10 Things To Stop Saying to Single People

So far, I have been single for the entire duration of my twenties, and people are frequently offering me bits of encouragement and advice. I know that most people are coming from a well-meaning place, but often the things people say and ask are not really encouraging. I often feel discouraged, or I feel like I have to defend myself, or convince people that I REALLY am happy!! So these are just a few things that I wish people would stop saying.

1. "I just KNOW that there is someone out there for you!"

Actually you don’t know. You might hope and pray, just as I do, but you don’t know. Even I don’t know. God never promised any of us husbands. He promised me a future, He promised to work all things out for my good, He promised to never leave me or forsake me, but He never promised me a husband. I cling to those promises when I am feeling discouraged. I remind myself that my future might not have a husband in it, and if not, I’ll be ok. I’ll be ok because my God loves me and He has great plans for me. So when you tell me that you KNOW that someone is out there for me, you are not encouraging me to trust in the Lord. You’re encouraging to trust in a desire that I have for my life, which might not be in God’s plan.


2. "You just need to put yourself out there!"

Where exactly should I be putting myself? There are very limited venues for young women to meet men, especially if you’re looking for a solid Christian man. I am very involved in my church, I have several circles of friends that I regularly engage in social activities with, and in my spare time, I do things that I enjoy! I have a life! Beyond this and online dating, which I will address later, there aren’t really any other ways to “put myself out there.” Besides, I want to meet someone in a natural setting and go from there. When people tell me that I need to put myself out there, I feel like I have to defend myself. It’s like I have to justify why I’m not in some sort of singles club every night of the week, even though I claim that I want to get married. 


3. "How could you possibly be single?" or "You're such a great catch!"

The answer to the question “how could you possibly be single,” is simple: I haven’t met the right guy. I also think that it’s pretty obvious, and there’s really no need to ask. As far as me being a great catch, I couldn’t agree more! J I know that people mean that as a compliment, or they are trying to encourage me, but I always walk away feeling discouraged. I start to wonder, if I’m such a great catch, how come no one has caught me yet? That big WHY will stare me in the face for the next few days until I can remind myself that it’s not about how great of a catch I am, but it’s about God’s timing, and God’s plan.


4. "I know the perfect person for you!"

Let’s just get this straight right now. Just because you know a male who is close to the same age as me and is also single, does not mean that he is perfect for me. Nor I for him. I’ve always been pretty open to meeting new people, in an effort to “put myself out there,” but set-ups are often disastrous. There are too many expectations going into it, and it can make things really uncomfortable. I have a really great set-up story. I got left on the date… but I have to save that for another post.


5. "It will happen when you least expect it!" or "You'll find someone as soon as you stop looking!"

Ok, this is probably the one I dislike the most!! Both of these statements should just never be uttered by anyone. I think it’s in our nature to “expect” and be “on the lookout” when we are single. When we meet someone who we find attractive, we naturally wonder if there might be potential there. To suggest that this expectation or hope is what is keeping you single is absurd and illogical. Also, it is in direct contradiction with #2: “You just need to put yourself out there.”


6. "Enjoy your freedom while you have it!" or "Being single is so fun!"

Being single has its advantages. That’s probably why Paul makes the argument that it is better to be single than to marry. When you’re single, you don’t have to consider anyone else in your plans, your time, your life. To be honest, I enjoy being single. I am enjoying my life right now! But I do desire to get married and have a family of my own. Telling me to enjoy my freedom before it’s gone, makes marriage seem like an undesirable goal. As if you lose your freedom in marriage. I don’t believe this for a second, but again, I feel like I have to defend myself and my desire to get married, which might not even happen!! Oh the drama! Being single allows for a certain freedom that you can’t have in marriage, but marriage and children allow for countless lessons, memories, joys, triumphs, heartaches, love, etc. that you can’t experience in singleness. And yes, being single is fun, but I imagine that spending your whole life with your best friend would be too.


7. "You should try online dating!"

Online dating is so popular and well known that there probably isn’t a single person out there who hasn’t already considered the pros and cons. We don’t really need you to suggest it for us just because you know a girl who knows a girl who married a guy that she met on match.com. I think that online dating can be the right venue under the right circumstances, but at this point in my life, it’s not the right venue for me. And just because I’m not online, does not mean that I’m not putting myself out there!


8. "Guys are just intimidated by you."

Well they need to just get over that.


9. "You don't need a guy to make you happy."

