Interesting Tidbits

This was in a publication I receive weekly regarding the latest employer openings and closings around the state of Oregon. "A group of alternative health care practitioners opened The Gifting Tree Wellness Center in Ashland. Patients can pay with cash, the gift of labor or goods, or by pledging to pay it forward by giving in some other part of the community." While I love the idea, I am curious about how they pay their bills?

I saw this employer's name (law firm probably?) in an article I read today: Kelley, Kronenberg, Gilmartin, Fichtel, Wander, Bamdas, Escalyo and Dunbrack. Poor receptionist! I hope she doesn't have to say the company name when she answers the phone.

Rachel's Trip to Oregon

I had such a great time with Rachel this past week! Here are some pictures of our trips to the coast (Bandon, OR) and to Portland for the weekend.

I really love this picture of Rachel and baby Beckham in her belly :)

It was really foggy on the beach, but it was still fun to play in the water and the sand.

Saturday Market is one of the best things--so much to see and eat and do!

Waiting for the MAX for one hour...ugh. Poor 7 months pregnant Rachel--not a great situation.

We got this picture taken in Powell's...notice our names on the marquee board. It's not a very good picture of either one of us, but at least we got cool books!

Many more pictures can be found on my Facebook page.

AND now on to some other random thoughts...

Kory and I watched the Dark Knight last night. I really love that movie! When the movie first came out, there were several people who told me that this was my dopple-danger. Any thoughts? It's always hard to tell if someone looks like yourself, I think. I guess I can see a little resemblance...

My parents will arrive on Thursday and I'm very ready for them to be here! We'll be making lots of fun trips to the coast, the Redwoods, Crater Lake, South Umpqua waterfalls and hopefully there will be some time at the river in there also. It's supposed to cool down quite a bit the end of this week, so hopefully they'll get to experience some beautiful Oregon weather.

It has been brought to my attention that a few people I know have been in Oregon recently and not called me. This practice is unacceptable!! :) For reals though, if you're anywhere near me, please let me know. I'm willing to make a trip and go out of my way to see friends/family if at all possible.

Running is still going really well. I'm currently going 2.5 miles...and as I type that, I have a hard time believing I can really run that far. Granted, some parts of the run are at a snail's pace and I'm barely moving my feet going up those hills, but I am moving and that is the important part!

I have a picture in my cubicle of Rynn, Kecia, Sara and I eating in Rosa's right before I left to move to Oregon. That picture is awesome, but it has some food/drink on the table, and it taunts me every time I look at it. As we speak, I am craving some Rosa's more than life itself. Oh I want it so badly! I know there is one in California, and some times I consider driving the 8 hours or whatever it is to taste that queso.

Friends, Fall and Fatties

Rachel will be in Myrtle Creek this evening and I'm VERY excited to see her!! I will take off work Friday so we can spend the day on the coast and then we'll head to Portland for the weekend.

It's starting to get dark earlier at night and I know that Fall will be here before I know it. I'm actually pretty excited for Fall weather and football and rain and cool temperatures, but this was SUCH a short summer. It rained until the middle of June, so it feels like summer just barely started and now it's already going to be over soon.

I was telling one of my co-workers about my running plans and she said, "Oh great! If you're running that much you're going to get skinny!" So you're saying I'm currently NOT skinny? Hmm...she's obviously trying to give me a complex.

Brynn made an excellent comment about my last post. I think she is absolutely right that God is present in the details and that it takes lots of little moments to add up to a big moment in life. I think God cares about the details of my life, but I think God is working for His for the good of man and for His glory. I don't think God's concern for the details includes my selfish/materialistic wants and needs. If I pray that I'll win my basketball game and the other team prays they will win, then who does God side with? I think God can certainly give and take away health, injury, talent and many other things that would affect the outcome of the game, but I don't think God is going to move the ball in or out of the hoop based on my prayers/wishes. I think we've made God out to be a genie in a bottle where I can wish/pray for anything I want and He'll give it to me.
I believe God has given us free will and that He allows us to make choices. Certainly He is involved in our life and He cares about the little choices I make each day. Those little choices I make are what determines my character and makes me the person I am today. So, Brynn, I hope I understand what you were saying and if I do, then I absolutely agree with you! I should have made myself more clear in that last post. You gave me a great reminder that God knows the number of hairs on my head and he dresses the lilies of the field. He is not a God too big for our little mundane human lives!

What is God doing?

I believe God can do ANY thing. I believe God can perform miracles. I believe NOTHING is impossible with God. However, I am pondering a few things I've seen recently on Facebook. God is helping people run a mile in 3 minutes, lift more weight than ever before, He stopped time so my friend could get everything finished and get their homework turned in on time...and I just wonder if we are attributing more to God than He is really doing. Do I think he can do all of those things and more? Absolutely.

To my knowledge, He has never allowed me to run at super sonic speeds or held off my sickness so that I could complete a big project at work. Is it because my faith isn't big enough? Am I doubting his power and so I am not seeing these miracles in my life? While I won't say these events definitely aren't happening, I will step out and say I'm skeptical.

I know God cares about my life and my heart and the way I live. I'm not sure God is concerned with how fast I run. Yes, God gave me this body, working legs, my health, and beautiful nature to run in. I am very grateful to Him that I am able to exercise and live a healthy life. I should eat and drink and run and shop and sleep and play and chat to the glory of God. But I don't know that the miracle he will perform in my life is to get me a great parking spot or to save me a size small sweater in the color I've been wanting forever. Perhaps He has bigger plans for my life and He's hoping I'll join him in redeeming lost souls, bringing hope to the hurting, and loving the outcasts of society. Or maybe he's really just worried about my exercise habits :)

Everybody's Fine

Kory and I watched Everybody's Fine this weekend...and it is the most misleading title of any movie ever! Everybody is NOT fine! I won't ruin it for you if you haven't seen the movie, but it's SO depressing! I cried through most of the movie and continued to feel sad for quite a while after it was over. I haven't cried that much in a movie in a very long time. Even Kory kept talking about how depressing it was afterwards and how it put him in a sad mood. I enjoy a good crying movie from time to time, but this was too much for me. Too sad for too long!