Day 15: Snow Day!

Hello!

This has been quite a crazy week. After a week of traveling, I reported to Yellowstone for work. Since then, I've been working eery day, getting trained in my duties, but trying to keep up on my homework as well. It's been going well, but this afternoon has a large list of homework to accomplish before work tomorrow.

There are four people at Ol Faithful currently who are part of the ACMNP team: Jenny, Tim, Darrin, and myself. We got to enjoy some time together this morning in prayer for the summer ahead. I am so very excited for this team! The other two teammates, Hannah and Whitney, will arrive on Thursday. Sunday services begin next week, and I am excited for this.

In the midst of work, homework, and getting prepared with the team, the weather has been the notable part of this week. There has been rain/snow mix for the past four days, but Friday morning, I work up to 4 inches of snow with the morning free to explore the Old Faithful area. I was really disappointed when I first arrived that all the snow had disappeared from here, but it has been extremely incredible to still get a little bit of snow this week. This bison are staying around the area and haven't begun migrating towards the Hayden and Lamar Valleys, which made my snow explorations even better!

Well...it's back to homework. Please be in prayer for the ACMNP team as we prepare for our frist week of services. Blessings to you!

Photos are posted on the page on the right: Snow Day

Day 8: Road Trip Wrap-Up

Hello!

This has been one amazing week. Last Sunday all my plans fell through...I had people cancel our time together and I was scrambling to piece together some other plan for the week. This turned out to be a God moment, as things came together in ways that could not have otherwise happened.

The biggest highlight for my week was all of the friends I got to spend time with. Instead of traveling through southern Idaho, I got to visit Spokane for my first time and spend time with a friend I hadn't seen in ten years! I got to spend time with two of my online classmates in their hometowns and got to enjoy them and their families, visited my cousin in Great Falls, and met up with Vince and Kristi Pinson along the way. Vince and Kristi were my ministry team leaders my first year with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks (ACMNP). I got to visit them last year while they were at Mount Rainier National Park, but this year, we met at their summer location at Glacier National Park.

Glacier is beautiful! As I approached the park, I began to think about how fragile my national park experiences are becoming. When surrounded by intense beauty for as many summers (and extra road trips) as I have, such beautiful places can have a tendency to become common and mundane unless they are met with a heavy dose of gratitude and appreciation for all of God's creation, whether inside or outside a park. How many times have I been overwhelmed by a series of God's blessings and eventually forget to say "thank you" for them? How often do I neglect to recognize God's small daily gifts in the anticipation for the next big experience?

These thoughts rolled through my mind as I wondered if I would approach Glacier with a sincere gratitude for the experience, or see yet another park, shrug my shoulders, and say, "I've seen better." I determined that regardless of what the park turned out to be, I would be grateful for the gift of being there. When I arrived in the park though, these concerns were instantly swept away with a gaping "WOW!" The forested mountains turned into glacier-cut peaks and sharp vertical drops lined with snow and cascading falls. Throughout my three days there, I was met with all sorts of wildlife, including seeing my first wild grizzly and three black bears (Goldilocks was not around this time). Most of the park was shut down as the hotels and visitor centers will be opening in the next few weeks, and there were very few visitors throughout the park, leaving much of the park open for time alone with God.

Now that I have access to Internet again, I'm now back to my homework. I'll be reporting for work at Yellowstone tomorrow morning and will be meeting my ministry teammates who have already arrived. I am very excited.

Glacier photos are available for viewing on the Glacier Photos page link found on the right bar.

Blessings to you in your week ahead!

Summer Adventure: Day 1

I've left Newberg today on my journey out towards Yellowstone. I am so very excited for this venture to begin.

This morning was an adventure as my plans for the upcoming week began falling apart. I began receiving cancelations with friends, leaving an open week ahead and new questions in how I would spend my time. I think it's perfect that as I take on several leadership positions that my plans should fail so early this summer already. In the midst of my questions on how to spend this week, other opportunities have been arising, but in the midst of them, this morning's message at church focused upon Jesus' challenge to look beyond physical needs to gain something lasting. It is a good reminder to me as I launch into this summer. I pray I'll hold onto this promise, that God knows and will meet my physical needs as I seek Him for what He offers that is eternal.

The next few days look busy as I meet with family and friends for the next few days and start driving out to my summer job. Starting out today though, I was overwhelmed with giddiness in the recognition that soon I will be seeing those geysers that inspired, belittled, and overwhelmed me last year. I am excited for the opportunity to return back to Old Faithful again for the summer. This is my first repeat ministry location, so while familiarity may remind me to be ever thankful for my surroundings, I am nevertheless extremely grateful for this opportunity, and excited for the ministry team I'll be working with. There will be seven others at Old Faithful, the first team member will be arriving on Tuesday.

The start of the summer...I am very excited to begin.
Enjoy your week!

Preparing for Summer Adventure

In previous years, my updates were sent through email to all those wanting to follow my summer adventure. I have now included a link in the right bar called, "Follow by email". Those wishing to receive  the weekly updates I'll be posting on this blog can have those updates sent directly to their email address.

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Six more days until I begin my road trip to Wyoming! I am getting very excited.

Yosemite Photos are Available

Returning from Arizona, I got to spend a morning in Yosemite Valley with my grandma. She was amazed at such famous features as Yosemite Falls and El Capitan, but our breakfast at the Ahwahnee Lodge was the best highlight of our day.

Zion Photos are Available

During my road trip to Arizona, I got to spend a morning at Zion Canyon. I had never seen the canyon during early Spring before, as the canyon was void of most of its green foliage. The rust colors of the canyon walls really stood out against the turquoise color of the Virgin River.

Crater Lake Photos are Available

My first experience snowshoeing was a few weeks ago at Crater Lake. Awesome experience. Photos are posted.