Misery? NO MISSOURI!

I've been having a blast visiting Amy. Here's some pics we took on her macbook so far. . . Enjoy!

Our reaction to the UT game

and more walking. . .

Lately it seems that the verses that speak the most to me involve walking. Faith in God truly is a journey and I think that the metaphor of walking is used so much in the Bible because it reminds us that each and everyday there is something for us to do. We cannot stop and sit down every moment of everyday we must walk with God and follow in His paths.

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-7

"I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. . . Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil." Proverbs 4:11-12, 14

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." Isaiah 52:7

"You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may for well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess."

Deuteronomy 5:33

"Eventhough I walk in the falley of the shadow of death, I will far no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

"No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:11 b

"but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and hte blood of Messiah his Son cleanses us from all sin." I John 1:7

walking. . .

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Psalm 86:11

God's extravagant creation

Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Hamatreya"

Israel

So, when you take an international trip it seems people want to see pictures of your adventures. Too bad I never got pics of being stuck in airports for hours at the beginning. I was too lazy to dig my camera out. :) This time in Israel we didn't do as many touristy things and spent more time getting to know people and trying to find a laundromat. The latter we succeeded in as we wear leving to go to the air port. Go figure! Here are some pics of the highlights.

The Fam at Azrieli in Tel Aviv our last day in Israel
Wonderful sign in Shilo :)
This sign says "Shilo" and is at the entrance of the city
David and I at the Airport.
I saw this sign in Bet Shemesh. Who knew there was a branch there? I didn't see anybody playing "jungle" though

At the Mall in J'lem dad found a random screw on the floor and declared he found the problem with the middle East. "There's a screw loose!"
David and I at the Mall in J'lem.
David "tending his sheep"
Aren't we crazy
Dad shaking hands with "toot." Toot means "strawberry" in Hebrew

Mom and David
do you think we were bored?
Max Brenner!!!
Aubz on her 18th B-day at Max Brenner in Tel Aviv
my henna tattoo

"I switched glasses when your back was turned"
I took this picture
Ainslee and Thomas in front of a Jungle sign.
Me, Esh, Carl, Ains, Thomas at Aroma on Ben Yehudah
Shabbat in Tsafririm

Therapy

Walking is good for solving problems -
it's like the feet are little psychiatrists. ~Pepper Giardino

My life is too boring

Lately I've read a couple of books about an American families adventures growing up in the jungles of Peru. They lived with the Indians, like the indians for many years. They learned the language and the culture and the kids grew up feeling very at home in that culture. The books tell all kinds of stories about rafting and camping and "bright" ideas that they had. It does not sound particularly safe at all but it sounds exciting, eventful, and adventurous, and most of all DANGEROUS! Funny thing is it makes me want to go there and experience it. Yes, the book does point out how many times they almost died and how close they were to getting bit by snakes and how they did get attacked by bats and got hepatitis and polio and all kinds of things. The thing is they definately lived life to the fullest and didn't sit around bored. They took advantage of what God gave them and didn't waste it. Plus, all four kids (2 girls and 2 boys) lived through it all to adulthood. Thus, proving it can be done.

It's interesting timing seeing as a patient at work today told me his wife thought I was beautiful and too pretty to have hurt my finger (I was wearing my splint). Hmm, so I'm too pretty to have jammed a silly finger but I want to go and raft down rivers that indians have a hard time navigating through alive.

Well, to prove that I do the best that I can with what I have here in America I'm posting a picture of my scab from when I was swinging and it sent me airborne. See, I try my best to live on the edge. :) Notice though that the scab is heart shaped. Yes, even it was pretty. haha

Is it one or Two

How many napkins are there?

I didn't think I was in a hurry!

Me with wild afterswimming bangs

I enjoyed a nice relaxing 4th of July yesterday. Yesterday afternoon a couple of friends and I were planning to go swimming but the public pool was closed. So, Thomas let us come swim at his aparment complex. This random guy asked Thomas if we were Russian because he heard the "accent." We of course told him we had all grown up right here in town. He then pointed at me and said that I definately didn't look American and looked Russian to him. I controled my laughter and remained rather confused. It turns out he's Egyptian but moved to the states when he was 14.
Someone mentioned all of us had done some international travel so he told us that he'd like to visit "Israel, or Palestine someday." I bit my tongue. HARD!

Later I went out to some friend's house with my family and swam some more, road four-wheelers and ate BBQ. It was a rather wonderful day. Too bad I didn't get a tan or burn even without sunscreen.

David's graduation

Memorial Day weekend David graduated from highschool. That signals mom's retirement from homeschooling. The ceremony/reception went great and a lot of people attended. Here are some pics from the day.

David speaking

Mom! I don't know what that look on her face was

Dad sang a song after a short speech

me

my cousin Mercedes
Granny Hazel (great-grandmother) and her husband Vernon
Mercedes and mom's cousin's daughter Jewel
picture/guest signing table
food!

Brief update

Well, so much has happened in the last few weeks so I'll just hit on some of the highlights.

Finals are over!!!! I ended the semester with my desired 4.0 by the skin of my teeth and the help of my friends. Finals week included many late night runs for some ice cream and orders from friends to calm down and remember that I would live through the week otherwise Amy would kill me. Wait, if I died then she couldn't have killed me! See what a finals brain will do to you? They tricked me! Ha.

Well, as finals ended the same day Amy arrived to visit for a week. We took several day trips and thoroughly enjoyed our time together. We hung out with friends and I took her to my regular Bible studies so she could see who all I hung out with and what we do. I even got to teach her how to play jungle!

David graduated almost 2 weeks ago! Lots of family came in to celebrate and we enjoyed the visiting time. Along with his graduation weekend I got the pleasure of having a swing break on me and send me flying. The adventures seem to never end.

Esh left for Israel right after Memorial day. A few tears were shed and goodbyes said. I'm just really thankful for the vonage phone! We've been able to talk almost everyday so far so that has been nice.


Well, I guess that's pretty much the highlights. Oh, and I got summoned for jury duty for the first time. :(


Worst of all David got held up at work. That was a first and hopefully a last. Nobody was injured thankfully but it was a pretty wild experience.

Here are some pictures.

Evidence of road tripping

In keeping with tradition. . .

Beginning a new tradition

My bestest friends hanging out together

aren't we a gorgeous threesome. . . wait, foursome.

in memory of the early days of my friendship with Amy
Starbucks makes us smile

park pictures


Taking a rest in the cool sand
Me pretending to have energy late at night
Toast, tea, and Psalms was our favorite night time combination
before the waterballoon fight. . .
Waiting to begin the waterballoon fight

Neno's "dorm kids"
the dorm kids gone wild
Tree pic.
Amy finally got her boarder pic!Friends in the sand