Spring Break

Spring Break was amazingly relaxing after quite a stressful quarter. Between 2 jobs, 3 classes, an incomplete class to finish, and life in general I was exhausted and grateful that the quarter was over with. Spring Break started with some St. Patrick's Day celebrating, complete with Bagpipes! And how does one celebrate St. Patrick's Day without green beer? I will next year! Apparently the Irish in me and the green food coloring does not make beer taste any better.

Spring Break was also a time of "official Thai food tasting." Recovery from mono Sophie discovered that Pad See Ew noodles were some of the only things that felt soothing on her throat. Therefore we conducted a survey of a number of the Thai restaurants in Pasadena. Saladang came out on top. An official taste tester is really not a bad job to have...
During the weekend Becca, Sophie, and I traveled to Becca's parents' house in San Pedro. I was absolutely shocked that this was the view out of their living room window. I could seriously get used to that!
While in San Pedro we went to a play called the Pageant of the Lord. The play recreated famous art (paintings and statues) that told the Easter story. It was beautiful to watch painting literally "come alive." Sophie had on tall shoes that day so both her and Becca towered over me...but really--who wouldn't want to be short?

We ended our San Pedro trip in Redondo Beach.
All in all it was a great break...filled with laughs, sleep, good food, shopping, pool time, a road trip, celebrating.... I think we need Spring Break more often!

All Done!!

I love waking up the Saturday after finals week--a day that doesn't start with a clock alarm or have a to-do list assigned to it. I woke at 9:30 and lie in bed thinking of the possibilities of the things I should do...wash my dishes, do laundry, or go for a run, but I kept laying there basking in the goodness of spring break. I think this quarter ended with bit more of a push than usual. I had an incomplete to finish in addition to my 3 classes. But, all ended well and was turned in by 4:05pm Friday.

I haven't given a life update in awhile so here are a few pictures and updates from the quarter...

--I got a new job. I'm working as the part-time assistant for the Student Leadership Project. It's a really cool project run by Chap Clark. It assigns urban minority students with Young Life mentors in high school. The mentors stay with them through college and help them get connected with a church. Finally, if the students chose, the Student Leadership Project will fund a good portion of their seminary tuition at Fuller. Once every 2 years the students and leaders come to Pasadena for 2 weeks for a time of leadership development, learning, and playing in LA. They are coming this June--which is a lot of what I'm working on. The job is only a few hours a week but I'm learning A LOT and getting to know some awesome people in the process. We'll see how it all goes!

--I've booked tickets to go to TX in April to visit Robin and other Cursillo folks. I'm so excited to go!!!

--And, our junior high mission trip is on the go. We leave on April 1st. Definitely be praying for us.

--Rebecca and Josh will be married in exactly one week! They met at Fuller about a year ago and almost instantly became a match. On March 24th in North Carolina they will make it official. Here they are on their co-ed wedding celebration (not bridal shower) at Fuller. This is everyone that came to the party. It was a good group.

--Finally, here's a picture of Pasadena from a window of an office building. The big white building with the rows of windows is a building at Fuller.

"And time is in his hands"

I was struck in Presbyterian chapel by this line of Chris Tomlin's How Great is our God. As we praised God as a group--proclaiming God's greatness, we specifically praised God for his timing. I had to stop singing for a second and reflect--did I really mean that?

This quarter it seems like I've had quite a lesson in patience. My questions about the future, relationships, healing, and life in general, all seemed to ask the question of when. I struggle to to be patient and wait for things to be resolved, for God to reveal to my specific calling to me, and for the season of healing to end. If I had my way--God would reveal everything right away.

Yet as I reflect on the line from this song--I have to say yes that yes, I do mean it. God's timing has proven again and again in my life--and others lives as well--to be SO much better than what we could dream up or imagine. Whether it's tangible things such as jobs or apartments or bigger things such as future plans or relationships--God has always given me something greater than my original plan. So praise our great God--that "time is in his hands"