playtime

52-34 suffication

We just couldn't handle them.

Next year.

Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas one and all! And congrats once again to Ryan and Val! glad i could be part of the grand occasion!

world traveler

Let's see, we were off to the Grand Canyon, climbed over the ledge. Then we dropped by the four corners and crossed into Colorado. Blew a tire in a small town, and still made it to the Glyn Eyrie castle in Colorado to talk to other Navigator student about the possibility of EDGE and what God is doing in our lives. What a busy three days!

What if Patrick Henry's famous words were really, "Live Free or Die Hard?"

The lights hang on the Christmas tree as it is flooded with candy canes, ornaments and polaroids of friends. We had our roommate Christmas on Sunday. It was a good time to just chill and spend time with each other. When did I become old enough to celebrate Christmas outside of Texas and my parent's home?

A lot of change is coming in this next semester. It's like the clouds in the Arizona sky. You know a storn is coming, but you can't tell if it is a gentle rain or monsoon on its way. I'm excited for it I suppose, yet like numerous other human beings i'm not always fond of change. I've got into a routine of things. I'd like to know if i'll be in seminary after college or even in the country.
I guess the reason i don't know is solely that I want to know and don't need to know. I never was fond of that phrase..."it's on a need to know basis." But that's how God works. He knows, we don't yet. deal with it.

But Christmas with the roommates was good. There was Christmas noodles and exchanging of gifts followed by Mexican train. couldn't ask for much better than that.

t-shirt idea

so one of my friends from high school is involved in this company and i pretty much think this is an amazing t-shirt!

So I Still Have Yet to Unpack from Thanksgiving

I have been so busy these past few weeks. This weekend I have been working loooong hours with the Rockettes. There are worse gigs out there i suppose, but now my feet ache as i prepare for bed. I have one final down and four to go! *whew* I haven't had the chance to catch my breath since Thanksgiving.

But as for work this past week, I was lucky enough to get to sit in on the Christmas Spectacular show a few times. It is amazing. I love watching theater. Someday I'd like to take my mom to New York to see the show. I think it is so amazing and how these people have the energy to keep going as they do is crazy to me. I think it is so cool how they briefly tell Christ's story at the end though. It gives me a reminder ever 2 hours and 50 minuates why I live how I do. Dance on Rockettes...dance on.

sweetness

tonight i ate a serving of pixy stix. In case you don't ave a bag by to look at...that is 7 pixy stix. and i wonder why my paper isn't done..hmmmm.

when being tired feels good

So I just returned from my 5th trip with Amor Ministries yesterday evening! I still remember Craig years ago constantly counting down immediately after finishing a trip until the next one out of his excitement! This trip was not with CBC as I grew accustomed to, but instead my new family of the ASU Navigators. We went on our annual road rally with brothers and sisters from the U of A, our rival school. It was such an amazing trip. God is constantly reminding me of his goodness and providence. After a last minute issue and us needing 3,000 more than originally planned for, God paid the bill. We had an amazing team working on a double house including two of our foreman below! (Drew left and Brian right)The house went fairly smoothly. It was funny to hear the Amor staff talk about "Army tent palace Crossroads" when they heard of the church I traveled to the Juarez location with. Erica and Jose Luis cooked a meal for our entire 60-man crew one day and I got to talk with my Bible study girls among others that i truly cherish. There is only one week left until the much needed break Thanksgiving provides, and i can't wait!

just call me jack

With halloween just out of the picture an illustration came to mind as my dad was talking to me on the phone earlier. he was talking about Chuck Swindoll's radio piece for the day and how God's grace presides over our trials. But there was one thing in particular he said. He said sometimes God has to carve out of us what he wants and uses those he breaks down the most later on.

It was this concept of carving that struck a thought. Carving isn't bad. You have a pumpkin and want to make it a jack-o-lantern...so you cut off the top (or bottom in some cases) and begin to carve out the seeds. You can use the seeds for other things later on, such as, baking them to eat and nourish one's body. And then once all of the seeds are out and you think you are done, there is the excess pumpkin inyards that still have to be removed. So you take the large metal spoona nd scrape the side of the walls, sometimes accidentally taking more of the wall than the goop, and keep going until it is all cleaned out.

(this is our house's pumpkin: Dierks Groban)

I feel like this is the process God is putting me through right now. I've been blindsighted by a few things these past two weeks from my best friend moving to health to not getting into the photo program after the head of the program told me i should be fine.

One thing after another. Seeds removed and then the walls scraped. I don't know what God is trying to teach me, but i'd be happy if he sped up the process a bit! haha.

The cool thing is...once all of the gunk is removed, the masterpiece begins and you carve out a new face to the pumpkin. Letting go of its old identity, the pumpkin has a new face.

On a good note i got an "A" on my Hebrew Bible essay!


Selah.

sparing meat

I feel like we can learn a lot from Rocky.
In the face of adversity:: he persevered.
.
With school lately I feel like I'm entered in a marathon leading in circles. I get lapped at times, but there is always the one kid with a cast and asthma behind me giving me the confidence to continue on. College is rough...but it is also four years of my life! this block of time is filled with questions after. What to do and be...I have no idea. I am 54 school weeks away from recieving a degree. That's insane!

