Checkout what I've BeenUp2!
I can't tell if my first day back to my routine was a good day or a bad day.
+1 Smooth morning
-1 Lack of oatmeal, had to substitute p.b. and j. for breakfast
-1 Reeaaallllly tired
+1 Pleasant welcome backs from co-workers and kids
+1 Went to p.t. with Emma; she'll be getting out of the chair in the classroom and using a walker.
-1 I felt like I was dressed like a boy
-1 Didn't get a break during work
-1 Found most of my food in the fridge had gone bad over the past week
+1 Good afternoon at project success
+1 Enthusiastic kids welcomed me back
+1 Found lots of good things at Henry's for making fun trail mixes and random recipes
-1 The spinach I planned on using to make a salad for my lifegroup potluck was among the food that went bad
-1 Found vague note on the roommate whiteboard that either means I'm in trouble or I just have to be updated on something
+1 Lifegroup meeting!!!
+1 Good food at meeting
-1 Good food was unhealthy
+1 Really cool people in my group
+1 Found a girl to practice French with in my group
+1 I'm not at all interested in any of the guys, thus will be more comfortable
-1 Embarrassed myself at least three times today
+1 24 is a good show
+1 The note on the whiteboard didn't mean I was in trouble
-1 The note was referring to the fact that my other roommate is moving out
-1 Missing phone calls from people I wanted to talk to because my phone was on silent. Cell phone technology... mystifying! or not so much
The tally as far as it stands at 10pm tonight:
0+12-11.... leaves a net score of +1
Not bad, especially considering I plan on going to my room to read and sleep. Two favorite pastimes.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Science trivia: redwoods make fog
Another blog from an airport.
I'm sitting in Sac Internat'l waiting to go back to CM. Here I am with my lopsided nearly 10 yr-old backpack covered in worn patches with a rolled up map (actually a sheet of wrapping paper with a old map of Paris monuments) sticking out the top. My hair is a mess of curls (messier and curlier than usual and probably a bit matted after driving a lot and sleeping on couches) and I'm wearing my green jacket that makes me look like a rainforest explorer or an air force bomber.... I look like some crazy environmentalist or explorer or something. And as if I needed to add to my... image??.... I just asked the starbucks barista if their blueberry scones were organic. Wow..... (Though I confess that my main motive for asking such a ridiculous question was only my desire to distract him from the fact that I was only ordering a venti cup of water.) A long story about nothing.
I want to move to Santa Cruz one day... Reasons/thoughts:
-Cafe Brasil (mmm acai bowls that are worth an hour wait)
-downtown SC
-proximity to fam., san fran, and wine country
-lots of independent coffee shops (Lulu's, toot's, the attic, coffee cat where I had the best soy capp. since i don't know when... etc.)
-I like the people there, especially Mt. Hermon people like Dana and her amigos
-the banana slug
-beauty of the central CA coast
-ancient forests
-mysterious fog made in part by the reds (thanks naturalist friend!)
-the beach
-environment/socially conscious people are neat
-moss
-Christians are needed there since they seem to be in short supply
So I had a really great weekend. And a very refreshing week. The ugly, smoggy landscape of southern CA can wear on you, but I don't see myself leaving anytime soon.
p.s. Rob Bell, czech him out.... http://nooma.com/
I'm sitting in Sac Internat'l waiting to go back to CM. Here I am with my lopsided nearly 10 yr-old backpack covered in worn patches with a rolled up map (actually a sheet of wrapping paper with a old map of Paris monuments) sticking out the top. My hair is a mess of curls (messier and curlier than usual and probably a bit matted after driving a lot and sleeping on couches) and I'm wearing my green jacket that makes me look like a rainforest explorer or an air force bomber.... I look like some crazy environmentalist or explorer or something. And as if I needed to add to my... image??.... I just asked the starbucks barista if their blueberry scones were organic. Wow..... (Though I confess that my main motive for asking such a ridiculous question was only my desire to distract him from the fact that I was only ordering a venti cup of water.) A long story about nothing.
