Rather than attempt to fill you in on the insanity that is my day to day, I thought I would share random quotes and sayings that are...well, that I like.

I feel I am ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers...I have not that talent which some possess of conversing easily with people I have never met.

Walk toward the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you.

My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

You can only be truly accomplished at something you love.

Do you know what we could accomplish together? We'd set the world on fire!!! ... not just figuratively but literally as well!!!

Weep like a woman for what you could not hold onto as a man.

If we had no Winter, Spring would not be so pleasant.

If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write something worth reading or do something worth the writing. - Benjamin Franklin

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. - Eleanor Roosevelt

To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it...the right to swing your fist ends where the other man's nose begins. - G.K. Chesterton

Nothing is interesting if you're not interested.

Its not enough to be good if you have the ability to be better.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt

There may be someone who can stop you temporarily but you are the only one who can do it permanently.

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

What we see depends on what we are looking for.

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you'll ever regret.

Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and you cry with your girlfriends.

A man's got to do what a man's got to do. A woman must do what he can't.

The phrase 'working mother' is redundant.

When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping...men invade another country.

And lastly:

"I will never betray my Goon Dock friends
We will stick together til the whole world ends
Through heaven and hell and nuclear war
Good friends like us will stick like tar
In city or country or out in the boonies
We proudly declare ourselves fellow GOONIES!!!!"

National Treasure.
When they're looking for the Charlotte.
I love Riley. He cracks me up.

"Its a big blue-ish green man with a strange looking goatee. I'm guessing that's significant."

"How could a ship wind up way out here?"

"Well, I'm no expert, but it could be that the hydro-thermic properties of this region caused hurricane force ice storms that cause the ocean to freeze and then melt and then refreeze resulting in a semi-solid migrating land mass that would land a ship, right about here."

"Do you have any wild hopes,
or tame ones for that matter?
The possibility of acorns becoming towering oaks,
or caterpillars blossoming into butterflies,
or that dawn will chase away midnight fears?
Wild hopes!
That all creation will learn the dance of joy,
and all humanity might taste the wine of peace,
and that our loving God will become transparent through love.

Recast the earth, O Lord,
and move our hearts with wild hopes."

From Resurrection to Pentecost by Robert F. Morneau

Children, presented with the first half of a well known proverb, came up with:

1.Don't change horses until they stop running.
2.Strike while the bug is close.
3.It's always darkest before Daylight Saving Time.
4.Never underestimate the power of termites.
5.You can lead a horse to water but How?
6.Don't bite the hand that looks dirty.
7.No news is impossible
8.A miss is as good as a Mr.
9.You can't teach an old dog new Math
10.If you lie down with dogs, you'll stink in the morning.
11.Love all, trust Me.
12.The pen is mightier than the pigs.
13.An idle mind is the best way to relax.
14.Where there's smoke there's pollution.
15.Happy the bride who gets all the presents.
16.A penny saved is not much.
17.Two's company, three's the Musketeers.
18.Don't put off till tomorrow what you put on to go to bed.
19.Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and you have to blow your nose.
20.There are none so blind as Stevie Wonder.
21.Children should be seen and not spanked or grounded.
22.If at first you don't succeed get new batteries.
23.You get out of something only what you see in the picture on the box
24.When the blind lead the blind get out of the way.
25.A bird in the hand is going to poop on you.
26.Better late than . . . . .pregnant.
27. As you shall make your bed so shall you ... mess it up.
28. It is better to light one candle than to... light an explosive.
29. You have nothing to fear but... your Principal.
You have nothing to fear but... homework.
30. If you can't stand the heat... don't start the fireplace.
If you can't stand the heat... go swimming.
31. I think, therefore I... get a headache.
32. Early to bed and early to rise... is first in the bathroom.
33. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a... blister.
34. There is nothing new under the... bed.
35. The grass is always greener... when you leave the sprinkler on

Deep thinking for a teenager:

The only stupid question is the one that is never asked, except maybe "Don't you think it is about time you audited my return?" or "Isn't it morally wrong to give me a warning when, in fact, I was speeding?" --Age 15

