It has been a crazy month! A lot of things have happened. I finished my last year of debate, we traveled to CO, and I spent a lot of time with my family. I am so thankful! This may have been the last trip I'll take with them for a while. It is weird to think of leaving. Before I post about all of that I figure I should post about the trip.
Our first day was spent in the ugliest place in the U.S. , Barstow. Blah! Enough said.
We arrived in the Grand Canyon the next day. It was the perfect weather for an outing! I was glad that my camera was armed and ready to go.
Our first day was spent in the ugliest place in the U.S. , Barstow. Blah! Enough said.
We arrived in the Grand Canyon the next day. It was the perfect weather for an outing! I was glad that my camera was armed and ready to go.
My favorite place in the grand Canyon.
The colors were incredibly vibrant.
Breath taking beauty!
The Grand Canyon was an incredible declaration of God's wonder. It made me think of how He put me into being. We don't deserve the beauty God put into creation. Even the tainted creation.
We had a wonderful time in the Grand Canyon. There things there you wish you could sit and watch for ages. Our next stop after that was New Mexico. We spent two wonderful days with old friends. America's Next Top Model and a photo-shoot were on the agenda. By the way, America's Next top Model was used for inspiration....nothing else. =) It wasn't very helpful.
There were many laughing fits, make up and photos. Here are a few.
We had a wonderful time in the Grand Canyon. There things there you wish you could sit and watch for ages. Our next stop after that was New Mexico. We spent two wonderful days with old friends. America's Next Top Model and a photo-shoot were on the agenda. By the way, America's Next top Model was used for inspiration....nothing else. =) It wasn't very helpful.
There were many laughing fits, make up and photos. Here are a few.
From NM we drove to one of my favorite places on earth, CO. Three years ago was the last time I was in CO. The year before that we visited a family we had never met before. They brought us in an treated us like family. After only five months without Dad we were still numb, and the folded us in their arms and asked us to stay for two weeks. Their church asked to send us to their local home school convention and paid for all of our meals. All of us kids spent tons of time playing games and sharing memories. I will never forget the blessing they were in our lives.
Four years later I sat at the same conference in a room watching Rescued. A film that friends of ours made. Through out it I was amazed that God had blessed me enough to be back, watching a film about adoption. That is exactly what this church did for us. They adopted us into their family and supported the orphan and widow like the bible calls them to. I will always be thankful for that.
The rest of that week was amazing! I was able to work with Institute for Principle Studies. Talk about I was meant to do. Working with IPS is definitely one of my favorite things. The Winthers have truly become second parents to me. They know me very well. And I always enjoy working with them.
NITOC (nationals in debate) went well. I didn't come home with medal, but I came home with wisdom and knowledge under my belt. God has truly shown me through my years of debate that no medal will take me through life. But the vast knowledge and wisdom that I have learned will last me a life time.
NITOC (nationals in debate) went well. I didn't come home with medal, but I came home with wisdom and knowledge under my belt. God has truly shown me through my years of debate that no medal will take me through life. But the vast knowledge and wisdom that I have learned will last me a life time.
The week-end before we left was a blast. We actually got to spend time with friends. Which was amazing after a long two weeks of constantly going. It was a sad goodbye. Especially knowing that we wouldn't see most of those people for another three years. I am still trying to come up with a way to get rid of Utah and Nevada to make CA and CO closer. Nothing that will work has popped into my mind yet.
On the drive home we stopped in Moab Utah and Zion National Park. While we were in Moab we needed to get our car checked out. Thankfully we got it back the evening before we were scheduled to leave. God worked in a great way. On the way out of town we stopped at an organic hippie coffee drive thru. =) It was so good! I got their Thill Billy which tastes just like a chocolate covered espresso bean. This is me on the drive to Zion...
On the drive home we stopped in Moab Utah and Zion National Park. While we were in Moab we needed to get our car checked out. Thankfully we got it back the evening before we were scheduled to leave. God worked in a great way. On the way out of town we stopped at an organic hippie coffee drive thru. =) It was so good! I got their Thill Billy which tastes just like a chocolate covered espresso bean. This is me on the drive to Zion...
From Zion we drove to Barstow (Again =(blah) and arrived at about 2 in the afternoon. We made the decision to just drive all of the way though. I am so happy we did! We were home that night and then were able to fellowship with our church the next night. Which was a great blessing.
