Sunday, July 27, 2008

After all, you're my wonderwall

Still holding strong at 3% of my money for Spain (but the letters are out now!)

I love stupid countdown shows on VH1. I am currently watching 100 greatest songs of the 90's and it is making me feel really nostalgic. I could seriously watch these all day and be so happy. I will, however, be very upset if the #1 song is Baby one more time. I'm only at number 50, so I will just have to wait and see.

So far, I am really loving having just one job. Waking up AFTER the sun comes up is pretty awesome. I miss my regular customers and my fun co-workers and I am having a hard time breaking myself of drinking SO much coffee!

I am soo excited to take guitar and piano. I hope that this will really help my music writing and hopefully I will actually be able to read music soon. Yes its true. I can't read music. I can fake it pretty well, but I learn everything by ear at the moment. I don't think I can teach music someday unless I know how to read music. I'm pretty sure that is frowned upon.

**Edit- In case anyone else cared, the #1 song was Nirvana "Smells like Teen Spirit"**

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Take time to realize I'm on your side

Still at 3% of my budget for Spain! (maybe I should get those letters out...)

My poor little laptop had a run in involving a cat and the floor. There is no way to be sure which cat it was, or that cat would be dead now. My dad has officially declared that it is beyond saving. So I am now in the market for a new one... I am thinking of getting a Mac this time around. Anyone have any opinions?

I am ready for school to start. This semester is going to be busy, but awesome. I am starting amazing cousin music time with Dani very soon (voice for her, piano for me). I will also be taking voice and guitar lessons in addition to my regular classes. My classes this semester should be interesting enough that I won't want to give up after the first month. I have a problem with actually wanting to take my Gen Ed classes. Blah on math and english. Its not that I'm not smart enough to do them, I just have no motivation at all because I can't see the point.

One week to John Mayer/Colbie Caillat!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

I need to catch my breath

I have 3% of my money raised for Spain!

What an amazing week this has been. Jesse and Sophie were here visiting for the weekend and seeing them only made me more excited for Spain. I think of everyone there all of the time and I am so ready to leave now! Talking to them also helped to calm my nerves about a few things and I feel more ready to take on all of my preparations. Its going to be a busy few months, but it will all be worth it when I get back to Salamanca.

I will also be starting a new chapter in my life very soon. On Friday I put in my notice at Starbucks. I have worked there for almost 3 years now, but I feel like my injury was a sign that I needed to leave. I will greatly miss seeing my coworkers and favorite customers every day, but I need to do what will be best for me in the long run. Starbucks has been an amazing part of my life these last few years and I have appreciated all of the experiences there.

I feel like something big is about to happen. I can't explain it and I can't wait to see what it is.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Love Enough

I have 3% of my money raised for Spain!


Sometimes I worry that God has given me too fragile of a spirit. I love too often and trust too easily, don't ever give up on "lost causes", have my heart broken and bruised by other people (who often promise that they will not be the same as the one before...). I often forget to take time for myself, because I am too busy with everyone else.

On the other hand, I have come to realize that this trait I have always though of as a "fault" has made me a better Jr High leader and a better follower of Christ. I truly do believe that it takes a certain gentleness and vulnerability to be with jr highers (especially girls) and to have them genuinely respect and listen to you. I am afraid that too many people get into student ministry for the wrong reasons: because their kids are older and they need to keep an eye on them, because someone else pushed them into it, because they feel those kids need to be whipped into shape before they can be "real christians". I am not saying that these kids are perfect, or don't need any help learning to behave, but they need to be given a chance to learn. My girls have become some of my greatest teachers the last 2 years. They have taught me how to embrace my fragility and how to share it with others. These 13 year old girls have taught me more about faith than many sermons or books could. I didn't go into this ministry looking to be changed, in fact I wasn't even looking to be a part of it at all. But with God's amazing plan, I was thrown into it and these have been an amazing couple of years.

Jr High kids are just looking for people to love them and to listen to them. But it takes a special kind of person to see the thin line between guiding in faith and love and churning out a group of kids who know all the "right" answers, but feel nothing. I do not think that just anyone can spend a lot of time with those kids... you will never hear me say that just anyone can do that! I just thinkt hat more people need to realize that those kids are the future of the church and of our world. Those kids are the future adult leaders who will be helping to raise my kids.

I look forward to this next year and what craziness JH will surely bring.

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" - Mark 10:14-15

Sunday, July 6, 2008

You've got me out here in the water so deep

I am constantly amazed by God's awesome plans for my life. The fact that the creator of the universe takes the time to care about little ol' me is just... crazy.

God's timing is just so insanely perfect that it makes me wonder how people can NOT believe in Him. I needed a new job for this fall (just until I leave for Spain) and He has provided the PERFECT place for me to be. And all I had to do was pray send an email to ask other people to pray. How easy is that? I know that it is not always that quickly answered, but this helps to restore my faith in other things that I am praying for.... I know that they will come in His time, not in mine.

Wow. I am still just knocked over by all of this. My life is just crazy working out right now. It almost makes me wonder what I am going to do to screw it up :)

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

por eso te amo

Yesterday I received my first pack of papers to fill out for Spain! This really ramped up my excitment, but also put in a bit of nervousness I did not have before. This is like serious now. I am going to be in a foreign country for 5 months. I have a LOT of work to do and not very much time. Currently sitting next to me is a paper scribbled full of "things to do". Something is added every few minutes. I am so very very excited. I cannot even put into words how thrilled I am.

In other exciting news - Guin and Mike picked a wedding day! I will be in georgia to see my beautiful penguin get married on Dec 4th, 2009 :) I am so excited for them both and I cannot wait to go see them.