Recently...

I've become a junkie. A chick flick junkie. Everything from Sleepless in Seattle, to Gone with the Wind, to Pride and Prejudice, to Runaway Bride... You name it, I've probably watched it in the past week. And if I haven't, I might tomorrow.

Three exciting things:

Today's my parents' 24th wedding anniversary.

Joe and I started running today.

And Brian's coming to Belize on Friday.


...bye.

Changes in Latitude

Although retirement was fantastic, I've decided to pursue a career in underwater photography (alias: Joe's homeschool teacher). Hopefully some of my pictures will be good enough to post on here. And if they're not...well, I'll just post them anyway.

Also, wordpress is becoming more and more appealing.

Glory

One day, eyes that are blind
will see You clearly
One day all who deny
will finally believe
One day hearts made of stone
will break in pieces
One day chains, once unbroken,
will fall down at Your feet

So we wait
For that one day
Come quickly, we want to see Your...

Glory
Every knee falls down before Thee
Every tongue offers You praise,
with every hand raised
Singing Glory
To You and unto You only
We'll sing Glory to Your name.

One day, voices that lie
will all be silenced
One day all that's divided
will be whole again
One day death will retreat,
and wave its white flag
One day love will defeat
the strongest enemy

So we wait
For that one day
Come quickly, we want to see Your...

Glory
Every knee falls down before Thee
Every tongue offers You praise,
with every hand raised
Singing Glory
To You and unto You only
We'll sing Glory to Your name.

We know not the day or the hour
or the moments in between
But we know the end of the story
...when we'll see Your...

Glory
Every knee falls down before Thee
Every tongue offers You praise,
with every hand raised

Singing Glory
To You and unto You only
We'll sing Glory to Your name.


Written by Nichole Nordeman. Performed by Selah and Nichole Nordeman.


Reading the lyrics doesn't do this song justice. Check out the real thing on Selah's "Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album."

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

I'm retiring early and heading south. Check out our hot new website.

Ohio State is to Beast as Michigan is to Victim

It's that time of year again... Time for my annual Thanksgiving rant about the weather. These posts are pretty ironic, considering the occasion, but maybe this one will be a breath of fresh air.

As I looked back and read my Thanksgiving posts from last year and two years ago, I noted two improvements:

1. It's not snowing this time around. I like that. Instead of snow, we're experiencing Cleveland's version of "sunny" and about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). And this makes me happy, as long as I don't acknowledge my plummeting standards.
End: weather.
And noooow some introspection...

2. Judging by those old posts, I feel more thankful this year... Thankful that I'm not spending this winter in freezing, grey Cleveland. Thankful for a loving, supportive, and fun family. Thankful for friends that are worth crossing state lines for on a weekly basis...friends whom I will miss dearly during our three month separation. And last but definitely not least, I'm thankful that this life is just a shadow of what's to come for those who know and truly believe in Jesus Christ. Nothing compares to that...that hope, that relationship, that Savior. Yet I often find myself distracted from what really matters......that.

Business Plan

Surely you've heard of canola oil, olive oil, and corn oil. How about soybean, sunflower, palm, and peanut oils?

Imagine how many olives, peanuts, and ears of corn we could save from the press by harvesting oil from a renewable source. Well. I propose that we replace these common cooking oils with human oil. Yes, human oil.

Everyday countless teenagers waste precious oil as they lather and rinse their greasy faces. Instead, young entrepreneurs could harvest this oil and make a bundle off their skin.

Save some veggies, some nuts, some soap. It's a win-win proposition, really.

Sore Muscles

My arms and back are sore, and I love it. There's nothing like stretching out and feeling yesterday's workout. But ironically enough, the same sensation of soreness can be awfully unpleasant when it results from sleeping on the ground or in a strange position.

I wish sleep deprivation worked the same way as muscle exhaustion. When you stay up late doing something fun and exciting or wake up early to do something constructive, the resulting tiredness would be gratifying. If that were the case, my droopy eyelids would feel so good right now.

I'm not going to mention any names, but...

My Christmas present arrived in the mail yesterday...

