Just a little humor. This is one of my favorite Chris August videos. We have seen and talked to him in person. Pretty cool guy and good musician.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Life Is An Adventure.
2012 has been an interesting, yet exciting year for us. This time last year the thought of moving to Texas hadn't crossed our mind. We were busy finishing up graduate school and just getting by in life. This time last year was pretty tough for us, but as always, we pulled through.
Texas has been good to us. We have met amazing people, seen new territory that we haven't seen before, experienced crazy Texas weather (including tornadoes), ate a lot of good food, learned how to pump my own gas, took in an abandoned Chihuahua and most importantly, our marriage got stronger than ever.
This whole Texas journey has been God at work. I had a slight feeling that our time in Texas would be short. I am so thankful John was able to get the position he did in the consulting firm. The job provided us with things that we were not used to having or never been able to enjoy. I know John has other opinions about the consulting firm he was with, but I am proud that he gave his 110% and never gave up. He may not believe it now, but he gained a lot from working there and one day he will look back and appreciate the little things he got out of it. He is and always will be my hero.
It was hard to see him get treated the way he did. It took every ounce of me to refrain from calling up his boss and chewing him out. I don't understand why superiors feel they need to treat "rookies" like a piece of garbage and belittle them, especially when they are giving it their all. I am confident that one day they will realize they made a mistake for letting John go. It is their loss and I'm not sad to see John be apart from the company. He deserves much, much better.
Even though it was hard to see John get verbally abused and harassed everyday, I know there is a reason why he was put into that position. I know there is a reason why we moved to Texas. There is always a plan for everything, even if we may not understand why we have to go through the hard times or even move half way across the country to only live there for less than a year.
Today, John flew to California to meet with another consulting firm. Interviews had already been going on way before he was let go from his previous company. His connection to this new firm was the guy who interviewed him in January for the position he just had. Funny how that works out. I hear the interviews today went well, but the thing is that this new position will be in California or Washington. Which means, there is a good possibility we might be moving back to the West Coast in a couple of months.
I can hear some people say that we are flaky or indecisive, but I see it as an adventure. Yes, the thought of packing and moving again does not sound fun, but if moving is what God has planned, then why complain. Like I mentioned, Texas has been amazing. The next location might be just as amazing.
I think what has saved me through this whole year is that I let God take care of the details. Philippians 4:6 says "don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." I have done this and I've been at peace. I can't wait to hear if John got the job or not. I have a strong feeling he will, but it's up to God to tell us what's next in our lives.
Texas has been good to us. We have met amazing people, seen new territory that we haven't seen before, experienced crazy Texas weather (including tornadoes), ate a lot of good food, learned how to pump my own gas, took in an abandoned Chihuahua and most importantly, our marriage got stronger than ever.
This whole Texas journey has been God at work. I had a slight feeling that our time in Texas would be short. I am so thankful John was able to get the position he did in the consulting firm. The job provided us with things that we were not used to having or never been able to enjoy. I know John has other opinions about the consulting firm he was with, but I am proud that he gave his 110% and never gave up. He may not believe it now, but he gained a lot from working there and one day he will look back and appreciate the little things he got out of it. He is and always will be my hero.
It was hard to see him get treated the way he did. It took every ounce of me to refrain from calling up his boss and chewing him out. I don't understand why superiors feel they need to treat "rookies" like a piece of garbage and belittle them, especially when they are giving it their all. I am confident that one day they will realize they made a mistake for letting John go. It is their loss and I'm not sad to see John be apart from the company. He deserves much, much better.
Even though it was hard to see John get verbally abused and harassed everyday, I know there is a reason why he was put into that position. I know there is a reason why we moved to Texas. There is always a plan for everything, even if we may not understand why we have to go through the hard times or even move half way across the country to only live there for less than a year.
Today, John flew to California to meet with another consulting firm. Interviews had already been going on way before he was let go from his previous company. His connection to this new firm was the guy who interviewed him in January for the position he just had. Funny how that works out. I hear the interviews today went well, but the thing is that this new position will be in California or Washington. Which means, there is a good possibility we might be moving back to the West Coast in a couple of months.
I can hear some people say that we are flaky or indecisive, but I see it as an adventure. Yes, the thought of packing and moving again does not sound fun, but if moving is what God has planned, then why complain. Like I mentioned, Texas has been amazing. The next location might be just as amazing.
