ahhh... i can sleep without thinking about it...
we had 98 people tonight. that was up from 90 people last night. but it was still way huge....
anywho, i'm super tired.
pray for my students this past week. and for everyone that was there.
*besos*
Friday, August 29, 2008
billy and laurel....
they are my cousins that live in huntington beach. billy is frances' brother, and laurel is his wife. they got married when i was 10, and even though she isn't me real blood family, shes still my family nonetheless...
anywho, i'm way grateful for their love and prayer. they know how dramatic my family can be, and they always seem to say the right things to keep me in perspective!
thanks guys!
oh... and i love their kids... all 4 of them! they're too funny. and, they actually think i'm cool!
*besos*
anywho, i'm way grateful for their love and prayer. they know how dramatic my family can be, and they always seem to say the right things to keep me in perspective!
thanks guys!
oh... and i love their kids... all 4 of them! they're too funny. and, they actually think i'm cool!
*besos*
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Pray Pray Pray!!!
my cousin frances and her husband are adopting from ethiopia!!! they're waiting for there referral from ethiopia's government about going over there for their baby... yay!!
but, pray that it happens soon. 1) they've been waiting for this for so long! 2) if they get it later, rather than sooner, it might mean they won't be able to come to them wedding. i already told them that this comes before my wedding... but all parties involved that them to be in santa maria on january 24th!!! with my cute new cousin!!
so, pray that everything will work out well!! and... for now rain at the wedding! (just thought i'd throw that in!)
*besos*
but, pray that it happens soon. 1) they've been waiting for this for so long! 2) if they get it later, rather than sooner, it might mean they won't be able to come to them wedding. i already told them that this comes before my wedding... but all parties involved that them to be in santa maria on january 24th!!! with my cute new cousin!!
so, pray that everything will work out well!! and... for now rain at the wedding! (just thought i'd throw that in!)
*besos*
VBS Day 3... the best part of my day was teaching... who knew?
so... yesterday was traumatic day in general... really, i'm not kidding..
that morning i was minding my own business driving down cesar chavez ave (have i ever mentioned that i drive through downtown la, olvera street and chinatown on my way to work?? who does that?? only in la!), the same way i always do. there's construction at east la college, which means those trucks on the side of the road blocking the right lane. anywho, i won't get into major details, but i will say.... there is a woman out there who doesn't know how to drive, and proved it by almost killing me. she cut me off, and had there been a car coming in the opposite direction, i doubt i'd be blogging right now... but i'm okay... anywho, that was on my way to work...
while at work, i was expecting some patients to come in... they never showed. and, i was supposed to have a meeting with my doctor boss... she never called. wait, she did.. 5 minutes before i left. so, i have a meeting today at some point.
but, the icing on the cake was down the street from the hospital. a couple of idiots decide they need to rob a cell phone store in the shopping center across the street. this being la (notice, not the same excitement from earlier), every single cop in the district shows up... one guy gets shot. get this, the bullet that hit him, went through his leg and went into a bus, injuring a random passenger. yeah, JFK was not the only one with a magical super bullet.
so, they close of the corner of sunset and vermont, plus everything in area. and.... the hospital is put on lock down. i could see them evacuating all the the people at the ER from the 4 floor windows. it took me a half hour to get to the vans that get me to my car... since the part of sunset in front of CHLA is closed too... i didn't get home until about 5:30. i then changed in to vbs gear and flew off to church... i've been getting there at about 4:45 to start setting things up...
i prayed when i got there, before running around like headless chicken. and wouldn't you know it, yesterday was the best day so far. God is awesome! He always knows exactly what you need... when i was ready to fall apart, He picked me up.
there were 119 people there yesterday! these are the biggest numbers for vbs in our church's history. i don't think it's a coincidence at all, considering the road we took to get to this week. but, it shows up how big of an impact we are called to make! my class was really good. we talked about the Good Samaritan, and they were all really very responsive. they still don't seem to into helping others but we'll see. one kid (oh charlie....) asked my why he had to love him neighbor the way he loves himself. so i told him, "because Jesus tells us to; were supposed to live a life pleasing of God." he them asks me if his really has to do it... i tell him no. but i ask him where not doing what God asks you to do leads you... he says hell. i just smile. at least he knows that! i have something to work with!
but, i'm really looking forward to today. made spaghetti last night for church dinner today (frances... wish i could send you some!). i din't get to bed until about 11:15 last night, but i feel really good...
God is Awesome!!!
