2nd Annual Gingerbread House Par-tee!

So much fun! And the house I built this year was MUCH better than the one I made last year!

2007 Is Coming To A Close...

"There will come a time when you think every thing is finished. That will be the beginning."

Quote of the Week...

"I'm really angry with him right now. This is the face of anger." --Jen

haha :)

I've Had Issues

Sorry folks, the internet in my apartment is not working properly, thus the reason for the lack of blogs. I'm currently posting at Jen's house (while she ravenously wraps Christmas presents). Hope everyone has a great Christmas--enjoy time with family, eat lots of good food and drive safely in the fog-- For you Fresnans, you know what I'm talking about.

Mom In Training

I'm house-sitting right now for two dogs. I came back to the house tonight and found that they (I'm not sure if it was both or just one) had vomited...a lot. Not just in one, two or three places, but in FIVE different places around the house!

I spent a good chunk of time tonight cleaning up dog vomit and cleaning the carpet. If this doesn't help prepare me for motherhood someday, I don't know what would.

A Walk Down Memory Lane...

I was watching some "Saved By The Bell" yesterday when this classic episode came on. I think it's safe to say it was one of the biggest moments in the shows history. It's SO cheesy but when I was younger I LOVED it. Heck, I'm not going to lie, I still really like it! For all you "Saved By The Bell" fans out there, you can thank me later. But first watch this clip and walk down memory lane with me...



"I'm going to miss you Kelly. How 'bout one last dance?" I think many of us all wished relationships ended that nicely...

Here's to good 1990's television memories...

Christmas Goodness

Tonight was the third annual gift exchange with three of my good friends. For the past three years my friends, Brandie, Noelle, Beth and I get together to eat some good food, hang out, relax and exchange Christmas gifts. It's a lot of fun and there are always unique gifts that pop up!

Last year we decided it was going to be a "themed gift exchange" and our theme was "spa or relaxation day"--so basically the gift was supposed to be something bath like or the such. We quickly learned this was harder then we thought and although it turned out to be okay, we decided to ditch the themed gift giving this year.

We all gathered at Brandie and Jason's apartment tonight (though Jason was out doing his own things with the guys) and we had coffee, with some A-M-A-ZING gingerbread biscotti dipped in white chocolate...seriously one of the best things I've ever had! And lots of other goodies that Brandie made.

It was a lot of fun and we watched a new show on TLC called "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" It's a really funny reality tv show that follows this couple around who had twin girls and then wanted another child and ended up getting pregnant with sextuplets! Of course fertility drugs were involved, but they have two 6 year old girls and six 3 year old children--3 boys and 3 girls. They are adorable!

All that to say the show is really funny, my friends are wonderful and the night was such a great way to celebrate together!

One thing I love about Christmas are nights like these. Indeed.

Amazing Grace...

Sit. Listen. Think. Enjoy.



Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

Amen.

Sugar Rush

I'm pretty sure I had more sugar last night than I have in the past month. I was in one of the residence halls on campus last night about 10pm and I ran into a group of freshmen girls who were going on the much loved, "slurpee run". They invited me to come along and experience their last slurpee run of the semester with them. So without hesitation, I joined in.

We got to 7-11 and they told me the only way to go when buying a slurpee was to get a 40oz! 40 ounces of slurpee...I don't even know or want to know how much sugar is in that...but I said, "What the heck, fill me up!" The girls assisted me in the choosing and mixing of flavors, which included, Pina Colada, Pepsi, Wild Cherry and a little Blue Raspberry to top it off.

And then if you buy a slurpee what else do you have to buy? That's right, Reese Peanut Butter Cups...king size!

And when we got back to campus there were Christmas parties galore going on, so there were lots of sweet treats floating around.

It was a lot of fun. When was the last time you had a slurpee run at 10pm at night??

I love my job.

Oh and did I mention I also went out with my RAs and treated them to TCBY last night! Granted that's a little lower in sugar than a slurpee, but it still added to the sweet treats of the night!

Check...Check...Check It Out...

I got this website from Christine's blog.

www.freerice.com

Check it out. Help end world hunger and expand your vocabulary. Jamie I think you would really like this.

I played around with it for a few minutes tonight and donated 720 grains of rice. It was quite fun...and it makes you think...

One Christmas Gift Down...

Jen and I like to go on late night walks. Now when I say "late night" I mean like 8:30pm so not super late, though it is dark out. We have our normal spot we meet at and we have our routine route that we walk. And we don't just walk. We walk, we talk, we laugh, we sing, we jog (sometimes) we cry (not all that often, but it's happened) and we dodge dumb drivers in cars...which leads me to telling you what I'm buying Jen for Christmas...

Reflective clothing OR reflectors for her clothing.

As we were walking the other night we cross a street and reach a corner leading into a neighborhood. There's a BMW coming directly at us so I walk one way and Jen walks the other. The lady in the car rolls down her window and says to Jen, "I really couldn't see you at all. I wanted to let you know that."

I begin to laugh inside as I look at Jen and already know what she's thinking and what she wants to say to this lady.

But Jen nicely replies: "Okay, thank you."

I look at Jen and start busting up laughing.

Apparently we need to wear reflectors on our clothing and a hat with a blinking light so people can see us.

But I'm sure even if we wore that stuff we could make it look good.

I'm thinking a neon pink jump suit for Jen and neon green for me. If we wore that we would totally be bringing sexy back...

"It's All Coming Back To Me Now..."

For some reason this scripture keeps coming back into my head over the past couple of weeks...

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Random Toyota Commerical

Random mentioning of Fresno in this Toyota commercial. See if you can catch it...

Really, Fresno of all places? I know it's no New York or Chicago or LA but I really don't think Fresno is as bad as people make it out to be...

Top Ten Things I Love About The Holidays...

10. Gingerbread lattes from Starbucks

9. Baking goodies and delivering them to neighbors

8. Listening to Christmas music

7. Wrapping Christmas presents and using pretty paper with pretty ribbon

6. Seeing old friends who are in town for the holidays

5. Christmas morning--the fire going, hot chocolate in hand.

4. Driving down Christmas Tree Lane

3. Spending time with my brother

2. Going to church on Christmas Eve with my mom and dad. Singing Silent Night, holding a candle, with my dad's arm around me.

1. Going to Wendy's with Jen on Christmas Day.

One of my top ten worst things ever...

is being cold. I despise being cold. When I am cold I become like a different person. I get moody and don't feel like I can function until I warm up. I was absolutely freezing tonight when I was with some friends at Uncle Harry's and they left the doors open--there was cold air coming in and I was not a happy bagel eater.

I'm not sure what the other 9 things would be on my list of top ten worst things ever, but being cold would surely be on there and probably in the top three.

I would rather bundle up and as j.lo says "look like a butterball turkey" then be cold. Hands down.

Trans Fat Fast...

Trans fat...it is so, so bad for you. And it's in foods that you wouldn't even think. The nutrition label on a product my say "0 grams of trans fat" however if one of the ingredients on the list is "partially hydrogenated oil" that is code for "trans fat"--it's the same thing.

