Small Mercies

The horse galloped down the field, joyfully ignoring the ever increasing pressure of the reins.  She had finally been allowed to run and she wasn't going to be convinced to slow down just because her rider wanted her too.  Oops, here was a corner, but she could make it.  Slowing only slightly, she charged between the two outbuildings, her rider managing to make the turn with her.  She made out the line of a fence not far in front of her and began to plan for another change of direction.  The rider held on, waiting for the next turn, planning to make her move to stop the horse then.  The horse, still running, began to turn.  But suddenly, the ground beneath her hoofs was no longer the soft turf of a mowed hayfield.  Too late, she realized that concrete does not offer the same traction for metal-shod hooves.  She slipped, falling, sending her rider skidding across the expanse of pavement.  


The rider gathered her scattered senses and sat up.  "Stupid horse!"  She put her head to her hand and then studied it, noting that not only was her face bleeding, but her pinky finger was in an unnatural shape.  Still, as none of her wounds appeared life-threatening, she got to her feet.

Yes, this was me, a week ago tomorrow.  My mom was riding with me and we weren't far from home, so my dad was able to quickly take me to the emergency room.  They discovered that my finger was indeed broken, but that the rest of my injuries mostly looked like scrapes and bruises - not serious.  They set the finger, gave me a tetanus shot, and then decided that the break should be treated like an open fracture as there was a cut on that finger...They took me into surgery, cleaned up the wound, put two pins in to help insure straight  healing, wrapped me up, and sent me home.

So the last week has seen me do not much.  Partly because it hurt to move and I didn't have full use of either hand.  It's been rather inconvenient.  Still, in spite of the pain and annoyance of limitations, I have been constantly reminded of how much I have to be thankful for.

1. That it wasn't worse.  The horse could have fallen on me.  I could have been wearing less protective clothing.  I could have landed differently.  All in all, a broken finger and some bruises are really not too bad.
2. Guidance.  Since finding out that I won't be able to return to Israel for quite a bit longer I've sort of been at a loss.  What to do in the mean time?  I have found a few things to do, but I was beginning to look into a few other options...which are now no longer options because of this broken finger.  At least for now.  This may be a strange thing to be thankful for, but I am.  I suppose it may be because I'm really bad at making decisions - and now here are a couple things that I no longer have to decide about.
3. A chance to learn empathy.  Some people have far worse injuries, far worse pain, some of it permanent.  Hopefully I can learn to treat them with more kindness and understanding.
4.  New piercings.  Well, I'd sort of been thinking about piercing SOMETHING.  I mean, ya know, it's the cool thing to do.  No need now.  TWO pins in my finger.  Yeah, and you thought a pierced nose was cool?  Well, I have a pierced finger.  Be jealous.

And now, just because I'm weird and think it's kind of cool...here is a slide show with a few rather blurry pictures of my injuries.  Feel free to skip it. :)

Sacajawea and Fairies

Today, for the first time since I was four, I climbed to the top of Sacajawea Peak.  Obviously, if a four-year-old Alana can make the climb, it's not too intense.  Nevertheless, it is a mountain.  More specifically, it's a mountain that I've been meaning to climb for a couple years now, and just have never had the time/energy/good weather for it.  However, with the beautiful fall we've been having, I finally managed to fit it in.



My legs started out in the lead.  They still believe that they should be my primary source of transportation and are a little bitter about the whole car thing.  They started off at a brisk pace, shouting encouragement to other parts of my body, "Come on guys!  This is great!  Only a couple miles!"

"Wait for us!"  shouted the heart and lungs, which, I think, are still not used to the altitude.  (Well, at least, it makes a good excuse.)

Some times when they needed a break, the lungs would start talking to the eyes: "Hey, do you see how beautiful it is?  You should convince the legs that you need to stop and take a picture."

"See?  Sooo pretty!"

However, the legs would often reply, "It looks about the same as it did when we stopped 10 minutes ago!  Plus, we'll see the same stuff on the way down.  You can stop then, if you still want."

So then the lungs would talk to the brain: "Hey, ya know, aren't we feeling a little dehydrated?  Tell the legs they'll work better if we stop for water."  *pant, pant*

Of course, whenever the legs were convinced to stop, they realized that, hey, they were a little tired too.  Then the brain would have to kick in and say: "Our goal is the top!  Keep going!  Further up, further in!" and the legs would comply.