And I can't wait to try it out. This waterproof camera case will allow me to take pictures up to 130 feet under water. Belizean reef, here I come!

Clementines!

It's almost that time of the year again...

Scars Will Heal

It was like any other evening. We hugged, we said goodnight, and we retreated to our rooms until the morning. Unlike other nights, however, my sleep was frequently disturbed. I was uneasy, but I didn't know why. At one point I heard a creak and got out of bed to look around: I had to make sure I was alone in my room. And I was. Clearly it was all in my head. So I lied down on my back - alert and very much awake - for what seemed like an eternity before my fear gave way to drowziness. Everything's...just...fine... And it was.

Before long, however, my sleep was disrupted again as I felt a tug on the blanket near my foot. Still on my back (and I never sleep on my back) from the previous apprehension, I reflexively sat straight up and shouted "WHAT THE!!" As my eyes adjusted and I scanned the dark room, I saw that the door was open. "Mom must've come in to close a window," I thought to myself as I drifted off. The steady murmur of the bedroom air conditioner lulled me back to sleep. Everything's...all...right...

But the next time I was awakened from my slumber it was by my parents' screaming:
"Is she in there?!?!"
"Yeah, she's here."

My eyes shot open as Mom joined Dad in the doorway of my room. They spared no time in sharing the news. "Libby, we were robbed last night!!"

My frenzied parents, too, had just gotten up. Waking up in a strangely warm room, my mom realized that their bedroom door was open (and thus allowing the air conditioning to escape), so she got up to close it. But when she stepped out of bed, my mom found her bedside drawer wide open and her jewelry spread all over the floor. She yelled for my dad to wake up, and together they rushed into my room.

Our brains were still asleep, yet our bodies were running entirely on adrenaline as we attempted to figure out what had happened. The morning was a whirlwind. Downstairs, we found that four of the louvers from one window had been removed and thrown in the sand outside. Our light-weight wicker couch had been moved to clear the entryway; and the burglar(s) had also moved my dad's clothes from the floor next to his bed to a chair downstairs. My mom called the police immediately. While we waited, we composed a list of the plunder:

• my four-year-old digital camera
• my mom's broken digital camera
• a carton of grape juice (which was left half-empty outside of our house)
• 1.5 pairs of cheap earrings
• Joe's $5 sunglasses
• the mouse from a laptop, but not the computer itself *

* The laptop was unplugged, and the modem was pulled over on its side. Thus, we deduced that the thief must have made a noise while tugging at the electronics, which caused someone to stir in bed. This probably scared him out of the bedroom before the job was complete.

When the police finally arrived three hours later, they fingerprinted the removed louvers, which were scattered (unbroken) on the sand beneath the entry window. They also fingerprinted the juice carton and the door of our refridgerator. The police reasoned that it was probably two young men, and they explained that burglars usually search bedrooms for valuables while crawling along the floor next to beds. When I heard this, my mind flashed back to tug on my blanket and the open door. There was someone there! The rat-man had crawled next to me...which explains why I didn't see him when I sat up in bed. That was the creepiest feeling of all.

After the police had gathered the evidence, they instructed us to make police reports "sometime today" at the police station. Shortly after they left, my mom found a purple comb with a few tangled strands of black, kinky, wiry hair next to the window. Using tweezers, my dad placed the comb in a baggie.

My parents and I were finally left alone to debrief. We shared the bond of victimization and talked about what had happened, what might have happened, and what we should do about it. I was totally paraniod and kept advising my parents not to make "I can't believe he missed this" comments. After all, you never know who's listening.

My brothers - who were staying in the [more burglar-proof] villa behind our house - were still asleep. We woke them up to inform them of the situation. And once the boys were awake and on the lookout, my parents and I took our purple comb to San Pedro and made our police reports. [The police station itself is a trip. One old man in a cell kept begging my dad for bail money, but that's another story for another day.]

