The other evening, a dear friend (and previous roomate) was visiting from out of town so we had a Ladies Night.
I look at this picture and my heart swells with joy.
I love these ladies so much.
I have known many of them for 11 years, ever since I moved here.
We have many memories together.
They have taught me a lot.
They are precious in my life.
I know Thanksgiving is over, but it doesn't matter. I am thankful for them today and every day.
I will be blogging soon about what Christmas means to me. Until then, I will share my favorite Christmas video. There is a movement going on called "Advent Conspiracy". They are trying to get the focus OFF shopping, materialism, and consumerism at Christmas-time. Instead the focus should be on worshiping Jesus. Spending time with loved ones. Giving to others.
You are free to Conspire.
College group is done for the semester! Wooooo!
We had our annual Christmas Banquet to end out the year. And I can honestly say this was the best one we've ever had. Everything went well and was fun.
I loved seeing all the college students dressed up. My friends Jenn and Steve made a delicious meal for us (3 different types of pasta, 3 different sauces - marinara, alfredo, and pesto, and 3 meats to choose from - meatballs, chicken, or shrimp). Intern Scott sat in a grandfather-type chair and read a re-telling of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" while wearing fake glasses and holding a pipe. We played games (wrap up someone at your table and a gingerbread house competition). We had a white elephant gift exchange. And to top it off, DANCE PARTY!
Here are some pictures to showcase the evening. 
I don't know if you've noticed, but there are three new "counters" at the bottom of my blog. The first tells you how many people have viewed your blog. The second goes into more detail: how many visits you've had today, this month, etc. The third is my new favorite: WHERE your readers live.
I LOVE seeing that I have readers not only from all over the US, but in countries like Ireland, Brazil, India, Portugal, Ukraine, Scotland, Canada, Japan, Poland, Italy, Finland, Philippines, Mexico, England, Vietnam, Denmark, Australia, Pakistan, Chile, and the Netherlands.
To my international friends, welcome. Did you come upon this blog on accident? I apologize if my random ramblings don't make sense. To my readers across the U.S., welcome as well. Did you come upon this blog on accident? I apologize if my random ramblings don't make sense.
Just kidding. For whatever reason, I'm glad you're here. Please feel free to comment so I can read your blog, too.
And you should put the "visit counters" on your blog page. You'll be surprised to see how far your blog reaches.
"It's a small world after all..."
Today was such a wonderful day. Some friends and I went to a nearby Christmas tree farm to cut down trees for our respective houses. I especially love this farm because I used to work there at Christmas-time when I first moved to this area.
This really made it start to feel like Christmas. The smell of all the douglas fir trees, Christmas music playing, families all dressed in red and green and reindeer antlers, sitting by the fireplace, drinking hot chocolate, enjoying the crisp, cold air. Ahhhhhh. On top of that, the farm also has a barn, a cute general store, animals (chickens, goats, bunnies) you can feed, and hay rides.
Lovely.
*a text I sent my sister today*
"Who has two thumbs and just got a steroid shot in her bottom?
THIS GIRL!"
Yes, my friends. I have steroids running through my veins right now.
I feel powerful.
Not really.
Basically my allergies have been worse than usual the past couple months. So I finally decided to go visit my doctor. We talked awhile and then she prescribed me a new medicine and a new nasal spray.
"Sarah, I'm also going to give you a shot of steroids," my doctor said.
"Huh?" I said.
"We give them to patients if they have bad reactions to poison oak or allergies. It helps calm your body down," said my doctor.
"Oh okay," I said and started removing my sweatshirt so she could have a good shot at my arm.
"It's going in your toosh," said my doctor.
Nothing, said me.
I looked at her in silence for a couple seconds. Um, I've heard about bum shots but don't they just give those to babies?
So yes, I can now officially say I've been shot in my bottom (bucket list?) but the best part is that at any moment I could turn into the She-Hulk.
STEROIDSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
Top 3 moments caroling downtown with my college students tonight.
#1 - Screaming/singing "BRING US SOME FIGGY PUDDING AND BRING IT RIGHT HERE!" with a student as we ran down the street. (By the way, "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" is the worst Christmas carol ever.)
#2 Singing Frosty the Snowman for people sitting outside a pizza place and a group of guys repeatedly asking my underage students if they wanted a drink.
#3 Asking 3 homeless men with guitars if they want to sing with us. Their reply: "Nah, we'll smoke pot over there and just listen."
Remember a couple weeks ago I blogged about the food drive my church was doing?