*besos*
that morning i was minding my own business driving down cesar chavez ave (have i ever mentioned that i drive through downtown la, olvera street and chinatown on my way to work?? who does that?? only in la!), the same way i always do. there's construction at east la college, which means those trucks on the side of the road blocking the right lane. anywho, i won't get into major details, but i will say.... there is a woman out there who doesn't know how to drive, and proved it by almost killing me. she cut me off, and had there been a car coming in the opposite direction, i doubt i'd be blogging right now... but i'm okay... anywho, that was on my way to work...
while at work, i was expecting some patients to come in... they never showed. and, i was supposed to have a meeting with my doctor boss... she never called. wait, she did.. 5 minutes before i left. so, i have a meeting today at some point.
but, the icing on the cake was down the street from the hospital. a couple of idiots decide they need to rob a cell phone store in the shopping center across the street. this being la (notice, not the same excitement from earlier), every single cop in the district shows up... one guy gets shot. get this, the bullet that hit him, went through his leg and went into a bus, injuring a random passenger. yeah, JFK was not the only one with a magical super bullet.
so, they close of the corner of sunset and vermont, plus everything in area. and.... the hospital is put on lock down. i could see them evacuating all the the people at the ER from the 4 floor windows. it took me a half hour to get to the vans that get me to my car... since the part of sunset in front of CHLA is closed too... i didn't get home until about 5:30. i then changed in to vbs gear and flew off to church... i've been getting there at about 4:45 to start setting things up...
i prayed when i got there, before running around like headless chicken. and wouldn't you know it, yesterday was the best day so far. God is awesome! He always knows exactly what you need... when i was ready to fall apart, He picked me up.
there were 119 people there yesterday! these are the biggest numbers for vbs in our church's history. i don't think it's a coincidence at all, considering the road we took to get to this week. but, it shows up how big of an impact we are called to make! my class was really good. we talked about the Good Samaritan, and they were all really very responsive. they still don't seem to into helping others but we'll see. one kid (oh charlie....) asked my why he had to love him neighbor the way he loves himself. so i told him, "because Jesus tells us to; were supposed to live a life pleasing of God." he them asks me if his really has to do it... i tell him no. but i ask him where not doing what God asks you to do leads you... he says hell. i just smile. at least he knows that! i have something to work with!
but, i'm really looking forward to today. made spaghetti last night for church dinner today (frances... wish i could send you some!). i din't get to bed until about 11:15 last night, but i feel really good...
God is Awesome!!!
*besos*
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
on the wedding front: no, VBS isn't the only thing gonig on...
i just realized in need to get a garter to toss. my friend xenia is crocheting a fabulous garter for me, but i need one to toss... eh, one more thing to get...
and, while i have a general idea of how much money is going towards stuff... i should probably write it down somewhere...
oh! we picked invitations. finally! now, for the words... we want to include the names of our parents, so i hope everything fits. they should be about $250 for everything (and by everything, i mean all the little extra papers that you wonder what to do with... plus other things you didn't even think about). i want to send those out before the holiday rush, but i've had people tell me that it'll be too early, since the wedding is at the end of january... but i think i'll still send them out in my timeline...
and... i have to do my passport stuff. we can't buy tickets for the honeymoon until i do that. i have the application done, including pictures... now i just need to go turn the stuff in. i think i may just wind up taking a personal day to get stuff done. really, there isn't enough weekend time in my life, and, the post office isn't open them anyway...
*besos*
and, while i have a general idea of how much money is going towards stuff... i should probably write it down somewhere...
oh! we picked invitations. finally! now, for the words... we want to include the names of our parents, so i hope everything fits. they should be about $250 for everything (and by everything, i mean all the little extra papers that you wonder what to do with... plus other things you didn't even think about). i want to send those out before the holiday rush, but i've had people tell me that it'll be too early, since the wedding is at the end of january... but i think i'll still send them out in my timeline...
and... i have to do my passport stuff. we can't buy tickets for the honeymoon until i do that. i have the application done, including pictures... now i just need to go turn the stuff in. i think i may just wind up taking a personal day to get stuff done. really, there isn't enough weekend time in my life, and, the post office isn't open them anyway...
*besos*
VBS Day 2... am i really getting through to them?
there were 102 people at church last night!! that's a lot!! it was a really good turn out...
however, behind the scenes, it was a very frustrating day. again, dinner got started late... the women thought there wasnt going to be enough food, so they were freaking out... but wouldn't you know it... there was food left over!
anywho, i've said this a million times... and i'll say it again... i never want to be a teacher. i may not know what i want to do, but i don't want to teach. nothing against teachers, i love them (4 of my 5 bridesmaids are teachers! they're great!)... i just don't want to teach. but, i have come to realize that God always seems to want me in that position. so, i go with the flow, and do my best while there...
but, i was so frustrated with my high school class. i've never been a fan of teaching anything between the ages of 11-18.... they are just really annoying. but, i din't realize how selfish and self serving they can be. i was disgusted at various times yesterday.
we were talking about service, and serving out friends. first, they didn't really understand how the 4 guys who carried their friend through a roof to see Jesus did anything special for him. i may have been explaining the story wrong... but i think they are just teenagers. i feel like things go it one ear, and out the other... but i digress... so, after trying to get them past that hurdle, i decided to ask the call to come up with a list of how to encourage their friends and how to be better friends to them.
the first response was "this is stupid! why am i going to make a list on how to encourage my friends? i'm not going to walk around and see how many things i can cross off!" so, i told them that wasn't the point. i said, the point is to see how we can encourage our friends in their lives, with there their problems, and how we can help them." so then i ask, "tell me how you can be a better friend to your friends."
and i go tht best answer ever.... "i'm already the best friend anyone can have... i don't need to do anything to better." i almost killed people.... i was that upset with them. then they go on to complain that there is no reason for the class, they don't need to learn how to serve people... can i just say, i felt like such a failure.
it made me wonder... am i really getting through to them? my heart breaks to think that i have such an amazing opportunity to talk to them about Jesus, and nothing is being captured. i'm the only person in the room who understands this. and, i don't know how to change it. i can talking to chris about it and he made me realize that i wasn't the one who was going to make the change in them, God is. but it's still so frustrating. these kids have such a huge capacity to do things, and they just waste it away!
pray that my high school kids will get to know Jesus better.
