Outside of work, I have been continuing to enjoy all of the outdoor adventures that Jackson and Wyoming have to offer, and have been having a great time meeting other people my age here. Last weekend, I was successful on my first time duck hunting (pictures below). My friend Chris and I went hunting south of Jackson in Star Valley, and I shot one goose and four ducks...not bad for my first time duck hunting! I was excited to be able to serve Nate and Lizz the water fowl that I shot this Thanksgiving week while they visited.
As I just mentioned, Nate and Lizz came to visit me in Jackson for Thanksgiving week, which was a blast! We all stayed at Patty's house (with yours truly sleeping on the living room couch). Among other things, we enjoyed a hike in Grand Teton NP, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the local Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot, a morning of fishing on the Gros Ventre river, and an ample amount of delicious food and conversation! It was great to have Nate and Lizz here, give them a little taste of my life in Jackson, and also hear about their new life in Phoenix. They even helped me out at Youth Group and Sunday School, which proved to be almost necessary this morning (as we had nearly 40 elementary kids in Sunday School).
This Thanksgiving week (with Advent just around the corner), I have been thinking a lot about the abundance of things I (and we) have to be thankful for. I found myself focusing on how thankful I am for the people that have been placed in my life. My visit from Nate and Lizz was a physical reminder of the wonderful family I have, and how blessed I am to have a family that loves me, supports me in my endeavors, and brings so much joy to my life! In addition, I am so thankful for all of my friends (both young and old) that bring happiness, excitement, companionship, and also joy to my life every day. While voicing this thanks might sound cliche, I had to try to express my gratitude (even if it was a poor expression) for all of the wonderful relationships that God placed in my life!
While I have a hard time expressing my gratitude for the people that are a part of my life, one thing that my time in Jackson has showed me that no human relationship (with your family, best friend, mentor, etc) can ever fully satisfy our souls. With more alone time than I had previously been used to, I have realized that while I still yearn for interactions with friends and family, it is my relationship with the LORD through His Son Jesus that truly nourishes me. A relationship with Christ (and the gift of new life that comes through it) is something that nobody can ever take from us, has eternal value, and something that we can always pour more of ourselves into.
As we begin to anticipate the coming of Jesus this Advent season, think about some of Jesus' words in the later stages of His life:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me!" John 14:6
"My kingdom is not of this world [...] You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth." John 18:36 and 37
The thought of a relationship with the King that rules over the entire universe (and also represents truth and life) is both mind-boggling and humbling, but I think the mere fact that we are able to have something of this value is what draws us nearer to Him...
Happy Thanksgiving!
High Schoolers on our Retreat!
Most beautiful drive home in the country?
Wringing the goose's neck (note my facial expression)
Successful hunt!
Nate, Patty, and Lizz before eating some duck (excuse the blurriness)
Bacon-wrapped goose breast
Post Turkey Trot picture (yes, Lizz beat both Nate and myself)
Thanksgiving at Patty's
Halftime during the Apple Cup
Teaching the siblings how to fish
