Two weddings

I have been to two weddings this past week and a half. The first was my friends Emily and walter; the second was Hannah and Erick (which you can see pictures of on Isaac's site). Both Emily and Hannah were very beautiful and I am happy for them both (they are now sister-in-laws because Erick and Walter are brothers).

It is odd having your friends starting to get married. I do not feel like I am old enough for that yet, but I guess I am.

Joanie in ESOAL

Well, Joanie started ESOAL about a half an hour ago (you can read here about a little of my time in ESOAL last year). She is no doubt nervous and afraid. I don't blame her. Last year ESOAL was only 50 hours long, mind you then it was the longest ever, and I only made it 26 hours (thanks to my leg). This year it will be five days long. Now that is madness! I do not think many interns will make it to the end this year.

However, I think that is the point in making it so long. They want to make sure that the interns are not just doing it out of their own strength. Too many last year went all the way to the end and did not have to ring out and learned little from it. I am sure there are also those that rang out and learned nothing but how to quit too, but that cannot really be prevented.

Anyway, be praying for Joanie and her team. They will be stretch a lot the rest of this week. Even once they have rung out and their friends are still out there they will be learning.

Pray for:
-their safety
-team work
-good memory
-reliance on God
-forgiveness
-patients
-grace
-willingness
-no bitterness to arise
-fear to be faced and not pushed away or given into
-wisdom for the facilitators
-peace in a world where it seems you can trust no one over you
-that they would not quickly forget what they will learn this week

Too many Joshes

Okay, so I just put all of my link from my Xanga onto here. Looks like I have a lot of friends, or maybe they are just people I stalk. Never can tell.

Anyway, I have decided something, there are too many Joshes in the world. I mean look at the side of my blog! It is madness. There is four there and that is not all the Joshes I know. I have decided people are no longer aloud to name their children Joshua (lol, my mum will be mad at me for saying this because that would have been Julie's name if she was a boy). Don't get me wrong, it's a nice name, but I think they are taking over. Soon, everyone will be named Josh. Unless they are a girl, then their name will be Jennifer. I have a lot of those too (in different forms).

Now, before my older sister Jennifer hurts me, I must go.

ooOOO... by the way, I now know who Joanie's brother core and sister core are. I bugged her about it for quite some time mind you. Josh is her brother core CA and Amanda is her sister core CA. I am excited for her. Amanda is so sweet and Josh was awesome to work with in the mailroom.

Anyway, now I am really done this time.

One body

He looked across the light brown table covered in Bibles while he taught out of the book of Acts and glanced around at all of the faces. Soon, to his horror, the table was no longer covered in Bibles but with bloody, body parts. To his right there was an arm, then just in front of him a spleen, a little further up the table a lung, in front of one small woman laid a thumb, then he looked to his left and saw part of a foot, no matter where he looked he saw more parts of this body. His stomach turned and his heart began to beat faster. What was he to make of this? He then heard a voice say, "This is My bride. This is what My church looks like." Then, almost as quick as it had begun, the body was gone, the table clean of the blood, and there were once again Bibles in front of those setting around the table listening intently to all their teacher had to say.

This is a vision the pastor at my parents church had a few weeks ago while teaching a perspectives class before church. Doug told me it was very graphic (when I read this too him and asked him if I could put it on here he also told me I only embellished it a little. I found that a rather funny thing to say).

John 17:13-26
"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
::Jesus' prayer for His bride::

Unity, what does it look like? How can we have unity in a world where almost everyone is a one man show, looking out for number one, or just does not care about anyone else around them? As the church, we are Christ's bride. Yet, do we act like one body?

Pslam 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!

In a body we have many different parts and they are all different. If you are a bird watcher (do not be deceived, I am not, but Joanie is and she has Julie wanting to be) you may see a bird and think it is one kind, but then when you hear it think it is another. Two different parts of one body thinking differently, blasphemy! No, just two different ways of trying to place the bird.

If Two people never disagree, someone is not thinking ~ Doug (again)

A long time ago I wrote how prayer can bring Unity. I still believe that has a great role to play in uniting the bride.

Acts 1:12-14
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

I think the Honour Academy does a good job of working together in unity. When I was there, it was rare to have people get in fights (not that we did not disagree our share of times). Yet, we came from so many different back grounds and denominations (Catholic, Baptists, Protestants...). We knew we would not find that everyone thought the same as we did about the Bible, but we were still able to grow closer to God together and work for His glory side by side.

