Why I love hiking

Matt had a medical clerkship in Colorado Springs last month.  I happily tagged along.

We saw some old friends and got in a couple of hikes.

When we lived in Colorado, I much preferred the summer outdoor activities to the winter sports.  Why?  Well, hiking is free, does not require a lot of gear or technical skill (both of which I don't have), and offers such colorful and majestic views.

Here are some shots from last month.

And to think that God just spoke this into being...

For some reason, we both felt compelled to put our hands on our hips at this next spot.

"Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones."
Isaiah 49:13

There's something about being out in God's creation that makes His Word come alive to me in a very distinct way.  And I find it easier to forget myself.

I came upon this verse the other day - "Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever." - Psalm 125:2.

I love the imagery of that.  He's so powerful and protective.

I love too how none of His colors clash.

(It's fair to say that my tank top does a little bit, but I mean none of the colors in nature.)

"Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
for he issued his command, and they came into being!" Psalm 148:5

Matt found this little fella sitting up in a tree.
Reminded me of our brief pet swallowtail butterfly
that was first mentioned in this post.

We did break a couple cardinal rules of hiking in Colorado:

1. Start early enough to get off the mountain before the afternoon storms roll in.
2. Wear layers

Consequently, we got caught in the rain, and we were cold.  Our own faults.  We go livin' in Kansas City for a year and forget all the rules of mountaineering.

I don't think it dampened our experience though.  When it was too cold to hike, we drove, and eventually found our way up to the top of Pikes Peak.

I love the rain in the background of this picture.

almost to the top

America the Beautiful

Little factoid for ya

Standing in the spot where Matt proposed.  You can't tell, but we're really cold in this picture.

So glad for the chance to go back.

Farewell dear Colorado (part 2)

Matt loves animals.  So one of our favorite places in Colorado Springs was the zoo.  The best part about this zoo is that you can feed the giraffes.  Here are some memories from our last outing there before we moved.

The next best part, besides feeding the giraffes, is watching the Grizzlies play.  Right about now, I was wondering how thick that pane of glass is.

Peacocks just roam free in this zoo.  This one decided to give us a little show!

A couple other Colorado Springs "Matt and Liane favorites" worth a shout out are:

Montague's Coffee Shop

Thai Basil - our favorite little hole in the wall Thai restaurant

9 times out of 10, date night meant Thai Basil.  And that was just fine with me.  They have the best green curry.  And we could share one big bowl for 8 dollars!  Can't beat that.

But more precious to us than any of these places is our Colorado friends.

Before we moved, they had a going away picnic for us at the park.

It was a group effort; Jenni (on the left) planned most of the details.  Thanks, Jenni!

Caitlin (above) made this fantastic photo book for us that everyone signed.  So special!  It is now sitting by my reading chair so that I can look through it and reminisce whenever I please.  I'm such a sucker for sentiment.  I love that Caitlin thought to do this.

It's true, I think, that people you encounter leave an impression on you - some kind of impression.  Each of these people have left an impression on me.  I have learned from their different life experiences, observed skills they have been granted, taken note as they share their views.  I appreciate their idiosyncrasies and smile to myself when thinking about them.  We have shared laughs and tears, life's frustrations and joys, with each other. I am forever grateful to the Lord for crossing my path with these, my dear Colorado friends.

And here we are a couple of days later, standing in our empty apartment, about to head into the unknown of Kansas City.

As we were driving away, the Lord brought these promises to mind:

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

- Jeremiah 29:11

"I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you."

- Psalm 32:8

There is nothing like being His and having promises made to you that you know are going to be fulfilled.

So as we say goodbye to our dear Colorado, we say hello to this new place where our Good Shepherd has led us.  I look forward to sharing some "Hello, Kansas City" moments in the weeks to come.

Farewell dear Colorado

When people here started to ask where I'm from, I had to pause and think - because originally I'm from Georgia, but I just moved here from Colorado where I've lived for the past 8 years.  So, I decided to say I'm from Colorado.  I must say that I do feel a twinge of guilt, like I'm breaking an allegiance to the South and denying my Georgia roots.  But let's be honest, nobody here cares about my Georgia roots, so I just figure I'll tell em where we last came from because it's less confusing. 

Which leads me to reflect on some of our favorite places in Colorado Springs:

Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods.

We could see Pikes from our living room window, and it was such a SPECTACULAR daily reminder of God's majesty.

The Incline.  Workout of champions.  It's a mile straight up of stairs
- steep stairs if you're short like me.

Some people RAN this.  My strategy? - one foot in front of the other, slow and steady.  I learned the hard way that it really is best to eat breakfast beforehand.

Sante Fe Trail.  My kind of place to go bike riding (scenic and mostly flat)

Catamount Resevoir (just outside of the Springs)

When I say we're from Colorado, here are some of the responses I have gotten:

- "Oh, I'm sorry.  Kansas City is nice, but it's not Colorado."

- "Why did you move here?"

- "I've always wanted to live in Colorado."

Sigh.

Before Matt and I moved here, I lamented leaving the beauty of Colorado behind and would dangerously try to capture some last pictures of the mountains while driving.

One day the Lord comforted me with "For though the mountains should depart and the hills be removed, my love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall my covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord who has compassion on you." - Isaiah 54:10

And my heart heard Him say, "Liane, I, the God who created beauty in Colorado, have created beauty in other places too.  Look for it.  And if you don't find it, gaze upon MY beauty."

Matt and I visited IHOP (International House of Prayer) here in KC a few weeks back, and on that Sunday, a group sang with perfect and angelic-like harmony "Oh Lord, You're Beautiful" by Keith Green.  It was the most beautiful song I can remember hearing sung at church.  I sat there and let the words of the chorus wash over me, tears streaming down my face. 

Oh lord, you're beautiful, 

Your face is all I see, 
For when your eyes are on this child, 
Your grace abounds to me.