I would change America to use the metric system

I think America should at least dual use the metric system. Only Myanmar, Liberia, and the US reject the system fully. All other nations use the metric...some in addition to other ways, but still!

Does this picture not look odd to anyone else?

Marathon runners already convert their miles into kilometers for races, so why not have everything dual listed? We have some signs that are primarily English with Spanish subtitles. I see nothing wrong with that as the US technically has no official language.

I mean, it's not like we have to do away with feet or inches, just let them share their glory. Maybe it's the pride of America in wanting to be one of the few left standing, but I know it'd be a lot easier to grasp directions foreigners tell me or find out the temperature when I'm in a different country if Uncle Sam would help me get used to the metric system here in American soil.
Let's start a metric revolution I say in this 53 degree Fahrenheit (12 degree Celsius) Texas weather!

Monday :: I like seeing my friends happy

I like to have influence. I like to have control. I remember the first time in the BATMAN ride at Six Flags, my friend Kristy told me how she gets on...telling herself she is in control. "I am moving my left foot now. My right foot will now step into the compartment.." and so on. If there is ever anything I can do for my friends I am more than happy to!

I love to give gifts, being of service or material. One of my favorite things to do is surprise my friends letting them know how I value them, and above all, God values them. This element of surprise may show up in a myriad of ways. I remember filling my friend's room with balloons as a few of us hid under them waiting to surprise. There was always Operation Texas snow in high school. Random trips across the country to spend birthdays together, or even planning a surprise party a month before the actual birthday!

But I think one of the greatest things is seeing people find the surprise in the Cracker Jack box. By that, I mean finding a beauty in what was right in front of their faces. The greatest gift I've ever been blessed to see a friend unwrap is not one found under the tree on Christmas morning, but in the manger. It's the journey that progresses through unwrapping the layers of our relationship with Christ so we grow nearer to the core. As much as I tend to like control, lately, I like not being in control. I like to know there is a sovereign LORD who has promised to complete the work He has begun in the lives of some of my friends and family. I like seeing clues as He draws them near and protects. Though I have nothing to do with giving the gift, I sure have enjoyed seeing the faces of individuals as they receive the gift! I like seeing them filled with joy!

I am so looking forward to next week!

In hopes I get over this small cold I am currently battling, next week should be absolutely amazing! You see, coming here, I worked every day up until Christmas eve! two straight weeks of labor intensive work...sundays included! This week consists of running around to all sorts of family affairs and trying to catch up with old friends...but next week! I'm going to Philly to spend time with amazing friends from places ranging from the happy heart state, to Greece, to Holland, to Portugal! I couldn't be more excited! My true vacation is coming at last!

My friend and I are going to run around New York for two days probably looking like a child the first time they see fireworks, just less crying involved. I can't wait to catch up and play with so many friends. It will be cold, allowing the excuse for stops for warm cocoa from random street shops and pizza the size of my head! I can't believe break is coming to an end so soon! so much to do still before school starts..like finding a job! lol. but alas, there is a week of serenity just ahead and i couldn't be more stoked for it!Watch out NYC! We're coming!

True Meaning

...Merry Christmas from this grateful sinner!

Tuesday :: Something I Would Change

I think one of the things I would change would be the educational system in America. I like the way the Europeans do it where you have 7 years to get your undergraduate courses completed for free from the government. Only if you do not get a degree do you have to pay. Why can't it just be that way? It bothers me to see my friends piling up in debt just in order to get a piece of paper that shows their educational endeavors. Tuition is ridiculous. That's all.

Dandelions

I love dandelions!
There is just something amazing to me about these multi-pored flower/weeds. I never liked blowing them to make wishes, but i did love to blow the seeds off of them knowing more would come the next season! I think my dad used to wonder where they all came from, but I confess...it was me! They were my favorite, how could I resist? I would view it as a challange to pick the few he would miss before he took weed killer to them and 'set them free' into the air. When you blew them into the air, their umbrella like seeds would float until resting upon their new homes in our backyard. The softness to touch and springy exterior was astonishing.

