A Taste of Paradise...

Our Beach

I recently got back from my first vacation in years. To be honest, I think it was maybe my first vacation ever. I didn't know what a vacation was until now. I got the amazing opportunity to spend 10 days on a beach in Maui with some people who I have gotten to know and love over this last year. I will save you the details of how I got the invite (it has to do with family friends and brother's girlfriend's parents and it just gets to be a little confusing), but I was a part of a group of about 30 people who took over a small hotel in Napili Bay on the coast of Maui.

Double Trouble

My trip started early Wednesday morning on June 5th. My flight left at 6:30 am and flew into LAX for an hour layover before flying the 5 hours into the Maui airport. There I got picked up and driven to the hotel by Juree, Ken, and Alyssa. Once we got to the hotel and unpacked a little, we made a quick trip to the market for some snacks and "essentials" (you know... shampoo, sunscreen, booze...) to tie us over until we went to Safeway. We then spent the rest of the afternoon laying in the sun in our suits and sipping on some tasty beverages.

A typical evening

The Roomies

The rest of the days were pretty much the same. In the morning I would wake up and drink some coffee on the front porch and watch the waves. My roommates and I would get some breakfast (which consisted of fresh cut pineapple, papaya, and other fruits and cinnamon toast and scones... and of course more coffee) and occasionally go for a run or walk. By 10 am we had our spots staked out on the beach. We passed the time by chatting, tanning, napping, swimming, paddle-boarding, snorkeling, reading, snacking, and of course drinking. The weather was basically perfect. Pretty warm most of the time (mid 80's) with occasional periods of heavy rain that  "stung like a thousand needles," as one of my roommates would say. Sometime between 3 and 5 we would usually pack it up and take showers, play some soccer, wiffle-ball, or football while munching on appetizers before having dinner around 6:30/7. Each 'group' took turns making dinners each night (the 'kids' made dinner the last night... Megan and I being the oldest of the 'kids' took the lead and made chicken kabobs... it was a good night). After dinner the rest of the evenings were spent doing different sorts of things. One night we went shopping, another night we went for ice cream, but most nights we tried to catch the sunset, played on the grass until we could no longer see and then played silly camp games or sat a talked in our room until we felt like we would pass out (which was usually no later than 10pm).

Chicken Kabobs

'The Kids'

The hotel was beautiful and simple. It reminded me how important it is to just relax and not worry about a schedule or making plans. No TVs or phones in the rooms which meant my only connection to the 'real world' was my cell phone which I often left in the room most of the day. It was exactly what I needed after a long, busy first year of teaching. I loved spending time with each and every person on the trip. My roommates were two of my students who graduated this year and it was so nice to spend time with them not as their teacher but as their friend. It was definitely the best vacation I have every had and I cannot wait to go back next year.

Perfect Sunset

Great Is Your Faithfulness

Lamentations 3:22-23

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Today I finished grading my last paper for the school year and I am filled with thoughts and emotions and ideas that I can't wait to get out on paper (well... sort of paper) again. But for now, Let me start with one thing that has been made EXTREMELY clear to me this year. Despite the business and the constant going going going that has been my first year of teaching, here's the one thing that has been constant through it all: God is Faithful! He has always been Faithful.

Like I said, this year has been so busy but so wonderful and amazing and I wish I could put it all into words (which I will try to do over the summer...), but God's faithfulness has been incredibly evident from the very start. It's crazy how everything in my life seems to have led up to this: To exactly where I am right here and now. Staying home and finishing school was such a pain (the school part... not so much the staying home part). Being patient and waiting on the Lord was so hard at times. Even waiting for this job was hard. But in God's perfect timing, He showed me exactly where he wanted me to go and when He wanted me there. He provided me with a good job, the strength, wisdom, patience and gift to teach, a home to live in and a family to take me in, and students who just wanted to learn and desired to be loved. While teaching them about math was more fun then I could have every thought, teaching them about life and showing them love was more then I could have ever imagined. My favorite moments from the year were times when I could just sit with a student and listen to stories about their lives and give them advice and wisdom and prayer. God has been so good and has continued to show me His faithfulness in every aspect of my life.

