Be Still

The photo above is from the Okavango Delta in Botswana at sunset.  We had the privilege a few years ago to go out and explore this Delta on a boat one evening.  After spending a few hours weaving in and out of paths made through patches of tall papyrus reeds and marsh grasses, stopping every once and while to observe the wildlife, we ended the evening with the boat just sitting still, watching the sun dip below the horizon.  It was truly one of the most peaceful moments I have ever experienced.  

We sat there, listening to the birds sing, hearing the hippos begin their nightly calls to each other-- which sounds sort of like a soft grunting noise-- and the various bugs adding their soft buzzing and chirping to the mix, with the water, perfectly, peacefully calm.  On the air was the light sweet scent of the marsh grass and the sharp scent of the wild sage that grows in Botswana.  The water here is crystal clear and crisp-- the grasses that grow here act as natural purifiers.

It was the perfect end to a busy day.  It was a perfect end to a fun but very full and busy vacation.  

Stillness brings with it time of reflection, feelings of deep satisfaction, calmness, and peace.  We place a lot of importance in life on movement.  Keep moving forward.  Never give up.  Don't stop.  All of that is important-- we were not meant to remain still or stagnant. But we forget that times of rest are just as important.

We need those times to stop and reflect.  We need those times to remember how much we have to be thankful for.  We need those times to rest not only our physical bodies, but our emotional and mental beings as well.

And we need to be still and let God talk and minister to us in times of heartache and pain.  

I have had a busy, but completely enjoyable week showing one of my nephews  Washington D.C.  I walked his legs off in an effort to show him all of the incredible and important history that is housed there.  And I loved every minute of it!  But some of my favorite moments?  Those moments when I had a chance to be quiet and still,  whether I was viewing an amazing piece of artwork, or gazing at a memorial that was spectacularly lit up at night.

This verse has been playing over and over in my mind these past few weeks:

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

I don't know what is going on your busy life this week.  Maybe chaos has been reigning and you are tired of all the craziness.  Maybe you have been dealing with heartache or pain.  Or maybe, you are just physically run down.  If so, My advice to you (and to me) is to make the time to take a moment and be still.  Stop, and let God speak to you.  Stop, and let God love you.  Stop, and rest.  Stop,  and be grateful.  Stop, and reflect.  Stop, and enjoy a moment of quiet.  God is not unaware of where you are and how you are feeling.  He wants to meet you right where you are-- you just need only be still.

That's it, no great words of wisdom today.  Just something simple, yet so important.  I pray that you find rest today.  I pray that you  find time to be still.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs from Stephen Curtis Chapman and a few more photos from that incredibly still water in the Okavango Delta.

The Importance of Foundations... Lessons from Europe

"The beginning is the most important part of the work."  Plato

Duomo in Milan, Italy

Old Cathedral in Montepulciano, Italy

St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican

St. Stephen's Cathedral Vienna, Austria

St. Stephen's Budapest, Hungary

Notre Dame, Paris

By now, you are probably familiar with my great love for old European Cathedrals.  I am fascinated by them.  My goal in life is to visit as many of them as I possibly can.  Really, one of my secret goals is to one day publish a coffee table book containing my photos from all the cathedrals I have visited.  I doubt anyone will buy it, but I will put it on my coffee table within easy reach, so that when I am unable to travel, I can reach down and relive fond memories.  

It's safe to say that my immediate family members (my husband and my son) are not quite as passionate as I am about these old churches.  To quote my son, "I mean these old cathedrals are cool and all, but after visiting the 20th one in one day, you kind of loose your enthusiasm.  Except my mom, my mom walks into every single one of these things and is still in awe, every single time."  Yup, that's me.  Guilty as charged.  I just still find it amazing, every time I walk into one of these majestic old buildings, that people managed to build them without the use  of modern equipment.  That they were carved piece by piece, stone by stone, by hand. The artwork, the carved stairways, the statues and sculptures, even the original benches and pews that people have sat and worshiped in for centuries-- all made by someone's hand.

But probably the most amazing thing to me is that these buildings have stood for centuries.  They have outlasted natural disasters, famine, poverty, wars, and in some cases even fire.  Longevity.  It's amazing!  

This week our country will celebrate our  241 "birthday", known as Independence Day-- the day we claimed our independence from Britain.  In essence, we are celebrating our "Foundation."  Which circles me back to my previous line of thought and the longevity of my beloved cathedrals.  So why is it that these majestic buildings have survived for so long?  I mean St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican was built is 333AD (it received a facelift in the 15th century).  That's longevity!

So, curious as to find some sort of answer to my questions, I began to do a little googling on how to build a long lasting solid structure.  And everything I read came back to this one principle-- the foundation is important.  The foundation can make or break an architectural structure. Foundations are important because your entire building sits on top of it.  If you skimp on the foundation, you risk the failure of the whole structure. In fact, any mistakes you make in the foundation will only get worse as you go up.  This is known as compounding defects and it means that mistakes grow bigger as you build up. Also, a good solid foundation usually contains a cornerstone-- a piece that helps transfer the weight of the building evenly to the ground- which helps to prevent one part of the building from bearing all the weight and thus sinking on one end.  Hmmm.....

