A Tree Full of Memories

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the tree. Ever since I was a little girl I would get so excited to get our tree in the house and set about the task of draping it's branches full of ornaments. As a child it was a family event. We would put on the John Denver or Amy Grant Christmas albums to get us in the spirit. My dad would bring out the boxes of ornament from the garage and my mom would pass out the ornaments to my sister and I to hang them on the tree. There were also certain rules to decorating our tree, my favorite being, all flying things (i.e. angels, Santa's on rocket ships, etc.) were to be hung at the top of the tree. Each year our tree would grow in fullness as we acquired new ornaments. Nowadays, the tree in my parents house is so full that hardly any branches are visible through the thick layer of memories.

And today my excitement over decorating the tree is no different. Last year my mom finally brought herself to part with my collection of ornaments and sent them to me to decorate my own tree in Seattle. My mom took such care to write on each box when and how each ornament came to be mine so that I would always know the stories, no matter how many years pass. Some were gifts from family or friends, others were purchased to commemorate special events of the year, some bought, some made, but each one tells a story. As I sit and look upon my tree each evening I am reminded of what a great life I have lived and the wonderful people who have loved me throughout. So as you decorate and enjoy your Christmas trees this year may you also feel the blessings of a life well lived.

In Spite of it all...Rejoice!

Well, it has been awhile since I have posted any "offerings," about 9 months to be exact. I am not entirely sure why I let the blog fall to the wayside. Perhaps a lack of feeling inspired, the busyness of life, or some other reason whose name escapes me. But lately there has been a lot of thoughts marinating in my mind and I am beginning to feel a longing to get those thoughts out in the world to see what could come of them.

There is something about the advent season that always seems to get me in a more contemplative mood. Reflecting on the mysteries of the season. Looking back on the wondrous unfolding of the past year and pondering how the next will play out. Reminiscing over all the memories of Christmases past. The lengthening nights lend themselves well to all of this pondering.

Then there is the current state of the world. An economic crisis that seems to grow more and more with each passing day. An entire continent ravaged by poverty and disease (my heart aches for the people of Zimbabwe in particular today). The earth groaning with pain from generations of neglect and misuse. Growing threats of war and terror.

It is a strange mix of blessing and sadness that fills my heart. So much going on that should rightly unsettle us, yet very aware that there is so much to feel blessed and lucky for. I feel hopeful in spite of so much. But I guess that shouldn't seem so strange to me. After all this is the season of hope and love and joy.

My dear sage, Madeleine L'Engle, probably was dealing with similar thoughts when she wrote her poem "First Coming." She put it this way...

God did not wait till the world was ready,
till...the nations were at peace.
God came when the heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.
God did not wait for the perfect time.
God came when the need was deep and great.
God dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine.
God did not wait Till hearts were pure.
In joy God came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours of anguished shame
God came, and god's light would not go out.
God came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.
We cannot wait til the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
God came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

Hawaii Part Two - You Can't Keep Me Out of the Water

Our second full day in Hawaii Started with the most glorious sunrise. I think most things are more glorious in Hawaii. With the time change and early pick ups for most of our adventures I got to see the sunrise most mornings. And because it tended to be cloudier to the east the sunrises were much more spectacular than the sunsets.

It was Saturday and we had made reservations to Kayak in Kailua Bay on the eastern shore of Oahu. Kailua Beach is one of Hawaii's top rated beaches and a great destination for kayaking, wind surfing and kite boarding. After the van ride over the mountains and through the lush jungles we arrived at the Kayak place. We had a guide that was going to take us to explore some of the small islands out in the bay. We looked at the map of where we were going, grabbed our Kayaks and headed to the beach.

Now I wouldn't say that I am a novice kayaker, nor would I say I am an expert. I think living in the northwest one has a lot of opportunities to get out on the water in a kayak. And while almost all on my kayaking experiences have been on salt water this experience was very different. I am used to coves and harbors protected from the elements with nice calm water, but in Hawaii it was wild seas in comparison. On Oahu the east side of the island in most commonly referred to at the windward side, which means lots ans lots of wind. Our guide told us that the hardest part of the journey would be the way out as we would be paddling directly into the wind and gave us some tips to help make it a little easier. I was confident in my skills though so I wasn't to worried about it.

