for a more updated update of what is going on in the crazy country called New Zealand please see our team's blog:

http://nzbackpackers2009.blogspot.com/

thank you,

Jordan

Pictures of our adventure so far...

Climbing Mountains

The team staying for free at someone's place

I'm alive (barely)...

I just got done hiking 41.6 miles of craziness. Not a lot to update, but I wanted to shout out to my parents that I am good to go. Love you all, if I don't talk to you before Christmas...well, Merry Christmas. More to update later. Life is good. My team is awesome.

Peace.

Time is like a handful of sand- the tighter you grasp it, the faster it runs through your fingers.

Isn't that so true? Wow, here we are...it is almost Christmas, the end of 2009, and the end of a season here in New Zealand. A time in which I can only hope I took advantage of every second. Friends will be leaving us tomorrow morning, and the rest of the backpacker teams leave this Saturday morning. Let's be honest, I may never see some of these people again for the rest of my life. That is one of the difficulties of life, learning to say goodbye.

“Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you.”

I am so excited for outreach! Two months of intentionally loving until it hurts.

This past week was really fun. We all drew names and for the whole week got to bless the person we drew. I had an absolute blast doing it and being secretive! My small group leader Nicki got my name and all week I was blessed with verses from Song of Solomon, a cake, and coffee! At the end of the week, we all dressed up, ate dinner, and a dance party. Good times!

Honestly, I would love to write more, but this is my last Sunday so I'm going to go find my friends.

Oh each team is going to be keeping a blog and I will be updating ours. Here is the link, enjoy!

http://nzbackpackers2009.blogspot.com/

If I were home in the States, I would go get a vanilla latte with you at the Coffee Shop on Cherry Street. Oh well, I guess I can wait three more months...

Praise.

Time sure flies by. I can't believe it is almost Christmas! And this is crazy, we leave for outreach in two weeks! We will be parting from all the people we have gotten close to. I will be living out of a van with a Dutch man, two Canadians and two Americans. You may call it crazy, but I call it NUTS!

Note: Canadians are so much like Americans, the only way I can distinguish between us is by how they say words like, "about (sounds like a-boat)," "out," or "flag."

Last weekend we went to the West Coast to a town called Punakaiki. We stayed in a hostel by the beach and experienced the serious strength of the ocean, which involved me getting soaked to the bone in my jeans. Now...my Mom always told me to be prepared and girl scouts emphasized this a ton, but I am disappointed to say I went for a smaller pack rather than preparedness. Whoopsie daisy! Thankfully, others were willing to share. Last Saturday I went to sleep having seen an incredible sunset over the Tasman Sea and a cave full of glow worms. But, this weekend will be filled with adventure, because I will be staying on base to clean, do dishes, cook, etc.

This past week has been incredible, lecture-wise. We have been learning a lot and the best is when you feel it is not just going to your head but sinking right down to your heart.

Below is C.S. Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms. It is lengthy, but I promise, well worth the read! This is a good idea on what we have been learning on this fine week.

The following passage is taken from Lewis’ book, Reflections on the Psalms:

“When I first began to draw near to belief in God and even for some time after it had been given to me, I found a stumbling block in the demand so clamorously made by all religious people that we should ‘praise’ God; still more in the suggestion that God Himself demanded it. We all despise the man who demands continued assurance of his own virtue, intelligence or delightfulness; we despise still more the crowd of people round every dictator, every millionaire, every celebrity, who gratify that demand. Thus a picture, at once ludicrous and horrible, both of God and His worshippers, threatened to appear in my mind. The Psalms were especially troublesome in this way —’Praise the Lord,’ ‘O praise the Lord with me,’ ‘Praise Him.’ . . . Worse still was the statement put into God’s own mouth, ‘whoso offereth me thanks and praise, he honoureth me’ (50:23). It was hideously like saying, ‘What I most want is to be told that I am good and great.’ . . . [Furthermore], more than once the Psalmists seemed to be saying, ‘You like praise. Do this for me, and you shall have some.’ Thus in [Ps.] 54 the poet begins ’save me’ (1), and in verse 6 adds an inducement, ‘An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy Name.’ Again and again the speaker asks to be saved from death on the ground that if God lets His suppliants die He will get no more praise from them, for the ghosts in Sheol cannot praise ([Pss.] 30:10; 88:10; 119:175). And mere quantity of praise seemed to count; ’seven times a day do I praise thee’ (119:164). It was extremely distressing. It made one think what one least wanted to think. Gratitude to God, reverence to Him, obedience to Him, I thought I could understand; not this perpetual eulogy. . . .

[Part of my initial problem is that] I did not see that it is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men. It is not of course the only way. But for many people at many times the ‘fair beauty of the Lord’ is revealed chiefly or only while they worship Him together. Even in Judaism the essence of the sacrifice was not really that men gave bulls and goats to God, but that by their so doing God gave Himself to men; in the central act of our own worship of course this is far clearer — there it is manifestly, even physically, God who gives and we who receive. The miserable idea that God should in any sense need, or crave for, our worship like a vain woman wanting compliments, or a vain author presenting his new books to people who never met or heard him, is implicitly answered by the words, ‘If I be hungry I will not tell thee‘ (50:12). Even if such an absurd Deity could be conceived, He would hardly come to us, the lowest of rational creatures, to gratify His appetite. I don’t want my dog to bark approval of my books[!].