Our good friend Wikipedia tells us this about trans fat:

"Unlike other dietary fats, trans fats are neither required nor beneficial for health.[1] Eating trans fats increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Health authorities worldwide recommend that consumption of trans fat be reduced to trace amounts. Trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils are generally considered to be more of a health risk than those occurring naturally."

So why is it used?:

"These more saturated fats have a higher melting point making them attractive for baking, and extending their shelf-life. Partially hydrogenated oils have been used in food for many reasons. Partial hydrogenation increases product shelf life and decreases refrigeration requirements. Because baking requires semi-solid fats to suspend solids at room temperature, partially hydrogenated oils can replace the animal fats traditionally used by bakers (such as butter).

So in light of knowing how bad trans fat is for me and how it can be hiding in so many different foods, I'm going on a "trans fat fast" for a week to see if I can do it. It may not sound that hard, but you'd be surprised at all of the places you'll find this "partially hydrogenated oil".

Who's with me???

Thanksgiving...

was good. I didn't feel good over the weekend so that wasn't fun--but praise be to God that He has given me loving and understanding family and friends who put up with me when I'm crabby. When I don't feel good I sometimes get a little moody. I'm fully aware of this and I don't like it. And when I don't feel good I like quite environments, but my brother, bless his heart, is naturally a loud person. He talks loud, sings loud, watches TV extremely loud (I'm pretty sure I'm getting him a hearing aid for Christmas) but he tried to turn down his volume a little :)

So all that to say, on Thanksgiving I was reminded of how blessed I am to have good family and friends who love me regardless of my crabbiness.

PTL. Praise The Lord.

"Your Actions Are Not Your Own..."

Think about it--like it or not, it's true. Things we do affect us and either directly or indirectly, affect those around us.

Whether you realize it or not, you impact people on a daily bases.

What kind of impact are you having?

Makes You Think...

"...we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen." -- John le Carre

I took this from Jamie's blog. It made me think and I love how Jen and I think alike.

Just think about it..."a world no one else has ever seen..."

What's your world like?

The Countdown Begins...

Only 37 days left until Christmas.

Wow.

I have to say I'm excited to bake some goodies :)

And I'm excited for Christmas lunch when Jen and I go to Wendy's and eat chicken nuggets and french fries with a frosty of course. It may sound completely weird and crazy for some people, but this is a tradition we started about 3 years ago...maybe 4...Jen, can you help me out with this?

But any how, it's something I look forward to very much. I can't fully explain why, and I've come to be okay with not being able to explain it. There's just something about being with your best friend on Christmas afternoon, sitting in comfy clothes with our hair a mess, no make up on enjoying the goodness of Wendy's, that really, nothing else can compare to.

Trust me.

Everyone and every family have their Christmas traditions and this has become one of mine and Jen's. Yes, our kids and husbands will be eating Wendy's on Christmas afternoon :) Well, we'll see about that one...

Only 37 days to go...

Lifes Little Instructions...

For my birthday I received "Life's Little Instruction Book". I was reading through it today and thought I would highlight a few that stuck out to me. These aren't in any particular order but they all rang true to me in some form or fashion...

--Compliment three people every day.
--Live beneath your means.
--Be forgiving of yourself and others.
--Keep secrets.
--Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.
--Stop blaming others. Take responsiibility for every area of your life.
--Admit your mistakes.
--Eat prunes.
--Don't take good health for granted.
--Forget the Joneses.
--Choose your lifes mate carefully. From this one decision will come ninety percent of all your happiness or misery.
--Make a habit to do nice things for people who'll never find it out.
--Put a lot of little marshmallows in your hot chocolate.
--Know how to change a tire.
--Remember peoples names.
--Keep your watch five minutes fast.
--Use seatbelts.

Now here is my take on these things...

--Compliment three people every day - The world would be so different if everyone did this.
--Live beneath your means - Part of my issue with buying a new car...
--Be forgiving of yourself and others - Easier said than done...
--Keep secrets - Isn't it interesting how word gets around about who can keep a secret and who can't?
--Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday - Yes and Yes.
--Stop blaming others. Take responsiibility for every area of your life. - This is something Jen and I talk about often.
--Admit your mistakes - It's humbling and good for the soul.
--Eat prunes - I LOVE prunes!
--Don't take good health for granted - "You don't know what you got till it's gone..."
--Forget the Joneses -
--Choose your lifes mate carefully. From this one decision will come ninety percent of all your happiness or misery - I'm sure there are many people out there who can speak to this truth.
--Make a habit to do nice things for people who'll never find it out - like putting money in a person's expired parking meter...it's such a good feeling and they'll never know you helped them out and potentially saved them from getting a big fat ticket.
--Put a lot of little marshmallows in your hot chocolate - and lots of whipped cream!
--Know how to change a tire - at the age of 23 I can now say (after mulitple tire issues) I do know how to change a tire!
--Remember peoples names - I wish I was better at this...
--Keep your watch five minutes fast - or in my or Jen's case...twenty minutes fast.
--Use seatbelts - One word: Eric *cough cough*

64 an Still Counting

Three days ago my grandma and grandpa celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. Take a minute and just take that in...64 years together--side by side--husband and wife.

The thought of being with the same person day after day after day for 64 years amazes me and kind of boggles my mind. I think any couple that gets married, has the hope and desire to be married to that person for the rest of their life, but I wonder how many people think it will extend beyond 60 years with that same person.

And after 64 years of living and "doing life" with the same person, is there anything that you wouldn't know about them?

My grandma and grandpa continually amaze me and I have been so blessed to have their marriage and commitment to one another as an example for me as I look down the road towards marriage someday.

And the best part...they still hold hands. My grandpa helps my grandma put on her sweater and every week my grandma cuts the baseball TV schedule out of the newspaper and puts it next to my grandpas recliner, so he knows when all the games are on and what channel to turn to. And my grandpa tells me often that the best decision he ever made in his life was to marry my grandma. "I'd be lost without her" he's told me. "When you find a good woman, only a fool would let her go. And I found the best one".

Thank you Jesus for their example of true love and commitment.

Number 65...here they come...

Grounds For Divorce...

Three things my mom has told me she will never run out of in the house because they are a necessity for my dad.

1. Ketchup
2. Chocolate Syrup
3. Coffee

And then she said, "If I ran out of coffee that would be grounds for divorce." Haha...get it..."grounds for divorce"...coffee grounds... And the best part is she didn't even mean to make a joke... I love it when that happens.

Just For The Record...

I'm pretty sure I have something living with me in my apartment. Just ask any of my RAs and I think they would agree. I've heard some interesting noises...and they heard them too...

I'm not sure what it could be, but I just wanted to put it out there on the record, so when I do find something, I can at least not feel like I was a freak and just imagining things...

I told everyone I've been waiting for a possum to jump out of my closet... We shall see.

Halloween 2007

I should say it was more a Halloween/Third Annual "Triple B Birthday Bash". The three B's representing: Brandie, Beth and Becky as we all have birthdays the last week of October.