Our guide told us that the are was notorious for Green Sea turtles and to keep a look out. So of course I thought every dark spot under the water was a sea turtle. I don't think I actually did but my parents did see a couple. On the way out to our first stop at Popo‘i‘a (Flat Island) I was doing pretty good at keeping up with the group despite the fact that I was in a single kayak and everyone else were in tandems. See, in a single if you are going into the wind and you stop paddling you go backwards. So there was no resting for me. I came in second to last so I was pretty pleased with myself having expected to be last. We stopped and explored the little island which once was a place of sacrifice for the ancient Hawaiians to insure good fishing, but has since become a bird sanctuary. There were several groups of birds just nesting on the group right in the open. And we saw a dead eel that somehow made his way up onto the rocky island. It was nice, too, to take a break from paddling and have a little snack to refuel.

Once we were sufficiently rested we hopped back into our kayaks and headed back to shore bu this time to a beach further south from where we originally put it. This stretch of the trip seemed a little harder than the first as my muscles were getting tired but I pushed through. We landed on a more secluded beach with the softest, whitest sand. We all just enjoyed swimming in the ocean. The water there was much more clear and blue than at Waikiki. then with the little islands out in the bay it was so picturesque. Just past the sand were houses and I decided that if I ever move to Hawaii that I would live there so I could enjoy that view everyday. After writing silly messages in the sand and playing on the beach for a while it was time pack up the kayaks and head back to the place we started from.

Our guide said the rest of the way should be much easier since we would be traveling in the same direction at the wind. But for some reason I felt like I was struggling pretty badly to keep a straight course. For some reason my kayak was pulling to the right which seemed impossible since the wind and water both were pushing left. I was having to paddle almost entirely on the right side of the kayak just to go in a relatively straight life. I thought maybe if I tried to shift my weight around I could find a position that would help me keep a straight course. But I forgot I was in the ocean and that there are waves in the ocean. As I was shifting left a wave came from my right a slowly flipped me out for a swim. The guide was probably about 100+ yards ahead of me so one of the other boats that witnessed the spill called for help. I managed to flip my kayak back to right side up and lucky our guide pulled up just in time to help me climb back in. I said something witty like, "I was just getting hot and thought I would go for a swim." He laughed and told me that this particular spot was notorious for dumping people out of their kayaks.

I finally pulled into shore and joined the rest of my group after my adventures on the high seas. After rinsing off all the salt water and devouring a couple of huge slices of pizza we went back to the beach to lay in the sun and watch the windsurfers and kite boarders fly across the water and through the sky.

Despite the workout and the embarrassing spill it was a great day in one of the most beautiful and peaceful spot I have ever been to.

My Hawaiian Adventure - Part One "Transitioning to Island Life"

We all go through life looking for so many things that sometimes one becomes completely and utterly overwhelmed by all the looking. We are always on the hunt for the fulfillment of so many hopes and dreams, goals and aspirations that we forget to slow down, rest and enjoy the place in which we find ourselves. This has been my life of late. With big life changes just on the horizon, not to mention the everyday stresses, I have been just a smidge overwhelmed (okay, maybe more than a smidge). My trip to Hawaii could not have come at a better time. I needed badly to step outside my life and get a little perspective.

Since I had never been to Hawaii I had the stereotypical picture in my head of Palm Trees swaying in the warm breeze and pristine beaches with crystal clear water. I was expecting to find the perfection of Paradise the moment I stepped on the plane. And I will admit I was a little disappointed upon my arrival. Perhaps I was just tired from the long flight over and not to happy about the 4 hour wait at the airport for my parents flight to arrive but whatever the reason I was feeling disappointed. What had I expected...to walk out the plane onto one off those beaches I had been dreaming about? But luckily the Honolulu airport is open air with lots of places to sit and wait with Palm trees and other tropical vegetation to admire. Plus having just come from Seattle at a crisp 43 degrees I was somewhat content to just sit outside in the warm 80 degree Hawaiian air.

Soon enough my parents plane arrived, we had all our bags, and the keys to our rental car in hand. Let's just say that I was very ready to leave the Honolulu International Airport. Although my disappointment still clung as we made our way to the condo as the drive from the airport with through the heart of industrial Honolulu then towering hotels and resorts in bumper to bumper rush hour traffic. By the time got checked into the condo, unloaded, and freshened up the sun had set on our first day in Paradise. We still walked the two blocks to the beach to find dinner and sit on the beach although these wasn't much to see in the dark.

The next morning there was a free breakfast that came with my parent vacation package. Basically they tell you all about the different activities and tours you can do on the island and help you book everything. After being bombarded by information you have to decide how you will spend your brief visit. I was feeling a little overwhelmed by all the decisions and frustrated that my time in paradise felt like it was being wasted inside when were I really wanted to be was the beach. So after a couple of hours and a $1000 worth of activities booked we emerged. Then we took the shuttle back to our condo to get changed into bathing suits and grab all we would need to park ourselves on a little patch of sand on Waikiki Beach for the rest of the day.

