free time.

well, a week and a half later, i finally have settled into the routine of having free time. this morning i went on a bike ride that ended at a friend's house, where i ended up working on a project for a few hours. i biked home for some taco salad lunch, then leisurely cleaned the kitchen with dana and talked for a while. in the afternoon i walked to sugar rush baking company and sipped a $1.21 cup of coffee while reading and writing for a while. then i walked home, stopping in the grocery store on the way to pick up some broccoli for dinner, which i incorporated into a delightful stir fry after searching the top rated recipes on allrecipes.com. after dinner i spent the next hour or so sifting through recipes for other things that i have coming up that i'll be cooking for, then topped off the evening by making some homemade vanilla (and chocolate, and lemon, and cinnamon) pudding as a test run. such a lovely day.

it's been nice to be so free, to have so much time to use at my disposal. i finally finished the last big project to decorate downstairs, covering the ugly picture in the big frame i bought at goodwill with fabric and hanging it from the ceiling. i couldn't keep this lack of schedule for too long though. i've already been craving some sort of routine, i just get so much more done that way!

maybe i'll consider a culinary career. when i look at how i've spent my time these past ten days, so much of it has been in cooking! i say that half as a joke, but half seriously. someday i think i'd really enjoy something like a little bakery or catering business. but at this point, that's still just a lofty idea. i have a lot to learn before then.

this past week has been full of lots of time with friends too. i went blackberry picking at melissa's house, had dinner with the hernandez family, and had the campus cleanup crew over to the house for ice cream. i've had plenty of time to go on long runs. i discovered a new route that is almost 7 miles and takes me down the main strip of west seattle, then along the western side, overlooking the olympics. it's beautiful, and at one particular spot, reminds me of being in italy.

i added a bunch of new podcasts to my queue, including several by rc sproul and tim keller. the sproul ones are much more theological, i feel a bit like i'm in seminary when i listen to them. a little harder to follow on a run. the keller ones are really great- i've listened to two, one on doubt and one on the fruit of the spirit, both of which have really made me think. in the one on doubt, keller made the point that behind every doubt is actually belief, just in something other than the thing you are doubting. really it just comes down to what you choose to believe in. he gave the example that you are being chased by a wild bear and end up at the edge of a cliff with there are three branches below. you have the choice to either jump and possibly survive, or face the bear. in that moment, when you jump, it doesn't really matter if you have good technique, or how prepared you were for dinner that night, or what clothes you're wearing. what matters is which branch you grab on to and put your faith in. if you grab the wrong one, you're still going to fall. so, he asked, what do you choose to believe in this life? what do you choose to put your faith in?

i've been thinking about plenty these past several days, and learning a lot too. but i'll elaborate on that in another post. for now, i'll leave you with some pictures...

dana, katy and i ventured downtown for fro-yo to celebrate me passing the exam

sitting and enjoying the calmness of the park after cg last saturday.

that's mount baker you see, 3 hours north.

the roomies, pulling together some last minute appetizers at cole's

house before people came over for a labor day celebration

yum.

until next time,

tracey

one year.

one year ago yesterday i officially hit the highway to make the 5 day drive to seattle. that day was actually supposed to be august 31st, but that day also happened to be the day that i found out my hand was, indeed, broken. it was also one of the last days that i wore shorts.

(somewhere on a highway in utah)

i've lived in seattle for an entire year! and what a year it has been. it's been fun to look back at everything that has happened...i've learned a lot in the past 365 days.

i've experienced the provision of the Lord time and time again. from getting accepted into the internship when there was nothing that really merited me doing so, to finding community and a church right off the bat, to my family and friends supporting me every step of the way, to everything that came together for me to live where i live now (with amazing roommates), to being offered a job before i even applied. things have been coming together left and right, in the sovereignty and good provision of the Lord.

it's also been a hard year in a lot of ways, in the sense that i've been challenged to learn a lot of practical real life things. i've learned what it looks like to handle hard things, namely, to call out sin, and to deal with confrontation biblically. that sweeping things under the rug and pretending they don't happen isn't just living a fake life, it's cheapening the grace that is the gospel. i've come to understand that confronting sin is the more loving than letting people live in it, though it's often beyond awkward and unconfortable at the time. and, on the flip side, been learning to welcome being called out in my own sin. i'm thankful for friends that are willing to push me to be more like Jesus rather than let me live in complacency.

i've learned that everything has a season. when i look back at my time here, i see three distinct time frames. september to december was marked by fun fun times, lots of silliness, and a community that was social and outgoing. january was a month of transition. february to may was a season of being in a relational desert. i learned how to pray diligently for things that i deeply hoped for, all the while understanding what it meant to rest in the sovereignty of the Lord. i was blessed by a few deep relationships that loved me well and sought out my heart. june to august was a season of growth, and learning to learn from those around me. i've watched as relationships that were broken have been restored, as plenty of new ones have developed, and as those that i was afraid of losing have proved true and deep. it's also been a season of fun fun fun in the outdoor wonderland that is summertime in the pacific northwest. and just when i thought that i would be climbing mountains alone all summer, the Lord provided the perfect community to adventure with.