Good times for sure. This is only one of many pictures from the evening. As you can see we had an eclectic group of costumes...

People will change. Circumstances will change. Life will change. God doesn't change.

Every week I write what's called a "Thought From The Throne" for the ladies on campus. These "thoughts" are hung up in the bathroom stalls in the residence halls to give them something to read while they're "doing their business". Below is one that I wrote last week . I share this with you because, as I wrote it, the ideas expressed in it really resonated with me and it may, in some way, resonate with you too.

This weekend I went down to the lovely city of Visalia and was a bridesmaid in a wedding for a good friend of mine. I met both her and her then boyfriend (now husband) when we were all three students here at Fresno Pacific. Her and I lived together our senior year of college and became good friends. The wedding was a joyous celebration. She looked beautiful. He was overjoyed at the sight of his bride walking down the aisle. And on Saturday, October 27th, their five year span of dating ended and they became husband and wife.

Now I’ve been blessed to attend many weddings and have now been apart of the bridal party in a total of five weddings. By no means am I saying this to sound cool or as my good friend and fellow RD Dave Obwald would say “to brag about my friend count” but rather to give glory to God that I’ve been blessed with many good, deep and treasured friendships. There is a sense of excitement that can be felt in the air as two people decide to commit their whole lives to one another and to only one another.

My favorite part of every wedding is the moment when the bride begins to walk down the aisle and the groom stands up front, breathless as he watches her every move. I love to watch the expressions on both of their faces as their eyes meet and she moves down the aisle towards him. For Christian couples who pledge their vows in marriage to one another and to God, there is a sense of understanding that they have the ability to love one another, only because God first loved them.

Now go with me here…

I’ve been wrestling with this idea of “love” for sometime now. Now before you think I’m getting all mushy and completely “girly” on you, go with me for a minute. I would venture to say at one point or another we’ve all heard the words, “God loves you” and we’ve probably heard “I love you” from a family member or close friend. The word “love” gets thrown around a lot in our culture and we can find ourselves using the word “love” to describe things like shoes, food ,clothes, etc... “I love those shoes and I love chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream” (that’s my personal favorite). Of course this “love” would be different then the love we give to or receive from people.

Grasping the idea of God’s love for us can be very difficult at times. As humans, we don’t love like God loves—-we can’t. Just like we don’t have the ability to forgive in the same way God forgives or understand His grace at times when we truly don’t deserve it. And we can’t earn God’s love—-He gives is freely. We don’t have to put on an act and try and be someone we’re not in order to be loved by God. You already are loved and valued.

You are good enough exactly as you are. Do you believe this? Because it’s true. You have limitless worth and value. If you embrace this truth, it will affect every area of your life. You are worth dying for. Your worth does not come from your body, your mind, your work, what you produce, what you put out, or how much money you make. Your worth does not come from what you do but from who God is. You don’t have to earn God’s love—-you can’t. You’re already loved-—deeply.

For some this idea of God’s infinite love can be hard to swallow. I encourage you to really think about how valuable you are in God’s sight and how His love for you will not change. People will change. Circumstances will change. Life will change. God’s love for you will never change. Just think about it…

Until Next Week…

Becky

I've Been Slacking...

To all of my beloved readers (yes, all five of you :)

I am deeply sorry for my lack of posts this past week. October is always a busy month and this year it seemed to be even busier than usual--but no excuses. If you can hang with me for just another day or so, I promise to get some new posts (and pictures!) up.

Thanks for hanging in there...

Gratefully Yours,
BK

THIS was in my kitchen...

I opened my cubbard this evening to get out a frying pan and this little guy freaked out and jumped out of the cubbard, and needless to say, freaked me out in the process! It was disgusting to say the least and it was HUGE. This was not your average black widow spider! YUCK!

First I had a GIANT cockroach in my bathroom, then a mouse was living with me and now a black widow! I'm just waiting for a possum to jump out of my closet...

Just Like It Says...

Go See This Movie

So, so good. This movie was recommended to me by Sara and J.Mast and it lived up to all they said it would. Jen I think you would like this movie. You too Jamie. Let me know if you see it and what you think.

It's Beginning to Feel Like Fall...

I love the smell of chimney smoke from a fire in crisp fall air...

I walked outside tonight and smelled that distinct smell so I stopped, closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

I hope to smell many more crisp fall nights like tonight.

Just For The Record

It's 1:15am right now...I have to get up in about 4 hours...right about 5:20am. Oh the joys of procrastination...

I feel like I'm back in college again.

“Sex isn’t the process of searching for something; it’s the expression of something that is found…”

Listening to "Sex God" by Rob Bell right now. Just heard this nugget and thought I would share it. I think for some people, both in the church and outside of it, view sex as the process of searching for something and not as the expression of something of great beauty in a marriage that has been found...

"Praying Extra Hard..."

Today I was talking to a friend and told them I was "praying extra hard for them". And then later on I stopped and thought, "What does it really mean to pray "extra hard" for someone? Does it mean you pray longer, more intensely and does that mean the harder we pray the more God will listen?

I think there is definitely something to be said about being consistent in our prayers, as pray is really about changing the heart of the one who prays, but I don't think it factors in to what the answer to our prayer will be. All that to say I'm pretty sure I won't be using the term "praying extra hard" again in the future.

I wanna go back...

Ireland...



Switzerland...The Swiss Alps...



Italy...Venice...



Soon...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM!

Today marks my brother's 25th birthday. That means five more years and he'll be 30. Whoa. Just last night he said, "Ya know Becky, when we were younger I used to always brag that I was older then you, but now I think it's starting to work in your favor."

And for just a few weeks he is three years older then me. So weird to think he's 25...it seemed such a short while ago he had just turned 16 and got his 1972 Chevelle Malibu for his birthday. Ah...memories.

That's a post all in itself...the memories of Tim's '72 Chevelle. I'm sure Jen could help me come up with some of those... ha.

Alarm Malfunction

I woke up today at 5:51am, which I understand for some people sounds outrageous. I agree this is early, however the problem is that I was supposed to leave my house at 5:40am. I started this workout group training camp that meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:00am at a park in North Fresno. I absolutely love it. I don't like getting up in the 5am hour, however afterwards I feel so good and it's just an all around good start to my day.

Ideally I wake up at 5:25 to leave my house at 5:40 to get to the park a few minutes before 6:00am. Knowing 5:25 is pretty early in the morning and I have a tendency to turn off my alarm when I don't want to get up... I intentionally set two alarm clocks and place one on my dresser which is across the room from me.

This morning I don't know what happened, by I don't remember either of my alarms going off. I could understand if I turned off my cell phone alarm and went back to bed, but I don't know what happened to my second alarm. Unless I got out of bed, turned it off and then went back to sleep, which if that was the case, for me to not remember all of that would freak me out a bit.

But after I worked out this morning I also went and got gas and went to the grocery store and was back to my apartment a few minutes after 8:00am. 5:25am always comes early for me (especially when I don't get to bed before midnight...but I'm working on that) but after I'm up and have worked out, it's a feeling like no other.

