Top 12 of 2012

In true Letterman fashion, I am composing a list of my favorite moments from 2012. These will be in no particular order because I'm too non-committal and because you'd probably judge me if you knew I think getting kissed by a seal is better than becoming a first-time home owner.

2012 was an amazing year. It was full of surprises that made me feel like a kid, amazing "best day ever" travels (thanks to my husband's great budgeting skills!), and adult steps in life. Here are a few of my favorite moments.

12 Time with my Favorite Man

 

11 Talking with my Dad in the Hospital during my Mom's Surgery
10 Hot Air Balloon Festival

9 Being a part of Elizalde Photography's Amazing and Creative Photo Shoots

8 Ringing in 2012 with a Dance Party - What better way than Party Rock and the How I Met Your Mother song?

7 Buying a House

6 Going to the Beach (twice!)

5 Getting Kissed by a Seal & Swimming with Fish

4 Seeing my Best Friend's Newborn Triplets

3 Learning Sign Language & Worshipping in Sign because I can't sing anymore

2 Seeing the Mythbusters in PERSON! (yes I'm a nerd)

1 Seeing Prayers Answered by a Faithful God to a Very Unfaithful me

Happy New Year!

Adventures in Advent

December. Already.
I feel like I just rang in the New Year.

Much as happened this year, and much is still happening. We're getting ready to move, purchasing our very first home, closing is in just a few weeks. It's an awkward time to move - do we buy a tree? do we put up lights? How to get in the Christmas spirit when you're putting your house in boxes and wearing a sundress? (yes, you read that right, it's like 80 degrees here today).

Enter Advent.
I've never really celebrated Advent - nor understood what it was. I went to a church that explained it to the congregation, but it never "clicked" for me. But now that my normal holiday traditions are lacking, I thought whattheheck, let's try it!

My favorite Christmas carol is O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - and since Advent is all about remembering the HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE we have because of Jesus and looking towards Jesus' 2nd coming in expectation, it seemed fitting. I took the words to all but 1 verse and broke it into 24 pieces (one for each day of Advent).

Let's celebrate His coming (then and soon!)

happy :)

2012 has been a year for newness. New exciting, bucket-list fulfilling, moments. While watching the documentary Happy (which I recommend!), 

Rolling in a field of Bluebonnets
they smell so good!!

(us not pictured) Kayaking for the 1st time!

they mentioned that happy people are those who challenge themselves to continue to do difficult and exciting things. So, in order to share the HAPPINESS I've experienced this year, here are a few pics of my fav moments (including those when I've realized that I was making a crazy face but was too excited to contain myself):

Learning new things - ASL!

 

Unexpected time with family

Renewing my love for concerts - Cafe Tacuba!

Learning new things - Photography!!

A kiss from a SEAL!

Hot Air Balloon Festival

Political Unrest in Mexico - you need to know!

Yes ladies and gentleman, Mexico has their presidential elections in 2012 too! Their presidents are chosen every 6 yrs and cannot serve concurrent terms. There are many political parties and, while I don't pretend to be an expert in anything political (those of you who know me can testify), here are a few basics to get you in the know about what's going on south of the border!

The election: July 2012
The history: There are many parties. One party (PRI) was in power for 72 years. Currently the PAN is in office. Many consider these to be the 2 "main" parties.
The candidates: PRI's choice - Enrique Peña Nieto (EPN for short). PAN's choice - Josefina Vasquez Mota - the 1st woman candidate. She's currectly sec of education, which is why NO ONE should vote for her. PRD's choice - the controversial "almost" winner of last election Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO for short).

One more thing you need to know - the estimated population of Mexico City is 32 million, young ppl consist of 30% of that 32 million. In mexico city alone.

This is where it gets good, people. 

Josefina famously said that she supports money laundering  in the middle of a speech. (listen for the words "lavado del dinero".  Who knows what she actually meant but it was basically over for her at that moment.
                                       

EPN is the young, handsome, and charming one, who's dating a celebrity and is currently in a lot of celeb gossip magazines.

