Bahamas. First missions trip. Ever.

To preface the next few blog posts, this week I have the amazing privileged of being in the Bahamas working at the Adventure Learning Center. The center is a day camp for children that runs during the summer, and I’m volunteering for a week as a camp counselor. While I’m here I also get to spend some time at the All Saints Camp, which is an AIDS camp not far from the ALC where victims of the HIV/AIDS virus, as well as some other diseases, can live.

I went down to the AIDS camp on Saturday, and it was literally life changing. When you see residents living in an 8x10 room and unable to get out of bed, it definitely makes you think twice before you complain about the heat, food, or anything for that matter. We met many of the residents and had a chance to hang out with several of them. Perhaps the most well known resident at the All Saints Camp, Miss Moxy was literally the most joyful person I have ever met. Living with full-blown AIDS, while she’s only 49 Miss Moxy looks about 80. Her small room is filled with scriptures and pictures of the visitors that come to see her, each picture featuring her brilliant smile. Miss Moxy can’t really get out of bed, so she sits reading her bible and praising God all day. If anyone ever questions the ability of a person to give thanks to God in amazingly tough circumstances, all they need to do is meet her. Their minds will be changed.

While talking with Miss Moxy, she requested that we read her 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 which says:

“I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge—because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (NIV)."

Here she is rejoicing in the fact that, while her earthly body is dying of AIDS, she knows that God is keeping her strong to finish her work on earth. More than that, she's looking forward to one day when she can fellowship with him face to face. She must have said three or four times while we were there visiting with her what a blessing it was to be alive on another beautiful day. It was incredibly humbling to sit next to this strong woman of God and see her poverty stricken circumstances, yet realize that she's more joyful than I am.

More to come later…and pictures coming soon!

Happy Birthday Bestie :)

Lets face it, human relationships are the most complicated thing on earth. Forget brain surgery, or neuroscience, or building a space ship, these things we can figure out to a certain extent. But relationships and emotions? Good luck. In saying that, I think everyone needs to find a friend that they can rely on through all the ups and downs of life. When boys come and go, when grandparents are sick or pass away, when the whole world is mad at you or judging you, you need that one friend who will always drop everything for you and be there. Who you can call at 3am because you just need to and they pick up the phone. So this post, being the first in many months is dedicated to my best fried. To that special lady on her birthday who is always there for me, and for most people she knows. Who is always put together, doesn't freak out, works hard, plays hard, loves life, dreams big, and always has a smile on her face. And who will probably be embarrassed at this recognition. Sorry Ash, but this one's for you. Love ya lady, don't ever change <3

Blog Fail

I just realized I haven't blogged at all in the year of 2010. That my friends is a blog fail. And now its late and I'm tired, but I couldn't let the blog go one more day without a post. More to come soon. I promise.

Goodnight. And 2010, welcome.

Music...it tends to move me

Music is moving. Yes figuratively, but also literally. I recently discovered it is near impossible for me to listen to good music and stand still...and if I'm singing, forget it. Yeah, I'm that person. It's not so bad though, I feel like moving to music displays passion and fire for life. That may seem like a far jump, but think about it. If you get so into the music you can't sit still, you have a passion for that music that forces you to move. And sometimes we need to move, we need to do. The Italian verb for "to do" is "fare" (pronounced far-ay). To do something, isn't that why we're here? To do something? To leave an impression? I think so.

So bringing it back to music, what music have I been hooked on lately? Funny you should ask. Well here's the thing, when I get hooked on a song I listen to it about 100 times. In a row. I don't really know why, I guess I'm trying to learn it, to internalize it. So all that said, I've been hooked on Lady Gaga's new hit "Bad Romance". Yes it's random, but also amazingly catchy.

So that you lady Gaga for your crazy music and even crazier music video's. I can't decide if you are certifiabaly insane or the next Michael Jackson, way ahead of your time. I guess time will tell.

"Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah, Roma roma-ma, Gaga, oh-la-la..."

Writing writing writing...

Wow, it seems like I've been writing alot, yet I haven't blogged in eternity. How does that happen? Life has been good, extremely busy, but I like it that way. I figure life is short, so lets pack in what we can into every minute. So I've been writing for the FAU paper, and it's been going really well so far. I still have a ton to learn about the writing style of a newspaper. It's funny to me how it can take me less time to write a 5 page paper than a simple 600 word news story. Oh well, it'll come in time I suppose. I'm working on being patient with the learning process...that has never been my strong point. I did just have a cover story come out, which I was pretty excited about. I took the pictures for the article as well and its really trippy to see your photo on the cover of the school paper all over campus. Haha, I guess I'll get used to it.

Anyway, I just wanted to shoot out an update...more to come later

- Ciao!

