Heritage Park

Life is short.
In the end it is only the impact you have made on others and the tangible heirlooms you managed to create, that will remain long after you are gone. This morning my Dad pulled out this beautiful quilt that his grandmother had quilted: she's been gone for over forty years. She stopped quilting twenty years prior to her death...I never knew my great-grandma, but sitting here, writing this and thinking of her quilt, I realize that only scraps of memory exist of her full life. Her memory is carried in the minds and hearts of her aging children, all now over the age of eighty, and tangible to her grandchildren only in the squares and patterns of her quilts. She raised twelve children (gave birth to fourteen) on a farm in Arkansas, during the depression. My grandmother is the youngest of her children, now 84 years old. Throughout her life, she has made a quilt for each grandchild, newlywed couple, and great grandchild that came into her family. Some day my children will ask, where the old quilts in the closet came from, and I will tell them of the remarkable woman, who was their great-grandmother. A woman who loved her family, and raised four children in Covina. An ordained minister of the Four Square Church: who performed countless weddings (including a few of her own grandchildren's), dedicated her great-grandchildren to the Lord, and walked the halls of the local hospitals sharing the name, and love of Jesus Christ with twenty years worth of patients, in desperate need of a savior. And the impact and legacy of my grandmother's life will continue...
Just like her mother before her.


I have learned a lot about life in the last month. Messages, books, movies, and people: all serving to remind me of the brevity of one's life. Each stage, and day of my life is a gift. I want my life, and the things I do on this Earth to matter, to count for something other than a short span of time that was taken up by meaningless effort to find fulfillment. I want to spread the name of Jesus Christ with my actions, and words.I know that there will be more people in heaven because of the dedication and diligence my grandmother has shown, in effort to share the amazing love of our savior with those patients. I want to be remembered in the same way that she will be. This life will eventually end for me, and the only thing that will remain will be the impact that I make on the lives of others.

Melodies...

I know this is trivial, I'll admit it.
However, the musical possibilities this union may present are NOT.
Zooey Deschanel and Ben Gibbard, may or may not be engaged (I try NOT to rely heavily on supermarket tabloids for credible information).





John and Yoko,
Sunny and Cher,
Johnny and June,
Zooey and Ben...

It fits...
Maybe Baby.

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes

Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things
(The Holiday edition)


1. Christmas Lights

2. Christmas songs: I established a few favorites this year*

"All I want for Christmas is you" -Mariah Carey(Don't judge Me)
"What Christmas Means to Me" -Stevie Wonder
"Baby Please come home"-Ben Gibbard
"Last Christmas"- WHAM!

3. Christmas Shopping (Has anyone been to Victoria Gardens? It is like a
mini-shopping city.Definitely worth checking out.)

4. Seeing SNOW on the mountains

5. Christmas sweater parties: Just can't get enough of them...

Exhibit A:


6. Christmas Cookie Parties

7. 5 WEEK VACATION

8. The Holiday Shopper?

Now, I know that generally the Holiday season is infamous for bringing out the WORST in the American consumer: creating greedy, angry, bargain hunting shoppers.
However, this Christmas, I have met more patient, kind,and caring people, than I can count on one hand. I don't know if people are just more appreciative of the little things this year, but my customers have been willing to chit-chat long after they're shopping is completed, have graciously allowed me to ring others before themselves, and have been overly appreciative of my assistance. Refreshing.

9.

Isaiah 9: 6-7
" For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, [b] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this."



MERRY CHRISTMAS to All, and to All a good night...

Used.

And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me-
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation."

Luke 1: 46-50

We serve a great and gracious God. Who chooses to use lowly, unworthy, human beings to do great things in his name: King David, The Apostle Paul, Esther, Moses, and Mary. God does not NEED us to accomplish his will. However, he allows us the great privilege of being used to further his kingdom. Vessels and tools in his hand, as he moves in people's lives, and accomplishes his sovereign plan through us. I am repeatedly amazed.

