It's Like Riding a Bike

So the phrase "It's like riding a bike - you never forget" is actually somewhat true. This weekend I rode a bike for the first time in more than 15 years! I was terrified and thought I might die when I had to practice on the street in front of my brother's house. If you'll notice, there are children - no older than 8 - in the background of my cherished picture below. There were at least 4 of them playing in the street, riding their bikes cheerfully like it was no big deal. I had to take my practice run in front of them, wobbling all over the street with a look of panic on my face. Embarrassing? Yes.

My brother Brad took me on an 11.7 (I will NOT leave out that .7) round trip ride to a Farmers Market in Colorado, and it was a great experience! I loved the mountain view, the brisk air, and the speed that you gain on a bicycle. Within a couple hours, we biked to the market, where we shopped and enjoyed a tasty tamale lunch before biking back home. And I didn't hurt myself OR the bicycle! :) I was amazed...it's incredible how the Lord created our minds and brings even the most long-lost skills to the surface...even after 15 years.

I never knew exercise could be enjoyable! Don't get me wrong, by the last mile or two I was barely making it up hills. It was challenging...but more enjoyable than painful, which is always good, right? Maybe I'll take up biking in Dallas. Although it's probably different biking in the 100 degree heat with the Dallas skyline as the backdrop. Not quite the same.

Boast No More

We sang this song in church this morning, and I love the words. It is a great reminder that I am accepted as a child of God because of Christ alone - because of His work on the cross. Not because of things I do, but because of HIM and His amazing love and mercy. I need a lot of help remembering this!

No more my God, I boast no more
Of all the duties I have done
I quit the hopes I held before,
To trust the merits of Thy Son

Now, for the loss I bear his name,
What was my gain I count my loss
My former pride I call my shame
And nail my glory to His cross

Yes, and I must, I will esteem
All things but loss for Jesus' sake
O may my soul be found in Him
And of His righteousness partake

The best obedience of my hands
Dares not appear before Thy throne
But faith can answer Thy demands
By pleading what my Lord has done

~Caedmon's Call

My Current Pet Peeve

I need to know something. Let me preface this by saying that I love food. And being a single teacher, I tend to find it easier to grab dinner on the way home. Subway and Pei Wei recognize me now, although I'm not sure that's a good thing....

I've been harboring bitterness about something, and I just need to get it out there and confess. When I go to these places to eat, I always ask for water. It's better for me, and I can't justify spending $1.45 on a drink when I'm already spending money on dinner. Very rarely do I order a soda, but when I do, I get a choice of a 12 oz. cup, a 16 oz. cup, or a 20 oz. cup. However, when I order water, I get this:

6 ounces of water. Does anybody else think this is a little unfair? If a customer is ordering water over soda, shouldn't that person be rewarded for choosing a healthier option? Instead of being punished by receiving a tiny cup - that once filled with ice - holds about a teaspoon of water? Occasionally I'll ask for a bigger cup, but on two recent occasions I've been rejected and charged extra.

I apologize for my venting. Maybe someday I'll accept the 6 ounce cup with a smile, but apparently not today. :)

Happy Cow Appreciation Day!

I wonder if Chick-fil-a knew their marketing scheme would work so well. My roommate, Summer, and I just celebrated our 3rd Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-a. Each year, we see more and more people dressed like cows to get free food - it's brilliant! And fun!

This year we recruited cousins to come with us, and we enjoyed a great time of fellowship. We are already looking forward to next year's celebration, and we're thinking of ways to embellish our costumes. Happy Cow Day!

Sit Long. Talk Much. Laugh Often.

This was the slogan of a restaurant I visited while in Seattle last week, and I fell in love with it. David, my brother's friend, took us to a small bistro that he had happened upon a month before while in Seattle on a business trip. He had gotten to know the owner pretty well, so we were all introduced to him when we arrived. Three hours later, we left the restaurant full and relaxed. The owner actually sat down with us to chat, as did the waiter that was serving us. They asked questions, got to know us, and brought us our food slowly in courses, providing plenty of time for conversation.

Why can't more dinners be that way? Isn't dinner meant to be enjoyed with family or friends? Why can't we slowly enjoy the food God has provided and the people He's blessed us with? I rush through dinner often, so when I do have a meal like the one at the bistro, I leave feeling refreshed.

Two of my super cousins came over for dinner tonight. We sat, talked, and laughed, and enjoyed each other's company. I'm so grateful for my family! Thanks, Becca and Deborah, for a fun night!

But God...

I've been thinking on the sermon I heard at church yesterday, praising God for a pastor who communicates clearly the good news of the gospel.

Yesterday I was reminded that as a sinful person I deserve nothing but eternal separation from a holy God. There is nothing I can do to work my way to Him, to earn His favor, to make myself right with Him.

But God...

My, those are beautiful words.

But God, who is rich in mercy, sent His Son to die for me. To take the punishment for my sin upon Himself, and to defeat death and bring new life through His resurrection. In Christ alone, I can experience forgiveness, love, peace, and joy - and I can live in relationship with my heavenly Father. As His child, no less!

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound...

Lord, help me to rest in your grace in all that I do.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!"

~1 John 3:1

I Should Know By Now...

Many times I'll see cute things at a store and think to myself "I could make that! It would be easy and would cost 1/4 of the price it's sold for."...

A pretty penny and many hours later, I understand why these store people charge so much. It's a lot of work to be crafty! Don't get me wrong, I always have fun trying to recreate the things I see, but you think I would have learned by now that it's not as easy as it looks!

Take, for instance, the bottle cap necklace. I saw the girls in my class wearing these often, so my former student Riley and I attempted to make them together this week.

We like the way they turned out! Riley did most of the work. I just poured in acrylic resin, which is one of the most awkward craft items I've tried to work with. The mixture has to be just right or it ends up having a life of it's own. It actually corroded one of the cups we used; and at one point, it turned into a glob that I thought might jump out of its container.

We also made fun stone necklaces like the ones below - these are my favorite! They are easy and inexpensive!

So lesson (maybe) learned. Next time, when I walk through a super cute craft store, perhaps I'll remember the previous 50 times I've tried to recreate an item I've seen. And maybe I'll spend the $10 on it and save myself some money and some time...or maybe not. :)