To recap: the past 10 weeks, we've been collecting food and money for Second Harvest Food Bank. We've done a food drive the past 6 years, but this year our pastor gave us a huge challenge: one million pounds of food. And not only that, but one of our missionaries works with Kenyan refugees in a famine-stricken village in Somalia and said it would only cost $10,000 to feed everyone in that village for a year. So our pastor added that to our goal as well.
It was so cool to hear/see what has gone on the past couple months. Kids have been making crafts and selling them door-to-door (a couple kids even did a "board-break-a-thon" with their martial arts clubs), families had garage sales or took money from their Christmas budgets, and my college students and I went downtown to make friendship bracelets and play music to raise money. Everyone wanted to be involved to help those in need.
Last weekend was the final weekend to turn donations in. And yesterday our pastor revealed how much we raised. Here's what he said.
"Did we reach our food drive goal? First, some background: We believe that providing food for the hungry is part of what it means to live like a Christian. 'If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.' (Isaiah 58:10)
Every year we partner with Second Harvest Food Bank for the food drive. Our first year, our goal was 50,000 pounds of food. This year, our goal was one million pounds of food. This has never been attempted before. And the amazing news is...we exceeded our goal, raising 1,229,961 pounds for the food bank locally, plus enough in cash donations to help feed a village in Somalian with our African church partners for three years!"
Everyone was screaming, cheering, dancing in the aisles. It was so awesome. So much hope and joy was bursting out of that place.
"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
I'm scared I'm becoming a B.S.W.
Bitter
Single
Woman
I reeeeally don't want to be one. But I am noticing I am headed in that direction.
I'm trying to think of a way to illustrate my concern.
Maybe I should share about having to hold in my exasperated screams of "YOU'RE FREAKING 19!" every time one of my college students whines to me about wanting to be married and where is Mr. Right. Or maybe I should mention I have reached almost ninja-level stealthiness of finding the bathroom when it comes to the bouquet toss at weddings. Or perhaps I should mention my annoyance with "The Back Scratchers" at church. You know. The couple that take turns rubbing and scratching each others backs during a sermon. I seem to have the frequent unfortunate luck of sitting right behind them and spending the whole service wishing to God they'd just get a room already.
But no, I think I will illustrate my BSW-ness with what happened last night. I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to watch an old Disney movie. I decided on Sleeping Beauty.
Well, I'm not proud to say this, but at the end of the movie I cried and then threw a curse word at Aurora. Prince Phillip was fighting Maleficent (aka: Crazy Dragon Lady) and all SHE had to do was look beautiful and take a nice long nap until he came to kiss her. Boooo.
When you start cussing out Disney princesses, something is definitely wrong.
Is there a support group for B.S.W's like me?
P.S. If this continues, I might have to buy a rocking chair, knit afghans, and start taking in all the stray neighborhood cats. I'm allergic to cats but I might have to do it anyway.
I did it! I blogged every day this week. I have more ideas for upcoming blogs in my head, but I'll space 'em out.
Thanks for reading, everyone.
A few days ago I blogged about going downtown to raise money for Second Harvest Food Bank. It was today...and it was so awesome! Here are some pictures from our afternoon. 
We raised $25.75 for Second Harvest (those dollar bills sure add up). Because $1=3 pounds of food, we're donating 77 pounds of food toward our church's goal. It's not a whole lot, but I'm so proud of those students for coming up with the idea and going for it.
This past year I have been seriously thinking (and praying) about going to seminary. There is one about 45 minutes away that many of the pastors at my church and a couple friends have gone to and liked. I went to their "Preview Day" back in May and felt like it would be a good fit. I am interested in two of their Masters programs: Master of Arts in Ministry and Leadership or Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies.
The problem is finances.
Seminary is dang expensive. We're talking $445 a unit. So if I want to take 6 units a semester, that is $2670 I need to magically appear in my bank account every six months.
I appealed to my boss, wrote a letter, and he presented it to the board at my church. It was my hope that they could approve some money starting in 2012 for staff who want to go to seminary. My boss said the board seemed interested in the idea...but all churches are struggling financially right now, so they're not sure what they can do. I'll know Jan. 1st what they decide.
I know it's a lot of money but it would go toward a great cause. It will equip me to be a better minister, shepherd, teacher, and leader. (I especially want to take more bible classes because my students ask me really hard questions and I don't always know how to answer them.)
I'll keep praying. If God wants me at seminary, I'll be there.
