praying with saint paul

so...i got this book called 'praying with saint paul' and it has already been effective. its a daily devotional, great for work. here's what it said for nov 6:

"Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who righly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life." (1 Tim 6:17-19)

Most of us don't think of ourselves as "rich" but, in comparison with those living in the time of Jesus, the average person living in the industrialized world today has many more possessions, more luxuries, more services, and more entertainment than ancient kings. Open your closet, check your garage, you may find it crammed with stuff you don't need and will never use again. Count the number of devices you won that bring music and compare it to an ancient wagon.

But our wealth has its dangers. We are tempted to rely on accumulated objects for security. Bounty cn become excess. We can become addicted to stuff. I have lisened to people raionalize why they really need one hundred tee shirts or seventy-five pairs of shoes. I have seen closets full of junk their owner was hoarding just in case some day they might need that one thing out of all their accumulated stuff. Of course when that day comes they probably wont have the time to go through the "just-in-case" stuff and will be forced to go out and buy another. Man hold on to trash as though it were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Their basements, garages, and attics are filled with broken promises - furniture, toys, and appliances in various states of disrepair that they promised to fix but haven't gotten around to. Rather than trusting the Lord, they rationalize and make excuses, convincing themselves that their broken and worn out stuff is a dedge against a future financial disaster.

What is worse, they consider their habit of hoarding a virture. They do not see ho their hoard of stuff steals their time, creates chaos and strife in the family, and is a sign of a lack of trust in God.
Were they to give their excess to the poor, they would pile up treasure in heaven.

You know how you have a conversation with one person in the morning, and then later that day the same subject comes up with another person, and then you read something that covers both convos and more or some how you have a 'theme' in your day. Thats what happened on thursday; my whole day came full circle. I like those kinds of days, it reminds me that God works in mysterious ways and that maybe I should listen to this message.

its officially official!

I just spent my first week at world vision as a FULL TIME CONTRACT EMPLOYEE! Wahoo!!

All I have to say is, "FINALLY!"

one year...

well, today marked my one year at world vision.

its been great so far, i look forward to the next year.

hopefully i'll be permanent by next October 7th.

time passing...

do you ever get the feeling like you're forgetting something, something really important.

yesterday on my way to work, during work, on my way to women's group, and trivia... i felt like something wasn't right, something was missing. This morning i drove in silence. i wasn't interested in listening to the news or music. i knew something was different...something that i was forgetting. i spent most of my day at work at my desk trying to remember what i had forgotten. when i got home, mom asked me if i knew what today was. and it hit me like a ton of bricks. today was my grandma's birthday. i can't believe i had forgotten it. i'm not a forgetful person. i've been so buried is work and personal stuff. there's no excuse though.

so, there's no time like the present... happy birthday grandma! i know you're not here, but happy birthday :) may she rest in peace

just one day, please

[rant]

is it so hard to ask for just one non-stressful day? really, am i asking for too much here?
how is it that most of my bosses are gone, in california, and some how i still can't get work done? please, just one freakin' day!!!

[end rant]

withdrawals!!!

so...i'm sitting here at work and i'm listening to all the great jazz pieces i played in junior high and college and thinking to myself, 'damn that was LOADS of fun' why aren't i doing it now? my poor bari sax is being neglected. i haven't played it since march of 2007! so sad! i'm soooooo looking for a big band to play in!
=D

mission trek...what a rollercoaster

mission trek is always the highlight of my summer because i get to do what i love most; helping those who need it the most.

overall, the week was great. usually we destroy or create things. this year our group did a summer sports day camp. it was loads of fun and a good learning experience. these were inner city kids with no where to go during the day. it was either this camp or going to work with there parents. its nice to know that just by being there, hanging out with the kids, made a difference to them.

so...our group had five guys and we worked with the girls from st. francis in cali. they all had a great time and got along really well. by the end of the week, we were talking about how fun it would be to join up for next year at another ynia site. i'm hoping this coming year will be different. new way of holding meetings, the way we raise money, and do more service. the most important is having all the adults on the same page at all times and have a say in everything at all times.

i'm looking forward to a new year!