My Journey Where I Stand

A Place To Rest Along the Journey

2010-12-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

This is my cute little house, which I currently live in with my roommates Christy, Jen, and Jess. With the job hunt coming up this spring and having no idea where I am going to be after graduation I may only be calling this house home for a little while longer.

Our cute little house!

Once you enter through the front door you come into our living room.

This is my bedroom. Christy's is just down the hall as well as our bathroom.

Off of our living room is our dining room.

And through the dining room is our little kitchen.

From our kitchen you can go out to the backdoor or downstairs where Jen and Jess' room is.

Out to the backyard.

Our fabulous view out the front. Normally you can see the tops of the Mountains, but they were getting snow the day I took this picture so all you see are the clouds covering them.

grace and peace.

International Self-Portrait Day

2010-11-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

November 1st is International Self-Portrait Day.

A friend of mine brought this up and asked his friends to participate.

So, I did.

The following pictures are the process of getting things set up, and trying to make it in 10 secs.

Here is the final self-portrait.

Everything in this picture is on purpose. If you know me well, try and make a list of all the things that make this picture me, before you check out the list below.

1. Outside. I LOVE being outside.
2. Sunshine. Denver has spoiled me.
3. Fall leaves - my fav season.
4. The picture in the frame (me as a toddler with my grandparents) - I wouldn't be me without my past.
5. The Cardinals pillow (You can't see the Cardinal, but it's what I'm leaning on) - nuf said.
6. The book The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner (laying open) - I'm working on this.
7. The mug - I have a slight obsession with mugs, and I love tea.
8. Claddagh Ring - sadly declares my single status, but it also speaks of my love for Ireland.
9. iPod - music should be an obvious one.
10. Scarf - I would be happy if I could wear a scarf every day.
11. Hat - I also wish I could wear this hat every day.
12. Outfit - GAP.
13. Blanket - NLR will always be a part of who I am.
14. Chacos - A little bit of camp, and my love of hiking.
15. The books (Bible, Pride and Prejudice, Lost in a Good Book, Practicing the Presence of People, Care of Souls) - Obviously for my faith, but that one specifically, because it's been with me for years, full of marks and notes; LOVE Jane Austen; I love Jasper Fforde, author of the third book, but I also love being lost in a good book; the last two are what I'm learning to do, and what I hope to do with my life.

That's me as I was November 1, 2010.

grace and peace

Pumpkinpalooza '10

2010-11-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

October means a couple of things (for me, in Denver): mid-terms, Halloween, Reformation Day, leaves changing color, cooler weather, but most importantly it means PUMPKINPALOOZA!

The carving begins...

^Final products v

Roomies!

The rest of the roomies (Jen and Jess).

My new little sister (Anna)!

Shaina and Jen
Jessica, Sarah, and Hannah

Elizabeth and Heather

Derek (enjoying his new companion).

The whole group (non carvers included - Shaina and Jen excluded).

And for no extra charge here's a peak at Halloween:Don't you just want to stick me on your lawn?!

I hope you all had a fabulous October and a safe Halloween/Reformation weekend!

grace and peace.

NLR Summer 2010

2010-08-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

They say pictures say a 1,000 words, but while these pictures may say that, they can't say enough to describe what this summer was like. However, I wanted to give you all a glimpse (for that is all they are) into my summer.

This summer I was the Day Camp Summer Activity Leader, which actually has a lot more to it than just Day Camp. There were four sessions this summer, each session split into two weeks. Every other Sunday my team (me, Ally, Daniel, and Lindsey/Thomas) would get a new Timothy Team. These campers are in the second year of NLR's leadership development program, and they would be the counselors for my day campers come the second week of their session. To start out their session we went on a two and a half day backpacking trip.

We hiked in the Buffalo River National Park. There are plenty of stories behind the hikes we did as they were all self-directed by the kids with us leaders simply as facilitators, but this is the vantage point of Big Bluff, which we hiked twice. My favorite spot!

This is what a facilitator looks like at the beginning of a hike when she is waiting and waiting on kids to figure out that they decide when we start. (The Survivor buff was my best friend during these trips - thanks Luke!)

Walking along the edge of Big Bluff.

We leaders were tough stuff!

After uphill hikes like in the picture before the kids would normally decide to take a break. At longer stopping points Luke (my boss) and I would perform Monty Python's The Search for the Holy Grail. Out of the two groups we did this for, one group loved it, the other just thought we were strange. It was definitely a highlight of my trips.

After we got back from the hike I turned into the Day Camp Nazi...not really, but for the next 3 days it was nothing but Day Camp training for these kiddos from 9-5. Then Monday morning would come and I could only hope that I had prepared them well enough. The little ones came Monday through Friday 8:30-5. With the help of my awesome, awesome, awesome Tim Team leaders I set up all the activities so that the Tim Team could play with their campers. We had tons of different activities for them during the day that they would do as a flock (their groups were all named after different birds), as well as swim time and big group games, which I would lead. It took a lot of planning, was during some very very hot days, but it was so much fun watching these first through fifth graders having a blast doing something other than sitting in front of a tv.

This is me doing my thing. Lindsey, one of my Tim Team Leaders, only wished she could be as cool as me. :)

For lunch on Fridays I set up one of our camp sights for a fun hot dog cookout experience.

We provided bandannas, but the kids could also bring things from home to tie dye during this activity class.

You can program well thought out, fun games, but for some reason there is nothing better than a good ol' game of tag your counselor.

At NLR we love our creek, and with Day Campers we get the awesome opportunity to teach them as they have fun doing our water study lab, where they would go explore Flint Creek and see all the different types of macro organisms that live in it.

The favorite big group game every week was, hands down, the slip n' slide!

On those super hot days, some reaching 110 with heat index, you couldn't keep them away from the water - and we didn't want to!

A great asset to our camp is our awesome ropes course. What kind of Day Camp SAL would I be if I denied these kids the chance to experience it?!

Aside from training the Tim Team and running Day Camp, it was also my job to take care of my team. Throughout the summer I tried to meet with each of them weekly to do a little soul care. This was an awesome time where God showed up to take care of each of their needs; I just enjoyed being a vessel for it. While I loved the other aspects of my job, this was by far my favorite part. I was putting into action what I had been learning at seminary these past two years, and it just felt so right.

My Team!

I could not have asked for a better staff to work with then who I had. I laughed, cried, and learned so much with them.

(From left to right: Thomas-only session 4, Lindsey-we missed her session 4, me, Daniel, and Ally. The horse, unfortunately, was not on my team.)

It was another fabulous summer at the Ranch, I think probably the best thus far. Ministry was done, rest happened despite working, and I learned a lot, as usual. Now, after a couple of weeks in IL, I'm back home in Denver. School has started, as well as work at GAP, and I can already tell I'm in for quite a semester!

grace and peace.

Another End, Another Beginning

2010-05-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

My semester is over.

My project went SO well. The set up was smooth and it looked better than I had imagined in my head. Then my part was over and it was God's turn to show up or not. He did, and in BIG ways! So many people experienced God in and through the art and questions that went with them, and came away convicted, encouraged, or just with a new realization of where they are in their walk with Him. Here are some things people said in their evaluations:

"It affirmed my belief that a lack of words - using just color and texture - can take us to a different place within and in encountering God."

"It has re-awakened my sensitivity to the Lord's voice through His creation."

^The above was written May 20th and I haven't visited the draft until today July 10th. The entire month of May was a whirlwind and honestly I haven't had much time to breathe since then. The new beginning that I reference in the title is my being back at camp again.

