my day at the park

I decided I needed a day alone with God after a tiring and draining weekend at camp. So I walked to Pines Park which is about a mile from my house and spent the afternoon reading my Bible, talking to God, listening to God, watching squirels play, and enjoying the amazing place in which I live. There's just something about seeing, hearing, smelling the ocean that is nessessary and healing. I began to think about how blessed I've been to live where I live for the past 2 years - where I am in walking distance from the ocean and how much I take that for granted. I know I won't live on Gomez forever in fact my time there is drawing to a close and that thought made my day at the park priceless. I watched a little boy and his father play in the waves - as each set came in the boy would run from the crashing waves but the father never let go of his son's hand. At one point, he had a hold of both hands and swung his little boy around and around just like I remember doing as a kid. It struck me how that picture related to my life and my fear of what's to come in the next year. I was blown away by this simple illustration of a child's need to hold on to the father's hand. Trusting God is so hard for me and that lesson was much needed. Thanks God for the lesson and for hanging out with me.

Jr. Highers and their moms

Mark took his group to Pondo this weekend also and it was really fun to hang out at camp again with Mark. As most of you know, my friend Mark and I met at jr. high summer camp (we were counselors) 15 years ago. So our friendship began as camp friends. We used to have a saying (and he won't remember this because like my brother - he remembers nothing) - we like jr. highers but not their moms. Too many close encounters with strange, overprotective, bazaar moms. But this weekend I have to say that a couple of jr. high moms came to my rescue. Never in all the years of doing ministry have I had so many logistical problems with transportation. First of all - transporting 28 people without church vans is difficult and add too it my fear of driving a 15 passenger van down the mountain (because of a windy drive from hell last year). But it's not just 28 people - it's all their winter "gear" nessessary and unnessessary. If it wasn't for those moms we would not have made it there or back - so thanks! (not that any of them read this). It was a good weekend but I missed Aaron and Brady terribly.

I got to snowboard on saturday with one of my jr. high girls - Carly (she's the one squinting in the picture). I had so much fun - she ripped it up - she's a good little snowboarder.

Sushi @ Mikan and JH camp this weekend!

I had sushi @ Mikan with the OPT (friends from my program team @ Pondo) on Monday night and it was sooooooo good. I really miss them and the dynamite roll. (we missed you Aaron). It was a beautiful day like I have never seen (especially through redlands). This weekend I'm headed to Pondo for JH camp - which should be fun (pray I don't rip all my hair out). I can't wait to be "home" and see some friends.

I'm lost

Last night Tanya and I watched the enhanced season finale of Lost from last spring and it was just as confusing as when I watched it in June. I'm actually LOST! I don't get the looking glass/rabbit's hole analogy or whatever - but I can't stop watching - curses on those writers. So the season priemere is on tonight and thank God Tom will be there to decifer the nonsense because for some crazy reason he gets this stuff. Thanks Tom!

I'm sore

Steven Shaw is the devil! (okay of course not really). Our workout with Steven on Tuesday has left Tanya and I completely wrecked. Stairs are my new enemy. The past few weeks have been frustrating - I am working out so hard and making so many sacrafices (have I mentioned I hate getting up early) and I've lost a pound and a half. I better be gaining some serious muscle! So I'm only at 7.5 pounds but my clothes fit better.

A life lost and gained

I've been riding a roller coaster of emotions this week. Yesterday I went to a funeral for a student I had at Temple City. It was super sad to say goodbye to a great 22 year-old kid who just couldn't stay clean. It never gets any easier as a youth pastor to loose kids. It made me feel helpless - like no matter what I do for them - it's not enough. It was nice however, to hear all the good things about Michael - the fun memories his friends and family have of him. It was also so great to see my old jr. high students grown up and for lack of a better word ALIVE!

Today - Mark and Anne had their 3rd baby! So I went from a death to birth in 24 hours - crazy. Her name is Maddy Jo and she's beautiful. Congrats Mark and Anne on yet another beautiful little girl (they have 3).
It's definately a choice everyday to say blessed be His name - even in the face of tragedy.

Moments of Joy, Silliness & Sentiment

Moments of Silliness and Sentiment . . .

I helped my friend Brady pack up his house yesterday . . . he's moving to Florida - which makes me sad - I hate losing friends to proximity. However, I am excited for him to start fresh in a new place and watch God use him in big ways. Sean and Slugger (Brady's nephews) and Daniel helped too. I came to this realization - when you're the only girl in group of silly boys it can be a bit frightening. I felt like I had been dropped on the island of The Lord of the Flies. I had a good time - mostly watching them be silly. They had fun scaring me out of my skin (thanks Tarko) and tricking me into saying things I didn't mean. I admired the ring on Brady's finger and he took it off and gave it too me (which by the way says so much about him). However, it's a wooden ring and it now has a crack in it. I'm wondering if the crack was there before or if it misses Brady and doesn't like taking up residence on my finger. hmmmmm . . .

Moments of Joy . . .

I weighed in this morning and I'm down 6 pounds in the first week (could have something to do with not eating dinner last night) but regardless my body likes the plan!

Back on "The Plan"

My back has been doing so well that I decided it was time to get back on "the plan" at the 1st of the year. However, last week was a bust and so Monday, January 7th (also my mom's b-day) was my first day. If you don't know what "the plan" is - it's a fitness plan that includes super healthy eating (very low calorie intake) and working out 5 days a week. I did it 2 years ago and lost 35 pounds and recked my back - not this time. I'm a bit ashamed to say that I gained back almost 25 of those pounds (mostly because of back) but again - not this time. This time I've talked Tanya into jumping on board so we can support one another and my friend Steven is training us on Tuesdays. I have high hopes - so feel free to encourage me!

My neverending list

I am definitely a particular person - I know what I like - but I am also adventurous and like to try new things (in case there are more things out there that I like).

and the list continues . . .

38. Bumble and Bumble products! My favorites are Defrizz and Curl Conscious (the luscious Latina hot mama one) - especially on days like today.
39. Sophie Kinsella Books (even the ones she writes as Madeline Wickham).
40. When it comes to worship - David Crowder, Charlie Hall, Derek Webb, Phil Wickham, and of coarse Jasen Ashdown.

41. Movies that redeem my hope is meaningless fun - Clueless, Napoleon Dynamite, Christmas Vacation, The Waitress, and my newest favorite Juno - I haven't laughed that hard in a long time (well not as much as the two older men in front of us - that was a bit creepy).

Okay that's all for now - but I'm sure it's not the end.

Accidental Omissions and things I forgot

I made a few omissions on my favorite things list. Some I just forgot and others I left out simply because I figured they were a given (my bad). So here is the ammendment to my list.

31. My best friends in the whole world . . . Kristy, Tanya, Jessica, Gigi, Amy, Mark & Anne.
32. CoffeeBean - how did I forget my bread and butter ( I am loving the winterdream tea latte)
33. The smell of silk - maybe that makes me weird but I love it!
34. BJ's pizookie and nutty brunette
35. Watching the Rose Parade in my pajamas - all day!
36. The color purple (not the movie - the actual color)
37. Seeing my Pondo friends - I got to spend the weekend with Samantha and Natalie Brinson - I adore these girls and we had so much fun with my nieces Hannah and Julia. I love you girls! Oh yeah and you too Brady and Debbie!
My apologies for leaving anyone off of this list or the last one - I still love you.