Just keep swimming: my life in a nutshell

"Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall."
- Ray Bradbury

Wow, where should I start? Every time I write on my blog, I spill out all my guts (Maybe, not literally, but you get the picture). As I have said time and again, I grew up in a musical family. We are just as excited about music as we are about swimming.

 I've been swimming since I could crawl! Luckily, I was homeschooled so I was free to swim as much as I wanted. My parents decided early on to put all of us kids in a swim club called NOVA. Back then, swimming was all I knew because I was there every day from 3pm to 8pm monday through friday! Crazy, huh? Now that I look back, I didn't really care too much about competition. I distinctly remember playing cards with my friends at Junior Olympics before my heat was up. Unfortunately, I totally missed my heat and my coach was mad! I was having so much fun already that I forgot about my race and I wasn't even worried about it at all. Swimming is and always will be my favorite sport! I am not sure I'll ever go to competitive swimming again myself, but I'll cherish those moments forever. 

Butterfly is my best stroke. This might explain why I have gnarly muscular legs on my tiny body. If you've ever met me, you already know! I'm definitely not ashamed of my muscular legs, and I'd go as far to say that I'm proud of them even if that makes me cocky. God gave me a height of 5 ft 1.5 in and it's amazing how much I can do with all he has given me. I used to think of my short height as a bad thing and wanted to be taller. Then I realized there's no greater gift than the body God gave you and he has such an amazing plan that you cannot even fathom.

To all the athletes like me, remember that you are blessed to have a sport that you played and your parents were probably the reason you were able to become an athlete in the first place. Thank God I was given the amazing opportunity to be a part of a swim club team like NOVA with my siblings. I'll always remember the early mornings as a blessing because I wake up at 5:30 am automatically now.

Once a swimmer, always a swimmer

Rachel

Fitness matters

"We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible."

- C. Malesherbes

I recently watched this video about fitness by Mike Vacanti because I do need motivation to work out when I know I'm slacking off. Mike knows what's up so check out this short video from him that I've posted below! 

Cheers,

Rachel 

St. Patrick's Day: Young Life changed my perspective

'He is handsome, she is pretty! She's the bell of belfast city, she goes courting... 1!....2!....3!..... Please, won't you tell me who is she? 

Wyoming as winter was just around the corner

Who is he? Lucky charming? Maybe his name is Patrick (:

First of all, Happy Saint Patrick's Day! I read many articles to see what I should say. This is such an important holiday! Some wear green, some drink bubbly and beer, and some may chill out at home to spend time with family and say YES, Praise be! I will be doing all of that minus the consumption of copious amounts of alcohol. (: Whatever you are doing, celebrate a day where you can see rainbows, rain rainbows, and even eat them too (Lucky Charms of course! Or Rice Krispies, your choice!).

 The bold quote at the top is a song I sang in Choir circa 08'. The reason I chose that song is because it is based in 'The Luck of The Irish'! Wait for it. Okay, I think you have grasped the joke and point of that statement! I can't believe it was that long ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. I will say those are some of my fondest memories for real. 

Now for the 'ahhhhh' moment, Who is Saint Patrick? I have attached an article or maybe two that will tell clearly depict how much I see the importance in this holiday! History is so important in our everyday lives. If we don't know history, how can we live our country fighting for freedom? I am a patriot and Mel Gibson definitely one of my favorite actors who does such an act. Enjoy this glorious holiday and listen to Spotify's Happy St. Patrick's Day if you have the time. 

Hardy harr harr and eating spinach, Rachel

http://www.summit.org/media/journal/2000-11-Summit-Journal.pdf

 http://www.summit.org/blogs/student-virginia/virginia-session-62709-pt-1/

Gosh, I'm sore (active PTSD)

{Make the Comfortable Uncomfortable}

Shawn Hunter

       I was bit by a dog when I was seven years old. I'll never forget that day. It was the best and the worst day of my life. I mean, can it get any worst? Quick story line: I was visiting my cousins in Kansas and we were having so much fun.  Then I hovered over their dog when I leaned in too far. He nearly bit my nose off. I ended up bleeding like a volcano into a rag and got to chill out in the hospital almost entirely overnight. Two surgeries later, I am well, but I know I can be better than that. YA, I'd rather be a coach than a counselor.