also in that third season i've been blessed to be a part of a community group comprising of all married couples. plus me. and, recently, one other single gal. i chose that group for a reason- there's SO much to be learned in that environment. but that learning doesn't just come via osmosis. it takes effort to be real and vulnerable and exposed, to seek out the families in my group and pick their brains about everything from dating and marriage, to theology, to the best recipes to make with arugula. i've had to learn to trust them, and that while i can't take my kids on a play date to the park because i don't have any, or go on a double date because i'm single, there are plenty of ways to be a part of each other's lives. they have been good to remind me that it's a blessing for them as well as for me, and gracious to include me as their third or fifth or seventh wheel :) i've loved watching them do life, and being a part of it.

i've also come to understand that sanctification is a part of everyday life. rather than building things up in my head to the point where every bit of conflict or every occasion of not being in control is almost a catastrophe, i've watched as those in my community have modeled that those things are just a part of life, and in them, we grow. i had the opportunity to hear a speaker named steve timmis speak on living in community several weeks ago, and he said something that i remember clearly: "the people who drive me the most crazy are the ones that the Lord is using to sancify me the most." living in community gives opportunity to exercise the things that the Lord calls us to do most frequently, namely to forgive, to be patient, to love when we don't feel like it.

see how good the Lord is??

"only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life." deuteronomy 4:9

i could go on and on, but this post is getting long enough. now that i'm officially a registered dietitian (aka no more LONG days of studying), i'll write more soon :)

love,
tracey

18 miles.

i went on an extreme biking adventure today. in the past few weeks i've found a route that i like that takes me along both lincoln park and alki, and up a killer couple of hills to get my heart pumping. today my cg was volunteering at the community p-patch garden, so i decided to combine riding my bike there with my usual route, which turned out to be a killer 18 miles. the ride itself was great, and i felt totally green and hippie when i pulled up to the community garden all eco-friendly like that :) we mixed up some concrete and made a wall, which was a new and fun project to learn. the garden is a neat opportunity to get to know other people in the community who aren't involved in the circles i'm involved in, namely work and church. when i was done there, i ran a couple of errands (like to the local farmer's market) on two wheels before heading home for a much needed shower. at which point i realized my legs were very tired, and i was probably slightly dehydrated. but it was a fun fun way to spend the morning, riding all around like that! i even got a little tan!

i spent the afternoon studying and chatting with my friend sabara at barnes and noble, thought we probably did more chatting than studying. i also got to have lunch AND dinner with the reed and the ellis families, and i am so so thankful. not only was the food delightful (gourmet sandwiches at the ellis abode for lunch and tasty spaghetti for dinner at the reeds), but it was so good to spend time with them. this season has been so very busy, and i've felt out of touch with my community group because i've been gone so many saturdays on hiking and camping trips. i anticipated that, but didn't anticipate how disconnected it would make me feel! with that and then having to study in all my spare time, i haven't been able to spend much time with them at all. it was so refreshing to re-connect today over both meals, to talk about life and real things, hearts and relationships and jesus. i'm thankful for these two families (among many) who welcome me with open arms, even after i've been gone and busy for so long, and even when i fear that i've lost them in my absence. they graciously prove me wrong.

and as if that wasn't enough, the women in my cg (katy, mackenzie, allie, teresa) all put together a little survival basket of treats to get me through this last couple weeks of studying, chock full of candies, study materials, healthy snacks, homemade jam, tea bags, and notes of encouragement!
that's all for today. RD exam coming up so soon: august 31st! then blogging will resume.

squinty eyed concrete wall makers

master concrete mixer-chef

provision.

i have been busy busy BUSY! mostly with fun things, but also with studying. it's hard to justify taking the time to write a blog post when i have 600 pages of nutrition to memorize in the next 3 weeks. but sitting here and eating lunch makes for a good excuse to take a little break and update the blogging world.

first of all, i'm all moved in to my new house! meet my new roommates:

dana, emily, and jacqui, from left to right. they're wonderful, and it's been so great to live in community with girls who are wholeheartedly seeking Jesus. the story of how we all came to live together is a really neat one, and shouts the sovereignty of the Lord.

another evidence of God's grace: i have a job!! well, i guess i'm technically not hired quite yet, but the polyclinic (where i did my outpatient rotation, and which i loved) has said that they intend to hire me as soon as i pass my exam. i'll be joining a team of 8 or so other rd's and rn's to teach a whole host of diabetes education classes. the Lord literally just placed the opportunity right in my lap- and it's doing something that i think i'll really enjoy. i'll be looking for another part time job to go alongside, but not until i pass the exam and start working in september.

while i have been studying, i've also been taking plenty of time to soak up the finally-warm-enough-to-wear-shorts weather. here are a few pictures from some of my recent adventures...

hiking mount si: 8 miles round trip, with a scramble to get up to the very top.

