Half way home

I am back in Louisville now. The road trip back was great, and the last moments in Vail were some that I will not forget for some time.

I don't know quite what to say, everything is a little overwhelming. Yesterday was definetely a day of hugs. I saw so many people that I have missed over the summer and there were a number of embraces.

God has blessed me with awesome experiences in life. From Vail to being here in Louisville to having parents who I can visit in Florida and a sister in Lexington. I get to travel all around. I have so many people in so many places that love and care for me and I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support. And as I do travel, I see Christ wherever I go.

It was awesome to come back and go to sojourn yesterday. I got to be reminded once again how many people truely follow Christ. In this western nation there are so many "Christians" that sometimes it is hard to sort out those who truly love Christ. So it's great to be reminded how soverign God is and how he does have his hand on so many hearts. It reminds me of a song by Audio Adrenaline called "Jesus Movement": "Imagine my suprise, when I realized. Everywhere I go, I can see I'm not the only one moving...moving to Jesus." It is an awesome reminder that the Church is not a building, but instead the true body of Christ for which Christ is the head of. The author and perfector of our faith holds us together. Great to have such assurance.

Anyway. The last banquet for project was great. We got to go to a restaurant called "The Wildflower". Very expensive, very good. I am glad that project paid for it. Otherwise I would have settled for the ramen back in my condo. After the banquet we headed to the church to reminisce and have a dance party. Both were a lot of fun. Some people suprised me with their dancing skills.

Going back a little farther. Two friends from project and I climbed a couple more 14ers on wednesday called Gray's and Torrey's. They were a fun climb. A lot shorter than Holy Cross.
Pics:


The trail view

Gray's is the rounded peak on the left. Torrey's is the pointed one on the right


Top of Gray's



Top of Torrey's


The snow we went through coming off of Torrey's. Snow in august...weird.

Top of Torrey's. My wind protection outfit


The marmot that we met on the top of Torrey's. Crazy that God created animals that can live at 14,000 ft.


SO now I am back into school mode. Trying to get my house together (i'll try to post some pictures of it if I get a chance), and work out all the stuff that needs to be transfered from Vail to here ($). Hopefully in all the action I wont loose sight of the things I learned this summer. I am already slipping on quiet times. Pray I wont loose sight of what's important. It happens all too easily.

Thanks again for reading this summer. If you have any question/requests for me shoot me an email at Quickchangemcgraw@gmail.com.

O and by the way. There is an article in the Vail Daily about our project. Here is the link:
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080807/NEWS/650769654&parentprofile=search

I hope Christ is continuing to teach you things. Maybe now that my summer is done someone else should start a blog.

In Him,
Tyler Belcher

Too Close

The time which we have here in Vail is slower trickling away. Just yesterday it seemed to be wuite a while. But shortly after I found out that it was my last day of work things quickly became all too tangible. With only two days left I can feel the pressure of not seeing the friends here growing greater every moment. Thankfully, I know that it is not something to be sad about. As a friend of my sisters said on the project she was on last year: "Don't be sad it's over, be happy that it happened." Little cheesy...a little true.

I am glad that I can take things home with me from this summer. It is time to reflect on what I have learned, take it back to Louisville, and apply it to my life there. I'm glad I have Christ with me, I would feel overwhelmed if I was without him.

But these last few days will definetely be fun. I will be climbing a 14er tomorrow morning (a 14,000 ft. mountain) and then playing some basketball. And thursday brings the final banquet in which we all get to say goodbye. Only to be followed up by the car ride home on friday (which will defntely be fun if it is anything like that of the ride here) and then the new chapter in my life that is junior year at University of Louisville.

Speaking of 14er's though, a couple of friends (well 8) and I climbed one called Holy Cross on saturday morning. We began at 1:00 am and ended at 10:20 am. It was quite a climb and something I will never forget. We were even fortunate enough to make it up right before the sunrise. It was awesome to see God's creation. All I could think of was how if we were to cease worshiping Him even the rocks would cry out praise. I think that might be cool to see. But even now I can look at such awesome landscapes and not see Christ in them. Pictures follow:

My friend and fellow climber Jesse. This a view of the back side of the view from the top.


Just before sunrise


James decided to climb out onto a ridge adjacent to the summit

The whole group standing in front of the sunrise
The ridge we took to get back down (this looks relatively flat...but right before that we climbed down a boulder field, and the dropoff where you can't see anything is another large boulder field. Basically 11,000 ft and up were boulders. After the tree line stops there is intense erosion).


A pic of the peak from the ridge


This was taken on the sperate ridge you have to climbing down to start the hike up to holy cross' peak. But yea, there is the mountain in all its glory.


I will try to upload a video later. For now it was taking a little long and it is definetely time for me to sleep.

Thanks as always for reading. I will try to post more soon.

In Christ,
Tyler