   
     I've had many coaches influence me, and I am grateful for all of them, They deserve a round of applause and a huge hug! A coach pushes you to better than you are. A counselor will listen, but loves to give advice. Maybe a little too freely sometimes. I'll admit that I do that and it bothers others. I do what I do best and that's the gift God gave me. I got skills, you got skills, WE can all have skills. Yay for the freedom to use our gifts to our advantage and we owe it all to the BIG man upstairs. No, not your neighbor poppy or your roommate pippin,but to the one who created YOU. God wants us to excel in our unique skills. We all were created human and that's why he wanted us all to have our kooky, quirky gifts that some get and others don't. We embrace our gifts in our own lives. I love to see that when I work with children on soccer field even if I am not a professional soccer player. In any sport, I'll take that potential and drive.

Yes to God and No to Comfort, 

Rachel

Note to self and others: there's no easy step; only big leaps and little joys to drive you. TobyMac can tell you and so can TruDog.

Healthy, strong relationships: God can move mountains and bloom fragrant flowers in you.

In my wrestling and in my doubt, in my failures you won’t walk out, your great love will lead me through, you are the peace in my troubled sea. -Rend Collective

Sometimes I feel like I'm a sailor in a lighthouse. I can't visually see that God can do his will and promises to do so. I have many options and I can get a job. Money isn't the problem. It's me. I have a wall up that I leave when anyone gets too close for me. I like my bubble unburst, but God wants to pop that comfy bubble [lol, NO]. His agape love doesn't mean we can cruise our way through life. We must accept that he has a plan. I have a plan for myself. I want pursue it, but then I put up a wall again and again. I'm sorry to those who I've hurt in the past. I let you become my problem instead of my solution. And to those of you who think I'm your problem, hehe. You've got to earn my trust before I give you the key to unlock my secrets. My book is open to a certain point and then I shut it when I am persecuted for my actions. Jesus can give me water, God will carry out my plan, and I need to step in with the Holy Spirit that lives inside me wanting to bloom.

He will bloom flowers and shake mountains because God is all powerful and his strength can MOVE you and those around. He'll make you shake. This being said, I am 21, and there's no shame in waiting if you'd never dated (I don't see why that'd be fun, personally) or had a boyfriend. I haven't and I plan it on keeping it that way for a while. I have seen relationships strive, but I've also seen ones that crumble because they were too eager to fall in love. I say fall in love when you are ready (whatever that means). If you are in love right now, I am so glad, it's great to know that you have someone special in your heart (Besides, the Holy Spirit who is always dwelling in you). To all singles like me, God has someone special for you out there, and unfortunately he's not going to put a red arrow pointing towards them. Respectively, I look up to my parents and siblings to see strong relationships because I care for them dearly and they have shown me more love than I could see with my own eyes.

Here's the uncertainty and joy that God has a plan for all of us, Rachel

Note: Agape love means that no matter what you say or do, respectively, God gives it freely to us and what we decide to do with that love is up to us (yikes, I know, that's scary).

{love is knowing you’re wrong and wanting to change

that, these siblings let me embrace who I am, and call

me out when I said things that hurt or surprise them.}

~~~ Joel & Kelsey may be busy

(I mean, their life is freaking rad). I can
email, text, or call them & they answer no matter
what. Really? That’s love. Kelsey has a baby girl 
growing inside her right now. Wow. ~~~

[sweet message I got from my brother Joel last summer. 

I was crying then and I’m crying as I post this because 

my heart is so full and I am so grateful for him.]

~I get to enjoy adventures as an individual right now and someday

I will do those with someone else as well. Er, besides God!~