Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Here is a new one Kat...

Last week was spring break, for those blessed to still have one, including, but not limited to, teachers, students, and youth ministers. Our student ministries went skiing in Winter Park, CO. This takes me back to many memories b/c it was the first place I learned to ski. This time I tried snowboarding for many reasons really; skiing hurts my knees, I see no real point in it (meaning there is no scoreboard, you just go up and down a mountain) sorry to all those that love skiing/snowboarding, you must have great snow (powder) or everyone complains, and if it snows too much bringing the powder it is too cold while skiing. Snowboarding was great. I liked it better than skiing, it did not hurt my knees it hurt my butt though. I fell a lot the first day, I am no Olympian, but I am ok. My brother, Riley, is very good at snowboarding so I called him to get some tips and he just laughed and told me to bring some cushion for my butt. Thanks bud.
The best part was getting on and off the lift. I can do it alright with skis, but a snowboard that is awkward. It was hilarious and I fell almost every time I got off. Yes, I was that girl that they had to stop the lift for to get out of the way.
I had fun on the trip. We took 41 kids and 9 adults that is 50 total for those having trouble. We rode in a charter that was pretty nice until boys began using the bathroom at the back of the bus. Good idea to make toilets in a moving vehicle, but not really. Sure you do not have to stop as much, but hold it until you must stop to eat. It snowed the first and third days we were there. We stayed in a young life facility and it was gorgeous.
The Charter: Our bus driver was from San Antonio, so needless to say he had never driven in snow before, we got stuck a few times. One time we had to trek it back to the camp sight about a half mile away through a blizzard. As Austin said while walking through it, "This is the most hardcore thing I have ever done." We were scheduled to leave Wed around 6:00 pm and drive all night. Well, we were snowed in and so we had to stay another night. We left the next morning around 7:00 am. It is a 20 hour bus ride, oh no my friends, it was a 34 hour bus ride. Our bus broke down in none other than Dumas, TX (I thought about you, Lij). I was absolutely opposed to getting an ipod for a long time now, after this I am looking at getting a video ipod for the summer trips. It is an investment I must make before another bus breaks down and I hear the word shut up coming from high school students more times than I like to remember.
The upside, there is always an upside, many kids came on the trip that I had never seen before. I got to know many kids and hear their stories. It was great and lately it has been breaking my heart over the kids that we say "do not belong". What does that even mean? How are we "cool" and they are not? I am not perfect, I have made fun and not allowed those people in "my group" before, but why. There are no legitimate reasons and for those people I have hurt, I am sorry.

When a guy on the trip talked about how he did not fit and he knew that when he walked away they called him a fag and other names and he did not care about that, but why would he go to church when he has friends at school that treat him better than those at church. Amen. That is our problem, we think we are better than. This is where I go back to my last post, there is no ladder. I am realizing that the only important thing in life is to be like Jesus. I want that more than anything.
There is your post, Kat.

Monday, March 06, 2006

There is no ladder...

So, my roomie has been gone for a long time now. She gets back this Thurs though, wahooo. I am pretty pumped b/c it has been pretty lonely. It was ok for the first couple of days, then at night when we watch our shows and recap our days it was pretty boring and lonely. Which brings me to my next thought.
I love growing up and learning new and different things. I love new situations that enlighten my thoughts and allow me to process what I think and feel about all sorts of things. I love going through many situations and I really love where I have been and all that it has taught me. Let me tell you right now that I am reading this book that you all must read. As most of you know I am not in any way "a reader", so this book is not new by any means b/c I am usually the last to find out about the "cool, new" books. I think it is a couple of years old and also as you know I am not really on the up and up.
(Real quick let me tell you what just happened in the office. I am filling out these ski forms online that require many stats about the skier, such as height, weight, shoe size you get the point. One kid did not fill out his form in its entirety, so I needed a little help on this guys stats. I start to ask Austin and got distracted then I did it again and again, after the fourth time of doing that he turned around and said, "Wow, you are going to have to formulate a sentence at some point." It was absolutely the funniest thing that has come out of that kids mouth and I died laughing.)
Back to reality, this book that is quickly changing my life is called "Searching for God Knows What" by Donald Miller yeah yeah he wrote Blue Like Jazz, but people I am telling you if you have not read or picked up this book do so today. It is great. I could go on and on about it and some may say I already have, but I love it.
I just got finished with the chapters about Adam and Eve and the fall of man and all I can say is beautiful. Every word I read in that chapter. I cannot wait to read on. I also read the part about the "alien" coming to earth. It was perfect. Not to forget the lifeboat theory. Wow, this guy is great. There is no ladder. We are all equal. Think about it. If we are to become like Jesus and truly get who He is, we must first learn that there is no ladder.
Out of all the books on my shelf if you want to find out the ones I have really read, which are about 4, you can flip through them and see if any sentence or word or paragraph is underlined. I am an underlined b/c if it was a good point and I want to go back to it at some point it is easier than reading it all over. Hey, I read it once not going to do it again. Let me be the first to say I think I have underlined almost every word on every page of this book.
I got to spend a whole day with my daddy. It was a great day that Friday. We went to the girls state basketball tournament at UT in Austin. We had a blast together eating, watching basketball, eating some more. Nothing better than quality time with my daddy. Missed you, ma.
I also got to see and hang out with Mija, Ros, and Ferika. It was very refreshing to see them and eat at Shady Grove. Many good times and lots of laughter. If you go there do not get Aaron with the toboggan and long curly hair to be your waiter.
At the last game I got to see an old h.s. teacher and great friend and my boys who are growing up too fast. That was fun.
I thought about giving up certain things for lent i.e. cokes, fast food, and tv. Then, I thought yeah right, get real. Therefore, I figured I needed to start a few things i.e. reading (doing that) and working out (have done it once and plan to begin) I know what you are all saying right now, shut up.