I had an amazing time bonding with my family, seeing old friends and meeting new ones. God used this trip to sanctify me and drive me to new challenges. My next post will be all about my next chapter in life.
Now here are the lyrics to my new favorite song. Enjoy!
I was born into a system constructed for failure
It’s a sinking ship manned by drunken sailors
An escape artist behind the bars of a jailor
An asthmatic attack when we forgot the inhaler
If the shoe doesn’t fit what good is a tailor
In the midst of a crisis please cancel the gala
Without a symphony there’s no need for a prelude
To foreshadow what’s to come.
See the secret committees, commence with their meetings
To make red tape in response to simple questions
Questions threaten the perception of the beneficial systems
A pyramid scheme with it’s cogs and it’s pistons
Mechanization of men, making more and more
Live in a miserable exhistance
How can so few, claim so many victims
And this begs the question
My rest is a weapon against the oppression
Of mans obsession to control things
Look at the long line of make believe kings
The lord of the flies want’s you to kiss his ring
Follow new rules with invisible strings
And become a puppet in the diabolical scheme
How do good men become part of the regime
They don’t believe in resistance.
Hold fast like an anchor in the storm
We will not be moved
Lesson number one, overcome
Every fear of regret and confusion
It’s all illusion, delusion
Sent to disconnect the holy fusion
Of spirit and the flesh
Every mortal breath, is meant to bring forth fire
But only when the fear of death, gets consumed
On the funeral pier
So let the flames rise higher
Let every man be considered a liar
If he doubts the goodness and faithfulness of God
Itching ears will compulsively nod in approval
When unbelief is taught in all our temples and schools
But God can restrain the madness of a fool
He can bring His truth through the mouth of a mule
You can move an mountain without any tools
It just takes the faith of a little seed
to make a way through what might seem to be
Impossibility,
And the ability will match the occasion
The outcome will defy explanation
The liberation will not be televised
When it arrives like lightning in the skies
Hold fast like an anchor in the storm
For your love, we will rise and overcome
Through the fire
Hold fast my people and sing
Through peace and through suffering
All for the joy that it brings, to be free
It’s gonna cost us everything
To follow one Lord and King
True love endures everything
To be free
Hold fast, like an anchor in the storm
We will not be moved
I had an amazing time bonding with my family, seeing old friends and meeting new ones. God used this trip to sanctify me and drive me to new challenges. My next post will be all about my next chapter in life.
Now here are the lyrics to my new favorite song. Enjoy!
I was born into a system constructed for failure
It’s a sinking ship manned by drunken sailors
An escape artist behind the bars of a jailor
An asthmatic attack when we forgot the inhaler
If the shoe doesn’t fit what good is a tailor
In the midst of a crisis please cancel the gala
Without a symphony there’s no need for a prelude
To foreshadow what’s to come.
See the secret committees, commence with their meetings
To make red tape in response to simple questions
Questions threaten the perception of the beneficial systems
A pyramid scheme with it’s cogs and it’s pistons
Mechanization of men, making more and more
Live in a miserable exhistance
How can so few, claim so many victims
And this begs the question
My rest is a weapon against the oppression
Of mans obsession to control things
Look at the long line of make believe kings
The lord of the flies want’s you to kiss his ring
Follow new rules with invisible strings
And become a puppet in the diabolical scheme
How do good men become part of the regime
They don’t believe in resistance.
Hold fast like an anchor in the storm
We will not be moved
Lesson number one, overcome
Every fear of regret and confusion
It’s all illusion, delusion
Sent to disconnect the holy fusion
Of spirit and the flesh
Every mortal breath, is meant to bring forth fire
But only when the fear of death, gets consumed
On the funeral pier
So let the flames rise higher
Let every man be considered a liar
If he doubts the goodness and faithfulness of God
Itching ears will compulsively nod in approval
When unbelief is taught in all our temples and schools
But God can restrain the madness of a fool
He can bring His truth through the mouth of a mule
You can move an mountain without any tools
It just takes the faith of a little seed
to make a way through what might seem to be
Impossibility,
And the ability will match the occasion
The outcome will defy explanation
The liberation will not be televised
When it arrives like lightning in the skies
Hold fast like an anchor in the storm
For your love, we will rise and overcome
Through the fire
Hold fast my people and sing
Through peace and through suffering
All for the joy that it brings, to be free
It’s gonna cost us everything
To follow one Lord and King
True love endures everything
To be free
Hold fast, like an anchor in the storm
We will not be moved