Lives Changing

I love to see lives changing and people growing. I just received an email from a dear friend of mine. She was just sharing about her life, what was going on and the experiences she has been having. The amazing things about this friend is that at one time she was in my youth group. She was a freshman who was unsure of herself or anyone else for that matter. It has been an amazing journey over the years with her to see her grow and mature into honestly one of the most beautiful young women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I love watching her, spending time with here, talking to here and learning from her.

She was telling me today of the learning she has gone through in the last week and the transition from one significant place in her life to a new and exciting place. I can't wait to see what is going to come of this new stage, how she is going to be grown and stretched. I can't wait to see all that God is going to do with her and I am grateful that He has given me the opportunity to walk with her, to grow with her and to watch her.

She is truly beautiful and one of my favorite people ever and I consider myself blessed to be on this journey with her.

One of Those Days

So today is just one of those days where nothing seems to work out the way you would like it to. I mean seriously since I woke up this morning, I couldn't find the close I wanted to wear, I had to take care of the kids, parents didn't come home when they needed to, I was late to work, hit something in the yard when I was leaving this morning...it was crazy and really left me in a bad mood. I felt bitter, annoyed and really just not a happy person this morning. I began to think about what would make life better, moving into my place? Having more money? I have come to realize though, that life isn't going to be perfect, we are going to have those bad days and we are going to have good days. In all I have to let go and let God be in control. Alright, here I go...

The Office

The Office is my favorite show...seriously it is the funniest show ever. I am so excited that it is on tonight that I can't even stand it. I just wanted to share in my excitement.

Oh, just another awesome thing...Scrubs starts again next week. That show is hilarious. I am really sad thought that this is the last season.

Oh and one more thing, if anyone is looking for another hilarious show. Check out Chuck on Monday nights. It is really funny. He works at Buy More and for the Nerd Herd. It is so funny!!!

Officially Unofficial

Well it is official, unofficially. I am new "Youth Leader" at Crossroads Fellowship Church in Arlington, WA. I have been attending there for about a month and a half and have been helping with their newly formed youth ministry. The Pastor was running everything in the church (it is a small church plant) so offered my services. I was helping anyway, so it really wasn't a big deal to step into a leadership role. So I am in charge, but we are keeping it on the DL (down low) for a few months to see how things go and because I am still new to the church. So there it is I am officially Unofficial.

Stability

Yesterday afternoon I was having a conversation with one of my friends back home in California. We were talking about his wedding that is rapidly approaching (November 11th) and somehow got on the conversation of my singleness.(It always seems to come up when I am talking to him) I was informed that I am single because of the fact that guys my age and older are looking for stability and I don't have any to offer. I don't have a job that makes great money and I am not looking to get married and have kids tomorrow. I found this comment to be very interesting. Is there really something wrong, first of all, with me being 25 and single? And do I really have no stability to offer? Is that really what guys my age are looking for?

I was informed that that is really the only thing that is wrong with me, but I am left wondering if that is really something that is "wrong with me"? What about the fact that I am doing the work that fits me? That I am pursuing the passions that God has given me? That I am following the talents that God has given me? Do those count? I don't know... Any thoughts?

Coincidence?

Do you ever have thigs happen in life that make you wonder if they are really just a coincidence or if there could actually be some real meaning behind them? I have had that happen this week. Not going to go into detail, but it is interesting how things can come up that make us question the true intention behind them.

That is my random thought for the day...thank you.

Defeat?

For the past few days there has been this haunting feeling of defeat hovering around me. I feel as if I am stuck I an trying so hard to push my way through, but something is pushing back and not allowing me to cross the line. It is like when you are watching football practice and they run and hit the pad with all their might, but it really doesn't go anywhere. That is where I am. I have been hitting and running and hitting some more, but I am becoming tired. My body is becoming weak and my hits seem to be making less of an impact.

The interesting thing is that even though I feel tired, worn out and defeated I don't feel like I can stop. I feel as if I must keep going, I know that there is something better on the other side. I know that there is a reason and a purpose.

Encouragement

I received an email from a friend yesterday. She has always been an amazing encourager and mentor in my life. This is what it said:

"It is tough being a grown up, and I love how God applies just enough pressure to make us depend on Him and not cry out to anyone or anything less than Him. Remember how shepherds would break the legs of the lamb that were independent so they were completely disabled. Then He would carry them around his neck until they healed. While the shepherd was carrying the lamb, the lamb grew very accustomed to hearing the shepherd's voice and once through the healing time, the lamb had become so dependent on the shepherd that he never once again wanted his independence and followed closely the rest of his life because he knew and loved the voice of the shepherd.
Got dependence?
I love you and just keep hanging around your shepherd's heart and neck. He'll carry you through and in the meantime grow very
accustomed to His voice.

Love you."