I want to move to Santa Cruz one day... Reasons/thoughts:
-Cafe Brasil (mmm acai bowls that are worth an hour wait)
-downtown SC
-proximity to fam., san fran, and wine country
-lots of independent coffee shops (Lulu's, toot's, the attic, coffee cat where I had the best soy capp. since i don't know when... etc.)
-I like the people there, especially Mt. Hermon people like Dana and her amigos
-the banana slug
-beauty of the central CA coast
-ancient forests
-mysterious fog made in part by the reds (thanks naturalist friend!)
-the beach
-environment/socially conscious people are neat
-moss
-Christians are needed there since they seem to be in short supply
So I had a really great weekend. And a very refreshing week. The ugly, smoggy landscape of southern CA can wear on you, but I don't see myself leaving anytime soon.
p.s. Rob Bell, czech him out.... http://nooma.com/
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Midnight philosophical ramblings
And once again... I'm up late. Tonight I'm laying next to our fireplace. One of the ones that you use a switch to turn on. Lazy, yes, but lovely. I was thinking about life and how much I value my relationships, which I've been appreciating more and more lately, and I had to write them to share with all of you. Take them for what they're worth. And now a tablespoon or perhaps a liter of Jenny wisdom, depending on what you take from this. (Wow, long intro...)
First observation (O1): Love makes us feel good.
Response: Why does it make us feel good? When we receive love what is happening? It has to be more than a warm fuzzy meaningless reason.
O2: The foundation of love is acceptance.
Response: Everyone has insecurities. EVERYONE. (Except Jesus, for you smart alecks) One of the main insecurities and fears of people is the fear of rejection. This is why public speaking is the #1 American fear, why girls travel in packs, why peer pressure is so effective, why people date and marry people who are less than they deserve.... you get the picture. Big problem, for many of us this is probably the central insecurity we hold. Someone must accept us before they love us. The act of acceptance becomes the door for love--to accept someone you open the door to the possibility of a relationship. ....(like "accepting" Christ)
O3: Acceptance gives us permission to lower our walls.
Response: Acceptance gives someone a nod of approval that allows them to exhale and start to lower walls of defense and insecurity. When someone accepts us we feel better about ourselves because it affirms that yes, we're ok. It's the first step to growing and becoming who we are because it provides us safety and room to do that in. My thesaurus lists these synonyms for accept: welcome, greet, receive, receive favorably, embrace, adopt.
O4: Some loves are more than acceptance.
Response:
a) So love in its common forms of friendship (philia) and affection (storge) seem to be comfortable I-accept-you-as-you-are-and-care-about-you kinds of loves. That doesn't mean that those loves are not deep because they certainly can be, but they are different from eros and charity (agape) love.
b) Eros love involves acceptance, of course, but more than that there is excitement! The excitement comes from sexuality yes, but also there's a reciprocal excitement about the other person. Because more than just accepting the other person, one is ecstatic about who that other person is! Rather than a comfortable hug, eros is a passionate embrace.
c) Finally agape, (C.S. Lewis called this the greatest love and I agree) it is sort of like eros love except for this love has a one-sided excitement. The lover loves with enthusiasm, passion, and even fury, but the loved often does not have any qualities for which would make it loveable or worthy of love; nevertheless, the lover loves the loved without any self-interest or ulterior motive. This love is mysterious and, I believe, can only be developed in us as a gift from the Holy Spirit. Because this is a unique love that can only be truly understood when we meet the One who has loved us ardently since the beginning.
Conclusion: We are unlovely people, but God loves us* in our unloveliness and massive insecurities and that love makes us lovely. More than the acceptance of other people that takes away some of the reality** of our insecurities and the love of others that makes us feel safe and valuable, there is this greater Love that overshadows them all. This Love wants to take those insecurities forever and fill us instead with himself until we overflow with joy, beauty, confidence, peace, and freedom.
In a nutshell, let me quote DCTalk, "We all wanna be loved. Tell me what's wrong with that? Ooo somebody tell me"
See..........ROMANS 15:7
*There seems to be sort of a difference between love and acceptance for God because he has always loved his people, but until Jesus' sacrifice we were not always "acceptable" to him (http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=accept&version1=31&searchtype=all&limit=none&wholewordsonly=no).