Every time I hear this I shudder. This statement is true, and I believe it wholeheartedly, but I am not encouraged when people say this to me. I AM happy without a guy! So when someone says this, I know they are assuming that I am not happy without a guy. Again, I must defend myself! I must assure everyone how happy I am and I must convince them that I’m not just saying it because I want to hide how truly sad I am that I don’t have a boyfriend. BLAH! Hopefully, if anyone knows me at all, they will know beyond a doubt that I am truly happy. My joy comes from the Lord, not from the fulfillment of an earthly desire.


10. "You're too picky!" or "Your standards are too high!"

I use to think that the worst thing that could ever happen to me was that I would end up alone. Now, I know that one of the worst things that could happen to me is ending up with the wrong person. I would much rather live my life being single, than settle for someone who isn’t right for me. So I think my standards are just fine right where they are.

Are You A Bucket Filler?

I recently read a book to a four-year old girl I babysit, and it changed my life. The book is titled Have You Filled a Bucket Today. The book explains that every single person carries around an invisible bucket and that bucket has one purpose: to hold our good feelings about ourselves. If someone's bucket is full, they are happy. If someone's bucket is empty... you guessed it! They are sad. The book also explains that you can be a "bucket filler" by saying and doing nice things to people of a "bucket dipper" by saying and doing mean things.

Simple concept right. Life changing?? Why yes, yes it is.

We have all heard the sayings "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." "Treat others as you want to be treated." blah blah blah. We all know that we should be kind and encouraging. But do we live it out? This is definitely an area that I have struggled with, and this book changed my perspective. But it wasn't just the book....

A few days after I read this book to my little friend, I stayed an extra half hour to play with her (she is normally at school while I babysit her brother so we don't get to play much). Her mom sent me a text later that night telling me that her daughter had told her, "When Miss Lauren stayed to play with me, she filled my bucket." This impacted me in a way I never expected. I suddenly realized that every action and word impacts those around me.

Often, I just float through the day completing tasks, checking things off my to-do list, having conversations, just getting through. Rarely do I intentionally consider and encourage those around me. Too often, my actions and words are thoughtless reactions to my situation and my feelings. I am motivated by things I enjoy and that will make me feel good, not by how others will feel. If I'm going to be a bucket filler, I'm going to have to start actively pursuing positive and encouraging things to say and do, and actively stop negative thoughts and reactions. At the end of the day, I want my bucket to be full but I also want all the buckets around me to be full!

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. - Hebrews 10:24

What is your favorite way to "fill someone's bucket?"

A Paleo Day

Eating Paleo can be overwhelming because it is a huge lifestyle change from the average, eat what is convenient style that I use to have. Meal planning, food prep, and grocery shopping all take time, but they don't have to be complicated! Finding something that works for you is key! What I've found to work for me is lots of intentional planning and some preparation and cooking. The more I plan the easier, less stressful, and more enjoyable my meal prep and cooking experience is! 

I try to map out what I'm going to eat for the week, taking into consideration new recipes I want to try, the serving size of each meal (aka how many leftovers I'll have), and what nights I am free to cook. Then I go through each meal and make a grocery list. I try to by groceries twice a week. I go once at the beginning for the first half, and again in the middle for the second half. I often have to make quick trips for odds and ends throughout the week, but I've found that this is the best way to keep my fresh produce from going bad before I have the chance to eat it! If you would like a template for my weekly meal plan you can get that here!  

A typical breakfast consists of a few slices of bacon, vegetables such as mushrooms, onions, and spinach, and scrambled eggs. I like to cook the bacon first and then sauté the vegetables in the bacon grease so I don’t have to add any other kind of fat, and cook the eggs last. Sometimes, I make pancakes with a side of fruit if I’m in the mood for something different. If you don't want to cook in the mornings, you can always make granola (recipe here), breakfast bars, or a breakfast casserole ahead of time. 

Lunches and dinners are generally left overs or salad. I love to cook versatile meats that I can either eat with vegetables or cut up and toss in a salad. Chicken and steak are the easiest to do this with.  I do my best to have a protein and a vegetable with each meal with more emphasis on the vegetable.

If I’m in a rush, and don’t have time to prepare anything, a few go to meals are:

- Pear wrapped in prosciutto with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette for dipping J delicious!! If you eat cheese, you can add that to the pear and prosciutto!

- Any kind of salad. Salads are easy to throw together, and can be as simple or

elaborate as you want/have time for/have in your fridge. The other day I made one with spinach, strawberries, and pecans with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.

- Anything you can make ahead of time and quickly reheat.