More from the West Coast

Well, it's coming up on week 4 out here in Cali. It's been an amazing trip so far, we've seen and experienced so many new things that are simply impossible to experience in a shorter amount of time. For example, the luxury of biking to the beach almost every day for the pure enjoyment of sitting on the sand or seeing the coast of Huntington Beach. All in all it's been great. 

Its funny how when you're removed from different places or situations for awhile, you begin to notice how insignificant some things really are, and on the other hand, what's really important. Being out here removed from life in Florida has given me a new perspective on how to really live. Be thankful for the time we have with people, but be open to the Lord leading you out of a certain place and into another. Don't worry, I'm not packing up and moving to California as soon as I get home, but I have begun to realize that God has a different plan for each of us, and while it's nice to have roots somewhere, isn't it better to have wings to go wherever you're called? I used to be afraid of losing people when they moved away. Maybe it had something to do with moving alot as a kid, I don't know. But this summer I realize that we should get the most out of every single moment we have with people in a particular place, and then be ready for the new friends and adventures that wait for us in the next. 

Maybe this is a lesson everyone already knows and I'm just slow to catch on, it wouldn't be the first time, haha. But it's freeing to know that God is in control of everything, and he has it all planned out already. We're just waiting to find out the next piece of the puzzle. 

California!!

With my last post giving thanks for summer, I figured now was as good a time as any for a summer update. This summer I am out in California for 6 weeks total, its been about two and a half so far. I absolutely love this state. It still blows my mind that in a single state you can have so much variety; deserts, mountains, beaches, lakes, skiing, surfing, huge cities, vineyards, ranches, you name it. 

Our first week we we're very busy seeing lots of family and friends we hadn't seen in awhile. Staying with my aunt and uncle in Costa Mesa, we live about a 15-20 minute bike-ride from the beach...it's amazing. We spent the 4th of July with my mom's side of the family and seeing our cousins and grandparents and aunts and uncles was really a blast.

Week two consisted of a trip up the coast with San Francisco as our final destination. We stopped in several town as we slowly made our way up, the first of which was Solvang, a small Swedish town. It was simply adorable, all the windmills made it quite charming.  After that we made a few more stops, including the Monterey Sea Aquarium, and then finally ended up in San Francisco. 

San Francisco was amazing, I definitely want to go spend much more time there exploring the city. Its so alive and vibrant, there's music and art,  and so many people walking and biking. The golden gate bridge was incredible, we drove across it on our way to Muir Woods, a national forest of redwood trees. 

Altogether our trip was great, minus maybe the seven hour long car ride back to Costa Mesa where my uncles lives. But now that we're back we've been biking to the beach, surfing, tanning, and just hanging out alot. There's a surf competition in Huntington next week that I'm stoked for...

Summer

Summer is a wonderful invention. Really. Whoever thought of giving students, who have worked hard for 9 solid months, 3 months of vacation, sunshine, and bliss, my hats off to them (figuratively, as I'm not wearing a hat, but you get it). 

This summer is one of the last I will probably have as much freedom as I have now, being jobless and all. However California is calling, and I will be spending about 6 weeks out there starting June 26th. I think my favorite part of summer is the time it gives me away from deadline and stress in general. Of course I still have responsibilities and such, but nowhere near the pressure I feel from when school starts in August to when it ends in May. 

It's a season of relaxation, a type of sabbath if you will. Sitting here after sleeping in, going for a bike ride, swimming, and organizing my CD collection, I realize why God calls us to take a sabbath. Because despite my hardest efforts, I'm not superwoman. I can't do everything forever. And I'm not supposed to. 

Thankfully, I have time to recoup from the hectic schedule and life I lead from August to May. And don't get me wrong, I love to be busy and I love everything I'm doing and learning during this time in my life. I love the pressure of being in charge and getting things done...I thrive on it. For awhile. And then I need a break. A short time-out on reality.

Thank you summer.

Pride.

I hate pride. Pride keeps people from saying I'm sorry, or I love you, or you were right. Pride can separate the best of friends or even family members. Worse than that, pride keeps us from giving God glory and fulfilling his will for our lives. Pride makes us take our focus off God and put it on ourselves. And what's the point of pride anyway? Why do we think we're so great? We're dirt. Dust. Powerless on our own. And yet there is that part of us that is longing for recognition from our peers and respect from our followers; and it can easily make us proud when we receive it.

 I think the scariest thing about pride is how subtle it can be. It's easy to spot pride in others, but how about ourselves? Our pride won't let us admit we're prideful! We think that somehow we are above the prideful temptations that Kings David and Solomon, and even Jesus faced. When Jesus was tempted in the desert, one of the temptation was dominion over all the world. How would that boost your ego? Yet Jesus didn't stumble, he remained completely humble and used God's word to counter the attack. Like a sheep before his shearers, he was silent in the face of ridicule and disdain. If the son of God can face murderous threats with humility, how much more do we need to?