Monday, August 30, 2010

The Good Lord Gave Us Mountains So We Could Learn How To Climb...

Successful geocache find :-D
   As always life is never boring in the Goers household. Be it hiking, go-karts, mini-golf, geocaching, or just regular everyday conversation it has its share of challenges and adventures. This past weekend my parents took me and Jemi out to hike Adam's Canyon. Now Adam's Canyon is rated at a level 4 out of 5 for public hiking trails with its 1,200ft elevation gain, 3.5 mile length and rocky terrain, but it's worth it to get to the 40ft waterfall at the end. We got up relatively early and packed snacks, water bottles and the gps so we could start out before it got too hot. I had grabbed some geocache coordinates before we left the house and found a cache just about .3 miles up the trail, my second find all by myself. As we headed into the woods it was incredible to see the different rock outcroppings and just the beauty of the area that I now live in.
That's me at the top waving :)
    As we hiked we came across this spot where across the stream there was one of many 200ft or so high rock outcroppings and my mom said (and I quote) "If you crossed over there you could probably climb it". I wasn't originally planning on climbing anything, but I crossed the creek and checked it out. After that I'm not quite sure what happened, but my first thought was something like "I think I could climb that", so up I went, without a harness. It beyond freaked out mom, who was down at the bottom with dad and Jemi taking pictures. When I got to the top the view was breathtaking. It looked down to another canyon on the other side and everything looked so small from so high. As I climbed down it just boggled my mind how I could ever doubt God. The God who created all of this, and yet was intimately involved with the design of every little detail. When Genesis 1:1 says that God created the Heavens and the earth it means He literally hand designed everything and when He spoke it came to be! I don't know about you, but to me that is incredible, I certainly have never spoke and had something appear! So some food for thought... How Big is your God?

Friday, August 27, 2010

I Will Build For All Time, A House of Memories...

    So, I was itching to watch some of my family's home videos last night. The only problem is that they were in a rather heavy and bulky box on the very top shelf in the garage. After moving the car and with added help from mom and a step stool the box finally made it into the house. After digging through piles of videos I found some of the more worn tapes that are full of our particularly favorite memories. As I've watched me and my siblings go from babies to bigger kids, laughed, cried, rewound to watch something over, and been reminded of things I had forgotten I fell upon the tape of us doing a Patch the Pirate play with our home-school group. I was a whole whopping 10 years old and it was my first speaking part ever! I played Sissy Seagull and had all of the big words (imagine that), but at the very end of the play I had some of the most important lines about following God.
Me at the age of 3


    Throughout all of the movies of us singing and dancing on the coffee table, to plays and public presentations what impressed me the most was what it means to have faith like a child. We sang about Jesus, talked about Jesus, and believed whatever we were told, because it was Jesus, how could it be wrong? Why can't I have that same faith now that I am older? Why does every little thing have to be metaphorical, or an analogy, or have every little detail explained, why can't I just take things for face value like I did when I was a kid? Just something to think about.


Faith Like A Child - Jars Of Clay

Dear God, surround me as I speak,/the bridges I walk across are weak/ Frustrations fill the void that I can solely bear/ Dear God, don't let me fall apart,/ you've held me close to you /I have turned away searched for answers I can't understand

Chorus: They say that I can move the mountains/ and send them crashing into the sea/ They say that I can walk on water/ if I would follow and believe/ with faith like a child.

Sometimes, when I feel miles away/ and my eyes can't see your face/ I wonder if I've grown to lose the recklessness/ I walked in light of you.

(Chorus)

[Little Girl:] "I've got joy like a fountain!"/ "Be kind one to others"/ "In Jesus Christ Your son"

They say that love can heal the broken/ They say that hope can make you see/ They say that faith kind find a Savior/ If you would follow and believe/ with faith like a child

Luke 18:17 - Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God Like a child will not enter it at all.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

I Want More Than Just Ok, More Than Just Ok

    So, my morning this morning has officially kicked me in the butt. I got up to take mom to school and feel like I was run over by the SOTM freightliner. Part of it is my body trying to adjust to the higher altitudes, and the other part I am hoping is just allergies.
    I was feeling inspired a couple days ago to start a new schedule to get myself back into some form of routine so it isn't as much of a system shock when I do start work. The program consists of getting up at 6:30 to spend some time with my parents before they go to work, a physical work-out program, and an in-depth study of Psalms 18 along with my regular devotions.
   I read Psalms 1 yesterday in my devotions and was challenged by verses 2 and 3. The gist is that the man who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night will be like a tree firmly planted that yields fruit, prospers and does not wither. What it has me thinking on is what does it mean to "delight in the law"? What do you think?
   Ever since I was little I wanted to be on the police force or something similar. As a kid my mom very adamantly said "no". Being immersed in the military atmosphere around the base has had me re-considering some things. From USAF Reserves to applying for a position on base. After being at French Camp Academy for a year I'm having a hard time settling to just simply working a job to only make a paycheck. I need more of a purpose to exist that simple going to work.

When I wake in the morning,
I want to blow it to pieces
I want more than hust ok, more than just ok
When I'm up with the sunrise,
I want more than just blue skies,
I want more than just ok, more than just ok.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

I'm Just A Small Town Girl...

Well, life in Layton Utah is very different from French Camp Mississippi. Between the F15s, F16s, and F22s taking off over our house at several different times a day and seeing mountains out the window it is a whole new experience. I feel like a the country mouse that fell in love the the atmosphere of French Camp stuck in the big city.

Over this past week I have been to the Hill Air Force Base Aerospace Museum, the Pinewood Reservoir, The Davis County Fair, and a PRCA Rodeo. So comparatively speaking there is much more to do around here than when I had to drive 45 minutes to get to Wal-Mart. Jemi Grimes will be here for two more weeks to hang out and find her way around town with me... and with Double Trouble re-united for 3 weeks after a year of hardly seeing each other I think we have scarred some Utahns for life!

There is a pile of boxes in the garage full of my life and settling into my new room has been quite interesting. I want it to feel like home, but not have to completely re-pack everything when we find a new house. As a family we are going to be looking at houses up in Mountain Green. We are hoping to find something with an in-law style apartment so that I can have some of my own space along with enough property to have some livestock, and my own dog. Mountain Green is just through the pass and up in the Wasatch Mountain Range so it would be much closer to the reservoir and the ski resorts too :)

What has been challenging me lately is Psalms chapter 18:25-39

The passage talks about how God will appear to us how we are and where we are at because he saves an afflicted people. It then speaks about how He will gird me with strength, make my feet like hinds' feet and train my hands for battle. Being this close to the base and interacting with so many air force personnel, including my own dad, has brought it to life. Being girded with strength, and trained for battle isn't something that happens just passively sitting around. The pilots are constantly flying over doing training drills, or flying out past the salt flats for bombing practice. If you drive by the base on any given day they are out running and working out, or making sure their equipment is 100%. It's no different in my spiritual life. Be it continuing scripture memorization, devotions, and journaling, or finding ways to invest in those around me I have to continue training.

Well that's it for today... catch y'all later!