My roomates and I have started a new tradition. There is a pizza place downtown that has Trivia Nights every Thursday. You get in groups of 2-6 people and come up with team name. There are 4 rounds, 6 questions a round.
The trick is to get different people on your team. One person who knows history. One who knows science. Entertainment/pop culture. Geography. Literature. Your combined brain power helps you answer the most questions correctly.
Here's hoping Turd Ferguson (our team name) wins it all tonight!
I'm not a homeless person, I swear. But I WILL take any money offered to me this Saturday.
Our church has been raising money for Second Harvest Food Bank. SHFB provides food for hundreds of thousands of family in the Bay Area. And with the recession, more families are in need than ever before.
The church's goal is one million pounds of food. (*cue Dr. Evil's pinky to mouth*) 1 dollar = 3 pounds of food. Which means our church is trying to raise $333,333. We started the food drive 6 weeks ago. It's been so fun to hear stories. Kids are doing lemonade stands or car washes. Families are having garage sales. People are re-budgeting their income to set aside extra cash for the food drive every week.
This Saturday, myself and some of my college students will be going downtown and setting up a station. Some of them are going to play music for donations and I will be making friendship bracelets (either I will make them or I will teach people to make one themselves). 100% of donations will be given to the food drive.
I've never done anything like this before. I always see people downtown either asking for spare change or sitting on a blanket selling stuff - art, jewelry, photography, etc. I hope people see what the cause is for (we'll have signs) and get excited about what we're doing.
All money for the drive is due Sunday. And then they'll reveal how much we raised the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I'll let you guys know as soon as I hear the results.
Staying on the same vein as family, I would love to give you nephew updates. Tomorrow, baby Samuel is 5 months old. Whoa! Time is flying by. I got to see him Saturday at my mom's birthday. He's so cute! He's super responsive to everything now. And then Judah is turning 3 next week. The big news is that he has been going "poo-poo in the potty". Big boy!
Here is an adorable video of them: Judah is being silly and turning his head everywhere to make Samuel laugh.
Baby giggles are the BEST.
I have the best mother in the world.
Seriously.
How did I get so lucky?
Today my mom turned 65. This picture was taken at her birthday dinner on Saturday. I'd like to take a moment and say how hott she is. 65? Yeah right. She looks 45. Total babe.
Let's start by talking about how amazing she is to have birthed 4 kids!! I can't imagine squeezing ONE "watermelon out of a straw" (as my sister says) let alone FOUR. Good lord. She said by the fourth kid, she was reaching down and helping the doctor pull my youngest sister out.
Which brings me to the next part - how wonderful it is to have a mom who's a nurse. Nothing fazes her. Between her four kids and working at a hospital for 40 years, she's seen and weathered it all. Snot, puke, diarrhea, fevers, bruises, mononucleosis (that would be me), broken bones, stitches, bronchitis, fingers stuck in bedroom doors or car doors, sprains, scratches, chicken pox, pneumonia, the common cold, etc. You name it. If we were ever hurt or sick, we didn't have to worry. Mom knew just what to do.
She and my dad have been married 43 years. She loves my dad and has always been a supportive partner and helpmate to him. They live and enjoy life side-by-side. She has shown me through example of how to be a godly wife.
I mentioned this at her birthday dinner, but something my mother excels at is hospitality. Any person who walks in her front door is instantly family. It doesn't matter if you are someone she's known her whole life, a friend of one of her daughter's, or a stranger off the street. You are welcomed, cared for, and loved. The house I grew up in is not huge but it is full of love and memories. A huge part of that was due to my mom's gracious and selfless heart.
Now let's talk about her cooking. I didn't realize till after college (when I had to learn to cook for myself) how awesome my mom's cooking was. I don't know where she got her recipes but they are so good. Fresh ingredients, homemade sauces, soups, salads, and more. And she had to cook for 6 people every night! How did she do it? She's also a fantastic baker. (I just gained five pounds thinking about her Christmas goodies)
When I was growing up, my mom supported my sisters and I in everything we did. She came to our class parties, choir concerts, dance recitals, plays or musicals, award ceremonies, etc. And if we ever needed to have a party or get together, she planned something fun and memorable.
There were so many times I came home from a bad day at school or after a fight with a friend. My mom was there. She hugged me and let me cry my eyes out. She would jokingly ask if I wanted her to beat them up. I couldn't help but giggle, thinking about my mom going out with fists flying.
Vacations were a priority. She and my dad knew the value of making memories together. I have fond memories of going boating with my mom at our summer family camp, her mooning our whole family in Hawaii, and watching her freak out inside a broken elevator in Spain.