But the most obvious fact about praise — whether of God or anything — strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of compliment, approval, or the giving of honour. I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless . . . shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it. The world rings with praise — lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favourite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favourite game — praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians or scholars. . . . Except where intolerably adverse circumstances interfere, praise almost seems to be inner health made audible. . . . I had not noticed either that just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: ‘Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it glorious? Don’t you think that magnificent?’ The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about. My whole, more general, difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what indeed we can’t help doing, about everything else we value.

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with. . . .

If it were possible for a created soul fully . . . to ‘appreciate’, that is to love and delight in, the worthiest object of all, and simultaneously at every moment to give this delight perfect expression, then that soul would be in supreme beatitude. . . . To see what the doctrine really means, we must suppose ourselves to be in perfect love with God — drunk with, drowned in, dissolved by, that delight which, far from remaining pent up within ourselves as incommunicable, hence hardly tolerable, bliss, flows out from us incessantly again in effortless and perfect expression, our joy is no more separable from the praise in which it liberates and utters itself than the brightness a mirror receives is separable from the brightness it sheds. The Scotch catechism says that man’s chief end is ‘to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ But we shall then know that these are the same thing. Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him” (pp. 90-98).

Let's get dunked!

What an incredible time this week has been. I wish I could describe it, but it would be much better if we could sit and talk. I will tell you one thing. I got baptized in a river. It was incredible to say the least. My small group leader Nicki got to do the baptizing, which is something she has been wanting to do. It was a blessing for me to have her do it. Here is a video of it. I mainly put this on here for my mom, but you can enjoy it as well if you want to!

And I could write a song a hundred miles long-Coldplay

I hope my posts are not too boring to read. I try to keep them short and sweet, but my forte is not writing. I go back and read my blogs wondering how on earth anyone would enjoy reading them. They are choppy and confusing. Thank you for your patience!

I just wanted to update that I have only five weeks left of lecture phase, then 8 more after that for outreach. Time, as we all know, goes by too fast and makes life short.

So I have been thinking about you. I want to hear how you are doing. Please, friends, family, what is going on there? Take a few minutes, tell me about yourself! Are you doing well? Can I be praying for you about something?

A plane, a star, no...a huge comet!

There isn't a whole lot to update on. Life here on the base is incredible as usual. Last weekend we hiked Arthur's pass. See my pictures here.

*side note: it was amazing when my lovely Mother sent a package of goodies! When I say package I mean HUGE. She sent s'mores fixings, candy corn, and much more. Everyone got to enjoy it! Mom, thank you so very much. You have no idea the blessing you are in my life and others. Rewards in heaven.

Other things we have done this week include a small group time I will remember forever. Nicki, my leader, took us to her favorite Oxford spot. She wanted to walk up a creek to a waterfall. She has been wanting to do it for a long time, so we felt blessed to be apart of this. Needless to say, the water was cold and the creek was very deep in parts. At one point, (and we were super proud of ourselves for this feat) we had to "heave-ho" a huge tree to get across because it was so deep.

As many of you know I am one that likes to go to bed early-ish. Well, I go to bed early here because we have to be up at 6:30am! My nickname has become Gramps...awesome. Erin, quit rolling your eyes!!! Anyway, my friends Anya and Kristin, have been trying to get me to stay up later and go on walks with them. Finally, last night I decided I was game. A few others decided to come along also to go star watching. I say all this because I was so well rewarded for staying up. We saw an incredible falling star, more like comet!! It was so huge, a friend named Anthony thought we could go find it. Blessings in the gold.

I hope you are well. I miss you and wish you could be here with me seeing, smelling, learning, climbing, tramping, etc.

Good Night.

Here we go!

Well Friends and Family, the wait is over.

We found out our outreach teams today.

I AM GOING TO NEW ZEALAND AND FIJI!!!

Thank you for your prayers and love. Thank you Cory for being amazing and letting God work through your e-mail. Many blessings to you my friend. Please, PLEASE, please be praying for us as we prepare to go out to the uttermost part of the world to share the love and grace of Christ in mid December. I mean I know we are here now, but we will be doing two solid months of going out.

Thank you.

“We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.”

Music is what feelings sound like...

If I could write like a specific person it would be Donald Miller. His words always speak to me. I feel like I am sitting with him over coffee, chatting, when I read his books.

If you and I were sitting at coffee right now, we might talk about music; how music touches us as human to the very depths of our souls and spirits. It makes people come alive.

Music shows me there is a God. It makes me feel I have a purpose on this Earth. That it is no accident I am here. How can we listen to music and not believe? Granted, there is some music that does not move me, but even still, I love it.

When I go for coffee I want to get deep. I want to talk about such things. I want to be real.

So go get coffee with an old friend or new friend, share your hearts, and let the caffeine and good conversation take you away.

I am listening to A Fine Frenzy on grooveshark.com, so good!

You Picked Me

One, two, three
Counting out the signs we see
The tall buildings
Fading in the distance
Only dots on a map
Four, five, six
The two of us a perfect fit
You're all mine, all mine

And all I can say
Is you blow me away

Like an apple on a tree
Hiding out behind the leaves
I was difficult to reach
But you picked me
Like a shell upon a beach
Just another pretty piece
I was difficult to see
But you picked me
Yeah you picked me

So softly
Rain against the windows
And the strong coffee
Warming up my fingers
In this fisherman's house
You got me
Searched the sand
And climbed the tree
And brought me back down

And all I can say
Is you blow me away

A video for fun.