I am back at New Life Ranch as the Day Camp Summer Activity Leader. I LOVE my job and this summer has been a blast so far. We just finished our mid-summer week and so I only have four more weeks left. It has FLOWN by. I have loved being back at this place ministering again.

I will be back in Decatur for around two weeks once camp is over, and I cannot wait! I get to see one of my best friends get married, spend time with siblings, and get lots of time with the parents! It will be just what I need to send me back to Denver with a rested, full heart.

Hopefully, I will be better at taking pictures these next two sessions and will be able to show you some of the work I'm doing. And seeing as the one year anniversary of my Europe trip is coming up this week, I will not be making my goal on posting from all the different places before that anniversary comes up. ;)

grace and peace.

Oh Paris, je t'adore!

2010-04-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

OH PARIS!

(meant to be said in a french accent)

Paris was my favorite stop. There was just something about the personality of the city that I loved. Unlike London, which I hadn't experienced at the time, Paris is a much slower paced city, because the business center of the city is miles removed from the heart of it. Christy and I spent three full days here and we stayed in a small hotel instead of a hostel this time. We had some difficulty getting to the hotel the first time, because the directions we got online were from the train station on the other side of the city. At first we were a little discouraged, because when we approached (and when I say we here, I mean Christy) people asking for directions people just kept walking past us. We think they saw our backpacks and thought we were going to ask for money - go figure. Finally some British business men told us our mistake and let us know how to use the metro to get to where we needed to be.
This leads me to the first thing I LOVED about Paris: the Metro! It was easy to use, reasonably priced, went everywhere, ran frequently, not to mention they were highly entertaining. By the end of the three days we had that system nailed down. Now, I said they were highly entertaining and people might find that odd, but there were only a few times that I rode on the Metro that I wasn't entertained by street performers who would hop in the car trying to make a couple of Euro. Some of my favs were: the karaoke man, the tuba/boombox couple, and best of all was a man who set up a screen and lipsynched with a puppet!

Other than the Metro other highlights were:

Montmartre

Notre Dame

Le Louvre

Walking Le Champs d'Elysses to l'Arc de Triumph
French Crepes
Seeing Le Tour de France
Spending an afternoon in this fantastic little park.

But above all of these my heart and most of my time was spent at le Tour Eiffel.

I had this romantic notion about the Eiffel Tower before I went and so I thought for sure that it would disappoint me, but it didn't! Not only is it a beautiful landmark, but there is a lawn that extends from it's base that Parisians hang out at. When I was there people were throwing around a frisbee, having family picnics, reading books, or just lounging with friends. And no most of them were not tourists. All the tourists were underneath the Tower trying to get a ride up it. Then on the other side is a bridge that takes you to a very large gorgeous fountain with green on either side of it, where again people were lounging. Even though I have a fantastic view of the mountains here there are times when it's sunny and warm out that I wish I could go sit at the Eiffel Tower lawn and read a book.

I have many more pictures from Paris that I want to post, but this will have to be a separate one as this is far too long already...

grace and peace.

MA Project

2010-04-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

So, normally for a Masters program you have to write a thesis. Well, I get the privilege of doing this, except with a twist. I don't know if other institutions give project options as well as Denver Seminary, but I sure am glad I get the option. Basically what doing a project instead of a straight up thesis means is that the majority of my research comes from a project that I conceptualize and implement. I still have to write a massive paper, but I have less theoretical book research to do. This way I get out of the books and into applied research, which makes me happy, and I get to be a little creative, which makes me very happy!

After months of growing in my head and heart, my project will finally come to life in two weeks, and for two days people will have the chance to experience something pretty fantastic (if I may say so myself). Just as I shared about the hands that I drew, this project is a testament to the growth and change that has happened in my life since coming to DenSem.

My project essentially is exploring the connection that I see between the visual arts and a person's spiritual formation. Therefore I have created an artistic spiritual formation experience that people will walk through and interact with in order to see how viewing and interacting with already created art and how creating art from a posture of listening to God can facilitate a person's spiritual formation. I have taken a paradigm of a spiritual journey developed by an Old Testament Scholar from the Psalms as my outline. There are three stages in this paradigm and each stage in the experience will have art pieces to represent it. Participants will be invited to interact with these pieces in each individual stage in order to process their own journey. Then they will go and creatively express where they are at on their spiritual journey. These words on a blog can't quite paint the vision in my head for this, but perhaps this excerpt from the introduction of the pamphlet participants will receive will help with the concept behind it...

“The Psalms, with a few exceptions, are not the voice of God addressing us. They are rather the voice of our own common humanity – gathered over a long period of time, but a voice that continues to have an amazing authenticity and contemporaneity. It speaks about life the way it really is, for in those deeply human dimensions the same issues and possibilities persist. And so when we turn to the Psalms it means we enter into the midst of that voice of humanity and decide to take our stand with that voice. We are prepared to speak among them and with them and for them, to express our solidarity in this anguished, joyous human pilgrimage. We add a voice to the common elation, shared grief, and communal rage that besets us all.”

Art does the same.

The Psalm writers were artists; words were their medium. God blessed this vulnerability and has used it throughout the ages to communicate and spiritually form His people. In the same way God desires to use His people’s creative expressions today. You are about to experience a taste of this. After reading through this brief introduction you will proceed into a series of spaces in which you will encounter pieces that were created out of times of this “anguished, joyous human pilgrimage.” Don’t just admire the pieces, but enter into their story, and allow God to meet you there.

An Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann states that our faith life consists in moving with God in terms of:

(a) being securely oriented;

(b) being painfully disoriented; and

I am sure you can identify times in your life when you have gone through each of these movements. You are now going to be able to reflect on those times through an artistic experience. As you proceed into each space you will find pieces that represent one of these three movements. When you turn the page you will find a more detailed explanation of each movement and blank space. By the pieces of art you will find questions to help you interact with the pieces in the movement.

A church in the Littleton area has graciously let me use their youth room for this and has been awesome in helping me design the spaces that will make up the main part of the experience. I can't believe it's only two weeks away, and yet I wish it were tomorrow, because I am so excited to see what God does through this. If you read this before May 6th and 7th, please pray for me as I prepare this experience and organize all the details, and also for the people that will be walking through it - that God would work mightily in their lives through this artistic experience and that they would somehow be drawn closer to Christ through it.

I'll hopefully have a video to put up of it, but I will definitely have pictures and details of how the two days go.

grace and peace.

I'm not a big fan of mustard, but I love Dijon.

2010-04-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

After leaving Switzerland our next big stop was Paris, France, but Christy really wanted to see a smaller French town so we stopped in Dijon. It was an interesting adventure. When we got there it was raining, we were both exhausted, and it took forever to get to the hostel we had an address for. When we finally found the hostel they were full! We aimlessly walked around the streets of outer city Dijon till we finally got to the other hostel where we got a room. We got a private room and it had a TV. There was only one English channel, so we were forced to watch some British news over and over. Normally it would be annoying enough to turn it off, but we were so exhausted and starved for mindless activity we kept it on. After a much needed nap, we found ourselves in downtown Dijon.

This was a beautiful square. So picturesque. We tried to eat at a little restaurant next to the fountain, but they weren't serving food anymore (I think it was only 7pm). The only place we found that we could still get food from was a grocery store.

Apparently Dijon was the home of a five legged sheep. I didn't quite understand why this was worthy of putting a carving up on a wall.

