New Shoes

My beloved new flats

Who knew that I'd go for months in Austria without ever wearing a pair of heels, and after returning home, flats became my new uniform.  Of course, since my closet is adorned with all varieties of heels, I had to invest in a few pair of [fashionable-yet-comfortable] flats.  I was also very happy to be wearing more flats after an older friend of mine showed me her feet after years of wearing heels -- what they say can be true!  Trust me, I love a pair of heels for church, or a nice dinner out, or a wedding, but they are more the exception nowadays.  But I must say, while I thought that I made progress from heels to flats, my doctor so tactfully pointed out that I might need to get more supportive shoes after looking at my beloved new flats.  Well, one step at a time. : )

Our feet are important, though, as Paul pointed out: "How beautiful are the feet of those that bring good news!" Romans 10:15

Pilates with my sister

Pilates exercise at Asbury Barn

A few weeks after I cam back from Austria, I decided to keep up the "4 units a week" routine from school.  And I quit the gym after belonging for many, many years.  How can you go into a gym and stand on the treadmill after being in the Austrian alps?  You just can't.  So, I picked up jogging again, rode my bike, and also signed up for a Pilates (pronounced pi-lat-ees) with my younger sister Karen.  It's in a lovely setting -- a barn in the woods with big wooden beams.  It's such a nice change from the gym atmosphere, and so affordable.  And the instrustor is very, um, precise.  She really works hard to ensure that we're all doing our moves correctly.  I only got yelled at once yesterday.  She does also give the "great work" feedback, but you can't help but want to be on your best behavior when there.  So, I'll keep this up for the rest of the year, enjoying my time with my sister, and hope that she gives us good marks.   : )

Reading list

Finishing up this classic

This year, I decided to start reading the classics that I had never read before.  My love of reading didn't come when I was younger, but rather in the past 10 years.  So, I've so enjoyed catching up on some all-time favorites.  When in Austria, some of the students helped me to compile a list, based on some of their favorites.

Recently Read:     To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
                              Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
                              The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain (almost finished!)

Coming up:           Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

My list is much longer than this, and I'm always adding to it.  So, if you have a favorite, I'd enjoy hearing about it.  For now, since my library book is due in two days, I think I'll go find out what the little king is up to in Mark Twain's story.

Creative thinking

I've really enjoyed this fall.  A different season of my life--literally.  But I've just so enjoyed all of the colors, taking hikes, bike rides, and just enjoying the trees in my neighborhood.  I went for probably my last morning bike ride today.  At a brisk 40 degrees, I suited up in warm gear, complete with my skiing neck gator and shoe covers.  But I didn't mind the temperature because there was little wind and the sun was just coming up.  Oh, how this made the scenery look just stunning! I just had to snap a few photos, but passersby may have looked at me strange when I stopped on my bike and took pictures with my double-mitted hands. Over an hour later, I returned home, refreshed, having thoroughly enjoyed my early Sunday morning soaking in God's creation, wondering where I woudl be next fall.

At the creativity workshop. Asbury Woods Nature Center



And over the weekend, I went to a creative thinking workshop at one of the local nature centers, Asbury Woods.  A renovated house set in the woods, it was the perfect setting for this workshop.  And with only two other participant and the teacher, sitting in a conference room with oak chairs, and woods visible through the windows, it did spark creativity.  We learned that logic is not always present when being creative.  And that it's very important to play in life, because this helps with creativity (I did, in fact, go to this workshop because I wanted to do something fun). We did go through a list of things that affect creativity, like your
environment, your upbringing, what you read and listen to, and who you have as friends.  But the professor asked if we wanted to add anything to the list.  And it took me a bit, but I added:  money.  When you have money, you buy what you need and that's the end of it.  But when you're watching your money, you become very creative.  You make due or find another way to get something accomplished.  Or you go without.  But it can also inspire you to pick-up or resume hobbies that are practical or resourceful.  I've found in my life, that when I have less, I create more, when I have more, I buy more and create less.  We finished the workshop by inventing games with kitchen utensils (see photo).  We all came up with different ideas -- especially for the can opener!  The professor said that he expected this -- if everyone comes up with the same idea, there's too many people in the room.  I left the session glad that I went, enjoyed meeting a few new people, and promptly went home to finish some painting. : )

Old friends

There's nothing like an old friend.  No matter how many years go by, no matter how many months pass since you last talked, you can always pick up where you left off.  I had that twice this week.  I visited my old neighbor, who now lives in an apartment below her daughter and son-in-law.  She's 89 and reads a mystery book or other book every two days.  She's very sharp.  She told me about her bird feeders, watching the beautiful red sky as she overlooks the countryside and lake.  She has a few pets and has a great routine with them.  We had tea and cupcakes, and amazingly, I had a taste for chocolate cake and frosting for weeks, and when I told her this, she said that she had picked up cookies, but got the cupcakes instead because they were so festive.  And we talked about her grandkids and great-granddaughter.  She really is very special to me.  Her husband died about 5 years ago and when she lived next to me we got close.  I used to go watch the olympics with her and just go over to talk.  She'd tell me about her days as a manager at a bank and how she and Carl, "just got along."  As I was getting ready to leave, I felt the unmistakable urge to pray for her.  Now, this is not something that I do very readily, so it was by God's grace that I could.  I asked her if I could thank God for our time together and she said sure.  So I did and she thought that was very nice.  We hugged and promised to see each other again soon.