Classes. Books. Syllabi. Pens and paper and pencils. Moving in. Paying for laundry again. Really bad Caf food. Oh the joys of coming back to school.
Arg. I'm two days into the semester and I'm already exhausted. It might be the rain, it just makes the whole world gray and deary and makes you not want to go outside. And that's not a good thing when you have to walk back and forth and back and forth between classes and works and works and classes and works and classes.
Anyway...So I'm taking six classes this semester, and all of them have to do with Ministry. Imagine that, a junior ministry major taking all ministry classes - that's rocket science!
Youth Culture and Issues, Spiritual Formation, Engaging Theology, Small Groups Ministry, Business Issues in Ministry, and Ministry Internship. All in all, I think it should be a good semester; if I can just get past all of the insanity of the past two days. Oh the joys...

So...Christmas anyone???

Yep, been there did that.
Its usually amusing and always kinda sad to me to see the way that different people act around Christmas. For instance, I'm watching a movie right now about a group of terrorists who have taken a building hostage and are working to open the vault. The tech guy (who's name is ironically Theo) is talking to the boss guy, the tech guy says "This last one is gonna take a miracle." To which the boss replies "Its Christmas Theo! It's the time of miracles, so be of good cheer!!!" There's the people who give at Christmas because you're supposed to, the people who give because other's are giving or other's are watching. There's the people who give new unwrapped toys to Toys for Tots and the ones who write the annual charity check (just in time for taxes). There's the people who work the soup kitchen on Christmas afternoon and the ones who attend the special Christmas service whether its Christmas or not because "that's what good Christians do."
Believe it or not, I do know all that "Jesus is the reason for the season stuff." I also know that perfectly pagan institutions do marvelous amazing things for people around Christmas time. And yet...
I've seen families with nothing merry and content because they're together; and families with everything whine and moan because they (usually some 14 year old) didn't get the newest iphone or the car. I've also seen perfectly well meaning families somewhere in the middle who understand the 'reason for the season' and wish only to be together and celebrate with each other but who get caught up in the rest of it, the peripherals, the extras. The presents and the meals and the driving and the people and the smiles and hugs and the food and the presents and who gets what from whom and and and and and...
It makes me sad that they (the infamous 'they') have taken our holiday and made it materialistic and horrid and now they won't even let us say 'Merry Christmas'. I mean really.
Of course I can't find it now but there was an email that went around a while ago about "If they want my Christmas" and it talked about how if we can't say Merry Christmas anymore than I want things like all the stores open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the post office open extra extra. I (OF COURSE) can't find it, but it was pretty stinkin amazing and if any of you have it I would LOVE to get it again.

My God Is Disconcerting

My God is disconcerting:
He is close to me, and He is transcendent,
He is gentle, and He is violent,
He is eternal, and He is ever born anew.
He has created us for happiness and nourishes us on pain.
He blesses what many people fear,
He loves what so many despise.
He asks for what seems impossible.
He came to bring war, and He is peaceful.
He is God, and he is man,
He is One, and He is three.
He curses the unjust, yet tolerates injustice,
He is the Almighty Father, yet He allows pain and sorrow.
He demands that we conquer the world, that we live in it,
that we love everything human, yet He wants us to think about the next world.
He asks all of us to be saints,
yet He chose as the head of His Church the apostle who denied Him.
He prefers the weak and the poor, yet it is they who go on suffering the most.
He engraves His law on the conscience of every man, yet He founded a church whose magisterium may create more than a few conflicts with this interior voice of conscience.
He is always present, yet no one sees His face.
Whoever loves his neighbor loves Him, yet He is still one God.
He is our whole life, yet He has no name. The closer you get to Him, the more you love Him and the less you understand Him.
He is freedom, yet He came to obey. He is love, yet hell exists.
He exalted matrimony to such a point that He made it a sacrament and the image of His union with His church, yet He and His mother were virgins.
He is at the heart of human history, and not even a hair falls from our heads without His permission, yet millions of men go on feeling that the world is empty of Him and that He really is superfluous.
He is at once both joy and sorrow.
He is holy, but was a friend of sinners.
He was a virgin, yet He allowed Himself to be touched and loved by prostitutes.
He cried out against the rich, yet He used to dine with them.
My disconcerting God is difficult for the man who wants to take His full measure, for those who wish to impose their logic on Him.
But my God goes beyond all logic and all means of measurement.
My God is marvelous and ineffable, unique and disconcerting.
He is being and movement.
He is what was, what is and what will be.