We went inside this church and found that an orchestra was rehearsing for a concert that was going on later that week. The interior was beautiful and the music was fantastic. However, they only wanted family of the musicians listening so we got kicked out.

We met some really cute French people who didn't speak any English when we were trying to get directions to a certain street. Whoever said French people are all rude, was sadly mistaken. It was a short stay in Dijon, but it provided us with a good amount of rest, so we were ready for PARIS!

grace and peace.

Sailboats and Sunsets in Switzerland

2010-03-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

So, back to Europe...

After Salzburg, Austria Christy and I headed to Switzerland. We would have liked to make it to more of the Alps, but because of time we stopped in Luzern for a night and then headed to Lausanne to visit a college friend of Christy's.

Something I didn't know about Switzerland was that half of it speaks German and the other half speaks French. Well we hit both in our only two stops in Switzerland. Luzern was a German speaking city and Lausanne was a French speaking city.

Luzern was fun to walk around. It was small and very quaint. We had quite the adventure trying to find a hostel to stay at, and then had some walking adventures getting back to it after one of our outings.

Luzern has a part of the city that is really old and has this standing fortress wall that used to protect the city. It was a little awkward to walk up and down the towers with my pack on, but it got me some great shots.

The Swiss Alps in all their glory.

This is a semi-famous monument in Luzern. It commemorates fallen soldiers.

The city was set on this gorgeous lake and since it was late summer there were lots of people on their sailboats.

So, while we were in Luzern there was a music festival, the annual Blue Balls festival (odd name to anyone else?) going on along the lake. It caused crowds of people so that was a little annoying, but in passing we did hear some good music. I don't know why, but there were swans all over the lake. Not quite the scene from the Notebook, but it was mesmerizing!Luzern's famous covered bridge.Evening shot. So pretty!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a short stay at Luzern we hopped on a train and headed to Lausanne. Christy has a friend living in Lausanne as a nanny and she had some time off so we hung out with her for the night. Lausanne was on lake Geneva so you could see France across the lake.
The Swiss Alps are on the left. The French Alps on the right. How cool!
The Swiss love to sail.

This was perhaps one of the most beautiful sunsets I will ever see.

Switzerland was beautiful, and I would have liked to have been in the Alps, but it was an uneventful couple of days. I was kind of thankful for this, because it was restful. However, the uneventfulness was due to how expensive Switzerland is! It cost about three times as much than anywhere else we stayed in Europe. They may be neutral, but they sure don't encourage tourism. Their prices seem high to those visiting, but not natives since the average salary is three times higher than the average in the States.

grace and peace.

Artist.

2010-03-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

The following is a guest post I did for my dear friend, Beth West, on the CQ Missional website (to be posted in the coming weeks). However, I thought I would share it, and a little bit more, with you here, now.

“Today the spiritual in art continues to confront us with what we have forgotten. It shows us our deepest self and asks the deepest questions, inviting us to partake fully of the spiritual truths we often ignore or obscure with the veneer of the false self.”

When I was little it seems like all I did was use my imagination. I quickly became in love with drawing. I would draw, color, paint, sketch, and trace. When asked what my favorite class was in school I would quickly answer “art.” However, I was incredibly insecure in my talents.

The other love in my life growing up was sports. I grew up with three older brothers and was quite the little tomboy. School organized sports teams started in fifth grade and I soon found out that I was rather good at volleyball. I remember going to a volleyball clinic the summer before my eighth grade year at a local high school. The coach was well known and his high school team was very good. He affirmed me and saw potential in me.

You may be able to see where this is going, but maybe not. When high school hit the demands of academics and practices increased. Since someone other than my peers had affirmed me in my athletic ability I allowed artistic expression to take the back burner. This continued for at least the next nine years. A lot happened in those nine years to contribute to my personal development and spiritual growth. So, when I came to seminary in 2008 I thought I knew who I was.

However, something was missing. I didn’t know it, but God did. The next year was one of refining. It felt as if God had stripped my to my bones, I no longer felt like I knew who I was or what I was doing at seminary. In what I perceived as a mess God was working to build up an identity based on his design instead of the one I had constructed over the years based on human praise. In his beautiful design of me, God had bestowed upon me a love and talent for art, and since I had found no praise in it early on I had deemed it an unworthy part of my person.

During this identity crisis I clearly felt one thing from God. Art is a part of me. So, slowly I began the process of finding God’s voice through creating. God has created us unique and has built into each of us specific talents and personality quirks that reveal Himself to those around us. It was never about me or my proficiency. It is about being a vessel used for his purposes. The artistic nature of my identity is something that God purposefully created in me so that he could use it.

Up until six months ago I never would have called myself an artist. I am not a professional nor do I think I am meant to try to make a profession out of my talents. However, God is showing me how he desires to use the identity he has given me to not only add to my spiritual formation, but to add to the formation of others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hands of Surrender

These hands were created out of my journey of growth in trusting God fully. At the time of the fist I was grasping to keep control of certain areas of my life, because deep down in my heart I doubted God’s love. As I struggled through these doubts (which were hard for me to admit that I had, being a life long Christian and now at seminary) I drew the releasing hand. I was not to a place of trusting, but I was willing for the Lord to bring me to a place of willingness. Through months of work and God’s incredible grace I came to a place of open hands releasing my fears and doubts and finding rest in his love and goodness. I cannot say that I stay in this place of openness, but I have found it incredible to have these images to constantly remind myself of where my trust lies. Is it in my own abilities or is it in God?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After much urging from my mentor I submitted these three drawings as a triptych for a gallery show in the hallways of one of Denver Seminary's buildings. The spring show's theme was going to be Genesis (in the general sense), and these hands show the beginnings of uninhibited trust in my life. I was almost sick before I sent in my submission, because I was so fearful of showing a large number of people my art. However, I felt like this was something I needed to do. I sent in my submission and found out a week later that my "Hands of Surrender" were chosen to be a part of the show. When I found out I was not sure if I was more excited or terrified. They are now hanging up in this hallway gallery for the world (or at least the world of Denver Seminary) to see. It has been an interesting journey for me, because where I was once embarrassed to tell people I was the one who drew these images, I now proudly claim them and enjoy telling people about the journey that God has brought me on which is encapsulated in these drawings.

Sometimes it still takes me by surprise when I see my drawings framed and hung on a wall!

My dear friends who have supported me so much along the way! This is at the small reception we had for the show. I am so thankful for these people!

grace and peace.

Some Lessons Are Never Learned

2010-03-14T12:16:00.001-07:00

One of the things I love about CO, and Denver specifically, is the weather. However, it can be pretty day to day in the spring. While it is technically not spring yet, we got a taste of it yesterday and the day before (sunny and 60). When I awoke to go to church this morning I knew the weather wasn't forecasted to be the same, but it was only slightly overcast and chilly.

If you remember last February I wrote about wearing my Chaco flips on a day much like the one I have just described, but ended up walking in snow in them later that night. I posed the question of whether or not I had learned my lesson...well that question was definitely answered today. I wore my Chaco flips to church today, and yes, it snowed! When I went in my toes were happy, when I came out they berated me for not learning my lesson!

So, I pose the same question one year later: Have I learned my lesson?

My answer is the same as last time...probably not :D

grace and peace.

One more late update...

2010-03-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

Before I go even further back and keep updating on my Europe trip (yes I will finish the updates on that - someday), here are some pictures from Katie and Amy's visit in January.

