Need ideas for Christmas presents?

Hey everybody,
I ran across this neat article in the Kansas City Star the other day and then found it online. If you would like to know that your gifts are fair-trade, support humanitarian efforts, or are green check out this article for links to great websites: Feel Good Gifts .

Another interesting idea you should also check out www.adventconspiracy.org

That's all!

What a week

This all happened last week-

Monday- I was returning from a retreat in Colorado and was at ease about my hour and a half long flight back to Wichita. As we were preparing to land the pilot notified us that due to hail we could not land. Therfore we were going to wait in KC for the weather to clear. They let us off the plane into one of the gates at the KC airport. If you've ever been to the Kc airport you know that due to it's shape each gate has it's own security screening. That means once you're in the gate, you are stuck in the gate. So they let us off into a gate where there was no food or water and told us if we left the gate area we would risk losing our seat. A full plane of people locked in one area+ dinner time+no food/drinks=cranky

So we waited and waited. What was supposed to be 45 minutes turned into about 3.5 hours. At the end of the time they said that there was no way we'd go back to Wichita. That meant our options were flying back to Denver and flying to Wichita the next morning or staying in KC and flying from KC to Chicago to Denver to Wichita. Both meant finding your own hotel room with only a slight discount. I took option C: Call Ang and trav about 10:30 at night and stay at their house. So Trav picked me up and I slept on their couch. Mind you my bad was still on the plane going back to Denver. I stayed at their house until my Mom could come pick me up on Wednesday. Overall it was a good learning experience- this was the first time something like that had happened to me. And I managed to get $150 out of it for not taking their options, which none of the others who choose their own 'C' thought of. I even met a Jehovah's witness (who looked like Chandler Bing from Friends)!

Thursday- My great friend Ellen came by for a visit before summer gets crazy and she gets married (yay!). We drove to Wichita to shop and basically get out of Halstead. We were headed to dinner at a near by shopping plaza. I turned into the shopping plaza when I saw a car coming into my lane. I slammed on my breaks and reached a complete stop. All I could do was watch as this person slammed into the left side of my car. As the car approached I saw this person reaching into the back of her car, obviously not watching.

Once we crashed she got out of her car and starting yelling everyone's favorite F word. I felt bad for her because she didn't look like she was having the best day or life situation. Then she went back to her car and pulled out a baby from the back seat. She was baby sitting him. Turns our he was fussy and she was checking on him when the crash happened. The good news was the following: No body was injured. She was driving a bug which wasn't tall enough to hit my lights. Her insurance is covering all my repairs ( a new front bumper, a new tire).

After getting all the info Ellen and I went to dinner and had a lovely time. Then on the way home my tire seemed to be making a funny noise. We stopped in front of a car maintence center (it's open sign was on, but it was closed) to check it out. There was definitely some sort of bolt or screw in my tire. So Ellen and I, being the strong females we are (with Dads who teach their daughters this stuff) set out to change the tire. Praise the Lord I have full spare! We got the spare down but hit a snag when the jack would not come out of it's tiny compartment in the wall. Just then a man and his girlfriend pulled up to pick up her car. He offered to help and changed the tire in a matter of minutes. Though l was really thankful for his help, Ellen and I were a bit sad we didn't get to show off our skills.

Friday-Cold of death strikes in the evening. Extremely sore throat, head ache, exhaustion, sinus pressure, high fever. I went to bed at 10pm, which has not been my bed time in about three years. Thankfully it was short lived. I've been taking medicine like crazy though. I've been gargeling, shooting stuff up my nose, taking mucinex, and general cold medicine. I've also been taking naps.

It was a crazy week. God was faithful through the whole thing. I was dumped in a city that I knew pretty well and had family. My friend Ellen was able to help me keep calm and walk me through the process after the accident. The accident is no big deal-minimal damage, no cost to us, not hike in my insurance. The cold is almost gone!

Three cheers for life experience!

Quick Update

School has been over for a week now!!!- Nate came home and we hung out at my house waiting for Saturday (see below). We practiced music, watched episodes of the TV show Arrested Development, cooked dinner, saw friends, made some fabulous watercolor creations, played softball, went for a bike ride, and played games with my parents.