But remember, the more you plan ahead, the less chance you’ll have of being rushed with nothing to eat!

One problem I had, especially when I first started eating Paleo, was that I would get hungry often. I needed to have extra food with me at work all the time, just in case I got the munchies! If I have food I can eat, I am far less tempted by the food I can’t eat. A few of my favorite snacks are:

- Crackers and Salsa- get the cracker recipe here

- Fruit

- Coconut Yogurt with fruit and nuts

- Trail Mix- nuts, dark chocolate or cacao nibs, raisins, goji berries, etc.

- Hard Boiled Eggs (I pretty much always have a few of these in  
  my fridge!)

- Energy Bars- easy recipe here

- Almond Butter with Apple Slices

And finally, desserts. I really thought that eating Paleo would mean I could never have a cookie, muffin, cake, or the like again. I am so so happy to say, that’s not the case at all!! Although I don’t eat desserts every day, there are options for delicious desserts with ingredients that won’t inflame your digestive system! J When I’m craving something sweet and fruit doesn’t fix it, or for special occasions, or when I know I’ll be somewhere and they will be serving cake (weddings, showers, parties, etc.) I like to have a dessert of my own (like I said before it’s easier to say no to things you can’t have, if you have something that you CAN have)! Here are a few of my favorites:

- Chocolate Cake in a mug like this one

- Chocolate Chip Cookies- get my favorite recipe here

- Dates with coconut butter or nut butter (you can also wrap them with prosciutto and broil them for a few minutes)

- Cupcakes like these or these
- Coconut Bars- Super easy recipe here

With a little planning and intentional preparation, eating Paleo can be simple! If you are starting out and feeling stressed, give it time!! It gets easier the longer you do it. 

My Health Journey Part I

I’ve always considered myself to be a healthy person. I rarely get sick, and when I do, I get over it rather quickly. I grew up in a house where we ate fruits and vegetables with every meal, and never really thought I was an “unhealthy” eater despite how often I ate fast food. I mean my favorite snack was hot fries and diet coke, but it couldn’t THAT bad right?

A little over two months ago I cut all dairy, added sugars, processed food (additives and preservatives), legumes, starches, and grains from my diet. On the Paleo Diet I can eat fruit, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. A fast food consuming, diet coke loving girl suddenly became a health nut. My hobbies shifted from crafting to cooking. My most frequented store use to be Hobby Lobby, and now it’s Whole Foods. I use to spend all my money on shoes, but now I mostly just buy groceries.

Why the change?

In 2009, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s. Hashimoto’s disease is a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid, causing it to become underactive (hypothyroidism). Upon my diagnoses, I was prescribed a medication, which is basically a substitute for one of the three thyroid hormones that my body needs to function correctly. At that time, I did not understand, nor was it explained to me, how my autoimmune disease was connected to my thyroid problem, but they cannot be treated by the same medication. I thought that all I had to do for my body to be normal again was take a little pill every morning. So that’s what I did for four and a half years.

After I graduated from college, I started taking advantage of the extra time I had by going to bed early and getting a lot of sleep. A LOT OF SLEEP! I would sleep AT LEAST 8 hours a night, most of the time 9-10 hours. Even with all this sleep, there was never a moment in the day that I did not want to go to bed. I always needed a nap. For awhile I thought my body was just catching up on the last several years that I wasn’t getting adequate sleep, but after a year of lots of sleep and still feeling constant fatigue, I figured there had to be something else going on.

A little more back-story, at some point in the last 4 years, my thyroid enlarged again (which is why I originally went to the doctor) and even though they said my hormone levels were “normal,” they raised my medication dosage to bring down the inflammation. This never made sense to me. I couldn’t figure out how my hormone levels could be normal, but my thyroid could continue to struggle.

So I started doing some research. First, I looked up my disease and began to understand exactly what that meant for my body. I started connecting the dots between the autoimmune side of the disease and the hypothyroid side of the disease. Next, I started researching ways to treat my disease other than medication. The answer I found was eating a Paleo Diet. At first, I did NOT want to eat Paleo. I LOVE bread. Like a lot. Like more than anything else. How could I live without eating another Panera muffin? Or another slice of my mom’s incredible cheesecake?? I also really love cheese. But the more I read, the more convinced I was, that the Paleo diet was going to be the only solution for treating the autoimmune side of my disease.

I went all in. I bought 4 Paleo cookbooks at Barnes and Noble, made a meal plan and with a LONG grocery list in hand, I went to Whole Foods and bought enough food to feed an army. Seriously, I am so thankful my family has two refrigerators or I never would have been able to keep it all fresh.