It is truly amazing to me how God works through other people, their love and their words. He knew where I was, what was going on and what I needed. I am so grateful for the amazing people the God has placed in my life and the impact that they have even from so far away.

She is so right also, it is interesting how God knows when we need to be hanging around his neck, learning to be completely dependent on him and nobody else. He is teaching me and I am learning, learning His voice in a new, distinct and powerful way.

Procastination

So I have to admit that I am the worst procrastinator in the world. I have been dreading doing my Hebrew homework this week. It is now Sunday afternoon and I am still trying to find other things to do besides my homework. I know I am a super slacker, but I feel like this kid when I do it.

Beginnings of something good....

Some awesome things have been happening around Arlington and I am super excited. The one thing that I am really excited about the fact that I am really starting to grow some deep relationships with some of the girls here. They come into the office almost every day after school and are really excited to hang out, talk and to really be friends. This is super exciting because I am beginning to see God working here. I am seeing a sparkle in their eyes that they didn't have when I first met them. They are excited and I can't wait to learn and grow with them. God is really at work here and I can't wait until I am able to spend more time with them. I am also excited about some other girls that have recently come into my life and that are a little more reluctant, but definitely in need of someone to love them. It is going to be exciting to see what happens and how God works.

Friday Night

I have to say that my Friday night was absolutely amazing!!!! ok not really. It seems that I have gotten old. I am 25 years old and my Friday night highlight consisted of walking my dog around the neighborhood and then playing a board game. It was fun, but I think that I may need to make some more friends...I thought that I still had a few more years of fun and exciting Friday nights. Oh, well it was still a good time.

Bad Week

Ok, so this week had to be one of the worst weeks of my life. I know it isn't THE worst because I can name a few right now that have been worse, but this really tops the charts. Let's start at the beginning of the week:

Sunday- I took about 7 Jr high boys Geo Cashing. It was fun, but it was pouring rain most of the time, and Jr. High boys don't know how to walk and after 4 miles they were walking sooooooo slow. In the middle of our excursion I learned that there is a facility for level 5 sex offenders right across the street from the secluded foresty path we were walking down. Needless to say I was not excited about that. After that I ended up talking to the pastor and his wife for about three hours. This wasn't bad except for the fact that I didn't get home until 9:30pm, still had to finish homework and had to be up at 3:30am to leave for school on Monday.

Monday- 3:30am, still pouring rain. I left for my 3 hour drive to Vancouver, WA for school at about 4:45am. About an hour into my trip I see police lights flashing behind me. This sucks, it isn't like I haven't been pulled over twice since I left California. This time I was only going 65mph though. That is what really sucks. The police officer proceeds to get my info and tell me about the safety on the road and if everyone else breaks the law am I going to also. I began to start crying like a little baby. Like not kinda crying totally can't breathe like a little kid. He comes back and tells me that it was my lucky day because his computer system was down. God is Good!!! I was really excited about that!!! Anyway, I continued my drive and ended up 1/2 hour late to class. Hebrew class, I don't know what is going on as it is, do 1/2 and hour late really makes things worse. The rest of Monday was ok except for the seriously bad headache I had for the rest of the day.

Tuesday- Again pouring rain. I got to work late because someone decided to clean the bathroom before I got in the shower, so I had to wait. Then we had a Steering Committee meeting. Not bad, I got some free soup. Free food is always good. The rest of the day was a blur, Bible study and WalMart at midnight because I was leaving for a four day trip and ran out of hair gel. (side note: I really despise WalMart).

Wednesday- Good start to the day...the rain stopped!!! Did lots of laundry and packed to go to the Staff Retreat and then off to Idaho. The plan was to return on Saturday. We left and started the trip, the staff retreat was going well until I got the phone call. My dog had bit my best friends daughter. Great, fantastic, great timing. Well, she was ok and we decided that things would be ok until he went after her little boy. Now what? I seriously have the nicest dog ever. He freaked I guess with me being gone and didn't know what to do. Needless to say this lead to trying to figure out what to do and the conclusion that Idaho wasn't going to happen. I was seriously bummed about that.

Thursday- The end of the Staff Retreat was good, but oh, it started to rain again. We finished up, came home and I took care of my dog. He was freaked out. I felt really bad for him.

Friday- Well the decision for Eli (my dog) was to take him to my friends house during the day and then take him home with me at night. Kinda like a dog sitter. So we had doggie meet and greet time. Since he has two other dogs. That went well and then I went to work, which was fine. Then on the way home hit all the traffic anyone could hit. Needless to say it took me 2 and a half hours to get home. That was just fantastic.

That was my week. It was very emotionally draining. Needless to say I think that Eli and I are ready to have some space. I have been sooooo grateful for my best friend and her husband for all of their hospitality and for letting me stay with them, but I think that I am ready. I hope that this week is a little better. I am ready for it to be better.