So next, I looked up the definition of the word foundation and here is what I found. Foundation can be defined as the act of founding or starting;  a basis upon which something stands or is supported; an underlying base or support.  

"Stability is everything.  Be it emotional or physical.  You need solid ground to build anything on."

"He set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."  Psalm 40:2

This foundation principle can be applied to our lives as well.  In fact, it should be applied.  Let's be real,  life if full of what one can call natural disasters.  Circumstances and events can cause things around us to feel shaky and uncertain.  Metaphorically (and sometimes literally) one can experience times of famine, poverty, war, and fire.  And when those times come, and they will for that's part of life-- your foundation will be tested.  As you build your life, you will add more weight to your  building. And it will either hold up, or you will experience structural failure.

So my question to myself, and to you today is this:  What makes up your foundation? What makes a good, solid, strong foundation?  I looked up Bible verses that contained the word foundation.  There were a lot of them, but here are just a few (you want to know the rest?  Look them up).

"According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it.  But each man must be careful how he builds on it." 

1 Corinthians 3:10

"So then you are no longer strangers and alien, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone."  Ephesians 2:19-20

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock and the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.  Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." Matthew 7:24-27

"Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed."  I Timothy 6:18-19

There are  famous quotes out there about the importance of a good foundation in life.  There are a lot them as well. Here are a few:

"The foundation stones for a balanced life are faith, honesty, character, integrity, love, and loyalty."

Zig Ziglar

"The loftier the building, the deeper must the foundation be laid." Thomas Kempis

"Without a solid foundation, you'll have trouble creating anything of value."  Erika Oppenheimer

"You cannot build a superstructure on a cracked foundation."  Billy Graham

"Foundation is the key to longevity."  Jeskilz

"It is not the beauty of a building you should look at;  it's the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time."  David Allen Coe

"Faith becomes the foundation I'm built on."  T.D. Jakes

It seems like most people agree that a solid foundation is key, to both building and life structure.  But what exactly does this mean?  I by no means have this life thing figured out.  I still am, and always will be, a flawed, messy human being.  But what I know for sure is that without my solid foundation of faith in God, the life I have built (and am still building) could not have withstood the storms that I have been through.  I will honestly tell you that there have been days where the only solid thing I had to cling to was the foundation/corner stone of my deep belief and faith in God.  I have an amazing husband, but what really makes our marriage solid and stable?  Our shared belief in God. Our marriage is built on the foundation of faith.  The foundational stone of God provides stability in my life.  God will never leave me nor forsake me is a truth that bears the weight of life for me.  The fact that God loves me is a stabilizing force that allows me to feel secure, even when I am feeling my most vulnerable.  

I want to make one more observation about foundations before I wrap this up.  Did you know that sometimes a poor foundation can be fixed?  It's not easily done.  It involves a lot of time, hard work, and can be costly.  But it can be done.  Usually it involves them coming in and through a series of lifts and equipment, lifting the structure up off the ground, and then placing structural supports under the foundation to help strengthen and lift it.

If you find yourself struggling today.  If you feel like the life you have built is listing to the side and about to topple over.   Or if you even feel like you are standing in the middle of the toppled over ruins of your life, I would like to bring you gentle, heart felt encouragement.  Go back to your foundation of faith.  If you started out with that foundation-- simply find your way back to that corner stone.  If you never had faith in God as a foundation, just like a I mentioned in the paragraph above, you can add God to your foundation now.  

I hope you all enjoy a great week of celebrating our countries "foundation."  I'll leave you with a few more photos from some of the most awe-inspiring  (in my opinion) structures on our planet.

Old Parish Church   Budapest, Hungary

Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria

Linz, Austria

Budapest, Hungary

Durnstein, Austria

Sunbathing... Practicing the Pause...A Lion Life Lesson

It was a cold South African morning, during their winter season,  and we were at a lodge that was located in the heart of the Sabi Sands game preserve.  This area is named after the Sand River.  Winter is their dry season, and as such, there were several places where the river had dried up and all that was left was this long bed of river sand.  And this is where our story today begins, in that patch of dried up River, in the sand.

We came across this lioness and her three three month old cubs all laying in the sand, soaking up the heat that it provided.  I really can't overestimate the cuteness factor here.  There is truly something magical about cubs.

As we were observing this small pride, our guide began to tell us the story this little family.  These little cubs had already had a rough start in life.  First of all, as small cubs, they are particularly vulnerable to other predators.  They were also under threat from other male lions.  Often, when a new male comes into the territory, he will kill all the cubs (which are not his).  Very recently some new male lions had been pushing into this territory, so they were under threat.  And to top it all off, the young cubs had come down with a case of mange.. which is a disease often picked up from hoofed animals, and which can be life threatening to a young animal whose immune system is easily overwhelmed.  The risk of starvation is very real. In fact, very few cubs actually make it into adulthood. All of these problems were very real worries.  And yet, here this little pride lay, in the middle of an open patch of dried up riverbed, exposed to the very real dangers and problems.  