**I use the word reality because the insecurities still remain in human relationships, but often acceptance and love decrease the perceived reality of them.
First observation (O1): Love makes us feel good.
Response: Why does it make us feel good? When we receive love what is happening? It has to be more than a warm fuzzy meaningless reason.
O2: The foundation of love is acceptance.
Response: Everyone has insecurities. EVERYONE. (Except Jesus, for you smart alecks) One of the main insecurities and fears of people is the fear of rejection. This is why public speaking is the #1 American fear, why girls travel in packs, why peer pressure is so effective, why people date and marry people who are less than they deserve.... you get the picture. Big problem, for many of us this is probably the central insecurity we hold. Someone must accept us before they love us. The act of acceptance becomes the door for love--to accept someone you open the door to the possibility of a relationship. ....(like "accepting" Christ)
O3: Acceptance gives us permission to lower our walls.
Response: Acceptance gives someone a nod of approval that allows them to exhale and start to lower walls of defense and insecurity. When someone accepts us we feel better about ourselves because it affirms that yes, we're ok. It's the first step to growing and becoming who we are because it provides us safety and room to do that in. My thesaurus lists these synonyms for accept: welcome, greet, receive, receive favorably, embrace, adopt.O4: Some loves are more than acceptance.
Response:
a) So love in its common forms of friendship (philia) and affection (storge) seem to be comfortable I-accept-you-as-you-are-and-care-about-you kinds of loves. That doesn't mean that those loves are not deep because they certainly can be, but they are different from eros and charity (agape) love.
b) Eros love involves acceptance, of course, but more than that there is excitement! The excitement comes from sexuality yes, but also there's a reciprocal excitement about the other person. Because more than just accepting the other person, one is ecstatic about who that other person is! Rather than a comfortable hug, eros is a passionate embrace.
c) Finally agape, (C.S. Lewis called this the greatest love and I agree) it is sort of like eros love except for this love has a one-sided excitement. The lover loves with enthusiasm, passion, and even fury, but the loved often does not have any qualities for which would make it loveable or worthy of love; nevertheless, the lover loves the loved without any self-interest or ulterior motive. This love is mysterious and, I believe, can only be developed in us as a gift from the Holy Spirit. Because this is a unique love that can only be truly understood when we meet the One who has loved us ardently since the beginning.
Conclusion: We are unlovely people, but God loves us* in our unloveliness and massive insecurities and that love makes us lovely. More than the acceptance of other people that takes away some of the reality** of our insecurities and the love of others that makes us feel safe and valuable, there is this greater Love that overshadows them all. This Love wants to take those insecurities forever and fill us instead with himself until we overflow with joy, beauty, confidence, peace, and freedom.
In a nutshell, let me quote DCTalk, "We all wanna be loved. Tell me what's wrong with that? Ooo somebody tell me"
See..........ROMANS 15:7
*There seems to be sort of a difference between love and acceptance for God because he has always loved his people, but until Jesus' sacrifice we were not always "acceptable" to him (http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=accept&version1=31&searchtype=all&limit=none&wholewordsonly=no).
**I use the word reality because the insecurities still remain in human relationships, but often acceptance and love decrease the perceived reality of them.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
go back to the 80's
I have no idea what's going on in these pictures... Obviously in typical Vanguard (then, SCC) fashion there's some bizarre game being played, but it appears that my mom won so yay! It's the cove circa 1981. Whoa.
It's almost 2am and since I'm at home and I have no work all week of course I'm awake! Among many nicknames, night owl is one often used for me. Currently I'm scanning lots and lots of pictures. I've scanned almost 300 today. Look forward to probably seeing more of these pictures since they will probably show up here or there when I feel like getting in touch with roots.
It started out as me just trying to preserve some childhood memories, but then I was looking through some old photos and discovered that what everyone who knew me as a child said was true. Is it really vain if I just say... I was so cute!
<--me as a pirateMostly though...