The first week or two were overwhelming. I cooked every single night. My life consisted of sleeping, working, meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking. Glamorous, I know.

Eventually I started getting the hang of it, and now I only cook a couple nights a week. I still go to the grocery store at least twice a week, sometimes more, but they are quick trips because I know where things are now (my first trip to Whole Foods took 2 hours). Most importantly, I began to FEEL better! I no longer feel like a need to take a nap every second of the day. I still need a lot of sleep, and getting up in the morning is the hardest part of the day, but no longer feeling constant fatigue is amazing.

My research also led me to look further into my hormone levels and the medication that I take. I discovered that my hormones were in fact NOT normal and the medication I was taking was not treating the one hormone that really matters when it comes to your thyroid. I recently went to a specialist, and was able to get a new prescription that should treat the hypothyroidism side of my disease. She also said that if I had not already been eating Paleo, she would be telling me to start. YAY! It was so encouraging to have affirmation that the research I was doing and the changes I was making were in the right direction.

I just want to encourage anyone who has ever been diagnosed with anything to do some research. See what information is out there, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Listen to your body. You won’t regret it. The only thing I regret is waiting four and a half years to start doing research myself!

If you are interested in eating Paleo, I highly recommend purchasing Against All Grain by Danielle Walker. It is by far my favorite cookbook! You should also check her blog and her Facebook page! 

Thanksgiving 5 Months Early

About a month and a half ago I was rear-ended while waiting to turn left into a gas station. No one was hurt and my car was drive-able. A couple of days later, my car randomly dies because there is something wrong with the battery. When our mechanic looked at it, it was working just fine and he couldn't find a problem with my battery or my alternator. Of course. In the meantime, I have been talking to the insurance company and trying to arrange an adjuster to come out and look at my car so that I can get it repaired. Finally, a month and a half later, we get it all worked out.

3 weeks ago, I bought a new car. Not a brand new car, but a very nice used car. This is the first car that I've ever paid for all by myself. I had been saving up for a long time to get a reliable car with low miles and I was beyond ecstatic to finally own this car! The first week of owning this car I was out of town, so I have only been driving it for two weeks.

Yesterday, I was running errands for work and as I was driving down a 3 lane road (in the far right lane), a guy in the middle lane (to my left) suddenly decided he needed to turn right and proceeded to hit me and run me off the road into a parking lot and on my way I ran over two parking blocks. He gets out of his car and says, "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you." Well that was obvious. I call the police and an officer arrives and asks me what happened. I tell him. He goes and talks to the other driver. He gets in his car and acts like hes doing a lot of hard work. Not sure that he was doing anything at all. He gets back out and talks to the other driver again. Then he comes over and asks me to tell him again what happened. I did. He tells me that the other driver has a different story. A completely different story, in which I hit him.... you can imagine my anger/disgust/frustration/irritation/shock/disbelief. This was my new car this guy ruined and now he's trying to blame this accident on me??? Was he kidding??? Apparently he wasn't, and apparently the officer could not put 2 and 2 together, because despite the fact that according to the damage on our cars, the other driver's story was completely impossible, he said he "could not determine who was at fault and the insurance companies would have to fight it out." He also told me that I did not need to be upset because the other car had more damage then mine and "they can probably just buff that out" (referring to dent/scrape all across the driver's side of my car). The officer gives me the other driver's name and insurance number on the torn off corner of a yellow pad and tells me I'm free to go. Upon calling the insurance company, I learn that the guy who hit me and ran me off the road and then lied about it, does NOT have insurance. So much for the insurance companies fighting this out.

This incident left me in a sour and angry mood ALL DAY. I was absolutely livid at the injustice that was done to me. I don't know if you have experienced being angry all day or not, but let me tell you, it is exhausting! EXHAUSTING! I had a headache all day and I was so tired. All I wanted to do was go to bed and cry. Since that was not an option I decided to go to Chili's and get a diet coke and a chocolate chip skillet cookie. It helped a little.

All day I kept thinking that I shouldn't be so angry. I needed to let it go, but I just could not stop feeling upset about the whole situation.

I woke up this morning thinking it's a new day. Everything will get worked out. It's just a car. Even if it is my new car that I worked really hard for and love very much. Even if the guy who hit me deserved a ticket for hitting me as well as a ticket for having no insurance, and also a public flogging for lying to me and a policeman. Even though the police officer was unhelpful and unprofessional. It will all be ok. I am alive and I should be thankful. Well....