For days, the burglary strongly affected my thinking. Every black man with long-ish, kinky hair was a suspect. And at the sight of such hair I thought to myself, "Are you the one who came in my room while I was sleeping?" I realize that my suspicions were probably all wrong, and maybe I should be ashamed of this...but I'm not. Being burglarized put me - the victim - on the defensive against the entire population of suspects. I was afraid to sleep, afraid to spend a night in that room again, afraid to be alone outside at night, afraid to talk too loud about the burglary, afraid, afraid, afraid...

My family was helpful in dealing with and confronting this fear. We took prayer walks around our yard before going to bed, and Brian even let me sleep in the other bed in his room. I placed plastic cups on each window sill in the villa so that we would wake up if anyone tried to enter; and although my brothers rolled their eyes, they put up with this oddity. In time, the fear lessened. But when the time came to return to the US, I was relieved.

Fortunately, my parents have taken extensive measures to secure our home. I just hope this fear will be a distant memory as I return to Ambergris Caye.

Watch Out for the Blue-Ringed Octopus

My lucky little brother is going to study abroad in Australia next year. Such a smart decision. Just imagine:

Surfing...
The Great Barrier Reef...
Rainforests...
Plus, Aussies are totally chill.

What a life. I'm jealous. I need an excuse to live in Australia for awhile.

Indecisive, or Just Plain Lazy

Blog topics. Sometimes they flow so naturally, and sometimes they just don't happen. Recently I've had lots of ideas, but few of them ever make it to the keyboard...let alone to the internet. Here are a few that almost made the cut:

1. Photo story of the weirdest blister I've ever had (Rated R for the vomit factor)
2. Movie review - "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
3. Stories about someone I know who reminds me of Borat (probably not appropriate to post, unfortunately)
4. The Ohio Fair Minimum Wage Amendment - and why I am definitely not voting for it (boring)
5. Profile of a lifelong role model: my dad (Rated PG-13 for the sappy factor)
6. Outline of my typical day in Belize (everyone who cares probably already knows)

Online Quizzes: Bored people make 'em, bored people take 'em. So I asked these faceless strangers who I am, and here's what they told me...

You Are Chicken

Bah! You're hardly meat. But you are quite popular, and people aspire to taste like you. You're probably quite skinny and free of vices. Except letting people eat your eggs.

What Kind of Meat Are You?

Disturbing. I don't think people want to "taste like me" and I'm not skinny. Is caffeine a vice? Yes. But still... blogthings.com is wrong. I ain't no chicken.

Your Inner European is Swedish!

Relaxed and peaceful. You like to kick back and enjoy life.

Who's Your Inner European?

True most of the time.

Your Mommy Is Ayn Rand

What You Call Her: Ma What people say about yo momma: Yo momma so ugly when she joined an ugly contest, they said "Sorry, no professionals."

Who's Your Mommy?

This is entirely untrue...but still funny.

Your Daddy Is Ozzy Osbourne

What You Call Him: Daddy-o Why You Love Him: He takes you to church

Who's Your Daddy?

100% truth.

You Are 40% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

Also true.

Your Mood Ring is Orange

Stimulating ideas Daring Full of desires

Mood Ring Generator

I do like orange.

On Average, You Would Sell Out For

$196,336

At What Price Would You Sell Out?

This quiz had questions like "For 10 million dollars, would you spike everyone's drink with LSD on Thanksgiving?" Of course the answer is yes. DUH.

You Are

A Drunk Pumpkin Face You would make a good pumpkin martini.

What's Your Pumpkin Face?

Haha. I love it.

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle. Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it. You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Mostly true.

Online Quizzes: So bad they're good. (More available upon request.)

Not a care in the world...

out at the reef.

Wisdom From the Pen of C.S. Lewis:

"The right direction leads not only to peace but to knowledge. When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less. A moderately bad man knows he is not very good: a thoroughly bad man thinks he is all right. This is common sense, really. You understand sleep when you are awake, not while you are sleeping. You can see mistakes in arithmetic when your mind is working properly: while you are making them you cannot see them. You can understand the nature of drunkenness when you are sober, not when you are drunk. Good people* know about both good and evil: bad people do not know about either."

Excerpt from: Mere Christianity (Book III, Chapter 4)


*Lewis' use of the word "good" is so ironic. Think about it.

