Friday, August 20, 2010

It's a start! :)

A little victory on my side of the blogosphere :) I actually am writing a post in less than two weeks after my last one. Man oh man, it's been a crazy week. I am amazed though at how much God has provided tremendously. I've had a good amount of extra time off this week and was a little worried about I'd be able to make up the work that I was missing; and amazingly my schedule became filled with plenty of work. Also, I've been having an awesome experience with the India Ministries. Awesome time planning for the December trip, awesome to have a community in the ministry of serving India, awesome to meet together to pray and worship our Maker, and I'm learning and growing a lot by participating in this ministry & growing close with people you are doing ministry with and speaking into each others lives.

It's also been interesting because since the last time I blogged, I haven't been able to register for classes to finish my pre-req's for grad school. I'm bummed...it's not fun to go through this tons of times. Feels like I'm a hamster that keeps spinning in it's wheel not really going anywhere. A couple friends of mine have encouraged me to look for options out of state--specifically the Pacific Northwest because it doesn't seem (very tempting Steph & Ashley, very tempting :)

Onward and upward...I have had some time the past week or two to begin reading a book that I am very excited about. I'm excited about it because a dear friend of mine (who is also my roommate since April) is very involved and invested in this book. It's written by her mentor and very good and dear friend. She is also basically the Publicist for this book...however, this is all done by volunteering her time. Because the author as well as the group of people involved with the making/publicity of this believe in spreading the message of this book that much, what they believe can be done through this book, and because of the impact the writer of the book (Preston Gillham) has had on their lives. It's been so rewarding to even hear/witness all of this firsthand. I've started reading the book and am impressed. But, I would love for you all who read my blog to read it for yourselves. Here's the website to the book, where you can also download a FREE (!!!) digital copy! Amazing! For the link to the free electronic copy or info about the book and author click here or click on the image below. I will definitely be writing more about the book as I "chew" on it more and also get more into the meat of the book as I'm sure I'll have some things I've gotten from it and would love to share (and also hear from you if any of you'd like to read it as well and discuss it with me! I think that'd be awesome!!!)
For lack of better words of my own, here's the books synopsis:

No Mercy is a sweeping adventure of life, love, trust, and desire—an odyssey asserting that real life is more than meets the eye.

Hank Henderson thought he was going on vacation to Montana, but his brother had something else in mind. Hank’s life soon dangles on the precipice of disaster.

Disoriented. Injured. His resources depleted, Hank is caught between powerful forces. One is dark, aggressive, and powerful. The other, of questionable integrity, appears Hank’s only option for freedom.

From his placid fishing of Malden Creek into a dungeon of double-dealing, Hank crosses swollen rivers, scales blizzard strewn heights, and discovers more than he bargained for in an unlikely ally.

His hope dependent upon a hesitant trust, Hank gambles to emerge from
a transformed person.























Many blessings!!!


Tuesday, August 10, 2010

THE.BEST.DAY.EVERRRR

This is just about one of the best stories ever (well, for me at least). While I'm telling you this story, just picture the band Switchfoot and feel free to put in your favorite band ever. That is the correct context of how awesome this was for me :)
I'm on twitter (if you actually go to my blog website, you'll see this), and one of the twitter accounts I follow is my favorite local radio station 98.7. I've found it very useful to follow music artists, radio stations, clothing stores etc online. They give away free stuff, have special discounts on things and much more. On Tuesday night last week, I was dogsitting and doing schoolwork on my computer. I go and look at my twitter page to see that 2 minutes prior 98.7 posted that whoever calls in and knows the lyrics to any Switchfoot song can win meet and greet passes at the US Open in Huntington Beach. It was about 10:30 at night and I have had some experience winning things on the radio before (such as Las Vegas accommodations, 4 annual passes to Magic Mountain...) so I thought I might actually have a chance because not very many people are listening to the radio right now, also not very many people who follow 98.7 on twitter would be checking their twitter right then, and the twitter post was only 2 minutes old. Anyway, I called up and got through and won! I was jumping up and down, and so excited! I tried to keep my expectations in check because the DJ doesn't really tell you anything about the things the radio station is giving away, he/she simply tapes you for the recording of the winning and then takes down your info for the promotions department to call you. I've been to the fan club meet and greets before where you go through a line and simply say hi to the band, take pictures and move along. I thought it would be the same. I was still soooo excited, because the last Switchfoot concert that I went to I didn't get to go to the meet and greet because it was in their hometown before their big Bro AM surf competition and so many fans come to the concert and meet and greet, and it didn't seem worth it to pay the money to get the meet and greet passes.