Acts 2:41-47
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

About a week ago my parents small group had a dinner together. They ended with prayer and reading God's word. I came along, not really a part of their small group, but I could see how they cared for each other. I also knew from looking around the room and remembering years ago, that they were not that close to each other before being in a small group. Yes, they were friends, but not close friends. However, now that they have been in a small group together, most of them, for over a year, I can see how they have grown close to one another.

Relationship = time spent ~ Sean Leacy

I love how Immanuel Fellowship has camping trips and retreat they go on together each year. When my family still went to IF those were always highlights in the year and they brought us closer as our little part of the Bride.

Acts 4:32-35
And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles' feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

There is always someone in our churches that needs something. As the church, we are to make sure the needs of those around us our met. There is no reason anyone in a church should ever have to stress and worry over food, clothing, if there will be a shoulder to cry on, nor anything else for that mater. If your toe is bleeding, you give it a band-add, not tear it open further.

You can be right, or you can be Happy ~ My grandpa

Too many times, we hurt others just for the sake of being right. Like when Joanie and I were 8 and 9. We fought over how many miles it was between these two small towns we would travel to almost once a week. "It's nine!" I would say starting to raise my voice a little. "No, I know for a fact it is eleven!" Joanie would say back. Well, guess what, we were both right. It turns out the sign leaving the one town said one thing and the sign leaving the other said another. So, we got all worked up trying to prove we were right and the other was wrong and all it did was get us both really upset. If either one of us would have just let the other be right when we were fighting and stopped carrying on, the day would have been a much nicer one.

Ephesians 4:1-6
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

I am convinced that when we die and go to be with Jesus, we will find out that almost every thing we believe is wrong or incomplete. So why do we, the church as a whole, have to waste so much time fighting over who is wrong and who is right. There are so many things, if we were honest, that we say we believe that we cannot be 100% certain about if we are right or not. So, why waste our time fighting just to be right?

Colossians 3:14
Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

My finger cannot touch my spleen. It's true, unless I am cut open, I cannot. Neither can it touch my heart. Yet, they work together. My heart gives my finger blood every day, carried there by my blood vanes. In this body, the Bride, we will never see every part before we are all in heaven, yet, we can still work together in unity. I am not going to pretend I know every thing about how unity works or looks, but hopefully if you have made it all the way to the end of this long post it has not left you without you knowing a little more than before.

Learning to trust like a child

Several times in the gospels Jesus talks about being like a child and coming to Him like a child. I think part of that is trusting Him like a child would. Like the other day when I was at the fair with Molly and Julie. They get on a ride with little fear (other than of getting sick after going on the strawberries/tea cups three times in a row. Yeah, we pretty much dominated that ride). However, with me, I sit there woundering if the ride will hold me. Reminding myself it will ever now and then when I remember some of the storries I have heard. Whereas they just get in and enjoy the ride. They trust it will hold them, as we need to trust God at His word.

Julie and Molly on two of the rides:

SNOW!!!

It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing!

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

I missed snow while I lived in Texas because there is no winter there, just a really long fall (though they always tried to say otherwise I know the truth. He, he, he... it insulted some people from Texas when I would say that).

Anyway, this is the first time I have seen snow (other than watermelon snow while hiking) this year. How sad it that?

On another note, my friends Emily and Walter are getting married today. I will be going to their wedding a little later today.

New moving date

Well, I went to the doctor for my shoulder and my moving date is changing. I will no longer be moving in just a few weeks, but not until November now. Until then I am still living with my parents, I start work next week, and I will be going to physical therapy for my right shoulder (never get in a car accident). Luckily I do not have to have surgery, but only because it would do more harm than help at this point. What happen is the tendon in my rotator cuff is torn, but only part of it and that part is inside it. So, they would have to cut the rest of the tendon apart to fix this little part. Someday it my rip the rest of the way and then I would have to have surgery, but if I am careful it may not.

Anyway, I will be seeing a little more of Colorado than I thought I would be this fall. That is okay, as long as I get snow with the deal. :)

Fruit

John 15:1-11
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the
vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away;
and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more
fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to
you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself
unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I
am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears
much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide
in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and
cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My
words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for
you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so
prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also
loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide
in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His
love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and
that your joy may be made full." ~Jesus

Whenever I read this, it always reminds me of what Courtney said about it. How sometime when we read this, we think, 'Oh, no! I have to bear fruit.' And we do all these different things to try and bear fruit. It is like a branch on a tree going into a panic trying to bear fruit. When really it just needs to be a part of the vine, or hooked to the vine, and it will bear fruit. The same goes with us, we do not have to go into some panic about bearing fruit, we just need to abide in Jesus, be with Him, rest in Him, and we will grow.