...je le fait pour l'anniversaire du mariage de mes parents. C'est le vingt-cinquieme. J'ecrit en francais parce que de temps en temps mes parents voyent mon blog.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
bon et mal
Bon: Ma copine ira à l’Europe cet été aussi et elle m’a invité à voyager à l'Autriche, le Danemark, la Suède, la Norvège, et peut-être l'Irlande avec elle! C’est parfaît, n’est-ce pas? (Regardez le blog au-dessous de celui-ci)
Mal: J’ai peur que un garçon de l’école m’aime, mais je ne l’aime pas. J’espère que j’ai tort et j’espère qu’il ne lit pas ce blog, ni français.
Mal: J’ai peur que un garçon de l’école m’aime, mais je ne l’aime pas. J’espère que j’ai tort et j’espère qu’il ne lit pas ce blog, ni français.
Pensant... pensant...
Je suis chez ma famille à Granite Bay. Je suis heureuse d’être ici pour le weekend. J’espère que je ne vais pas au mail parce que je dois économiser mon argent! Mais qu’est-ce qu’on fait ici? Va au mail bien sûr parce que cette ville est très matérialiste. Enfin, c’est la raison que je n’y habite plus… mais je réalise que j’habite à Orange County maintenant alors laisse tomber.
Maintenant je regarde le food network. Dans ma tête je vois les deux choses que je veux m’ameliorer (entre d’autres qui sont plus importants que ces-ci). D’abord je veux parler français mieux. J’ai décidé que français est la langue de ma cœur. Anglais… c’est la langue de ma tête et c’est facile parce que c’est ma première langue. Quand je parle français c’est beau! La nuit passée ma sœur et moi parlaient français à l’aéroport. C’est amusant quand les autres sont confus parce que nous parlons français et nous parlons anglais parfaitement avec les accents amèricains. Deuxième, je veux faire cuire comme un chef. Alors pour toutes ces choses je dois pratiquer.
Je pense à l’été aussi. Ma famille et moi voyagent à Florence, Italie pour un mois, mais je ne vais pas rester là. Alors je pense que je veux voyager en Scandanavia pour visiter Pologne, Danemark, et Suède. Vraiment, je ne sais pas parce qu’il y a une partie de moi que se demander si je manquerai les choses importantes ici.
Je suis heureuse que je ne travaille pas pour une semaine. Je peux me reposer et penser à beaucoup des choses.
Maintenant je regarde le food network. Dans ma tête je vois les deux choses que je veux m’ameliorer (entre d’autres qui sont plus importants que ces-ci). D’abord je veux parler français mieux. J’ai décidé que français est la langue de ma cœur. Anglais… c’est la langue de ma tête et c’est facile parce que c’est ma première langue. Quand je parle français c’est beau! La nuit passée ma sœur et moi parlaient français à l’aéroport. C’est amusant quand les autres sont confus parce que nous parlons français et nous parlons anglais parfaitement avec les accents amèricains. Deuxième, je veux faire cuire comme un chef. Alors pour toutes ces choses je dois pratiquer.Je pense à l’été aussi. Ma famille et moi voyagent à Florence, Italie pour un mois, mais je ne vais pas rester là. Alors je pense que je veux voyager en Scandanavia pour visiter Pologne, Danemark, et Suède. Vraiment, je ne sais pas parce qu’il y a une partie de moi que se demander si je manquerai les choses importantes ici.
Je suis heureuse que je ne travaille pas pour une semaine. Je peux me reposer et penser à beaucoup des choses.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
La vie en rose addendum
.... So apparently I subconsciously desire my life to be as such because I washed some clothes with my red bathroom rug and now all my white socks are pink. Oh the irony!
La vie en rose
Quelquefois, je me demande si je pourrais etre plus heureuse. Et je pense, non. Ce moment-ci, maintenant, c'est le meilleur moment de ma vie. Mais ce n'est pas pour les grands choses, c'est pour les petits choses. Je suis heureuse pour mon travail, mes nouveaux amis, la fete du st. valentin, ma beaute, les sourires je vois chaque jour, le soleil, le vent, ma chambre, et pour Dieu qui me benit de plus en plus. Il est bon. Alors je vais dire un autre fois...
La vie est bonne.
La vie est bonne.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
For you....