He is everything, yet nothing is Him.
My disconcerting God is He in whom one believes without seeing, whom one loves without touching, in whom one hopes without understanding, and whom one possesses without deserving.

Psalm 12:1

Psalm 12.
"Help, Lord, for the godly man cease to be,
For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men."

Ain't that the truth!!!!!!
I mean really!!!!! How many godly (unattached) men do you know?

Updates.

Wow. It’s been a long time. Sorry about that. I’ve been thinking about posting something since camp – I know that was over a month ago; but there’s just been so much going on inside my head that the thought was kind of daunting. So I’m just going to start typing and see what comes out.

Children’s Camp

What a week. We only had 30 kids, but I loved it. By Wednesday at lunch I knew every child by name, which is not only good for disciplinary purposes but also for edifying purposes. I slept in a tent all week with Rachel and Lisa (most of the timeJ) and while the outer part was really messy (you put three teenage girls with a week’s worth of stuff in a tent and keep it clean) the inside was warm and cuddle with mattresses and sleeping bags and sweatshirts. I got sunburned on Wednesday, which kinda stunk, but didn’t really hit me until about 2:30 am when all the heat left my back and shoulders and I was FREEZING and couldn’t get warm the rest of the night. That was the only morning I woke up grumpy – mostly cuz I didn’t ever really go back to sleep after I woke up cold. My two favorite parts of this week were teaching the kids Sword Drill and meals. The Sword Drill part of it was kind of trying – God was teaching me patient, again…still… - but also rewarding. Sword Drill is one of my favorite things to do and it was SO much fun teaching others a way to learn about the Bible. Meals were amazing – for several reasons. First because they tasted good (Good job Doug!) and second because I got to help with set up and clean up and stuff, which helped me because I need to have something to do to be a part of stuff and serve. The other major fun part about Kids Camp was the rock wall – Duane made it and we put it together on Monday before the kids got their on Tuesday. 16 feet high with little holds and a good ole harness – good times!!! Oh!! And the snack bar!!! Rae and I did snack bar and we had a blast!!!! We had everything stashed under the counter, so Rae would sit down there and pass stuff up to me, while I was taking orders and money and giving change. Other than that – not a whole lot happened. We came up with some new lines: “You just got puppet slapped!!” “One, two, three. Eyes on me.” Shane got hit on my several people (and a puppet!!!) and we learned some new songs!!! Good stuff!!!

Youth Camp

Again – only 36 campers, but it was still amazing. Again – knew ever kids name just a little while into camp and was calling them by name often, youth are more mischievous than children. This year I was in charge of the low ropes course (alas, no high ropes this year) but on Tuesday (my ‘day-off’) I got to go with Doug up to the rock. I always forget how beautiful it is up there, and how peaceful, even though it’s hot. This year Doug did two ropes down the rock and I got to be the first down one; Doug just forgot to tell me that when you’re the first one down the rope it tends to coil and wrap. At one point I was balancing on the dirt mound trying to get the rope untangled in order to drop the last five feet. I also got sunburned this day – although mostly on one side – from being strapped to the rock and belaying kids up the crag. Wednesday and Thursday I had kids up on the ropes course – talk about trying to learn patience; enough said. Overall – good week. There were some trying times, and God worked in some lives. Mostly He brought us together; because of the size of our group we all got to know each other a little bit better than we usually do. Hopefully this will lead to better accountability and more kids at rallies and camp.

Work Week

I spent the week after Youth Camp in Redding working. I worked like 47 hours or something, not that I’m complaining, far from it, but it was rather exhausting. Honestly – I don’t remember what we did all day, but I worked a lot, and it was hot.

Happy Birthday Corinne and Abi!!!!!

