Summer recap...

So I wasn't so good at keeping up the blog over the summer. A lot has happened, and the days flew by. In August we spent a week in Telluride with some dear friends of ours. The highlight was spending time with them, talking, cooking and just hanging out. We took the time to visit Mesa Verde, a place I've always wanted to go.


Chris and I have talked and planned and prayed over our current, and new business plans. More than once.


We reconnected with a couple we met several years ago, had calls from a friend serving in Iraq, and are now planning for both to visit in October. We're planning a get together so our friends can meet our guests. We're contemplating a trip to Alaska with the couple before November.


We've been accepted into the culture of several bars in Monroe and Duvall and have made some great friends. We hope to introduce them to some of our friends.


I entered 3 art shows, participated in the Monroe art walk and entered a photo contest. Chris has been busy researching cameras, he wants to replace what I have with something "better".



I took several classes, began ballet, made progress in editing the mechanical translation of Exodus, and signed up for Fall classes.


We've planned for the future, and dreamed dreams that we wouldn't have considered several years ago. We've grown closer as we've had to discuss business, and recommitted ourselves to each other that boom or bust we are still one.


We've struggled in some places and situations we find ourselves in, but yet are committed to staying till it's time to go, all the while asking what do we need to learn and how can we grow. We don't want to delay our progress.


We've redecorated, gotten carried away with Hero's (and took some friends with us!), gotten over the "puppy" phase with Moo, and learned how independent a dalmation is, and done a great deal of reading, both for business and pleasure.


All in all I am happy, no, content with where I am. Where we are. As I said in yesterday's post, I'm learning to "be". To live in the moment, to enjoy where I'm at, what I'm doing and the company I am with.

The journey

I've been thinking about journeys lately. Society would have us believe that when we set out on a journey, the accomplishment is in the attainment of whatever we set out to achieve. But the reality of it is that the end result is really only a tool for the change that happens in us.

Knowing I wasn't feeling well yesterday, my wonderful husband picked up the movie Stardust. We'd seen it before but he knew it would be perfect for the vegetative state I was in. That's not to say it's not a good movie, just that action or a thinker wasn't gonna cut it last night. In the movie, Tristen sets out on a quest to prove his love to the village beauty, who doesn't respect or honor him. In his adventure his experiences change him from a boy to a confident man. In the midst of the process, he finds true love. He returns to his village to present Victoria with a piece of the star. Victoria opens the door to find a grown up confident Triston at her doorstep. And she is impressed. As I saw Victoria's view, I was struck by the change that occurs in us while we are busy on our own journeys. We are changed, matured, tempered, and hopefully all the best qualities in us are brought out. We are changed in the journey, and that is the accomplishment.

All these thoughts began Friday as I had lunch with a friend. We were talking about her job and some difficult situations she faces. The Greek myth of Sisyphus came to mind. Even if you don't recognize his name you know the myth, Sisyphus is sentenced by "the gods" to roll a boulder up hill though out eternity. If you want to read the whole story here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisyphus The outcome of the story, my version any way; Sisphus is not a nice guy, is that in pushing against this immovable rock, he has changed and gains strength.

What impossible situations are you facing today? What rocks do you have to roll up hill? Know that as you push against them, you are changed. Like Tristen above, you may not see or sense the change, but you are changed and are changing by facing those situations and pushing against them. Keep your eye on your goal, but enjoy the journey there. For it is in the journey that we are truly changed.