Mini TSU reunion!

Celestial Seasonings tour in Boulder - so fun (for tea drinkers).

I was really excited about this shot (Amy not so much) :D

On to Estes!

And Rocky Mountain National Park!

Too bad they had to go back to St. Louis...

grace and peace.

Thanksgiving (in March)!

2010-03-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

As long as I'm posting things late. Here are some pictures from my Thanksgiving trip down south:

I have a fascination with trees, love the color of fall and found both of these in my favorite spot in Siloam Springs - I was a very very happy girl this afternoon!

Annual Schuette family flag football game.

Winners

Close seconders

Highlight of the game was Matt's pants being ripped in two when someone went for a flag.

My camera was having issues b/c it had just come in from the cold, but I couldn't resist posting our game faces.

This week is always a highlight of my year. Here's looking forward to 2010's (and since I'm posting so late I only have 8 months to go!)

Happy New Year (in march)!

2010-01-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010!

Ok, so I'm over 3 months over due.

2010 opened with little excitement, but it is turning out quite nicely. I am almost to mid-semester, and I must say this is the first semester ever that I am thinking it is going to quickly. I am loving seminary! Those of you who know me well will understand how incredible that statement is. I am learning so much in this program, it truly is changing my life. There are many of my friends who are graduating this May. I am incredibly thankful I am not one of them. I could sound academic and say it is because I want to keep learning, but even though I am actually loving being in school, my main reason for that statement is because I get to go work at camp this summer instead of searching for a full time job!

I could write a short novel about 2010 already, but I am not a writer, and no one wants to read that much on a blog. For now I will simply say:

God is so FAITHFUL!

grace and peace.

Pumpkinpalooza 2009

2009-11-02T07:39:00.001-08:00

Last year my friends and I started an annual gathering called Pumpkinpalooza. It's a night all about pumpkins, but mainly about carving them. Thankfully the snow stopped the day of the party so that I wasn't the only one with a pumpkin to carve, because those that came all bought their pumpkins the day of. Enjoy reliving the night with these pictures:

Ben and his special pumpkin.

Sarah and her traditional jack-o'-lantern.
Heather and her pirate pumpkin.
Meow!
There were two others that carved pumpkins besides us four, but Hannah refused to take a picture with her's, because she didn't like how it turned out, and Jerrod was still working well into when we started watching a movie.
I hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween! or, as I was reminded several times that day, a happy Reformation day!

grace and peace.

I'm Melting...

2009-11-02T07:27:00.001-08:00

So, it seems that increased length between posts (even when I have great stuff to write about) is a trend once school starts. I will get through the rest of the Europe trip (eventually :D)! For now I thought I would post some pictures of the "after" of a snow storm we had this past week. It snowed consistently for almost 48 hours beginning last Wednesday leaving Littleton with over 24 inches of snow and me with a day and a half of canceled classes. I think the last time I had school canceled due to snow was back in high school! It made for a very long weekend and a fun few days with friends.

Here are some pictures from around my apartment. They were taken Friday about 16 hours after it stopped snowing. The sun was already doing its work. It is now Monday and our 2 feet of snow is now down to measly remnants in shady places. I love Colorado!

Happy Fall!!!

grace and peace.

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Mozart!

2009-09-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

Salzburg!

After a big city like Prague, Salzburg was just what I needed. It was so quaint. You could walk everywhere, every single person was friendly, and I was back to seeing mountains every day.

I always get asked if I went on a Sound of Music tour. Well...I went on a Sound of Music Tour! I must admit that I was a little disappointed with the tour, but only because it wasn't as cheesy as I had heard it could be. I still enjoyed it, and I did meet some great people on the tour, but I would have enjoyed it more if people would have broken out spontaneously into song or if I could have run through the hills singing the famous song (the only hill I was near enough to run in had signs all around telling people to stay off).

I am sixteen going on seventeen...not quite, but this is the gazebo they used for the scene. You can no longer go inside - too many people jumping from bench to bench and getting hurt. I'll let you in on a little secret, they didn't film that part in this gazebo, because they needed the benches to be bigger so the actress wouldn't get hurt.

This may look familiar for you SofM fans. It's the back of the Van Trap House. However, they used a different mansion for the front shots. This mansion is actually owned by the US.

On the tour we took a trip up in the mountain towns. It was gorgeous! Austria was quickly becoming my favorite country.

The next few pictures are from Mozart's Palace Garden. It was beautiful!
(Dad, you would have been in heaven.)

I don't know who this lady is, but she was in a old fashioned bright red dress with a matching umbrella. I don't know how she did it, because it was hot that day, but I'm thankful she did because I got this picture!

Christy and I were in love with Salzburg and Austria in general. After only being there for a couple of hours, I had already decided that I could live there. We met some of our favorite people in this city, ate really good food, and soaked in the sunshine.

I thought this was an extremely bad name for a bar.

BEAUTIFUL!

Christy and I on our way up to the castle overlooking old town.

In one of the palazos there was this giant chess board set up and two local men were duking it out. This was very Salzburg, and might be one of my favorite shots from the trip.

Salzburg was just wonderful. Some of my favorite things about the city: Everything in Salzburg is covered in Mozart's face. Seriously, everything! I had the best bratwurst I'd ever eaten. Local Salzburg women wore the traditional dresses, and tried to convince us tourists that women wore them all the time...we never saw one that wasn't a shop keeper or a tour guide, ha ha. The Bavarian Alps reminded me of CO. The people.

Highlight: Getting my picture bug back. I hadn't taken as many pictures as I would have liked up until Salzburg, but I was back in business, and it felt good.

Coming up: Switzerland (Luzern and Lousane) Half the country speaks German, half the country speaks French. We hit one city of each.

grace and peace.

One Year Anniversary

2009-08-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

I take a break in the Europe updates to celebrate my one year anniversary of being out here in Denver. It's hard for me to believe that it's already been a year, and yet, at the same time that it's only been a year. The passing of time can be interesting like that. I still live on campus, although I'm now in the apartment across the hall, living with Christy (my Europe buddy). I have completed two semesters worth of classes with only three semesters (and a couple summer classes) left. When I once thought campus ministry, I'm now exploring art and spiritual formation. I didn't know anyone when I moved out here (and missed the Ranch), and now I have amazing friends that I couldn't imagine my life without (and still miss the Ranch). So many changes (and those aren't even all of them)!

A year seems so short when I look at it in retrospect, but I think that is also because it is only my first year here in Denver, and there may only be one and a half more. I invested four years at TSU (three of those with CCF), and a total of twenty-one months over four years at the Ranch, so to say that I've only been here for a year, while that is a lengthy time, it still seems rather short. I can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that this time next year I will only have one more semester left, and that, potentially, could be the end of my time here. I don't even want to think about saying goodbye to this place or these people, but knowing that this year will fly by motivates me to soak in every minute and appreciate what I have here right now!

A lot changed/developed in me, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually this past year. I can only imagine how much more is going to change with this next one.

[As I mentioned before briefly, I have moved. The only thing in my address that has changed is my apartment number is now #302. If you don't have my full address and you are interested (I love snail mail!) just shoot me an email: bethschuette@gmail.com]

grace and peace.

Forgotten City No More

2009-08-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Prague:

So, Prague was a gorgeous city! Hitler captured it without firing a shot, so it's preserved as it was before WWII, which cannot be said about a lot of European cities. This square in Old Town was impressive!

This is a statue of Jan Hus, who was burned at the stake for being a protestant reformer.