sarah came to visit, all the way from dc!! what a treat to have her here- we had plenty of great conversations over plenty of delightful little cups of coffee and bakery treats. so thankful for her!



camping at lake kachess: 2 nights, 3 days, a boat and 2 jetskis, plenty of firewood, a sky full of stars, and great, great friends.

housewarming party! it was a hit- we didn't acually count, but think 50 or so people came throughout the course of the night. so much food and fancy homemade pizza, and lots of laughing at a couple of rounds of telephone pictionary.

just a little peek into what's been going on in the past month. more to come soon! (i hope)

truth.

sweet gospel truth.

that each breath is a second chance.
that obedience is freedom.
that i am not in control of my own life, but serve a sovereign God.
that we are part of a bigger story, one with purpose and unfathomable glory.
that His timing is perfect, and His provision is enough.
that the Lord gives grace abundant.

amen.

blessings.

today was full of blessings.

things have been so crazy since the middle of last week, with the internship finishing up, then flying home, driving to dallas for the wedding, staying there, and running around fort worth to visit people who would only be here for the weekend.

i don't think i've really sat still since last tuesday, and i KNOW i haven't had a chunk of time to sabbath. so today i took the morning to rest and pray and read and think, a much needed pause from the craziness of my schedule since i've been home. i went on a long (-er than usual) run in the cool (-er than the middle of the day heat) morning weather while i listened to a mars hill podcast on community. it felt great to get out and move, and good to hear a familiar seattle voice in my ears :) after my FAVORITE breakfast of cereal with fresh blue/black/raspberries i walked myself to starbucks where i just sat and read and wrote for a couple of hours. a time to sabbath, to connect with the Lord.

a couple of verses stuck out to me today.

"you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. so glorify God in your body." 1 corinthians 6:19-20
(so what does it look like for me to glorify God in my body with the way i eat/sleep/workout?)

"and i was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but the POWER of God." 1 corinthians 2:3-5
(i consistently feel the need to be prepared before i say gospel words to someone. but even paul didn't have it figured out, and in fact, it's better that we don't! "lest the cross be emptied of its power" and we receive any kind of glory. so why do i feel the need to? in trying to be so prepared, aren't i failing to trust that the Lord is going to provide the words, as he PROMISES that he would?)

and a quote that i recently read: "a sense of His absence is proof that He has touched you." (by i forgot who)
(after all those busy days, i truly did miss time in the word and prayer. this was so encouraging to me. that i even longed for that time is proof of the Holy Spirit, creating that desire within me.)

then, after all that thinking, i got to go visit the modern art museum here in fort worth with kelsey and thomas. i love spending time with them, they're thinkers too, and i appreciate that. we wandered through, deciding which pieces of art we most appreciated and which ones we really didn't care for. i particularly liked the silver trees in the courtyard, they remind me of the one at the sculpture garden in seattle.

after that, i met up with my friend austin for coffee at a new coffee shop. i'm all about trying new places. we had a lot of catching up to do, and after the shop closed up at 5 (probably should have checked that before we decided to go there), we relocated to the bench outside to finish our conversation. such a breath of fresh air! (the conversation, not the fact that we were sitting outside on a bench.) i appreciated it very much- to hear how the Lord is moving in the lives of people is so encouraging and challenging to me. AND, just to make things really great, i saw the first lightining, heard the first thunder, and felt the first storm blow past me in 10 months. i do hope it thunderstorms one of the days i'm home, i sure do miss that good texas rumble.

that's all for now. it's been a day of great conversation and time with more people who i love and appreciate. what a blessing!

that's all for now.

love,
tracey

love.

these past few days have been full of lots and lots of love.

it was so wonderful to FINALLY (after a year) see the faces of the kappa girls that i love so much, ones that know my heart and who i love dearly. i didn't realize how much i have missed them this year until all of a sudden my heart was so full of joy when i hugged their necks!! we all celebrated together with emily as she married jin, i could hardly keep from watching the two of them all evening. any other time, this would be creepy, but at a wedding, i think it's perfectly acceptable! he kept kissing her face and she kept standing right in his arms, it was fun to watch them be so in love. i've gotten to hear much of their story first hand over the past couple of years... many emily conversations over lattes at come college station coffee shop or another. i love how she seeks Jesus so steadfastly, and how he challenges her to do so. i love how genuine she is, and how he complements that in her. i love how passionate they both are. basically, i just love them. i'm so glad i made it back for the wedding, what a treat to celebrate with them in person!

today had in store two more heartfelt conversations, one over lunch and one over a beer at a great little place here in fort worth called the ginger man (if you ever see one, check it out!). two women who i love dearly and respect greatly. it was so refreshing to talk with them, to be silly with them, to remember with them. what a treat to see them while i'm here, i've missed them so!

these past few days have just been so loco, nonstop the whole time. aka, bedtime for me. i just wanted to write a quick little post on a couple of the many reasons there's so much love in my heart today.

love,
tracey

oh, also, check out my view from the plane ride here:

mt. rainier, up close and personal. how fantastic!!