Wednesday, February 7

PART 3: the last part... some thoughts and a psalm

so i kind of lost my momentum with the whole joshua tree story telling thing, but i will try to finish strong with a few things.
saturday was fun, and i had a lot of time between teams coming to my MIGZ station, so i scouted out this little rock that was perfect for sitting on. i broke out my journal and just wrote all day long... about 4-5 pages worth! did i mention that i like writing stuff?
anyway, it was awesome time just enjoying jtree, thinking on stuff, writing, praying, and then when teams came, having a blast watching people struggle to put a tent together while blindfolded. fun stuff.
so before i finish off this story, i want to insert a psalm that i wrote for my Land Culture Book class i am taking. we were given this assignment before the weekend, and while i sat on a rock at jtree, i figured it was a perfect time to write a psalm... so here it is.
Surrounded by silence, warm blue skies above,
I ponder on Your creation around me, and the life ahead of me.
How great is the hand that formed this place, the One that thought this place!
You know each crevice and crack each rock holds,
the number of needles each cactus is armed with.
Yet, how awesome is it that You created and know little-me just as well! You know all that is to come!
Here on this rock, I close my eyes and feel embraced in Your love, in Your peace, safer than ever before.
That I sit here today (with a lot behind me and more to come) is a blessing--a blessing of life.
Above all the questions that flow through my mind,
it comes down to one:
'Where to next, my Lord, my Rock?'

Does this kind of give you an idea of why these trips mean so much to me? they provide for so much growing!
here's another thing... i never feel more in my element than when i am on these trips... when i'm teaching systems, leading a hike, heading a station, or anything with some sort of leadership while out in nature and what-not, i feel most comfortable. i think you could compare my comfort level to that of sleeping on a tempur-pedic memory foam bed. i can't quite explain it, but i think saying "in my element" is just about as close as you can get.
so of course, when the MIGZ were over, and the time to get on the bus to go home came, i couldn't help but think of the past three years of wilderness challenge, and specifically joshua tree trips. then i thought about how this trip was the perfect and best trip to end on... and then that word entered my mind.. end... shoot, another good-bye to say. so within about 30 seconds of boarding the bus, despite my attempt to not, i said good bye (or more like a "see ya later") to joshua and let a few tears slip by.
it's kind of nice that i don't have to say all my good-byes at once... this is probably my 3rd or 4th big one of the school year, and i'm glad i don't have to save these ones for the end... otherwise it would get too overwhelming.
but i've noticed that "see ya later" is much better and more appropriate...
it's a bit easier on the tear ducts :)
haha, and even now they leak just talking about it :)

have a most blessed wednesday, my friends :)

1 comment:

Jillian said...

That's a really good psalm Stina. I'm kinda sad now.