She instilled in us a love of learning and reading. At the dinner table growing up, if we were stumped on something, she jumped up and grabbed an encyclopedia or the globe so we could find the answer. Instead of buying a video game system, she would drive us to the library or big bookstore 10 minutes away. We'd spend summers reading or swimming at her friend's pool. We were smart and healthy.
Years ago, when I went through the hardest time of my life, she took care of me, spent time with me, even took me away on a two day retreat so I didn't have to think about things. I look back on that time and am beyond thankful for her gentleness, listening ear, and servant's spirit.
I'd also like to mention that she goes to Ethiopia every year (sometimes twice a year) to love and provide medical attention for kids and adults. She doesn't raise support - she pays all the money herself. To give up weeks of work and life to go to a third world country and show them the love of Jesus.
Today I celebrate her 65 years of life. She has been a blessing to me and so many others. I am so thankful for her. Happy birthday Mamacita!
I have not been giving my little blog much love or attention lately. Therefore, it has been decided that I will blog every single day this week. Maybe it will be deep thoughts. Maybe it will be fluff. Regardless, come check it out.
I will start by saying that the ladybugs are back. I have lived in this room for 8 years now and they come back every November like clockwork.
I keep thinking it's starting to rain, but no...it's just them hitting my windows, trying to get inside my room. A few are flying around my head as I type this. Good times.
All right blogger friends, let's see where this week takes us!
Seriously.
Can I just live there?
Hi, I'm back from Orlando. I had a wonderful vacation.
I posted all my pictures on facebook if you want to check them out.
My highlight, of course, was visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We saved it for our last day of vacation. When I entered the park, my heart was beating really fast. I was so excited/nervous.
It was AMAZING.
I did everything my Harry Potter-loving heart could wish for.
I ate at the Three Broomsticks.
I went into Ollivander's and bought a wand.
I drank 3 butterbeers throughout the day.
I bowed to Buckbeak and he bowed back.
I browsed through Zonko's joke shop, Honeyduke's candy store, and Dervish & Banges.
I went to Hog's Head.
I saw Hagrid's hut.
I saw the Ford Anglia, Goblet of Fire, golden egg, and Triwizard Cup.
I bought chocolate frogs and a Time-Turner.
I watched the Beauxbaton girls dance, the Durmstrang boys grimace and stalk about, and a choir of Hogwarts students sing in a "frog choir".
I sat in the owlery.
I watched Filch's footsteps walk around the castle on the Maurader's Map.
I drank pumpkin juice.
I bought a purple pygmy puff.
I taunted the Monster Book of Monsters and it tried to bite my finger off.
I walked through Hogwarts castle. I saw Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, Hermione, talking portraits, the Fat Lady, the 4 founding witches/wizards of Hogwarts, the Herbology greenhouse, the Sorting Hat, the pensieve, Quidditch equipment, etc. And the ride at the end was the BEST!
It was all I hoped and more.
I didn't want to leave.
I want to live there.
P.S. If you're not a HP fan, no worries. I will blog about other stuff coming up.
I know I just got back from Disneyland on the fall road trip with my college students. But I am leaving again to go to another Disney theme park. This time though, it's Disneyworld!
I'm sure you know by now, I love Harry Potter. And in Orlando, they opened up a Harry Potter theme park as part of Universal's Islands of Adventure. I've wanted to go ever since I heard about it. And months ago when best friend Elissa and her husband Mike said they could go in October, we jumped online and bought plane tickets! Woooo!
We will be hitting "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" as well as the 4 Disney World parks - Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. We're staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge. Would it be wrong to feed the giraffes outside my window? (I don't know if they come right up to the windows. Probably not. It's fun to think about, though)
It's very strange to be going on vacation smack dab in the middle of our semester. But I have been dealing with heavy stuff lately (work, students' struggles, and friend stuff I've mentioned before) so it's actually perfect timing. I can get away and have fun and come back feeling more light-hearted and ready for the rest of the semester.
Farewell my friends! Be back in a week!
It officially feels like autumn. Tonight I carved pumpkins with my roomates. Guess which one is mine.
Last year I swam laps at our community pool every Saturday. It was like clockwork. I woke up, made pancakes, put on the sunscreen, and headed over to the pool.
Recently, I have slacked. I can't remember the last time I went swimming. So when I heard today was going to be sunny and in the 80's, I decided to jump back in.
It was glorious.