These guys were playing outside the Palace. Not only did they sound really good, but they include an accordion, and the guy playing the flute had the best mustache I have ever seen. My dad would have loved them!

The city was full of different types of architecture, this is a shot of one of the Gothic churches.

I was glad I got a picture with this palace guard, because I wasn't able to in London (that story will come in time). He's eying me pretty closely. Unlike the other guard who seemed to enjoy the pictures being taken with him, this one didn't seem too pleased.

Shot of Prague from the Palace.

Christy and I had mixed feelings about Prague. It was beautiful and very interesting, full of rich history, fantastic architecture, and young travelers only interested in going on pub crawls. As I walked around (still amazed that I was in Europe) I felt something inside me. The only way that I can describe it is that I felt a remnant of the feeling of oppression that Czech Republic, and Central/Eastern Europe as a whole, has experienced. It was strange. Overall, I enjoyed Prague, but it was not my favorite stop. I think adjusting to being in Europe and a cold rainy day sadly had an affect on my opinion of this city.

Highlight: Our free walking tour. There is a tour company called Sandemann's New Europe, and in major cities in Europe there are free walking tours offered (you just tip your tour guide what you think he/she deserves). Christy and I, being on a budget, were all for this. The tour in Prague was our first experience and it was awesome! It was jam packed with information and took us to all the major areas of the city. Our tour guide Issac, had something to do with it too. The best way to describe him is as a character. Christy, as the counselor, had an interesting time analzying him throughout the tour, because he was just that interesting. He was a mix of an historian, a cynic, and an inappropriate comedian.

That was Prague.
Coming up: Salzburg, Austria

grace and peace

Snapshots of Frankfurt and Nurnburg

2009-08-14T20:45:00.000-07:00

These are some of my favorite pictures that I took from Frankfurt and Nurnburg.
Enjoy!

Coming up: Prague

grace and peace

Two Sides of Germany

2009-08-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

Well, here we go:
(I'll start at the beginning, because what better place is there to begin?)
Monday morning, July 14th I left for Chicago. Tuesday afternoon, I left Chicago for Frankfurt. I arrived in Frankfurt Wednesday morning. This flight was quite interesting as I was on Air India. I made a friend in the nice Indian man that sat next to me, who loved to talk, and also fell asleep on me at one point in the flight.

Frankfurt:
Frankfurt was like a big American city... except with an old Bavarian town square.

We stayed with our new friend Jenni (the one in between me and Christy), and we had a blast hanging out with these girls. It was only the first day of the trip, so much lay ahead, but I was sad to leave, because we had so much fun. We talked a lot about the differences between how relationships work in Germany and the US. There wasn't much to see in Frankfurt , but these girls made it a fabulous stop.

Highlight: Hanging out with the aforementioned girls.

Nurnburg, Germany:

Nurnburg was a very cute German city. It was smaller than Frankfurt and not a business district like Frankfurt was. The whole place was just adorable. We only spent the afternoon here, but it was enough time to walk around and experience it.

We had our packs with us the whole time, and it was a very hot day, so I sweated a lot that day! There really isn't much else to say about Nurnburg, because we didn't do anything but walk around and soak in our surroundings.

Highlight: Beautiful architecture on a sunny, blue sky day.

Coming up: More pictures from Frankfurt and Nurnburg.

I'm Back - Let the Stories Begin.

2009-08-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a month since I left, but I am back. I got back to Colorado on Monday morning and it is SO good to be home. I go back to work on Thursday, so right now I'm just trying to sleep and get settled in again. There is so much to say about my trip so I'm going to do it in stages. Before I begin, I want to thank all of you who prayed for me and Christy. I could feel your prayers and they were definitely answered. We had a safe and very successful trip.

I came back exhausted and yet rejuvenated with hairy legs, some odd tan lines (including a great chaco tan!), 1,000 pictures, funny stories, and memories that I will never forget.

For the next two weeks I am working, sleeping, playing with my pictures, and doing some art. Then classes start back up, and for the first time in possibly my academic career I am ready for it to start. So many changes have happened in my life this past year and I have no idea what I will be doing after this program, but I am excited about what I am learning and know this year is going to be another life changing one.

Coming up: Frankfurt and Nurnburg.

grace and peace

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane.

2009-07-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

This is it!

My journey begins tomorrow. I am packed and ready to go, and the packing wasn't really that bad! My travel partner, Christy, is having a hard time looking at what little I am taking, asking me "ARE YOU SERIOUS!" I am indeed. I feel well prepared with what I have packed and have no qualms about missing anything. AND it only took me one attempt... I am very proud of myself!

This is all I'm taking for 23 days!

I will update you all on the other end of the trip...I may have too much to say. For now, I would appreciate you praying for Christy and I these next couple of weeks. We are well prepared, but things never go as planned, so I ask these requests:

- safety in travel and stay.
- wisdom and knowledge.
- a keen sense of direction.
- eyes open to see God in his people and creation over there.

Thank you, all! I look forward to my next update.

*We have a slightly new itinerary. We are taking a trip to Nuremburg on our way to Prauge. So, instead of staying two days in Frankfurt we will stay the 15th in Frankfurt, the 16th in Nuremburg and head to Prague on the 17th.*

grace and peace.

Tick Tock

2009-07-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

1 Week...

from now I will be starting the greatest adventure of my life.
from now I will be on a plane to Frankfurt.

Last minute items are being purchased, final plans are being made, and I am beginning the packing process. While most people would find the limited amount of items they are encouraged to take when backpacking a most daunting task, I am actually looking forward to it. When I take a weekend trip in the states I always over pack and I hate it every single time, and yet, because I can, I will probably continue to do it. However, in this instance, I cannot do that. The packing philosophy when backpacking in Europe is "lay out what you think you need and then get rid of half of it." While actually figuring out what to take and how to fit it in my pack is a bit daunting, I am excited about the simple living I will be required to carry out on this trip. Call me crazy, but I am sure it is going to be one of the highlights of the trip.

grace and peace.

The Countdown Begins

2009-06-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

In 2 weeks I will be heading to Europe.

TWO WEEKS!

It's slowly becoming more real to me as each day passes. Christy and I are still ironing out some details, but here's the basic itinerary:

July 13th leave Denver
July 14th leave Chicago
July 15th arrive in Frankfurt
July 17-19 Prague
July 20-21 Salzburg
July 22-23 Lucern
July 24-27 Paris
July 28-29 Bruges/Brussels
July 30-Aug 5 London
Aug 6th morning leave London
Aug 6th evening arrive in Chicago
Aug 7-9 time with family in Chicago
Aug 10th back to Denver

Whew...I'm exhausted just looking at it, but I AM SO EXCITED! I have never done anything like this in my life and I know it is going to be 23 days I will never forget. My camera is going with me with two memory cards - so I will have lots to show, and hopefully get lots of practice at some cool shots.

Your prayers before and during the trip are appreciated. Pray for my mom, too, because she is going to be a nervous wreck while I'm over there. (Love you, mom!)

grace and peace.

Summer, Summer, Summer Time

2009-06-05T11:57:00.001-07:00

Summer has begun...this summer is not going to be like any other.

I'm not going back to NLR. I have had major withdrawal emotions from this fact for the past month, and now that the staff is there for staff training, I find the fact that I won't be there finally sinking in. It's the first time in five years that I won't be at NLR for the summer, and I'm accepting that there is a mourning period for that. However, I know that God has an amazing staff put together to minister to those kids this summer, and my heart and prayers go out to them as the begin the whirlwind that is a summer of camp at NLR.