How can you not love this day?? On the eve tired husbands are rummaging through bruised bouquets of flowers for their wives, little kids exchange spiderman and Barbie valentines, high school kids wear red and pink and carry bouquets and balloons for significant others and friends, airplanes spell out love in the air... Oh yes, my Valentine's day. I have a Valentine too. His name is Cole, he has red hair and he's really funny. I asked him to be my Valentine and he said yes, then he asked me to tie his shoe.
I got so many Valentines and candies from the kids in the classes I work in! My favorites:
"Miss Lady
To: Jerry [poor cursive so funny!]
From: Yareli
Happy Valentimes Miss Jenny
Miss Jenny you are so cool and amazing cool and prity like a prinsses
Have fun Happy Valentimes"
"To: Miss Jenny
From: Helen
Dear Miss Jenny, You are the best teacher I ever had. I know you get me in trouble, but you are still the best teacher."
So great!!! I love her choice of words... "you get me in trouble"
This is my favorite holiday because unlike Christmas when you're so stressed going through tiring traditions and getting people stuff that they expect, on Valentine's day you get to do things for people that they don't expect. For me, it's a day to tell people I care about that I love them and why they are important to me. It's not about waiting to see what I get, it's a day to remember my friends and family and be thankful. I try to send as many Valentines out as possible. I wanted to send 30, but settled for 13 (I tend to take a long time making and writing them). A day to remember and celebrate love. Particularly the greatest love our hearts will ever know from Love himself. Speaking of which, I have a date.
I hope everyone had happy Valentimes!!!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Feeney!
Life is lovely, God is good.
I'm currently enjoying the remainder of my Monday evening in the solitude and peace of my room with a hot cup of mint tea (as "fun" as the whole raspy sexy voice is... I just want to be back to normal and sound less like a screeching cat when I sing in the car) and I'm watching "The Science of Sleep". I saw an ad. saying how amazing the movie was and I remembered reading that it was good...someplace. haha So far I love the guy who tries to prove he speaks English by reciting the alphabet.... poorly... a b c d i j k l m p q r w x y... I'm a fan.
Thinking about dreams... I had a bizarre one the other night. Remember the show "Boy Meets World"? Well I dreamt Mr. Feeney was really sick and on the verge of death in a research hospital, and the guy in charge of the hospital was going to pull the plug because he didn't have some paper saying he should keep Feeney alive. I got mad and went on a crazy search all over for this paper... going through all sorts of places and people to find it. Finally I got the paper but time was running out. What floor was the super secret lab on?? 7? 5? 3? Nope all wrong... some were dorms... No, it was floor 2! I got there, but I was too late. It was done. I started crying bitterly when Feeney's ghost came and told me to not worry, everything was alright now. When I woke up my face was twisted and my eyes were all wet. I guess I can get really attached to tv characters.
I also find myself working on Valentines. If I do say so myself these are the best I've made yet!
I'm currently enjoying the remainder of my Monday evening in the solitude and peace of my room with a hot cup of mint tea (as "fun" as the whole raspy sexy voice is... I just want to be back to normal and sound less like a screeching cat when I sing in the car) and I'm watching "The Science of Sleep". I saw an ad. saying how amazing the movie was and I remembered reading that it was good...someplace. haha So far I love the guy who tries to prove he speaks English by reciting the alphabet.... poorly... a b c d i j k l m p q r w x y... I'm a fan.
Thinking about dreams... I had a bizarre one the other night. Remember the show "Boy Meets World"? Well I dreamt Mr. Feeney was really sick and on the verge of death in a research hospital, and the guy in charge of the hospital was going to pull the plug because he didn't have some paper saying he should keep Feeney alive. I got mad and went on a crazy search all over for this paper... going through all sorts of places and people to find it. Finally I got the paper but time was running out. What floor was the super secret lab on?? 7? 5? 3? Nope all wrong... some were dorms... No, it was floor 2! I got there, but I was too late. It was done. I started crying bitterly when Feeney's ghost came and told me to not worry, everything was alright now. When I woke up my face was twisted and my eyes were all wet. I guess I can get really attached to tv characters.
I also find myself working on Valentines. If I do say so myself these are the best I've made yet!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Juanita
Meet Grandma...
This is her with the wonderful man who was her husband and love of her life for 60 years.
