The Name Change:

I love the outdoors.  It has always been something that just quickens my heart.  That probably is so because my wonderful parents and grandparents took my two brothers and myself camping every summer.  It became a beautiful tradition that I looked forward to and for some reason summer was just not summer without the trip!

Each year I fell more in love with God's beautiful creation.  It called my name begging me to spend time in peace and tranquillity...to escape this chaotic world and just sit in God's presence.  Still to this day the hills beckon me to climb them and run around free of all the cares of this world.

Well.....did you know that at my school, Concordia University if ya didn't know hahahah, there is this hill right on campus....It was one of the things that caught my eyes when I first visited the campus during my senior year of High School.  At the time, it was brown, kind of had this look of, well, decaying plants...but I believed it could be beautiful...

Fast forward to present time,and boy is that hill gorgeous.  I have been adventuring all over it since the start of my second semester of college.  Every Monday and Friday I have a two hour gap between my classes, so I bring a lovely {healthy...still keeping this temple clean and ready to go!} picnic lunch, a brightly colored woven blanket, a lot of water{hydration is key...also I am still getting into this whole work out thing hahahah I'll keep you posted}, my journal, my laptop, my bright blue or bright orange running shoes, my phone{already connected to Concordia WiFi and playing pandora or Spotify.. don't want to go over my data plan}, and I hike up that hill like no other.

It's so relieving after a long morning to just escape, breathe, reflect, and change my perspective on what is going on.  My morning classes: Theology then Biology.  My afternoon classes: Cultural Anthropology and Psychology.  So, as you can see all my classes involve a lot of deep thought.  I love deep thought things and mind-boggling concepts or propositions.  I love the challenge... but I am also human and need a break every once in a while.  My hike is just what I need, and boy did God plan that out so perfectly...like He always does!

It's on top of that hill where I have been feeling inspired to write.  Having the view of not only gorgeous purple flowers, green grass, and the occasional birds, but also overlooking Irvine, Lake Forest, and Saddleback Mountan...ya it doesn't get much better{except from on top of Saddleback Mountain, of course :) one day!}

It is so humbling sitting up there and witnessing how big just a portion of Orange County is, which is just a portion of Souther Califonia, which is only a small part of the United States, which is only a small part of Earth! Which is only a small, water covered planet part of the solar system. Oh and our solar system is only a small speck of dust compared to the Milky Way Galaxy... Oh and all those stars you see in the sky... well actually some of those are other galaxies millions of light years away.  And then there is the Universe.  So much is unknown about the size, yet the beauty locked away beckons us to adventure into space and discover more about the amazing artist who painted all of this and us up one day.

So yea, we are small, but we are also the only creation that God desires to have an intimate relationship with!  He is jealous for you! For your time, your love, your tears, your joy, your pain, your sorrow, your baggage, your stories, your heart, your jokes, your quirks.... all of it... HE WANTS YOU!!! The very messy, yet beautiful and strong you!

Now I am wondering... Where is your Hillside?  Where do you feel called away to just enjoy the presence of God? Where do you escape the business of this world and experience perfect peace from the Perfect God?  Where do you go to reflect and change your perspective?  Where can you lock eyes with your creator and allow Him to lavish His love onto you?

If you know where that place is... go to it. Make it a routine to have time to pause and not only reflect, but also reconnect with God!  If you don't know of such a place, then start looking.  Search around your neighborhood, your backyard, in a tree, on a hill, anywhere where you can breathe and enjoy silence and just breathe in God's wisdom, love, and infinitely more!

My place is on the Hillside, so from now one...These will be my thoughts on a hillside.