I miss dandelions in Arizona. And petting cacti just isn't the same as my friend taught me when she ran her hands into one once. Why doesn't Arizona have a dandelion equivalent? Maybe people would be happier and nicer to each other then! Why can't the world learn from Texas? :)

Please Tell Me I'm Crazy...

I met the love of my life today...but it costs forty-nine dollars!
Look how beautiful! I went to Barnes and Nobel today, because my old journal only has two pages left. It's only had two pages left for the past few days because I don't want to finish it until I have a new one! So today I went to go look. In most cases, I am intimidated by new jounrals...this is the first time I have ever finished one and it took me two years to do so! So it's a big commitment for me. I want one I'll love looking at and will be easy to close and write in. I don't want it having dark lines so I can't occasionally draw, but no lines with my handwriting is not a good match either! The large journals with 500+ pages are just so huge and would be a decade commitment for me! But this beauty is perfect! it's the same size as my Bible so it fits good in hand. It has greek imprinted so it reminds me of the new testament. The clasp is amazing and isn't an annoying wrap around that comes undone, but closes oh so nicely. It is a smooth leather so nice to the touch, not a rough leather that is scratchy and turns one away from journaling. It is inviting...it wants me!

So please tell me I'm crazy and shouldn't spend 50 bucks I don't have on this journal. I stood in there for 40 minuates and after looking at the price on this one, I couldn't find another journal I was willing to commit to.

...journals intimidate me!

Friday :: Something I Look Forward To

Oops..I'm 15 min past Friday! I realize I am looking forward to Christmas! The lights and lit candles dancing around the room in merriment as families sit down to share a meal together. It's a lovely image. My sister Diana is coming home for a whole week too and I can't wait to catch up with her! One of the greatest parts about Christmas is no school! It's a chance for me to clear my head, pray for next year, and even earn next month's rent by working for Santa! One of my joys is always meeting up with a few heart friends and visiting Marcus HS to see Herbst.

I love working for Santa too...gotta love the stuff kids come up with to ask him. My favorite this year is a boy named Dominic who was asking me to get the inside scoop from Santa on how he could grow up to be Buddy the Elf....not be like..but he wanted to grow up to BE an Elf! Even after passing out in the mall today, he was released from the hospital and went back to work 4 hours later...now that's dedication from Santa!

And then I can't forget Portuguese Black Death! Christmas Eve we always go over to my Aunt Angie's and Uncle Al's place for the meal. My Aunt Angie is an amazing cook! Truly! SO she makes typically 7-8 desserts for 12 people! One of these desserts could feed us all easily! SO we each die just a little sampling a piece of each. But it is an amazing tradition. Then my dad comes home and watches Scrooge...a different version every year.

Bring on the Merriment! You can keep your egg nog, but leave the rum cake and portugese friojsh. Bring on the family! Bring on the Scrooge! Just leave the Bah-Humbug behind! And if even for a day, find joy in even the red and green combination! :)

Thursday :: Something I Miss

The Puppy!

It is nice to be at home knowing if you drop that piece of food on the ground, Vegas will be right there to pick it up. Don't want to turn on the heater to save some money? Summon Vegas over to sit on your feet and warm them! She'll even sit there and shake...we'll, until something shiny distracts her at least!

So puppy, don't feel lonely! I'll be back in January!

Don't give Kim too much trouble! ;)

Wednesday :: Something I Dislike

Segueing from yesterday, I also cannot stand Christian bumper stickers! I do not put one on my car because I know I do not always drive in a manner worthy of displaying Christ's love. I even find myself saying, 'ah, those Christians!' as a mom with a fish on her minivan cuts me off! There are maybe only two people I have met who I approve of them displaying them on their car...but overall I feel they do more bad than good! So no more Christian bumper stickers in production would be ok with me! And if you have some, maybe put them on a nalgene instead of a car!

So no white minivan, I will not wish I had Jesus stickers, I'd rather share through good actions and not the occasional sinful driving. Thank you.

