Dueling Blogs

Last Thursday, I found myself on a plane Chicago bound for the first time. I was travelling there to meet a dear friend, spending two days with him taking in all the "windy city" has to offer. It had already been a long day, with an early start at work to make up time for the flight that afternoon, but being in the air with a good book and seeing painted clouds pass by were perfect therapy. As the skies grew darker, the glue that keeps your eyes stuck to the pages became more dense. The great distraction of the clouds diminished, and my nose pointed to my book. 

I enjoyed several hours of turning pages, while the darkness swirled outside. All until a glimmer of orange and gold in the foremost corner of my window emerged. My book dropped. The light grew, and continued to grow till there was no more darkness. My sight was full of the radiance. All clouds were illuminated, and soon it was as if the plane was swimming through glorious heavenly colored clouds. The city was upon me.

My friend that I met in Chicago was Nick, a near-brother, that I would do anything for. He loves Jesus, is full of the Spirit and allows himself to be lead by Him. Let's say that if I had a group of people in my mind that I especially love and cherish and keep up with, he would be in that group. Of course, only hypothetically speaking...

The man, the legend:

Over the two days we walked miles upon miles all over downtown Chicago. We gained a few pounds from the incredible food, saw historic buildings and architecture, took all the touristic photos possible, and even got a chance to squeeze in time for a Garth Brooks concert. Cloud Gate, Navy Pier, Portillo's, Giordano's. We saw it all, and ate it all.

Most meaningful to me though, were the conversations we held during these endeavors. Our words were full. Meaningful. Centered on the things that count. We saw Jesus in the small things, took pictures of them, and talked about them. 

Over pizza on our first day, we were going through dreams and aspirations, what we wanted to do and enjoyed doing, all while taking glances at the Cubs game. Mentioning that I wanted to do more writing, and then looking at the game, Nick then had a brilliant idea which made my head quickly turn back. 

A blog challenge. With both of us having kept a blog in the past, he suggested for a year, that we each post a blog a week. 

I smiled quickly. 

We both nodded. 

Our arms stretched across the table, above our pizza. We shook firmly. 

We quickly finished our pizza due to monstrous clouds growing outside our restaurant window, paid and left. We had much to see and do with our time left in Chicago, all while excitedly talking about rules of the challenge and what our first few posts would be about. 

And it was done. The challenge was made and accepted, and this is the result, the first of a minimum of fifty two blog posts to be made this year. Nick, thanks for being the kind of friend that'll think of and do something like this with me. Thanks for being a friend that many dream of having. 

This is going to be fun, and challenging, which makes it all even better. The best of luck to you my good friend. I can not wait to read your words through this journey of creating. 

**if you find yourself reading my blog at times during this year, please read Nick's as well, it will leave you nothing but encouraged and inspired in all ways: theramblingsofaragamuffin.wordpress.com 

Something New

It has been a while, over half a year at least. Not that there has been any demand for any writing of mine, or that anyone is going to read this, I just kind of need to, personally. This is therapeutic. At least it feels that way. When I write, I feel like I am praying, journaling, and reflecting, along with other things.  It makes my prayers more solid to me, more concrete and thorough. In turn, I feel more put together and most thoughts in my mind are set in place. And the peace that comes with it is pretty cool. So, I have felt the want/need to write for a while. Funny how this urge happens when I have so little time to do so.

So many changes have taken place in these months. I graduated in December from university and got married just a few months after in April. Shortly after marriage an opportunity presented itself in the form of a job in Phoenix, Arizona. So close to a month ago, my bride, myself and my parents packed up our vehicles and made the haul from the middle of Texas to the middle of the desert, Phoenix.

Presently, Candace is looking for schools to become a Dental Hygienist, and I am getting work experience with an environmental chemical company. Even though I was interviewing with this company for several months before anything happened, making living in Phoenix a big possibility the entire time, my wife and I really didn't see us being here.

We thought that a job would come up in Texas where we could pay off loans and get more comfortable being married. Eventually then we would find a point when we could get on a plane and experience more international serving experiences, which we love.

Those long term plans of ours have not changed at all really, and I have to keep telling myself that. I have to be reminded that being in Phoenix does not change goals or dreams for us. It does not change our faith, our hope, why we do what we do. Even though I am working in a warehouse and typing on a computer, earning a salary, my "work" is not mine but the Lord's. This place needs light and life just as much as anywhere else. While we are here, we want to be channels of just that.

So to finish off on this slow afternoon at work, I leave you pictures that are going through my head of one place I miss, our family ranch, where we lived before the move.

-Will

The Hike: Macchu Pichu Mountain

I have what feels like a billion pictures and don't know what else to do with them other than dump them on you. Hope you enjoy. Get ready for your virtual hike up Macchu Pichu Mountain via pictures taken by myself.

We woke up close to four thirty that morning to catch on of the first busses to the foot of the ruins of Macchu Pichu. Waking up to misty morning and the remains of a night with much rainfall, we walked across Aguascalientes and stood dripping in the already over crowded line to grab a bus. Once we got to the actual ruins, these are the beautiful sights we saw, just the etchings of ruins grabbing our sights through the clouds that developed over the night on this part of the Andean mountains.

It was absolutely gorgeous. I felt like I was not in Peru but in Scotland and was about to see burly men walk through the mist with blue painted faces. 

And so we found the beginnings of the trail to the top of Macchu Pichu Mountian, and began our 2 hour walk up of mostly stone stairs to the top. Take in every wet and steep step that we took upon. 

If you haven't noticed, I found and enjoyed my inner photography loving self. If it's been too much for you, hah, I'm not that sorry.

The locals and guides told us that the weather was weird for this time of year. 

Once to the top, there was a hut a sign to take pictures with, and then the marker a little past that, with a make-shift flag pole next to it. 

Usually, on a clear day, one can see the ruins from the top.

Thanks for looking at the longest post I will ever put up. 

Being back

The hardest part of this blogging thing is starting one. I don't know how to start these things. I have been back for a little over a week from Peru. From pushing a broom at work or sitting in the car travelling, I have had a lot of time to think over the summer. But still I don't know what to write. Yes, I sit and work and think of things I would love to write of, just putting it down in words that I find acceptable can be difficult. I also feel like I have a million pictures that I want to put on here and that they could explain things better than I could. So you may be seeing a lot of pictures in the future, if you plan on continuing to read me.

So this is where I am right now, tucked away in the mountains right outside of Las Vegas, NM in one of the few places that I really feel like I'm at home. My family moved around a lot while I was growing up, and after living in maybe a dozen or so houses in various cities and towns, this place has been constant, a place always there.

While I've been here in the mountains, it's been like a family reunion. I have had such great conversations and hugs and smiles with some of the best people I know and cherish. I am constantly feeling blessed while I am here. Maybe you can tell by these pictures.

More to come over, mostly over the last week in Peru, with many pictures. Thanks, peace.