Eventually the body started cooperating better as the legs began to realize that they weren't quite used to this whole always-up-hill thing.  (Israel has a lot of hills...but none of them are quite this long...)

There was snow, of course, and, of course, most of it was on the trail, probably by virtue of the trail being more sheltered from the wind and sun.  Or because people had trampled it to ice when it was fresh.

I wasn't complaining, though.  I think this is the first snow I've seen (except from a distance) or touched in well over a year.  Pretty exciting.


The last stretch was brutal as the slope increased and endurance lagged...but with the top in sight, who could stop to rest?

And the view was worth it.  Many of my favorite mountain ranges, all visible in one glorious panorama.
The Spanish Peaks and Hyalite:

 The Crazies:

 And, of course, the long ridge line of the Bridgers.  (Speaking of Ridge Routes...)

At the bottom I paused at Fairy Lake, a place which lives up to its name.  It's easy to imagine the fairies coming out to play, teasing the fish in that still, green pool.  

Around Town

Yesterday I decided to take pictures of barns.  In general, I think barns are pretty cool looking.  Especially the more old-fashioned red ones.  However, there is something espeically spiffy about these barns in fall.  Perhaps it is the way their red color contrasts and compliments the yellow leaves, blue sky, and blue-green mountains around them.  Perhaps they help make up for the lack of red leaves in the area.  At any rate, knowing this beauty was around, just waiting to be captured, I took my camera to a few known barns yesterday.  

This was my first serious stop:

I had driven past it several times in years past, slowly and admiringly, but had never had the time to stop and look properly.  I didn't remember seeing the pond before, so the reflective properties were an unexpected bonus.  

I hadn't put this next building on my planned itinerary, but as it was nearby and picturesque, well, here it is.  More rustic, for sure, but I like rustic. 

Enroute to my next stop, I paused to take pictures of these two barns:

Ah, and then there it was, the last scheduled stop.  A barn that has clearly seen better days, but, still quite picturesque.

As I went around the corner to get a different angle on the barn, I found that I was not the only one who considered it photo-worthy.  Another woman had stopped her car along the side of the road to take pictures.

 

Of course, one cannot spend an afternoon traversing the valley without seeing other strange, unusual, and/or beautiful sights.  

For example, Bozeman seems to boast and unusually large number of man-made ponds, often surrounded by weeds and oddly landscaped trails that are rarely utilized.  Oh well, I guess it's a nice thought.  

Fortunately, many of these ponds have ducks in them.  

Speaking of animal life, it is, of course, impossible to go anywhere without seeing cows.  

 It's been a while since I've wondered around here and the town has changed some, so stumbling across this wall was a sign - I was on the wrong road!  (Well, sort of.  Fun wall, though.)

Yes, that will make an excellent bonfire, and yes, that is a deer head on the fence.  Only in Montana...

Last but not least...

 Since when do apartment buildings come in rainbow colors?!  I can just imagine the conversations:
Child to mother: "But Mooom....I want to live on the BLUE floor!
Or
Woman inhabitant on the phone: "Address?  Yes, that's Building number TYG (for Tan Yellow Green), Apartment number Green-4.  What?  Oh, no, they've decided that colors are much easier to remember than numbers.  Just so many numbers everywhere, darling, it's ghastly.  Just think, we could be building number 274, apartment 14.  How dreadful."

Ok, so really, I like the colors.  I just sometimes have silly flights of fancy.  

Welcome to town!

Longing

"Let not our longing slay our appetite for living." 

~Jim Elliot

That has been the quote on my skype "status" for months now, possibly because I've been too lazy to change it.  More likely, though, I haven't changed it because every time I see it, it still applies.  

It seems that over the course of the last year I have found myself often longing for various things that were out of reach.  They're not bad longings - mostly missing people and places - but I find that I can become so focused on what I'm missing that I forget to enjoy what I have here and now.

So, while I find myself missing JUC (and all that means) almost constantly, I am striving to enjoy what I have here and now.  For example:

The proximity of *real* mountains.

The sights, sounds, and (especially) the smells of autumn.  I wouldn't say that autumn is my favorite season, but it's one of them.  Plus, it's one season that I haven't really experienced for two years, and who knows?  If things go as plan, I may be missing autumn for a while.  I want to enjoy this one.  

