This Good Life

ok, so i feel like marathons/triathalons/5K/10K/2552894K are the new thang...! it's like the new Facebook or the new Twilight. running marathons are WHAT PEOPLE DO these days... i just dont get it. even if I was in tip top shape, running would STILL be a horrible miserable activity. let's just say that i love working out at the gym, but a marathon is NOT on my bucket list of things to do before i die.  it's kinda like eating larvae-filled cheese (they really eat that in Norway!); i'm MORE than ok with not doing a marathon in this lifetime. (sorry to offend anyone who loves running marathons. good for you! seriously) speaking of eating nasty things (the aforementioned cheese), do you remember that 'old' show Fear Factor? i used to watch it and always think to myself that i could do it and WIN!!  however--hands down--i would never be able to win because of the second phase of the show...the part where they bring you a platter full of pig's guts or cow ...

I think everyone is looking for something. We all want more out of life.  And in our Americanized society, the 'want' is money.  Or power.  Or fame.  Or love.  And money.  And all these things we desire keep us busy.  Constantly busy.  But it's so much deeper than that, and so much more innate that.  And the same longing that Christians have is the same longing that fame-seekers and money-hoarders have; we just don't realize it. Christians and non-Christians alike want more .  We are all humans created in the image of our Father and created for an eternity in relationship .  And that's what we desire, whether we know it or not. Well, I've been back in the States for almost 2 weeks--and I'm already antsy!  I'm longing for another adventure!  (feel free to *roll your eyes* at me)  In addition to that desire, I've been constantly longing for more in my life.  Am I doing enough to help change the w...

Well I have a couple more things to write about that sums up my time in Jordan!  Sorry, i'm going a little bit out of order if you already read my previous post about Egypt... Anyway, first to mention would be my trip to the Dead Sea! This was so fun. and the water really is..bizarre.  you get in, and it just feels like normal water. but then when you walk about to where the water is about waist level, your lower body just floats up. and you cant do a thing about it. except enjoy! I floated on my back for a while, but then accidentally got some water in my eyeball. no big deal, you say. ummm, yes big deal. it huuuurts! i couldn't open my eye for over 15 minutes..and i didn't want to get out of the water to rub my eye, and i sure couldn't rub my eye with my wet hand..so i just waited for the pain to finally subside. the dead sea is definitely not a place to host any swimming races anytime soon.. A little later, i found the dead sea mud i'd heard so m...

well i still have at least one more big exciting (more or less, you decide) post about Jordan i want to put on this blog...but it will have to wait and i'll do it later.  til then, let me tell you about egypt. the past couple of days in egypt have been amazing! it's fascinating here and i'm really enjoying it. we flew directly from Jordan to Cairo and we've had a really great tour guide for our time here. when we first got to cairo, we drove around through the city. an interesting city, full of life and people and buildings yet still infiltrated with poverty. we saw the pyramids and we crossed over the Nile River. we stopped on top of the bridge on the Nile to take some photos...and i had a friend try to take a photo of me. on the Nile. you would think this would be an easy task. however, let me show you the series of pictures that were the finals products of this undertaking. where's the Nile? aleisha, quit talking. hair in face . shirt is a...