Wedding!!!- Some of our best friends from school got married this weekend! Congrats to David and Whitney!!! We were honored as they chose us to lead worship and play some other music at their wedding. We had a great time! It was a beautiful wedding and was a lot of fun too!
Did I mention that I caught the bouquet and Nate caught the garter? We did. I don't have pictures of that, but Nate does, so I'll post them sometime.



















So now I'm at home. I've got a pretty good to-do list:
Un-pack from school
Throw away stuff I don't need (preparing to move in a month)
Start packing

Be informed

I get to vote this year and am trying to make the most of it. I'm still seeking out information on candidates and I strongly encourage you to do the same.

Check out these websites for more information:

www.glassbooth.org- Take quizes to find out which candidates you agree/disagree with and why.

www.rockthevote.com

Someone's listening to rap at work

I went online to check the weather forecast for tomorrow and this is what I found:

Tonight: Increasing clouds, turning windy and sharply colder. Some patchy freezing drizzle or snizzle overnight. Lo: 20 Wind: SW/NE 15-30
Tomorrow: A chance of mainly morning light freezing drizzle or snizzle. Otherwise, clouds break for some sun. Very windy and sharply colder! (Early morning high of 36.) Hi: 26 Wind: NE 20-40Tomorrow Night: Mostly cloudy with a bitter wind. A chance of a light wintry mix. Lo: 17 Wind: NE 10-20

Everything you see is a gift from God

This song is simple, child-like, and contains powerful truth. It's also catchy. It brings a smile to my face!

Life in your arms

This break has been really good. Relaxing. Reading. Journaling. Napping. Christmas shopping in a fun and yet efficient way. Seeing old and cherished friends.
Right now I am with my family. It has been great. I love catching up on what has happened and what is happening in people's lives. Things can change so drastically in just a few months. Often times spending time with family and catching up with people starts with getting aquainted with all the changes that have occured. It's a process of remembering who they are, figuring out the balance between who you know them to be and who you see before you, with changes, questions, new opinions, new wisdom. But it's also leaving them space, that amazing freedom, to keep growing and changing.
Right now I am sitting in my sister's house rocking my niece Zoey's chair thing with my foot. When I glance over we catch eyes. She smiles and coos at me. I love being able to carry her around and letting her fall asleep in my arms. It's amazing that I can hold this life in my arms. I can rock her and swing her. And it amazes me to think that I will see her grow up, from toddler-hood to mother-hood. And now, for this fleeting and thus precious, moment I can still hold her in my arms.
I think babies do this to people. They make them pause and wonder and marvel at life in their arms, and thier own lives flying past them too.
(Watch out people, I'm having an advent/christmas moment.)
I think this is part of the reason God loved the idea, the reality, and the implications of sending His son into the world. God enters the world in weak human flesh as Jesus. He's fully God and yet so obviously man. You could hold him, rock him, kiss his cheek, sing him a lullaby. And all the while you know, well...Mary, Joseph, and a handful of others knew or recognized, that they were holding Life in their arms. And later in His life you could eat a meal with him, you could put your arm around him and feel him sweat. And then he would go and raise the dead or heal the lame and blind, or calm the storm, and you knew he was God. Life right there with you, Life was your friend.
I'm so thankful for those chances that come along. Those chances to know that something marvelous and significant and once-in-a-lifetime is happeinging. The word in greek I think that fits so well here is Kairos. Kairos means-the perfect time, the fullness of time or as one of my professors has said, "that moment when earth's time and purpose intersects with God's time and purpose", it's when you feel that something holy, precious, and wonderful has happened.
I'm so glad that God has given me so many chances to slow down and recognize those Kairos moments, whether I'm holding Zoey or talking for hours on end with an old friend. I'm so thankful that God loves to interupt our lives, schedules, and thoughts just in time.

More funnies

Godzilla and Mothra-An Average Weekend

"What do you want to do this weekend?"

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"DESTROY THE CITY!!!"

