Kallie

We lost our 5 year old Chocolate Lab this weekend, and although not nearing the feelings associated with losing a loved one, losing Kallie feels like a swift kick in the gut. My biggest regret is never taking her hiking with me. I had planned to, I even purchased a pack for her, but we never got that chance.

Hiking and Life

Sorry for being gone for so long, I go through phases where I post often...then I go through phases where I post not so often. I just wanted to give an update and catch you up on where I am.

It is spring, how do I know you ask...well let me explain; the temperatures lately have been in the 60's and 70's (°F, of course), beautiful weather for hiking--no extraordinary weather for hiking. Alas, we have not been but we are currently planning our next hike.

However, to complicate things my days are filled with two little girls that make my heart sing, a newborn son that makes me so proud and a wife that I absolutely adore.

All and all I feel so blessed by my life, I enjoy every moment and relish every little giggle and smile. We are returning to Nicaragua this summer and I am really looking forward to the mission trip. I will do my best to keep my posts up to date.

Croc

New Hire

We needed help at work, so we made a new hire....she is totally the best worker we have! And the cutest!

Nicaragua 2010: We are going Back!

Alright it is final, we are returning to Nicaragua in July of 2010 which I am really excited about! To recap I am re-posting from September.

Wow, what an incredible journey! It really helped me review what I experienced and process through talking about it. I may post a few more things about the trip here and there but here are my final thoughts.

1. I want to go back. I miss the children and the people....I miss working for the greater good, it was amazing. There is such a great need in Nicaragua and I cannot ignore that (I know there is great need in other places, but I have to focus somewhere). Not to say that I will not go to other countries, but this is where my heart is right now.

2. If you want an experience to help deepen your walk with Jesus I fully recommend going on a missions trip. If you want a relationship with Jesus let me know, I can help you there....or go serve as a translator (it worked for Miller).

3. I love the church we attend! I love the leadership, I love the people, I love the ones that took this journey with me and became my great friends through the shared experience.

4. There are faces and experiences that I hope will never fade from my mind, both good and bad. I want to look back and remember these people and experiences, I want these memories to help to shape my future and temper my actions.

5. If you have the desire, I want you to experience what I have experienced.

6. If they have the desire, I want my family to experience what I have experienced.

7. I want to walk more like Jesus walked, I want my love for people to drive my passion.

We are already planning our next trip, it should be around spring break the first week in April. If you would like to get involved let me know. There are many, many, many ways to help out.

1. You can go.

2. You can pray for us. Pray for health, for protection, for finances, for time off from work, etc....

3. You can donate items that are very useful:

• Beanie Babies
• Hair ties
• Plastic cups and bowls (not the disposable kind)
  
• Clothes for the Children
• Bracelets
• Crayons (I cannot tell you how many children lined up to receive ONE crayon)
  
• Anything small (and relatively light) that can be easily packed and carried in luggage

4. You can support us financially

Any support or help is so very much appreciated, if you have items or want to donate please send me an email at hikingwithcroc@gmail.com, leave a comment, or send me a message on Facebook and I will email you the address.

So the trip is not in April like I originally thought, but that changes little. We really need your prayers, there is a bit of political unrest in Nicaragua right now and my prayer is that it does not escalate. We have 25+ people going that I really am looking forward to getting to know better and much more intimately.

Once change since my post in September; we will be purchasing bowls and cups once we arrive in Nicaragua. If you would like to help out with the cups and bowls please indicated that desire with any donations.

We need financial assistance...if you want to help please let me know, I can give you all the specifics of who is going and where donations should be sent (hikingwithcroc@gmail.com).

Again, thank you and please pray for our trip.

Dios te Bendiga,

Chris

Bitty Bit - Jesus Loves Me

Fall/Winter Hiking

We are planning another hike, that is the good news....the bad news is the fluctuation in the weather. If it is going to be warm you plan for it to be warm, if it is cold you plan for it to be cold. How do you plan for a hike when it is 35°-45° (or colder) one day and 45°-75° the next.

Which sleeping bag do I take?

What coats do I take?

You can prepare for any possible weather, but then your pack weighs 35 lbs and it is so much more enjoyable carrying around a pack that weighs 25 lbs. Of course if it is between being really, really cold and carrying a 35 lbs pack....give me the 35 lbs pack!

More important is the question, do I take Kallie? And how cold is too cold for her?

Croc

Talking a Good Game

Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. James 1:26-27

I need to apologize, I need to say I am sorry to God, to his Son, to my fellow believers for not always walking the way I should, for not always loving the way I should, for not always showing compassion the way I should. I need to apologize to the world for not reflecting the compassion, the love, the truth of Jesus in everything that I have done. There have been many times in my life where I have "talked a good game", where my words spoke much louder than my actions.

I hope that has changed, I want less talk and more game....I want to walk as Jesus walked. Jesus said in John that he is the way and the truth and the life, my prayer for myself is that I can walk in His way, live in His truth, and have His abundant life in me. If you are a believer, my prayer for you is that you walk in His way....and if you are not a believer, that you find His truth and discover His love.

Croc