Hiatus

It's been almost a month since we posted, partly because we wanted to finish the year-end update all in one fell swoop and move on to posts about Korea. However, we've hit a snag. Just when Heidi found the photos she needed to illustrate the posts, she found out that the Word document containing the actual text was one of the few things that did not get transferred from our PC to our portable hard drive, and is therefore waiting for us in Dana Point with our beloved family.  Therefore, we will continue on with Korea news and finish the year-end updates when we get back. Thank you all for your eagerness to hear what God is doing in our lives!

Our lovely SoCal family. Taken by Aunt Mary (windswept.smugmug.com) at the going-away potluck.

Year-End Recap 2010: May - part 2

So far most of the photos in my Year-End Recap series have come from the same folder, entitled "Phone Pictures till May 2010." From here on out, it's going to be quite a bit more difficult to find photos to illustrate my posts. This may mean quite a delay (not to mention the fact that we're currently burning the candle at both ends trying to balance work and purging our possessions before we vacate our apartment and move to Korea!)... but before I go, I'd like to share one of the very last photos in this album:

This was taken in the hidden area behind my apartment complex, right across the dirt path from the railroad Daniel walks across to get to work every day. I just love the spiritual application this photo presents; mankind can realize great potential (building the wall) but usually makes a stupid choice here and there (tagging the wall). God (represented here by nature, His creation) was there when they built the wall and messed it up. Right now He's making it better, and He will continue to do so as long as we accept His grace. He doesn't remove the blemish, but in His kindness, He is faithful to cover it - in essence, to make it new. We still have the choice to tear down these vines, to refuse His offer of redemption, and if we do, the consequences of the stupid choice will still be there. We could try to paint over it, but the wall will never truly be the same, no matter how close a shade we find to paint it with!



Well, I'm waxing talkative, and all I really wanted was to say: God is good.



And with this, I bid you adieu. (Or as we say in Korean: An-nyeong!)

Year-End Recap 2010: May

Mother's Day card I paited for my MIL (Mother-In-Love)

My apartment after a "Marathon Cleaning," as FlyLady puts it

The first "real" crochet project I ever finished

We celebrated Naomi's birthday with a visit from her fiance, David

In May I took another step forward toward responsible living by actually subscribing to emails from the FlyLady. She’s really good at encouraging her FlyBabies to take the leap and do the things they want or need to do… so when I heard that Glee (a musical TV show) was holding open auditions, I went for it! The videos may still be posted on MySpace, for those who want to see them.   

I wanted to sign up for a voiceover class offered at the community college, but ended up missing the opportunity. Another anticipated-but-missed event this month was Open Cockpit Day at the Castle Air Force Base Air Museum. They have one every year, and we’d love to go! 

A couple of events I did get to attend were the Creekside Ladies’ Spring Luncheon (“Spring Forth into Hope!”) and a local fashion show put together by my boss’ daughter and modeled by my the little sister of my high school best friend, Ashley McComb – the best part is that Ashley and I got to sit together, and afterwards I got to dine with the whole family. It felt just like old times! Plus I really like supporting local artistic endeavors like that fashion show.   

An art show featuring the work of local high school students

And while we’re on the subject of art and support, I’d like to say I’m extremely grateful for my artistic and supportive husband! Daniel and I got to work together on a personalized melamine plate for his family. It featured a hand-drawn comic-book-style image of the two of us as super heroes, complete with masks, and a city skyline at sunset.  Later, Daniel acted as my real-life hero by taking care of a fix-it ticket I got when a patrolman noticed my windshield was cracked. May was very busy for me, so it was nice to have him handle the details. 

May was graduation month, so Downtown Merced hosted an event called Cap & Town to celebrate. Daniel was the on-site photographer at our friend’s shop, which was also celebrating its first anniversary.

Everything was great until a thirty-person-fight broke out a block away, and somebody got shot! No one died, but it helped remind us we need to keep in prayer those in our town whose lives are held in the vise-grip of the gang activity so prevalent in this area. 

On a brighter note, this was the month we got to host members of the Azusa Pacific chorale during their post-semester tour. It was only overnight, but we all had a blast! Now we’re friends on facebook. I love that we get to keep in touch!

Year-End Recap 2010: April

In April, I grew as a homemaker when I remembered my high school exposure to The FlyLady and started exploring her website for advice (small victories, eh? Or as The FlyLady says, Baby Steps!). Dan was able to land some odd jobs at our friend’s shop in exchange for his [delicious] wares, and I actually finished and sent a letter to my grandma!

(If you only knew how many letters and thank-you notes I’ve started! I’ve still got ones I haven’t sent which date back to high school. To those of you for whom these letters were intended: I’m so sorry!)   

One disappointment was missing out on the annual missions trip to Mexico to work side by side with our beloved sister church and its pastor, Trino Ortiz. He’s such a kindred spirit! 

However, all was not lost: we got to have a visit from our Orange County kindred spirits, Josh Mayo and Quentin Ortega! Great fun, food, fellowship and photography was had by all.   