Backpacking through Lewis Pass...

Outreach

YWAM Outreach: short-term outreach teams made up of individuals who get to participate first-hand in "making God known" through both words and actions.

We just found out our choices for outreach today. They want us to talk with our parents, friends; those we love and trust from home. Basically, I just ask that you would pray I would hear God's voice clearly and figure out what my top three options will be and let the Lord work from there to figure what team I will be on. Our leader will pray about each of us and make the final decision. I do not want to be swayed by leaders or students, but I desire to follow where the Lord would take me.

Here they are: (5 options_4 Teams)

1. India and Nepal

2. Thailand and Cambodia

3. Fiji

4. New Zealand traveling team

5. New Zealand climbing team

Thank you! Your prayers make ALL the difference in each our lives here.

Be Blessed.

P.S. If you are interested in YWAM please go to www.ywam.org This is probably the sweetest thing I could have done with my life. The people (students and staff) are the most incredible people to find in one place. I feel blessed beyond belief to be here. Thank you for all the support!

Lewis Pass

This past week and a bit was incredible. Learning about the Father's heart for each of us was like feeling a cool breeze when you are hot as heck. It was refreshing.

Every Friday we do ministry in Christchurch, which for me involves climbing at the YMCA. It is rough climbing and getting to know people. I met two guys while climbing named Jeff and Killian, who were SO great. I told them I was doing a Bible school and they were joking about Jesus rock climbing. One of them owns an espresso company and kept offering a free cup of coffee if I made a certain climbing move.

The next morning we headed off for a tramp (tramp is a hike).
Lewis Pass was quite the hike, but so worth it. We drove two hours, hiked for three, Anya (my new friend from Canada) and I got a bit lost. We just hitchhiked to the parking lot. Not really, but in New Zealand there are so many hitchhikers! Everyone does it here with no fear. There is also free camping basically anywhere. A part of me is considering just moving here.

So after a very tiring hike up hill both ways and in the snow, as my mom says, we then drove to where we would get out and hike another FOUR hours to where we would spend the night. At this point I could curl up in a ball and sleep, but I had no choice.

Luckily, a little over two hours we arrived! We had an incredible meal and a few of us decided to brave the cold and sleep outside on the porch.

Side Note: There are really no bugs here, EXCEPT the dreaded sand fly. They are known as Satan's spawn to some.

We are back now from the craziness known as my weekend. I am unbelievably tired. We hiked around 30km in two days. I have no idea what that is in miles.

Every day I am more and more thankful to be here, knowing with out a doubt this is where I am supposed to be at this time in my life. The love and unity of the people here are like none I have ever seen or been apart of anywhere. I will be so sad for this to end.

Being welcomed...

The last two days have been incredible.

Yesterday, we headed to Wai ora (living waters in Maori). We were welcomed by the Maori community. They are the indigenous people of New Zealand. It was neat to see and hear a Maori warrior. It got really interesting when I realized I was going to have to do the traditional Maori welcome. Instead of a handshake, you touch foreheads and then noses. It is called a hongi (wikipedia describes it well). In this greeting the breath of life is exchanged. Those who know me well are probably trying to picture me do this (too bad, I didn't get any pictures). When the chief was asked how the Maori were told about the Gospel, he described to us the Maori's beliefs. When they first heard, they realized Jesus was the breath of life (I am doing a much worse job describing this, but you get the idea).

We also sang a song called E te Ariki

E te Ariki	Oh lord
Whakarongo mai ra ki a matou	Listen to us
E te Ariki	Oh lord
Titiro mai ra ki a matou	Look at us
Tenei matou	This is us
O tamariki	Your children
E whakapono ana matou	We believe
Ki a koe Aue! Aue!	In you
Te Matua te Tamaiti	The father and the son
Wairua tapu e	Holy spirit

How cool that God speaks to people that have never heard of His Son and sacrifice!

1 Corinthians 9:22-23

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The night before last we had small groups and it was awesome. Nikki, my leader, took us on a walk and we stopped in the woods, witnessed a glorious sunset, and sat at a table. We made hot chocolate and s'mores! Oh glorious s'mores! The other students in my group (Petra from the Netherlands and Lydia from England) have never had s'mores. It was a great time to be real with each other, and I know it will be one of my favorite things here.

*I automatically loved Lydia because one of my best friends is named Lydia!

Today, we have heard heaps (they use this word A LOT or heaps) of personal stories of God working. My idea in the past, and I think He still has to work on me a bit, of how big God is does not really do Him justice. He really is a BIG God. He doesn't just do great things in my life, my friends lives, my family, etc. He works all over! I have heard stories from all over the world this week.

We also got to hear from a man who is a Jew and believes Jesus is THE Messiah. Here are a two points I thought were interesting.

- Most Jews are Biblically (meaning the Hebrew Bible) illiterate.

- More Jews live in NYC than Israel

- We can share Christ with them by our love

To end...

Witnessing to people is about being yourself and letting God work. We share the love of Christ by having compassion and love. God does the rest. And gosh, there is nothing He can't do.

By the way, you can see the milk way galaxy and two other galaxies in the starry sky in a way I have never seen them or can describe. I am so thankful to be here. I wouldn't trade this for anything.

Blessings.

Two Penguins in a Tub

So there are two penguins in a tub. The tub is a claw foot tub, very nice looking. One penguin has a top hat on. The one without the hat realizes he needs some soap, so he asks the other for soap. The penguin with the top hat looks at him strangely and replies, "what do I look like, a typewriter?!"