This morning, I am driving to work. I take the exit for NW Expressway from Hefner Parkway and I am in the yield lane waiting until it is clear to get on the expressway. I feel someone bump into me. Is this real life?? Did that just happen?? Yes. It did. I get out of my car to check and see if there is damage so that I can make sure the nice lady who hit me knows that I know so she will follow me into the nearest parking lot so we don't hold up all the traffic. To my surprise, this nice lady has rolled down her window and proceeds to scream at me, "I DID NOT TOUCH YOU!" I gently respond, "I am just making sure there's no damage (thankfully there wasn't any)." And she yells, "WHY DON'T YOU MOVE YOUR CAR AND GET OUT OF THE WAY." What do I even say to this outburst of rage from a woman who hit me? Nothing. I say nothing. I get in my car and suddenly the anger from yesterday is back in it's full glory, ready to ruin another day. Grr.

It takes me a total of 3 minutes to arrive at my office and then I had time to sit and think. I was trying really hard not to continue to be angry when I had a thought. I say "I had a thought" but really I think The Lord gave me this thought. I have so much to be thankful for. I have SO much to be thankful for. I have SO MUCH to be THANKFUL for!!! So I decided that in the midst of all this craziness, I should focus on the things I am thankful for. So I'm having Thanksgiving 5 months early and I have made a list of things that I am thankful for.

1. The Lord- His Grace is sufficient for me. He is great, He is good, and He is sovereign.
2. My family- my parents are incredible and always so supportive. My siblings are some of my best friends.
3. My funny friends- I have THE BEST FRIENDS ever. Always so supportive and encouraging, and the hilarious conversations I have with them will always be a blessing.
4. My jobs- I am so blessed to have two amazing jobs that I love, and I have the best bosses and co-workers!
5. My church and all the incredible people who go there
6. My mentor- what an incredible woman she is and always giving me the support and encouragement I need.
7. My bed- I love to sleep. A lot.
8. Pookie- THE BEST TEDDY BEAR EVER!
9. Cupcakes- yum
10. The ability to laugh- seriously, what would I do if I couldn't laugh? Being able to laugh at myself is such a blessing.
11. The ability to cry- sometimes you just have to let it all out, and I'm thankful I can do this.
12. Toilets- no explanation needed.
13. The heater in my office that keeps me from getting frostbite!
14. Despicable Me-  specifically Steve Carell
15. Facebook and Instagram for allowing me to creep on people without their knowledge! :)

In closing, I thought it would be appropriate to share part of one of my favorite songs.

"You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, You are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here
In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting Go."

I hope that when you are experiencing troubling times, you can still find things in your life to be thankful for. I know I always will.

Confessions of a Control Freak

    This may come to a surprise to you (NOT), but I am a complete control freak. If I lived in a perfect world, everything would be planned by me and everything would go according to the plan. I would also like to be able to predict the future so that I can face each moment confidently knowing that I have prepared for each detail of the day. I hope I don't sound too crazy right now.

    Fortunately for me, the one who does control the world is God, and everything goes according to His plan... I just never know what it is. This whole planning, controlling, predicting the future thing has been a sort of theme in my life. Trusting God completely and resting in Him with the knowledge that He has better plans for me than I could ever have for myself has always been in my head, but not so much in my heart. [^"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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13] My heart has held onto the need to control my environment, my calendar, my relationships, and my life because I find security in control.

    Here's the tricky thing about being a control freak. On the outside you look pretty good. I am very organized and punctual. I have good time management skills and I am very good at prioritizing. I maintained a 4.0 in high school and college. None of these are bad things. But when I evaluate the motive behind my actions, qualities, and characteristics, I find something dark. Control gives me comfort and security. I know that I cannot control everything, so I control the small things. But in reality those small things control me.

    True comfort and true security come from Christ. It is through Him alone that I can be secure in my future, and comfort flows out of Him and into me. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says, " Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." There are numerous passages from the Bible that explain and demonstrate the security we have in Christ.
Psalm 55: 22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm 73: 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 46: 1-2 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.
John 14: 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
1 Peter 5: 6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.    

