Your Great Aunt Helen Could Probably Think Of A Better Title Than I. . .

I'm really not sure why I'm updating my blog right now. Or why I insist on capitalizing my i's, so maybe i won't. But really, i'm at the beach and i'm updating my blog. Go figure. I thought about walking out to the beach tonight after we got in from supper, but i made myself some coffee and read a few bits instead. I've always heard that the beach at night is lovely. Although, the beach during the day, when proper amounts of sunscreen have been applied, is lovely as well. It's kind of hard to escape the beauty when you're outside. The ocean is so huge, the sky is so blue, the sand is hot but it sparkles in the sunlight, and we saw dolphins two days in a row. I personally love the mountains much more than the beach, but i have slowly grown an apprecitaion for the beauty that the beach holds, but perhaps not so much of an appreciation for the relentless beating down of the sun. Hullo, i am made of pale. It really amazes me that people can walk around day after day and take in the amazing glory and beauty and still deny the One who made it all. It's inescapeable. I so badly want to grab the arm of the closest human being and say "look! do you see that? isn't it glorious? have you ever seen such magnificent colors scraped across the sky in such a beautiful display? isn't HE awesome!" But part of me fears that their reply would be something like "yea, uh-huh, it's just another sunset..." Perhaps all i can do is hope that one may get it and realize the depth of HIS goodness and be broken and forever changed. If i could just have that one. Yes, I would like to be contagiously giddy on HIS behalf. That sounds like a fun life to lead.

I should probably stop this blog post here, but i'm not. It's a decent note to end on, however, i want to talk about dolphins. So, the closest i've ever been to a dolphin is watching the movie flipper. Yea, not so close. But that has all changed because Mr B and i went out in the kiyaks yesterday and it just so happened that those lovely crestures were headed our way. Those dolphins are HUGE. We must have come within about five yards of them and it was an absolutely amazing sight. Hurray for adventures!

I have not eaten lobster this week, but i am currently the color of one. We had dinner at Seaside and it was quite windy, but the crab cakes were yummy. My boyfriend shaved his head while i was away...i have no further comment on that at this time. I'll get use to it i'm sure. I have many pet peeves, one of which is cabinet doors that are left wide open... please excuse me while i go shut it...

~Me

Different

I'm pretty sure this has been one of the more exciting/boring summer with many highs and just as many lows. Still trying to decide what exactly to make of it really. I had grand thoughts and wonderful ideas and brilliant plans, but only a few of those have actually come to pass. HE is bigger than my dreams, even if mine do seem rather wonderful from this viewpoint...

Well, for one thing, I never thought I would be leading a high school girls bible study this summer. It = the biggest highlight of my summer thus far! We're going through David Crowder's book Praise Habit and it is remarkable. I've read it 5 times before, but actually taking it and breaking it down even further and connecting it back to other stories in the bible and discussing it with these wonderful girls has made it so much more enjoyable this sixth time around. Tomorrow night for bible study we're doing Psalm 40 & 50 and incorporating Giligan's Isle and leis. I am so excited. Preparing for a bible study is more work than I ever imagined but the reward of seeing a light bulb go off in their eyes each week and then seeing them walk before HIM is awesome. I want to do this for the rest of my life.

One of the more interesting happenings of this summer began with an email. I got a FWD message from my mom from the Petrie's who are missionaries in Belgium. Mrs. Petrie, due to a tragic fall, is paralyzed from the neck down and is in need of constant care. I was excited to go serve her, made the preparations, budgeted my trip, even had what I felt was a confirmation through a dream. However, it wasn't for me. Another girl got the slot before I did and I was beyond devastated. I would say that this was THE major downfall of my summer, but really it was probably the greatest lesson ever. "MY will before yours." If I had gone to Belgium I would have missed where HE has called me; which is with these high school girls. I still want to go to Belgium, but will leave that up to HIS timing. However, I didn't miss it.

Sometimes I wish I knew all of the answers and all of the right turns and things to say, but the truth is I would never learn anything if that were the case. We don't come into life knowing everything, it's a continual journey of being taught, whether you refuse the lesson or not. The lesson of being the follower rather than the leader is one I should have learned long ago, my stubborn nature must have gotten in the way though...

Listening to the cicadas roar outside my window. Summer is upon us. Had a lemon-lime fruit slush today. It made my cheeks do that weird sour face. Moving houses next week...hard to believe it's been a whole year.

~Me

Hullo

So, this is where it all begins, eh?