For your viewing pleasure

Since I don't have much time to update these days (this is my last week of classes before finals) I've decided to post some cartoons I drew this summer. They are really random snapshots of how I often imagine things. That being said, you might think they don't make sense. No offense taken. I hope you enjoy them though!

This is called "Bear Attack"

"Once, twice, three times a she-bear"

"This guy had a lot of problems. Until tonight bear attacks wasn't one of them."

Nancy Kerrigan Halloween

More cartoons to come later

I guess it is good that my degree is in youth ministry

St. Bernard of Clarivaux

Was an interesting cat. Right now (literally. I am 'taking a break' from my paper) I am writing a paper about his theological contributions. Here are a few quotes from him that I found particularly beautiful or interesting:

"I ask no further pledge of righteousness if he is one my side whom alone I have offended. If he decrees that a sin is not to be imputed to me, it is as if it never existed."

"You will not pray aright, if in your prayrs you seek anything but the Word, or seek him for the sake of anything but the Word; for in him are all things. In him is healing for your wounds, help in your need, resotration for your faults, resources for your further growth; in him is all that men should ask or desire, all they need, all that will profit them. There is no reason therefore to ask anything else of the Word, for he is all."

"Although the creature loves less, being a lesser being, yet if it loves with its whole heart nothing is lacking, for it has given all."

Stop Animation=Cool

If only my middle school flip books were as cool.
Click here

Disclaimer: At one point one of the guys is in his tidy-whities. Nothing too inappropriate. Just a warning.

Never let your gaurd down....

Even though squirrels are cute, the are vicious (apparently).
Take a peak at this article titled Squirrel goes on rampage .

Myers-Briggs anyone?

So I randomly found this online quiz the other day. It's a shortened version of the classic Myers-Briggs test. Sometimes it's interesting what these kind of things end up saying about 'you'. Sometimes they are very vague or general so anyone could fit into the description. I was surprised at how well this test described me.
I am an INFJ (introverted-intuitive-feeler-judger). Go check it out and then report you findings in the comment section.
Here are some of the things that seemed right on the money:

INFJs are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in people -- a product of the Feeling function they most readily show to the world. On the contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious "soul mates." While instinctively courting the personal and organizational demands continually made upon them by others, at intervals INFJs will suddenly withdraw into themselves, sometimes shutting out even their intimates. This apparent paradox is a necessary escape valve for them, providing both time to rebuild their depleted resources and a filter to prevent the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent "givers." As a pattern of behavior, it is perhaps the most confusing aspect of the enigmatic INFJ character to outsiders, and hence the most often misunderstood -- particularly by those who have little experience with this rare type.

Due in part to the unique perspective produced by this alternation between detachment and involvement in the lives of the people around them, INFJs may well have the clearest insights of all the types into the motivations of others, for good and for evil. The most important contributing factor to this uncanny gift, however, are the empathic abilities often found in Fs, which seem to be especially heightened in the INFJ type (possibly by the dominance of the introverted N function).

For instance, there can sometimes be a "tug-of-war" between NF vision and idealism and the J practicality that urges compromise for the sake of achieving the highest priority goals. And the I and J combination, while perhaps enhancing self-awareness, may make it difficult for INFJs to articulate their deepest and most convoluted feelings.
Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills. Since in addition they often possess a strong personal charisma, INFJs are generally well-suited to the "inspirational" professions such as teaching (especially in higher education) and religious leadership.

INFJs, like many other FJ types, find themselves caught between the desire to express their wealth of feelings and moral conclusions about the actions and attitudes of others, and the awareness of the consequences of unbridled candor. Some vent the attending emotions in private, to trusted allies. Such confidants are chosen with care, for INFJs are well aware of the treachery that can reside in the hearts of mortals.

Finally, some practical fashions

I found this story on CNN : Wet Wine dress grows as 'cave woman' fashion.
I thought that I might need to add something onto my previous essays on clothing.

My favorite quote is this:

"Cass said that, once the fibers became more pliant, his creation would have a more practical application.
"If you wanted a shirt you could get a cast made of your body and layer the cellulose around it," he said."

