2013. Done & Done.

2013. Gone. Done. Adios.

2013, you weren't my favorite year.
You weren't my least favorite year, no, that was 2007.
But, compared to more recent years past, there was a lot to live up to, and you just didn't make the mark.
So, I can't blame you 2013, I just wish you had stepped up your game.

There were incredible highlights, like that time I went to Hawaii with my parents and went snorkeling with my dad and a pod of wild dolphins jumped and spun along side our boat...

And then...AND THEN they joined us for a swim in Honolua Bay.
Hands down, no question, best moment of the year.

And in 2013, there were no new countries visited. No new states either. Most of the year was spent along the West Coast exploring.
NorCal, SoCal, CenCal - is CenCal a thing?

I adventured locally. Baked a lot. And spent a bit of time changing things around to make my house even more of a home.

I caught both sunrises and sunsets. Many, many sunsets.
Each one, reminding me not to worship the created, as incredible as it is, but the creator - who is more incredible than these mere samples of His glory.

As I reflect on 2013 here in these first days of 2014, and I begin my daily quiet times in the book of Genesis, I am reminded that as in creation, "God saw that it was good".

Despite 2013 not being a milestone year, one necessarily for any record books other than my own, God still saw that it was good. 

I ended 2012 and began 2013 reminding myself that the Lord does not waste anything. He redeems it all, as he showed me at the end of 2011 and beginning of 2012, for His glory, and our good.

Funny how he has been stringing these pieces together. Sanctifying me each year, He is the one writing the story.  Teaching me. Slowly.

And as I begin 2014, I don't know what the Lord holds in store. I don't know how next January's post will read. What lessons I will learn.  But I know that it is in the hands of the Almighty God. All knowing. All powerful. Infinitely loving.

So on these crisp January days of 2014, where the trees are mere skeletons, and the ground is parched longing for rain that hasn't come, where the skies are hazy and smoggy, I need to cling to Jesus for 2014. I want to set my heart on things above. Because I long for belonging. I need to long for Him. And he has made me his own. I belong to Him. He loves me. He has chosen me. And I want to remember that all the days He has for me this year.  I have been chosen by the Almighty God. And in the end, at the end of the day, the end of the year, the end of my days, that is all that matters.

One Final Adventure for 2012: The Coast Post

I truly believe the West Coast is the Best Coast.
And on New Years Eve, Betsy, Angela, Margaret, Ellen and I headed out on Highway 1 to soak it all in.
Squeezing just one more adventure into 2012.
We loaded up Betsy's mom's Swagger Wagon and got to adventuring.

We had a loose agenda, a few things we had done before, and a few that we had yet to try.
It was as if the coast knew we'd be showing up with one big camera and several iPhones, as she was dressed to blue sky, green grass, and yellow wildflower perfection.

And after we took an unholy amount of photos in this incredible field, we headed southbound on Highway 1.

The sky was as blue as it comes. The clouds were wispy and white. The Pacific was dressed in it's New Year's Eve sparkles. And everything around us was lush and clean and green from all the recent rains.

And then this happened.

And then this.

And with the help of the self timer, this too.

And can we talk about this?!!?
Or maybe not, because seriously, I have no words. Well, maybe one. REFLECTIONS!!

All of this, and we hadn't even had lunch yet.
The day had just begun.

And then there was lunch.
And it was good.

And after lunch.
There were goats.
And goat cheese.
And a goat farm.
So much goaty goodness.

Local honey, cheese, olive oil.

It was all so pretty.

And then I got a text, "come upstairs ASAP"
To which I found Betsy and Margaret in the cutest little banquet room.
It was so dark, and I hardly got any pictures.
But all of us were day dreaming hipster dinner parties, with live music, twinkle lights, fresh flowers, and plenty of cheese.

And it overlooked what we came for, the goats!
So we headed down to see the little nannies.

And stood there standing and watching goats.
For a lot longer than was probably necessary.
But, GOATS.
So, you know. We stared.
And tried to make it interesting.

After the goat farm, we headed back to highway one, but not without another awesome photoshoot location detour.
Because, how beautiful are these backdrops.

And since the days are so short, the sun was already getting lower, the clouds were getting wispier, shadows longer, and the glow was this beautiful creamy yellow.

The sea was foamy.
And the waves were crashing the rocks, while the spray met us up on the bluff.

And we kept going.
Little by little, down the coastline.
A mile here, a mile there.
And next stop, we were at a strawberry farm.

With an honor system bakery and gift shop.
A little till left on the counter, where you make your own change, and generosity is encouraged.

There is a 10% discount for those who come by bicycle AND are wearing a helmet. (Safety first!)
A little seating area welcomes you to stay for a while, play vintage board games, play with old timey toys, and flip through yellow paged books.
All things kitschy. All things magical.

The day was nearly done.
We continued all the way to Santa Cruz. With berry filled bellies.
Walked a little bit of the downtown, did some window shopping, and as the sun dipped below the horizon, we returned home.

Countless adventures on the books. Closing out 2012 with seabreezes and ocean air.
I think every year should be closed out this way. Every day, if it were possible.

Later that night, back in town, we rang in the new year with old friends, a shiny disco ball, festive hats, and smokey party poppers.

A day like this was most definitely the best way to say goodbye twenty-twelve, and hello twenty-thirteen.

Thoughts for 2013: God Does Not Waste, He Redeems

Last year, I chose a phrase, to be my heart's cry for the year.

"For His Glory, and Our Good" 

And throughout the year, when things got crazy, or uncertain, or awesome and amazing, God would quietly whisper that into my heart.

God has done and shown me a lot in 2012. He challenged me to remember his faithfulness and steadfastness, and in turn, let those things my heart's desire as well. To be faithful and steadfast to Him. So often I failed at that.

And yet, over and over he reminded me, "be faithful".
(Such as the day the rainbow lasted for three hours. A sweet friend texted me these words "guess God wants to be super sure you remember his promises are for YOU" it was a much needed, and much encouraging reminder)
 

These last few weeks, my heart has pondered what being faithful means.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." 

Hebrews 11:1

And in this, I have found two categories.

Assurance in hope. (For our heart)
Certainty in the unseen. (For our mind)

We can have faith in God's promises.
And we can trust that God truly is who He says.

And this year my heart is reaching toward a new focus:

Redeem.

Redeemed.

Redeeming.

Redemption. 

God is GOOD. 

His Son is Good.

And has paid our price, with his life, death, and resurrection, He has redeemed us from the pit.

And will use all of our hurts, and aches, joys, sorrows, laughter, and tears for His Glory and Our Good.

He redeems what appears lost and ruined, and through the blood of Christ, makes it whole, good, and pure. He uses the hard stuff. All of it.

God does not waste anything. Time. Tears. Or toil.

He is sovereign over everything, He makes good out of what was meant for evil.
He redeems it all.