Tuesday :: Something I Would Change

The first and foremost thing I would change would be the Arizona Driving test! It must not be too complex or of much quality seeing the type of people who drive on the Arizona highways everyday!

It's kinda like having a bunch of monkeys driving on the roads! I mean, do you really need to cut across five lanes of traffic just to pass one guy as you realize your exit is in two miles?

Turn off your cell phone! Turn off your blinker that's been on for the past 537 minutes! Maybe turn your blinker on when you are changing lanes! Just maybe?!?

Get a new license system so 65 year-olds don't have the same picture as when they were 16. Just gain some common sense and courtesy! If I think you are a bad driver..you probably are, so get off the road already!

Monday :: Something I Like

There is nothing I really enjoy more than sitting by a lake, campfire, or with friends in the middle of nowhere worshiping God. I wish I could play guitar at all or sing better, but I absolutely love random worship times with friends. I remember once a couple of years ago, the ASU Navs went to the 24 hour praying event at ASU and some of us ended up singing praise for almost three hours! I remember at a Pine Cove No Agenda retreat, Kayla and I sat on a fence post for a while singing "You Said" over and over again. Jason, Katy, and whoever else was lucky to be sitting in the back of a truck with us would bust out in song on numerous occasions freshman year.

There is just something about the body of Christ coming together to sing his praise. Even in Holland at the retreat in Belgium or the car rides with my team in New Zealand coming home to Palmy from Wellington...I'll always remember singing "never let go" as the lightning bolt struck while thinking of God's power silenced us all.

selah

Texas has a lot of football fields

Starting tomorrow...I'm stealing my friend Gabe's idea for blogging. Though my reasons aren't the same as his, I appreciate the thought to force myself to blog daily for at least a week. It;s good for me to just get my thoughts out there and so on...so starting tomorrow, here's what I'm blogging.

* Monday is something I like (mostly just to get in a good mood for the week)
* Tuesday is something I would change (because after Monday there’s always something I would change)
* Wednesday is something I don’t like
* Thursday is something I miss
* And Friday is something I’m looking forward to


Today; however, I've been thinking about Hebrews 11. It is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible as the first verse states, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." I like that thought...that even though I may have no idea where God is leading in life, I can trust in him by faith that He will see me through. The chapter then goes on talking about the Biblical celebs and discussing how they "by faith" overcame great trials.

I was talking about love with a good friend over lunch and how she felt she can't fall in love ever. We also discussed love being an action instead of a series of words. I was thinking about this passage though, what if instead of putting "by faith," it read, "by love." These people displayed their love for God through their obedience to God. No matter how scary or how much opposition they faced. Thinking about this passage through a lens of love encourages me as I seriously consider future options. I'm 80% in one direction and this is as a result of what I've seen God do so far and trying to figure out how I can best glorify him.

Friends, PLEASE

By love push through this economic crisis.
By love, live a life above reproach.
By love, spread the good news through your life and (when necessary) with words.
By love, pursue Christ first, no matter what others say or do.
By love, reach up and out.
By love, live.

wanderings

i like to wander.

When I think about life, be it pas, present, or future, i wander. I could drive for hours just singing along to my radio and processing life. Be it that I'm broke and gasoline costs something foreign to me at the moment referred to as money, I went to walmart the other night just to wander.

There is something peaceful to me about people watching...maybe that's creepy. But i like to make up stories about people based on their purchases or attitudes. It's fun to watch two teenagers play Bon Jovi's "wanted" song on rock band caring less who all is standing around watching. I enjoy the smiley sticker as I enter the store. I always wonder if the lady in the fabric department does much of anything after 8pm and if she really enjoyed her job. I watched the loneliness in the night stalker's eyes as he dropped the frozen chicken onto the floor. I felt for the couple in the checkout line in front of me as they had their newborn with them. I can't imagine being in the financial situation where the only time you can go shopping is at 11 at night and you can't leave your newborn at home.

i like to wander.