As I was swimming laps and then laying out afterwards, I relished the fact that it was this warm and lovely in late October. I know the cold weather and rain storms will be here soon, but I am going to enjoy these sunny days as long as possible.
Anyway, something that stood out to me at the pool was how many dads were there with their kids. I love seeing fathers play with their children. I saw them playing Marco Polo, having their kids jump into the water from their shoulders, and swimming around with two or three toddlers clinging to their necks. And they were having a ball - both the dads and the kids. The moms were also in the pool, cheering them on.
It made me smile.
I think I really needed to see that today. Like I mentioned in the previous post, my friend's divorce is weighing heavily on my heart. I needed to be reminded that there are many fathers out there who love their kids. Who are good husbands and dads. Who put their family above their own desires. Who will never abandon them. Who will stay and continue to love, even when it's hard.
It was a good day.
Hi friends. Isn't it interesting how up and down life is? Two heavy things on my heart right now are: 1) a dear friend of mine is battling colon cancer. She is married with two little boys. 2) I just found out that another dear friend of mine is getting a divorce because her husband of six years is having an affair (with a married woman) and doesn't want to save and restore their marriage. She has a young daughter.
Sometimes I really love this life.
Sometimes I REALLY don't.
Thank you God for being God and being unchanging.
HOME!
What a great trip. One of the best. On a logistical note, everyone stayed safe! No car accidents, breakdowns, or car issues. No injuries, hospital visits, sicknesses. Yeah! On a ministry note, the students had a ball, made new friends, and are more invested in the group (and church as a whole). Double yeah!
We drove down to So. Cal on Friday. We enjoyed 3 hours in traffic. (LA traffic can suck it.) Friday night people either went to a Ducks/Sharks hockey game, walked around Downtown Disney, or hung out in the hotel's pool and hot tub.
Saturday we played in Disneyland from 9 am - midnight. Our feet felt like they were going to fall off. Highlights:
* everything decorated for autumn and Halloween
* seeing the joy in the faces of 3 college students who had never been to Disneyland before
* Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. Scary and fun!
* Haunted Mansion, Nightmare Before Christmas style
* I think I saw Cee-Lo by Splash Mountain
* being silly in line with students
* one of my shy girl students having to sit extremely close in a guy student's lap for Matterhorn
* getting dizzy in the Mad Hatter teacups
* all the Disneyland smells - churros, cotton candy, popcorn, big soft pretzels, etc
* 30 of us went on Star Tours together and took up the whole room
* fireworks and Fantasmic
Sunday, we drove to a nearby church for their morning service and then ate at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles for lunch before heading home.
I fell asleep the MOMENT my head hit the pillow the night. And I stayed asleep for 14 hours. Bliss.
Thank you, Happiest Place on Earth!
The past two weeks, Intern Scott and I have been getting all the details ironed out for our annual Fall Road Trip. Every year we take a bunch o' college students somewhere fun. The whole point of the trip is to bond and build community. It's so nice to get away from church and get to know each other, while making memories at the same time.
This year, we're heading to the Happiest Place on Earth! Aka: Sarah's 2nd home. I swear, I have been to Disneyland a million times and I'm still not sick of it. I love it so flippin' much. I think I will always love it.
Anyway, in previous years we've taken anywhere between 10-20 peeps on the fall road trip. This year, we're taking 35. Woot! That might not sound like a lot to jr. high or high school groups who pile 100 kids on one bus for 13 hours straight and the bus breaks down in some podunk town where it's 105 degrees outside. (Sorry, I'm having flashbacks of my own high school trips.) But 35 is big for us. There's a lot of collecting money, medical release forms, finding drivers and cars, putting directions together, making cell phone lists, getting gas money, hunting down some walkie-talkies, figuring who sleeps in what rooms at the motel, etc.
We leave Friday.
Mickey...we're coming for you.
We've started a new series at church about the characteristics of God. My pastor's recent sermon has stayed with me and I can't shake it. So I'm going to share it with all of you.
How do you view God?
What is your mental image of God? Maybe it's one of these:
* God is like Santa. Do you picture him as an old guy with a long white beard? Do you think of God like the Santa song: He knows when you're sleeping and He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake. And you go to Him to ask for stuff? I want a Barbie, a pony, the new iphone, the perfect job, a husband, a kid, etc. Dang it, God. I didn't want that other type of doll, that Samsung phone, or that job. And where's that husband? Didn't you get my list?
