Second-to-last day of spring break, and I'm still waiting for those "ready to go back to normal, to be home and on a schedule" feelings.
When Eric and I bought our California plane tickets all the way back on December 23, we had plans to do everything we could in the seven days of vacation. Yosemite National Park, the redwood and sequoia forests, the beach, a day in Fresno, and a trip to a super awesome mall were all scheduled into our itinerary. ...We did one of those things (and I guess I did go to a mall for two-ish hours), and I'm so thankful that almost of our plans went unfulfilled.
While the thought of being a newbie into Eric's family was quite intimidating, as if I was the new kid transferring schools halfway through my senior year, the experience has been anything but that. I really feel that I understand the addiction good families can hold over someone.
You know, this transition into married life (happening on January 7 - yay!), really isn't going to be that bad. Sure, I have to learn to live with a male, the increasing bane of existence for many women, and I'm likely to resent my current loves of cooking and cleaning a month into marriage. But many say that the hardest part about marriage is the transition into adding and becoming a member of another family, and although I do hate the thought of picking and choosing when it comes to holidays, I'm thankful that Eric and I can both joyfully say, "Bring it on"...our families are so great.
To all reading this, be thankful and appreciative of your families. You may think of bad or happy experiences when the word 'family' is vocalized, but regardless, your family is a part of who you are; they shape you. They can make you stronger, intentional to love, or entirely abnormal, and still, they stick with you in any sense.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Deity ignorance
As I relax after a wonderfully long and nature-filled day in Yosemite National Park, I can't help but think back to the multiple conversations my fiance and I had as we trekked through various ares of the Yosemite Valley. Although the subject of this post refers refers to deity in a vague sense, I want to hone in on my Christian belief and talk more about the God I live to serve, and the God I experience daily, some days stronger than others.
How can people ignore or discredit the presence of God, and still experience natural and perfect wonders, like Yosemite? I spent seven hours in awe today as I disgracefully tried to capture these beautiful views with a 10-megapixel camera. (Lame, I know.)
My experience today is the most recent time where I've looked at something amazing, monumental, and so entirely organic, and truly felt the presence of God as his power overwhelmed me. I wanted to cry; I wanted to dance; I wanted to run; I wanted to shout. I wanted to DO something, exhibiting my passion for God as my Father and his creation as my home.
I've heard some Christians say that God created this world for us to use, and how we use it is our decision. What a completely irresponsible philosophy. How any individual could think a thought through one glimpse, whether it be digital or real, of this earth is beyond me.
And then there are those who, whether on a smaller or larger scale, deny the existence of God and his presence in our world. ...They're kidding, right? How could any single explosion or minuscule occurrence produce such large and intricate wonders is simply not possible. God's personality, his genius, exudes through beauty like those in the national parks. A denial of that is...well, ridiculous, if you ask me.
I know this post is only my opinion, and I know that all who come across this may not appreciate it. But somewhere in this micro-space of the internet that I inhabit, I feel it necessary to share what I believe, and how I believe such things. Although my Christian faith goes much deeper than the mind-blowing realizations of God's wonder through national parks, I experienced something today unlike any other - a feeling and experience that I hope is universal among many, however that experience is lived.
Thanks for reading, for listening, interpreting, and caring.
How can people ignore or discredit the presence of God, and still experience natural and perfect wonders, like Yosemite? I spent seven hours in awe today as I disgracefully tried to capture these beautiful views with a 10-megapixel camera. (Lame, I know.)
My experience today is the most recent time where I've looked at something amazing, monumental, and so entirely organic, and truly felt the presence of God as his power overwhelmed me. I wanted to cry; I wanted to dance; I wanted to run; I wanted to shout. I wanted to DO something, exhibiting my passion for God as my Father and his creation as my home.
I've heard some Christians say that God created this world for us to use, and how we use it is our decision. What a completely irresponsible philosophy. How any individual could think a thought through one glimpse, whether it be digital or real, of this earth is beyond me.