A day dedicated to me?

http://www.sun7news.com/index.php?code=557fM98IL991cz6ygk0i&CMP=OTC-WWYCOVS1001

Oh thank you Sarah, I feel so special.
Seriously...so legit. Watch it, and wish you were this cool.

Twilight

I have officially caved to the pop-culture driven, Twilight Phenomenon.
I read the book, skeptically at first. "Not my kind of book" I said, "I don't have time" I said. Well...come to find out: it IS my kind of book, and I MADE the time to read the first book(currently reading the second). When the movie came out, I had yet to start the book: if it was NOT my kind of book, it was definitely NOT my kind of movie. Then tonight, after reading the book(always better), I decided on a whim to go see the movie.(Perhaps not of my own volition, I was semi-convinced/FORCED to see it by a true twilight cheerleader, Miss Stefanie Bammer).



*First Impressions: Over-actor award of the year goes to...Robert Pattinson(Edward Cullen.) Bad special effects, and sadly, a lot of the details were lost in translation from book to film.

However, after thinking about the book details in relation to the film, and paying attention to the (as Stefanie pointed out)amazing sound track:I decided that I loved the movie. Great film. Did any of you critics pay attention to the background tunes? Radiohead, Muse, Iron&Wine. Completely legit.

I liked it, I loved it. It was not the book, how could it be? There is so much you can write in a book,and so many pictures you can paint with words, that cannot translate onto the screen. I just took the movie, as it was: knowing what I know about the book and relating those details to what I saw in the film. It worked and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My advice, read the book first and connect the dots.

(Sarah-- I'm totally down to see it again)

Deck the Halls...

In the last couple months, I have gotten to know a group of amazing girls. They are all so different, yet with striking similarities. Which reminds me of the amazing unity that comes from being a follower of Christ. Anyway, who are these amazing girls you might ask? Well, I'm privileged to be a small group leader with one of my amazing friends, Pam, for our high school group's froshmore(freshman & sophomore) girls.



We recently got to have a fabulous night, of cookie baking and movie watching fun. If I may flatter myself, I throw a mean cookie decorating party...even though my dear sweet, amazing cook of a mother, did most of the work.
I must say that some of the girls may have a possible career in cake decorating: They ALL displayed some very impressive skills.



The fruits(cookies) of our labor.









Such a fun time! Ate way too much frosting, cookies, and soup. However, totally worth it.
Merry ALMOST Christmas...

Cool Camp Videos

Does anyone else remember being scared beyond words when your trusty camp leaders showed all 150 students this great video?



Oh wait, your leaders didn't show you this?
Interesting.

You say goodbye, I say Hello

All the good ones go away.
Doesn't it sometimes feel that way?
(I'm the rhymnoceros- Hopefully SOMEONE catches my Flight of the Conchords Reference)

For instance, I have now worked at Nordstrom for a little over a year. I have met so many nice people. When you work with people all the time, because your shifts co-inside it makes for a lot of extra "bonding" time.Even though we aren't supposed to be "making small talk" on the selling floor. 8 hour shifts + a store that is slow 90% of the year + lots of interaction with other departments = you're bound to make a few friends. However the sad thing about work friends, is that they often move on to other opportunities. They move, switch stores, get promotions, go to lunch and never come back(yes, this happened*), switch departments, or just quit. It is really sad. I hate it. I feel like everyone that I REALLY like has left or is leaving: MOST of the people I started with are long gone.

Of course with employees leaving, we DO get new people: sometimes a good thing, I'm lookin' up...but it tis bitter-sweet.
I really do feel like it is all the good ones that go away.

Oh, but I DID get to visit the VERY FIRST Nordstrom, while I was in Seattle. And the Love affair continues...



See the Glorious sign through the trees? I MADE the girls go inside the store, because after all... how often do I go to Seattle?




(Also, B I can't wait for you to come home!!)