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me 

Morning by morning I wake up to find 
The power and comfort of God’s hand in mine 
Season by season I watch Him, amazed 
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways 
All I have need of, His hand will provide 
He’s always been faithful to me. 

I can’t remember a trial or a pain 
He did not recycle to bring me gain 
I can’t remember one single regret 
In serving God only, and trusting His hand 
All I have need of, His hand will provide 
He’s always been faithful to me. 

This is my anthem, this is my song 
The theme of the stories I’ve heard for so long 
God has been faithful, He will be again 
His loving compassion, it knows no end 
All I have need of, His hand will provide 
He’s always been faithful, He’s always been faithful 
He’s always been faithful to me.

I read a quote the other day that just seemed to be exactly what I needed: "Your journey has molded you for your greater good. And it was exactly what it needed to be. Don't think that you've lost time. It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And now is right on time." Thank you God that your timing is far better then mine. Thank you that your mercies are new each and everyday. And thank you for your constant faithfulness!

Single, and Ready to Mingle?

Never in my life have I been made so aware of my singleness. I have been in Elk Grove for about a week and I think I have been asked at least 4 times if I was married. But they don't just ask me that. A few of them first asked me if I had any kids. Then they asked me if I was married. Each time they asked if I was married, they would actually look at my left hand for a ring. I don't mind the questions. I just think it is funny.

Yes people, I am single. And I am ok with it.

New Chapter

Oh Wow! It has been awhile... I don't even remember where I left off. I guess I am reminded of a blog that I wrote in November of last year. I was finishing up school and didn't really know what was going to happen in my life, but I had a feeling that God had some big plans in mind. Well, I am happy to tell you all that as I sit here in my new home in Elk Grove, CA, I honestly can tell you that God has some big plans. Monday I start staff training at the local Christian High School where I will be teaching math.

I am floored that way back then, God was working on my heart and preparing me for this transition. I just finished a CRAZY summer at OVS (and not a good kind of crazy) yesterday and had to drive up today. Saying goodbyes this last week were hard, but I feel so blessed to have this new opportunity. I am excited about this new journey and look forward to updating you on this new adventure God has set before me.

Please pray for a smooth transition and courage when meeting new people.

Sometimes We Have To Stop Running...

I don't really consider myself an articulate person. I am barely able to keep this blog up and running with random thoughts and stories from my life, let alone try to articulate the crazy thoughts that go running through my head. But sometimes, just sometimes, I find someone else who articulates my life better than I can... With school ending and my life actually slowing down for the first time... Well... Ever... I find myself alone with my own thoughts... And to be totally honest... I don't like them very much... It is encouraging, however to read that someone else struggles with slowing down too. And I pray that in this slow period of my life, I can start healing and moving forward with what God has planned for my life.

"What happens when you stop running? For me, it's just a time to survey the damage. To say I'm sorry to the people I need to say I'm sorry to. To not distract myself or numb myself with a plan of attack, but rather to pick up the first little pile of ash, the first shards of broken glass and try to clean up a little of the mess I've made.

What happens when you stop running? You start healing. At least that's my hope."

- Donald Miller

Visuals

The older I get, the more I realize how much I like visuals. If I can see or imagine how something looks and works, it makes more sense to me. Even with math stuff, I ask people to send me a picture text in order to help them with little problems because I have to see the problem in order to understand it and explain it.

I realize now how much the same goes in my relationship with Christ. It's hard to be such a visual person and not be able to see and understand everything about Him. So I struggle. But sometimes I come across songs, quotes, or devotionals that paint a picture for me. See, I am a visual person, but I am not a creative person. I don't have a great imagination. I struggle to compare this thing that I can't see to things I can understand. And maybe that's ok. I don't think we can or are supposed to compare God to things we can see and understand because He is so much bigger than all of that. I don't think I (or anyone else for that matter) will ever fully comprehend what this really is. Which sucks. But, for now, I have songs like this that paint a beautiful picture of what this is...

THE MORE I SEEK YOU

The more I seek You

The more I find You

The more I find You

The more I love You

I wanna sit at Your feet

Drink from the cup in Your hand.