*cracks open a few eggs and chugs them from a glass. Puts on biking gloves and beanie to go for a jog. Stops by the meat locker to punch a few cows and heads home to do the same the next day in preparation for the big duel. *

antsy

My head is full of thoughts...
My tummy is full of popcicles...
My fingernails are full of left over clay from my ceramics class...

I feel like redesigning the site.

Amsterdam's buyout offer bothers brothels

you gotta give a thumbs up to the mayor for trying. the people's reaction saddens me. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-10-07-redlight_N.htm

insomnia

Sooo....you know how you go to bed around 1 and then at 3:30 you give up going to sleep and update your blog? tonight is that night for me.

This is a very common site in our house (Casablanca). Vegas and Katy on the bed chilling as Katy plays maj jong.

A few nights ago we were all actually home and decided to take a family picture. We have one where we are all looking, but i felt like this more accurately displays our house at any given time. I love my roommates!

I bought a waffle maker finally! This is Wally. He is very happy here.

This was my first batch of waffles from Wally. Look pretty good if i say so myself (which i am). I even made the batter from scratch!

Tonight began the weeklong tradition of Katy's birthday celebration! My bible study came over plus the roommates to have dinner and dessert.

This is Katy's cake. Look closely...it's her face in the sprinkles!

And finally, here is Becca and me. I had a friend from Texas illustrate my idea for the Nav shirts and this is how they came out! I like them!

things that made me smile today

• i was pretty sure my bike tire was going to die on the way to school but it made it there and back.
• the weather today was 95 and beautiful. It was more of a pleasant bike ride.
• continuing with the weather, i had a test and finished fast so i was able to read my TanaKh (Hebrew old testament) with some Einstein's breakfast
• at breakfast, i saw Heather, Carol, Tim, Leila, and Steve
• i slipped and fell on my bottom in the middle of the between class rush. no one even noticed!
• class got out 30 min. early
• my photo professor actually likes my thesis photos!
• vegas attacked the UPS guy...a few weeks ago she attacked the mail-lady too! i'm beginning to think we need one of those 'beware of dog' signs. the mid-20-yr-old screamed and threw the package only to come in a minuate later laughing at himself as vegas continued to lick his calves.
• Vegas ran down the stairs but forgot to turn and rammed her face right into the wall. i felt bad, but that's pretty funny!

stream of consciousness

i know i haven't blogged in a while and it's not becasue i haven't wanted to but merely that i don't know how to verbalize life lately. My memory is starting to fade me. I don't remember things that went on in my life by the end of the day anymore!

All i know is my photo thesis to officially graduate as a photo major is due on the first.

I stink at ceramics. I come home two days a week covered in red clay.

I am a security guard but i may be looking for a new more consistant job.

my family went to Italy last week while i was stuck in class.

I turned 21 on labor day...it doesn't feel much different.

I miss Holland.

I am so excited to go back to philly and NYC.

max brenner.

the Bible study i'm leading started tonight and i am really glad about the girls that are in it

work schedualed me on friday when the navs meet...grrrr

i love Katy's dog Vegas. taught her a new trick today too.

there is nothing like a texas sunset at lake grapevine.

i miss lakes.

I think it is awesome my homework for my OT class is reading genesis and exodus!

i stink at painting.

i rant a lot.

i'm hoping the diamondbacks make playoffs.

i need to finish my reading for class.

goodbye.

Stripes

I painted for our kitchen today.

Rolly, Patch, Lucky, Pongo...

Tonight there is a monsoon in Arizona. And all i can seem to think about lying in my bed listening to the thunder is 101 Dalmatians. My sister Diana and I used to sneak out of our rooms whether we were sick or just couldn't sleep and always put on this same Disney film. We have fallen asleep on the old cracked green leather sofa more times than i could count waking up to a blue tv screen the next morning. I wish my sister were here to stay up for no apparent reason together. Out here is Arizona I find i miss my family more as time goes on. I think i just miss that aspect of still being a kid and not having rent or gasoline or food expenses. It's like when Christ takes us off the milk for solid food. Sometimes we want to go back to when we had it much easier, yet we all know we must move on. But still...we have some time to be a little ridiculous yet.

Happy Birthday Mom!

for she is the tree of life...

Ok Tim McGraw...bring it!

Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying

Verse 1
He said I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before me, when a moment came that stop me on a dime. I spent most of the next days, looking at the x-rays. Talking bout' the options and talking bout' sweet time. I asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end, how's hit ya' when you get that kind of news?
Man whad ya do?
And he said

Chorus
I went skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull name Fu Man Chew
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin

Verse 2
He said I was finally the husband, but most the time I wasn't. And I became a friend; the friend would like to have. And all a sudden goin' fishin wasn't such an imposition, and I went three times that year I lost my dad. Well I finally read the good book, and took a good long hard look at what i would do if I could do it all again.
And then

Chorus
I went skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull name Fu Man Chew
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin

Bridge
Like tomorrow was a gift, and ya got eternity to think about what to do with it, what could you do with it, what did I do with it, what would I do with it?

Skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chew
And man I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I watched an eagle as it was flyin
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin

To live like you were dyin (4x)

Hurrah!

I got written up in a positive way in our last security newsletter. Read right in the middle there is a paragraph with my name. It is right beofre the how to drive in Arizona tips which are truly funny..probably even moreso if you are from the area.