A walk in the woods

Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous spring day, so we decided to take advantage of it by enjoying God's creation in a natural setting, and a hike in Shawnee Lookout Park was a great way to do so.

It's amazing to look on scenes like that and know that God created them just for me. He knew I would be up on that ridge overlooking this valley, and made sure I'd love it.

Even when the works of man intrude on God's wonder, it's still beautiful. Looking out over the wetlands here, you wouldn't know that 270 different species of bird call this home, but they're there.

This little guy here delighted in us, he flew around and posed for a picture, knowing how striking he would be against a field of green

The mighty Ohio River, looking out towards Kentucky. A natural highway God planned.

Camouflage? What could a tree be hiding from?

Carol loved this purple flower

New life springing from the old

And the happy hikers.

Next Sunday we're tackling Mitchell Memorial Forest, and hopefully soon Miami Whitewater Forest. The park district has a program where when you hike 7 different trails in the Park District in a year,you then become eligible to purchase a wooden hiking staff with the Park District emblem for $3.00. Each year following that you hike 7 trails in the Park District you are eligible to purchase the annual metal insignia for your hiking staff for $2.00. I think that's a cool incentive. I have 3 trails down already!

If you want to join us sometime, hit me up!

Roadkill, almost

I just got in from walking 4.17 miles , and I was almost killed.

I was in the crosswalk on Harrison at Everett. This huge Suburban, whose driver apparently isn't accustomed to looking both ways, almost nailed me. He had to slam on his brakes and swerve back out onto Harrison when he realized I was in the crosswalk. It's still light out, I have on a light colored shirt, and I'm wearing my reflective armband that also flashes a red light... and he didn't see me.

I stopped short and jumped back, twisting my knee a bit in the process. The driver of the SUV politely apologized for nearly smearing me across his grill and drives on. No, what he really did was start screaming and cursing at me for having the audacity to be walking in a clearly marked crosswalk when he was driving through it. I stood there in silence until he finished, then said "Are you ok? You seem a little shook up."

*thud*

He just looked at me. I think he was expecting me to blow up at him, but instead I turned it and asked if he was ok. I'm standing there rubbing me knee, my heart going at 200bpm (without benefit of tennis balls) and I'm asking him if he's ok. He didn't answer so I said "Ok then, enjoy the night" and went on walking.

There was a time in my past when I would have went off on him, where I would have been in his face screaming about it. But that's not who I am any longer. That Steve is put away for good.

So now I'm home, I have ice on my knee and I've popped four Motrin. Going to shower then head off to bed.

Love Wins.

Frazzled

Psalm 73:25-26

Life, work, finances... I hate this constant weariness. So I’m going to push it aside, because I know who the strength of my heart is. And I know He will provide what I need when I need it, not what I want when I want it. So, instead of feeling defeated & frustrated, I will trust Him. I will hold Him to His promises.

Katie said I look spiffy today

I got this shirt for $2.50 at Goodwill.

Love Wins

We put our hearts on the line every time we love. We reach out and embrace our loves, be they our brothers and sisters, our romances, our friends. We bare our souls to some, hide things from others, laugh, cry, share, worship, grow, and play.

We serve because we love. We make time for others, knowing we have things we need to tend to, because we love. Love is why we take that 3 AM phone call from a crying friend. Love is what compels us to reach out to someone and ask if there's anything we can do to help ease their burden. A simple act of kindness can mean the world to someone in pain.

Love comes at a price. Love hurts. Love makes us do crazy things. Love makes us cry. Sometimes we have to let go of those that we love in order to live. Love can be the greatest feeling in the world, and love can bring us to our knees in absolute despair. It's because of God's great love for us that he sent His Son to be broken on the cross so that we would be cleansed of our sins.

Don't be afraid to love. Don't be scared to lay your heart out for people to see. Love is powerful, nothing is as wonderful as love. Love will always win.

Five for Friday

Five questions for you. Copy and paste to your own blog, then reply to this post with a link to your answers.

1. What type of food do you most like to eat?

• Homemade. I really enjoy the care someone puts into making a meal

2. What type of food do you most like to cook?

• I've been experimenting a lot with Asian influences lately. Kinda Thai, kinda Chinese

3. What ingredient could you not live without?

• RICE! It's so versatile

4. What do you never let in your kitchen?

• Brussel sprouts. Can't stomach them.

5. What is your favorite drink?

• Depends. I like a cold Bell's Oberon Ale on warm nights, a good Rioja, and plain old water

Come walk with me

Here's my typical 5 am walk. Come join me sometime :)

Saying goodbye to two of America's Bravest.

