Striving

I think I heard almost all there is to hear about Christianity by the time I was like 20 years old. Don't get me wrong. I don't mean to say that I lived it, I had just heard it. I think that if at this point on in my life if I didn't learn one more new thing but instead just began to know with my heart the things that I have already learned, I would be 10 times the woman I am now.

The first "biblical concept" that I probably ever learned was God's unconditional, unrelenting, and pure love for me. But for an individual who has never performed those three adjectives in their rawest and truest form once in her life, its really hard to wrap an understanding around that love of God's.

I just finished reading "searching for God Know's What" by Donald Miller. He talks about how he thinks the thing that defines human personalities is that we are constantly comparing ourselves to one another. Ha. Now a few people that know me well, would know that I would strongly agree with this statement. He talks about how before the fall, our one and only source of rich and fulfilling love came from our Creator. But then came the betrayal. And that direct source was broken. When we turned our backs on God the way an adulterous spouse turns his/her back on their one true lover, we lost that perfect line of communication. And for the rest of history we have been trying to restore this Perfect Source of Love. So we find it in any source we can. And the easiest way is to prove to ourselves and the world how deserving we are of love. So we place a number value on everything we say and think and do, and on everything everyone else says and thinks and does. And then we strive. We strive and strive to improve our worthiness of love and value. So then when someone cuts us off on the highway, we get really pissed off because they just implied that they have more value than us. Or when someone owns up on us in basketball we either get frustrated at our shortcomings or rationalize in our mind something that we can do better than our competitor and then we feel better about ourselves again.

Its a tiring game isn't it? And yet, before us, is this source of perfect and fulfilling love that can bring the game to an end. Hmmm...this is where my thoughts and prayers continue to go. How do I finally know and experience that Perfect Source of Love? Because only at that point can I minister purely and wholy to my neighbor.

Donald points out the Disciples. They saw and experienced the righteous love of Christ, in His eyes, His words, His embraces. And many of them, because of knowing and experiencing that love, were able to go on to die for Him. Why? Because of their belief that He really existed? No. Because it made them feel better than the guy persecuting them? No. Because they knew His love. First-hand.

Hmm, the day my eyes are opened to His love in its fullness, is gonna be a good day.

So anyways, those are just a few of the thoughts from the book and that have been rolling around in my head. The book was a good one. Especially the last chapter. And just in case Donald Miller happens to fall across this blogspot (fat chance): Thanks for your thoughts Mr. Miller.

Lindsey's newest place of employment.

our new home

Our good friends Dave and Caroline spent the week out here Aug. 7-14. What a phenomenal week. Here's the week in pics



These first two pics were from a hike we took the first day. While hiking, we ran into a snake on the path. Just as Marky assured us that this was in fact NOT venemous, the little critter started to rattle its tail assuring that it in fact WAS venemous. After we all soiled ourselves, Mark and Dave gathered rocks and sticks in an attempt to startle the snake (well aware that we had a 50/50 chance that the rocks would just piss the snake off and send it slithering our way). But when we got back to the snake siting-location, it was gone.


Red Rocks Ampitheater


The Garden of the Gods

More from "The Garden"

Our first CD cover

And one more from The Garden

The Chipmunk Whisperer himself. In Estes Park.


This pic was taken at the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. After our visit there, we have determined our new calling in life to consist of letting everyone we meet know what a CROCK these were. After a little research online, we came to discover that they were totally fake...which was what we all suspected when they were trying to tell us that the paintings on the walls in the cliff dwellings were authentic from 1100 AD. Save your $9.25 and spend more time at the Garden of the Gods, which was free.


gorgeous sunrise in Estes Park



Rocky Mountain National Park

On Friday night we went to an outdoor Matt Costa concert. Caroline and Dave love his music and introduced us to him. He's kinda Jack Johnson meets the Beetles. Check him out! Marky swore that Matt was checking him out all evening...maybe he was right judging from this pic that Marky took.


On Saturday we checked out a local winery. They let us taste every wine they produced there, which was 15! It was a blast, except for our dear little Caroline who tasted her way into a drunken stooper:)


A mama and baby moose at Rocky Mountain National Park.




Elk are hella huge.

Dave and Caroline-
What an incredible week! Marky and I can't express what a blast we had. God bless with school starting. Keep us updated when you pick a wedding date!!

Thank you

We just wanted to say thank you to the many who were so thoughtful and loving in their goodbyes as we prepared to leave Chicago. Thanks for taking a sincere interest in our lives. For helping us move. for generous gifts and thoughtful notes. For whatever kind gesture you showed, thank you. We have so much gratitude. We will miss (and are already missing) many of you. So come visit soon! We've got this spare bedroom that is just begging to be used!!

998 miles later

Lest you think that they don't have blogspot in CO, I assure you they do. Sorry its been awhile! Life got a wee bit hectic those couple weeks before the big move. So I assumed once we got here, we'd be on a campus so I'd have no problem getting internet. Well, alas, turns out, as a new student, I'm not in the system still for at least another week. But I found a Panera with wi-fi so all is well again:) So yeah! We're here! After fifteen and a half hours in the car, we arrived!
Since then (not a comprehensive list)...
Marky and our dear new neighbor moved all our stuff into our 3rd floor apt while I cheered them on and placed the boxes in the rooms they were supposed to go.
Had lunch with Marky's grandpa.
Visited Emily (Hamman) Kage and her family on Kage family reunion where we played a whole lot of Apples to Apples. Who knew there was strategy in that Apples to Apples? Well, when you play with the Kage family, there is.
Went for a couple of hikes.
Had a great time in the presence of my dear friend Hamlee.
I unpacked and decorated the apt...truly in my element:)
Marky worked three night shifts (8pm-4am) for a Temp Agency doing stocking.
Went for a couple scenic bikerides.
I continued to unpack and decorate.
Saw "Taladega Nights: The Story of Ricky Bobby" -hilarious-
Drove around and explored our new home!! (away from home of course mom:)

That's it for now...More to come soon.