oh rei

well I have to admit I've been putting a lot of miles on my car lately but its all been for the good. Yesterday my mom and I drove to Marina to attend thier member garage sale and I got a rain jacket, hiking boots, and 2 pairs of shorts for less than $60. I LOVE my rei membership.

Also this week I attended a substitute teacher orientation, had a tb test, went to the doctors, realized that health care sucks, and really started looking forward to a winter where the only wet I'll be is from jumping in the Medditerranean Sea (fingers crossed). Still not very excited though, I still have a 20 hour flight to look forward to....

but something I am looking forward to is an application.... and a possible interview.... and maybe an adventure? I'll tell you when I know.... well something.

This week well is the Big Game here in Lompoc... I'll be working the Little Big Game scoreboard on thursday night. Its my mom and dads birthday and then on Saturday I'll be heading up to SC for a wedding on Sunday with a possible return on that very night because if I get approved for subbing I'll probably have a job on Monday morn.

well heres to it being dark at 6pm now... As I told Nicole I'm hoping for Spain to be sunnier later than it is in Cali

plane tickets, holidays, weddings, and road trips

Well people keep asking me about how everything is going for Spain so I'd figure I'd update my blog with information about it. I'll try to update weekly and tell you all how exciting Lompoc is and how things are going in preperations for Spain

So in about 2.5 months I'll be waking up at the crack of dawn so I can get on my flight to Spain (well actually New York and then Spain). It'll be about a 20 hour journey... I'll have a 5 hour layover when I actually get to Madrid so in theory that should be enough time to go through customs and then get to my flight to the coast. I hope I'll be functioning at 6am Spain time (which is 9 hours ahead of CA time). I'll finally get to Alicante at noonish and then I'll have a day and a half before classes start.
People have been asking if I'm excited yet... well I guess I'm more anxious mostly about the whole money thing. I thought I'd have a job or something before this to just keep me from worrying about this but I haven't... well I do do the scoreboard at the JV home football games. but lets be honext thats not much and I'd like to get more cash so I can actaully travel after this whole thing. But right now it looks like I just might go and then come back (granted my parents will pay for my plane ticket home). In all honesty I've used up most of my checking account and now my bills are being paid from the saving account that I set aside for this trip. I just need a job, I don't really want to go out and have to ask for money for something that I am doing to better myself. But in good news I have recieved my credential for subbing and I go to the orientation next wednesday and have my physical that day too. Then I'm just a TB test away (which believe me will get done on wednesday... I just can't schedule it till then).

In other words I'm going to LA this weekend to see my friends Kate and Sara... and possibly some other people like a camper from CNW and friends from MH. We are going to Olvera Street to see the altars for Dia de los Muertos which is my favorite holiday... I haven't been to Olvera street in ages and believe me its already hit me that I might not be going there for dia de los muertos for a very long time. Then in 2 weeks its back to Santa Cruz for Terra and Joshs wedding! woot! Then I'll need to hang up my traveling ways until January...

After all of that if you would please pray for

• a job/subbing jobs
• money for Spain
• safe travels

Thanks!

Site seen

View Larger Map

oh hey see that house to the left of the tree? oh yeah I'll be there come January 15 (9 hours before CA hits Jan 15) for about 10 weeks.... which is one Mount Hermon Summer.... and a lot of stuff can happen in a summer at MH

and the seasons go round and round

The weather has come to my favorite time of the year.... it has cooled and the leaves are starting to fall. Autumn has returned and my time at MH is coming to an end.... yet again.
The end of summer has been interesting. Much more community within the departments and some of my strongest friends from this summer come from the most unlikely of sources and its really sad to see them go off into the real world. These past two weeks have been a lot of hanging out with my fellow interns which is always a homecoming of sorts. Its nice to be surrounded by people who just know you. And even though its good to fall into the click of interns I know I've had to spend time with my other friends.
I have 10 days left in the internship and 14 days left in Santa Cruz. This time I have plans... well sorta and I've finally come to the point if God wants me to come back to this place I will but I hope I get a break from working here for awhile. Lompoc might not be the best place for me to stay but for the next 4 months I've got to stick it out and just face the obstacles that come at me.... like finding a new church, and a job, and even making some ties to it other than my family. After these 4 months I really have no clue when I'll be back.... I might sound like a broken record but its just wierd to be in this time.... Nothing is permant right now. The only "for sure" thing right now is Spain and that is even frightening at times.
Sometime this summer, during a summer staff worhip, someone told us to remember this time in out lives. To write it down. The ancient Israelites made these stone altars to remember the works that God had done in thier lifes. To be visual reminders so that they could give praise to the Almighty. This person, I think it was a staff pastor, encouraged us to write down what we had seen this summer so that we could look back and give praise to God for what we have seen and done this summer. I have neglected to do that this summer but maybe before I pass my torch off.... maybe in the 4 days I have of nothing before I leave this town I have called home for the past 3 years I ought to start writing down the good and the bad I have seen in my times and give my thanks to the God who brought me out to other side a better and stronger person than I was at the begining. My life has not always been enjoyable but it has been good and I will continue to give God all the glory irregardless of where I go....

the predicament which is here and now

This picture was taken in one of my favorite places in Seattle. That was a crazy trip I took there about 6 weeks ago and at this park it was the most peace that I felt during thaqt whole trip. Its just nice to be in a place of peace.