Anyone want to join me...?

Just FYI...

Riding on a teeter-totter in a skirt...bad idea. Just take my word on this one.

R.I.P "Fred" The Mouse

A few days ago I informed my readers (all four of you out there) that I did not think there was a mouse living in my apartment after all. Boy was I wrong!

I saw him (Derek and I would refer to the mouse as "Fred") with my own two eyes on Sunday afternoon. I saw him scurry across my kitchen floor and run under my refrigerator. Then he proceeded to taunt me by sitting in the corner of the kitchen starring at me! I tried to catch "Fred" in a shoe box, but no such luck...big surprise there, huh? He ran back under the fridge and that was the last I saw of Fred...until this morning...

After it became official that there was indeed a mouse living in my apartment, I got some mouse traps and strategically placed them in different rooms. Each morning between Sunday and today I would check to see if Fred had indeed been caught, but each day I was met with disappointment by an empty trap.

After so many days had elapsed I thought for sure Fred must have left and found a new home in another apartment. Ha. Although I pretty much knew that wasn't going to be the case, it was a comforting thought. I was sorting some laundry this morning before work and as I'm sifting through clothes in my laundry basket, what do my eyes see...FRED...dead...in MY laundry basket! YUCK...YUCK...AND YUCK! And to answer your question...I have no idea how long he had been there!

I'll excuse you while you hold down your stomach...

I sucked up what bravery I had and grabbed about 17 paper towels and 2 plastic bags and scooped him up and ran outside to the big trash can.

I'm not sure what killed Fred...but hopefully he died peacefully and didn't leave any brothers or sisters around!

So Good

I got to talk to my brother last night for a good 45 minutes. It had been way too long. Gotta love that guy...

Results Of My Experiment...

Well, I am happy to report that I believe my hypothesis was incorrect.

I left a slice of cheese out on a plate and put it in the middle of my living room last night to see if it was gone or even nibbled at when morning came. Well, this morning I went into my living room, looked at the plate of cheese and noticed it looked to be untouched.

Now maybe this mouse is just really super smart and won't fall for my tricks, or maybe he doesn't like cheese. Or maybe, just maybe I need to get my eye sight checked...

I think I have a little friend living with me...

Go with me here...

I think I have a mouse in my apartment. Here is what I have to go on so far:

1. As I was vacuuming and cleaning up before my new furniture arrived for my living room, I noticed what I thought could be "mouse droppings". I didn't think too much of it and said to myself, "Oh Becky, you're being silly".

2. This afternoon I was sitting in my apartment talking with one of my RAs when I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I was almost certain I saw something run from my kitchen to underneath the couch. I took a flashlight and looked around under there, but didn't see anything.

3. Actually all I have to go on is number 1 and 2 so far.

So tonight I'm doing an experiment in order to see if my hypothesis is true. I'm going to put a piece of cheese on a plate and put it on the floor in the middle of my living room. And here's my thought: if the cheese is still there in the morning then no mouse, but if the cheese is gone or has been nibbled at then I'll be moving in with Jen for the next few days.

And of course, I was talking to my mom on the phone and I was telling her about my mouse hypothesis and of course, what did she say? "Oh honey, a little mice won't hurt you. It's just looking for a warm place to sleep. It's getting colder outside you know".

Yes mom, I know. But my apartment has no vacancy.

I'll keep you posted on the results of my experiment...

"I love Jr. High Students"

This is what my mom said to as she was telling me that she is now a volunteer for the jr. high group at her church. She leads a small group on Wednesday nights with five 7th grade girls and she loves it.

"I just love to listen to them as they tell me about their day" she said. She said she was a little nervous about committing to it at first, but so far she has really enjoyed it.

At 51 years old my mom is a jr. high volunteer. I don't think I could have handled my mom volunteering when I was in jr. high (actually, I know I could not of handled that) but now because she enjoys it so much, I say more power to her!

Wanted...

A 2004 or 2005 Honda Civic...

--4 door

--4 cylinder (I know, I know, if I got a V6 I would have more power...but the truth is I care more about saving money on gas, then on having "power"...call me crazy)
--Automatic transmission

--Low mileage (under 40,000)

--Reasonably priced (I know that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people)

--I would really prefer it not to be white.

--And I would love a sunroof/moon roof.

If you see or hear or know of anyone selling such a car, please let me know. I've started my search...we shall we what I find...

The Weekend...

Went like this...

--Went to dinner and saw a movie

--Had lunch with my mom (it's scary how much I feel like I'm becoming like her...)

--Furniture shopping and purchasing...woo hoo

--Redecorating

--FPU Soccer Games

--ANOTHER dead battery in a DIFFERENT car I was driving

--Shopping at Target until closing

--Bridal shower shopping

--Some sleep, but not as much as I'd like

"She wants to be wanted and he wants, well, what most men want. So they trade--and sex becomes a search for something they're missing..."

I've been listening to Sex God by Rob Bell throughout this week. I downloaded it about six months ago and I'm pretty sure this is my 3rd or 4th time listening to it--and something new sticks out to me every time.

The only problem is, that I only have the audio download and I don't have the book, so it's hard to highlight or underline what sticks out to me. But I'll share some good nuggets of it soon. Maybe I'll just have to buy the book too...that wouldn't be so bad.

Where Were You on Setember 11, 2001?

I was with Jen in my car arriving to school a few minutes before the bell rang to go to class. We were in my car, pulling into the parking lot when we heard for the first time the report on the radio that a plane had crashed into the Twin Towers in New York.

We looked at each other very puzzled--not sure what to make of the news we just heard. We were in disbelief--shock--it didn't make sense.

We each went to our first period and there was nothing but talk of the horrific occurrence and TVs on in every class.

I think most people can vividly remember where they were when they heard the news for the first time. It's one of those things most people in our generation will be telling their children some day... "I can still remember where I was when I first heard the news..."

I can't imagine loosing my father or mother or if I had children, loosing a child or if I was married, loosing my husband in such a tragic event. It's not fair--but we're never told life will be fair. But I'll say it again, it's not fair.

The attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001 will be one of the many things we won't understand in this lifetime--so we cling to Jesus--the author and perfecter of our faith--the one who knows more and understands things in which we never will.

I Would Agree...

"Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone, stop every motor and halt all activity for an hour some day to give people a chance to ponder for a few minutes on what it is all about, why they are living and what they really want."

--James Truslow Adams (1878-1949)

50 Things To Do Before I Die...

This list has been one in the making. Ever since I was in jr. high I can remember thinking of various things I wanted to do before I died. I finally compiled them all in one list. Some of the things on this list are quite simple, others may take a lot of time or money, and some I've already accomplished (the ones in bold) but all in all the things on this list are things I hope to do throughout my life. I'm sure I will add more, but for now, here it is...

