Just Because Its Funny

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Talking about YouTube - Yelle "ACDG" Remix Electro VaVan Treaxy St4nl3y94.sky

Something Big

I just finished one of the most inspiring books I've ever read in my life. It is called "Together on Top of the World" by Phil and Susan Ershler. The Ershler's live in the Seattle area and are good friends with the CEO of my company who gave me the book. The true story is about Phil and Susan's life together - first as individuals then as a married couple who climbed the seven peaks of the world together (the highest peak on each continent... including Everest).

The story is raw with emotion, devastation, perseverance, success. Underneath the overwhelming success of climbing the most difficult terrain in the world, Phil and Sue combated multiple bouts of cancer and deaths of parents and fellow climbers. This is an amazing story of healing, survival and the journey of going after a dream with unrelenting pursuit.

All of this to say that I have desire within to do something BIG. To leave a legacy worth remembering. To live as much and as hard as I can... with no regrets. There is passion deep within that has yet to be defined and pursued after. It is the pathway of taking on a challenge. To see how far I can push myself to achieve a goal. I know I have it in me... and it has yet to be tapped into. I feel restless inside. I have all year. Maybe now is the time to take some steps forward... toward something bigger than I ever dreamed I could achieve....

Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Wow! I still cannot believe how much snow we have gotten here in the Seattle area! This is just insane! Just thought I'd post a few pictures for everyone to see :) Enjoy!

This is my parents' house in Redmond. Currently they have about 22'' of snow! Crazy! That's also my cute red car in the driveway. It barely made it all the way from Seattle.

 Me :) Don't I look happy in the snow? 

Green Lake! It is SO cold outside that even the lake has started to freeze over. Maybe if it continues to stay cold we will be able to ice skate on the lake...well...maybe :)

Hope everyone continues to stay warm!

A Refusal to Demise

There are times when the earth shifts and allows us to glimpse the groans and pain in this world through different perspective. It is in these monumental but subtle moments that we as passersby either "see" or remain "blind" to truth. And often times, these moments leave us with a question we must wrestle with and "deal" with in our own hearts and minds. These moments either unveil an introspective prompting that moves us to act on truth and grace OR these moments mark our own lack of responsiveness and action to the needs and pain in this world. What we do with these glimpses into time and reality reflect who we are and reveal if we are being who God has called each of us to uniquely be. 

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Today I was given a gift. I was allowed into a reality different than my own for a short moment in time. And I don't know what to do with it. I refuse to let it pass by without a moments thought as so many people would do. I want it to effect me. I want it to effect my actions and how I live my own life.

On my way to work, I passed by an older couple. The woman was dressed in drab clothing and supported herself on a walker. She seemed to hide behind her glasses as she hunched over, taking one small step after another. Her face marked pain and suffering and it made my heart ache with unknowing sympathy. Bitterness and resolution seemed to pour from her soul and displayed emptiness as her reality.

The man, on the other hand, though dressed in mismatched garments, had a smile on his face. He wore goggles like those you would wear during high school science class. He cuddled a teddy bear under his left arm as he waved his walking stick to the left and right - for he was blind. Yet there was something different about him. Some may choose to believe that perhaps he may have "lost his marbles" - or his sanity. But I felt something different. Peace and resilience seemed to emanate through his suffering and circumstance... And there was that smile. There was something different in that smile. It was a knowing smile... and it made me want to know the truth behind it. 

Though the man was blind, it was apparent that he saw more to life than the woman who had eyes to see. In many ways, the man was shut off to the world and restricted by his inability to experience color, shapes and movement. Yet, it was obvious that he had a joy and peace that the woman did not know. A knowing of something bigger than himself... perhaps of a grace and a love given selflessly and purposefully for all mankind.

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I refuse to be the woman plagued by her circumstances and kept in a bondage of bitterness and self-pity. Instead, I will be all that God has created me to be... with newfound freedom in Christ and a knowing smile in hope that I may reflect the true nature of our perfect and wonderful Lord for all to see.

What will you choose to be?

Christmas is a coming

How are you going to prepare this year?

Promoting Challenges

So, hello. While I continue to be slammed in the busyness compartment, I just have to tell you a story... 

Last Friday I woke up tired and a little disgruntled as I over-slept my alarm AGAIN. And of course this left me pressed for time and in no mood to go to work to greet my never-ending To-Do List that multiplies by exponential numbers every day. Alas, I got my butt into gear and ran out the door just in time to catch my bus and make it into work on time. Way to go Me.

After pumping myself up to T.I's Whatever You Like on my iPod, I get to work and settle in to the overwhelming amount of emails in my inbox (I mean come on people! It's eight in the morning! Why do I have SO many emails already??).

Then, my phone rings. I see on my caller ID that it is Mr. CEO. I get a little nervous. I answer.

"Dawn. 'Mr. CEO' here. Can you come down to my office?"

"*#*$&!!" (first initial thought). "Dawn don't swear!" (second thought).

So, I walk down to his office trying to rack my brain about what I did wrong. I can't think of a thing, which makes me even more nervous! You see, here's the thing... I work with Mr. CEO a lot. I have developed a pretty good working relationship with him. I'm comfortable being myself, offering my opinions when appropriate and sticking up for what I believe in. The thing is, whenever Mr. CEO has needed to talk to me one-on-one, he has always made the trek down to my office. He has come to me. But last Friday, he asked me to go to him. Again I ask, what did I do wrong?!

I get to his office and he asks me to sit down at his conference table. I sit. He shuts the door.

"*$&W*!!"

"Dawn stop swearing!!"

"Am I getting fired? Laid off?!"

Mr. CEO reaches for a folder, and takes out an envelop and a piece of paper. My life flashes before my eyes.

And then he begins... "Dawn, you've been doing an exceptional job around here and I like to reward those who step up to challenges."

Are you serious?!! Relief flows from my brain to my toes as I begin processing the words that are coming out of his mouth. Oh my gosh. I didn't do anything wrong... I'm doing something right?!

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To make what could be a long and drawn out story short, last Friday I received a promotion. And gosh does it feel good! 

Thank you Mr. CEO for giving me opportunities and challenges that most people my age would NEVER encounter. Thank you for giving me a chance to do something bigger than I ever imagined I could. 

And gosh. Am I succeeding at this thing called life? Maybe in at least this one area... 

Absently Flying By

So...its been a while since I've posted anything...

This absence has been caused by two main things...

• Busyness like you've never known busy before... 
• And a lack of amazingly awesome ideas to write about... or maybe a realization that some things I write about are dumb...

In any case, I feel compelled to write something. So I guess here you go. This is it. And yes...maybe this is dumb...

PS: I really am super busy right now though. Let's just say that yesterday I got home from work at 6pm...ate dinner in like fifteen minutes...and continued working until about 10pm. 

And then I went to sleep.