Also, so often when we think of fruit, we think of what comes from our work, or numbers. Like when their is a pastor with a big church or a lot of people getting saved, we think that is all fruit is, what comes of our work for God. However, I would like to challenge that way of thinking with these verses:

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such
things there is no law.

So, what am I saying? Numbers can mean nothing. I believe when it talks about knowing people by their fruit, it could very well mean the fruit of the spirit listed above. If you cannot see those growing in someone's life, they are not growing in their walk with Christ. Though mind you, often we will not see it happening. Kind of like I cannot sit there and watch my little sister grow, but over time I can see that she has grown.

So...still no job

Okay, so I still do not have a job. It is a little madening. I like to be doing something, and right now I am really starting to feel the lack of a job.

I have been having some interesting times with Julie though...



Umm... she was not really asleep.

News of my hike

The sun rise


Hannah and JoAnna


Kathy (my old roomie) and Hannah


Part of the group I hiked down with


Just a taste of what I could see


So... I left home some time after lunch and got to the park where all the Teen Maniacs were a little before dinner. I believe it was a little over a two and a half hour trip. Anyway, they were all in a meetings about climbing and different things everyone needed to know about the weekend when I got there. Kayla (another old roomie) was the first to see me. She came over to hug me and then went back to the meeting (not the Kayla I saw a few weeks ago, she is now on the mission field. This Kayla was also in my core and is now a CA).

As soon as the meeting was over, I was mobbed by old core mates and a few people from my family core (Kathy, Jessica T., Jessica M., Sean, Maryann, and Keven were there from my family core and core). People running up to me, screaming my name and grabbing me so quick I almost fell to give me hugs. It made me feel happy inside.

Then I got to eat dinner with several of them a Januarie that I did not really know to well and a new August. They all thought my food (tuna, spotted cheese, hard boiled egg, and crackers) was gross and made the greatest faces as I ate it and Keven tried to eat it. It was great!

I have one thing to say about sleeping in the back seat of your car, don't. I tried it, and I did not sleep. That is what made my last post possible.

Finally at a little before 2:30 am, I just got up and turned my alarm off. A little after 3:00am, I was follow a bus with in my parents car. Sadly, I chose the bus that was using oil and that got lost. So, every time the driver hit the gas...you get the idea, black smoke coming my way. Then we get lost and pull over and the bus driver asks me if I know the way. Bad sign. "No, I was just following you," I say starting to fear that I will not be climbing the mountain after all.

Well, she made a few phone calls and we started driving again, this time the right way, and I did get to climb. I was a stow away on group three. Kathy was the leader of the group and JoAnna is a Januarie that works in the kitchen, so I knew those two before the hike. However, there were four new Augusts with us -- William, Hannah, **thinking hard** um...and I forget the other two guys names (I feel bad now). So, at each check point the would add my name to the list of people in group three and Kathy would have to tell them that two girls decided not to hike (I never met them).

At one point we took a wrong turn (which it turns out most people did, but we did not go 7 or 8 miles on the wrong trail as about half the people that climbed did), but another team behind us called us back. We were lucky that they saw us.

It was odd climbing with the new interns. It seems like it was not long ago at all that I was in their shoes. I guess it was not long ago. Anyway, I loved being with Kathy once again and just being around so many people I know from Teen Mania. Seeing all the new interns was cool too.

Sadly, I did not make it to the top. My heal cracked open and had to be taped back together and I only made it to Flat Top not to Hallet. So, I was with a group of people at the check point there that could not climb on (for many reasons). Then I climbed down with them after setting there in the wind for about 45 minuets (the only time I put on my coat). Out of that group I only knew Percilla, a gril from my hall/RD gourp, all of the rest were new Augusts. It was good to see the few girls I did from my RD gourp.

Not to long after getting down from the mountain and back to camp, I had to leave. Thus, I said my goodbye, had a nice intake of caffeine, and hit the road (have you ever woundered about some of our sayings, "hit the road". Do we really want to hit the road. I don't think so). Making it back just in time for dinner and a movie (the new Love bug one). Then after posting and reading, I went to sleep and slept for about 12 hours. Much needed too.

Awake for...

I have now been awake for 39 hours, and I still want to read a little before I go to sleep tonight. I will let you know how the mountain went later.

Seeing friends from Teen Mania

Well, I am off to climb a mountain with some friends from Teen Mania.