 

He goes to a campaign for encouraging kids to read. He is asked to name 3 books that have influence him. He can not think of one. Not 1. He rambles in his political manner for a hilarious 10 mins or so - somewhat mentioning the Bible saying that he read a part of it one time. He is booed off stage and harshly ridiculed for months. Carlos Fuentes (one of the top Latin American writers) condemns him and says that he has the right not to read, but not the right to lead a country if he has such a low level of intelligence. *young ppl in mexico get annoyed*

Good hair doesn't cover up your ignorance.

EPN's daughter gets offended by all the ridicule. She says on twitter "hello to all you ***holes who are proles (low class ppl) who criticize". *young ppl in mexico are offended*

In an interview they ask him a basic economic question (how much does a kilo of tortillas cost now?) and he responds with "I don't know. I'm not a homemaker." ouch.

EPN then begins to brag about how he speaks such "wonderful" English and then makes a fool of himself yet again. He begins to be booed out of every campaigning arena he attempts to enter, he is constantly ridiculed on TV and radio (even clowns are making fun of him!!) ... *young ppl in mexico are agitated bc he's made it this far on his looks*



h o w e v e r

The media says he's strongly leading in the polls. Wait, what? The media says that people are receiving him with arms wide open and that he's a front-runner? There are many videos to the contrary, plus the police presence for his protection is kind of a sign that things aren't going your way. They discover that he has paid past the legal limit allowing for media coverage and ads/commercials. Hmm, something smells fishy.

For the youth, this media manipulation of the election becomes too much. EPN represents the political party that was in office for 7 decades! Not only that, but it's the political party that famously massacred college students who were unhappy with the PRI in 1968.

A student group called "We are the 132" begin to protest. A suspected 40,000 people show up to protest in Mexico City alone -- more states of Mexico have also begun to protest.

"While the media lies, we will continue to speak"

"Now WE give the news"

Most are protesting the media manipulation of the election.
Some are protesting the possibility of the PRI being back in power.
Some just want Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador elected (many believe the last election was fraudulent). AMLO is old and sometimes not with it (in the debates he held pics upside down and spoke slowly). He is much more left-wing and good friends with Hugo Chavez.

But he is intelligent and can be articulate when he wants to be. His cabinet will be made of top people in their fields (we're talking nationally recognized intellects) and I'd have to hope they'd help him out in his off moments.


No one knows how this is all going to play out - but I, for one, am excited to be there as it's happening! Revolución!

Ode to John Mayer

I love John Mayer. 

He is an amazing musician, and although he's a mess of a person (who isn't??), he writes the most honest lyrics and sings with vulnerability.

We have grown together John and I

from 2002-2003 when he was in the jukebox at one of my 1st jobs
she's always buzzing just like neon, neon

and I was graduating

i want to run through the halls of my high school

i want to scream at the top of my lungs

i just found out there's no such thing as a real world

just a lie you have to rise above

To the sweet afternoon when I lie under a tree at a college campus, dealing with the change of life and who I was becoming

I'm a new man

I wear a new cologne and you wouldn't know me if your eyes were closed

and my impending first heartbreak

'all we need is love' is a lie 'cause we had love and we still said goodbye

now we're tired, battled fighters...

i called because i just need to feel you on the line

don't hang up this time

i know it's me who called it over but...

Skip a few years ahead when I was cynical, bitter, and hurt by promises of an on-again, off-again fool
i'll beg my way in to your garden
then i'll break my way out when it rains
just to get back to the place where i started
so i can want you back all over again (i don't really understand)...
i don't trust myself with loving you

my dear we're slow dancing in a burning room 

(JM's best song to date in my opinion)

i'm in repair...i'm not together but i'm getting there

Unfortunately, John Mayer's midlife crisis (Stop This Train still makes me cry every time) took him off the deep end and while Battle Studies was still great, his writing became superficial and easy.

example chorus:
line 1
repeat line 1
repeat line 1
repeat line 1

While I recognize the difficulty of the writing style and connecting the lyrics of almost every song, the only true emotional gem was Edge of Desire, currently on my Top 25 Most Played on my ipod. (I won't quote you anything, just go listen now...seriously, now).