Mission Camp

We spent this week at Duane and Corinne’s new house in Magalia, along with some time at Billy Park in Paradise and Merlo Park in Stirling City. We did all the usual bond builders and lessons, just a little different for several reasons. First because there were only three of us; second because we weren’t at a camp ground; third because of the new baby. Again – a good week. Learned a lot, actually got some sleep, found out I had (I think I still have) a sprained shoulder, and watching Shane go from quite boy in the corner to crazy both who sneezes and pops his back. Rachel – no nose pushing, it’s against the rules.

And then – back to normal life. What have I done since then? Well, I left there to go to the family reunion, and then straight back to Redding. I started work on Sunday morning at 11:00am and I don’t think I’ve stopped since. Worked a week; drove down on Saturday for the rally, drove back up that night to work on Sunday morning. I’ve spent this week working a lot of LONG days. Tuesday I started work at 7:30 in the morning and didn’t get done til midnight. Not that I worked straight through – that’s illegal – but I’d work for two hours and then get two hours off etc and was finally down at midnight. LONG day.

Today I’m a ‘gym host’. Translation – I drove out here to Grant Elementary (West of Redding) and opened everything up, set up the waters, turned on the air conditioning and the lights. Now I’m sitting here typing all this (and several other things) up on Jimmy until 11:10 when I get back in the Intrepid (HAHA!! I LIKE driving the Intrepid!!!) to go back to Simpson and get lunches for the kids (I’m still not sure what I’m gonna eat) and drive back here until 3:30. The whole time I can do whatever, mostly work on Jimmy and watch movies, but I have to be here the whole time – it’s Grants stupid rule. Anyway, so that’s what I’m doing today!!!!

I work today, tomorrow and Monday, Tuesday’s my day off and then I work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Fun fun!!!!

In other news…there really isn’t any other news…it’s just me being me. (If anyone knows what that is, please let me know.)

Oh yeah – additional email address: skippy@missionpossibleministries.net – off the coolest site ever: missionpossibleministries.net. YAY!!! Check it out – it’s cool. And there’s pictures!!!

Oh!!! And speaking of pictures!!! Here’s one of the pictures that we took last month in Reno at UNR. (Haha!!! No more hair!!!)

Major Skippy

Well...the results are in and the decision is: Francesca. I have NO intention of calling her Fanny - cuz that is just WRONG. I'll probably call her Cesca. I like the way that sounds.

In other news - I obviously cut my hair last Friday!!! It was scary and exciting and fun and crazy. I can't even describe to you what it felt like when she started cutting through the ponytail. It's all gone now - mailed to Locks of Love last Monday. I'm still getting used to it - but I definitely like it. I can blow dry my hair in like two minutes flat!!!! That's a huge improvement from the half an hour it used to take me!!!! It was quite fun to watch the reactions of other people as they noticed. One particular friend didn't notice until I shook my hair (what was left of it) in her face. In some cases my hair was back and under the hat and so it took until I actually took it out of the hat for them to see. My favorite reaction was my 9 year old niece who took one look at me and said "who are you and what have you done with my aunt?"

I also spent last week up at Lake Almanor working a children's camp with my team. Talk about crazy and fun!!! Now I'm home for two days and then leaving for youth camp for a week!!!! YAY!!!!!

Okay - that's the update on my life!!

Love you all - Skippy

It's amazing what scissors can do...

Before:

After:



The difference? 13 inches.

Now is the time to vote!!!! After many suggestions I've narrowed it down but I just can't decide!!!! So I've decided to allow ya'll to vote!
So here are the options:

Fredrick

Francesca

Smurfette

Cast your vote by midnight Saturday June 16, 2007 and tune in Sunday for the revealing of the name of my car!!!!

All entries must be submitted via blog or written down and personally delivered; all rules and restrictions apply see store for details.


Skippy

Duh!!

How could I forget all the details????
Thanks Julie for the reminder!!!

It's a Chevy Aveo, 2005 - prior rental. Four doors (obviously), automatic, radio, air conditioning.

Names anyone?

Skippy

Exciting!!!

