Colter's Thirteen

Today, Jason and I went for a run in the neighborhood down to Lake Union, and then we patched a route back through lots of construction that is happening in the UDistrict.  One street was so loud with bulldozers and other equipment that I wished I had earplugs, and there were other streets we ran by peeking into lots where the construction crew had excavated an entire block to create underground parking for a new building that would be going up.  Living in this neighborhood so close to the university has meant that we have seen an amazing amount of change over the last 9 years we have lived here.  While this was not my most favorite scenic route (as the hillsides covered in purple in the park right now fill my bucket more), it was a powerful reminder of how quickly things can change in a neighborhood.  I was thinking about you and this next season of being a teenager and how much will change. You are already taller than your mom, and I imagine that you are going to just keep growing to

Colter, I read this verse this week (Proverbs 3:5-6) in the Message, and I loved the encouragement. As you run, study, play, work, eat, drink, sleep, and go about doing all the things that make up your day, may you listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go. And may you know that He's the one who will keep you on track. 

This is a goofy picture of your Uncle Jas and of me when we were running in the race on Saturday.  As you can see, I was not looking at the photographer who was snapping pictures. My eyes were on the trail to make sure I did not fall, and I found that this was the case for a lot of the run that I had to keep my eyes a few feet in front of me and not get distracted by too much else; otherwise, I would have tripped easily with the bumpy terrain.  In some ways, it's a perfect metaphor for how we have to walk through life. We can't see into the future, but we can do the best we can to keep our eyes on the trail in front of us and chart a path one step at a time. God does not shine the light too far ahead of us so as to keep us in the present, and I've also found that this keeps us in a more dependent relationship with God as we learn to trust Him along the way.  I am praying for you today to know that God is with you on your journey and that you can trust Him to show you the wa

This song came to mind as I wrote the post yesterday, and I wanted to share it with you.....                     You are so loved, Colter.   You'll Find Your Way- by Andrew Peterson  When I look at you, boy I can see the road that lies ahead I can see the love and the sorrow Bright fields of joy Dark nights awake in a stormy bed I want to go with you, but I can’t follow So keep to the old roads Keep to the old roads And you’ll find your way Your first kiss, your first crush The first time you know you’re not enough The first time there’s no one there to hold you The first time you pack it all up And drive alone across America Please remember the words that I told you Keep to the old roads Keep to the old roads And you’ll find your way You’ll find your way If love is what you’re looking for The old roads lead to an open door And you’ll find your way You’ll find your way Back home And I know you'll be scared when you take up that cross And I know it'll hurt, 'cause I know

On Saturday when we were running in the race, there were neon pink ribbons tied all along the course so that we would not get lost on the way. Several people spent days flagging over 30 miles of trail.  It made me grateful for people and events in our lives that are markers for us and that point the way on the trail before us. For me, I know that both your mom and dad have served as trail markers in my own life--- pointing me back to God's grace again and again and being faithful friends who pray for me and love me well. I am praying that God will give you deep friendships and mentors through the years ahead who can be those trail markers for you and who can help you find your way. 

This morning before we left the Methow Valley, Elizabeth, Anna, Isaac and I went to Patterson Lake for a fun run to soak up a little more of the beauty together. I was distracted a bit on the run thinking about things that needed attention when we got back, but the words "be here now" became a bit of a mantra for me while we were running. Such an important reminder at times when the world pulls our minds in a thousand directions.  May this be a simple reminder to be present to the places and people around you when you are tempted to be distracted by your phone, a game, a show, or whatever sucks you in from being in the present moment.  Also, let me not forget to note the birthday countdown today!

Last year, the Sunflower Relay (our favorite run of the year) was cancelled because of Covid, but this year, the wonderful folks from Methow Trails put in lots of planning, safety protocols, staggered starts, etc. to allow runners to enjoy the fields of gold that show up in the Methow Valley every spring.  As this summer is our 25th anniversary, we took the chance to celebrate amidst the sunflowers today.  Team Relay Leg Descriptions:   Leg 1 - 2.2 miles, easy - would be good for younger or beginner runner  Leg 2 - 5.6 miles, easy - flat  Leg 3 - 5.9 miles, moderate w/ hills Leg 4 - 6.5 miles, moderate w/ a steep climb Leg 5 - 6.6 difficult - strong runner required  I ran extra legs (all the highlighted ones above 14.4 miles) so I could get in my 13+ miles in today in your honor. I will share more reflections in the next few days from the run, but today, I am just wanting to celebrate you, celebrate our (almost 25 years of marriage), and celebrate Cazden's black belt today.        

Today, Jason and I had some time to go on a run before we headed out of town today. We made up a bit of a different route due to some time constraints. As we got to one intersection, I went one way to stop by the grocery to grab one thing for our trip that we needed, and Jason headed home to make sure Taylor was up for class.  As we charted different routes home, I was thinking about different paths we take through life. My mind then just began wandering until I got home. I was thinking about Anna having a week left to decide on college and I began praying for her to have wisdom and guidance. Then that made me think about you and I was praying for you with this next year and with lots ahead of you in middle school and high school and you making a college choice at some point (!).  This verse below came to mind, and I'll end this stream of consciousness here trusting that God can our wanderings and ponderings in our prayers for one another. ❤

Every spring, the park near us bursts out the purple color with these wild bluebells, and it is nothing less than spectacular. One whole hillside is overtaken by the splendor. And the thing is that I only noticed these a few years ago, and we have been here for 9 years now in this neighborhood.  What are some signs of spring in your neck of the woods that mark this time of year and bring a little bit of hope and color back to the world?  This quote below is a favorite from a book called The Color Purple by Alice Walker:  Praying for you that you would have eyes to notice today....

  “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”  – Psalm 150:6 (NRSV) Everything that breathes. Every leaf and flower, every particle of soil, every worm, every chicken, every pig, every cow. Every person. Let everyone breathe. It’s Earth Day week, and we who are reading this morning's devotional are surrounded by the breath of God in others, breath made to praise the Creator. Do we stifle or amplify that praise?   Watch another living being praising God today. In addition to our human forms of praise, you might look for: a tree branch stretching to the sun, a crow playing, a goat leaping.  -Sara Withrow King  Here were some things that Elizabeth and I saw this morning on our run that were bursting forth with praise today.... What have you seen today that is praising God?  (I imagine Stella is high on your list!) 

 YAY! Today marks 6 weeks until your birthday! HOORAY! 

I ran 13 miles today for my weekend run in your honor as we are leaving super early in the morning to fly back to Nashville. I ran 6.25 miles to a friend's house and went on a walk with her and then mapped a 6.75 mile route back home to make it an even 13. What I did not realize was that the route that Google maps was going to send me on was going to take me up a very hilly route for about half the way there and back. In some ways, I was so glad I did not know this was coming, and I just had to take it one mile at a time. It was a bit of a slower pace today because of these killer hills and as I was super sore from the workout yesterday morning with all the squats and push-ups. This made the finish all the sweeter today.  It made me think about how it's good that we don't always know what the road ahead will hold for us. As you jump into these teenage years, there is a lot of uncharted territory ahead, but in some ways, it is good that God does not show us everything in adv