This woman is amazing. Probably the greatest woman I will ever personally know during my life on earth. Everytime I leave her house I am filled with the warmth of home, real home, and a deep profound thankfulness that moves me to cry and pray. I know I can't do that much for her these days and she's always a servant and how do you serve someone who always strives to serve you? With the passing of her husband, and this week her best friend. I just wish I could be more for her, give her some of what she has given me my whole life. The only thing I can think of that I can give her in that way is to allow her prayers for me to find a wonderful godly husband to reach fruition. I hope and pray she will see me marry a man that about whom she will remark, "yep, he's the one!" Time and my willingness to have faith and wait for better seem to be the only limits.
This is her with the wonderful man who was her husband and love of her life for 60 years.
This woman is amazing. Probably the greatest woman I will ever personally know during my life on earth. Everytime I leave her house I am filled with the warmth of home, real home, and a deep profound thankfulness that moves me to cry and pray. I know I can't do that much for her these days and she's always a servant and how do you serve someone who always strives to serve you? With the passing of her husband, and this week her best friend. I just wish I could be more for her, give her some of what she has given me my whole life. The only thing I can think of that I can give her in that way is to allow her prayers for me to find a wonderful godly husband to reach fruition. I hope and pray she will see me marry a man that about whom she will remark, "yep, he's the one!" Time and my willingness to have faith and wait for better seem to be the only limits.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
To my friends:
Thank you.
You are amazing.
A day (my fave holiday) to celebrate you coming soon... 2.14.07...
Thus, as per my tradition send me your addresses soon.
You are amazing.
A day (my fave holiday) to celebrate you coming soon... 2.14.07...
Thus, as per my tradition send me your addresses soon.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
i see things upside down...
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
I do not understand what I do.
For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that good itself does NOT dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For....
I have the...
...desire...
to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do--
...THIS...
I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So...
I find this law at work: Although I want to do good,
evil is
....right
.........there
..............with me.
For in my inner being I.... delight!..... in God's law; but I see another law at work in me....
.....................waging war against the law of my mind and
...............making me a prisoner
.........of the law of sin at work with in me.
What a wretched woman I am!
My will is in conflict between the two laws.
My will.
My will??
Surrender.
Neck exposed, head pulled back over an altar. The knife just a breath away as the sacrifice whinces in anxiety.
The deliverer,
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners...
...to bestow on them a
crown of beauty.....
......instead of ashes,
the oil of joy......
.....instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise.....
....instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called mighty oaks,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
The will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations."
And so everything is upside down here, none of it makes sense to the outside. But this way--this upside down kingdom--is the only way to live sensibly.
I do not understand what I do.
For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that good itself does NOT dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For....
I have the...
...desire...
to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do--
...THIS...
I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So...
I find this law at work: Although I want to do good,
evil is
....right
.........there
..............with me.
For in my inner being I.... delight!..... in God's law; but I see another law at work in me....
.....................waging war against the law of my mind and
...............making me a prisoner
.........of the law of sin at work with in me.
What a wretched woman I am!
My will is in conflict between the two laws.
My will.
My will??
Surrender.
Neck exposed, head pulled back over an altar. The knife just a breath away as the sacrifice whinces in anxiety.
The deliverer,
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners...
...to bestow on them a
crown of beauty.....
......instead of ashes,
the oil of joy......
.....instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise.....
....instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called mighty oaks,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
The will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations."
And so everything is upside down here, none of it makes sense to the outside. But this way--this upside down kingdom--is the only way to live sensibly.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
XLI
I rooted for the Bears and sadly they did not meet triumph. I think SNL's "da Bears" thing was my main reason for rooting for them. Pretty arbitary I know. I enjoy watching football if it's on or if it's the Superbowl, but I don't follow it and wouldn't just turn it on for fun. Well anyway my little Superbowl viewing get together was lovely! My favorite parts were pizza, texas caviar, and welch's grape juice.
One of the best superbowl viewing parties to date! First in the rankings are superbowl XXXVIIII (2005) when a bunch of the girls watched it in our RA's room and we had soooo much food! We made Texas caviar in the dorm... that took forever! But always worth it! And the other year was when I was young and it was Cowboys vs. 49ers and all us kids made hats! Sooo fun!
