adventuring

People often say that Life never slows down, or that Life is an adventure.
What is adventure?
Being where you have never been before.
Finding excitement in familiar places.
Seizing opportunities.
Relishing each of Life's moments (even if not every moment is exciting or pleasant.)

Take last night for example:
After a cozy evening with some lovely people (playing games / making jewelry / watching Great Expectations), an unforeseen mishap took place.
--Laurel drove into a field and spun out in the mud. Her little silver car just couldn't handle it.
In my defense, it was dark out, I was tired, and my brain wasn't fully functioning. Somehow I was able to pull a 180°, only to end up 30 feet farther out and backed up against a shed.
Thank goodness for friends! M-- left her warm living room to help me. We. Tried. Literally. Everything. Cat litter, boards, pushing and shoving, rocking the car -- we even tried strapping boards to the tire with rope like we had seen in a video.
Together I'm sure we made an amusing sight: two 18 year old girls using an assortment of knives, rope, and flashlights, standing ankle deep in muddy ground. But we were laughing! We laughed and we admired the starry sky! It was an adventure instead of a crises. Even when I started stressing out, M-- reminded me that everything would work out fine.
Eventually Mom came to save us; I got home safely and M-- made herself some tea. Whew.

You'd think that I have learned to embrace the unexpected with calmness and optimism by now. I guess not. This morning the water heater broke. STRESS OUT. I was forced to wash my hair in the sink and boil water to wash dishes.
Life is an adventure -- but only if you choose it to be. It is always helpful to remember the verse in Romans: God works all things together for good. It is ALSO helpful to have carpet squares, a patient mother and good friends.
Thanks M-- :) I owe you chocolate.