After only a few minutes of laying in the sun with my toes in the sand I thought to myself, "Ah, Now this is Hawaii." From that moment on I found the Hawaii of my dreams. The water was the warmest ocean I have ever swam in. Although the crowds were big everyone is so friendly and relaxed. It is easy to just "Hang Loose." It is hard to describe how great you feel so quickly on that Island. Perhaps the warm sun just melts away any worry or woe that you arrive with. Peace and rest seemed to abound everywhere.

Enjoying some Hawaiian Shaved Ice on Waikiki Beach

The view from our spot on the beach

Me and Mom at the Duke Kahanamoku StatueI loved the Banyan trees. They are like no other tree I have seen.

More Tales of Hawaii coming soon!

It seems now only a distant memory

I have been home for one week since my incredible trip to Hawaii. It seems that the realities of life and work and the status quo have worked together to make my vacation seem like a dream. I don't have the time to reflect on my trip as thoroughly as I would like right now. But I just thought I would post a little something for the time being.

Let me just say that if a rest from the hustle and bustle of everyday life is what you need than hawaii is the place to find it.

Future Plans

I have been intending to write about this for sometime. In fact, I have started writing numerous posts over the last several months but seem to hit a wall a few sentences in and give up. But tomorrow I am taking a step toward my future plans and feel compelled to share.

I have been researching and toying with the idea of becoming a chef for quite sometime now. After spending the last 5 years of my life working in an office environment, shackled to a computer for 8 hours a day I have come to realize this is not they way I want to spend my days. I am a creative being and I need to be able to spend my days making something tangible, beautiful with my own two hands.

Cooking has always been something that I love and one of my favorite creative outlets. It combines my two passions really, creativity and community. While I am able to express myself in the mixing and presentation of flavors, I am also able to bring people together to slow down and enjoy the moment. Also food is what nourishes our bodies and fuels us to live our lives. And I even think good food can often nourish our souls. What a powerful blessing that food can be?

So tomorrow I will be going to an informational meeting at South Seattle Community College to learn more about their culinary arts program. From the research I have done so far SSCC is my top choice and seems to have some of the highest credentials among Seattle culinary institutes. I am excited to hear more and see what their facilities and faculty have to offer. The thought of setting foot inside a real professional kitchen for the first time is making me giddy with anticipation.

But I am anxious too. I feel in some ways that I am standing on a cliff. Behind me a familiar and safe life, before me a panorama of beautiful possibilities. So pray for me as I get ready for the biggest leap of my life thus far.

Hawaii or Bust

I am pleased to report that this morning I just purchased a ticket for my 1st trip to Hawaii! I am extremely excited, especially after just taking a little walk out in the fridgid Seattle cold. I will be meeting my parents there for a little family vacation. Something that we haven't done in a decade at least. At the end of March we will make our way to the Island of Oahu. We have a condo reserved on Waikiki and the thing I am most looking forward to (besides being warm) is swimming with the dolphins. So check back in early April to see how my trip to Paradise measures up.

As One Chapter Closes

Last night was the end of an era. At 6:45 a group of us gathered together for the last church service to be held to the little sanctuary that has been the home of Bethany Community Church for the last 50 years or so. It was a bittersweet time for me. Although it is just a building it has been an important building in my life and I have had many life shaping moments within those walls.

I remember the first moment that I entered that space nearly 8 years ago. I had just moved to Seattle and was looking for a place to belong and feel at home. I had gone to a few other churches before I discovered Bethany and left each visit feeling like I had just tried on some illfitting garment. I was skeptical as I approached Bethany for the first time. First off, the service I went to was at night. This felt strange to me having spend my previous years in the church attending only morning services. But this little building glowed with the warmth of soft candle light which felt like an invitation to let down my guard and rest here awhile. The building was full of new faces but all somehow felt familiar to me. Everyone seemed to have come just as they were, with little fuss or pretense. Before even a song was sung or a word preached I felt at home, more so than ever before in the walls of a church.

Since that first Sunday that church, both the place and the people, has been a huge part of my story. How different my life would look with out that little building at 80th and Stone near Greenlake? I am thankful as I look back and hopeful that God will continue to pour out His faithfulness on our community.

A most special Present

I have been pining away for ages for a Kitchen Aid Mixer. But they are so expensive that I never felt totally compelled to make the grand purchase. But this year my grandma gave me a very generous check for Christmas and with my culinary aspirations I decided it was time to splurge and get the mixer.

So here she is! Somewhere between Illinois and here is a UPS truck with my mixer riding in back. The estimated arrival date is January 14th, so I am already planning all the yummy treats I will make. I'll try and take a few picture of the inaugural run once she arrives.