Even though I was approached about going back for the summer, I had a pretty big reason I had to say no. I'm going to Europe! Yes, I am taking an almost 4 week trip to Europe with my friend, Christy. We'll be in Germany, Czeck Republic, Belgium, France and Britain. It's my first trip overseas and it's been a dream of mine to see the places we're going. I leave in a little over a month and there's still a lot of planning to do. However, I do know that it's going to be a grand adventure!

grace and peace.

I'm a Second Year Grad Student??

2009-05-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

That question has been swirling around my mind, disbelievingly, since the end of the semester.

It's truly hard for me to believe that I've got year one of this two and a half year journey under my belt. Even so, I'm glad the semester is done, because it sure ended in a whirlwind. Since Hannah and I had to move after the fire, a lot was on my plate to finish in a short amount of time, but God was gracious, and I was able to juggle everything (and take finals with confidence). While most sighed a breath of relief when finishing finals, I had to go pack. This time it was a different kind of packing, because no more than an hour after my last final, I headed to the airport to make my way to California to see Aaron and company.

This was my first time meeting my 2 year old niece, Lydia, and my 5 month old nephew, Malachi. And while all my body wanted to do was rest, it was the perfect way to end the semester. It was such a joyous trip. It made me wish that my family was the type that all stayed in their hometown, got together on Sundays, and was in everyone's business (well maybe not this last part). It was just precious to spend time with that part of my family. And while we messed up Lydia's routine and made her a little grouchy, I miss that little munchkin and her happy, smiling little brother.

After a jam packed weekend, I came back to a fixed apartment, which, unfortunately meant that vacation was over, and it was time to move again. It took a couple of days for Hannah and I to motivate ourselves to get everything moved. It was a rough week. I was so worn out from the previous two/three weeks that I was much like Lydia out of her routine, on the verge of some pretty moody moments myself - the last thing I wanted to do at this point was move and unpack. However, it's all done. We are moved, I have unpacked, (somewhat) settled back in, and I have been able to get some much needed rest and alone time.

Now...

I'm ready for summer!

(more details about summer plans coming soon)

grace and peace!

A Picture into Another Time

2009-05-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

I don't quite know why, but I love this picture.
Although it doesn't update every day, I get National Geographic's Picture of the Day, and this one showed up today.

I'm not sure if it's the sleeping boy, the women in hats, or the matching blues of the tie and coat that draw me in, but I'm in. I feel innocence and security when I look at the boy. I feel utter joy when I look at the woman in the pew behind. But what do I feel when I look at the woman in blue? Perhaps she's thinking deeply about something going on in life, but the first thing that came to my mind was obligation. The obligation that most feel when they sit in church clapping their hands, because they haven't quite grasped the full potential of their relationship with the one they worship.

grace and peace.

Life is normal...and then it isn't.

2009-05-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night as I walked the aisles at my favorite grocery store I answered a call from my roommate, Hannah. I was looking forward to a relaxing night at my apartment after a long day at work, but that wasn't going to happen this night.

Hannah proceeded to tell me that there had been a small fire in our apartment.

A small grease fire started on our stove top as Hannah was slicing potatoes to make homemade fries. A small fire got a little worse when, as a first reaction, she moved the flaming pan to the sink. The water from the faucet made the fire flame up. As the flames flew out towards her, Hannah ran out to get our neighbors to call 911. The sprinkler above our kitchen floor went off and very quickly put the fire out, but it continued to run until the fire department turned it off 10-15 minutes later.

Luckily, Hannah was not touched by the fire. Luckily, only one sprinkler went off. Luckily, there was nothing in the kitchen that was damaged.

Unluckily, the sprinkler ran for that long, because it caused our apartment floor to flood with about two inches of water, ruining our carpets and running down into the apartments below us.

*(Interesting fact the sprinkler technician told us: 1 sprinkler releases 100 gallons of water every 1 minute - Do the math and that's a lot of water.)

Even though all of our possessions in the living room, bedrooms and bathroom weren't touched by the water, we still have to pack up all of our belongings and move out by Monday morning, so the maintenance men can start renovations. Thankfully, we live on campus, because the resident department is taking care of us, and providing us with a vacant place to stay for the week and a half while the renovations take place.

While I am praising the Lord that Hannah was not harmed, that the fire didn't get worse, and that none of our belongings were ruined, unexpected stress has been added to my life at an inopportune time (but really, what would be an opportune time for this to happen?).

The end of the semester is only a week and a half away, which means that it's time for study-ultra-productive mode. This is not exactly a great motivator. But, c'est la vie, etc; it could have been so much worse.

You just never expect things like this to happen to you...

until they do.

grace and peace.

God is Patient with Us

2009-03-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

New Life Ranch's summer theme of 2008 was Identity. Most of the time, it only takes a month or so to catch myself verbalizing what I'm currently learning in the words of the past summer's theme.

A year ago I would have told you I knew exactly who I was and would have had no doubts about it. So, three, four, even five months passed after Identity '08 and the word identity couldn't have been further from my lips when conversing with people about what God was teaching me.

I guess it just needed time.

Perhaps, my pride needed to fall. Perhaps, I just wasn't ready.

January 1st rang in a new year, but it also rang in a new lesson for me to learn. All of the sudden I caught myself talking to people about identity. At one point I felt as if mine had been erased and I had no idea who I was. Then God spoke through a friend of mine and said "You know who you are." My first reaction was "No, I don't!" But then I heard that Still Small Voice whisper to me "Yes, you do."

All this seems pretty vague, I'm sure, and at times it is even to me, but these past couple of months have got me celebrating. I am following God in a time of intense identity rediscovery/spiritual formation. When I came out to Denver Seminary I thought I was pursuing a MA in Spiritual Formation to learn how to guide other people, but now I see that God brought me to Denver Seminary to be guided into spiritual formation.

Wiping away the dust and grime from one's insecurities that have become one's safety net allowing God to reveal who He made underneath is scary, beautiful, mysterious, and joyous.

Where this journey leads tomorrow I do not know, but I'm living it.

grace and peace.

Lesson: Don't wear flip flops in February

2009-02-21T17:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I wore my Chaco Flips to a coffee shop to study with my friend, Christy, because it was relatively warm (50s) when we left. I came home around 5:30pm for 30 minutes to eat before we went to a movie with some other girls. I put on an extra layer, because I knew it was getting colder, but in the rush to eat and meet everyone I didn't change out of my Flips. On the way to the theater my feet were cold, but it wasn't that big of a deal because we were only outside for a combined 5 minutes. I was more than comfortable in the theater, but when the movie was over and the person in front of us opened the door outside I saw, to my utter amazement, SNOW! And it wasn't just flurrying, it had dropped about an inch on the cars already...I'm still in my flip flops! Let's just say I was glad the pavement was warm enough to melt the snow and that we didn't have far to get to the car!

Moral of the story: Don't wear flip flops at night in February in Colorado, because the weather does crazy things here. (I might add in my defense that we were not forcasted for any amount of snow.)

Have I learned my lesson? Probably not. :)

grace and peace.

PicturEstes

2009-02-01T15:32:00.000-08:00

Bringing a Smile to the World one Dance at a Time

2009-01-30T23:55:00.000-08:00

So, there is this guy Matt who has been traveling around the world dancing. Really! Just watch the video...