* God is a Cosmic Cop. Always lurking with his Sin radar gun, just waiting to bust me. He is anti-fun. "Are you having fun? Then it's wrong." You know that feeling when you're driving and you see a cop car in your rear view mirror? Your heart leaps, your hair stands up on the back of your neck, and you check everything you're doing. Did I get that tail light fixed? Am I going the speed limit? Is that how you feel about God? (Or the church?)
* God is the Giant Judge. Always judging and grading me. God is up there in heaven analyzing every single thing I do, and at the end of every day, I get a little report card from God. "I was very pleased with you today," or "I am very disappointed."
* God is The Big Blur. God is blurry, fuzzy, unknowable. Kind of like "the Force" in the Star Wars movies. He's not really a personal God. He might exist but it's presumptuous to say you can get to know Him and He doesn't really have any standards except for a vague fuzzy, lovey-dovey-ness.
These labels limit God.
They put God in a box.
Do you believe in the God who really IS...or the God we make in our minds?
Here's the kicker my pastor shared: We shape the idol of God in our minds and then the idol ends up shaping US.
Psalm 115:8 "Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts in them."
If Christians think of God as a Giant Judge...they become judgmental.
If they see God as a Cosmic Cop - they become behavior cops.
God is a Big Blur? Those Christians become blurry. They don't take a stand on anything.
You become like the god you serve.
Let's get God out of the box we've put Him into.
Let's discover and then stand in awe of who God truly is.
Holy.
Powerful.
All-Knowing.
Faithful.
Just.
Loving.
Always present.
Untamed.
Sovereign.
Full of grace and forgiveness.
Everlasting.
Peace.
Jealous for you.
Everywhere.
Creator.
Abba Father.
Worthy of our worship and praise.
A couple weeks ago, I got a call from one of my previous college students whose wedding was Saturday.
Jill: "Sarah, I have a question for you."
Me: "Go for it."
Jill: "Austin and I were just talking about the wedding and we realized we should have a 'day-of coordinator'. You know, someone to be in charge of the timeline and make sure everything goes smoothly. Check in with the caterers, DJ, pastor, etc. And the first person we thought of was you. Would you like to be our day-of coordinator?"
Me: *pause* "Could I have a clipboard?"
Jill: "Yes."
Sarah: "Then I'll do it."
Seriously, I just wanted a clipboard. I've helped set-up lots of friends' weddings and I've seen the wedding coordinators running around. They ALL have a clipboard.
I don't have aspirations to be a wedding coordinator. But I wanted to see what it would feel like to hold The Magic Clipboard. 
It. is. awesome.
Granted, I am exhausted. But it was a great experience. I would like to share...
What I Learned as "Day-Of Coordinator" at a Wedding
1) When you hold The Magic Clipboard...you hold the power. Everyone will ask you anything and everything. The cake guy arrived and looked confused. Then he spotted me and walked over. "You have a clipboard," he explained matter-of-factly, without even introducing himself. "Where do you want the cake?"
2) You can get drunk off its power. I felt like I could boss anyone around. One glance at my clipboard and they knew they had to do what I said. Mwahahaha! *evil laugh*
3) With great power comes great responsibility. After your initial drunken spell, you sober up and realize your job is not to boss people around. Your job is to make sure things run smoothly so the bride and groom can enjoy their special day and not have to worry about anything.
4) You have to make big decisions. And dumb ones. It's super windy and knocking down the centerpieces? Since they could potentially break the glasses on the table (Oh wait, one already did?) we will take them off and pray the wind will die down before the wedding. Why do we have an extra table set up? No I don't have scotch tape for the namecards. The DJ's not here yet? Make sure the bridal party and families are staying hydrated in the sun. There are bees everywhere. Does the bride have her epi-pen kit with her? She's deathly allergic to bee stings. We don't have enough chairs? The bathrooms are over there. The cake is going to melt in the sun? Let's find an umbrella. No, I don't know where the ring bearer's fedora is. Where is the photographer? Hold on, I'll be right there. I'm pinning the 5 groomsmens' boutonnières on. And on and on.
5) Wear comfortable shoes. A nice sensible pair of ballet flats will suffice. You will be doing a lot of running around. Do NOT wear high heeled wedges. Especially at an outdoor wedding on grass. However, through this mistake, I DID discover a new dance move: the "Gopher Hole". It's really fun. While holding a clipboard, start strutting with purpose. Then quickly and swiftly crank your ankle 45 degrees to the right when your foot lands in a gopher hole. Regain your composure, act like you meant to do that, and continue walking. After about 9 or 10 times, the dance move will catch on and soon all the guests will be doing it, too. Woooo, party! And the DJ hasn't even started the music yet!