*besos*
however, behind the scenes, it was a very frustrating day. again, dinner got started late... the women thought there wasnt going to be enough food, so they were freaking out... but wouldn't you know it... there was food left over!
anywho, i've said this a million times... and i'll say it again... i never want to be a teacher. i may not know what i want to do, but i don't want to teach. nothing against teachers, i love them (4 of my 5 bridesmaids are teachers! they're great!)... i just don't want to teach. but, i have come to realize that God always seems to want me in that position. so, i go with the flow, and do my best while there...
but, i was so frustrated with my high school class. i've never been a fan of teaching anything between the ages of 11-18.... they are just really annoying. but, i din't realize how selfish and self serving they can be. i was disgusted at various times yesterday.
we were talking about service, and serving out friends. first, they didn't really understand how the 4 guys who carried their friend through a roof to see Jesus did anything special for him. i may have been explaining the story wrong... but i think they are just teenagers. i feel like things go it one ear, and out the other... but i digress... so, after trying to get them past that hurdle, i decided to ask the call to come up with a list of how to encourage their friends and how to be better friends to them.
the first response was "this is stupid! why am i going to make a list on how to encourage my friends? i'm not going to walk around and see how many things i can cross off!" so, i told them that wasn't the point. i said, the point is to see how we can encourage our friends in their lives, with there their problems, and how we can help them." so then i ask, "tell me how you can be a better friend to your friends."
and i go tht best answer ever.... "i'm already the best friend anyone can have... i don't need to do anything to better." i almost killed people.... i was that upset with them. then they go on to complain that there is no reason for the class, they don't need to learn how to serve people... can i just say, i felt like such a failure.
it made me wonder... am i really getting through to them? my heart breaks to think that i have such an amazing opportunity to talk to them about Jesus, and nothing is being captured. i'm the only person in the room who understands this. and, i don't know how to change it. i can talking to chris about it and he made me realize that i wasn't the one who was going to make the change in them, God is. but it's still so frustrating. these kids have such a huge capacity to do things, and they just waste it away!
pray that my high school kids will get to know Jesus better.
*besos*
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
VBS... Day 1
wow.... if i could get away with just that word, i would... but them elisabeth would all after me for details...
anywho, let's just say, i single handedly got VBS started. yes, it's true. it was more like i was the alone director, not the co-... but it's cool. running around the church is good for my heart, yes? in more ways than one! the puppets were funny... the kids really liked them. and my lesson came out okay... kinda scattered...
funny thing though, i was talking about moses... i was telling them about how Pharaoh ordered all of the midwives to kill the Hebrew babies, and such. so it occurs to me, "you guys know what midwives are, yes?" i got the blank stare... then charlie (this kid is sooo smart, but he's lazy. those kids make me mad! but hey, at least he's funny!) looks at me, holds his thumb and 1st finger out as though motioning something little and said... "is it a little wife? like a small one?" and i lost it... so, for the rest of the evening we would walk around, them suddenly shrink down and say "i'm a midwife!" in our best little voice...
so, i guess it was pretty good. we had about 70 people show up... (mostly) kids and adults; we have classes for the whole family. my sister was blown away when i was telling her about my duties... then she complemented me.... "i'm sooo not jealous of you"... thanks learsi!
*besos*
anywho, let's just say, i single handedly got VBS started. yes, it's true. it was more like i was the alone director, not the co-... but it's cool. running around the church is good for my heart, yes? in more ways than one! the puppets were funny... the kids really liked them. and my lesson came out okay... kinda scattered...
funny thing though, i was talking about moses... i was telling them about how Pharaoh ordered all of the midwives to kill the Hebrew babies, and such. so it occurs to me, "you guys know what midwives are, yes?" i got the blank stare... then charlie (this kid is sooo smart, but he's lazy. those kids make me mad! but hey, at least he's funny!) looks at me, holds his thumb and 1st finger out as though motioning something little and said... "is it a little wife? like a small one?" and i lost it... so, for the rest of the evening we would walk around, them suddenly shrink down and say "i'm a midwife!" in our best little voice...
so, i guess it was pretty good. we had about 70 people show up... (mostly) kids and adults; we have classes for the whole family. my sister was blown away when i was telling her about my duties... then she complemented me.... "i'm sooo not jealous of you"... thanks learsi!
*besos*
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