This summer hasn't been peaceful at all.... and thats very sad for me. I feel like I am constantly doing this wrong. No one has ever told me otherwise. I'm tired of not being treated like a decent human being.... espeacially by other Christians. Its almost over though.... My mom pointed out to me that God seems to put me in these situations pretty often so maybe this summer is one of just learning to deal with it and to depend on God more. Which is hard on me but I know I can.

Spain is only 6 months away. And now its just hit that I'll have to actually get a job when I go back home. Which won't be too bad.... I'm gonna try get a seasonal job for a department store or maybe even the craft store. I think I could handle a craft store much more than a department store. I'm really hoping someone will hire me before I have to go to a fast food resturant. Specially since I would like to actually travel and be able to you know.... eat when I get there. And there is a possibility of Eastern Europe next summer.... I just need to get a jump start on that sucker.

I can't really get into the heartache thats happened this summer but I figure I'll be a stronger person come September. And I know that I cannot focus on the future and ignore the present. Right now I am seeking Gods voice for a decision that I would rather just not make... I'd rather just run away...

Second session at CNW starts in 7 days... apparently its time for me to cut off my turks head. It's been a year since its been burned on. Its sorta hard to let go of something that has been apart of you yet not noticable.... it should be an interesting time

mish mash

well Summer is officially here... Since I last wrote I've been traveling the west coast, moving into dorms, and trying to make sense of my life. I also have been accepted into a Bible school in Spain.... so starting in January I will be living in Spain for about 10 weeks. It should be interesting.
I don't have much to say right now other than I've been struggling with God's will for my life for this summer. I am so very tired of being where I'm at.... I honestly feel like sleeping for days at a time. I'm also struggling with the concept of grace. I can only say I am really struggling with where I am at and no one here really seems to get it.

the choices you make

Life has been steady in the intern house for these past few months... something clicked in Janurary and we've been going pretty strong ever since. We've clicked as a family finally. Its moving steadily along at MH. Summer is fast approaching. As I was driving back with some friends from dinner I realized it was almost 7pm and the sun hadn't even set yet. Summer is so close but at least its 2 months away. I'm going to Seattle in May to see old friends and campers from this past summer. My life has changed so much since last June... Since last September. People have been commenting on how I've grown and changed. Its wierd to get these compliments but oddly refrenshing. I know I've changed and I'm glad I have. If I was still the same person that I was 3 years ago... I really don't want to think about it.
I thought of an ex boyfriend today.... He wasn't the last guy I date but some one I had dated in high school... He is actually the only guy I have ever dated that... in all honesty I would date again. God just suddenly placed him on my heart and I just think of.... how it was a honor to be blessed by him for the short while we dated and kept in contect. And he's also the only guy I don't refer to by name if I do talk about him to others. Thats just my way of respecting him... so that people don't get him confused with the last guy I dated. I honestly miss hs bf.... He was a good guy and I wish we would have stayed together, at least as friends. He's the reason why I didn't go to Sac State. I was dating another guy when I got that acceptance letter to the school and I thought if I went to school I didn't know what would happen with hs bf. I probably would have gone out with him if he would have asked me.Life would have been so different if i had gone to Sac State. I can't even fathom what my life would have been like. Probably no Mount Hermon, No Jewish community, no me as I am now. But probably hs bf.... he would probably been in my life some way.
I wonder why God puts people on your hearts during random times. Is it to pray for them? Are they thinking of you? Why do they just strike your heart and mkae you wish so much that they were just there with you? I miss him sometimes... specially when God puts him on my heart. I wish things would have been different.... I wish I had made different choices..... choices that would have kept him in my life longer.... Just to see what God would have done with him.

Now I know God works in mysterious ways... and if God deems fit... hs bf just might make a come back in my life. I know today I said a prayer for him... just to thank God for putting him in my life and to keep him safe and well. Whatever God does with me I will still praise Him. I will be thankful under all circumstances. I am honestly not looking for love in that way right now. If it happens, it happens but I'm not searching for it like I use to. My life is good just the way it is... living here in MH with my intern family. I'm finally glad God has placed me here.