Week #42

#287

I just love mornings where the moon shines brightly.  The illusion of the moon resting gently on the crooked tree branches can be compared to the hands of Jesus supporting us throughout the day.  His hands are not physically touching us, but they are there.  When life gets tough, he lifts us up, when negative influences challenge our well-being, he lifts us up, when we are faced with difficult decisions, he lifts us up.  His loving, forgiving hands are consistently present and shall not be forgotten just because we cannot feel them.

#288

THESE TWO!

Last WDA together

Last racec on the Dickinson course together

Oh, how I have enjoyed watching these two as they have grown from boys to young men.  Their determination and grit are admirable and hopefully will continue in their future endeavors. 

Slo-Mo video of Aiden!

#289

LIFE WILL BE COMPLICATED!  

Without a doubt, we will experience many struggles throughout our time on this earth.  I have come to learn that there is never a perfect time for anything.  So many of us wait for the right time to take a vacation, the right time to have a child, the right time to go back to school, or the right time to buy a house.  I am not convinced that there is a right time for anything other than when God orchestrates the RIGHT time.  If we wait for everything to fall into perfect place, we will never move beyond the moment we are in right now.  

Do not be afraid to be BOLD and choose today to be the RIGHT time.  If you have been thinking about running your first 5K, changing career paths, or taking that long-awaited time away with your spouse, there is no better day than TODAY!  You do not want to wake up one day and think, "gosh, I wished I would have......"

#290

EVERY MORNING - Aiden stumbles up the stairs, starts his coffee, and finds sweet Samson to snuggle.  Aiden is not a morning kid and prefers no conversation before 10:00 am; however, I am surely going to miss this sight.

  We have had a teenager in our house for over 13 years now, so it will be quite the change for not only Greg and me but also Sammy who loves his morning snuggles.  

#291

This philosophy does not just apply to running, it applies to all of life.  Humans, in particular women, tend to think we need to be better than others to feel good about ourselves.  Living life is not about outdoing one another, it is about living one's best life.  Society has set the image of what we should be, which is incongruent with how humans are designed.  Our creation was very purposeful and intentional with notable differences between us all.  Why must we think comparison or desire to emulate another is a healthy habit?  When we strive to be like someone else, we are not being true to ourselves. Be YOU (with no apologies) and strive to be better than you were a day, a week, or a month ago.  

#292

I used to despise the 'I can see for miles' landscape of North Dakota, but I have come to enjoy the artistry for what it is.  The acres upon acres of corn and wheat are predictable and symmetrical, which my OCD brain just loves.  The fields will soon be barren and covered with a blanket of white snow, which brings another level of delightful viewing.

#293

Greg and I love walking the NDSU Extension Center grounds.  It feels like we are in the deep woods and are far from home.  I am so grateful we have such a beautiful area to experience in Dickinson.

I have never noticed this type of tree in our area before.  It has pine cones and looks like it has pine needles.  I was so confused about how a pine tree could turn yellow.  So, I did a bit of research and this Siberian Larch is considered a deciduous conifer (not sure what that means, so I had to look it up - I clearly do not remember life science from 7th grade).

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Definition

Most trees and shrubs fall into one of two categories: deciduous or coniferous. Deciduous trees have leaves that fall off yearly. Coniferous trees have needles that do not fall off. Another common name for conifers is evergreen, although not all evergreens are conifers (hence, the Siberian Larch).

While "deciduous conifers" are not plentiful, they are quite interesting.  This tree has needles, but also provides amazing crimson or gold fall color. 

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I learned something new on this lovely Sunday afternoon!