The Death of Summer

Autumn is a time of transition. Birds migrate, bears hibernate, and trees surrender their vibrantly colored leaves. I'm also forced to surrender. As the alluring sun follows the birds south, the world quickly becomes cold and dark. The liveliness of summer is but a memory. And left on the defensive, humanity hides from the cold, the snow, and the repulsively grey sky.

Some people seem to find comfort in this retreat, in the warmth of a fireplace, a fuzzy blanket, or a cup or tea. I don't understand that.

Black & White

I'm convinced that the world was colorless up until the second half of the 20th Century. I mean, seriously. Even Beaver Cleaver's grass stains were grey, not green.

So I wonder who invented color in the mid-1900's. Whoever that was, I'm sure glad they brought color into the world. I can't imagine life without orange and yellow and blue and green and purple. How did my parents grow up like that without going crazy? Well, I suppose they didn't know any better.

Did you know?

Citgo Petroleum Corporation is a subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., the Venezuelan state-owned petroleum company.

Now remember Hugo Chávez's UN address a couple weeks ago. The Venezuelan president's fallacious claims and vehement anti-US propaganda echoed throughout the world. I, for one - with that in mind - will pass Citgo gas stations as long as they belong to the Venezuelan government and head to the nearest competitor.

Life & Death

I was sitting in my room, playing with dolls when my mom walked in to announce the horrific news: my dad had just found our dog, Griswold, dead in our yard. I was in shock. No one had foreseen this tragedy. I sat on the floor and stared at the wall for a while.

Griswold had been born in a litter of bullmastiffs during my parents' short-lived dog breeding experiment, while I was an infant. He was my dad's favorite dog, and this love was reciprocated in full. Griswold was gentle giant who put up with a lifetime of torment from three young children and warded off possible threats with his intimidating appearance.

About a month later, it's was Brian's sixth birthday and our whole family was gathered around a huge newspaper-covered box. Anticipation was building as my parents told us to guess what this enormous present might be. I shouted, "A trampoline!" And Brian predicted that it was a dog. At that, my parents told him to open it and see. The three of us vigorously tore the newspaper away and unveiled a metal cage. Brian peeked through the first available hole and squealed with delight. My parents had already named our eight-week-old collie. In hindsight, that was a good decision, since my brothers and I used to come up with the lamest names for our pets: names like "Rascal," "Quackers," and "Speckles." So fortunately for everyone, my parents chose a traditional, feminine, and sophisticated name: Lady.

By the early evening, our tired-out puppy was conked out on the living room floor. Still very much aware of Griswold's death, I asked my dad how long Lady would live. He replied that dogs her size usually live about ten years, and I happily concluded that Lady would pretty much be around forever. My 18th birthday was too far off to fathom.

Lady was an adorable puppy, who grew up into a loyal, patient, submissive, and affectionate dog. She traveled with us to Belize every winter and swam with our family in front of our house. Lady consoled me when I cried and accompanied me when I was lonely. I remember one day when I thought Lady was my only friend in the world. She "played house" with my brothers and me; and when we acted out our favorite TV show, "Flipper," she was the dolphin. Whenever we pulled into our channel by boat, Lady would run up and down the beach in celebration of her masters' return. Everyone who came to my house knew and respected Lady. She was quite a dog.

I was wrong, however, about my 18th birthday. It came and went. And a couple months after I left for my freshmen year at Grove City College, my forever favorite dog passed away while she was asleep. My mom called me at college with tears in her voice, and after I had received the bad news, I found myself in shock once again. Lady was gone. Her lifeless body would soon be surrounded by dirt, and I would never hear her bark again.

I've never loved another dog as much as I did Lady. Maybe someday I will, but she's a tough act to follow.

Food for Thought...

