back to basics

Keeping 3 blogs is too difficult. I'm back to my blogger account. You can find my thoughts here:




See you there...

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High Tide or Low Tide

Sunday night was our first practice for The Pursuit. Despite the absences of two of our band members I think it went pretty well. I'm really excited about this event and I hope that everyone who shows up will really be able to worship in a new and powerful way. 


We've been asked to lead worship this summer at Refuge Camp. Supposedly we'll be getting paid for it. That'll be fun. I was already planning on going so this adds a new and fun perk.

Talli and I are working with my friend David to, hopefully, put together a Valentine's Day show at Club Congress. It'll be a great way to meet the people who are in charge of music there and possibly make some extra money.

At the beginning of every year I try to take a look back at the previous 12 months and reflect. I don't need to think about it much to know that I'm not sad to see 2007 go. There were a lot of awesome things that happened like PJ and Ruth getting married and my finally making a decision as to what job I want to have and then taking the proper steps toward that direction. But there was also more heartache in this past year than possibly any other year before it. With the loss of 2 grandpas, one of my small group girls, a close family friend and a cousin, it's been a busy year. I knew it would be hard losing my Grandpa Jim, but I didn't realize it would be this hard. Holidays were bittersweet this year as I was constantly reminded that he wasn't there. Then there has also been the other issue that has followed me around and thrown me for several loops throughout the year. It has influenced my view of people and myself and marriage and love all at the same time. I don't think this situation will be resolved easily and I am still in the middle of sorting through my feelings.

In the meantime, my 6 month devotion to God's will for my romantic life will be coming to an end in a little over a month. That doesn't mean that I'll start looking for love in all directions. I have a better sense of what kind of man I wand for my life and what kind of man God wants for my life, but only He can discern when that man will come along. I plan on waiting as patiently as I can for whomever God has set aside. 

I'm excited for this year. I'm anxiously awaiting the removal of my braces, which should be happening no later than April. Vickie's wedding is in May. Camp is in June. My life is all year. I am expectantly praying that this year will be a good year for learning more about who I am in Christ and who I am intended to be. 

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Baby It's Cold Outside

The 'Christmas' season goes by way too fast. Once again I found myself struggling to find time to enjoy the weather and music and unity that this time brings. I also found myself diluting this beautiful holiday to the commercialized absurdity our society has made it. I'm kind of ashamed about that. I love Christmas more than most things in this world but I realized this year that I may be loving it for all the wrong reasons. There is a specific purpose to this holiday and I wasn't embracing that. So this year was a time of refocus - of remembering why we celebrate Christmas and why it's such a big deal.


I've been trying to focus more on God these past few months. I'm in a bit of a rut right now, in that nothing is really evolving, but overall I've made a lot of progress. With about a month and a half left of this 6 month journey I'm thinking that I may not be where I'd like to be when this is over. I'm considering taking some more time to spend with God and learn to give my heart fully to Him before I give part of it to a man. But it's not just about a man. It's about learning to see God in a new way and to learn as much about Him and from Him that I can. It's about forming a relationship that isn't tattered by our pasts or inhibitions or strange habits, but wholly created out of unconditional love. It's about realizing that God want that relationship with me and that I'll never be truly happy until I embrace that request.

...switching subjects...

Christmas was really nice. We were expecting a fairly quiet (as quiet as a family of 6 can get) few days but were quickly reminded that there is no such occurrence in our family. Christmas Eve I worked for a few hours, attended the service at Casas and then we went to my cousin's place to eat menudo and tamales and hang out. Christmas started out slow but the pace quickened as the day proceeded. I received some really cool gifts, as did we all, and then I made us all a big breakfast. For dinner we had my Grandma Margie over and her husband Tom as well as my cousins from the night before and Ernesto. We all at pozole and ham and mashed potatoes and took pictures and laughed. For the first time ever in my life I left Christmas night to go see some friends - but they understood that Chris was only in town for a few days so it was cool. 

I'm falling asleep so the rest will have to wait until later.

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Uh oh

I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. I know that most people don't, but I've never been that person before.


It's rather daunting

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Christmas is coming!

Have I mentioned that I love Christmas? I LOVE Christmas. This is the one time of the year that I have this complete sense of elation no matter what my current situations are. It's like the whole feeling of the season permeates into my heart. So far (since the day after Thanksgiving) I've already started decorating the house, pulled out the stockings and wreaths, made and decorated cookies with my sister and started my Christmas shopping...not to mention the fact that Christmas music is playing nonstop! I was having some trouble getting into the spirit of the season for a while because it was so warm but the recent change in weather has been a beautiful surprise that changed my whole attitude. Mmmmm it even smells better this time of year...

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Hmmm

My shoulder hurts a lot today. I would very much like to play my guitar but even simple lifting of my arm hurts a lot right now. I bought some of those heating patches and they didn't work so I tried a heating pad - that didn't do much either. Luckily I didn't have to lift any of the kids today but tomorrow I might so I'm going to try and avoid it at all costs. Then on Wednesday I can hopefully get some insight into what's causing my pain so I can get rid of it.


Today was a pretty good day. The weather was nice and I was in a good mood. I love sitting outside Starbucks with my coffee enjoying the weather. Work started out pretty shaky but turned out great - both kids were asleep for 70% of the time I was there. Of course, one of them screamed himself to sleep (I swear the neighbors probably thought I was beating him or something) but it wasn't because of anything I did - he was just in a bad mood. And having some quiet time to myself was pretty great - especially now that my paper is done and turned in. 

My cousins and aunt and uncle spent the night here last night on their way to Mexico so I got to hang out with them a little yesterday. They're pretty cool. 

Work tomorrow and them I'm off for the rest of the week! All my classes were cancelled for Wednesday so I don't have to feel bad about skipping them :) Thanksgiving will be fun and then we decorate for Christmas!!!! Although, with this weather it's not going to feel much like Christmas. Maybe we'll get a curve ball and the cooler weather we're expecting this weekend will last. Okay I'm rambling now...

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YAY!!

I'M DONE!!!! It feels awesome. 



Family is coming to town today so I better go do some grocery shopping. - gotta get a good turkey!

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12 hours later....

I'm on page 7. I've been writing and doing research all day and I worked 5-10. It took me 5 hours to write 2 pages today. Incredible. I'm moving a little faster now and am in the final stretch. One more topic and then I'm done! Let's see how much I can finish tonight...

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BLAH

AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!


This paper is going to kill me! I'm on page 4 of 8 at the moment. It's not hard, just tedious. Expect many more moments of insanity over the next two days as I have to turn this thing in on Monday.

On the positive side, I think I'm writing a pretty good paper. I'm pretty proud of it so far.

Here we go!..........

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I'm giving in

I'm going to go to the doctor for my shoulder. It's been hurting since the end of the summer, around July. The chiropractor helped for a little while (thanks Patrick!) but the pain came back and it's getting worse. Today it was a constant pain that kept me from lifting things without a pinch. I'm not sure what caused it in the beginning. If you feel around there are a lot of knots. But they don't go away with massages and if you try it just triggers a nasty headache at the base of my head. So maybe the doctor will know of a way to fix it. I just don't want her to give me a bunch of pills and that's it. I want to get rid of it alltogether, not just mask the pain. It's not horrible, just annoying. But it travels down my back and that makes walking around campus with my school bag difficult. I set an appointment today for next week. Wish me luck!

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Monique

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Monique
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