Now listen, lions sleep... a lot!  And I understand the wisdom of this mother using the suns rays which were heating up the sand combined with the sands nature of holding such heat to help keep her cubs warm on this crisp cold morning.  It all seems very practical.  And yet, in the midst of all this practicality... one of the little female cubs does this.... (see photo below)

She lifts her head to the sun, and closes her eyes in what looked to be sheer enjoyment of the moment.  Her circumstances hadn't changed.  The hard of aspects of her life were not going away, but in that little moment, she was just enjoying where she was.  She was enjoying the warmth of the sun hitting her face.  She was enjoying the closeness of her mother and siblings.  She was enjoying the warmth of the sand beneath her.  I like to think that she was even testing and enjoying 

the freshness of the air on this crisp clear morning.  She was "Practicing the Pause"  -- enjoying everything about that particular moment.  Feeling the goodness of that moment, in spite of the trouble still lurking for her and around her, and being grateful  for it (as much as a lion can be grateful).

It's a good life lesson, this practicing of pausing and finding the joy in a moment.  It's not always easy to do, and I very often forget to do it.  It's really easy for me to get swept up in the natural drama of life, to worry about the next step, to become so busy that I tell myself that I don't have time to pause because stuff has to get done.  And yet, when I don't make time to pause, I find that I become less... less peaceful, less grateful, less kind, just overall less.  And by not taking a moment to pause, and really enjoy the place that I am at, I miss out on some of the small but meaningful good moments in my life.

I wrote  a few weeks ago about my mom's cancer struggle, and about abundant living in spite of trouble.  And I think the key to abundant life is this practice of pausing, and enjoying, small moments.  Life passes so quickly and people (myself included) often buy into the belief that they do not have time to pause.  And yet studies have shown that the biggest regrets people have at the end of their life are rooted in the lack of taking the time to pause and enjoy the moment.  You can't get time back, once it's gone, it's gone.  And I don't want to rush through life, moving from moment to moment, next step to next step, only to discover that although I may have accomplished a lot, I have no joy in those accomplishments because I never took the time to pause and appreciate the moment.

The truth of my life, and yours, is that there are big changes on the horizon.  And while I am trying my best to prepare and plan for these changes, I am also trying to be conscious of the everyday moments.  I am trying to keep one foot in the present while getting ready to take the next step.  So what does this look like?  How am I practicing the pause? 

My moms illness means that I will have to say goodbye to her on this earth sooner than I want-- but my focus for now is pausing, and enjoying the time I have with her right now, in this moment-- instead of focusing on what will come (BTW-- it will be just a goodbye for now, I know that I will see her again one day in heaven).  I am enjoying every meal, every talk, every hug.  And I am grateful for it all.

My son is now an Airman in the Air Force.  He is growing up and maturing.  He is getting ready to start his adult life.  And I am enjoying it with him.  I am celebrating his accomplishments, enjoying our conversations, cherishing every hug, loving every meal, and cheering him on from the sidelines.  I am grateful for it all.

My husband and I have a little more free time together now.  He travels a lot for work, and so I am joining him when I can.  I am enjoying our evening meals together, meals where we can eat slowly and talk at length.  Taking time to pause and appreciate some of what we have accomplished (with God's help) so far in life.  Taking pleasure in knowing that we still have great love and respect for each other.  I am grateful for it all.

Spending time with friends laughing and eating, and just sharing in all that is life.  Most of us are at the stage where our children are , if not grown, at least older, and we are enjoying the freedom this brings for more spontaneous gatherings.  Playing lawn games, eating good food, and laughing together.  Pausing for a few hours to spend life-building, uplifting, encouraging, and fun time together. I am grateful for it all.

I am making time to enjoy my gardens, reading, practicing photography, and learning new skills.  Pausing several times during the day to quickly and quietly pray.  Challenging myself to try new things, travel to new places. meet new people, and to take time to pause several times a day-- especially on those days that seem ordinary--- to reflect on whatever I am doing at the moment and to be grateful for it all.

This practice of pausing doesn't change the fact that life happens.  It doesn't change the fact that some things in life are hard.  And it doesn't negate the need for planning and hard work.  It just helps me to live life with more gratitude, more purpose, more enjoyment, and more peace. An abundant life contains moments of action and moments for pause.  You need both.  We often plan for the action moments, but we are often neglectful about making time and intentionally pausing.  But don't just take my word about the importance of pausing and reflecting, here's what the Bible says about worry, pausing, and reflection:

"Don't fret or worry.  Instead of worrying, pray.  Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.  Before you know it a sense of God's wholeness will come and settle you down.  It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.  Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious -- the best, not the worst;  the beautiful, not the ugly;  things to praise, not things to curse.  Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.  Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."  Philippians 4:6-9 the message

 My challenge to myself and to you is to practice the pause and see the difference it makes.   Be like this little cub who,  in spite of everything going on and the dangers she still faced, took the time to enjoy something as simple as the sun warming her face.  I promise you a life where you practice pausing and enjoying the moment is infinitely more fulfilling.  I'll leave you with a few more photos of this little pride.  Have a good day!

