Keepin It Simple

So usually I sit down to write a post after I have a clump of pictures to share with you. This may be one of the reasons it has taken me so long (two weeks!) to sit down and write a post about Guam after being back. I say that because so far, the only pictures I have taken since being back here are the one above (explanation to come) and these:


Just some wild pigs that crossed the street in front of us on our way back from the grocery store on base. Man those things are ugly.

And a dog riding a carabao.

It has been on my Guam bucket list to get a picture of the above spectacle. Their owner, Mr. John, leads them on long walks up and down main streets all over the island. The Japanese tour buses stop and take pictures with him. So do island residents like me, it appears. He is definitely an icon here on Guam and I can't believe it's taken me this long to (a) see him (b) have my camera with me and (c) have time to stop. Looks like today the stars aligned. Extremely nice old man. He has two dogs with him... sometimes they both ride the carabao at the same time. While wearing sunglasses and hats. Sometimes a smaller dog rides on top of the bigger dog that rides the carabao. Pretty impressive little roadside circus if you ask me.

So other than taking pictures of Guam farm animals, I have jumped full speed back into island life. That means doing three crossfit workouts a week, cooking two to three paleo meals and snacks a day, starting a new Beth Moore Bible study on Daniel, organizing youth group events and fundraisers, and training for a triathalon, which is tomorrow. In addition, Nick and I have fit in a few rounds of golf, plus we are halfway through our Rescue Diver certification course. I have also started playing indoor volleyball with a bunch of really good people (I'm not one of them) who happen to live out here, and I've been singing with our worship team at church and helping out with the Confirmation class. 

It may sound to many of you like I am crazy busy, just as always. But actually, I am doing my very best to maintain a reasonable pace for all of this. During the fall, our Bible study group did a book called "Becoming a Woman of Simplicity," by Cynthia Heald. This study was exactly what I needed to learn when I needed to learn it. If there were ever a chance of obtaining life simplicity in this crazy world, it is here on this island, where you arrive with zero obligations from anyone to do anything. It's a slower pace to begin with and having a part-time job makes simplicity entirely doable, though even here, it still takes effort.

Our study focused on how and, more importantly, why we choose to spend our time doing what we do. I quickly came to realize that despite my previous assertions that "I like to be busy!" I was really just busy because I kept accepting invitations from people and packing my calendar, simply because that's how I always did things. Being busy even became a source of arrogance ("I'm sooo sorry I didn't call you back, I was just soooo busy with my awesome, impressive life that I didn't have time for you"). So now I try to avoid using being "so busy" as an excuse. Instead, I am choosing to do worthwhile things and choosing not to do things that don't help me meet my personal, physical, or spiritual goals. You could call it a new year's resolution, but it's really a paradigm shift in my life outlook, much like the paradigm shift in our eating habits.

Speaking of, after four months, we are still eating paleo. This topic emerged in many of our conversations during my USA journey, as most people think we are nuts for eating, well, nuts... while giving up pasta and rice and bread and candy. It was somewhat difficult to stick to the eating plan during the holidays with so many other people hosting us, but now that we are back in our own home and our own kitchen, it's been a whole lot easier. I am making more of an effort to shop for produce locally at the farmer's market. The local produce tastes pretty amazing compared to the stuff shipped in. Plus, we returned to find that it's mango season, so no more eating mangoes from Ecuador and Brazil! We are having fresh Wahoo from the Fish Co-Op with mango salsa for dinner... yummmm!

Oh, and I have a great new paleo recipe source... my mom! She's on board too and has discovered some great snacks and meals she's shared with us. We aren't trying to convert anyone, by any means, but the energy and trimming benefits of ditching the excess carbs are pretty notable. Looking good is one thing, but feeling good is what makes it easier and easier to turn down cupcakes and soda at social functions. 

So that's all from me. Thanks for joining me here, back on Peyt's Island. Time to go peel some mangoes :)