"All right, Christianity will do you good - a great deal more than you ever wanted or expected. And the first bit of good it will do you is to hammer into your head (you won't enjoy that!) the fact that what you have hitherto called "good" - all that about "leading a decent life" and "being kind" - isn't quite the magnificent and all-important affair you supposed. It will teach you that in fact you can't be "good" (not for twenty-four hours) on your own moral efforts. And then it will teach you that even if you were, you still wouldn't have achieved the purpose for which you were created. Mere morality is not the end of life. You were made for something quite different from that.... The people who keep on asking if they can't lead a decent life without Christ, don't know what life is about; if they did they would know that "a decent life" is mere machinery compared with the thing we men are really made for. Morality is indispensable: but the Divine Life, which gives itself to us and which calls us to be gods, intends for us something in which morality will be swallowed up. We are to be re-made. All the rabbit in us is to disappear - the worried, conscientious, ethical rabbit as well as the cowardly and sensual rabbit. We shall bleed and squeal as the handfuls of fur come out; and then, surprisingly, we shall find underneath it all a thing we have never yet imagined: a real Man, an ageless god, a son of God, strong, radiant, wise, beautiful, and drenched in joy."

Excerpt from: "Man or Rabbit?"
in God in the Dock, by C.S. Lewis

Nerdy fact about Libby:

My Coke Light collection - which now consists of unopened bottles from Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Guatemala, and Belize - has been in the works for 18 months. Unfortunately, this choice beverage is only sold in non-English speaking markets. Lastima mi corazón.

A Wise Man Once Wrote:

"As you look for your place in this world, as you get a job, change jobs, go after higher degrees, or whatever your dream is or becomes, inevitably you will question yourself. I have learned that people can look down on you or up to you for what you do or have, but it's all smoke and mirrors. Your value in this world, after all is said and done, is that you were made in the image of God. That is the only thing worth living up to."

This is an excerpt from a letter I received from my dad after my graduation from Grove City College. I love this quote because it's brimming with wisdom and pertains to my life right now.

Changes in Latitude

While we were there, I knew it. The scorching sun must be directly above Belize. My online research, however, didn't yield any affirming results. Given the fact that the sun is direct at about 23 degrees north latitude on the Summer Solstice, I figured that it moves about 1 degree per week (52 weeks/yr, 46 degrees/yr). Therefore, it would take about 5 weeks (after the Summer Solstice) for the sun to reach 18 degrees north latitude. My rough calculations led me to believe that mid May and late July are the hottest dates at our house, which - according to our GPS - is located at almost exactly 18 degrees north latitude.

Maybe I learned this in school, but I coudn't rememeber the term for the latitude at which the sun is directly overhead. So today I researched it some more and found the vital term: The sun’s declination is the angle between the rays of the sun and the plane of the earth’s equator. In other words, it’s the latitude at which sunlight is most direct. You can find the equation for the sun’s declination at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declination. And for an quick reference, here’s a link for the sun’s declination throughout the year: http://www.wsanford.com/~wsanford/exo/sundials/DEC_Sun.html

As this chart shows, the sun is most direct at 18 degrees north latitude on May 12th and August 1st. Good thing I wore sunscreen, because for the first time in my life I experienced the sun's most direct rays!

Lahoo-Zaher

I have no excuse. I'm a lamewad. Thus, I filled out this blog questionnairre thingy...

1. What's your middle name?
Anne

2. How big is your bed?
Full size

3. What are you listening to right now?
Mae

4. What are the last 4 digits of your cellphone number?
6032

5. What was the last thing you ate?
Yogurt

6. Last person you hugged?
My mom

7. How is the weather right now?
The disgustingness that is humidity.

8. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Joseph Scott Greene

9. What is the first thing you notice in the opposite sex?
That's a tough question, but I suppose it's eyes, smile, and demeanor.

10. Favorite type of food?
Coke Light, Starbucks, Sugar Free Fudgesicles, green bean casserole, and anything involving fresh fruit, chicken, turkey and/or salad.

11. Do you want children?
Yes

12. Do you drink?
Occasionally, but usually I can't justify consuming something that is so ridiculously high in calories.

13. Ever get so drunk that you can't remember the entire night?
Nope

14. Hair color?
Brownish

15. Eye color?
Also brownish

16. Do you wear contacts/glasses?
Yes, contacts

17. Favorite holiday?
It's a toss-up between Bubblewrap Appreciation Day and What If Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day.