We All Need A Pack-- What Wild Dogs Know

The photo above is of an African Wild Dog (some people call them painted dogs).  They are critically endangered, with only around 5,000 of them left in the wild.  And we were privileged enough to observe a pack while in the Kalahari region of South Africa.  This particular pack was at their den, where they had a recent litter of pups stashed.  The pups were still young enough that they had not ventured out of the den, so although we could hear them, we never had the opportunity to view them.

African wild dogs are an amazing species.  They exist in hierarchical packs of 6-20, lead by an alpha mating pair.  For such a relatively small predator, they have a very high hunting success rate of 80%.  Lions are only successful in 30% of their hunts.  Each dogs coat pattern is unique, like a fingerprint, making it easy to distinguish individuals by sight.  They are extremely intelligent.

Wild Dogs know instinctually that their survival depends on their pack-- on who they surround themselves with.  There are a lot of lessons we can learn from these animals but today I want to focus on what we can learn from them about successful friendship, or in African Wild Dog terms-- the importance of a good pack.

Lesson Number One:  There's no room for fighting or jealousy in a Pack. There is no fighting over food.  The pack is hierarchical.  Everyone is clear on where they stand within the pack.  And they all understand they will all get a turn at the dinner table, so to speak.  Because of this feeling or knowledge of security of their place within the pack, they rarely show aggression towards each other (unlike Lions, who although they are in the same pride will not hesitate to snap at, snarl at, and even bite each other over even a tiny little scrap).  The point is that they don't feel the need to be aggressive towards their pack members because they are secure in their place.

Lesson Number Two: It takes a Pack to raise kids.  The pups, who are the weaker and most helpless members of the pack, come first.  The whole pack participates in feeding and caring for the pups.  When the pups are first born and totally reliant upon the mother for sustenance, the other pack members go out and hunt.  They then return to the den site and regurgitate food for the alpha female so that she is well fed and able to care for the pups.  When the pups are old enough to venture from the den and follow the pack, once the kill is made, all the adult pack members will then take on the role of guard duty while the pups eat first.  They understand that they are all responsible for their young, and they take that role seriously.  They all pitch in to help raise and nourish the youngsters, by providing them with food, guidance, and even discipline when needed.  An alpha female can give birth to up to 10 pups, so she needs help in raising them.  She can't do it on her own.  And her pack steps in and helps pick up the slack.

Lesson Number Three:  A Pack Takes Care of Each Other. When a member of the pack becomes ill, injured, or elderly-- restricting or even incapacitating their effectiveness as a hunter-- the whole pack cares for and feeds them, for as long as it takes or is needed.  They all take on the role of helping out their fellow pack member.

Lesson Number Four: A Pack Encourages Each Other. African Wild Dogs are extremely communicative.  They communicate by touch, actions, and vocalizations.  Before a pack goes out on a hunt, they have a whole process where they build up excitement and encouragement within the pack.  They start by circulating among their pack members while vocalizing and touching.  Kind of like cheering each other on, building each other up, and preparing each other to go out and have a successful hunt.  When every pack member is showing the same amount of excitement and confidence, they take off and begin the hunt.

Lesson Number Five: A Pack is excited to see each other.  Wild Dogs have elaborate greeting rituals.  African Wild Dog packs are extremely social, and their social bonds make them strong.  Sometimes, especially when there are pups, only a few members of the pack go out hunting or patrolling their territory.  We were lucky enough to witness what happens when members who have been gone return to the pack.  Before the members even join up, they start to announce their excitement at returning to their pack.  You can hear them yipping and making a sound called twittering as they race towards their pack members.  Upon their return, the whole pack gathers around each other, touching, smelling and vocalizing.  Basically, they are announcing how excited they are to be together again.  They are re-affirming their pack bonds. Their enthusiasm and excitement at seeing each other is an incredible thing to witness.  It's a loud, happy, homecoming, and it's quite amazing!

Lesson Number Six: Communication is key to a successful Pack. Experts agree that one of the keys to the African Wild Dogs hunting success is  their use of constant communication.  Throughout a hunt they constantly communicate with each other vocally in order to work together towards a common goal. They are  always letting their pack mates know where they are and what they are doing.  They encourage each other, they greet each other.  Communication is a consistent part of their social structure.  They instinctively understand that strong pack bonds are only formed through consistent and open communication. 

