the yellow backpack

To get my hotel cup of coffee I had to get up early.  A bit ironic, but fresh coffee can lure me from afar.  I promised Robert I would let him sleep until 10 a.m. and hence, a much needed slow morning.

I just imported my pictures from yesterday and all but three of them were taken by Robert from inside the car.  As we drove, he held the camera to the window exclaiming…

Wow! Oh my goodness!

Man! I missed it.  Look how big that rock is!

A lake! Caroline it’s beautiful!

you can see the rain! It’s sunny there and storming here! ugh.  the windshield wiper is in my picture.

Rainbow!!!  count the colors!!

It was such simple joy.
Simple joy over the things Elohim spoke into existence.

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Psalm 24

I was focused on I70 and finding our Quality Inn before dark– so focused that each time Robert exclaimed in joy I was taken off guard, restraining a “shhhh.”  This morning as I flipped through Robert’s rather blurry pictures, my heart was heavy with conviction.  I feel like I’m convicted of this often; maybe it’s that I’m in the beauty of God’s creation and He doesn’t want me to miss it.

Lord, I confess I ignore You way to often.  Continue to break through my focus.

My fear is that intense focus on I70 isn’t limited to just traveling.

Other I70’s that steal my focus:
-future plans
-grades
-technology
-success
-sometimes even learning
-self-centeredness
-… and the list continues…

oh, the I70’s offer nothing in light of eternity!  To return to Him is True Joy.  Look around today and praise the Lord.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

we have so many tree huggers; if only they saw the Creator and gave the glory to Him.  Him alone.

No Comments | In: Resources, Uncategorized | tags: beauty, childhood, robert, Simple Joys, travel. | #

I want a huge family. Part of me wants to say a minimum of 7 kids.  Seven is a nice number.  7+2 parentals=9 and since nine is so close to ten, why not have another child? (afterall ten does sometimes signify perfection).

The only problem is that I know I’m a bit disillusioned.

ACTUALLY, really disillusioned.

I’ve been vacationing with a 13-year-old.  We’ve been all over Colorado Springs and Manitou and are heading to Denver tomorrow. If all 8 of my children were to be like this 13-year-old, I’d be set. The more deep conversations that I have with this little guy, however, the more I’m reminded that he’s not normal. no, not at all.

He’s mature.  Meet Robert.

He flew in to Denver on Monday; flying by himself made him seem older. I was ready with my camera much to his demise.  [I'm going to be that mom documenting every moment. yikes].

off from the airport, we immediately hit: Garden of the Gods. the little cubby was perfect for pictures but we soon after learned that it’s not so easy to get down from.

then…Air Force Academy: The entire base was nothing short of impressive.  My apartment this summer was less than a mile from the base, and yet I had no idea what was behind the gate. Roughly 13,000 people call it home.  That’s certainly bigger than 90% of the cities we’re going to drive through in Kansas Friday. This picture was taken in front of the chapel on base.

Odyssey’s Whit’s End. Despite Robert’s rather forced smile, he loved it– especially the slide.

Seven Falls: the blurred colors in the back are the lights illuminating a waterfall in Cheyenne Canyon with seven falls (perfect name, huh?)

Pike’s Peak or Bust: we took the Manitou Springs Cog Train (a history lesson in itself) to the top of Pike’s Peak.  The great planner that I am didn’t account for the 50 degree temperature drop.

so… we bought warmth–oversized warmth. it was flurrying atop the 14,000 summit.  We were in the clouds. literally.

And because everything has to be educational (uh oh, another foreshadow), the Ghost Town museum.

And at the end of Day 2, I wiped Robert out.  We checked into our hotel and Robert has been glued to the Cardinal’s game.  I’m secretly wiped, so hallelujah for the Cardinals.

We’re going rafting tomorrow and then heading up to Denver.  I’m treasuring this time with the ever-so-bright Robert Gear.  We’re making those stories that will be told from our rocking chairs.

He’s the perfect travel buddy– so energetic, conversational, easy going, patient with my directional handicaps, and is certainly my friend.

no joke.

Robert, I think you’re an anomaly.

To think all 13-year-olds are like you, however, is silly. Downright silly.

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I got my apartment key, went grocery shopping, and even went for a walk.  It’s official.  It’s happening; I’m here in Colorado Springs for the summer.

I haven’t allowed myself to fully process being here.  In some weird way it’s like I’m living in the future, and I’m trying to catch up to what’s happening so that I can fully embrace it.  That sounds dramatic though, so I’ll just rephrase and say time is flying.  Colorado here I am.

