Is there a puma in that crevice?

So...I woke up this morning a little early - I didn't want to be late for my hike on the Franz Josef Glacier...(I got there at 7:35 a.m. - didn't have to be there till 8:15 a.m.- hee).

I decided to wear shorts because I know me. I get warm when I hike...I had four layers for my top half - so I knew I would be okay. They gave me another rain jacket(which I used to sit on during our lunch break) and heavy rain pants(that stayed in my back pack.

This glacier is one of three around the world - that exists near a rain forest. The second one is the Fox Glacier about 12 miles South from here and the third one is in the Patagonia. Amazing.

I was in a group of 10 including our guide. We had to hike for about 2 kilometers and then put our crampons on and hike another 1 1/2 kilo's on loose rock and ice before we were only on ice. The group I was with was a lot of fun...willing to try things but many of them had never really hiked at all before.

I LOVED IT! It was like a giant jungle gym in ice. You all would have been so proud of the climbs and jumps and things I had to get through. I sliced my leg at one point - when I had to jump over a crevice and tried to take our guide down - he was helping me. Whoops.

By the way - there are no puma's in these crevices.

Exhilerating...I love that I hiked for the entire day and could have just kept going. I love that I have this experience.

I also met two different guys to speak German with - one from Germany and one from Switzerland. Thomas is from Switzerland - told me he was trying to do all the things here that he couldn't do back home. Like he won't be bungy jumping(which is HUGE in New Zealand) because he could do that back in Switzerland. Interesting point. It was fun talking with them.

I came back to the hostel and showered. Spent about an hour just to get that one picture up on Facebook - but notice I figured out how to get them off of my phone! I only have my phone to use for pictures on this trip - I currently don't have a camera...so I've been planning on using a disposable camera but the phone takes fantastic pictures! I can't wait to put them all on here.

Then I went down to a restaurant and sat by myself at a table in the corner where I could watch all the other people. I enjoyed a pizza and they have pavlova for dessert(mmmmm...).

I still don't know what I am going to do the last 4 days in New Zealand, probably spend too much time driving. But I think I am going to head a bit further south to see what I can.

Will let you know tomorrow!

Hey - I will be back in Pensacola in a week!

Online Social communities...and the ministry that I serve.

There is so much happening online these days that it's almost overwhelming. I can spend hours - hours - just reading about all the online communities and what different ministries or organizations are using them for.

I have a love/hate relationship with all of it. I am slightly addicted(read - on all the time) to facebook and twitter - I can access them through my phone now. But I hate cell phones. I still leave my phone behind when I am with people. I don't want these things to control me but I love how I can check in on my friends whenever I like...well, at least the ones that are on facebook and twitter. I mean, I even found my childhood best friend who lives in Germany! And now we are slowly reconnecting! But I really, really don't always want to know everything that people update...some people update all the time. And for whatever reason, that bothers me. And I am starting to carry my cell phone with me more places - like staff meeting. That is something that I started about a month ago...weird. I still get annoyed though when people constantly look at and use their phones when they are in a meeting with me or we are talking...but now I am doing it to. (I know, I know - hypocritical). Struggle.

So. I don't let my students use their cell phones in the youth building - or they aren't supposed to or I take them away till they leave. But they constantly try to use them and are quite successful at times...and sometimes I ignore it or I take them away. But at this point...it is time for me to accept/acknowledge that cell phones/online communities are definitely around for awhile. There are many ministries that use cell phones/myspace/facebook/twitter as a way to allow students to interact during teaching or prayer times.

So is this what I should do? I am encouraging our worship committee/team to use twitter/texting as a means for building social community and prayer and feedback in our new ICON service that will begin on January 11th. But do I encourage my students to join twitter and use cell phones while I am teaching? While other adults are teaching?

I have talked about all of this with many of my friends and EVERYONE has a different opinion.

Reasons to use twitter and texting within the ministry:
1. Instant prayer requests
2. Instant feedback
3. Can ask questions during the week that people can give a quick and short response to.
4. The ministry can send info about what is going on in the future.
5. Most of my students have cell phones now and can't imagine not having it on them for even 5 minutes.

Some good questions about twitter and texting:
1. Is there a way to filter what people say - if we post the info immediately on a screen
2. not everyone knows how to use the technology/application
3. Some students won't/can't use texting/twittering - costs too much, just don't want to, etc.
4. Sometimes twitter doesn't update info as quickly as you need it to.


I am not sure if I really asked any real questions in this post - I am still trying to figure out what I think about it all. I know that I think that some people are way too connected and run the risk of not having enough face-to-face interaction because of their online communities. I think that we tend to be less cautious when we speak/write something online because there isn't instant feedback and it seems safer to email/text/IM/twitter something to somebody. I know that I love connecting with people through these venues. I know that I don't want it to control me.

Diana and new steps...

I am sitting in my living room with my right foot propped on a pillow watching the Princess Diana Memorial. I wasn't planning on watching the memorial - didn't even realize that it would be on the television. But it's interesting to remember where I was 10 years ago...I traveled with Amanda (Perry) Heibel to visit Kathleen Jones at Emory. We explored Atlanta and Emory and hung out in parks and enjoyed each others company. I remember watching some of the news about Diana's death which sparked conversation about how fragile life is...
Now 10 years later - I haven't talked to Kathleen since she got married two years ago, while Amanda and I have stayed in touch over the years but not as well as I want. We have so many minutes every day but there just don't seem to be enough minutes every day to really connect with the people that I want to. My roommate and I talked last night for awhile about how relationships are harder to maintain when you don't live in the same town...even with so many ways to communicate over the miles...for me, personally, one on one conversations or even just sitting in the same room together is the best.
It's amazing as well, to think about everywhere I have been, everything I have done and all the people I have learned from over just the past 10 years. I was living in Tallahassee at the time...and have since lived in Sneads(FL), Pensacola, Atlanta, Nashville and Orange Beach. I hiked 2,172 miles in 14 states with my sister and 3 other friends. Funny, because 10 years ago, my sister and I didn't get along as well as we could have and now she is my best friend! I couldn't imagine life without her laughter and words of wisdom and determination...I am more thankful for those 6 months on the Appalachian Trail with her that I can express.
The best part is - that I LOVE my life - I am blessed and broken and so thankful for all of you and my experiences. It's good. Yep.
I actually was just going to share the good news - that I just rode a stationary bike at the gym for 40 minutes and have lifted weights 3 times this week...it has been SO good to get out and move! My foot is swollen right now but it feels great! I had the stitches removed on Tuesday and have been allowed to weight bare on my foot as long as it's comfortable for me. Yea! It is so much easier to go upstairs now! I am so slow and I only put weight on the outside of my foot...but I can walk! And it's only been 3 weeks since my surgery! Hmmmm...one day at a time.