More great fellowship was had when Janelle York (our youth pastor’s wife and my most kindred spirit of all) and I finally made time to see each other one afternoon; we laid bare our hearts and prayed and cried (or at least, I did), and made a pact to turn our church into one that’s comfortable (and eager!) go pray together on the spot whenever a need is made known. 

 I was encouraged to spend more time in the Word, and subsequently spent a lot of time in 1 Samuel. One thing that stood out to me was the story of Dagon versus the Ark of the Covenant:

“When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.”

Taken 4/26/10: my 21st spiritual birthday

Upon reading this, I was challenged to ask myself, “What’s my Dagon… and do I keep setting it in its place again?”

Year-End Recap 2010: March

In March, I actually ended up spending a lot of time not working. The first weekend I spent accompanying the youth to Acquire the Fire for the second year in a row, eagerly anticipating Saturday’s Thousand Foot Krutch concert.   

As we prepared to enjoy the experience, I looked at one of my 13-year-olds and said, “I just realized I’ve been listening to these guys since you were in diapers. Wowww.” 

Ultimately, though it was a fantastic concert, I felt it was out of place. Here we are, gathered together to ”Acquire the Fire,” to be filled with a passion for worshiping God above all else, bawling our eyes out as actors portray scenarios of inspirational devotion… and then we’re moshing to “Rawkfist.” But I digress.   

Beyond taking time off for ATF, I ended up sick for a week and a half, during which time I took the opportunity to find common ground with my high school girls by watching all three seasons of Hannah Montana back to back (followed promptly by Hannah Montana the Movie). I won’t tell you whether or not Daniel joined me, but suffice to say, Lily is his favorite character by far!   

March 3rd: Glorious rain!

March 4th: Glorious sun

In the midst of this childish pastime, I couldn’t help but feel rather grown-up at receiving my first real jury summons (which really only amounted to standing by the fire exit for a while, witting on the floor for even longer, and finally being dismissed to go home and take a nap to recuperate)!   

A well-deserved sense of accomplishment resulted from spending a day writing an article on the history of a friend’s shop downtown, then seeing it published shortly thereafter! We also celebrated Isaac’s birthday at this shop, putting him in touch with the owner, who soon incorporated Isaac into his staff of interns. It’s been wonderful to watch his growth as an employee there.

 Playing disc golf before Isaac's party

 Spending time with loved ones over "froyo" pie!

Year-End Recap 2010: February

 A windy day downtown; Lauren Stokes performing at Gottschalk's Music Center

February saw us downtown a lot.  Having befriended a few of the owners at our favorite local shops, we were drawn to spend much of our time patronizing, conversing and gaming with them.   

 Frozen yogurt shop owner Alex Lu-Pon and his sister, "Tiny"

One shop, which sells comic books, included us in their plans for a Grand Opening that month, wherein I impersonated a comic book character who happened to have been brought into the limelight by a nationally celebrated local artist, while Daniel photographed the event. 

 

 Rushing in to save the day,

 

making friends...

 

 ...and enemies along the way!

 

 (A few months later, one of his shots ended up in an ad for the comic shop!)   

February felt like the true first month of the year, as Daniel and I settled into the new year by breaking from much of our previous ministry to re-evaluate our place in the family of God, and I got a chance to make good on my resolution to find more opportunities to write when I got interested in the subject of water conservation.   

Utilizing contacts I had made downtown, I feverishly pursued research on the subject until I had so much information at my disposal I realized I would have to back off and narrow my focus if I ever hoped to finish the article I had planned…  and then I got busy with work.

Year-End Recap 2010: January

It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m hanging out at Lauren Petiti’s house with Daniel, my brother Isaac and a more recent addition to the group, Darlene Washington. I’m sitting in the armchair reading last year’s calendar while the others goof around on the couch, bonding over games yet unplayed. Laughter rings out as imaginations run wild, but for once in my life, I remain undistracted, intent on chronicling the year just passed.

January was a traitor to the year 2010, indignantly clinging to the ways of the year before: youth ministry figured prominently in our schedule each week – I even got to take time off work to lend a hand at the youth retreat. We wrote letters to God and I wrestled in my spirit with various issues that I had been putting off thinking about up till then.  Hooray for spare time… Lord knows I certainly don’t allow myself much of it!  

Wrestling

January was the month I spent one or more days a week commuting to fill in for a friend at the Modesto Sears Optical. I love the adventure of finding ways to fit in somewhere new – that’s why I still do temp work for Cornerstone Staffing Solutions – but the thing I love most about working in Modesto is getting to stock up at Trader Joe’s! For this reason, I jump at the chance to “sub” at the Modesto store whenever I can. 

 Whoa...

 Enjoying a snack from TJ's while working in Modesto

I also jump at the chance to host loved ones – especially my Orange County in-laws who promised at Christmas to make a trip to Merced bearing gifts from several generous folks who wanted us to inherit their gorgeous furniture. What a blessing it is to walk into a room and be reminded of friends and family every time we use the things that we’ve received from them.  And what a blessing to have it hand-delivered by the Kessener Three and Miss Ronda!  We thoroughly enjoyed introducing them to the delightful shops on Main Street, downtown.

 

 Fun, food and good fellowship with family

Stay tuned for more from the Year-End Recap 2010!