The Last Lesson is a sad one, but it is important nonetheless. Lesson Number Seven: What you bring to the Pack can cause it to be destroyed.  I have kept in contact with some of the places and people we met in Africa through Facebook and other methods and I was greatly saddened to learn this year that this pack of African Wild Dogs recently all died of distemper.  You see, African Wild Dogs are of the canine species, and as such, are susceptible to the same diseases that affect domesticated dogs.  However, the African Wild Dogs genetic make up differs enough from that of domestic dogs that vaccinations and treatments that work successfully on domestic dogs do not work on Wild Dogs.  So what happened is that one of the members of this African Wild Dog pack came into contact with a domestic species that was infected with this virus and became infected.  And that's all it took.  That one member then brought back that infection to the pack, and due to their extremely social nature, it didn't take much time for the whole pack to become infected and succumb to the disease.  

So that's it, lessons on relationship and friendship as taught to me by an amazing pack of African Wild Dogs.  I'll end this blog with last piece of encouragement and advice:  Find your pack.  It doesn't have to be a big pack, some of the most successful Wild Dog packs consist of only 6 members.  Remember that it takes some work and investment on your part to form the solid pack bonds-- don't be a lazy pack member.  Spending time together and communicating openly and honestly to each other re-enforces your bonds.  Encourage your pack members.  Help your pack members out when they are struggling-- don't be afraid to step in and be there when your pack members face hard things. A successful pack allows you to feel secure in your membership of the pack-- there's no room for fighting or jealousy.  Your pack should provide a place where you can be honest and true without feeling unsafe.  There should be safety in numbers-- safety in your pack. And make sure that you are careful of what you bring back to the pack-- don't bring your jealousy, bitterness, pettiness, judgement, gossip, etc. back to the pack.  Many packs break up because of the disease of anger and un-forgiveness.  In other words, don't bring distemper to your pack.  We all need a pack-- life is better together.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention my pack-- not by name-- you know who you are.  I am blessed with an amazing, life-giving, supportive, fantastic, talented group of pack members.  I couldn't get through life without them, and they are one of my greatest joys!  I love you PACK!!!! 

I'll leave you with a few more photos of these incredible animals.  Have a good day!

This is a wide angle of where the African Wild Dogs had their den site.... it had just rained and this rainbow popped out.  You can see bits of the dogs huddled together under the tree.  Just stunning, breathtaking landscape!

 And this was the sunset shortly after our interaction with the Wild Dogs... and I included it because it was just wow!!!! and a perfect ending to an incredible day.  I still dream of Africa.....

What Hyena's Taught Me About Beauty-- An African Tale

I heard them long before I ever had the opportunity to see one in person.  Their eerie whooping call standing out amongst the cacophony of nighttime African bush noises surrounding us.  The next day, our tracker pointed out their tracks in the soft dirt around camp-- Hyena-- he said to me in his soft, lilting voice....

I have not found many animals whose name, when mentioned, brings more fear and loathing than the Hyena.  They have a reputation as cowardly, mangy, somewhat dim-witted, thieves and poachers.  With their patchy fur and odd proportions, they certainly don't meet our standards for beauty.

I'm going to walk you through a few Hyena facts-- a little Hyena 101 class.  The Hyena are neither canine nor feline, they are in fact their own species of animal.  The photo above is of a young spotted Hyena.  The spotted Hyena live in matriarchal clans which can contain over 80 animals, all living together.  Contrary to popular belief, Hyena's are very good hunters and probably 90% of their food source is from their own hunting.  What they lack in speed, they make up for in endurance.  To put it simply, a Hyena will just run behind prey until the prey is exhausted.  They don't tire easily.  However, Hyena's are opportunists, and they will scavenge a meal if the opportunity arises.  They will eat almost anything, and as scavengers they help the ecosystem by cleaning up a huge amount of dead matter.  And as far as their reputation goes for stealing food-- more often than not their meal is stolen by lions.  They can weigh upwards of 190 pounds. They are fierce, yet they are extremely dutiful parents.  And they will protect their den and young with their life.  No one who has watched them run would ever call them graceful exactly, but there is a type of strut to their gait, like they carry with them a secret bit of courage that no one knows about.

For whatever reason, I knew that I wanted to see Hyena's while in Africa.  Maybe because I can't think of the African bush without picturing Hyena's as part of the landscape.  Maybe because when my son was little the Lion King was one of our favorite movies and the Hyena characters gave me a good laugh.  For whatever reason, I knew that I wanted to see these animals.  But, as much as I wanted to view them, I was more than a little nervous about doing so.  I had a preconceived notion of what it would be like to be in the middle of all that nervous energy that seemed to be always bursting out of them when I watched documentaries on Africa.  Maybe it was because of their reputation.

One day, our guide told us that he had a special treat for us, we were going to visit the Hyena den, and if we were lucky, we would see some cubs.  Cool!  When we arrived, the adults were out, probably hunting, and had left a big sister in charge of the den.  

At first they are all unsure about us and the vehicle.  Sticking close to the den and big sister.

But eventually, curiosity won out over fear of the unknown, and they began to cautiously approach the vehicle to have a closer look and smell.  Stopping every so often to gnaw on a stick or twig.

And as I watched these young cubs, I began to see a hidden beauty.  They were smart, working out that we were there to observe them.  They were brave coming up close to the vehicle.  And their little golden coats caught the dappled sunlight reflecting off the golden strands of their fur.