The past couple of days have been for the most part uneventful. We have spent time getting to know one another, doing work duties and going over the logistics of life here.

One day though we played ultimate, and climbed this HUGE hedge. The goal was to get to the other end of it without touching the ground. The length of this hedge was about the size of a soccer field. It was a new and totally awesome adventure!

Today, it has been snowing and raining on and off all day. Yet, we headed to Christchurch for a scavenger hunt. We had a list and a camera. The goal of this hunt was simple. Have fun and get to know the city. It was really fun. I have some good pictures/videos.

Now we are sitting around a fire and playing catch phrase.

I haven't even been here a week, but I feel I have been here forever. I am in a general state of complete excitement for what I am doing, but every now and then I just freak out. This is crazy! I love it.

We shared testimonies today and it is so cool to be in a room with so many people that want something different. We all have a desire to love people. We are tired of what many are seeking (e.g. money, academia, etc.), and we just want to simply follow Jesus.

Sad day. We wanted to make s'mores for those that had never had them, but the grocery store doesn't have marshmallows!

Kiwi word for cotton candy: fairy floss

Can I have another Tim Tam Slam?!

Some things I find interesting about New Zealand:

- It is basically the most beautiful place anywhere EVER (and that is with cloudy skies, I have yet to see it with clear skies, but I can't wait)!

- I asked a Kiwi girl doing the same DTS with me about when schools are in session here. She explained that they have 9 weeks on and 2 weeks off (4 times) and then 3 months off. Someone tell Obama this...I don't think he knows.

- College is known as University

- I tried a Tim Tam Slam today. I don't know if I am at liberty to explain this, but it is melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

- You have to ride a bike or motorcycle with a helmet or you get a BIG fine.

- Don't ever make a peace sign and turn it to face you!! That is like giving someone the finger!

- Their accents out do the USA always.

- The toilets have two options for flushing.

- They like to say "Bro" a lot.

I have been surprised to find I have more time for blogging and skype than I expected. With that said, I want to use my time wisely and soak it up.

Also, we got to hear the vision for the Backpackers' DTS today and I am so pumped, I want to jump around. This is the perfect DTS for me. I will get to rock climb, slack-line, mountain bike, etc. and while doing these things I am passionate about (specifically rock climbing), get to know others. I will get to be myself and share how God has impacted my life.

Kia Ora? Hello!

Well I have finally arrived and I feel like I should run around like I am crazy! It is hard to describe the past 24 hours.

It is 39 degrees here. Thankfully, we have a fireplace.

The plane ride from Los Angeles to Auckland was a trip.

Auckland to Christchurch was the most stressful part. It involved me running/sprinting from one part of the airport to another. I missed my flight, but they had me on the next one.

I was greeted like family at the gate and we headed off to the base.

Erin- it looks a lot like Northern Cali! You would love it.

It is beautiful here. The foothills of the Southern Alps are nearby. I feel I should go up them and start singing "the hills are alive" like Julie Andrews.

You should know that I am not a writer, so I hope this isn't too confusing.

I have met so many people, whether in line for security or seeing Harry Connick Jr. in the ridiculous customs line, or the wonderfully nice people sitting by me on the plane.

They have food here which sounds like it came from Harry Potter. Lolly Mix? And the safety video for the plane was a skit. I think Shepherd's Fold must have rubbed off on them somehow.

Katie Day-they serve coffee for everything! B-e-a-utiful!

P.S. If you haven't picked up Donald Miller's new book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, go buy it. So great.

Times they are a'changin'

After an incredible goodbye to all my best friends, I am ready to go off to the unknown with some amazing support through prayer and encouragement.

I am so pumped!

“You never really leave a place or person you love, part of them you take with you, leaving a part of yourself behind.”

The next time I will write on here I will probably be in New Zealand.

13 days...

Less than two weeks until I am in a very beautiful country.

It is never safe to look into the future with eyes of fear.

I am very excited for New Zealand. It is one of those experiences you know will be one that will change your life forever, and make you into who you are to become. Yeah, this is gonna be good. I would not be opposed to leaving tomorrow. With that said, there are 18 days until I am there.

-fearless

If I got to pick three sisters...

I can't get this song out of my head and I love it!

You belong with me

Anyway, I just wanted to write about how great this last weekend was. I got to spend some much needed time with three of my favorite people in this world. I mean I have a long list of favorites, but these people top the list, they take the cake, they are incredible and I feel so blessed just to know them. We talked a lot, shopped, made nobake cookies, and mai

nly enjoyed one another's good company.

here's a few old picture that will brighten anyones day...

Love you guys and am so glad to be your punk little sister.

"Because with fear comes hope the same."

Currently Listening on repeat: Songs that Duke Wrote by Ben Rector

I have been home for less than a week and so far it has been incredible. This past weekend I had the great opportunity to visit Norman and all the incredible people there. I stayed the night with two Fold friends Liz and Amanda. I got to watch OU get beat by BYU in the midst of OU fans and it was so hilarious. I couldn't believe it was happening. Haha I was the only OSU grad in a 50 mile radius. I'm pretty certain that if anyone actually reads this knows about the Univ. of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State rivalry, if not, it is big in football. The best parts of the weekend, other than seeing so many people I love, was going to Celebration at Norman Community Church and having dinner with a very dear friend Kristin. It truly is amazing how NormCom's Community works. Worshiping, praying, and encouraging one another is something I have missed and seemed to only have found at Shepherd's Fold. I loved it and wish I could get involved there, maybe someday...

