Abide

Jordan has left for hunting. He has had two clients so far. The first one shot his bear, but then lost it. It ran off into the alders. Jordan and Jeremy crawled through and tracked the thing for a couple hours, but it just kept on going. Bummer that the client couldn't bring home his kill. He's out with the second client now, but we've had fog to the ground for a couple days making it difficult to see anything. I think they've just been laying low for now. Jordan's gotten to call home a couple times with my Uncles's satellite phone.

It has been wonderful to not be so busy and to just rest, but all vacations must come to an end. I have started a part time job at Lake and Penn Air as a dispatcher. This week is my first week! It has helped having something to do instead of just waiting around for Jordan to come home. I feel like he's been gone an eternity and its not even September yet. It helps to know he's doing something he loves and has always wanted to do. The Lord gave me a precious gift the first week Jordan was gone. He orchestrated a women's retreat with some beautiful women of God. Most go to Soldotna Bible Chapel and live in Soldotna, AK. I am so bummed I never got a chance to hang out with them while I lived there. It was wonderful to learn about the love of Our Father and what He desires for us. We learned about abiding in Him.

Abiding has been a theme for me this year. (I find it fascinating how The Lord does that for me) I have always struggled with applying this principle to my life and this is why....its not a principle its a whole new way to live! I believed that if I didn't have my devotions during the day then I wasn't abiding. Wrong. I have realized its not about Bible reading, praying, church going, living morally (although these are all good and critical to your walk), but its about walking with Him daily. He doesn't want you to only come to Him when you get a moment to sit in your comfy chair with coffee by your side. He wants you to come to Him throughout the day by telling Him when so and so hurt your feelings, when your husband said the wrong thing, when your husband said the right thing, when your heart hurts so bad you can hardly go on, when your best friend called right when you needed it most, when you're laughing so hard tears are pouring out, when you just don't understand, when the sunset outside makes you want to shout His praise (I'm sure you get the point). Don't get me wrong I love meeting Him in the morning with my comfy chair and coffee just so, but letting Him infiltrate my life through whispered conversations has altered my world. Letting Him love me the way He longs to love me has dramatically changed the way I see life....has opened my heart to an eternity with Him....has helped me notice the blessings even through the hard days. He just wants to shower His love on us and all he asks is that we trust Him with our everyday.

Enough babbling, this is hard ladies and gentlemen, but oh so worth the journey. When we pour out our baggage at His feet we make room for Him to pour life into us making us capable of living life abundantly and full of joy. He wants so much more for us than just surviving until the end. He wants us to THRIVE!

The Simple Life

Sorry for the "radio silence," but life sort of got away from me. It is slowing down again, so I thought I'd pick blogging back up. After two years there is way too much to catch you all up on, so here is the current news. We have moved to Port Alsworth, AK.

Its not that we didn't love Soldotna, but The Lord was moving us on. After the Holidays we both began to feel a bit restless. Jordan was ready to try his hand at guiding and I was ready for a new job. Neither of us knew how to make either happen, so we started looking for opportunity and praying hard. Jordan surprised me with a trip to Hawaii this Spring for 2 weeks! It was fabulous and greatly appreciated. We spent 10 days on Oahu and 4 days on Kona with my Grandparents. We got to do a few hikes and of course swam a lot. Pearl Harbor on Oahu was sobering and touching. Jordan cliff jumped over a waterfall that we hiked to, but I was too chicken. We saw whales and I played my first round of golf with Grandad, Grandma MJ and Jordan. We were not ready to come home. However when we returned surprise awaited. Jordan was offered a two fold job: construction this winter that would turn into him guiding adventure tours (camping, fishing, hiking, etc) next summer for Peter Goodwin with Alaskan Ventures. My uncle Jeremy also recruited him for guiding moose/bear hunts this Fall!! These two venues are located in Port Alsworth, AK. We thought it over for a month or so and decided to go for it. With our notices put in to our employers we started finishing up the remodel on our house, found renters (from Oregon), put most of our things into storage and shipped the remaining items to Port Alsworth. Unfortunately this decision cost us our summer and it just so happened to be the warmest one in who knows how long. We tried out best to enjoy the sun as often as we could, but it just wasn't enough.

Pale and tired we arrived in Port Alsworth the first week of August. We are living in my Grandad Davis's cabin. It just so happens my dad also accepted a job out here as principal of Tanalian School, so he also will be living in the cabin. My mom will join him next summer after my youngest sibling, Jodi, graduates High School. The cabin was built by my Grandad and his boys back in the 70's. It is 4 bedrooms, 1 bath. The rooms are small, but the living area is larger than you would think. There is no dishwasher and no dump, so we handwash dishes and burn all our garbage. The things we can't burn wait for a plane ride back into "town" (Anchorage or Soldotna mainly). We have hot running water and electricity, however the cabin was not built for Alaskan winters, so using these facilities is very expensive long term. Part of our rent is to winterize the cabin and to cut costs wherever we can. I've been hanging laundry out to dry, Jordan and Robbie are replacing the windows with better insulated ones, and my dad is creating a radiant heat system through our wood stove. It has been quite exciting, but a lot of work for the men. I have enjoyed cooking them dinner after their long work days.

Hopefully I can get a part time job out here, but for now I am enjoying the tranquility of this place. The lake is our backyard and I've enjoyed watching it change daily as the air gets colder. The air is fresh and the pace is slow. Along with the old memories of childhood is mixed anticipation for the new. This place is awash with God's glory and I am so blessed to be a part of it all. Its healing qualities have refreshed my soul. You can't help but praise Him here.

After next Fall we don't know where we'll be. We may be calling this place home or getting ready to find a new adventure. It truly amazes me how much can happen in one year. For now we are right where we are meant to be. Be praying for us as this adventure will have its challenges. Jordan will be gone weeks and months at a time....I am not excited about this. It gets dark, cold, and potentially lonely here during winter. Pray that I can find God-fearing ladies to befriend. Overall pray that we can "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us." (1Thess 5:16-18).