a lesson from a children's book

From The Tale of Despereaux (If you haven't read the book yet, you might not want to read this post)

And then the princess took a deep breath and put a hand on her heart.

I think, reader, that she was feeling the same thing that Despereaux had felt when he was faced with his father begging him for forgiveness. That is, Pea was aware suddenly of how fragile her heart was, how much darkness was inside it, fighting, always, with the light. She did not like the rat. She would never like the rat, but she knew what she must do to save her own heart. 

 Occasionally a passage in a children's story will strike me as meaningful and applicable beyond the children to whom the story is read. This is one such passage. The Tale of Despereaux is a beautiful story of a mouse finding courage in his circumstances and of light encountering darkness and changing different characters in the process. People are not naturally good. There is a bent aspect to our nature that fights against attempts to do the right thing, a darkness that wants to keep the light far away. Yet there come pivotal moments when we can choose to follow the light, God's light, and overcome this darkness. As we live daily, making one choice at a time, we can learn to protect our fragile hearts.

another transition

It is difficult to believe that two months ago tomorrow I arrived home from my journey to South Korea. Changes have taken place in this brief segment of time, and the amount of trust I have had to give to God has been surprising.

During the first couple of weeks home (after the obnoxious jet-lag dissipated and Jaclyn returned from Spain) I went on a family vacation with my family. The beginning was epic, as we started by camping in the Pintler Wilderness with Dad, Jordan and I bisecting the Wilderness on a backpacking trek to Warren Lake. Hiking about twenty-five miles in two days (over a pass and up a mountain), the sights were spectacular and the trip definitely worth the effort. The toughest aspect of the adventure was the killer-mosquitoes that stayed in a small whining swarm around our heads-especially my head. After coming down from the mountain and tearing down camp with the rest of the family (and Grandma and Grandpa) we switched from backpacks to suitcases and drove to Yellowstone National Park. The geysers were fantastic and the falls were breathtaking. I loved experiencing the park with family.

Soon after we got back from vacation, Jordan left for Vanguard and my college roommate Danielle came up from California. We spent some time in Glacier National Park and then around Deer Lodge. One of the best days was when we rented kayaks on Lake MacDonald in Glacier. Paddling out into the lake was fun and relaxing. Then we turned around and realized that we had to paddle back against the wind. I am pretty sure we rowed for fifteen minutes straight and did not make any progress. Fortunately, we gradually gained against the elements and made it back to shore.

At the end of the summer, Danielle came with me from Deer Lodge to Boston on a four-day insane road trip. Driving about twelve hours a day (and letting the GPS lead us astray, but that is another story), we finally reached Massachusetts and my new apartment.

For the past couple of weeks I have been experiencing the transition from teaching to grad school. As usual, there have been a few ups and downs. Some days I tell myself that I have everything under control and that I will be able to handle the course load and other days I feel overwhelmed and in over my head. I want to know for certain that I will be able to succeed in my classes, my student teaching, and my part-time job (that I don't have yet). I want all the details that come with living, like housing, friends, money, food, and transportation, to be perfectly aligned. But then I remember that it is not my job to have life under control. That one is up to God. I can attempt to persuade myself that stressing out will make a difference, but I don't think that is very productive. So I attempt to give my anxiety to God each day. I guess that is all I can do right now.

Pics: 

 

a day in Yellowstone

 Yellowstone Falls

family shot

 a little geyser

a little bit bigger geyser (Old Faithful)

a mountain goat at Glacier

bighorn sheep at Glacier

sunset on Lake MacDonald

Danielle and I kayaking on Lake MacDonald

hiking the Warren Pass loop

To those praying for me: I need a part-time job(s) that fits around my school schedule, there are still some apartment details that need to come together, and I need wisdom regarding where I will become part of a church community. Thanks for your support!

Changes

Greetings, world! I know it has been far too long since my last post, but I thought I would at least mention where I am right now.

I finished my year in Korea and had a wonderful time at home in Montana. A couple of weeks ago I made the insane decision to drive my little 5-speed out to Boston, Massachusetts where I am attending grad school at Boston University. Email me if you want my street address!!

Thanks to those who supported me and prayed for me while I was in Korea!