Flash forward to Wednesday evening. I knew that the Switchfoot concert was the next day at 4:30. I'm wondering if the meet and greet is before or after the concert, and if I could somehow make arrangements to get off babysitting early if the meet and greet was early. I get a call from the radio station saying that the meet and greet is at the beautiful Shorebreak Hotel and it's before the concert and I have to be there at 3:15. Ok, time to start planning. I am about to call the family I sit for when they text message me saying that their schedule has totally changed and being able to leave at 3 would work perfectly. I can hear the hallelujah chorus...and all because the concert/event is literally in the neighboring city next to where I live and work! So, my friend Stephanie & I get to the hotel and find out that the band will be playing some songs for us. We walk towards the elevators and see Jon & Drew from the band and ride the elevator with them and talk with them. We get to the suite where we're all gonna be hanging out, and there are only about 8-10 other people there! And we're all hanging outside on the balcony that overlooks the ocean...then Jon & Drew just start playing for us. Right in front of us! It was awesome. And then, one of the radio station employees had asked us to switch seats at the beginning because we were sitting where he wanted the guys to sit. But he told us to "come get him afterwards and I'll hook you up". I thought, "sure, ok...whatever. They'll give me a t-shirt or something". As we leave, Steph says "I'm gonna go see what the guy is gonna hook us up with". And let me tell you, I'm glad she did. He gave us backstage passes to watch Switchfoot during their free US Open concert. And Steph & I weren't going to go because we need that it would be way to crowded by the time we could make it there (since it was the US Open and was already a madhouse, and because it was free). It was so awesome! Just about the best (Switchfoot) day ever! :)

Sunday, August 1, 2010

stream of consciousness post & the funny things kids say!

what a crazy two weeks...I've been really busy with working, school, being apart of India ministries, family birthdays & a little hiccup with my car. But, I am amazed at how God has put things in my path to make me stop & depend, seek and rely on Him. And also, how wonderfully God has provided. He is amazing! School is going well. I'm taking a nutrition class that I'm enjoying a lot. Lots of cool things are happening...I am able to see so many ways that God is working in my life.
Something very cool things that happened this week was celebrating my dad's birthday on Friday; and after we got home to my parents house my dad wanted to go for a walk around the neighborhood. I wanted to go with him...it's always fun to walk and chat with my dad (especially on a a lovely evening, and on his birthday none-the-less). He is so awesome to talk to, and just gets you fired up! I left encouraged, stretched & on fire at the same time.
Also, last Sunday I was volunteering videotaping the sermons. After the 7pm service, this good looking young man with an English accent comes up to "The Booth" (the back of the church where the cameras are and music mixing equipment etc.) and introduces himself as a pastor from South Africa who is in the States for 6 weeks meeting with churches to gain knowledge/wisdom for his own church in S.A.; He had all kinds of questions about how the services are put together and organized and planned etc. He was so enthusiastic and wanting to seek knowledge. We also talked about South Africa and how I have two friends there right now with an organization called Bridges of Hope, and he knew about it. I also told him about an dear English teacher I had who was born & raised in S.A. and would travel back every year. And there were several times she would speak Afrikaans to us in class. She was an exceptional teacher who I have lots of memories about her class. It just so happens that the person who is in charge of the weekend services (Jen) had just come back to the Booth...she is normally so busy that she doesn't do that, or she isn't at the 7pm service. I took a chance and introduced the two of them to each other. We talked for a while more and I could tell we were all excited & the S.A. guy was so humble & so awesome to talk with. After he left, Jen thanked me for pulling her aside to talk with him, and we both though it was totally God that all that happened. It was so cool to be used by God in that situation, and to be apart of seeing how big He is!
Well, I will leave you all with some funny kid quotes:

  • a 5 year old girl I sit for is very witty and spunky...I was helping her get ready for bed and wash her hair and when I was going to rinse out conditioner and told her to "look up at the sky". She immediately said "it's not the sky, it's the ceiling". The next time I helper her wash her hair, she said the same thing. She'll correct me every time I say "look up at the sky", so now I just say "look up at the ceiling".
  • a 2 year old little girl & 5 year old her sister were telling each other they were pretty at the dinner table and then asking if they thought other people were pretty (their mom, grandma & friends etc). Half-way during dinner the 5 year old was upset about having to eat a quesadilla with beans. The 3 yr old looks over at her sister and says "sister, it's okay. You're pretty". It was her little way of saying don't worry sister. Don't sweat it.
  • the 5 yr old mentioned above was talking to me about her friends dog. I ask what kind of dog it is. She says "I can't remember. It's either a really small Chihuahua, or a bull dog"...my thoughts were "that clears things up" :)
  • one last one :) ... the 5 year old again, was playing and her 3 year old sister took something of hers and she gets upset and says "you can't play with that! It's from Marshall's and it's special"