Yesterday I drove over thirteen hours with a still living fly as a passenger, crossed Kansas, and ended up with a car decorated with smashed bugs.  Then this morning I drove from Denver to Colorado Springs with the mountains in the background.  It was was powerfully elegant.

And yes, those words do go together.

There’s something majestic about mountains.  They’re powerful with their giant base but elegant in the light snowy peaks.

As I was driving, I was thinking about Matthew 17 where Jesus says that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we should tell a mountain to move.  I gazed at the mountains and caught myself almost scoffing at the idea of moving a mountain.  Impossible.

Then here’s what I realized:  God did what was impossible (more than once too).  He redeemed.

My heart would not have moved from a cold, hard stone without the Lord’s redemption.  He can move mountains, and with faith I could move mountains.  This summer my goal isn’t to dislocate Pikes Peak (though I hope to hike it), but my goal is to do the Lord’s work.  Learn from the master, be on His team, fight His fight.

And even though I live in a physical world where I desire to be in shape, make good grades, and accumulate knowledge, I know the Lord’s work is eternal.  The mountains are powerfully elegant, but my biggest mountain to move is in my heart– a heart that is eternal.

Powerful:  the Lord will come with conviction, strength, and authority
Elegant:  the Lord will come with tenderness, gentleness, and the hand of a father.

after all, aren’t the mountains His?

2 Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: nature, spiritual musings, travel. | #

I will be in Washington, DC.
For the first time.
Oh my goodness- is this not just the semester of checking off the bucket list?

To Do List:

1.  Midterms.  4 tests, 1 project, and many of hours thinking.
2. Accept that it might be cold.  Today Waco hit 77 degrees and DC is teetering at a wonderful 45 degrees (I just got DC its own weather widget and will obsessively check it).
3. Learn how to use my camera.  I bought the biggest distraction imaginable early this semester: my very own SLR. Am I one of those people that still takes weak pictures? Yes.  But this will change, very very soon.
4. Read.  Given #1, this probably won’t happen, but I’d like to read about every place I’m going to visit– you know, the history and interesting facts.  Maybe there’s a DC for Dummies book.  I shall check.
5.  Not think about this trip too much.

I’m stoked. Ahh, focus Caroline.

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My professor asked if anyone did anything cool this weekend.  For this once, I had an out-of-this-park, snowday-on-Friday, finding-$20-in-your pocket type of answer.

I wrote my first bucket list.  Number 21 needed to be met while I was in Arizona (by no means was I ready to run a half-marathon or write a book—those will have to be crossed off much in the future).

#21:  See the Grand Canyon.

Thus, Sarah and I went on the most sporadic and worthwhile whim and went to one of the 7 natural wonders to cross off the #21.

Everything about the Grand Canyon makes you feel tiny.  You know the way clouds make you think of heaven? The massive canyon makes you think of power, sovereignty, and strength in a way that is both beautiful and comforting.

Look at the dots on the path– they are people.  They inspired me to add hiking the canyon to my bucket list next time I go, which I sure hope is soon.

“I went to the Grand Canyon,” was all I needed to say to my class to get the collective “what??? that beat my weekend…” However, I could have continued… I also…

2. ate at In-N-Out and tasted the wonder of French fries in their purest form.

3.  Drank more coffee than normal (which is a lot) and certainly more than is healthy.

4.  Attempted and grievously failed to take a Buick off-roading up a mountain.

5.  Shopped guilt-free with my coupons outlet-style and found a new favorite country song : Love like Crazy.

6. Started a hair-cutting disaster that has led to the purchase of more hair products than I have ever owned, tutoring lessons in bang-wearing, and lots of second glances.  I now have bangs- legit across the forehead bangs.

7.  Went to a trampoline park that definitely hindered my walking for the next few days.

8. Visited one of the eccentric/ oddly beautiful cities.  Sedona, AZ: the city of Red Rock.

Side note:  Between the other-worldly red rock, constant signs for palm readers and tarot cards, and old men with ponytails, Sedona was nothing like my good ol’ Bible belt Springfield, Missouri (though by no means am I claiming that Kickapoo was a haven for morality—no, not at all)

9.  Spent time with my buddy Sarah.

Maybe once or twice a year I am blessed to hang out with my friend and those times are treasured.  Deeply treasured. It’s refreshing to be real, talk about grace, practice grace, be authentic, and then, of course, listen to massive amounts of country and be slightly immature.

10.  In the meantime, if I miss my friend, I will repeatedly watch this video.  She was helping me fix my haircutting disaster (#6). Please enjoy. She’s the best and “Wow. Look at those bangs.” It makes me laugh every single time.  Please Enjoy my friend.

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