Then John Mayer had a series of silences and surgeries, sobering up (Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey) and apologies to make. And thankfully he's back! Just as my ipod is filling with The Civil Wars, Iron & Wine, Bon Iver, and Mumford and Sons, John and I are on the same page again!

For the upbeat lovers you have his 2nd single "Queen of California" and JM Trio-esque "Something Like Olivia". For the storytellers "Walt grace's Submarine Test" (a song that reminds me of Pixar's Up). For the romantics "Love is a Verb" and "A Face to Call Home"
little by little
inch by inch
we've built a yard with a garden in the middle of it
it ain't much but it's a start...


He takes melodic risks (Age of Worry), writing risks (Walt Grace...), genre risks (country/folk) while still staying true to his John Mayer goodness that we know and love.

So I leave you with this lyric that has haunted me since I first heard it on Tuesday morning...
maybe it's all a dream i'm living at 17
and i don't have tattoos...
when you gonna wise up boy?

May we all get around to living. And now you have some new additions to your soundtrack!

Warriors

Why do we (women) love the Hunger Games? More specifically, why do we root for Katniss? She's a heroine that we can relate to and want to be like. She's strong, she's brave, she's fiercely protective and passionate, she questions, she rebels, she fights.

As a woman, as a Christian, as a wife -- at times this is a difficult balance to find. Once a friend told me "I feel like I don't fit in with all those 'perfect' Christian women because I'm opinionated and I'm not quiet at all." -- to which she said she's glad that she's my friend bc I'm the same way. It's at times difficult to 'fit in' when I've never been known to submit well, think before I speak, or sit quietly when I disagree.

I'm thankful for 2 things today:

#1 - He is at work in me! He is changing my character to better fit this balance. He is guarding my mouth, allowing a bit of wisdom to enter before i speak, giving me a heart of patience to overlook an insult, a softer tone of voice that doesn't always defend when feeling hurt. Praise God, He is not done with me!!

#2 - However, He does not want me to be a quiet meek being with no opinion or voice. Today at church we read about Deborah - a judge, in charge of Israel, a prophetess, a woman who praised and feared the Lord. She went into a battle, she went into the front lines, and (probably bc I'm re-reading the HG books) I could see the scene a little more clearly. Horses' hooves, metal clanging, armor put on, charging with the army, bearing weapons, perhaps taking part of a battle cry -- strong. willing. brave. bold. protecting her people. inspiring others. a fighter. a warrior.

He'll help us find the healthy balance, but may we as women rise up to be brave and bold warriors to fight against the difficulties that rise in our life, continually looking to the Lord for strength and praising Him after the battles!

humility

humility - to lower oneself

an enemy of humility - recognition.

an experiment for one week: seek no recognition for the things you do for others. do them without expectation of gratitude or recognition of what has been accomplished.

(one hour later - already having to bite my tongue several times and realizing i love recognition for my acts of "service"

reflection:

- acts of service must come from an overflow of the heart, a willingness to do the job out of love for the person being served and not for self and recognition/gratitude. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others" Phil 2:3-4

- acts of service cannot truly come from the heart if the heart is set on self "He must become greater, I must become less" John 3:35

- remembering Jesus' example gives us perspective of our lowliness and an example of how to be humble in heart

"...have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God (with every right to brag about how great He is)

did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage (He had the highest position and was not prideful);

rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (He came as a slave, He literally lowered Himself and served those He loves)..." Phil 2:5-7

if the Creator of the Universe, the one who holds it all together with His breath, can be humble in all He has done, in His service of giving up His life then i have more perspective about how "spectacular" i am for folding laundry.