The beauty and elegance of Calculus.  Well, the problem below isn't so much beautiful or elegant...but it looks cool, so we left it on the board to impress all the younger students. :)  I know most readers will think I'm crazy, but I really missed the logic and objectivity of math in the past two years.  I love being able to understand things and always get the right answer.  History and geography, fascinating as they are, are much more subjective and open to interpretation.  That can be fun, but some days, well, I just want the certainty and elegance of math.  

Horses on which to gallop across the plains.  Not that we're galloping in this picture...though she would have if  I had let her.  

A chance to reconnect with family...

...and with friends.  And their children.  As a side note, I really missed being around people younger than college-age in Israel, so that aspect has been fun.  

Yarn to play with. :) 

Sunsets to see.

And, of course, the ever popular biodegradable straw.  I mean, really, if you are looking for a reason to visit Montana, there's one, right there.

 
So for now I strive to learn what Paul learned:

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 

~Philippians 4:11b

Colorado

Last week I had the opportunity to go down to Colorado Christian University (CCU) to represent JUC at a study abroad fair.  The trip took nearly five days, but the fair was only a couple hours.  I may have done a few other things.  Here are some of the highlights:

I met up with some JUC friends at the Longmont McDonalds.

Apparently, being with them reminded me so much of home (in this case, Israel) that when I used the bathroom, I momentarily forgot about flushing TP.

I also got to hold the baby.  So cute.  Red hair.  Win.

I stayed with a friend in the Denver area and her 3 cats.  

I think one of her cats was convinced that I was going to eat him, so he tended to run away and hide.  Thus, he is not in the picture.  

She took me to the Denver Aquarium.  

It had really.big.fish.

She also took me to the butterfly pavilion.   

We also visited Whole Foods, since I've heard so much about them but have never been able to see one in person.  It was pretty entertaining.  And I think I am now inspired to start my own chain of grocery stores.  I will call them "Half Foods."  Because sometimes I have a bizarre sense of humor.  

I finally got around to doing my job and set up a table at CCU, hopefully generating some interest.  (Come to JUC!  It's great!  Really.)

 I then drove west, through some beautiful country.  

Stayed with a friend from camp days and her husband.  

I drove home the next day, through some more beautiful country.  Well, parts of Wyoming were sort of boring.  Oh well.  It was nice to get away and have a little adventure.  Thanks all for a great trip!

This Hope

How many times have I tried To bow my head in prayer When I know I have failed Him?
How can I look to His face When I see the pain I've caused in the tears that are falling?
But I know He's but there waiting for me to turn to Him.
I must find the strength He's given and claim His promise to forgive.


This hope I've found
In the mercy of my Lord,
That He paid the debt for me,
That my works could not afford.
I know that there is a hope:
This Hope I've found in Christ.


How can I stand before men When I know it's me who needs strength In these things that I'm sharing?
How can I bid you look up When I know it's me from the depths Of this world who is reaching?
I am not even worthy This message now to bring.
I must give Him all the glory For by His grace alone I sing.

In a world where the phrase "Christian Music" often conjures up all sorts of bad connotations:
1a. Trite and/or repetitive lyrics
1b. Songs that could equally well be addressed to one's significant other if their name were substituted for "Jesus"
1c. The theological understanding of a whiny 3-year-old
2a. The vocal prowess of the same whiny 3-year-old
2b. General lack of excellence
3. Money is the priority, rather than ministry
This Hope is a breath of fresh air.

Of course, they are not perfect, and their musical style may not fit everyone, but...
1a,b,c. Their lyrics are taken from Scripture, thoughtful integration of life experiences with Biblical principles, or hymns.  Trite and repetitive they are not.  Encouraging and thought-provoking they are.  
1b. There is no mistaking that these songs are sung to the Creator of the universe.
1c. I may  not always agree with everything theologically, but for the most part, they are spot-on.  
2a. Five men who can sing together in beautiful harmony - often acappella.  Need I say more?  
2b. I know they continually strive for excellence in this area as well.  
3.  They do make a living from their music, so it is understandable for them to charge money for merchandise and such.  Everything is reasonably priced, though, and at least here, their concert is always free.  It is clear: they have a heart for the ministry.


If this sounds like an advertisement, well, take it rather as a recommendation from a friend.  If you've never heard of them, they are worth at least checking out.  To start you off, here's one of my favorites:

"Break My Plans"