Sure, that's simple. I just had a cast of my body made the other day. Good job fashion industry.

The picture they put up doesn't help them much either.

Spring "Break"

Break is in quotes because Choir Tour is not only not a break, but a frenzy of long bus rides, concerts, little sleep, and people around you 24/7. I will give you a few highlights



The Bus:
This was the thorn in our flesh for the whole trip. In New Mexico/Arizona (the desert) the air conditioning stopped working. We tripped to fix it multiple times but we did not have it until we headed back through Colorado where it wasn't needed.
A semi side swiped us on the L.A. Freeway and almost completely knocked off one of our rear view mirrors.
On the pass in Colorado the fuel filter stopped working. When our driver pushed the gas the bus only went 20 miles per hour so he put it in neutral and we coasted down the mountain for 15 miles at speeds of 60-70mph.

The beach:
That was the best. This is where a majority of my pictures were taken. Prepare to be montaged!




Me playing in the water.

Kansas kids on the beach

Jeanwise and Mollywise find some kelp.

Kelp: Weeds of the Sea!

David and Nate recreate some scenes from Baywatch.

Ben and I waltz on the beach!

Me, Molly, and Jean are enjoying the beach!

My buddy Curtis and I trying to pull some stunts.

Did I forget anything?

Right now I am packing for our Choir trip to California. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I think I started too early because I'm just chilling out in the room wandering what to do with myself.
I did laundry last night.
I have all of my outfits ready to go.
I know what needs to go in my backpack.
I have my Ipod all charged.
I switched my music into a bigger choir folder to fit it all.
I laid out my outfit for tomorrow.

Hmmm. I guess I'll just enjoy some free time. Weird.

And there was much rejoicing

The keyboard is back!!!!! Praise God!

Awkward things I've done this week

Here are a few things that happened to me this week that reminded me that I really am awkward. They are arranged from least to most awkward

• Food- My nice new khaki colored sweater wanted to taste some lasagna. It's a good thing that red and khaki go together. Good thing I have that Tide-to-go pen!
• Class mix-up- Every Wednesday we have chapel from 9:50-10:50am. I have no class from 8:50 until then and so that become nap hour every M-W-F. This Monday I came back from class, exhausted after about 5 consecutive days of going to bed at 2:00am (average) and waking up at 7:00 (average), and got ready for my nap. I set my alarm, crawled under my snugly blankets, and had an amazing nap! One of those naps where you sleep like a log, where you feel like you slept a full 8 hours in 1 hour, and maybe even relaxed so much as to drool. I got up a little later than planned and rushed over to my photography class. I arrived at the art center just as my friend Megan D. was walking in (she's in my photography class). She asked me what class I was here for. "Strange question," I thought to myself. And then replied in typical immediate-post-nap syndrome straightforwardness "This one!". Megan gave me a confused look. "Pssh!" I thought, "What was that for?!". I finally put 2 and 2 together and realized that I had shown up for photography one hour early. I could have kept sleeping. I could have let myself wake up a little more before I looked at my alarm clock. Then I went and filled in gas, came back to the dorm, and finished my nap. Oh well.
• Something that has never happened to me before! Awkward History. In chemistry (the most painfully boring class I have taken in awhile) The guy behind me (Stephen, actually a pretty cool guy) accidentally kicked my folder off the chair next to me onto the floor. The class is held in one of those lecture hall, tiered seating kind of places with the desktops that swivel up to be used. I leaned over to recover the notebook and heard a creaking (not unusual for these particular desks), felt the tension release (a little odd), and heard the tiny 'ching' of something metal hitting the floor (ummm...). Yah, I broke the seat. I think it's still attached by one screw. We'll see how long that will last. I've never broken a chair before! Congratulations me! I guess I just know how to throw my tiny amount of weight around (watch out attackers!).

That's all the awkward news for now.

Teeth and Self-esteem

I just found this article and thought it was really interesting. This is dedicated to all of you out there who have crooked teeth or think you do. Apparently it doesn't affect our overall happiness, so let's move on.

p.s. Isn't crooked a funny word? It seems like it should be spelt differently. hmm.