Perspectives

I stop by amidst the beauty of the summer and such gratitude for the precious times shared. I am tender just now as this week I had a difficult bike crash at about 18-20mph. After hitting a bridge that had a 1 inch lip, I flew off, hit the back of my head, and my left side. I'm told without the helmet I could have broken my neck or had a serious head injury. Thankfully no major bone breaks with the exception of a possible chip to the shoulder but I do have a sprained back, neck and several muscle and tendon tears. ... I am sore and feel a bit like I was hit by a bus (smile)... but hold to faith and optimism and am so deeply grateful I wasn't more seriously hurt.

Lets thank God for the precious nature of life!

Summer Beauty

Oh how long it has been since I stopped by!... The summer is flying by and has afforded many beautiful times with friends and family and too amidst travel.. One of the beauties of being a professor is that I do have some freedom within the summer months. The first years of my faculty work I ignored the concept of a 9 month contract and worked fervently throughout the summer.. though certainly I don't take three months off, I have found that taking a good portion of a month off can be so deeply renewing as can the valued times with those loved.

The first pics are from biking adventures and a favorite camp in the North woods of Minnesota.. then onto the splendor of the Grand Canyon!..

Blessings to all who stop by!

Memorable experience...

Though it has been so very long since I stopped by.. life has been busy but very good! Travels, projects, and time spent with those loved have kept me busy! I recently read on a blog venue the question of "what is one of the most memorable experiences of your life". .... It didn't take long to answer as though I have had so many wild, wonderful, romantic, loving, powerful experiences.. this is my answer...

Though I have been around less often lately as I have been amidst travel and too enjoying the summer, this question was met with incredible thought and feeling... I would say the most significant event was an incredible dream that I considered a miracle. ... I was only 14 but struggling with my mother's mental illness and though I was highly academic and highly successful in sports and other areas, inside I was hurting deeply. .. One night I had a dream that I died of cancer, went to heaven and the good Lord asked me if I had lived life as I wanted to. ... It was a powerful question and I woke up crying as it was though God was speaking to me. ... I bowed in prayer and tears and promised the good Lord I'd read the Bible end to end. .... Soon after I randomly opened the Bible and miraculously the page I turned to said if you make a vow to God you need to keep it. ... So I embarked on an 18 month journey and read the Bible from end to end. It changed my life forever. ... Though my life is not perfect by any means, and I have often been blatently reminded of my humanity, I have come to know that through faith joy is eternal and stages of happiness and sadness are temporal. .... Sometimes it is not always easy to discern the good Lord's word and voice, other times it is as apparent as can be. ... Yet I've learned that there is true joy through my Christian faith and that all spectrums of life can be so deeply beautiful.

a "Good Friday" to all...

As I come to the blog on this most significant day in my Christian faith, I engage on my 28th year of fasting and prayer on this Good Friday. As I think of the significance of this day, I am mindful that perhaps we all have places of hurt, heartache, and question that we need to heal. We too all have places we need to forgive, yet sometimes forgiveness is not always easy if behaviors continue, and/or if it comes in places we hold most dear or if someone has volitionally tried to hurt us. ... We too have places we perhaps all need to be forgiven and sometimes asking for such forgiveness is so very difficult. ... Today I bow in prayer amidst my joy in life, asking for healing in the precious places that need healing, and too offer a humbled thanks to the good Lord amidst the awesome sacrifice of Christ. .. Does not the love and grace of the good Lord bring pause, gratitude and awe?