Morning Glory

I knew it had been a long time since I did an updated blog post, but almost a year!?!?! Where does the time go?  Life was so slow and wonderful when I was a child...there is still much wonderful-ness to my life but...there are also children being murdered with chemical weapons in Syria, Christians in the Coptic community in Egypt are being killed and their churches burned, and musical entertainment in this country has reached a new low.  Sigh, okay, sorry for the downer, but we can't keep our head in the sand!

Being a news, history, and culture junkie, I can't keep from getting sucked into the headlines and analysis.  Unfortunately, that has left little time for my little blog!  Hopefully this should change.  I've already got a really fun post in the works, so stay tuned...

In the meantime, I wanted to share these lovely photos of a beautiful sunrise this morning in the Nation's Capitol...because, well, they're beautiful!  I've seen many late nights at the Capitol, but I'm not often out this early to start the day!  Many years ago, when I was a young pup working in Congress, I gave Capitol tours (history heaven for someone like me!) and would always point out that Lady Freedom atop the Capitol dome faces east - thus, "the sun never sets on freedom."  I always thought that was so poetic and a reminder of how blessed we are in America! (Of course, a recent court ruling saying that Christians can have beliefs but not act on them, does not bode well for freedom and religious liberty...)

But this beauty invokes another kind of poetry that will never fade - from Lamentations chapter 3, verses 22-23: "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  That is cause for joy!  No matter what else we might face.

 

 

 

 

The Colors of Fall

How many colors belong in the palette for fall foliage?

This past weekend, as H.H. and I drove back to D.C. from a beautiful wedding of dear friends in Buffalo, New York, that was the question on my mind.  For about 5 hours we drove through the Allegheny Mountains in PA and the colors were G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S.  And it was such a pleasant surprise, for all the time I've spent in my beloved Pennsylvania (including lots of hours of driving) I was not familiar with this drive so it was fun to see some new sights!

We found an absolutely quaint and picture perfect roadside stop where we picked up some pumpkins.  It was soooooooo beautiful.  That's probably annoying and obnoxious to read, huh?  I mean, really how many "o"s do I need?  Well, try spending anytime in nature with me...every single o is needed for emphasis!

The best part, though? 2 large pumpkins, 3 small pumpkins, 5 gourds, and 3 ears of fall corn...all for $17!

So I was just going to post 1 picture, but the colors are just too vibrant and gorgeous not too share.  And I'm starting to learn how to be all artsy-fartsy with my photography!  Really though, how many colors can you pick out on this palette?

 

 

 
 

Have a wonderful fall!  



I am obsessed with the new panoramic photo feature on the latest iOS 6 software (did I say that right?).  It's just so cool!  And to think such a small device is such an incredible camera. 

I took this photo tonight while on my evening jog.  *Side note - since I mention running/working out several times in this blog, one would think I am in super shape and work out every day - don't let that fool you!

The grandeur of the Capitol on a beautiful evening still gets me.  It's such a magnificent symbol of the greatest of our Nation and her people.  But we can't ignore that our culture and principles of our founding are under attack. 

Which reminds me that we need to P.R.A.Y.  With each breath we take.  I once read an interview in which Billy Graham said that his one regret in life was that he didn't pray enough.  Wow, if Billy Graham thinks that - convicting!  But true.

Let's all call on Him in truth.

On Campus

 

Afraid to oversleep.

 

Can't eat much for breakfast because of the knot in my throat.

 

Butterflies in my stomach.

 

Muscles tightening.

 

Fear of finishing last...

 

These were the recurring feelings I felt for four straight years in late August at the first day of "training camp" for the Grove City College women's soccer team.  The very first event was a timed mile run on the daunting track.  You see, soccer players run sprints and long-distance runs - not track - so those laps, with our coaches standing by with a stop-watch, were s.c.a.r.y.  Not too mention, for the last three years, worrying that one of the new freshmen would beat me!  Okay, that happened...my sister :)

 

These emotions rushed back to me as I went for a *jog* on the track at Bowling Green State University in Ohio while on a work trip.  It's been FIVE years since my last soccer season, and NINE since my first season at the Grove - WOW. 

 

It was a gorgeous end-of-summer-autumn-is-approaching evening.  Athletes practicing football and soccer were spread across the field like the numerous clouds in the sky - I could close my eyes and feel like I was back on the field at Grove City, grinding through a long run, tough drills, 120s (sprint after sprint after 120 yard sprint - yeah, not fun).  Somehow I came away with a few practice pics like this one - yes, that's me - sweaty, bloody-kneed, and yes, chunkier, I know.  It was *muscle*.

 

 

GOOD memories.  I had one of those ah-ha moments to remember to treasure every season in life, and not just be fixated on the next.  Women, (ahem, me) are sooooo prone to do that.  How appropriate that I just read Ecclesiastes 3 - "There is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven."

 

Oh, and I'm happy to report, I've still got that competitive spirit - clocked my mile at 8:45! And now my body is a-hurtin'. Happy to just reflect on those 3-a-day practice memories for now :)

 

Some gorgous pictures from an early September Grove City game, circa 2007.