A hike through Scott Park, Erie, PA, USA with my friend Norine

The second friend that I caught up was an old racing companion.  She and I used to train on bikes in the rain, snow, and even did the MS-150 (a two-day 150 mile fundraising tour around Pittsburgh) one spring.  Oh how our lives have changed!  She's now married, and today we went for a hike through Scott park, instead of racing the countryside of Erie.  It was mostly level, and we talked the whole time, enjoying the beauty of the woods and each others company. We discovered that we may be the only two people that we know not on facebook, and how we both have a love for hiking.  She just got back from her honeymoon hiking in Utah.  We also sincerely talked about how our lives have changed and how thankful that we are that they're not the same.  Since she's looking for a church, she and I may end up seeing each other more if she ends up liking my church.  I was so grateful for our hike on what would have otherwise been a cold and drizzly day (44F/6C degrees).

First American Hike

To my dear friends that I met in Austria,

To Kerstin, Isa, Daniela Lani, Caitlyn, Nat, Megan, Emily, Mirjam, Krista, Sonja, and all the others.  Oh, how I thought of you when I went on my first real hike back in the United States.  I went to an area about an our away from my house and there were beautiful bike and hiking trails through the mountains, which ran beside a river.  The area is the home of Drake's well, or the first oil drilling area in the United States.  The leaves were turning beautiful colors and as I hiked, I couldn't help but think of all of you and the many hikes that we took!  I remember the first hike with you Kerstin, Isa, and Kate, I felt like we were lost, but you, Isa, kept us on track and had no fear - I am grateful for your experience and confident ways. I'll also remembered the "roommate hike," with you Dani, and just laughing and talking about important things in life.  And how can I forget the speed hike with you, Emily?!  I specifically remember keeping up with you for only a bit then you and Lota were off !  But how challenging and fun. 

I remember how peaceful the mountains were despite their shear mass and height, but it always refreshed me to go on an hike with any of you because your hearts were always turned toward God.  And there's a special memory created when you go in nature with a fellow believer, it's almost like words aren't even necessary because of God's presence all around.  I remember hiking with you, Kerstin, and while we talked, I remember just natural silence as we enjoyed God's beauty in the moment -- you have a way of making people feel so calm.  And Lani, I remember a very nice "hike" along the river where we really had a chance to get to know each other before we went to Italy.  Megan, I remember the last group hike through the mountains behind school, just chatting with my desk mate. On the foggy hike before this, Caitlyn, it was so special to spend time getting to know your gentle spirit.  And while not a hike, I remember a very special time on our trip to Salzburg, Krista, but more importantly, I remember you giving me an encouraging verse just when I needed it. And even though I reminisced about the hikes, more so my heart just fondly remembered each of you and how special it was to spend time with you, experiencing real-life transformation through God's divine power. 

I think of you all often and pray that you are joyful, enjoying your walk with Christ and looking forward to what he can do through you. 

Your friend,
Sharon 

Not quite Austria...but a beautiful hike through the Titusville, Pennsylvania area

My favorite bike ride

From my favorite bike ride

Let me take you on my favorite bike ride today.  It's a beautiful ride that takes me about an hour and leaves from my house, goes along the lake, through a golf course and through nice neighborhoods.  It's 51 degrees this morning, dew on the grass, not even the slightest breeze, but the sun is coming up and making the trees glow.  So, I suit up in my knickers, a long-sleeve teal jersey, my yellow-greenish neon vest, arm warmers, and a hat.  I'm ready to go except - oops! -- I forgot to change my shoes in to my clip shoes.  I'm on my way now, and I head north out of my driveway around the block and right onto West Lake Road and then quickly turn onto a road where all of the houses are right on the lake.  Landscapers are out in full force since it's been rainy for several days.  I navigate around them, enjoying looking at the lake, which is the backyard for these houses.  And I begin my usual thinking and wondering.  And I think about a statistic that I read in The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Sterns, former CEO of Lenox china: $65 billion could eliminate poverty for more than a billion people -- or the amount that we spend on jewelry each year in America (interesting: we spend over $705 billion on entertainment).  And I think about what I can do about it, not getting overwhelmed with the problems, but taking my part in making a difference. 

As I head up my first hill, it's already warming up, so I slide down my arm-warmers.  I ride through some beautiful houses around Wolf Road, and then turn into Lake Shore and ride through the golf course.  I stop at my favorite spot overlooking the lake (above) and notice that they have a new bench.  I stop, admire the view, and pray for whomever comes to mind.  It's very peaceful.  I get back on my bike and ride more along the lake and then down Manchester, where I head downhill and crest 30mph as I hit the bottom of the hill.  I head up the next hill around the bend and pass some friendly walkers on the uphill -- as I 'wheee-hooo-whee-hooo' with my breathing up the hill I get in a 'hello' and at the top are more walkers and my hello is something like 'wheeee-hoooo-good-huh-morning-wheee-hooo.'  But I smile and am glad to see people out. 

I head to the intersection and turn left by Pepino's and head down and up Walnut Creek Hill.  Unfortuneately, there's always a need to navigate dead animals here, but a big hawk flies overhead distracting me as I navigate around one.  I get to the top of the hill puffing, and head right, the sun is really shining now and the dew fading from the grass.  I like this section becauase it's relatively flat and wanders along the golf course; good thinking time.  I think about how grateful that I am that God has given me courage and strength to really follow him.  I think about how neat it is that we can ride on a bike and not fall off (well, most of the time).  I think about the woman who just stopped running, with her hands on her hips, and wonder if she's training for something.  I head back and go through the neighborhood by the lake hitting my last hill before I turn onto West Lake Road and head back to my house.  I arrive and look down, 52:36 minutes later and I am appreciative of such a beautiful ride to think, pray, and get some exercise.

As for the rest of the day, I'm headed to lunch with my neighbor.  : )