And one glimpse into those large dark eyes and I was had.  Changed.  No longer did I see just a strange animal that instilled fear and a little bit of loathing.  I saw the beauty of an animal that has survived and thrived for hundred of years.  I saw intelligence and a strange sort of grace.  And when they had satiated their curiosity about us, and they relaxed enough to play, I saw the beauty of their family bonds.  

What is interesting about this, is that seeing this beauty in them didn't change what they were.  They were and are still a fierce predator.  They could, technically, kill me.  The situation didn't change, just my view of it.

Now, take a leap with me here.  We have all probably heard the Bible verse that says:

"Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

 1 Thessalonians 5:18

or how about Psalm 34:1, 

"I will bless the Lord at all times;  His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

So what do these verses have to do with Hyena's in Africa?  Remember that leap I told you about... here it is.  Sometimes in life we find ourselves in the middle of circumstances that inspire in us fear and loathing.  We see nothing beautiful or redemptive about where we are.  These situations could be called your own personal Hyena's.  These situations are ugly to look at, they strike fear into your heart, and they fill you with loathing or anger.

For my family, one of  our own personal "Hyena's" has been my moms battle with cancer.  And it has been a battle.  My mom has lived with, fought, and battled cancer for 12 years... and she still is.  It has been ugly.  It has been terrifying.  It has brought us to our feet in anger and drug us down to our knees in sorrow.  This own personal metaphoric Hyena has run behind us and left us exhausted, and tired, and at times hopeless. And when you look at it, it doesn't look like there could possibly be anything of beauty there.  

And yet, I read those verses, and others like them in the Bible, and I know that there is supposed to be more for me to see than just the ugly parts.  And that's the real challenge, isn't it?  How do I shift my vision of what I see in such a way that I can recognize and see the beauty?  For me, that process began with inspiration from a little saying by Alice Morse Earle I came across several years ago which simply states:

"Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day."

For me, it is a process of trying to find that one thing in each circumstance that is good.  It doesn't mean that I can stand here and say that my mom having cancer turned into a good thing.  I just can't do that.  But I can look for the good within the situation.   It simply required me to take baby steps... not big leaps of faith, which made it seem more manageable for me to handle.  Let me give you some examples:

1.  When the doctors say that her cancer is terminal, which they have been very clear about from the beginning... I can look back and be grateful that even though this is true, we have had 12 years with her.  Which I see as a beautiful gift.  No one is promised tomorrow.  No one....

2.  When mom had to take early retirement from a career that she loved... I can look back and be grateful that she then had the extra time to spend with her husband, her children, and most importantly her grandchildren-- who all love and adore their "Memaw"

3.  When this cancer took my mom's voicebox (and thus her voice) .... I can watch her in church, still worshipping and praising God... and know deep down in my soul that to God, no one's voice is as beautiful  as the somewhat silent one my mother raises to him.

And those are just a few examples of what I hold close to my heart when I am tempted to see only the ugly parts.  

Let me be clear, acknowledging and being grateful for the bits of beauty in this situation doesn't change the nature of the circumstance.  The cancer is still ugly.  It is still hard.  It is still terrifying, and brutal, and all of those scary and loathsome things.  But at the same time there are small beauties to be found.  And upon further reading of the Bible, I believe that God wants us to have good things in our life.  I believe he places beauty all around us even in hard and difficult situations.  But, you sometimes have to do the hard work of looking for them.  And that's the key to living life abundantly and fully.  Life isn't solely made up of the ugly stuff.  It isn't  solely made up of the beautiful stuff either.  A full, complete, abundant life has both parts in it.  And living fully requires you to see both the beauty and the ugliness, the sorrow and the joy.  That's a full life.  A whole life. And that's the sort of life I am seeking to live.

I want to live fully, completely,  tasting all it has to offer.  I want to be able to look back on my life and know that I abundantly lived the way the God wanted me to.  Some days it's very hard to do this.  Some days I mostly see the ugliness of my Hyena's.  And I have to search for that brief glimpse of beauty.  

I don't know what your situation is, I only know that no one gets through life unscathed and without scars.  No one.  But I hope that you will begin to search out ways to live fully and abundantly.  That means living in the good, bad, and the ugly of life.  Resist the temptation to only live in the bad... make yourself search for the beauty-- even if it's only a brief glimpse or glimmer of it-- in each day.  Remind yourself that God didn't call you to live life halfway.  He called you into the fullness of it.  I hope you leave today's blog hopeful and encouraged.  I'll leave you with a few more Bible verses that I repeat to myself often when I am struggling to glimpse the goodness and beauty in a situation.  I'll also leave you with a few more photos of those beautiful Hyena cubs.

"In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  John 1:51

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."  John 10:10

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."  Psalm 34:8

"Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing."  Psalm 34:10

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit."  Psalm 34:18

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;  but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:29-31

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion's never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:22-23

I should Probably Apologize...Confessions of a Travel Addict #whydopeoplevacationwithme?