It took me three tries to watch this without crying.


There are few things as solemn as the funeral for a firefighter.


Godspeed Capt. Robin Broxterman.

Godspeed Firefighter Brian Schira

You've answered your last call. God bless all the men and women who put their lives on the line every day.

Baaaaa

At group last night, we met at Todd Burroughs house since Ryan is on a mission trip. Todd's wife, Racheal, offered to cook for us. Now, Todd sent an email earlier saying what was on the menu, but Todd likes to fool around so none of us believed him. Imagine our surprise when we sat down to… Ready for this? Ok - Racheal is from Uganda, so she made us a traditional Ugandan dinner of… Goat stew.

Yeah. Goat stew. I was a little unprepared for that. But I figured when was the next time I was going to eat goat stew? So I grabbed a knife, fork, and spoon (had to, the goat was in BIG hunks) and dug in. It wasn't the first time I had goat, I've had curried goat before, but still, I wasn't expecting to see a big hunk of goat meat in my bowl. It was pretty tasty, albeit a little tough. It was a little like lamb, and a little like beef. There were tons of veggies in the stew also; potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, onions - a very satisfying meal.



Now, a couple of the guys are less than adventurous, and ordered pizza. Personally, I thought that was rather insulting to Racheal, since she went to the trouble of making us a meal. But, I can understand their hesitation. There are some foods I'd really rather not eat also. I did some research on goat, turns out that goat is the most widely consumed red meat in the world, and also the most heart friendly. Gram for gram goat meat has less cholesterol and saturated fat than chicken. 3oz of goat has 122 calories, 2.5 grams of fat (.8 saturated), and 23 grams of protein!

I polished off my bowl, got a little more veggies and broth, and turned down the pizza and later the ice cream that Todd brought out. Then we hit the book of Phillipians, and Paul said to us "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe" Kinda like eating goat stew and not fretting about it.

Peace out.

3.71 miles

Today was a good day :)

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Two Colerain Township firefighters gave their lives this morning in a house fire. A third was airlifted to University Hospital, condition uknown Please honor these brave men, women and their families with your prayers.

I was a firefighter/EMT for a number of years, and that sacrifice was always at the back of my mind when responding to an incident. You never think it's going to happen, but sometimes it does, no matter how cautious you are.

A Fireman's Prayer

When I am called to duty, God,
Whenever flames may rage;
Give me strength to save some life,
Whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child
Before it is too late
Or save an older person
From the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert
And hear the weakest shout,
And quickly and efficiently
To put the fire out.

I want to fill my calling
And to give the best in me
To guard my every neighbor
And protect his property.
And if, according to my fate,
I am to lose my life,
Please bless with your protecting
My children and my wife.

God touch all involved and carry them trough this tragic time.

A typical Monday

A few photos from my Monday..



5:10 A.M. Getting ready to head out on my walk. I try to do at least 2.5 miles every morning.



6:45 A.M. Here's where I work. Ialmost got hit by a truck taking this picture, I hope you appreciate it.



The floor I work on. 46 cubicles, 5 offices, 1 conference room, 1 break room. Poorly lit, alternating freezing cold or stiflingly hot. But it's a job, and I'm thankful for that.



My cube, home for 40-45 hours a week



Action shot of a cube dweller in action.



On the way home from work via the Anderson Ferry



Ryan making another awesome meal for us.



My men's group. I love these guys.

So that's a Monday for me.

Raw

I think this post is more for me than anything else… I need a place to get my head out, and I'm feeling pretty raw, so just be warned. If you don't understand this, well I don't either. Yet.

Why is it that it's so easy for me to completely trust in God with some things, but pretty much impossible with other things? I was listening to "King of Glory" on repeat and trying to get that through the crap that's been clouding me lately. God's love is completely all-encompassing in ways I can't even comprehend, but I have trouble trusting Him with the thing He says he wants the most... my heart.

Has he been faithful to me? Yes. Has He shown His love in ways I can see and feel? Yes. He has held my fragile heart with tenderness, like it was the one thing He treasured more than anything else in the world. Has He not healed my heart multiple times? Of course He has.

And yet I try to keep it from Him, and from others, because I'm scared of it being hurt again. I wish it was easy. I wish I could just say, "Here it is God. I trust You completely with my heart and I know that You will cherish it." I know that I'm keeping myself from experiencing the completeness of the love of the Lord and the fullness of the love from the human heart.

It's a complicated journey. I know in places of hurt and sorrow God is able to do amazing things, so Father, do amazing things and help me to make sense of my tender, damaged heart.

You can't be king of the world if you're slave to the grind

I need a new job desperately