Everyone I talked to was so pumped to hear about New Zealand, but let's be honest...I don't know how you couldn't be. This might be one of the coolest things I have ever done. I am stoked and cannot believe I am doing this. Sometimes I get scared, but knowing the Lord will be holding my hand, never leaving my side, gives me boldness and Faith. Bring it.

"And you find you're holding on to everything you know, but the strength to move beyond is found in letting go." Ben Rector

This is where I am. I have to leave the memories of college and California for the past. I cannot hold on to things that are no more. My best friends have/are moving on to different things and trying to hold on to them will get me nowhere. There is no doubt we will always be friends, but will never be the same. We can't stay in the same place forever, and things change. That's life. We can't hang on to the good or the bad, we just move on.

My big goal for going on this Discipleship Training School (DTS) is to come home not looking like me. Having given my life to Christ, I submit to Him making me more like Him. Loving like Him. Seeing, feeling, playing, talking, encouraging like Him. I want to change lives and allow myself to be changed.

To end I will leave you with quite possibly one of the greatest songs of the 90s.

MMMBOP

Goodbye Tahoe

The summer is coming to a fast close. It has been good. We have learned a lot, met a lot of people and seen some beautiful sights made by the Creator. I will miss my new friends, but letting go and moving on to this new season is what I must do. I hope I have loved and I hope I never forget this summer.

Bring it on Oklahoma and then New Zealand.

Oh Lord, help me to accept change.

Home Sweet Home

I firmly believe home is where the heart is. It has been quite the trip to go home to Tulsa for Lydia's wedding, then pack up again and come home to Tahoe. Erin and I were talking about how quickly a home becomes home.

The wedding was phenomenal and I am excited to see where the Lord will take the newly married Mitchell family. I had a blast seeing some of my favorite people, dancing, watching Lydia become a wife, watching my mom coordinate their wedding (aka she rocked it), and truly enjoying what Tulsa, OK has to offer. I got to spend some good time with the rents (parents).

Home, I love it. Soon, New Zealand will be home for a time. I can't believe how fast that is coming.

I have been thinking about how blogs can be a selfish way of expressing one's self, but I hope this is more of a tool to keep up with friends, to encourage, and share life.

Coffee, macs, and baseball

What is it about coffee shops that makes you want to think about life and then write about what you are thinking in your blog? Maybe it is just coffee in general. Maybe it is all the people around you. You can feel their stares at your computer and you have this desire to "act" all deep by writing in a blog. Also, as I look around there are several people here with Macs. You have to have a Mac to come to a coffee shop. I learned that from working at Aspen, and I succumbed to this idea by getting one for Christmas. There were other reasons too (don't judge me).

On another note, Erin and I only have a few weeks left here. We were right in thinking that this summer would fly by, yet we are both still surprised by how fast.

It has been a great summer. I have learned a lot. It has been super weird, but good all the same to not be out at the Fold. I know it was an awesome summer for each staff member. The pictures on facebook prove it. I have so missed being outside for some good worship. And the people of course has always been what made it so great. I imagine I will never be able to stay away from there. Some day I hope my kids will go there. I will go back and visit for a week or two.

I'm listening to big band/swing on pandora. Love that stuff.

New Zealand is approaching so quickly. I can not believe it is almost here (1 month and 27 days). I will soon be on a plane over the Pacific...hopefully zonked out. Plane rides are no joy for me. I usually picture the thing aimed right for the ground (or ocean). It doesn't help that there was that big crash in the Atlantic over the summer. Oh Lord, please help me make it there safely and not have a heart attack. amen.

Erin and I are hoping to go to a San Francisco Giants game (maybe I am the one really hoping for it, I think it would be so fun). Cotton candy, nachos, baseball hats, screaming fans, baseball...sounds perfect.

Well...later days.

"people are like bugs..."

things i have learned while working at the casino:

- people are like bugs, they are attracted to the slots with the brightest and most colorful lights.

- older people really can't see or hear (99% of the time an older person comes to order i have to yell and hand them a menu they can bring closer to their eyes).

- people are not affected by the hurting economy because they sit all day and waste money.

- people don't like change, specially when it comes to food. I know, I am one of them.

- 80's music sounds the same after a few days.

I can't think of anything else as of now, but there is a lot of time for me to stand and observe the casino floor. People really are weirdos and much of what I see has me worried for this country and humans in general.

stories

I read something really good this morning. It is from the blog of one of my favorite authors. It is so wonderful to be able to read every couple of days what he is thinking, to see it put into words that make sense but make sense in ways I could never put them. 

The New Testament is like that. They are the stories and God blessed ideas/ways from men many years ago. And because they are all about the tragedy of human kind they will always apply. It is good though to read it and see it, like on his blog, in a new or different light. 

Check out Donald Millers blog. Good stuff.

His new book comes out the end of September and soon he is going on tour.

If you haven't read any of his other books...you should. They always speak to my heart.

mt. tallac (the beast)

the up and up

what a huge blessing my Tahoe friends are! I had lunch with my friend Anna and am now sitting enjoying some coffee at Alpen with her as she works on an online real estate class. She is certified awesome. I just told her I was writing about her...it's fine! 

although I am a bit bummed Erin is gone for a week I am excited for the plans I have for this week.