--Attend a pro baseball game
--Attend a pro basketball game
--Attend a pro football game
--Attend at least one major sporting event: The Super Bowl or The Olympics
--Attend the taping of a TV show
--Backpack through Europe
--Be a contestant on a game show
--Beat my brother at ping pong
--Be the maid of honor in Jen's wedding (yes Jen you will get married :)
--Bike along the CA coast
--Camp under the stars with no tent
-Celebrate New Years in Time Square
--Give blood
--Go dove hunting with Stephen Elliott (this put on here by special request of Stephen himself)
--Go fishing in the ocean and eat what I catch
--Go on a ride along with the police
--Go skinny dipping
--Go skydiving
--Go to grad school – and finish
--Go to New York with Jen
--Graduate college
--Hike Half Dome
--House a foreign exchange student in my home
--Learn how to ball room dance, properly
--Learn how to do a cart wheel
--Learn not to say yes when I really mean no.
--Learn to hand toss pizza dough
--Live in San Diego
--Live on my own
--Move out of Fresno
--Own my own home
--Ride a cable car in San Francisco
--Road trip across the US
--Run ½ Marathon
--Scuba dive off Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
--Send a message in a bottle.
--Sing at a Karaoke Bar
--Spend 3 months getting in optimum shape
--Swim with a dolphin
--Take a cruise
--Take a photography class
--Tell someone the story of my life, sparing no details.
--Tour Pearl Harbor
--Visit Africa
--Visit all 50 states
--Visit Australia
--Visit Germany and drive the Autobahn
--Visit Yellowstone National Park
--Watch the top 100 movies of all time (according to IMDB)

Weekend Summary

Felt super busy...but had so much fun.

Let's start on Thursday...

Left Thursday evening with my friend Holly on a drive up to Hume Lake to spend two nights with her and her family and a whole bunch of people from their church for some good old fashion camping. It was very relaxing and a lot of fun. We played cards, ate good food, hiked a little, I found a little rock by the creek that quickly became my favorite afternoon reading rock. I'm currently reading this and enjoying it very much.

Drove back down from Hume on Saturday night. I washed some clothes and then repacked in preparation for leaving again on Sunday.

Sunday morning I drove down to Orange County, Anaheim to be exact, with a friend to see my brother and watch my friend run in the Disneyland 1/2 marathon (that's 13.1 miles to be exact). It was so much fun. I got to hang out and have dinner here with my brother at none other than one of the favorite places of all times. I ate at Downtown Disney two nights in a row and had breakfast at IHOP this morning.

It was fabulous, though the weather was not as fabulous as all the food was. It was HOT. I'm talking record heat for southern California. We're talking sweat-dripping-off-my-back kind of weather. It rivaled the heat we feel here in Fresno. There was no escaping that heat this weekend!

Just drove back this morning (after stopping at IHOP :). I really do love road trips. There is something that makes me smile about being on a road trip--it's a feeling I can't quite describe in words, but it's fun to goof off, sing in the car and stop for fountain drinks along the way.

Did You See The Moon Tonight?

It was beautiful. It was a full moon and it looked huge! It was a nice surprise when I walked outside tonight. It was also a good reminder of how big the world is in comparison to the moon--and how much more there is of our world outside of Fresno...and outside of California...and outside of the U.S...

Top Ten Visited Sites On The Internet

Thought this was interesting... One day my blog will make this list...ha.

1. Yahoo

2. Google

3. Myspace

4. You Tube

5. Microsoft Network

6. Facebook

7. Ebay

8. Windows Live

9. Craigslist.org

10. Wikipedia

3 4

34...that's how many times my cell phone rang today. No joke. I counted in my call log. And the day isn't even over yet. I'm not trying to say I'm super cool--because many of you out there know me and know the truth...I'm not an A teamer. But there's no denying that my phone will ring and ring and ring.

To Forgive Is To Surrender

I was reading today in Luke the story of Jesus Anointed By a Sinful Woman. As I read the end of the story, a piece of it stuck out to me. Towards the end of the story, Jesus reminds Simon that "those who are forgiven much, love much and those who have been forgiven little, love little". Hmmmm...

I don't think Jesus is making the case that the more sinful the acts one commits before they become a Christian, the more they love Him after they're born again. I believe Jesus is making a point that Christians have to be consciously aware of how truly depraved we are, whether a prostitute or an Eagle Scout, and to the extent that we are aware of our total and complete depravity — that we bring nothing to the table but a sinful heart — that is the extent to which we love God.

And in order to forgive others or allow ourselves to be forgiven, we must surrender our hurts and pains to the only one who offers complete and utter healing. And by no means am I saying that's easy...but it's good...

And there is something about being around people who have been forgiven much and have done the long hard work of the soul. There's a freedom in people who have truly experienced God's grace, and recognize and understand His grace in ways that others have yet to encounter or fully grasp.

I have a dear friend who I admire deeply, because when I'm around her, it's evident that she has done the long hard work of the soul. She has allowed Jesus to intersect her life and has forgiven others and in turn, has allowed herself to be forgiven. She brings a refreshing presence to those around her and it is clear that the Lord has worked and continues to work in her life. She is an older friend of mine and each time I see her, her inner beauty astonishes me--I wanna be like her as I continue to grow up.

Because yes, I am surely still growing...

I'm Pretty Sure It Was A Fish...

I went floating on the Kings River on Friday and it was a ton of fun. We had food, lots of big rafts and a good flowing river. The river is pretty low this year due to the lack of rain/snow, so in some areas it's easy to stand up in. I was floating along in a black innertube with my feet dangling over the side in the water. I was enjoying a rice crispy treat, when all of the sudden I felt something nibble at my toes. I'm pretty sure it was a fish or some sort of amphibian. Needless to say I let out a little girl like scream and quickly rearranged myself in the tube with my feet out of the water.

I know it seems silly--I mean it's a river so of course there would be fish in there. But I didn't expect them to attack my feet!

And then to add on to the interesting sights/experiences...

As I'm floating down the river with a few other girls, we come upon a rope swing and about 7 high school boys taking turns swinging and then landing in the water. One of the guys had the idea that they should all strip down and swing on it naked with their swim shorts on their head. I looked up and saw one guy jumping in the water and turned my head down and said "Hmmmm, was that a naked guy on that swing" and the other girls, also laughing with their heads down said "Yep, sure was." Of course the guys found it to be hilarious and were clearing enjoying themselves.

You never know what might happen or what you might see when you go floating down the river...

Now and Then...

Wow, my hair used to be really dark. But the blond is coming back baby...

Then...



Now...

Kristin Is Married!

Here Come Tim and Faith...We Are Excitied!!!

Things I've Been Learning Lately...

--The best things in life are hardly ever the easiest.

--There is a difference between "standing for something" and "living for something". You might stand for something, but what do you live for?

--Everyone has issues going on in their life that are unseen by others. Everyone does--and we must not forget that.

--Milk does a body good.

--It's at the moment when you want to quit or stop or give up on whatever you're doing that you can't and shouldn't--perseverance builds character and character isn't formed over night.

--The days go by so fast...so very fast...

--I'm not sure which is harder: Loving others or allowing yourself to be loved.

