Feasting

BSF this year is doing the study of Moses, which basically means we are studying the mass exodus of Israel from Egypt and into the desert, where God sorta gets 'em set up to be who they gonna be. It also means we are reading Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers AND Deuteronomy. I have to tell you, Numbers just isn't my favorite. Deuteronomy on the other hand IS one of my favorites. (and on the other hand, you have more fingers.) ;)

All that to say that, recently in Exodus, God was sorta explaining Feasts and some holiday-ish things to Moses and the Israelites. Feast and remember. Feast and tell the stories. Feast and rest. (lots of good reasons to feast, right?!)

And then, it was Thanksgiving in America 2008. and i felt better about being an American on Thanksgiving. I felt better about having a feast, though i know so many who go without. I felt better about taking a day to feast and remember. taking a day to feast and rest.

So, you are wondering, what DID you do for Thanksgiving?! well, let me highlight the fun!

My distinguished boyfriend Jeff came to town, and, besides the consistent run to Whole Foods for a random assortment of olives, we headed down to Seaside, Oregon to be with M&J. J's family likes to Thanksgiving on the beach, and we loved being with them. We drove thru Astoria OR on the way....think Goonies. and we walked on the beach for three days in a row. it was cold, misty and sorta miserable, mind you, but i was ON THE BEACH! (let's just celebrate that this Colorado girl was on the beach on her birthday and for Thanksgiving this year!) after eating some of the best brussel sprouts in my life with Thanksgiving dinner, we lounged, played games, i taught Jeff sudoku, etc.

On the way home, we drove by this sign and almost didn't stop to take pictures, but Jeff turned around and look! I was not brave enough to go introduce myself or anything. we just snuck a couple of pictures and moseyed home. there are harklesses around the country, no doubt, but i don't know these ones.....and i LOVE that they have a sign with our name on it. As i love all things with my name on it (more or less).

it was a great thanksgiving weekend. My roomie turned 29 and ran the Seattle marathon on Sunday, and that finished the weekend well. Cheering for marathon runners is serious work. All three of us roommates (not running the marathon, but cheering), we all teared up at least once because of the race. I'm sure there were loads of reasons why...most of mine was about having just said goodbye to Jeff and then being AMAZED by the race, the runners, the intense work, training and discipline that finishing a marathon well requires. Can i commit that much passion to my marathon life? Can i finish well? Will i be disciplined? Will i focus in and get help when i need encouragement? And will i hang in there, even if I'm exhausted, chapped, maybe bleeding, and just plain done? There was this great sermon i heard once....I'm sure i have talked about it before. about continuing the full contact marathon of life, even if we've been tackled and want to give up and quit. gotta keep going. just keep swimming.
so, here is where i need to sign off and dive into the current race of finals and papers.