I don't know about you, but this just makes me smile.

grace and peace

New Look for a New Year

2009-01-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

I needed a change!

My Ears Are Ringing (but it's a good thing)

2009-01-10T23:15:00.001-08:00

My ears are still ringing from yet another concert.

This time it was Mark Broussard.

A-MAZING!

Not only does this man have an unique tone and incredible voice, he knows how to get the party started! I've never seen a band enjoy their music on stage as much as these guys. My favorite moment was when Mark whipped out the washboard and went to town!

Man, that was good!

Check him out if you've never heard his stuff!

(p.s. one half of my class down. one more week of quizzes and class, a final, and a paper that will take me four weeks!)

grace and peace.

Back to Bus(y)ness

2009-01-08T08:28:00.000-08:00

This is a week late, but Happy New Year! 2009 - I have to say that I've been wanting to write it down for the past couple of months, which is odd, because normally I have issues writing down the new year for the first couple of months. I guess I was just psychologically ready for 2009.

The holidays are over and while most of my friends are still enjoying their break I am in an intense two week course over The Epistles and Revelation. The class in and of itself would be enough to keep me busy this week, but on top of that, GAP scheduled me to work everyday but one this week. Even though I'm tired and a little overwhelmed it feels good to be back to business and in the groove again. Next week will be a lighter load, so the worst is almost over.

Before my class started a good friend of mine came to visit me and we went to Estes Park - pictures will be coming soon!

I pray that as 2009 continues on that you would find joy and strength in the grace of God. Make this year a year of rejoicing in ALL that He has done, for even in our struggles He is there and oh so very present!

grace and peace.

I Feel It In My Fingers. I Feel It In My Toes...

2008-12-24T23:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas is all around me and so the feeling grows.

Reflections of my first Christmas spent away from family:

When I left Decatur days before Christmas, something felt a little off in the holiday season. I came back to my own kind of empty nest, since all of my close friends were home for the break. I went in to work Christmas Eve and there was a buzzing excitement I could feel from my coworkers and from the customers. I, on the other hand, didn't have this buzz fizzing inside me. Christmas just didn't feel like Christmas without my holiday traditions and my family beside me; dinner was different; church was different; the entire night was different. Now, I don't record these reflections in order to depress you or cause pity from you readers, instead I say this because I think this is the first Christmas that I realized why we take the time once a year to celebrate. 'Jesus is the reason.' Yes, but as committed followers of Christ we live that out everyday. So, why is it that this one day is different to all of us? It is the time when we ALL slow down TOGETHER to remember what we know and realize everyday.

I wish you all blessed time with family and friends.

Merry Christmas!

grace and peace.

I Need Africa More than Africa Needs Me

2008-12-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

Mocha Club - It's $7 a month to help support a cause in Africa. That's the price of two mochas - hence the name! Often it doesn't seem like much to me, but I know that it is making an impact when combined with the force of the team. It is true that we see suffering in Africa and often our response is guilt. I have SO much, and yet I give so little - but this message is not of guilt, it's of hope and joy. God is at work in Africa, and those who would have so little to be thankful for, so little reason to have joy in their lives, have it! I don't believe there is any other reason than the love of Jesus! Look to the faces of Africa and see the joy and peace that is beyond understanding and realize:

There is love in Africa!

There is hope in Africa!

Jesus is in Africa!

I really do need Africa more than Africa needs me!

grace and peace.

The Sights of Christmas

2008-12-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas time is here in the city...

Let it snow...

City Lights

16th St. Mall at Parade of Lights

I made it!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree...

St. Louis love

My little piece of Christmas joy!

Semester in Retrospect

2008-12-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

An update has been long over due, which some of you have been more than willing to point out to me. I can't say I haven't had time, because it doesn't take that long to post something short, so I'll blame it on inspiration.

Since adjusting to being in a new place, life has settled down and has become normal. It seems like yesterday I was just starting the semester and here I am a week from being done. CRAZY!

I can only rave about life here in CO, and, no, not just because I gaze upon mountains every day. Getting back into academia has been wonderful. I have loved almost every minute of it and due to taking my time I have not experienced my stress moments causing me to go into survival mode. That means that I have actually learned a lot and enjoyed it!

It's starting to actually feel like winter in CO. Before Thanksgiving week we only had a handful of days that were below 50 during the daylight hours, we had one day of snow, and a bunch of sunny and 70 days in November! I'll get to what I came back to after Thanksgiving.

I was blessed enough to get to go down south for Thanksgiving. 11 hours straight in a car = not fun, but seeing and catching up with lots of people I love + family time in Lebanon = worth it. When I was at the Ranch it was almost as if I had never left, and felt like I had been on vacation from the Ranch instead of being on vacation at the Ranch. However much I miss that place and those people I know that the path I am on is the one I am meant to be on, and God has been doing nothing but confirming my move out here.

When I got back, I came home to a winter wonderland. Snow covered the ground and tipped the trees. Combine that with all the Christmas lights that were brightly burning - it was magical. Since I got back it has been wonderful CO weather. Yesterday it was 60. Today it was high 40s. Tomorrow it is forecasted high mid 20s and snow. You may snicker and say you are glad you don't live in CO for the cold and snow I'm going to get, but then you haven't felt the CO sun or understand the type of snow we get here. I'm enjoying it, and I guess since I'm the one living here that's what matters.

When you think about me over the next couple of weeks, pray for me...
-Finals next week.
-Travel home the 17-22
-Finding mentors for next semester
-Finding my church home

I'll try and be better about posts...

grace and peace

Music To My Ears

2008-10-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

When I lived in Kirksville all of the concerts were down south.

When I lived in Oklahoma all of the concerts were up north (or I was too busy with LEAD to go see them).

NOW, I'm in Denver...

Concert 1:
Sigur Ros at Red Rocks Amphitheater.

It's one of the most gorgeous venues I've ever been to! The stars were shining above me and giant red rocks (hence the name) were jutting up around me, creating the perfect atmosphere for outrageously good music.

Concert 2:
Matt Wertz, Jon McLaughlin (and others).

I've seen Matt and Jon before, but this was awesome! They didn't get very much play time since there were other artists there because it was a "taste of up and comings." So, that made me sad, but it was all acoustic since they had short sets, and that made up for it.

I wasn't supposed to take pictures, but I couldn't resist, so I hid my camera under my purse the entire time taking blind snap shots, hoping for the best. Without a flash and active artists, most didn't turn out. Man, these boys can play!

I'm loving life in Denver!

And so is my camera...

I'm Home

2008-09-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

I've only been here for little over a month!

What?!

It already feels like home. I'm settling into my routine and loving everything. Classes are going really well, I've found a home church, my community is growing and strengthening, I have a job that I love, and I live by the mountains.

Highlights from the past month:

- Getting hired at GAP.
- Conquering Grays Peak (standing at 14,270 feet above sea level).
- Visiting Twin Lakes, CO and seeing Ranch people for a day.
- Studying the Bible for class.
- Exploring downtown Denver.
- Deepening relationships with new friends.

Downtown at the Denver Art Museum.

Grays and Torreys Peaks (I climbed the one on the left).

At the top of Grays Peak. 14,270 ft above sea level!

Red Rocks Park.

Fall in the mountains.

2008-08-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

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Transitions

2008-08-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm here.

I've been a resident in my apartment for a full week now. The move in was interesting, because it rained for two days straight once we (my parents and I) got here, and one of those days involved moving everything into the apartment. Despite the rain, we got everything up three flights of stairs and into the apartment. It took me a day or so to get everything situated, and then I just had to wait for my furniture and roommate to get here.