 So today, as I walked by my computer, a photo flashed up on my screen saver that brought back a fond memory of a trip we took with friends a few years ago.  I have my screen saver on my computer set up to cycle through my photos, and as I watched, it cycled through several photos that brought back more and more memories.

One of my favorite things to do is to plan trips, and if I can rope friends into joining us, all the better.  My nick-name is tour guide Barbie-- because I love to obsessively plan out all the fun we are going to have.  I began to laugh as I remembered various stories from various trips we have taken.  We have some really funny stories.

The first one I remembered was when I went on a cruise with a friend of mine.  She is a travel agent and at the time, she went on "training" cruises to learn about the cruise and what she would be selling to clients.  Normally her husband went with her for a reduced rate.  However, he couldn't go and so she asked me to go with her.  One of our stops was at Grand Cayman.   She's not a swimmer, but the best sites of Grand Cayman are underneath the water.  So I had a grand idea of taking an underwater 2 person mini-sub down below so she could check things out.  No problem right?  Except I forgot that my poor friend was really claustrophobic.  And she was super nervous about the water.  As we are sitting wayyyyy out from shore, on the platform, in the sub, and they are starting to lower us down, I look over at her face and see that she's slightly panicked.  The further they lower us down, the more she was shooting me side-eye.  I just remember talking to her and telling her things like...see, it's fine... it's all good... we're ok....Truely the faces she made were the funniest ever.  Once we got down and she saw the fish we were all good.  But she admitted that she can't believe I talked her into doing it ;)

Hmmmm.... and now that I think about it, this is the same friend that we talked into to going on a cruise with us (her husband and young son included) about a month after she had major surgery.  Telling her that it would be relaxing.... forgetting that this same friend was prone to motion sickness... I also believe that is the same trip that while on a snorkeling excursion from the ship with her husband, Jeff, and her young son, one of the other snorkel guests got flat out drunk and proceeded to flash the whole boat... young son included....

Those were the same friends that drove all night with us on a trip back from Vegas... and at 3am we convinced them to stop at the scariest Bar I have ever been to in my life because a pit stop was needed due to the copious amounts of caffeinated soft drinks being consumed while trying to stay awake for said drive.....

Ok, well we have traveled with other people too, and I'm sure that it's all been quite fun right?

I remember my 40th birthday, where I invited some of my girlfriends to join me for a weekend out of town for food and shopping.  That was a lot of fun!  Except for the part where I ran over one of my friends feet with my fully loaded Jeep....Oops..

There was the trip to Gatlinburg with a group of friends where we had great fun racing each other on the mini-car tracks.  Until we all got kicked off because "apparently" you are supposed to "race" the cars, not play demolition derby with them....picky, picky...

There was the fun trip to Hawaii where we were joined by several different friends for two weeks of fun on the beach.  We had a blast... except for the time we convinced everyone to jump off the rocks at Wiamea Bay into the water and one friend landed in the water wrong and bruised the whole underside of her legs....  or the supposedly easy hike up to the waterfall.... which turned into a mud bath due to recent rainfall-- and said rainfall didn't seem to help the waterfall.... and the time when I talked my non-swimming friend into kayaking out to an offshore island and then snorkeling around it in very rough water (hey, she didn't drown-- I held her hand and helped her)....That was however the same friend that I talked her and her son into joining Keagan and I on the shark cage dive.  (Having done this with me 2 times already on previous trips, and being violently seasick, to the point of chumming, Jeff refuses to go with me).  We had a great time, saw a ton of sharks... also my friends son who is prone to motion sickness may have left that trip with the same disdain for that process that Jeff has....

It's beginning to dawn on me that maybe I'm having a little more fun on the trips than my friends are.  But in my defense, several of the same friends keep signing on for more trips with me... which is making me question the sanity of my friends ;)  Seriously, what is wrong with you people?

But, as I sat there pondering this, I thought to myself-- hey-- those are older stories-- you have been doing much better recently.  And then, another memory popped up in my head. New Years 2016.  A group of us always rents a house somewhere on a beach where we can all gather and spend a few days enjoying the beach and celebrating the new year together.  This group is a busy lot-- with several of them traveling for work, so it's hard to get us all together-- New Year's works for everyone.  2016 was my turn to find the rental house.  And boy did I find one-- it was amazing.  Beach out front, a secluded bay in back-- kayaks, ping pong table, big rooms, big kitchen, a sauna, indoor pool, indoor hot tub, beach bikes...  perfect...  Oh yeah, and water that smelled like sulpher.....every time we used it..... and although we were assured that it was potable and drinkable... we just couldn't..... spent a fortune purchasing and hauling bottled water into the house...