-tonight go hiking/bouldering and watch a movie at Holly's

-hike tallac

-watch a 3-d movie by the lake at Anna's

-go to kirkwood (a skiing resort) for the weekend with Holly

whew! let's do this...

p.s. 2 months, 6 days, 1 hour and 45 minutes until I am in Christchurch, New Zealand for my next adventure and journey

life is the art of drawing without an eraser.

Life has been a bit crazy recently. Full of change, good and bad. I don't have much else to say other than that, so I will leave you with a few life quotes that I appreciated or thought they had a nice ring to them.

“The most important things in life aren't things.”

-Anthony D'Angelo

“I don't want to live. I want to love first, and live incidentally.”

-Zelda Fitzgerald

“Only a life lived for others is a life worth while.”

-Albert Einstein

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

-Howard Thurman

oh, and a big congratulations to two of my closest friends. get that crap!

people are amazing.

Yeah, Jordan you're like Frank Sinatra...

Work has been slightly frustrating recently. 

Monday morning I rode my bike to work, opened my backpack and realized my black pants were not in it. I have to wear black pants...I can't just wear my jean shorts. As my panic builds I run to wardrobe (yes, Casinos have everything from bakeries to metal shops inside) and ask if they have anything for me to wear. Note: I have less than ten minutes to find something black to put on my legs! They (four wonderfully nice ladies originally from the Philippines) ended up finding me pants that were two sizes too big and up to my chest when zipped up. When I told this story to my coworker he said the men (specifically Frank Sinatra) back in the day used to wear them like that so it wasn't so bad. Thanks bro. 

Then today, I was leaving work, heading back to my locker (yes, I have a sweet locker like from high school) and did not have my key to get into that locker. I had to ask the nice lady in wardrobe for wire cutters to cut off my lock. Then I had to pay five dollars for a new lock. 

Oh brother! Oh bother. Oh boy. 

I hope I am not a dumbie anymore.

tahoe sunrise

Most of the homes in Tahoe do not have air conditioning, so that tells you how great the weather is here. I woke up this morning because I was hot and could not fall back asleep. I was trying to figure out if I should fight my sleeplessness or do something else; remembering that one of my goals for the summer was to see a sunrise over the lake, I convinced myself to get out of bed because it would be worth it and headed out the door for a 3 minute walk.

Oh man was it glorious. Someone who is used to sunrises at Tahoe would probably have been severly disappointed, but I thought it was awesome.

I'll try to describe it (I forgot my camera at home).

I first walked onto the beach and it was incredibly silent. I couldn't even hear the waves. 

The mountains were all different colors of a dark blue. 

The pink streaks of light coming up over the mountains.

Baby geese went by me at their breakfast swim.

Okay, so the description is not up to par aka terrible. Instead, I found a picture that looked somewhat like this morning. Here goes....

friend: a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection

You know when you've been away for a time and really start to miss those you love?

I am there. Talking on the phone once a week or once in a blue moon is just not cool. It is especially true for those friends that I have been in the same house with all through college. You get so used to sharing everything with them, time, clothes, and basically life. The ups and downs, going to dinner, studying, coffee. Yeesh...

The transition of being with out them is strange. I can only imagine how being in New Zealand will affect things. Putting so many miles between me and the people I am so comfortable with is going to be rough. 

I love you guys. You have touched my life and I will forever be different because of knowing you. 

Friends for-ev-er.

either people can't read or are seriously oblivious...

We have signs at my work that tell people where to order and pick up, but just about every time we have to tell them. Pointless signs!

I really have nothing new to write. It is work, work, work for me. 

Hopefully next week I will be on part-time. That will be glorious. 

***1 Month until I come home for a few days, for a wedding, and to see the people I love mostest! Get ready folks!

sink or swim

A good song below. Love that Waterdeep...

Will you hold my hand? 
Do I have to stand in this world all alone 
where it's icy cold 
and all the people chime in 
You've got to sink or swim? 
Where there's rain there's drought, 
So I'll confess my doubts. 
Where there's threshing of the fields 
something's bound to yield. 
And all the people cry out, 
they feel they're about to drown 
on the ocean floor 
but I know there's more 
I know You understand what it's like to be man 
Sometimes I forget You're near 
Sometimes I forget you hear 
The way the raindrops fall, 
the sound of the wind as it calls, 
and every breath I breathe 
and song I don't sing 

Waterdeep Sink Or Swim lyrics

I lead a guy to the promised land, apparently that is a land of napkins.

Oh work. My first day off today and boy am I thankful. I have worked 8 days straight. Now I know how my parents feel, those hard workers!

I wanted to give a bit of a description of the people I work with.

Donna is a sixty year old ex-hippie. She has been married for 10 years they met at the Casino (maybe I'll meet the love of my life here too...hopefully not). She has two sons from her hippie days named Rio and Forest or Forrest. She is very nice, works hard and asks many questions. I like her a lot.

Marysol is seventeen and when I say seventeen I mean SEVENTEEN. Highschoolers (as I shake my head). She flirts with the twenty year old cooks in the back and rejoices in staying out until 5am every night. She is so nice, but it is funny that a five year gap is such a huge difference. I think she is pretty fun though. She is headed to UC Santa Cruz (the birthplace and home of Chris Sharma, where I will be transferring after New Zealand) in the fall. Oh Lord!