18. Favorite season?
Summer by far

19. Have you ever cried over a girl/boy?
Yes

20. Last movie you watched?
How's Your News?

21. What books are you reading?
(1) The Bible
(2) A Tale of Two Cities
(3) Do Sudoku puzzle books count?

22. Piercings?
Upper cartilage on my left ear, and my earlobes

23. Favorite college football team?
Ohio State

24. What were you doing before filling this out?
Setting up a tent

25. What will you do after filling this out?
Go running

26. Any pets?
Currently: one alligator (technically my brothers' pet) and one toy poodle with a shock collar

27. Favorite flower?
Hibiscus and bougainvillea

28. Have you ever loved someone?
Yes. Jesus, my family, and close friends. Maybe that wasn't the juicy answer that people are looking for, but hey, it's the truth.

29. Have you ever fired a gun?
Yes, mister survey maker, I have.

30. Do you like to travel by plane?
Yes indeed.

31. Right- or left-handed?
Right

32. If you could go any place right now, where would you go?
Oh my goodness. I can't decide, so I'm gonna have to do an "eenie, meenie, minie, mo" between Australia, Guatemala, Austria, and Costa Rica. And considering the fact that e-m-m-m has 16 beats, I suppose I'm going to Costa Rica.

33. Are you missing someone?
Yes - Abby Smith

34. Do you have a tattoo?
Nope

35. Are you hiding something from someone?
No

36. What is the wallpaper on your cell phone?
Chief Wahoo

37. Did you get enough sleep last night?
No

38. First thing you thought about this morning?
"There's no way it's already 7 am." But sure enough, it was.

39. What do you have handy at your bedside?
Bible

40. Grilled or fried?
Grilled

41. When you die, what do you want people to remember about you?
That I loved. And that somehow, in some way my life was a reflection of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

42. What makes you unique?
The fact that I've had several pet octopi. One was named "Yamir" - a conglomeration of 5 randomly chosen Scrabble letters. Another was "Jif" because my family trained him to open a peanut butter jar that contained a crab. Those are the only octopus names I remember...lo siento.

43. Are you afraid of the dark?
Only when I think someone's there but don't know for sure.

44. Favorite hangout?
Hookah bar, baseball game, my basement... Anywhere that's relaxed and casual. But it's even more fun to do something active.

45. Three things you can't live without?
God's grace and mercy.
Oxygen.
Water.
(In that order)

46. Favorite song?
Something by Switchfoot

47. What are you afraid of?
One or both of my parents dying.

48. Are you a giver or taker?
I hope I'm a giver.

49. What are your nicknames?
Lib, Libbs, Libbers, Libster, Libinator, Libitha, Libby G, Libby Anne, Lizzy Beth, Lib Master G (yes, the nickname preceded the screenname), etc, etc, etc...

50. If you knew you were going to be stuck on a deserted island and could only take 2 things or persons, what/who would you take?
(1) A Bible
(2) The man of my dreams (hope he turns up by the time I leave)

51. Favorite TV commercial?
"He was injured. Injured bad..." [Click on the link]

52. Who's you cell phone provider?
Verizon. Lame-o question.

53. First thing you'll save in a fire?
My family.

54. What are the things you always take with you?
I don't leave home without my liver or my pancreas.

55. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A marine biologist and a doctor. Typical, I suppose.

56. What do you usually do when the clock turns 11:11?
Absolutely nothing.

57. What color are your bedsheets?
White and lime green, with a bright multi-colored quilt.

58. What do you think about before you fall asleep?
Aspirations and concerns about the future. Events (or lack of events) of the day which left me happy, sad, or frustrated.

And that's that. The end.

Today I swam with two bottlenose dolphins in the wild. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I will never forget it.

Addicted for Life

I'm addicted. Going there is like returning home. And every time I return, it's like I never left. This place is a reflection of majesty and incredible creativity. It is the second largest barrier reef in the world, 1/4 mile off the shore of Ambergris Caye, Belize...

