Like King David

Tonight as I sit here and am completely weighed down by Satan and the ways that he is at work in my life, I claim these verses and I ask that God will protect me like He protected King David. I ask for the Father's loving kindness, His peace, for His healing and for His comfort.

"Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you."
-Psalm 25: 16-21

Leaning on the Everlasting

I'm going to lean on the Everlasting...

This past week was an interesting week, and I got to meet many amazing people and made several new friends. But I learned a lot this week about people. It made me reflect back on all the times I've traveled and gone on trips. It made me wonder if I've ever had my priorities in mind, and not the ones of the Father.

I know that in the future, when I travel, I will always look to you, Father, and for Your will. I will not "lean on my own understanding", but I will seek and listen to Him. Please let me never forget the lessons You taught me this week.

Vacationing at Vityaz contd.

Here's another journal entry from my vacation…
Day 2
I ache in so many places! We hiked around 12 km (7 and a half miles) today. It felt like it was all uphill too! I'm so tired. Okay, more about that later, I'm going to finish up about yesterday.

So after helping making borscht, I took a walk with Julie and found really cool glass on the beach. It's been made smooth by the water and sand and I had to pick up about ten pieces, they are coming back with me to Texas. I also found half of a starfish. It was awesome! I've never found a real one on the beach, the ones I see are at the souvenir stores.

After that we came back, and I slept for several hours. Then, I woke up and had fish (fresh fish caught that day but Kolya I and Kolya II). It was wrapped in foil and cooked in the fire, yes in the fire. It was pretty good, considering that I do not really like fish.

So, back to today. We were promised a shower, which was good because it had been about 2 or 3 days without one(not even joking). Thankfully we weren't smelly yet, because it's been in the 60s and rainy each day. We were able to shower today, but not in the campground showers, those were broken, so the campground owner asked his neighbors if we could shower at their house. I was thankful for the shower, but a little weirded out going into some strangers house to shower! So after our showers we ate some lapshaw (which is like ramen) and then we were told that we were going on a stroll. In Russian, there is actually a verb "to stroll", and people often go on strolls around their parks and in the city. It's very common to use this word, more so than in English. So when I heard we were going on a stroll, I got excited. I asked Yana what to bring and she said maybe some water.

We started off walking and within about 5 minutes it became clear that this stroll wasn't a stroll, but a HIKE. I don't know about you, but when I go on a hike, I bring different items than what I bring on a stroll! We hiked all day long and it felt like it was uphill the entire way. When we got to the bay, it was beautiful! It was just our group and one other family about half a mile up the beach, we had the entire place to ourselves! I found an entire starfish and I planned on bringing it home, but it didn't make the hike back to the campground. There were huge shells, intact and unbroken, it was awesome!

After relaxing for a few minutes at that bay, our group decided to go to another bay that was up and over a few hills. While hiking, I felt like in was in Hawaii where they filmed Lost. It was so gorgeous! I've been on beaches in several various places, including Cancun, California, Greece, and Ireland, and I've never seen anything so beautiful! It was worth all the hiking!

The other bay had several little islands that you could walk through the water to get to. So Julie and I explored the two islands! It was awesome! I loved every minute! I wish that we could have stayed longer!

Standing there on top of one of the little islands and taking in God's creation made me wonder how any man can say "there is no God".

Well, now I am extremely exhausted and sunburned after our "stroll", but I say it was worth it! Tonight we're eating shashlik and I can't wait! What a great way to end the day!

Vacationing at Vityaz

So, I went on vacation to Vityaz, it's about 30 miles or so by water from the border of Russia and NK. I had a great time, but was a little cold. I made several journal entries about my time there. Here is day one...

July 7th, 2010
My life is an adventure! Yesterday, Julie and I went with some friends of ours, and some of their friends on vacation. So the names of the married couples are, Yana and Kolya, and Olya and Kolya.

It took about five hours to get here and the road were horrible! We thought that the firs two hours had bad roads, but that was nothing!!! the last two hours, I was bouncing around in the back seat. I had no idea that I could fly around like that! I've never been so rattled like this before. Sitting here now, thinking about the drive, I imagine it's how the settlers were when riding in wagons over the untamed land. Man, I feel sorry for them! This road was not a road, it was more like a mudding trail.

When we finally arrived, the weather was horrible! It was so wet and rainy. Probably in the low 60s and misty rain. After walking and then sitting in the rain, I felt extremely cold and went to bed with FOUR layers on and about SIX blankets on top of me. When I slept, I dreamed of warm gloves and hats. Haha! Thankfully, Yana gave us a heater for our room so we shouldn't be as cold tonight!

Now it's time to learn how to make borscht!