What's little, blue, and gas efficient?
MY CAR!!!!!!!
Look:
Yes - that's the underside of my laundry basket - you just DON'T pass up the chance to do your laundry for free, you just don't.


The back.


The front.

I'm so happy!!!!
Anyway - its pretty and blue and REALLY gas efficient!!!!

I'm taking input for the naming of said car, so comment your suggestion and I'll decide and post in a few days!!!

Hope all is well with everyone!!!

Love,
Natasha

The GOD side of today...

And no, it's not just because it's Sunday.
Last night I was saying that I was empty, that I had no more to give. It's something I've said often lately. And this morning in church we sang a song that (brought up some GREAT memories and almost made me cry and) made me realize that in order for me to re-fuel, I have to go to the one who has fuel.

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all

Seeking you as a precious jewel
Lord to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your name

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising again I bless Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down you pick me up
When I am dry you fill my cup
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your name
(I love you) Jesus, (oh precious) Lamb of God, worthy is Your name

So there's the cool God thing for today.
Kind of like a friendly slap in the face just to get my attention.

Anywho - who else has a God story? I know that they happen to all of you - are you looking for them?

Major Skippy

I can tie my hair in a knot!!!!
Isn't that cool?
Okay, at least weird!!!



Of course it only works when its wet...but that's only a minor detail!!!

It has officially been more than a month since I have posted anything. Almost a month and a half. Hmmm...

Anyway!!! So - what has happened since March 31st?
Well...I made it through Easter, three birthdays in one week, and finals.
And then I started work!!! I work for six hours on Friday the 27th setting up for graduation. Most of it in the sun, setting up 3,000 white chairs. Then, I spent five hours on Saturday the 28th - taking them all down. Oh yea - loads of fun!!!!
Monday the 30th was First Aid and CPR training day - I'm certified!!! (No, not certifiably insane - that's you!)
Tuesday we moved - Nicole and I - down the hall, up the stairs, through the lobby, and into the room I'm in now!!! I'm still getting settled in, but whatever - it's all good!!!!

The first week of May was 9-5, every day. Crazy work. Fun work, but crazy work. This week has been more low key, and more sporadic. Next week I only work Tuesday and Wednesday.

There's really nothing else going on. I get up, I go to work, I come back, I go to my other job, I sleep. Same-o, same-o every day.

Trivia question!!!!!! What president's last real tooth and four sets of dentures on display at a Dentistry Museum??

Love to all - yes, that means even you.
Skippy

So it's been almost three weeks...not my fault!!!
The first week there was nothing I could do about it because I was home on Spring Break and we were moving and the DSL didn't get changed over and we had no Internet. ("And like, no phone!" If you know what that's from, let me know - you'll be my hero.)
And then last week my niece Tate from Boise was at school with me, and I barely had time to do my homework, let alone post.
But now, now I'm posting.
I'm home at the moment, I came home yesterday to take Tate to the airport this morning (we left at 4 am...) and I'm heading back tonight to spend the rest of the night and tomorrow reading like crazy and trying to catch up.

The thing about blogging is that your supposed to have something interesting or at least intelligent to say. What if you don't have anything very interesting or remotely intelligent to say?

Alright, that's it. Later. Skippy

God is GREAT!!!!!!!!!

Ya wanna know why? Here, let me tell you:

1. It's SUNNY outside!!!!
2. I have the GREATEST friends in the world!!!!!!
3. I'm going home this weekend!!!!
4. We're finally moving this weekend!!!!
5. I get to see Becc on Monday for the first time in months!!!!
6. I get to spend a week and a half with my long lost niece from Boise!!!!
7. There are people who love me enough (I have no idea why) to come help us move on Saturday!!!!
8. I get to see T.K. in 72 hours!!!
9. I get to see my chiropractor on Wednesday!!!! (Yes, that is AFTER we move.)
10. Professors at Simpson are AMAZING!!!!

So those are the first 10 reasons that popped into my head, there are about a zillion others.

OH!!! And here's#11 - this makes the second post in a week!!!!

Love to ALL!!!!
Skippy