Mais le jour n'etait pas parfait... J'ai vu l'avenir aujourd'hui. Et l'histoire pourrait s'etre repetee. POURRAIT. Mais merci a Dieu parce que l'avenir que j'ai vu n'est pas passe. Cet temps-ci j'ai pris la bonne decision.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
fyi
the orange bowknots are soo delicious! In my limited repertoire of foods I am skilled at making, these rolls are probably one of the best. I'm so proud of myself! Especially since my attempts at baking on Wed. night met unfortunate results.
Friday, February 02, 2007
the little things
I am a person who is delighted by seemingly insignificant small things. Some events from this week for instance...
-one sentence makes me smile
-sitcoms
-grocery shopping
-Whole Foods Market (only one in OC is in Tustin, but its amazing! It's like Vons... if Vons was organic, sold bulk products, and sold food from local growers)
-buying 3 bags of groceries for $25!
-being conscientious with my money (i.e. making a pie chart of spending)
-good phone conversations
-trying and failing to teach 3rd graders about cloning... the cotton ball sheep art project looked great though!
-learning some Spanish
-a spaghetti and meatball dinner shared with 8 friends
-cooking (tonight's specials: an original concoction of red onion, olive oil, chicken breast, red chili pepper flakes, carrots, cilantro, and salsa put over brown rice; and baking orange bowknots)
-chocolate soy milk
-the comfort of a warm sweatshirt
-French
Tonight has been just what I needed, except these orange bowknots take sooo long! All this rising and covering and rising is annoying, but I know they'll be delicious. One of my goals is to really develop my traditional and creative cooking skills.
So an update on the new job: I now have 3 new kids giving me a grand total of 20 3rd graders all to myself. A lot have been out sick this week, it will be interesting when I have all of them. Yikes. But this week I really cracked down with discipline and I wrote a lesson plan for the week and had everything prepared in advance as opposed to trying to think of something the night before. The week was much smoother and my problem kids are really doing well... quite a step up from being on the verge of tears and at my wit's end trying to think of what to do with them that first week. It's strange, even though I've been stricter the kids seem to like me more. One girl who gets in trouble fairly often told me she wants to live with me and some of the kids keep reaching to hold my hand... they are so much younger than I perceived them to be. Does that make sense? I just really care about these kids.
mmm orange bowknots are ready.
-one sentence makes me smile
-sitcoms
-grocery shopping
-Whole Foods Market (only one in OC is in Tustin, but its amazing! It's like Vons... if Vons was organic, sold bulk products, and sold food from local growers)
-buying 3 bags of groceries for $25!
-being conscientious with my money (i.e. making a pie chart of spending)
-good phone conversations
-trying and failing to teach 3rd graders about cloning... the cotton ball sheep art project looked great though!
-learning some Spanish
-a spaghetti and meatball dinner shared with 8 friends
-cooking (tonight's specials: an original concoction of red onion, olive oil, chicken breast, red chili pepper flakes, carrots, cilantro, and salsa put over brown rice; and baking orange bowknots)
-chocolate soy milk
-the comfort of a warm sweatshirt
-French
Tonight has been just what I needed, except these orange bowknots take sooo long! All this rising and covering and rising is annoying, but I know they'll be delicious. One of my goals is to really develop my traditional and creative cooking skills.
So an update on the new job: I now have 3 new kids giving me a grand total of 20 3rd graders all to myself. A lot have been out sick this week, it will be interesting when I have all of them. Yikes. But this week I really cracked down with discipline and I wrote a lesson plan for the week and had everything prepared in advance as opposed to trying to think of something the night before. The week was much smoother and my problem kids are really doing well... quite a step up from being on the verge of tears and at my wit's end trying to think of what to do with them that first week. It's strange, even though I've been stricter the kids seem to like me more. One girl who gets in trouble fairly often told me she wants to live with me and some of the kids keep reaching to hold my hand... they are so much younger than I perceived them to be. Does that make sense? I just really care about these kids.
mmm orange bowknots are ready.
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