Easter Candy Lesson

(can do with jellybeans, M&Ms, or skittles - geared for missions, outreach, or children's ministry)

Easter Candy Gospel

The Bible is a book that always tells the truth and today we are going to read some of the truths that are inside. If you have a question it’s okay to ask, you can raise your hand or wait until the end if you don’t want to ask in front of everyone.

SIN – Some people think that all people are good. What do you think? The Bible says Eccles 7:20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. – Sin is a sickness in our hearts that make us think, feel, say, and do bad things. Did you know that your heart is sick with sin? (Give time for examples or questions.) If you have ever been angry, said mean words, hurt someone’s feelings on accident, thought mean things, or disobeyed your parents or teachers then take a purple/brown/black candy. (leader takes one first and reminds that the Bible says NO ONE is free from sin). There are consequences to this sickness. God doesn’t have sin, His heart is perfect and we can’t go to Heaven to be with Him if we have this sickness of sin in our hearts. So anyone with a sick, sinful heart deserves to die. Raise your hand if you have sin in your heart. Me too; we are in a lot of trouble!

BLOOD –Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Even though we deserved to die and not be able to go to heaven to be with God, God loves us so much that He asked His Son Jesus to take our place. The people made fun of Jesus, hit and beat Him, killed him on a cross in front of everyone. Jesus had no sin in His heart because He was all of God poured into human skin. He didn’t have to die but He did this for you and for me because He loves us so much. Since He died for all of us, everyone take a red candy. How does that make you feel? (sad)

FORGIVENESS – Because Jesus took our place and died for us, we can be forgiven by God for all of our sin, the bad things we think, feel, say and do. God can heal the sickness of our heart! Hebrews 8:12 - For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. (will take a white candy *not in M&Ms or Skittles, may need white chocolate something)

THANKFULNESS – How does that make you feel? If you were playing in the street and a car was coming, and your dad pushed you out of the way and got hit so you wouldn’t get hit – how would you feel? What if your dad told you before he got hit that he was doing it to give you a good life too? Jesus died for us so that we could live a life free from the sickness of sin and healed from our hurts. He did it because He loves us. If you are feeling thankful, take a yellow candy. Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever., v.15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

LIFE – The good news is that Jesus wasn’t just any human. Even though people didn’t believe Him at the time, Jesus was all of God’s power, character, and personality poured into human skin. God cannot die and so Jesus raised from the dead to show that Jesus is more powerful than anything, even death! Acts 13:29-31 They took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people. When He was raised from the dead, people believed Him and realized that He is how God shows us that He loves us! We celebrate that He is alive! (take a green candy)

RELATIONSHIP - But since He is alive and lives in Heaven we can talk to Him and have a friendship with Him! Jesus loved you when He died on the cross before you were born, and He loves you today. You can show Him that you love Him and that you are thankful by inviting Him into your heart. Then He will never leave you and always watch over you, help you, and be with you. The Bible says Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. If you believe that Jesus is God, died on the cross so you could live, and that He loves you, and if you want Him to be with you forever pray this prayer with me. (lead in salvation prayer, those who accept can take an orange candy to symbolize the Holy Spirit). It’s okay if you’re still not sure, Jesus loves you and that will never change. If you have questions or you want to know more about Jesus you can ask me or come to church next weekend and we can talk.

stand in the midst of the challenges

The Lord is with us.

In answering a prayer you have prayed earnestly for years but never thought would happen.

In watching a loved friend have blessings spoken over her.

In creating and providing community.

In protecting those you love from a skidding car in the rain.

In providing for a vehicle.

In giving strength when you feel exhausted.

In a wagging dog who greets you at the door.
In a husband who serves you amazingly and shares your interests.

^{Psalm 121:3-4} He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

twisted.

gaychurch.org defines sin as "the absence of love".

the Bible defines sin as a lack of submission to God's ways.

watered down so it's easier to swallow does not make it true.

more to come soon.