I'm nervous about Rollercoasters

So I recently figured out what my job is like a long roller coaster that never ends.
I go through 4 major events a year that take months of planning, so image those as my big climbs to the steep drops. Then through out those months of leading up to some major event I have many small events for between 40-100 people, which to me are like the little vertexes that you spiral down really quickly somewhat unexpected. Then on this ride I have those sudden loops that take you by surprise where suddenly I just have to make sure quick things are 100% completed as lives depend on it.

All in all I'm not sure what I think about this ride but right now my hands are up and I'm ready to go down from this climb.

I like station wagons!

It seems that it's getting closer to that time of year again. You know the time of year when you're over 28 you start to dread? The time of year when people say ah you aren't old 30's the new 20? The time of year where you really start to notice those gray hairs that are creeping up? Well, it's that time of the year for me pretty soon.

As I sit down and reflects on my 30th year (which I still have one month of left) I realize I haven't completed one of my goals. I had this goal to visit 30 countries by the time being 30 was over with. I still have I believe 7 left. I think that goal will need to change to 30 countries by the time I'm out of my 30ths.

In the past 11 months I've had the chance to travel to Tacoma, which was just awesome. Then did a road trip to Kansas City, MO. Both of those trips I got to do with my good friend Cassie.

Also in the past 11 months I changed jobs. It's funny in a recent conversation with an old friend she mentioned that I've had a lot of jobs in my life. As we reflected on those jobs, each one taught me something that I'm now able to tie into my dream job of sorts that I'm now in. Leaving the corporate world banking wasn't that hard to do as my heart was never in it. It's strange to think that I haven't even been in my new job for 10 months, I don't think there could be a more prefect job for me out there.

I had two of my photo's auctioned off for charity. Which was awesome as I've never even sold a photo before, but they each went for $300. The greatest part was that all the money raised by the auction in total was around $9,000 and I got to pick the organization it went too. After that a few people were keen to purchase some of my work.

My car was totaled as well in the past 11 months, so bye bye Honda Civic and hello Chevy HHR. I'm still super pleased with my choice. Now thinking about it I think I have a thing for station wagons. Am I odd?

Let's see what this next year holds for me...

handbags

I was in Barcelona in the spring of 2004, all over the place they had such creative handbags. I would look at them and think I can make that, or that would be pretty easy to design. Low and behold I never attempted to make one.

Now years later I'm going to attempting too. Charlie and I were chatting a few weeks ago about doing something called Advent Conspiracy. To find out more check out their website. So a little over 2 weeks ago we got together for an evening of chit chat, creativity, and brain storming. After looking through lots of books and magazines I came to the conclusion that I should attempt to make some of those creative hand bags I saw in Barcelona.

exhausted

Well its' Tuesday and I'm exhausted. I feel like it should be Friday but low and behold I still have 3 more days until the weekend.
This week I have meetings and more meetings, then more meetings.
Let see
Monday 11:45am-1pm
Tuesday 10am-12pm
Wednesday 6:45am-9am (thats right in the morning)
Wednesday 11:30-1pm
Thursday 5:30-7:30pm
Saturday 7:30am-9:30am (thats right another morning meeting)
Sunday 12:30-2pm

And the kicked is all of these meetings surround food, why is that?

Oh and my other list of things to complete this week:
Budgets for the next FY
paint 1500 puzzle pieces
print 1500 stickers
order 1200 brochures
put together packets for compassion reps
buy ping pong balls
sort and order photo's
look into high res photos to enlarge
etc...

needless to say I need a day off..

Due

I'm due for a post but nothing has come to mind for me to blog about. Anything you want to hear about?

the great debate

So I'm looking to get my first tattoo, and I must say i don't know anyone that has this... so for me that's what makes it even more tempting... as well it's so me.
I just can't figure out where I want it... I know my back but where the upper shoulder, or the lower back...
so what is this tattoo you ask? the California state flag...

Made in

Waiting

I'm reading a book called Visioneering, by Andy Stanley. I picked up this book because, recently we sent a survey to all of our supported missionaries at WestGate. Three of them wrote this book down; one lives in Japan, one in the bay area, and one somewhere else (can't recall). But to me it says something when three people that don't know one another say that this was their favorite book that they've read this past year. So of course I ordered it.

As I've read chapter one, he talked about Nehemiah. He had this to say; ' Nehamiah's vision didn't begin as a vision. It begin as a concern, a burden.' For Nehamiah it was a burden for his nation and its people. Nehamiah knew what we all have a hard time remembering 'What could be and should be can't be until God is ready for it to be. So he waited.'

So often times at work and in life I hear a good idea or better yet a great idea. In many instances I want to jump on the idea and start NOW! I've learned through jumping on an idea too early that things take time to develop. Just as we can't rush a 9month pregancy we can't rush a vision, a burden, an idea. It takes time to develop, sharpen, a deeper burden for that vision, and prayer.

Some people might wait for forty years like Moses, or four months like Nehamiah, but all the same there is a waiting period. There is a burden, idea, vision that has been on my heart for over four years (since come home from the mission field) that I've yet to hear God saying it's time. There have been oppurtunities for me to jump on this and start but each time, God's asked me to wait. All along my heart is growing in love and burden for these people. But I have to remember: 'What could be and should be can't be until God is ready for it to be.'

So now I continue to wait.