I think what has saved me through this whole year is that I let God take care of the details. Philippians 4:6 says "don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." I have done this and I've been at peace. I can't wait to hear if John got the job or not. I have a strong feeling he will, but it's up to God to tell us what's next in our lives.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Run:4Justice
Many of you known that violence against children and women has been an interest of mine for a while now. I have been a crime victim advocate where I have educated teens and adults about domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and child abuse. In college I have done a lot of presentations and papers on this topic as well.
Human trafficking is another form of violence against children and women that has been popping up in the media in recent years. This is not a new form of violence..it's been going on for many, many years that not only occurs overseas, but in your community as well.
Our church: 121 Community Church in Grapevine, Texas is hosting a 5k run/walk event called Run:4Justice on October 27, 2012 that will benefit International Justice Mission, a human rights agency that rescue victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violence.
Our lifegroup that consists of six couples are raising money for this cause. Our goal is to raise $1,000 by October 27th. We are asking for your help. We have taken a stand, will you?
Please check out our fundraising page and consider making a donation.
http://ijmfreedommaker.org/account/1198/Our-Life-Group-is-Running-4-Justice
Below is an article from International Justice Mission describing what children and women are subjected to. Please take a stand and say no to to this form of violence. Thank you.
Injustice Today
Taken from International Justice Mission. http://ijm.org/our-work/injustice-today
Human trafficking is another form of violence against children and women that has been popping up in the media in recent years. This is not a new form of violence..it's been going on for many, many years that not only occurs overseas, but in your community as well.
Our church: 121 Community Church in Grapevine, Texas is hosting a 5k run/walk event called Run:4Justice on October 27, 2012 that will benefit International Justice Mission, a human rights agency that rescue victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violence.
Our lifegroup that consists of six couples are raising money for this cause. Our goal is to raise $1,000 by October 27th. We are asking for your help. We have taken a stand, will you?
Please check out our fundraising page and consider making a donation.
http://ijmfreedommaker.org/account/1198/Our-Life-Group-is-Running-4-Justice
Below is an article from International Justice Mission describing what children and women are subjected to. Please take a stand and say no to to this form of violence. Thank you.
Injustice Today
"Today, millions of lives around the world are in the grip of injustice.
More
children, women and men are held in slavery right now than over the
course of the entire trans-Atlantic slave trade: Millions toil in
bondage, their work and even their bodies the property of an owner.
Trafficking
in humans generates profits in excess of 32 billion dollars a year for
those who, by force and deception, sell human lives into slavery and
sexual bondage. Nearly 2 million children are exploited in the
commercial sex industry. The AIDS pandemic continues to rage, and the
oppression of trafficking victims in the global sex trade contributes to
the disease's spread.
In many countries around the world,
pedophiles find that they can abuse children with impunity. And though
police should be protectors, in many nations, their presence is a source
of insecurity for the poor. Suspects can be held interminably before
trials, imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.
The land rights
of women are violated on a massive scale worldwide, but with particular
ferocity in Africa, leaving widows and other women in vulnerable
positions unable to care for themselves or their children. Around the
world, women suffer the double trauma of rape - and seeing their
perpetrators face no consequences.
Often lacking access to their
own justice systems and unable to protect themselves or their families
from those more powerful, it is overwhelmingly the poor who are the
victims of these brutal forms of abuse."
Taken from International Justice Mission. http://ijm.org/our-work/injustice-today
Saturday, September 8, 2012
A Birds Eye View
I recently took a trip out to Oregon to visit my family. I worked all summer chasing toddlers just to buy a round trip ticket for one week. I love to travel, but flying is not exactly my favorite thing. You have to deal with TSA, the hustle and bustle of getting to your gate on time, dealing with the possibility of your luggage being lost, sitting in seats that are too small and often times sitting by people you rather not...oh, and two words: crying babies. You also get this weird feeling that you had either gained or lost hours in a day and that only a few hours prior, you were half way across the country.
I got lucky this time. I either had a seat or a whole row to myself and I didn't have to worry about my luggage being lost because I just brought a carry on and there were well behaved adults and children on my flights.
I don't fly a lot, but when I do, I like the window seat. My husband thinks the aisle seats are better, but I disagree. When I fly, I like to look out the window and marvel over God's creation..Earth. Seeing Earth from a plane in my opinion is one of the most amazing things you can see. Think about it. Everyday, most people get into a car, truck or bike and see the land at feet level. People often don't stop and look at the beauty that is around them and appreciate what has been created.
When I am flying, I get to see land from another perspective. The desert in Arizona and the Cascade Mountains look different at 35,000 feet (give or take) than on foot. You get to look down on clouds than look up at them, and those big buildings look tiny from where you are sitting.
