Vegan Victories

1.  My pants are falling off.  That is a victory, but not necessarily a good thing when you're at a Christmas Concert!  Lady had to come tell me, "um, honey, your zipper, dear......"  Crap!  Thank goodness it was a side zipper and a clasp on top to hold me together.

2.  I can wear my wedding rings again.  This is huge.  The last time I could wear my wedding rings I think the first Bush was in office.  Ok, maybe not that long ago.  After Hilary got her husband elected and before Lewinski.  IDK.  Anyway, this is so amazing that I can actually put them on and they don't strangle my fingers.  I'm very excited!

3.  I am loving cooking vegan!  With the exception of my new favorite obsession with Marzetti's Putanesca Sauce, which isn't totally vegan (there's anchovies) I am sticking to it!  And you wouldn't believe how amazing the food tastes!  Why didn't I do this sooner?

4.  It has been a transformation for my husband.  He is a wonderful guy and he really wants to see me succeed in this because he knows it's important to me.  He's come a long way with all of this and is really quite amazing with it all.  Poor guy has lost some weight!  Believe me, he can't afford to lose it!  He's been wearing 29"waist jeans since he grew into them in Jr. High!  The good side is that my advice has been for him to eat MORE!

5.  I have some amazing friends who are supporting me and eating my crazy food and loving me through it.  I don't think I will ever turn back.

6.  I feel really good.  I feel really, really good.

7.  I ran over 4 miles last week.  Holy Moly!

8.  God is good.

God Positioning System or GPS

 25.1514"N, 111° 41' 39.1554"W

36.50277, -111.85757

These are no ordinary groups of numbers.  These are not answers to some odd mathematical word problem.  These are some of the most precious numbers in my life right now.  With technology these days it's easy to follow precious cargo down the chilly waters of the Colorado as it snakes its way through the Grandness of the mighty Canyon.  As these are updated every few days I get a glimpse into the life of my 20 y.o. as he is on the trip of a lifetime.  Of course, he may do this again in his lifetime, but this is the first trip, the unknown of the cliff walls and blue-green waters still a mystery every day for him.  The world stops, and, of course, the suspenseful game of Clue, when these numbers come across my email.  I must rush to my computer and plug them into Google Earth and see where they are.  So, they are here:

And one of the most amazing things about this is that David and I can zoom in, pan up, travel up the river where they've come from, travel down the river where they'll head to next, see the upcoming rapids in their future and look at the ones they already passed through.  It's an interesting perspective to be able to sort of see where Adam will be tomorrow before he gets there.  I wonder if he will "get" what God has going on in his life right now?  I wonder if he will appreciate the awe inspiring handiwork that God laid out long ago for him to appreciate now?  I pray that God reveals himself in such a way this trip that Adam is forever changed!

This parallel of coordinates for him and God's coordinates for not only his life, but mine, is something I can't seem to get off of my mind.  I believe God feels the same way about me, about us.  He can see where we've been, knows where we are and knows where we're headed.  He knows the rapids and struggles we've already experienced that have made an impact, or hopefully made one, in order for us to learn from our mistakes and do it differently next time.  He knows there are struggles ahead and rapids to maneuver.  He doesn't keep the water calm.  How boring that would be.  He allows us to willingly put ourselves in our own boats down the rocky crevasses of our lives and paddle through those rough waters.  But knowing that all we have to do is look up to know that He is right there with us.  It's in the beauty around us.  It's in the fact that we actually made it through.  It's in the journey laid out ahead of us years and years before we were even born.  He knows.  God Positioning System.  What are your coordinates?  Where are  you headed?  Have you forgotten where you've been?  Have you learned from those past struggles yet in order to do it differently next time?  There will be a next time.  But just look up.  He created that view for me and you.  He is in constant conversation with us.  He loves us dearly.  He wants us to recognize Him in our lives.  What does your satellite image reveal?

Romans 5:1-5

 ¹ Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Door into the Canyon

Yesterday my baby, my 20 year old baby boy, left for his trip.  Not an ordinary, run-of-the-mill trip, but a 25 day raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.  My husband and I have been so excited for him to go on this trip.  I mean, really, 20, and turning 21 while on this trip, young man gets to raft the Grand Canyon?!  Who wouldn't be excited and undoubtedly a little jealous.  Yea, I know not all of you are up for such adventure.  Frankly, my knees couldn't take it I'm sure!  But, wow, for him!  10 of his buddies and soon to be closest friends on earth for 25 days, are heading out on the river at 1100 hours Tuesday morning.  He called from the edge of the Grand Canyon last night with a bright moon shining over the Navajo bridge.  He was so cute calling with that giddy voice!

I, however, woke up yesterday with a horrible stomach ache that lasted all day long accompanied by a tremendous headache that went away not long after his phone call.  Yes, excitement for him, but utter terror for me not being able to speak to him until January now.  But, this is life as a parent.  Life where my husband and I have raised our kids to be what they are passionate to be.  To be kids who say yes to making a life and not lose themselves making a living.  Not that making a living is bad, its absolutely essential!  But, making a life makes a boy become a man who becomes a father deep down inside that may be able to come out one day a loooooonnnnggg time from now, but still.  And making a life makes a man still love being a boy enough to stay passionate about fun and love and life and work and ultimately and foremost, Almighty Heavenly Father.

God was shaking his head at me yesterday.  As my brain tried to adjust to my stomach angst, I could hear in my head, "trust me.  Umm... hello, trust me!"  I had slipped down the sticky, gooey, thick slope of worry and couldn't figure out how to get out of it.  Then, a friend, who is always there for me brought me Mark 9:24: " Lord, I believe.  Help me with my unbelief."  She reminded me that I can trust and do trust but that doesn't always take away the yucky feelings.  Wise.  I love her.

I can't wait to see the pictures and hear the stories!  I can't wait to hear his voice in January!  The thing about the door into the Canyon is that once it's open, it will most likely never close again.  Open doors and whitewater canyons!  God speed!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Place your hands around these sons and daughters as they taste the waters of one of the most beautiful places you created.  Help them to know you more.  Help them to feel your presence there.  Keep them safe.  They are in your hands.

Amen.

Hoorays, Boos and an update in the CRB

Hoorays:

-I've lost ten pounds since I put new batteries in my scale!

- I can slide my jeans on and off without unbuttoning them and with no straining difficulties.  How do I know this?  I just tried it and voila!

- I just had the most amazing dinner - bean and brown rice burrito with Better Than Sour Cream and Rice Cheese with Green Chile Enchilada sauce on top.  Soon I will blog about my amazing vegan Thanksgiving treats that EVERYONE really liked!  (or they lied really well)

- I ran again today for training.  I ran on Monday as well.  My knees are much better and I'm not a woos anymore, well, for now anyway.  Cooper River Bridge Run ..... I'm gettin' ready for ya!

Boos:

- I'm missing Colorado more and more everyday, which makes me sad.  I miss my boys, but it's too soon to return there because their still making up their lives for themselves.  Maybe one day........ maybe, if God sees fit.

- The first one is pretty much overriding any other boos I have, so I'm done whining about everything else, except the first one, did I mention that I really miss my boys?  I do.