Hans is close to forty and he is the chef of the place. We call him chef, it is awesome! Hey CHEF, I need some potato salad! Hey CHEF, youre cool. Anyway, he is originally from Germany, has traveled everywhere, and lived in Tahoe for 10 or 11 years. He has no kids and when I asked why he said because he and his wife have traveled so much and he wanted kids to have a stable future. He is a cussing Christian who teaches a cooking class at church sometimes to help people. I have talked to him the most and he loves that I am going to New Zealand. He also thinks this country is going bad (it doesn't help that we work at a casino and see a lot of crazy/crazies), but he still enjoys the US of A. 

My manager Alice is very nice and enjoys things done right. You have to at a Casino because "they" are always watching you. I am sometimes surprised there are not cameras in the bathrooms, etc. She is also flexible with us. She has a daughter or two? 

I think that is good for now with my coworkers, there are a few others and I will tell you later, but I don't want to bore.

My favorite part of the day at work is my hour break when I get to relax and read while drinking chocolate milk...and get paid! haha

I miss everyone so much and am counting down the days until I get to come home for Lydia and Ty's wedding. Let's hang out!

well...later days

Harvey's

Work is my newest adventure. It turns out I do have a job and a full time position! I went in on Tuesday thinking I would go in and finish some more paper work and ended up getting trained. I have spent the last few days in a deli, working a cash register and making people smile with a sandwich. I also get to watch old people waste money and smoke (I hope I don't get lung cancer from second hand smoke).

Not too bad when you add in how much I'm getting paid...PLUS tips. I'm banking. 

The people I work with are very nice and we all work hard. Life by the lake is hard, but good.

My old friend Katelin called and told me about an incredible dream she had, the kind of dream that just makes your heart so happy. Hopefully she will e-mail it to me and I can share it with you.

Tomorrow is the 4th and Tahoe is supposed to be one of the greatest places to see fireworks. I can not wait! Homemade ice cream, the beach, relaxing here I come!

Until we meet again...

A good book

Since my last post, I have been spending my time reading, biking, and just enjoying my time.  

The job I am pretty sure I have (they informed me Thursday that they forgot I still need to do a panel interview, after having me do a drug test and filling out my W-2) is like jumping through hoops to even start.  Then I will work for 8 weeks. Casino's are ridiculous. I feel like I am applying for the CIA!

It has been wonderfully relaxing only having a book to read and the kind of weather to enjoy it in.

Not much new to write...

I pray everyone from home stays cool. My parents Air Conditioning is not working and the temperature in the house reads 82 degrees. Yikes! 

I can only imagine what my friends at Shepherd's Fold are feeling. Been there, done that.

Well...later days

I got a jorb (job)!! finally....

a HUGE box!

I had an interview today and I have one tomorrow. The job market is looking a bit better! 

Today, Erin and I biked all over town. Erin wanted to mail something to Brian, but there were no boxes big enough. We ended up with a box three times as big as the actual thing to be mailed.

We also stopped by the Library and got Library cards and I printed off a few resumes. 

A great day so far. Looking forward to my new book, eating some guacamole, and watching Confessions of a Shopaholic.

Our neighbor, Landy just came by because we left her brownies the other day! She came over and said hello and left us a bag with a sweet card and soap! Do we smell? Just kidding...we loved it! This is awesome! PEOPLE ARE COOL! Bringing someone brownies, brings a smile and lets them know we care. So cool, SO COOL! I hope we all become friends. 

I want to make some nobake cookies next. Maybe tomorrow?

Later days...

a joyous weekend

Since my last post Erin and I went on an incredible hike to Emerald Bay (pictures are on facebook) and ate some pizza with new, but seemingly old friends.  

Right now Erin is playing the guitar and drums, making up songs...can't get much better. CHeck out the video above to see this in action!

I got to spend this weekend with my mom. It has been so wonderful! As soon as she got here we headed straight for some grub because she hadn't eaten anything all day. So I decided to take her to our favorite place in Carson City called the Firkin and Fox, which is an Irish Pub.  It was so good. 

The next day I made her breakfast. We went on the gondola for an incredible view of the lake. We wanted to try kayaking but since it was later in the day the lake was too rough.  So kayaking in Tahoe is still on my to do list for the summer.  Then we got to see Emerald Bay State Park (which Arnold Schwarzenegger will be closing down because of a lack of money, lame), it is so beautiful! After freezing our buns, seeing there was nowhere to park and getting honked at for nothing, we went for dinner at another pub called the English Tudor. That night we came back to the hotel and played some miniature golf.

All-in-all it was too short, but very sweet.

Today, Erin and I made bird feeders from all the pine cones lying around.  We also made brownies for our neighbors, which we then took to them and none of them came to the door.  It's fine, they will get a surprise at their door.

Happy Father's Day! Love you DAD!

rainbows and roses

I was reading in my bible this morning about promises and was reminded of the rainbow. I am reading a book called Many Waters. It is a crazy book set in the time of Noah and his family. 

I need to know in my heart that the Lord keeps His promises, so here is a rainbow Erin and I saw a few weeks ago...bright, beautiful, and faithful as always.

Trabajo

job [job] noun, verb, adjective

-noun a post of employment; full-time or part-time position

I have been looking and looking all morning for any place in South Lake that is hiring, but the problem is no one is hiring. I could go into a list of places I have applied and called, but really it would not be fun or exciting to read about and my fingers would grow tired. My brain is already fried from thinking about this.