Making sure that there are no coral heads nearby, I plunge into the crystal-clear depths. A sudden chill rushes through my body as the skewed image of turtle grass and sandy ocean bottom comes to life. The humid air and sea gulls are now a world away...further than the vacillating ocean floor was just seconds ago.

The initial chill of the salty water sparks a burst of adrenaline. However, my body quickly adjusts to the startling temperature change since the water is a comfortable 82 degrees Farenheit. Within a few seconds, my breathing and heart rate slow down to normal pace. Fascination and curiosity take over.

Beneath the surface, there is always more the discover. Conch shells that have been cleaned (meaning that the animal was removed for food) provide homes for small, colorful fish and an occasional cleverly-hidden octopus. Fish busily swim beneath me, and I often entertain myself by diving down to the bottom and chasing them with an outstretched arm.

As I approach the reef, the concentration of life augments dramatically. "Click, click, click" sounds through the teeming water as tiny schools of seemingly microscopic organisms float along the surface. Endless varieties of bizarre creatures hide in the coral, waiting for those pesky humans to leave them alone. Around every corner is something new and different. Vigilance is almost always rewarded with a discovery.

The sun's rays are bent on the surface of the water, creating rhythmic patterns of light across the ocean floor and coral heads. Fish, lobster, sea urchins, sea fans, sponges, turtle grass, and endless other forms of life sway back and forth, to and fro, up and down as the water gently glides by. And the dancing sun rays illuminate every movement.

Some types of fish are hyper, zipping around so fast that I get tired just watching them. Others are curious, as though they want to know more about this big, tan-colored creature but are hesitant to move any closer. Schools of fish move together, rest together, hide together, eat together, and respond to threats together. Blue tangs, triggers, and queen angel fish light up the scene with radiant colors. Angel fish bashfully hide behind coral heads. Parrot fish are preoccupied with chomping on coral and don't care who's watching. Lookdowns resemble swimming mirrors; and countless other fish are spotted and striped with luminescent colors.

But predators lurk among these resplendent species. Even the sight of a moray eel is threatening: these common reef-dwellers bare their teeth and viciously chase anyone who comes too close. You never know what's around the next corner, so vigilance is essential for safe observation of marine wildlife.

Although I have enjoyed its splendor since my childhood, I fear the ocean. This fear results in reverence and respect. Throughout my years in Belize, I have witnessed two tragically flawed views of marine life... Many people are paralyzed by fear and miss out on (what I am convinced is) one of the most awe-inspiring parts of God's creation. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum, some people don't exercise proper caution, vigilance, and respect for the ocean. This often results in unecessary injury to the person and/or sea life.

When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands;

you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds,

and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air,

and the fish of the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

~ Psalm 8:3-9 ~

Tying the Knot

She met him on our first day of classes at Grove City College...about four years ago. Things started out rocky for Amy and Geoff, but within one year, they were inseparable.

This past weekend, I was honored to be one of Amy's bridesmaids, along with two of our best friends. Amy was gorgeous. The wedding was really nice, and being in the bridal party was so much fun! I absolutely loved it.

Emotions were abundant. When Amy's dad gave her away to Geoff, tears filled my eyes. My friend, one of my closest companions, was sealing the deal. I was witnessing the most important covenant she'd ever make with another person. It was touching to stand right by my bud as she made her wedding vow. Thankfully, no tears escaped my eyes.

But light-hearted fun was also plentiful. For example, during the wedding ceremony itself, the groomsmen played a great prank on Nate. And the whole weekend was party after party after party... It was such a blast.


...And then I got home and hit a deer.

Every Season

Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration
For freedom that is ours
And I notice You
In children's games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come
You are autumn

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

And everything that's new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season's change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

Lyrics by: Nichole Nordeman

The End of an Era

There's no denying it. My college years are coming to an end. And during this final stretch, everything is a last. Today I turned in my last paper, and tomorrow I'll hear my last GCC lecture. Some people seem absolutely thrilled to leave Grove City, but it's a very sobering experience for me...a time to reflect on the past and anticipate what's to come.

