For Jonathan

Happy 25th Birthday Jonathan!!!

These are 25 Reasons I Celebrate and Love You:

1.) You are so encouraging. Thank you for your sweet notes (especially before a big audition. They make my day)

2.) Your heart. You have the biggest, most tender heart ever. Thank you for sharing it with me.

3.) Your spirit.

4.) Your willingness to Serve others. It was Spring Break 2000 that I watched you serve others and realized my feelings for you were definitely more than just friends.

5.) Your sensitivity

6.) You are such a gifted author. Thank you for allowing me to read your thoughts.

7.) Thank you for your willingness to give to others in need. You are an example for me.

8.) Thank you for allowing me to watch The Other Sister every now and then. Everyone I know hates this movie (as I’m sure you do) but you watch it with me anyway.

9.) Your passion.

10.) Your gentleness.

11.) Thank your for coming with me to California so we wouldn’t have always wondered “What if?”

12.) Your knowledge. Thank you for sharing your technical skills to help me with my career tools.

13.) Your parenting ability? … okay you’re good with Hurley… that’s what I’m trying to say. (Thank you for letting me have him).

14.) Thank you for saying “Thank You” just about every night that I cook something for dinner.

15.) Thank you for moving the cars in the morning before work and not making me go down there with you!

16.) I love that we can openly share our dreams together.

17.) Your Support. I know I wouldn’t be here without it.

18.) Your Honesty (Sorry I called you out that time while playing mafia… I even knew then you were lying because you never do).

19.) Your Love: unhindered, deep, and judgeless

20.) Your Faith

21.) Your value of family

22.) The fact that you just laugh at me when I get into one of my silly moods…and you don’t make me feel stupid.

23.) Your willingness to drive to Starbucks at 9:57 PM to score me a café mocha before they close at 10… just cause I was in the mood for one.

24.) Your Smile and the Sound of your Laughter

25.) The fact that being around you makes me want to be a better person.

Thank you, Jonathan, for all that you do and for all that you are. HIDLYS!!!

DO NOTHING!

In honor of my hubby's upcoming birthday (Jan. 29th...this Sunday) and my good friend, Cheese , I am declaring this weekend (Jan. 27-29) a Do Nothing Weekend. Life gets stressed.... we work long days.... traffic is bad.... rent is due.... there's a lot of baggage.

BUT this weekend LET IT ALL GO!

RULES FOR THIS WEEKEND:

1. GO to the video store (Friday night... Hey GO LATE... it stays open late... and you'll be sleeping in tomorrow), rent at least 4-5 films that you've been wanting to see...but just couldn't for whatever reason.

2. Watch every one of them.

3. Stay in your PJS all dad-gum day.... (Saturday.... you might consider changing for church on Sunday..... just a suggestion)

4. Go out to eat Sunday after church with friends. Stay there for at least 2 hours.... don't rush, just enjoy each others company.

5. Wish my husband a Happy Birthday (Sunday)

6. Just Be.... Let the days go by this weekend, stress free...


Have you ever had one of those classes/seminars at a church function where there are all these little activities to go walk around and experience. They are supposed to delve into all the senses to help you engage God? I did one a few weeks ago. I really, really struggled with the relaxion one. I couldn't sit for 3 mins. and listen to a song. My mind wandered in every direction except where it was supposed to be... I couldn't just be.


Feel Free to add on rules as you see fit.

Reality Check

I just walked in from my weekly target run (yup… no wal-marts to be found for miles here folks) and about 10 min.s ago made a quick stop in at Starbucks. As I pulled into my parking spot, I couldn’t help but notice a woman digging through a huge dumpster shared by Starbucks, Dominos, Quiznos, and DQ (oddly enough we do have those here). I got out of the car and strutted into Starbucks. As I walked inside, I honestly couldn’t help but feel guilty for buying a $4.00 cup of coffee and knowing that some human being outside is digging through last nights left overs, to eat, out of the trash. My heart sank as I stood in line, angry at myself for how hard my heart has become in this city. I spent 3 ½ years at ACU working, focusing, and studying about urban ministry. I spent 5 full months interviewing homeless people 3-5 days a week… what happened to me? As I got closer to the front I picked up a sandwich and a fruit bowl and ordered my coffee. I went back to the car, thankful she was still there and I hadn’t completely blown my opportunity to meet with her. I grabbed an unopened bottle of water and took the bag of food to her. I introduced myself and told her I had gotten a few things for her. She just looked at me. She was so much older than what I had thought, and this is something that breaks my heart even more. The elderly are so disrespected by our generation. …She looked at me, didn’t say a word. She just looked at me as if to say Why? Not disrespectful in any way. But why would you do this? I am so ashamed that any human being would ever ask another that question. It’s not why we do something. It’s why shouldn’t we do something. How do we ever get to a point in our lives to think we are beyond or above this?

As I drove away today, all I could think of … is that it’s time I get back to what I was so passionate about before. I live in Los Angeles for God’s sake. I need to stop making excuses and start doing what I can to change the way society treats our homeless, our elderly, our sick, and our veterans.

I also regret not asking her what she would have preferred on her sandwich. It matters.