Hmmmmm...... and most recently... just last month.... I made one of my friends throw up on a bus.... in the middle of the Czech Republic...... surrounded by 70 other strangers.    The morning started out with said friend waking up and not feeling great.  We were all doing a river cruise down the Danube River.  He said he couldn't even look at the water in the river.... made him not feel good.... but, in our great wisdom, it was decided that a good healthy breakfast before we started the day would help.  So, poor friend was stuffed full of amazing waffles, and lamb (really, who can ever pass up good lamb?) and best of all they were serving Mimosa's.  Orange juice is good for you right?  Then, we plopped said friend onto a very hot, very full, greyhound tour bus for a two hour scenic ride through mountain ranges and beautifully curvy roads on our way to Czesky Krumlov.  What could possibly go wrong?  Oh, and did I mention that said friend is also prone to motion sickness?  Enough said.  Thank goodness for empty coffee cups....

Ok,  ok... it looks like I need to apologize to everyone who I have pushed, begged, and possibly bribed into taking these crazy trips with me and following my crazy ideas.  We have had some great fun along the way, right?  And you still like me right?  If you don't just go along with it..... I don't need to know.

But I fear, the ones who I owe the biggest apology to is my poor, dear, travel weary, adventure worn family... I usually show you all the "good" fun photos and stories... but I'll show some of the others as well.

This is Keagan after going through the 1000th roman ruin on our Europe trip in 2013.  Doesn't he look thrilled?  

Istanbul is a huge city!  And I was determined to see as much of it as I could.  Jeff and Keagan hit a wall while riding a boat down the Bosphorus..... They both took off their sunglasses and promptly fell asleep.

And doesn't my husband and son look absolutely thrilled to discover that the "Authentic Roman Meal" I signed us up for in Ephesus meant that they threw used and smelly togas on us along with fake grapevine headbands?  Fun memories... I must tell you...

Keagan... yet more roman ruins... he just can't even....

Jeff-- St. Peter's Basilica.. I think at this point, according to my son... we had managed to visit 1001 amazing cathedrals... Doesn't he look like he is in shock and awe?  My son said that it doesn't matter how many cathedrals I walk into,  I always am in awe and I always say, "Isn't this amazing?"  Guilty. Bite me.

My poor, poor, husband... who is deathly afraid of heights... and yet still I manage to get him to climb up into every tower, roof, dome I can.  This is him at the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa... Can you see the reserved panic in his eyes???  He never left the wall... I know, I'm evil.  Bite me.

Oh and then there is this gem... the time when on a Disney cruise I made my whole family dress up as pirates... and take photos... Not shown in this photo are Jeff's parents... who were with us... and in full pirate gear as well...

I made Keagan kiss a stingray.... this photo was taken before the enforced kiss... thus the smile....

Keagan... oh so happy to stand in front of another statue and smile yet again for another photo for mom...

I may or may not have signed my parents and in-laws up for a gazillion hour "extra"tour of the icebergs in Alaska because you know... one iceberg is so drastically different than another... oh, and it began to storm and rain... and we were stuck... on a little boat...watching ice float... for hours.... whatever... they still love me

and just because we had not yet seen enough ice and icebergs and cold in Alaska... I signed Jeff, Keagan, and I up to go on a dog-sled ride at the top of Denver Glacier... Go me!!!  (actually this was really fun)  and our musher was a very cute and pretty young girl, so Keagan didn't mind...

How about the time I drug Jeff and Keagan on a nice relaxing trip to Africa... where we were up at the crack of dawn to get out and see the animals....

Oh, and because South Africa is in the other hemisphere... it was in the middle of their winter... which means temps get down to below freezing overnight... thus the need for down coats...

And we didn't go to bed early because there were animals to be seen after dark as well.....and I wanted photos... and so what?

And the Range Rovers were "Open air" so as not to interfere with the viewing of said animals... which required blankets and hot water bottles in order to keep warm because the non-existant heaters can't heat up all that openness....

and one of the places we went to consisted of us sleeping in tents that were set up on up-raised platforms.  Yup... tents... unheated... no electricity... no wifi...no cell service... Jeff and Keagan were thrilled with that... seriously... The water for the shower was heated with solar energy... meaning hot shower =later in the day.... but not at night... no sun... no light because no electricity...oh and this was the same place where the monkeys stole our breakfast one morning..

Same trip-- I also wanted to see Victoria Falls-- which was cool-- but required the use of the stunning-- runway model perfect--free ponchos that made everyone look like the SNL Coneheads because well.... everything was extremely wet...... big falls= big mist = lots of moisture

 

and last but not least-- same Africa trip is spending 4 hours on a river,  fishing...catching plenty of weeds, sticks, twigs, other anonymous yuck... no fish... oh... and being chased by very angry hippos... because they are territorial... and basically wanted us off the whole river... because MINE... is all they understand...

Oh there are more stories with my two side kicks-- Jeff and Keagan-- than I have time to share.. the time our guide handed Keagan a piece of Zebra poo (and I thought Keagan was going to gag).. to taking a wrong turn thanks to our Italian guidance system in the car and driving through someone's Vineyard... to off-roading in a four person bike in Lucca...

I hope you got a laugh or a giggle out of this light hearted blog.  We all need to laugh at ourselves once in a while.  Laughter is good for the soul!

And by the way... I'm planning a trip... anyone brave enough to join me????