The future is uncertain. Although I have a vague conception of where I might be next year and dreams of what I'll be doing ten years down the road, it's all speculation. I suppose life is always that way, and this is yet another lesson in trusting God with my future. Trusting can be so difficult. But on the other hand, part of me likes this uncertainty. Where will I end up? The possibilities are endless, and it's as if I'm setting out on an adventure to discover what God has in store for me. Nevertheless, the beginning of this adventure marks the end of a wonderful experience.

The past four years have been amazing. I have made so many memories with some of the best friends I will ever have. [Entering sappy, sentimental mode] We've been together through thick and thin. We've grown together and learned together. We've laughed until tears were rolling down our cheeks on so many occasions, and on May 20th, we'll probably all cry together. College is nice, but relationships add the flavor, the sponaneity, the love, the depth, and the value that make it all worthwhile.

During the past four years, I have also learned about myself: my weaknesses, my strengths, and things that make me feel alive. Oh yeah, and all that academic stuff, too...like thinking critically, arguing somewhat cogently, yada yada yada. In all seriousness, though, Grove City has provided me with a wonderful, well-rounded education. It's a great school with an incredible faculty and a remarkable student body.

Although it's hard to say goodbye, to watch this fabulous time of my life come to a close, I am so thankful. God has richly blessed me with friends, experiences, a college, professors, and even classes that are worth missing. I will always look back on my time at Grove City College with thanksgiving. I am so blessed to have spent for four years here.

Two College Students Reside in Local 24-Hour Grocery Store

Many people pass through aisle 13 every day, but few call it home. However, two college students were found perched upon the shelves last Wednesday night.

"These shelves are much more comfortable than the beds in my dorm room," remarked Libby Greene of Grove City College. "Plus, when I'm up late writing a paper, in desperate need of caffeine, all I have to do is reach up to the shelf above me. Then I ring a little bell and the cashier comes over so I can pay for my pop. It's so convenient!"

Lindsey Carner, of Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, prefers the chip shelf. "I wish we had a 24-hour supermarket near my school where I could live," asserts Carner. "There's nothing like the bustle, the halogen lighting, and the corny soft rock of a grocery store to fall asleep to. It sends you right off to dreamland."

Aside from the comfort of their metal shelves, Greene and Carner also find that the grocery store environment provides a plethora of entertainment options...

Just kidding.

The end.

P.S. I've come to terms with the fact that I am not cut out for journalism.

[I've been a major blog slacker over the past few months. I could blame that on a chronic case of writer's block, or on my inability to come up with an interesting topic. But all excuses aside, this blog is back in business.]


But we have this treasure in jars of clay...

My last post addressed the dramatic changes that I experienced 10 years ago. When I reminisce about those days as a 12-year-old, I am dumbfounded by my simple understanding of Jesus. The message of Christ made so much sense. I believed "with faith like a child," and I loved Christ for the salvation that He had so freely given to my undeserving self.

The question: Have I changed since then?
The answer: I have. And yet, I haven't.

Over the years, I have grown and struggled and learned. Many of those lessons have been repeated over and over...and over...and over. Along this road, I have frequently learned the importance of humility. Again and again, I am brought to the realization of my own inadequacy, my complete need for and dependence on God. I have learned the truth of David's words in Psalm 51: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." But the story doesn't end there. In the face of my weakness, my shortcoming, my brokenness, God reveals His majestic love and strength. It's a beautiful irony.

Humility is one of the most important foundations of Christianity. It brings us to repentance. It illuminates the overwhelming contrast between God's infinite strength and our weakness. And when we are truly in touch with God's mercy and our unworthiness, we cannot help but love others.

Jesus' humility and servanthood go against our very nature. Instead of looking out for number one, as the world and our internal instincts tell us to, we are to put others first. It's truly counterintuitive, but that's how things often are with God.

Although the Lord has taught me these things on several occasions, it is still a daily struggle to put them into practice. Some days, weeks, and months are better than others.


"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."
~ 1 Corinthians 1:26-29


Song of the day: "Nothing Without You" - Bebo Norman