I have come to a coffee shop here called Alpen Sierra Coffee. The coffee here is so great! I love coffee and really wish these coffee shops in town would hire me, but nope. So instead, I have decided to spend $4 for a mug of goodness, update my blog and forget my sorrows.  Oh sweet cup of sugary caffeinated bliss, how I love thee. Until I find a job and the rain finally clears, this is how I shall spend my time.

Atleast one of us is bringing home the bacon, selling $400 sunglasses. Which I must say is pretty sick (the sick part being that people spend that kind of money for an accessory). I should go to Erins work, sit in front with a sign that says, "send me to New Zealand...help me to change the world." Ah well.

I went climbing last night, climbed a V2 (that is the equivalent of a 5.11d) which is pretty dang hard. Parents, you should be so proud. I am living my dream. No job, but I sure am climbing well!

I just took an hour break to apply to Jack in the Box and K-mart. K-marts application process was ridiculous. 75 questions of crazy. OH MY GOSH. I do have an interview at K-mart though. We'll see...

 

Mrs. Wagner...

The title of this post is in reference to the one of many hilarious stories told by Samantha Wagner this week. She had a girl in her class that pulled a number one or number two atleast once a week. One particular time the small first grader came up to Sam and said, "Mrs. Wagner...I amm I just sneezed and a little poop came out." She was quickly sent to the nurse to change.

It has been a great week. We hiked Horsetail Falls, made dinner, enjoyed some Watermelon margaritas at Chevy's (Samantha had a watermelon lemonade), barbequed fajitas by the lake, watched the Dave Chapelle show and Erin and I enjoyed the truly blessed company of James and Samantha. They were wonderful to have around our cabin.

What's next?

My mom comes this next week to visit and I can not wait!

Erin has a job! I am still on the prowl so to speak.

Let the good times roll...

Rude Brothers

I am sitting at a coffee/bagel shop called Rude Brothers near my house watching people. There are so many people here that ride their bikes. It is so great. The cool thing here is to be "green." The exact opposite of Oklahoma. My computer says it is 60 degrees outside and it is sadly pretty cloudy. I am drinking a hot chocolate that certainly wins no award for being the best. I want Aspen! Oh how I miss thee. If any of you Aspen peeps read this and want to send me a hot chocolate my address is...

But really I would think the coffee shops here would be phenomenal because it is a ski town.

Which by the way someone informed me that Charles Barkley likes to spend his summer days out here. I can only imagine his ridiculous house. My roommate says Tiger Woods has a place here...this town is crazy.

The thing that has blown my mind the most about this whole trip is the amazing provision of God. I mean he gives us a great place to live with a great roommate. One week into this venture we met two great gals and the list goes on. The Lord just keeps sweeping Erin and I off our feet. We are so easily impressed by Him. Life in Tahoe is funny. I never could have expected everything to be like it is. Whether good or bad it is what it is. I wonder everyday what more this summer can hold. It is a great blessing to have Erin's brother and wife here. I had never met them before, but I like them! 

Tahoe would be perfect if we could just burn ALL the flat bill hats that every guy out here wears. Where is the creativity people? I almost just need to buy one to fit in...that will not happen, don't you worry!

I miss you dear parents and friends. Distance makes the heart grow fonder AND realize how key people are in your life.

A summer adventure...

I have been in Lake Tahoe for over a week now.  Life has been pretty much insane and a roller coaster of emotions.  I miss those I have been so close to these past few years.  It is hard to accept that life will never be like it has been.  I will never stomp down the stairs of my house in Stillwater and find Nichole making coffee or Lydia coming home from work.  Now, I walk outside my door, walk 100 ft and see an enormous lake surrounded by mountains. 

I have seen so much beauty recently.  Whether it be the amazing painted desert or the huge canyon in Arizona.  Man, you go there knowing it's big and find it is bigger.  I think I might have seen a glimpse of brown known as the Colorado River.  Then we saw the biggest and oldest tree in the world.  It was there when Christ was walking around. I wish I could ask that tree if it knew anything about life.  Sounds weird, but I think even the tree would have some wisdom to tell.  Later we witnessed the most quiet, yet extraordinary sight.  A view I hope I never forget. There are pictures of it on my Flickr page...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33710195@N02/

We finally arrived in Tahoe after a three day long road trip.  The whole week following our arrival was a struggle of feeling lonely and seeing more beauty.  Going to the beach near our house is always refreshing; reminding me how Big and Amazing God truly is. 

Praise the Lord...Erin and I have met new friends.  They are awesome.  It is  great blessing to meet people with similar interests.  Our two new friends love the Lord and truly appreciate God's creation. Amen.

It is crazy thinking three months from now I will be home, but until then I want to enjoy life.  I want to come back a different person.  More loving and more courageous.

No one knows what the future holds...I like it best this way.  

“I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.”

Soon my best friend and I are heading to a new place, with new people. I will see things I could have never imagined and do things I have only dreamed. I love it. I am so excited and can't wait to go. I know I m going to fall in love with everything I encounter these next three months. Time will fly, but I hope and pray I will be like a sponge.  Soaking up everything. I hope I learn new things. 

Let's GO!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.”

-helen keller

“Adventure must start with running away from home”

-william bolitho

The beginning of the end...

Three and a half weeks of college. I don't know where time went, but if you find her tell her she's going too fast. 

Pretty soon I graduate, and a new chapter of life will begin. I will be in California, living life in a way that is exciting and scary. When I tell people what my plans are for the next year their jaw drops. I guess what I am doing is crazy, but I see it as awesome! 

Life is crazy.