anywhere but there

and for the next five days, they'll be found in wranglers, boots, and cowboy hats, or some combination of the three. Even though the other 360 days of the year they are found in anything but these. I don't miss the riff-raff - un-local yay-hoo's taking over a beautiful valley as if she were their own, a passing summer fling. Many of them won't even call back after the weekend is over.

For the rest of the year, I'm happy to call Ellensburg my own, but for this Labor Day weekend, I am happy to be anywhere but the 25 mile radius that surrounds her. It hurts me to know that my little princess of a town will have to endure the abuse of this weekend.

NW221, etc.

We stood surrounded by trees, and the Lord was there, along with the warm yellow light. I was surprised by a moment that was beautiful.

---

Rumor has it you're required to check into a flight at least 30 minutes prior to departure. I never thought this would be an issue - until sunday I was trying to check in 31 minutes prior to departure, and was cut of half way though check in, when the computer's clock changed to 30 minutes. Suprisingly, NWA sticks to their guns. I certainly didn't fly back to Kona on Sunday.

Monday brought success as far as boarding aircraft goes. I certainly had to fly through SFO and HON, being delayed by a few hours at each leg of the journey. I don't know that I've ever felt so far away from Kona. Eventually I arrived, and am now sitting to you typing from area code 96740: Kailua-Kona.

But am I steadfast, or will I just resort to complaining when life becomes a hassle? When original callings become tried, are they something I will continue to tie myself to? I don't know that it would be worth it if it were something completely easy. Life, at many points, will require sacrifice. Sometimes time spent with family. Sometimes a preferred climate. Sometimes ambient lighting. I'm trusting though, that these things, entrusted to him, will become what they need to be.

really, this was written two days ago.

Originally Recorded at 11:56 AM, Honolulu Time, August 12, 2008.

Flying anywhere in Hawaii, you automatically feel like a tourist. Even if you aren’t wearing a flowered shirt, black socks, a fanny pack, or a staw hat. If you’re in the airport, you can’t help but feel like an obnoxious outsider. I’m in the airport now.

I’m out of the vog, but it’s still hard to know where I’m going. Life is changes. Home I would normally see as familiar, but this time it will involve even more changes. Not that changes are bad, I just have to learn to live in light of them. Lord knows I need to be kept from becoming too settled.

Commitment. An example will soon be seen. Already, I see that this is something that cannot help but be related to so many things outside wedding dresses and rings and honeymoons. Surely it applies to these. But surely it must also relate to our relationships (friendships or “serious”), projects, long-term vision, and ultimately our involvement with the One who is much greater.

Distance and time zones quite often seem to stand in the way. However, they exist, and I therefore must learn to function in their reality. I’m noticing a common thread.

Is it morning, or is it night? I would answer both.

endurance vs. withering (like grass)

I don't know what it will look like, and I don't know what it will say, but I'm willing to move forward. The struggle as of late: application of an often times obscure faith to a world with concrete needs. Wanting to say something real that will be more than just a stream of words, stylistically laid out, sans serif, with strong images. We can know so much while still remaining unaware of practical solutions. When we move towards Your heart we move towards these. The pieces fit, there are just so many of them to sort through.

So I carry a bible, and a newspaper. I'm sure they go together in some way or another.

I don’t know what I’m thinking. I don’t know what I’m feeling. And in this it’s become apparent that I run rather dry, and You stand rather strong. There is so much about You to dwell on, even when I don't feel right. I’m trying to trust You when You say the approval is here.