And then there are those who, whether on a smaller or larger scale, deny the existence of God and his presence in our world. ...They're kidding, right? How could any single explosion or minuscule occurrence produce such large and intricate wonders is simply not possible. God's personality, his genius, exudes through beauty like those in the national parks. A denial of that is...well, ridiculous, if you ask me.
I know this post is only my opinion, and I know that all who come across this may not appreciate it. But somewhere in this micro-space of the internet that I inhabit, I feel it necessary to share what I believe, and how I believe such things. Although my Christian faith goes much deeper than the mind-blowing realizations of God's wonder through national parks, I experienced something today unlike any other - a feeling and experience that I hope is universal among many, however that experience is lived.
Thanks for reading, for listening, interpreting, and caring.
Friday, March 11, 2011
(What feels like) a big step.
Today, my fiance' and I are leaving for our first big trip together. He's been to my house a couple of times, I've been to his a couple times 10, but we've never been to a new place (for me, at least) together. Today, we cross over to the western U.S. to visit Eric's family in Visalia, CA. It's already been an adventure, and we have yet to board a plane.
Whether petty or just silly, it's a good strange taking our first trip like this. The planning of this trip has been...well, an experience, to say it simply. Eric is more relaxed and somewhat a do-(important)-things-last-minute type o' guy. I am not either of those (planning procrastinator, or a guy). I love Eric dearly, and I have learned that loving him means setting aside my OCD nature to have everything figured out and just roll with it. A fine example of testing my patience, if you will.
The psychology of this trip is unlike something I've ever felt before. I know he's only my fiance', but holy cow, he's my fiance'! We're visiting his grandpa and aunt and uncle, and the last time we saw them was the first time they met me - just last April. We've been planning this trip ever since, and it's like, "Woah; this part of his family is meeting me for the second time, and we're going from the 'Hi, how are you, it's so nice to meet you' stage to the 'So, when's the big date'." Maybe I'm freaking out about it, but this trip is a big deal.
...It is 11 PM and I am supposed to be ready to go in five hours. I'm debating whether or not I should go to bed - a haven of slumber that I still have to make after washing my sheets. I hate doing that; making my newly-washed bedding only to crawl in it for a night. Maybe I'll sleep on the couch tonight. Although the three cushions like to escape onto the floor during the night - probably from harboring my surely-heavy body - I don't want to have the obligation of making my bed in the morning.
Spring break, California, relationship status change, meeting family members (again), and making beds. I categorize this post as "things in between", or as an inarticulate spew of random thoughts from severe lack of sleep. Read it as you wish, laugh if you feel so inclined, or scoff because I'm ridiculous.
Blogging when I should be sleeping,
Ash
Whether petty or just silly, it's a good strange taking our first trip like this. The planning of this trip has been...well, an experience, to say it simply. Eric is more relaxed and somewhat a do-(important)-things-last-minute type o' guy. I am not either of those (planning procrastinator, or a guy). I love Eric dearly, and I have learned that loving him means setting aside my OCD nature to have everything figured out and just roll with it. A fine example of testing my patience, if you will.
The psychology of this trip is unlike something I've ever felt before. I know he's only my fiance', but holy cow, he's my fiance'! We're visiting his grandpa and aunt and uncle, and the last time we saw them was the first time they met me - just last April. We've been planning this trip ever since, and it's like, "Woah; this part of his family is meeting me for the second time, and we're going from the 'Hi, how are you, it's so nice to meet you' stage to the 'So, when's the big date'." Maybe I'm freaking out about it, but this trip is a big deal.
...It is 11 PM and I am supposed to be ready to go in five hours. I'm debating whether or not I should go to bed - a haven of slumber that I still have to make after washing my sheets. I hate doing that; making my newly-washed bedding only to crawl in it for a night. Maybe I'll sleep on the couch tonight. Although the three cushions like to escape onto the floor during the night - probably from harboring my surely-heavy body - I don't want to have the obligation of making my bed in the morning.
Spring break, California, relationship status change, meeting family members (again), and making beds. I categorize this post as "things in between", or as an inarticulate spew of random thoughts from severe lack of sleep. Read it as you wish, laugh if you feel so inclined, or scoff because I'm ridiculous.
Blogging when I should be sleeping,
Ash
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