On my flights, I would see individuals, mostly business men sitting and typing away on their laptops and not even bothering to look out the window. I would think, is work really that important to not take a moment to reflect on what is around you and look how beautiful the scenery is outside? But maybe they are like my husband who flies often and are too familiar with what our Earth looks like from a birds eye view? Or perhaps they are afraid of heights? :)
When I see something beautiful, I reflect on it. I thank God for his design. It brings me back to reality knowing that I am just a small person on this huge planet and that I am vulnerable and fragile and that any moment, my life can end.
My one wish as I was flying was to see the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransisco, California from the air. I have been to the bay area many times, but San Fransisco is one of my favorite cities. Which is why I chose to have my layover there. As we took off, I had my eyes peeled and was looking to see if I was sitting on the right side of the plane. The plane turned and there it was!!! It was a sunny day and I could see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the whole city itself. It was picture perfect, except I didn't have my camera available *sigh*.
Another interesting experience was when I was flying back to Texas it was daylight, but in the horizon, I could see night. Within minutes it went from sunset to darkness. The moon was bright and lit up the sky. The stars were brighter and seemed at an arms length away. With images like these, how can you not stop for a second and appreciate the beauty of what God has created?
So the next time you find yourself sitting on a plane, possibly surrounded by screaming kids or stinky people, just look out the window and reflect on what you see.
What are some of the amazing things you have seen while flying?
I got lucky this time. I either had a seat or a whole row to myself and I didn't have to worry about my luggage being lost because I just brought a carry on and there were well behaved adults and children on my flights.
I don't fly a lot, but when I do, I like the window seat. My husband thinks the aisle seats are better, but I disagree. When I fly, I like to look out the window and marvel over God's creation..Earth. Seeing Earth from a plane in my opinion is one of the most amazing things you can see. Think about it. Everyday, most people get into a car, truck or bike and see the land at feet level. People often don't stop and look at the beauty that is around them and appreciate what has been created.
When I am flying, I get to see land from another perspective. The desert in Arizona and the Cascade Mountains look different at 35,000 feet (give or take) than on foot. You get to look down on clouds than look up at them, and those big buildings look tiny from where you are sitting.
On my flights, I would see individuals, mostly business men sitting and typing away on their laptops and not even bothering to look out the window. I would think, is work really that important to not take a moment to reflect on what is around you and look how beautiful the scenery is outside? But maybe they are like my husband who flies often and are too familiar with what our Earth looks like from a birds eye view? Or perhaps they are afraid of heights? :)
When I see something beautiful, I reflect on it. I thank God for his design. It brings me back to reality knowing that I am just a small person on this huge planet and that I am vulnerable and fragile and that any moment, my life can end.
My one wish as I was flying was to see the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransisco, California from the air. I have been to the bay area many times, but San Fransisco is one of my favorite cities. Which is why I chose to have my layover there. As we took off, I had my eyes peeled and was looking to see if I was sitting on the right side of the plane. The plane turned and there it was!!! It was a sunny day and I could see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the whole city itself. It was picture perfect, except I didn't have my camera available *sigh*.
Another interesting experience was when I was flying back to Texas it was daylight, but in the horizon, I could see night. Within minutes it went from sunset to darkness. The moon was bright and lit up the sky. The stars were brighter and seemed at an arms length away. With images like these, how can you not stop for a second and appreciate the beauty of what God has created?
So the next time you find yourself sitting on a plane, possibly surrounded by screaming kids or stinky people, just look out the window and reflect on what you see.
What are some of the amazing things you have seen while flying?
Thursday, September 6, 2012
My First Texas Summer
In March when we made the announcement we were moving to Texas, one of the first comments was about how hot it get's in Texas and how miserable it will be. When we arrived in Texas and started meeting new people, one of the first comments was how we would hate the summers. In the back of my mind, I knew those people were wrong. I mean really, I haven't had a summer in the last 4 years while we lived in Portland. My hubby calls me a lizard because I love to be warm and be in the sun. I get grumpy and depressed when I'm not seeing sunlight and having to dress for winter...especially in the "summer" months *sigh.* I HATE being cold. So I was looking forward to my first Texas summer.
Recently someone asked me how I was handling the summer months. I replied that the heat hasn't bothered me yet. I got a surprised reaction....
It has been summer like since we got here in March. Today's high is supposed to be 103 degrees-the 33rd tipple digit day of the summer season. Most people can't wait until cooler weather, I on the other hand is not looking forward to cooler days that are ahead.