During this time, my parents were SUCH a blessing. We arrived Friday afternoon and they stayed until Monday morning. This not only allowed me to sleep on a bed every night (my bed/mattress couldn't be delivered until Tuesday), and have help shopping, but it buffered the transition. I think I would have been a mess if I would have moved out here by myself or if they would have just moved my stuff in and left. I cannot thank God enough for the parents he has blessed me with.

The transition was/is harder than I expected. It's hard moving away from people and a place you are so comfortable with. I haven't experienced that since moving to Truman from high school, because when I left my home at TSU/CCF I moved into another comfort zone at NLR. Thankfully my roommate moved in on Tuesday and we new students had orientation on Friday. Right now my transition is all about being patient and trusting that the Lord is going to provide me with my community here.

After meeting the students in the MA Christian Formation and Soul Care program and hearing one of the two professors in charge of the program, I got SO excited. This program is exactly why I'm here. Not only do we have the normal reading and writing assignments, but we also have homework that requires us to take personal retreats and to devote time to prayer and meditation! Unlike the other programs, they work in time to work on our personal relationship with Jesus, so that we can be healthy in our spiritual walks in order to pour out that love and goodness to those that we minister to. I've never been so glad classes are starting!

Something else that I'm excited for and is a HUGE praise is that I have a job! I got hired at GAP this past week. It's just down the street and seems like a great work environment. I couldn't be happier with how this played out and praise the Lord that I got it settled so quickly.

For those of you who are dying to send me mail, here's my new address:
6419 S. Vinewood St. #304
Littleton, CO 80120

Here are a few pictures of my apartment. If you would like to see more of it, email me and you can see the whole album of pictures.

I thank our God for all of you! Thank you for your continued love and support.

What I ask you to pray for:
-My community would continue to build.
-Classes/studies starting.
-New job.
-Managing my time with job, school, and friends.
-And all things that come with transition.

grace and peace.

Just Put One Foot In Front Of The Other

2008-08-12T14:11:00.000-07:00

I'm days away from moving to Denver. For the past week there has been little else on my mind. I have unpacked, organized, packed, unpacked more stuff, organized that, and...you guessed it packed again. My parent's living room turned into a jungle of my stuff. My body was in go-mode. I couldn't stop myself! It was exhausting, and all I wanted to do was rest from camp and watch a movie. But, I continued to move from one item on my list to the next like a machine. Luckily that is all over now. I have a few things left to do before I cram all of my stuff into two cars too small to fit it.

Now that I have time to sit around and think once again, I'm starting to get nervous. I have no idea what to expect and with new beginnings coming there are always butterflies. As the newness of this move hits me, I must step back, remember to take it one day at a time and let go of the control I so desperately desire.

We all know the feeling of starting something new. All of the unknowns. The what ifs. The goals you want to see accomplished. I find myself questioning my 23 years, because I feel like I'm going to be a freshman at Truman again. However, I can feel the difference in me as a 23 year old from the 18 year old, and looking back at those years past there is one thing that keeps me going in confidence. I have the benefit of hindsight. With every new transition and new year the Lord has been faithful. I can rest in that.

Denver here I come!

grace and peace.

Home Sweet Home

2008-07-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

Normally summer staff get two days off in the middle of the summer, after a couple days of NLR's Family Camp, this year, I asked (told :D) my boss if I could have off the entire week, and that's exactly what happened. This allowed me to go home for 5 days and 6 nights, which I hadn't done since Easter (and even then it was a very short trip of two days and three nights).

Two nights before I left for my homestead I began to feel a sore throat come on and by Saturday I was miserable with major sinus pressure and a tense neck. I went to the doctor on Monday and found I had a sinus infection. This was my first sinus infection to experience, and let's just say that I don't care to ever have another one.

Even though I was healing from a sinus infection for the week I was at home, I was still revitalized by the end of the week. I had a lot of time to sleep, watch movies, and frankly, be a vegetable, I got a couple of errands done that I hadn't found time to do at camp, and best of all I got to spend time with my family. My dad, brothers Matt and Nathan, and I went to a Cardinals' game on July 3rd (where we watched them get stomped). This occasion led to a mini family reunion, with my niece, nephew, two (of three) brothers, sister, and my brother and sister-in-law coming to Decatur, turning a trip to a ball game into a 4th of July/Nathan's birthday celebration.

I left Saturday for the long drive back to OK rested and ready for another four weeks. That's right, only four weeks left until camp is over for me. It's bittersweet and I am going to miss these people so much. I ask that you please pray for my focus and intentionality during these next four weeks. I had a lot of time to think about Denver and my coming transition while I was home, and while I'm not wishing away my summer yet, I can see how I could easily get to that point.

grace and peace.

The cole-SLA

2008-06-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

Summer is moving along and I'm in a new position. Just like any position, anywhere, it has its perks and drawbacks. My official title is the Summer Leadership Assistant. I take care of the "whatever else needed" job description that appears on every summer staff person's contract, as well as getting the pleasure of working with the third level of our Leadership Development Program. These kids are going to be seniors in high school and they are still technically campers, but they are counselors for four weeks. I could go into all of what I do with them and the odd jobs I have, but that would fill a lot of space and take more time than I have to dedicate to this post. Even though at times I can feel isolated in this extreme leadership role, I am loving it. I have more time to observe camp life, to encourage the staff, and to lift my brothers and sisters up in prayer. And on top of all of that, just like anything that goes on at NLR, I laugh a lot. The staff here are hilarious and campers always provide entertainment.

In a week, the summer will be halfway over. This fact is extremely bittersweet! I know this is my last full summer here, and after four summers and nine months full time, it is impossible to picture myself anywhere else but here. However bitter that is, the sweet definitely makes the parting easier. In a little over seven weeks I will be living in Denver and a new leg of my journey begins.

For right now camp is the only thing on my brain, which is good, because it keeps me focused, but in time I will need to start thinking about it, so please pray for balance. More on Denver will come later. Until then...

Grace and Peace

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A Place To Rest Along the Journey

International Self-Portrait Day

Pumpkinpalooza '10

NLR Summer 2010

Another End, Another Beginning

Oh Paris, je t'adore!

MA Project

I'm not a big fan of mustard, but I love Dijon.

Sailboats and Sunsets in Switzerland

Artist.

Some Lessons Are Never Learned

One more late update...

Thanksgiving (in March)!

Happy New Year (in march)!

Pumpkinpalooza 2009

I'm Melting...

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Mozart!

One Year Anniversary

Forgotten City No More

Snapshots of Frankfurt and Nurnburg

Two Sides of Germany

I'm Back - Let the Stories Begin.

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane.

Tick Tock

The Countdown Begins

Summer, Summer, Summer Time

I'm a Second Year Grad Student??

A Picture into Another Time

Life is normal...and then it isn't.

God is Patient with Us

Lesson: Don't wear flip flops in February

PicturEstes

Bringing a Smile to the World one Dance at a Time

New Look for a New Year

My Ears Are Ringing (but it's a good thing)

Back to Bus(y)ness

I Feel It In My Fingers. I Feel It In My Toes...

I Need Africa More than Africa Needs Me

The Sights of Christmas

Semester in Retrospect

Music To My Ears

I'm Home

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Transitions

Just Put One Foot In Front Of The Other

Home Sweet Home

The cole-SLA