6) Speaking of the DJ, you hold the Magic Clipboard...but he holds the Magic Microphone. Microphone trumps Clipboard every time. You can tell him to announce toasts in 20 minutes and he'll get on the microphone in 10. Enjoy watching the caterers panic and run for alcohol to fill up everyone's glasses.
7) Some wedding guests will not listen to you. Even when you show them you're holding The Magic Clipboard. So get creative finding 5 or 6 different ways to say the same thing to the same people. For example:
- "Do you know where your seats are? Austin and Jill are waiting until everyone is seated before they come out."
- "Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but we need everyone to find their seats."
- "May I help you find your table?"
- "Once everyone is seated, the DJ will announce the bride and groom."
- "SIT THE EFF DOWN!!!!!!!"
Okay, maybe don't say the last one.
8) Eat fast. You don't have much time. Yes, the food is amazing. But Great-Aunt Harriet needs assistance getting to the buffet line.
9) In everything you do and say, you must be bossy but nice. Or nice but bossy. You can't be one without the other.
10) Enjoy the thought that you are helping make that day special for two people you love. It's all for them.
Congratulations Austin and Jill! I love you both very much. Magic Clipboard and I had a wonderful time.
Hello readers and friends.
It has been awhile.
I am looking forward to reading all your fun blogs and seeing what's been going on in the world and in your lives.
You probably saw that I was sick two weeks ago and then I spent all last week playing catch-up. Life has a bit crazy. Busy but good. Here are some highlights from the past 2 weeks:
* A few weeks ago, I baptized 10 college students. Last Sunday we had Part II - there were 3 students who wanted to get baptized but couldn't that first day. So we planned this day and had all their family and friends come out for it. The waves were SO big and powerful. When we baptized the third student, a huge wave came up behind us and knocked me over. It was awesome! We were laughing. It was like I got baptized, too.
* I went to my final Giants game of the season last Tuesday. It was a great way to say good-bye to my boys. We won 7-0 and one of the players hit a homerun into the cove behind the stadium. It also happened to be Tony Bennett Tribute Night so the man himself was there and he is still rockin' at 85 years old. His version of "God Bless America" (at the 7th inning stretch) was amazing. After the game, we were walking to the parking lot and we saw his car in the street right next to us. We yelled hi and that we loved him and he saw us and waved. Wooot! I left my heart in San Francisco, Tony!
* There was a goodbye party for a friend who is moving back to Tennessee. It was at the bowling alley, complete with black lights, disco balls, and dance music. Par-tay!
* My friend Jody was here from Boulder, Colorado! She flew out for a wedding and stayed with me for a couple days. (more about the wedding in the next blog)
* My hip-hop class has started up again! Yeah!
* I turned in the reservation forms for our hotel and Disneyland tickets - fall road trip in 2 weeks!
* Um, have you seen the first two episodes of Glee? SO GOOD! This season (so far) feels like season 1. Back to the characters and singing and dancing. Does this clip for Tuesday's ep get you excited? (Brittany is running for class president against Kurt)
Goodness, I haven't blogged in forevah. I was sick and then this week was crazy playing "catch-up". New blog post coming soon.
Being sick means you have lots of free time to browse the interwebs and see what's out there. I happened upon this video which I loved so much, I HAD to share it with you lovely readers. Josh Groban sings Kanye West's tweets. Enjoy.
For the past couple years, I've enjoyed third-Saturdays-of-the-month at a farm 45 minutes away. They have a big ol' potluck and then do some barn dancing for 3 hours. It's good, clean, wholesome fun for the whole family. I finally decided it was time to share this awesomeness with my college students.
We went this past Saturday and had a BALL! They loved it. Everyone got dressed up country/western style and we ate & danced the night away. 
At the end of October, I am flying to Orlando, FL to visit the Harry Potter theme park. And this got me thinking...dang it, I wish I was British.
Seriously, can we just take a moment and acknowledge how awesome England is? That country has contributed so many cool things to to the world. Music, art, literature, film, theater, historical figures, legends, endless pop culture lovin'.