I love how I don't have to wear layers. I love how I don't have to brace myself as I walk outside to the cold or the rain. I love how I don't get soaked while walking to the car or inside a building (true Oregonians don't use an umbrella). I love how I can sit outside or go the pool and soak up the sun and get natural vitamin D (I actually stopped taking the supplement version). I have even noticed my dogs laying in the sun (while they had the option for shade). I have appreciated the warm..and hot sunny days that I have experienced thus far. I don't take it for granted because I know what it is like to be deprived of summer type weather.
So everyone who thought I wouldn't like the Texas heat..I LOVE it. Summer has been great, but I might be thinking differently if we didn't have air conditioning. :D
Recently someone asked me how I was handling the summer months. I replied that the heat hasn't bothered me yet. I got a surprised reaction....
It has been summer like since we got here in March. Today's high is supposed to be 103 degrees-the 33rd tipple digit day of the summer season. Most people can't wait until cooler weather, I on the other hand is not looking forward to cooler days that are ahead.
I love how I don't have to wear layers. I love how I don't have to brace myself as I walk outside to the cold or the rain. I love how I don't get soaked while walking to the car or inside a building (true Oregonians don't use an umbrella). I love how I can sit outside or go the pool and soak up the sun and get natural vitamin D (I actually stopped taking the supplement version). I have even noticed my dogs laying in the sun (while they had the option for shade). I have appreciated the warm..and hot sunny days that I have experienced thus far. I don't take it for granted because I know what it is like to be deprived of summer type weather.
So everyone who thought I wouldn't like the Texas heat..I LOVE it. Summer has been great, but I might be thinking differently if we didn't have air conditioning. :D
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Texas VS. Oregon
So we have been living in Texas for about 5 months now and we are starting to see the underlying differences of Texas and Oregon. Since many of you ask, I thought I would start with a list. Who knows, maybe in a year this list will be longer as we learn more about Texas:)
4. In Texas, you have to pay tax. In Oregon, you don't.
5. Gas in Texas is cheaper than Oregon.
6. People are nicer in Texas than in Portland, Oregon. I say Portland specifically because after living in Oregon for 30 years and the last 4 spent in Portland, I noticed a big difference in how people treat each other. Also last year Portland was ranked one of the top rudest cities in America. Portlander's didn't know why...I DID!
7. In Oregon, you can find a coffee stand pretty much on every corner. Texas, not so much.
8. Alfalfa sprouts are like non-existent here.
9. Okra...never heard of it until 5 months ago.
10. You can't leave your door open to get fresh air, especially at night. If you do, big June bugs fly in. Never seen a June bug until 5 months ago (they are ugly).
TEXAS VS. OREGON
1. Texas has summers and little rain (thus far). Oregon has no (to little) summers and it rains all the time.
2. In Texas, there is no such thing as a swirl ice cream cone. We found this out one time when we went to Dairy Queen (DQ) and they didn't even know what we were talking about. Their version was to dip vanilla ice cream in chocolate sauce.
3. In Texas, you have to pump your own gas. In Oregon, it's illegal to do so. Below is a picture of me learning how to pump my own gas.
4. In Texas, you have to pay tax. In Oregon, you don't.
5. Gas in Texas is cheaper than Oregon.
6. People are nicer in Texas than in Portland, Oregon. I say Portland specifically because after living in Oregon for 30 years and the last 4 spent in Portland, I noticed a big difference in how people treat each other. Also last year Portland was ranked one of the top rudest cities in America. Portlander's didn't know why...I DID!
7. In Oregon, you can find a coffee stand pretty much on every corner. Texas, not so much.
8. Alfalfa sprouts are like non-existent here.
9. Okra...never heard of it until 5 months ago.
10. You can't leave your door open to get fresh air, especially at night. If you do, big June bugs fly in. Never seen a June bug until 5 months ago (they are ugly).
11. Highest Peak in Oregon: Mount Hood - 11,239 feet. Highest peak in Texas: Guadalupe Peak - 8,749 feet.
12. Oregon has big trees. Texas barely has trees.
13, Texas: BBQ, BBQ, BBQ.
14. Oregon: Environmental friendly.
12. Oregon has big trees. Texas barely has trees.
13, Texas: BBQ, BBQ, BBQ.
14. Oregon: Environmental friendly.
15. When checking the mail or going to your garage, there is a big chance you will see a live lizard.
16. Sunsets. Both Texas and Oregon have beautiful sunsets, but you are more likely to see one in Texas every day.
So this is it so far, at least all that I can think of at this moment. Wonder what other things will come up in the next few months. It has been a learning experience so far. It's been great.
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