    Over the last year and a half or so God has shaken up my life and revealed Himself in ways that have finally gotten me to understand this truth. I have finally begun to release the control that I foolishly believed I had on my life, and God has changed my life in huge ways. I want to share all these changes, but that would make for the world's longest blog so I will have to split it up and share them individually. The more I examine my heart, the more areas I see that God has changed and is changing, so who knows how long this might continue! Just a sneak peak at a few of the things God has changed: I quit my job after 7 years and now have a job I never considered having, I work at a camp I never thought I would work at, my "great career plan" is now unknown, I have changed churches AGAIN, my relationship with my brother has been restored, I am the President of my sorority, I have less stress now than ever before, and I'm still single (yes, I know that is not a change, but it is relevant. I promise.).

Sails and Anchors

I recently spoke with a friend and she shared with me the idea that everyone is either a sail or an anchor. Some people make plans and some people fly by the seat of their pants.... I am a planner. I am an anchor. Even when I want to do something adventurous, I make sure to plan it out. But this Spring Break, I learned a little something about being an anchor. I learned that it's ok to just set sail.

My friend Brette and I decided to go hiking in the Wichita Mountains for Spring Break. A nice mini road trip to the mountains for an afternoon of hiking with a meal at Meer's to top it off was the perfect plan! We invited some friends to join us and our little group of six made our way to the Wichita Mountains around 3:00 in the afternoon. We stopped at the visitor's center to talk to someone familiar with the trails and get a good idea about where were going and what we wanted to see. After another short drive to the beginning of the trail, we took off up the mountain. Nate, who had been camping there that weekend, led us at a brisk pace up the mountain. The trail felt like a massive stair case, and I soon became winded, but we all pressed on enjoying the beautiful day and the gorgeous scenery. Being in the wilderness made us think of The Hunger Games (if you haven't read the books DO IT TODAY!!) and our conversation circled around the books and the movie. This mostly consisted of me trying to convince Nate and Ryan that Peeta is better than Gale... I did not succeed in swaying their opinion, but it certainly was not for lack of trying.

Brette and I taking a break! :)

Once we got to the top of the mountain, the guys wanted to climb up on some of the boulders and we soon left the trail behind us to explore the area.

Ryan and Nate

The Girls!

After climbing numerous boulders and wandering quite a ways from the trail, we decided to head back to the trail and continue on in hopes of finding a waterfall that my dad told me about. Well.... we had a difficult time finding the trail. We followed some kids around until we made it back to what we thought was the trail we took, but after a ways we hit a dead end. And another dead end. And another dead end. We continued walking in circles, trying to find our way back, laughing and joking about Peeta and Gale the whole way. We finally came to one side of the mountain where we could see the trail, the parking lot, and even our cars below us! So all we needed to do was get down the mountain... easier said than done! On this particular area of the mountain, there was no trail or path. It was pretty steep, and we were pretty high up. By this point, we all just wanted to get down to the bottom and get some burgers at Meers, so the guys went first and decided that it was doable, and Brette, Bethany, Jessica and I quickly followed them down. 

Me and Brette, going rouge!

Bethany, Jessica, and Ryan ended up on the right side, while Nate, Brette and I were on the left. After making it about halfway down, it became apparent that this was not the easiest path to take. I ended up slipping and sliding down part of the mountain, and Brette slid on purpose because there weren't many options. This resulted in some scraping of the arms but no serious injuries :). Once we made it down to the ground, we had to go through a little forest to get to the trail. From up above, this didn't look like it would be too hard, but once on the ground we could see that the trees were pretty short and they grew out instead of up.... if the trees were people and the branches were arms, they were all holding hands!! So we had to push our way through trees that were so dense we could not even see Ryan, Jessica, and Bethany who had already made it through and were waiting for us. Finally, we pushed through and after a little more climbing down and around, we made it back to the trail! What a relief!! Looking back up at the mountain we had just climbed down was crazy!! I was shocked at how steep it looked from down below! What fun we had on this little adventure. 

We made it to the trail!

Leaving the trail and eventually climbing/sliding down a steep mountain side and pushing my through trees is not what I had in mind when I suggested we go hiking, nor is it something that an anchor usually does. Anchors use maps and stay on the trail. But that day, I let sails lead me on an adventure that I never would have taken myself, and I'm so glad I did! We had so much fun and the experience of looking back at the mountain we came down was priceless. Realizing that it's ok to haul in the anchor and let the wind take you was a lesson I am thankful I learned. I am looking forward to many adventures that life has in store for me! 

The mountain side we came down... and the devil forest!

Reflecting on this idea of anchors and sails, I think that anchors and sails work best together. Plans are good and being prepared is never a bad thing, but letting loose and going with the flow is also good, and it can lead to experiences and memories that might have been missed if you always stick to the trail.