* William Shakespeare
* The Beatles
* J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter
* Sherlock Holmes
* King Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, knights of the round table
* James Bond
* Mary Poppins
* Andrew Lloyd Webber
* Jane Austen
* Robin Hood
* David Beckham
* Peter Pan
* Monty Python
* C.S. Lewis (Narnia)
* J.R.R Tolkien (LOTR)
* Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland)
* A. A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh)
* some amazing actors and actresses: Michael Caine, Anthony Hopkins, Jim Broadbent, Ian McKellen, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Jude Law, Ralph and Joseph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Julie Andrews, Maggie Smith, Kate Winslet, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Gary Oldman just to name a few.
Random thought: I am tempted to speak in only a British accent inside the Harry Potter park. Thoughts?
Let me start out by saying I'm not trying to be all sacrilegious in this blog. I'm genuinely curious.
When Jesus was on earth, was he happy?
I mean, we can assume he was. Besides being fully God, he was also fully human, so he experienced all human emotions. I can assume he was happy. But is it in scripture?
Here's what brought me to this question. I was cleaning out a drawer in my room and came across an old 3" by 5" spiral notepad. "Whoa! This thing is old!" I opened it up and inside was the date: October 15, 1997. This was the notepad I had in college. I took it everywhere to write down prayer requests. I flipped through and enjoyed reading prayer requests and praises from 14 years ago.
And then I got to a page titled "JESUS WAS..." And below I had written feelings/emotions/human responses Jesus had during his 3 years on this earth. (Was I bored between classes and felt like doing a treasure hunt? Was this for a bible class? I don't remember). Here's what was on the page:
JESUS WAS...
Hungry
* "After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." (Matthew 4:2)
* "Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry." (Matthew 21:18)
Thirsty
* "When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink?'" (John 4:7)
* Jesus was thirsty on the cross (they brought him a sponge with wine vinegar)
Tired
* "Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping." (Matthew 8:24)
Sad
* "Jesus wept." (John 11:35)
* "As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it." (Luke 19:41)
Astonished/Amazed
* (with the centurion) "When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, 'Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.'"
Sorrowful
* "'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,' he said to them. 'Stay here and keep watch.'" (Mark 14:34 in the garden of Gethsemane)
Moved
* "Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance." (John 11:38 at Lazarus' tomb)
Gentle/Humble
* "'Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'" (Matthew 11:29)
Wanted To Be Alone
* "After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone." (Matthew 14:23)
Compassionate
* "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick." (Matthew 14:14)
Angry
* "When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, 'Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!'" (John 2:13-16)
Felt Abandoned
* "About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' (which means 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?')" (Matthew 27:46)
Happy
...
And that was all I wrote.
Under "Happy", I had written an ellipsis. Dot dot dot. Did that mean 14 years ago I couldn't think of (or find) any verses on Jesus being happy?
Was Jesus happy?
Growing up, I saw pictures in Sunday School of Jesus smiling with children. (Did you?) He said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." It doesn't say it in the bible, but I bet children made him happy and brought him joy.
I assume Jesus felt happiness when he saw people choose life over death. He saw them turn their lives around, give up all they had, and decide to follow him.
And is it weird or sacrilegious to imagine Jesus smiling and laughing with his disciples at mealtimes?
I don't know, friends. I mean, this issue is not vital in Christian doctrine or theology. It's more of a personal curiosity. Can any of you remember verses in the bible where Jesus was happy? If so, please share.
September 11th. A day that cannot be lived without thinking about what happened 10 years ago. A day of sadness and sorrow. A day of fear and uncertainty and death.
And yet, something happened today that changes things in my mind a bit.
Today 10 of my college students made the decision to be baptized in front of their church, their family, and their friends.
These 10 students chose this day to die. They symbolically died to their old selves and rose out of the water covered in the newness and cleansing power of Christ. They publicly proclaimed they belong to Jesus and will live for him on this earth until their Jesus comes to take them home
From death to life.
Oh Happy Day.
Life has been busy lately. I thought I'd share things I've been learning. And since I'm visual, I'll use pictures.
I've learned the value of finding a job you love and being committed to it. 
I've learned there are some stores (and products) I will never understand. Smile and move on.
I've learned that I will always love the SF Giants, even when they're not doing well in the season. 
I've learned if you teach college students the cup game, they will be entertained for an hour.
I've learned that Intern Scott does not enjoy pranks. We learned this after his car was "loved".
I've learned how fun a new fall season can be. There will be times when things feel monotonous and slow. But this is not that time. Dwell in the excitement and let the joy flow.
I've learned that good friends are one of the biggest blessings in this life.
I'm going on a retreat with my 9 student leaders and Intern Scott. We're going to my parents' house (they are gone) to hang out, get to know each other, and do some leadership training. Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, everyone.
