though now I've decided it would be better for me not to continue the job. So, after this week, I'm going to just be on call, instead of having a normal schedule. Even with just the few nights I've worked, it's been an adventure! Always something happening at the airport! 

One of the most exciting things that happened recently, is that Spring finally came to Alaska! April and the beginning part of May were unusually cold for here. I believe we had the 5th coldest spring on record. Many were wondering if summer would ever come. Well, it came! and it came full force!! One week we were deicing the planes and the next week it was 70+ degrees! The last week we've had above average temps for this time of year. Over the weekend, the trees budded and now we have green everywhere! 

The business of summer has already begun... and will continue to speed up.... This Sunday is our annual Kids Carnival at church (we had to push it back a couple weeks cause it was so cold). Then I head to the Lower 48 for week. After that, it's camp, camp and more camp. Amongst all that, I plan on soaking up some sun along the way. :) Love summer!!!

Congrats to my friend Oliva on graduating from UAF!!! 

soaking up the sun!

my wonderful coworker who is leaving - gonna miss her!!

the awesome people I work with!!! 

10 Year Anniversary

Sometimes I get asked  - "Where do you want to be in 10 years?" 

Many times I don't know what to answer... but today I want to thank God for the past ten years! 

Yesterday was an anniversary in my life. Not many people realize that it is or why the 18th of May is a significant date to me. It is one of those events that I didn't ask for, or even want, but looking back I can be thankful for God working in my life during a rough time. 

One of the things my church does for our bus kids and community is hold an annual Kids Carnival every year. The entire event is free and we use it to invite kids to ride our buses and families to church. Ten years ago, I was helping prepare for that big day. The Sunday morning church service was in progress and there were many of us out in the back parking lot doing last minute things before the onslaught of kids. 

Course I was helping with food - my favorite area. :) Elephant ears were on the menu that year. I was frying away, trying to get a surplus ready, so the line wouldn't be a mile long when the service was over. I placed another ear in the oil, turned and next I remember is hearing someone scream. A loud, blood-curdling scream. Took me a few seconds to realize that the noise was coming for my own throat. 

So started a long day. Bits and pieces of the day are still vivid in my mind and others I can barely remember. I was carted off to the emergency room. The nurse asked ridiculous questions while I just focused on breathing - the pain was so intense it took my breath away.

Ok, so long story short. I had 1st, 2nd and 3rd burns on my ankles. About two weeks later I had to have skin graft surgery and was in the hospital for eight days. That was a fun summer using a wheelchair, walker and crutches. Now that's such a part of my life story. God uses our past to prepare us for our future. I still don't know exactly why the Lord allowed that in my life, but my life is not my own anyways. Whatever God allows in my life is okay with me.

after returning from the ER - my white face almost matches the clown's. :) 

Bitterness - Tear Gas

Bitterness is the unresolved violation of my personal sense of justice. 

My pastor has been preaching/teaching much about bitterness recently. The above definition is the one he gave during his sermons. With that description of bitterness it is easy to see why so many people are caught up in the plague of it. We humans are all about fairness. As kids, we quarreled if a sibling got a bigger piece of cake than we did or got to play the computer longer than we did. Fairness - or the sense that my justice is being violated. When we refuse to resolve the act of unfairness, we commit to allowing bitterness into our hearts. The bitterness left alone festers and grows until it consumes our life completely. 

You know, it kind reminds me of tear gas. When bitterness consumes your life, you can't escape from it. Exposure to tear gas changes your life (well temporarily) also. Sneezing becomes an every few minute occurrence, your nose and throat burn, eyes burn and water. No matter what you are doing - cooking/eating dinner, exercising, talking with your family, etc. the effects of tear gas still accompany you. So, is bitterness - one may be able to laugh and joke around, but the effects of the plague still trouble constantly. (and yes, I do know what I'm talking about)

As blood-bought believers of Christ, we are to be dead to self. I no longer live for myself but for Christ. A dead person cannot be offended. I cannot treated unfairly or violated, because I have no sense of justice. I am dead.

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

I challenge you, as I have challenged myself, to live as if I were truly dead. There is no reason to be offended by someone's words or actions. Live for Christ Alone!

"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," Philippians 3:8

Let go of offenses, so you can know Christ more fully. 

Sledding in April

It had been a long time since I had gone sledding down Haystack. Several years at least. So, when the rumor started circling that one night during Missions Conference there was a group that wanted to take one of our visiting missionaries up there, I said "hey, I want to go!" It's a little unusual to go sledding in April, because by that time of year, the snow has started to melt during the day and refreeze at night. Which means you are sledding down a hill without much snow and possibly ice instead. If you know anything about sledding, that is  really not the best situation.

But we've been having an cold spring this year. Actually it has snowed every day this week and it's now May! Ok, going back to my sledding story. One day that week, I drove a few people out to Haystack to "check out" the hill. They said it was great, so plans were made to go the next evening after the services. 

The next night about 1030pm, we set out. There were 10 of us going out there, though BD didn't go down the hill, since Luke was borrowing all his warm clothing. Because of the lengthening days, it was still a bit light out on our way out of town. The first few runs down the hill, the sky was darkening, but on the horizon it was still lighter blue and orange. Very pretty! and the moon was out in almost full form. 

It was an awesome time! We had a small, good group, which is better than a huge group. We had an great time trying to beat each other down the hill, crashing into the backside of whoever was in front of us, trying to jump the burm at the bottom of the road, and reminiscing on the old times of going down Haystack when funny things happend with other great people, etc. :) The hill is about 3/4 of a mile long, so we would jump in the back of the pickup truck and get a ride to the top. Somehow on the last ride down, my sled didn't get put into the back of the truck, so I was sledless. I could have just not gone down that time around, but since we had already decided it was the last run, I wanted to go. So, I made Ben go with me on his sled. He was the littlest person there, since he's only 13, but still we had a hard time staying on the sled, cause it was too small for two people. But we had a great time laughing our way down the hill and even beat some people! Well, only cause they stopped to try to scare us, by jumping out of the dark woods surrounding the trail. 

Was a little tired the next morning, but thankfully wasn't really sore at all. Normally, two days after sledding down that hill, I can barely move. You can move pretty fast down that hill and get some MAJOR air on the bumps. Yeah, the tailbone usually isn't very grateful the next day. 

I have to say sledding in April is nice, cause of the longer days and warmer conditions. It was about 15-20 degrees that night - wonderful for sledding! I've been down that hill at midnight in October, with no moon or stars to see and -10 - yeah, that's another story for another time. 

before

after

notice my hair - haha

you can kind of see the color on the horizon

the sledders minus one