--It's difficult to live in the unknown or "gray" areas of life.

--God doesn't stop pursuing us. We may try to tell Him to be quiet and drown him out with other things in life, or feel we've messed up too many times, but He doesn't stop. Ever.

Pictures to be posted soon....

--Camping

--Bachlorette Party

--Kristin and Anthony's Wedding at Bass Lake

--Dancing at Farmer's Market

--Shaver Lake Outing

--And I'm going floating down the Kings River on Friday...so assuming I don't drop the camera in the water, there should be some pics of that too.

Things are still busy--but all is well.

Again, sorry for the lack of posts. I've gotta go pack my bags again right now...

Happy Birthday Jen!

Hope you're day was filled with wonderful things and some good wine :) You are truly the best friend a girl could ask for. I hope today you are reminded of how much you are loved by so many and how much you add to the lives of those around you. You are beautiful Jen. Twenty three...I remember when we turned thirteen. The days have gone by and I have been blessed to have walked those pivotal years with you by my side.

And hey, there's still two hours left...so don't give up on what your birthday might bring you... :)

Love you so.

Busy Days

The days have been full and the nights have seemed short lately. Busy days are upon me as I prepare for students to come back, being a bridesmaid in a wedding (which is out of town) and preparing to go out of town three weekends in a row. I am entering into my busy season of the year.

So in light of all the busyness, I may not be able to post as much in the next two weeks. I'll do my best to pop in every now and again when I can, but I just wanted to give the four of you who read this a heads up about it :)

Right now my legs are throbbing and the days ahead appear be long and busy. I was literally running around (or as best as I can run with a broken tail bone) doing things this morning before work and I got an overwhelming sense to stop. Just stop.

So I stopped, I sat down on the bed, and took a moment to breath. It was in those moments that Jesus reminded me that though life is busy, I can not loose the heart behind why I was doing all that I did. It's easy to run from one thing to the next, here and there, pack this, email them, call her, etc... but I can't forget that all of those things have people involved in them and I can't loose sight or miss an opportunity to have genuine conversations with the people I see.

Life can easily become a "to-do" list, but behind all those "to-dos" are people who God places in my life for very specific reasons. You never know who you might meet and what opportunities will be put in your path. Lord knows I can become so narrow minded about things and tasks that I need to be reminded that His plans are bigger and better than mine.

I Don't Like Salt

I just had a handful of roasted salted almonds and they were delicious. However, when I was finished I still hand salt from the almonds on my fingers and my eye itched so I rubbed it and thus I now have salt in my eye...and it hurts.

Lesson of the day: Don't rub your eye after eating salted almonds. It's a good thing I wasn't eating a jalapeno...

Who Would I Be?

I was tagged by Eric to do this...here we go...

If I could be a famous historical figure I would be... Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) - This man served as a U.S. president for twelve years and is known as a central figure in the 20th century during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war. Talk about a man with a lot on his plate...but he handled it so well. I think this is one of the reasons why I like to watch the movie "Pearl Harbor" because I am reminded of how crazy a time it must have been during WWII and FDR had no choice but to step up and lead a country who had been hit...and hit hard.

If I could be a celebrity I would be... Mary Tyler Moore. She was beautiful and I LOVED to watch the Mary Tyler Moore show with my mom. In many ways she reminds me of my own mom--and that makes me smile.

If I could be a famous athlete I would be...an Olympic gymnast. I still don't understand how they do it and make it look so easy.

If I could be a famous musician I would be...Bono. For one, he has a cool name. For two, I like U2's music and three he stands for something bigger than himself.

If I could be a famous Christian mover and shaker I would be...C.S. Lewis. I love reading his writings. I love that he is raw and thought-provoking in what he says. And he never pretended to try and have all the answers, but rather simply laid out facts and thoughts and leaves it to the reader to decide. "A Grief Observed" is one of my favorite of Lewis' books. Talk about raw emotion as he writes and grieves about loosing his wife--who was undoubtedly the love of his life--but through the grief he brings it back to the hope he held and the sovereignty of God...whether seen or unseen, describable or indescribable, there is a purpose for everything.

Okay, I tag Derek and Jamie and Jen (even though you don't have a blog, although you should, you still should do this :)

***And as a disclaimer, this was a lot harder to do then I thought. I started it and had to save it and come back to it days later. Watch, you start it and you'll see...

One of my new favorite foods...

I'm munching on them right now. They are really good and handy to have around when you want something to munch on. You can buy them at Trader Joes. Oh and they're "heart healthy" so I'm assuming that means if you have a broken heart, it helps make things better. I don't have a broken heart, but I still enjoy eating them!

And I must give credit where credit is due...J.lo introduced me to these goodies. She always has my back and is looking out for my heart...

A Season For Everything...

A friend came in my office the other day and we had a good 45 minute chat. We caught up on various life events and laughed and joked about all sorts of random things. He told me a few months ago his mom was diagnosed with cancer so I asked him how she was doing. He was quiet for a minute, then looked at me, shook his head and said, "Not so good".

It's at that moment when you really don't know what to say, but I sat there looking at him, trying to grasp and wrap my mind around all of the different thoughts and feelings that were inside of him. He said, "Well, how much do you want to know?" I told him I wanted to know whatever he was comfortable sharing.

He told me that his mom was diagnosed with cancer and it initially looked to be under control, but the cancer recently came back and took a very aggressive approach. The cancer had spread to various parts of her body and chemotherapy wasn't an option, but rather it was a necessity to keep her alive.

Lots of questions arise when a loved one becomes ill and simply put, there are never any easily explainable answers. I can't fully comprehend the pain and questions that arise in such a difficult situation, because I myself have never personally had to deal with a loved one's serious illness. As I sat and listened to him explain the situation with his mom and how his family is handling it all, tears began to fill my eyes as I thought of the battle this family is going through and will continue to fight in the coming months.

After he left and I was sitting there still with a few tears, I thought of Ecclesiastes and how there is a season for everything and a purpose (whether seen or unseen) for the journeys we encounter in life. Though we don't know when each of the different seasons will come our way, I cling to the promise and belief in a God who knows and understands more than I ever will and I trust, believe and have seen God create beauty from very difficult times.

Whatever season you find yourself in right now, may you find comfort in the following:

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Makes You Think...

I found this to be interesting. Some of them are up for debate, but no doubt there have been many who have gone before us and shaped the world we live in.

Who's that good looking guy?

Oh wait, that's my brother! We had fun up at Dinkey Creek. And his goatee is only about 15 minutes old. He had a full beard and I said, "Hey Tim, why don't you shave and have a goatee?" He said, "Hmmmm....okay." And he did it. It was great. I love my brother more than words can say and more then he'll ever know.

I love this picture and I LOVE these girls...

She was AMAZING in concert...

Faith Restored

Today I went to Best Buy and had to return something I bought a few weeks ago. I had been putting off going back to Best Buy because it seems that I always have to wait super long to accomplish anything there. But today, my visit put me on the path to restoring my faith in the store.