Lay back against You and breath,

Hear Your heart beat

This love is so deep

It's more than I can stand

I melt in Your peace, it's overwhelming

DONE!!!!

That's right people! After 6 and a half long years of ups and downs and dropping out and transferring... I finally made it! Today was my last day of college and I couldn't be happier. When my last class was over, I couldn't stop smiling and all I wanted to do was praise God!

Rooftops

by: Jesus Culture

Here I am before you

Falling in love and seeking your truth

Knowing that your perfect grace

Has brought me to this place

Because of you I freely live

My life to you, oh God, I give

So I stand before You God

I lift my voice because you set me free

So I shout out your name from the rooftops I proclaim

That I am Yours, I am yours

All the good You've done for me

I lift up my hand up hand for all to see

You're the only one

Who brings me to my knees

To share this love across the earth

The beauty of Your Holy Word

So I kneel before You God

I lift my hands because you set me free

So I shout out your name from the rooftops I proclaim

That I am Yours, I am Yours

All that I am I place into Your loving hands

And I am Yours, I am Yours

Here I am, I stand with arms wide open

To the one, the Son, the everlasting God

I Heard it through the Grapevine...

Gossip is a funny thing... We all know it's wrong... We all know it is something we need to avoid... So why do we all still get sucked into it? I have realized that there are three different types of Gossipers...

1.) There are those who spread the gossip. These are the ones who hear something (or make it up) and pass it (or a version of it... or what they interpret of it...) on to other people. They might tell a few people or they might tell a bunch of people. They might think that they are "helping" other people out by filling them in on other people's personal information, but really they are just helping themselves by releasing something that was burdening their mind...

2.) Then there are then people who look for the gossip. These are the people who ask others to share what they know (these people and the 1st type get along great!). They may not necessarily share what they know with other people but they go out of their way to find it out.

3.) And finally there are the innocent bystanders. You wouldn't think it, but they are a big part of this gossip problem. These are the people who don't share gossip and don't pursue gossip, but are at the right place at the right time. These are the people who are around when the 1's and 2's are going at it... Sounds innocent enough... but these are the people who just let it happen... They don't say anything to stop it and they don't try and remove themselves from the situation...

Where is this coming from? I'm tired of gossip. And while I know it's unavoidable and it's never going to end, I'm attempting to make a change. Wish me luck...

A Little bit of Crazy

You know those crazy people? The ones that talk out loud, like they are talking to you, but you aren't sure if they are talking to you or not... So you make those faces that are kinda like saying, "Oh yeah?", "Wow, that's interesting...", or "Really?" There's this one crazy guy who comes in and swims every morning. And let's just say, I've gotten really good at these faces...

Divine Appointment

I believe that God is Big. It's hard for me to even wrap my mind around how big He is sometimes. Whenever I start to limit God or doubt how big He is, He seems to always throw people into my path that He uses to bring me back to Him and the His path. A couple of weeks ago, I had one of these Divine Appointments.

Recently I have really been praying a lot about the path I am on (in regards to teaching and what I will be doing after college...). Saturday mornings at camp, I have to open the dinning room at 7:30 to tidy up and get the room ready for breakfast at 8:30. Cleaning the room doesn't always take this long so I usually end up with some downtime to read and drink my coffee in a quiet room. This particular morning, however, we had a family group in and many of the older guests came up for some coffee. One lady in particular came straight over to my table and sat down to chat with me. I remembered her from years past but didn't remember her name or anything like that. We never had a conversation before (that I can remember) and there was no real invitation to join my very quiet table, yet she sat and started chatting away.

She asked me about my life and I shared with her that I am graduating this semester and am planning to teach Math. She got so excited (she even gave me a high five) and shared with me that she is a Science teacher. She told me all about her experiences teaching and gave me really good advice in regards to how long it takes to actually like teaching. She was so reassuring and comforting that I rang the bell late because I wanted to keep talking to her. Our conversation ended almost as quickly as it began, but the wisdom that she shared with me and the encouragement she gave me has lasted for weeks.

It's neat to see how big God is when He puts people in your life at the exact moment you need them... Even if it is only for a moment...