I went in to return something (receipt and product in hand) and I was in and out within three minutes...I kid you not. It was amazing and I could not believe it happened.

It was like when a kid comes down the stairs on Christmas morning and sees that the cookies and milk they left out for Santa were gone and had been eaten. They are super excited at that moment and their belief in Santa becomes stronger.

My faith in Best Buy was put back on track today, however, I somehow think that when the holiday season rolls around again, that faith will be violently thrown off course after having to wait in line for 45 minutes...

Only time will tell.

Would You Rather...

Be 7 feet 7 inches tall or 3 feet 6 inches tall?

I was watching a special on 20/20 tonight and they were interviewing two women, one who was 7 feet 7 inches tall and one who was 3 feet 6 inches tall.

Both of these women have a positive outlook on life and continue to live their lives to the fullest despite their abnormal height. 20/20 was doing a special in conjunction with the Discovery Channel on the science behind dwarfism and gigantism . I have to say, it was very interesting.

So after watching the show it got me thinking...if I had to choose to either be abnormally short or abnormally tall, which would I choose?

I'm still not sure. But what would you choose?

Meet my new friend, Owen.

This my friends is one of the newest additions to my friend club. He goes with me everywhere and for the next couple of months I won't be leaving home without him.

I went to the doctor today and found out I officially have my first broken bone. I was told I fractured my tail bone when I slipped on a puddle and it would take between 2-3 months to fully heal (Actually, the doctor said 3 months, but I like to be optimistic and say 2-3 months...it makes me feel a little bit better.)

So everywhere I go I take my donut pillow (Owen) with me so that I can sit more comfortably. I am fully aware I look silly carrying around a bright yellow donut pillow, but trust me my friends, if you ever fracture your tail bone, you'll be making friends with a donut pillow too!

It hurt and still hurts...pretty bad.

I hurt my tail bone today really bad. Before I go on, I need to clarify one thing though...I slipped on a puddle, I did not fall. Falling is what I normally do, slipping is what I did tonight. I was leaving work and there was a small puddle by the back door of my office from the sprinklers that were running earlier (however today is Monday and no one should be watering on Monday...but that's a different story...) I was wearing flip flops and hit that puddle just right and down I went...hard. I laid there for about 2 minutes and didn't really move because it hurt so bad. I eventually got up and was able to get in my car...very carefully.

Later on in the evening it started hurting really bad, and I won't lie, I cried and cried hard. I called the top four: my mom and dad, Jen and my brother. I have had ice on my butt throughout the night and have been positioned very carefully on the couch. I can't really bend over and me walking is quite the site to see.

So I may be out of commission for a few days depending on how it goes. Prayer would be great. I don't know if it's appropriate to ask for prayer for my butt...but it really hurts and I could use it.

But just to clarify, I slipped, I didn't fall. There is a difference j.lo. :)

10 Things I Love About Camping....

1. The fresh mountain air.

2. No cell phone reception, which means no ringing phone.

3. Snacking all day long.

4. Smoked tri-tip and grilled corn on the grill for dinner.

5. Washing my hands in the creek.

6. Getting dirty and not caring.

7. Spending time with my dad and brother and my dad's best friend and his son, who is also like a brother to me.

8. Listening to the farting and burping contests put on by the guys. I guess that's what happens when you're the only girl up there. Maybe the Lord is preparing me for the day when/if I have a son of my own...

9. Playing horse shoes and loosing...but loving it.

10. Playing cards for hours, laughing, talking, and simply enjoying time together surrounded by big trees that remind us how big and powerful God is.

17 and counting....

I've killed about 17 spiders in my apartment within the past week. Okay, 17 may be a slight exaggeration, however it seems like that many. I don't like spiders (really, who does?) and I especially don't like them if their crawling next to me on my couch. Gross. I see another one right now...grrrrrr.

A + B = C

As a friend and I were talking today, this came up in our conversation:

"If A + B = C and you don't like C, you better stay away from A and B".

It sounds so simple but the reality is that it's so difficult for so many.

What's your "C"? Isn't it hard to stay away from A and B?

Busy Weekend

It was a super busy weekend but a super fun one too. In total I was able to see 13 good friends in the matter of 4 days. Now this gets even better because 7 of them live out of town, so to be able to see all of them at different points throughout the course of 4 days was wonderfully refreshing and fun.

Thank you Jesus once again for blessing me with such great friends.

And I get to hang out with j.lo tonight...what could be better? Exactly.

Oh and I got to eat at Panera twice this weekend (in two different cities)...it was pretty stinking amazing.

Wow...

I was in college when I got my first cell phone...

"A Disney Mobile “Cell and Tell” survey released last week found that cellphone usage among 10-17-year-olds jumps by more than an hour a day in the summer, to more than 3 hours and 45 minutes, compared with usage on a school day.

The poll of more than 1,500 teens and preteens found that 44 percent use text messages as their primary form of communication. More than half — 52 percent — say they send text messages from a movie theater while 28 percent have sent messages from the dinner table.

For many — 26 percent — texting is one of the first things they do in the morning, within 10 minutes of waking up.

Almost all respondents — 96 percent — said they communicate with a parent daily via cellphone, while 20 percent said they use a cellphone to connect with Mom or Dad at least five times a day".

7/11 = FREE SLURPEE DAY

Don't forget...today is 7/11 which means it is free Slurpee day at all 7-11 locations! But please drink responsibly.

Currently Reading...

I just started reading it, but so far it's really good. It was one of those that had been recommended to me time and time again, and I'm finally getting around to reading it. I'll keep you posted as I read more, but I'm a fan of Henri Nouwen, so I'm not too worried.

Check it out and "search inside it" on Amazon here.

Ring....Ring....

On my way home tonight from Santa Cruz I talked to eight different friends on the phone (9 including my parents). It made the drive time go by very fast. All eight of these people I had been meaning to chat with for some time and it just so happened I was able to talk to all of them in one night. I love catching up with friends--especially while driving home from a long trip.

Cell phones...you can't live with them and you certainly can't live without them...or could you?

Panera Is Comin'!!!

I found out yesterday, that the Fresno/Clovis area will be getting our very own Panera Bread Company!

The other day I was talking with a friend of mine who was convinced that we already had a Panera Bread Company in Clovis, and I was certain we didn't (there are some things you just know, and this was one thing I was certain of). After we talked about it for over 10 minutes, all the while she was convinced there was one in Clovis, we decided to call the Visalia Panera to ask them. I called and they told me there was one scheduled to open in the Fresno/Clovis area (I'm not sure exactly where yet) at the end of this summer! I am SO excited!

The food at Panera is great but what I really love is the ambiance and they offer free Wi-Fi. I have driven to Visalia just to eat at Panera and would often take a good book with me and sit there for hours.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you will soon :) And if you are a Panera lover like I am, when the one around here opens, we'll have to go!

Once again, this is proof that God hears and answers our prayers!

This is for Jen...

I think she'll know why.

All I could think as I watched this was "If only I could be as cool as Jim and do funny stuff like this in my office..." And let's be honest....Jim is really cute. It's okay guys, you can admit it too.

And Derek, how could you not think this show is funny?? Seriously...watch it and tell me if you don't laugh...

Who hasn't said this before?

The best $9.99 I ever spent

I bought the audiobook of "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell and I have it on my ipod. I listen to it all the time when I go walking and I love it. Every time I listen to it I think about different things in new ways. It constantly challenges me in my faith and that's good--really good. Here is a snippet I've been wrestling with lately. Just thought I'd share in the process I'm engaging in...

"Jesus wants to heal our souls, wants to give us the shalom of God. And so we have to stop. We have to slow down. We have to sit still and stare out the window and let the engine come to an idle. We have to listen to what our inner voice is saying.

Perhaps you have been around Christian communities enough to want nothing to do with them, and one of the reasons is the talk all seems so shallow. Like no one is talking about what really matters. I think this is a direct effect of the state of souls of many pastors and leaders. So many leaders in Christian communities are going so fast and producing so much and accomplishing so much that they become a shell of a person. There is no space to deal honestly with what's going on deep inside of them.

I cannot lead people somewhere I am not trying to go myself. I don't have to have arrived. I don't have to be perfect but i do need to be on the path. And that's why for so many the church experience has been so shallow--so many leaders have never descended into the depths of their own souls. They haven't done the hard, difficult, gut-wrenching work of shining the bright lights on all of the years of baggage and destructive messages.

It is so hard to look deep inside yourself. My experience has been that very few people do the long, hard work of the soul. Maybe that's why Jesus said the way is narrow. I'm learning that a lot of people give up. They settle. And they miss out. Anybody can quit. That's easy.

I'm learning that very few people actually live from their heart. Very few live connected with their soul. And those few who do the difficult work, who stare their junk in the face, who get counsel, who let Jesus into all of the rooms of their soul that no one ever goes in, they make a difference. They are so different; they're coming from such a different place that their voices inevitably get heard above the others. They are pursuing wholeness and shalom, ad it's contagious. They inspire me to keep going."

Is Jesus healing your soul?

"Days Go By..."

Jen and I went to the Keith Urban concert two weeks ago and to put it simply, it was amazing! He is such a good performer and though I know not everyone has an appreciation for country music (though they should *cough cough* Jamie) he puts on a great show!

We were singing along all night--dancing, laughing, saying "Awwwwww, I love this song!" every time a really good song came one (which happened a lot).



But then...we drive back to Jen's work where she left her car because I picked her up and this is what we found...



Needless to say, the singing in the car stopped as we looked at the car in shock. Who would do such a thing? We would never do something like that to someone's car, so why would they do it to one of us? Lots of questions and no answers. Though the back windshield was busted, nothing was stolen out of the car. The CD face plate still in tact and everything. Nothing looked to have been touched--just a random act of violence.

We finally got back to Jen's house after figuring out what to do, who to call, etc, AND after a food run to a 24 hour taco shop for a carne asada taco and quesadilla, we were still a bit disgruntled about the whole thing and looked like this...


Everything worked out (as it always does) and Jen was able to get her window fixed for a good price. But still...in the words of my mom, "Shame, Shame, SHAME on whoever did that!"

THIS was in my bathroom...

and worst yet, it was on my leg! I was drying off, felt something on my leg, looked down and freaked out!

I don't think I ever screamed that loud in my life. And I was breathing really hard (standing on top of the toilet of course) and trying to figure out the best angle to hit that sucker with my shoe. Those things are fast...you have one chance and can't miss your shot.

Needless to say this little guy is no longer alive. Sorry buddy.

Look how big those antennas are! Yuck!

Ummm...

It's July 1st. Where in the heck did the month of June go...???

Nothing Better Than...

Lazy Saturday afternoons

*Laying out by the pool with your BFF

*J.lo

*Sushi from Catalano's Market

*Dreyer's Ice Cream "Dibs"

*Chocolate Brownie Frozen Yogurt

*Tanning Lotion

*Domino's Pizza (only cheese)

*Random conversations filled with laughter

*Conversations where you feel truly understood

*Diet Pepsi

*Country Music

*Sparkly teal flip flops

*Frozen cookie dough

*The History Channel: Kennedy Family Special

*Genuine Laughter

All of these things were included today. I love lazy Saturdays and I LOVE spending them with my BFF, laying by a pool, eating ice cream.

Nothing Better. Nothing.

One Question

How in the world is there a Panera in Hanford AND Visalia but not in FRESNO, California??? We Fresnans NEED a Panera!!!

Okay, maybe I'm being dramatic and we don't necessarily NEED one, but it would be so so great to have one here!

"Questions I Guarantee You've Never Answered..."

I'm in my office with a student and they begged me to fill one of these things out. Some questions are super random, but I have to say we had fun filling it out!

1. Would you chew gum after someone else already has?
No. Just the thought of that grosses me out.

2. What describes your relationship status?
Single.

3. Who was your last 2 calls to/from?
From: Stephen/Eric and Sara
To: Eric and Sara

4. Are You the Heartbreaker or the Broken Heart?
In the words of J.lo...”I’m not a player, I just crush a lot...” Ha.

5. Ever been skinny dipping?
Ha. This question is always asked and everyone thinks skinny dipping is such a crazy thing to do!

6. Do you think Napoleon Dynamite is funny?
Didn’t think so at first, but now I do. It’s something I had to watch twice to really appreciate.

7. Who have you talked to most today?
Jen.

8. Who's on speed dial 2?
That would be J.lo

9. Good advice if you ever go camping?
Bring bug spray, a can opener and duct tape.

10. What song is on?
“Days Go By” By Keith Urban.

11. Are your grades good?
Not in school right now, but when I was, I did okay.

12. Would you date anyone on your top friends?
This really is a “Myspace” world. Five years ago if you said “top friends” people would think you were really weird and have no idea what you were talking about...

13. Does your best friend have a myspace?
Yep yep. Check my “top friends” numero uno.

14. Whose page did you visit last?
Have Eric check his sitemeter...he’ll tell ya. Lol.

15. Last time you went out to lunch?
I go out to eat a lot...I think the last time was with my mom and we went to Quiznos.

16. Do you have one or more Britney Spears C.D.s?
It’s true...I do.

17. Which radio stations are your favorites?
Mainly country stations with a little classic rock action and some old school hip hop now and then.

18. Favorite TV show of all time?
Saved By The Bell and in a close second would have to be Beverly Hills 90210.

19. Do you sing obnoxiously in the car?
Obnoxiouxly? I’m not sure, but I surely do sing in the car!

20. Did you draw pictures for your crush back in jr. high?
In 8th grade I had a crush on a guy named Jesse and I wrote his name ALL over my binder...no seriously, on every page. I was so lame...but that’s really funny now that I think about it. Of course Jen’s cruch and my crush were friends.

21. Fly or road trip?
Road trip

22. Batman, Spiderman, or Superman?
Batman!

23. What is your favorite Disney movie?
The Lion King

Told you these were random!