A Wandering Spirit

from Belize

2009-03-18T08:39:00.002-05:00

I have a LOT of blog updating to do, but haven't had time to do it. And now I'm in Belize with very limited internet access. We are updating our church's mission's blog though if you want more info on what we're doing down here in Belize City. And then when I get back to Texas on March 22 I'll post more about life in Texas.

Good Times in CA and a Successful Stampede

2009-02-20T14:42:00.015-06:00

I hadn't made a trip out to California since I was there for my Company of New Pastors meeting at the end of September so I figured it was time to take a quick trip out there (because once Lent starts, my schedule picks up and I didn't want to wait an entire year before going back to see all my friends out there). There are many things I miss about being in CA, and one of them is simply being so close to the Pacific. This is the view from Becca's parent's house (the island in the background is Catalina).

This next picture I took, because it is very typical of California. Last night I was running here in Texas and I came across an armadillo. While I was in CA, I didn't see an armadillo, but rather a peacock....Notice the peacock strutting across the roof....

There were lots of reasons, I wanted to make this trip. One of which was to meet Asher, Paige and Chris' new son.

It was great to see all three of them!

I also got to see and spend time with the Lazzarini family. Mostly we just spent time together at home, but I also was able to watch Margaret play in a waterpolo game.

I had gone out to CA expecting sunny warm weather, and for a day or so it was sunny, but then the skies opened up and the rain began to fall. Jennifer, Sarah, Becca, and I had decided to do our normal Valentines Day celebration a week earlier when I was out in CA. Three years ago we started a tradition of doing "secret Valentines," and then going out to spend time together (and then we would exchange presents and reveal who had drawn whose name). The past two years we had dressed up and gone out for fancy dinners and performances (a comedy club and the musical The Color Purple). Both years we had a ton of fun! This year we decided to do something a little different and planned on spending the day hiking to the Hollywood sign. Well, the rain stopped us from hiking so we decided to make a trip out to Upland instead. We began our day together at Chick-fil-A, and there we exchanged presents.

Jennifer had drawn my name,

I had drawn Sarah's name,

Sarah had drawn Becca's name,

and Becca had drawn Jennifer's name.

And then after a fabulous lunch and exchanging presents, we headed to a local rock climbing gym for a day of climbing.

We decided after climbing for a good portion of the day that we wanted some frozen yogurt, and made a detour by Golden Spoon on the way back to Pasadena.

We got back, and Margaret and I decided while there was a break in the rain that we would take the dog for a walk. Well, the rain didn't stay away, and we quickly got soaked. But we had fun, which is all that matters.

On my last day in CA, just before I had to fly out, we had a bridal shower to celebrate Sarah (who is getting married on March 21!). Becca and I braved the rain and took the metro from South Pasadena to Old Town so we wouldn't have to worry about parking.

Jennifer had made a card for Sarah to have during her wedding that simply said, "I Am the Bride," so that she could flash it whenever she needed to between now and March 21.

Jennifer had found a wonderful tea place to have the shower, and I had so much fun eating great food, seeing my friends, and celebrating Sarah.

With Alethia (I had borrowed Tera's hat for the picture) at the start of the tea

Alethia, Christina, and Jennifer with their tea

Our wonderful food

The group

Before I left for TX though I had to make a quick trip to Trader Joes (to stock up on food), and while we were out we saw the most beautiful rainbow. The picture really doesn't do the rainbow justice, but it was so pretty I had to try and capture it on film.

On the actual day of Valentines I was back in TX, and figured that there was no better way to spend Valentines Day than to do what I love, running, with a good friend. So, Michelle and I registered for the Haltom Stampede, a local 5K. I didn't run a personal best, but I had fun and still managed to place third in my age group. And the top three finishers in each age group were given a buffalo trophy.

Michelle ran a great race and ended up placing first in her age group. After the race, we had a great waffle breakfast (thanks to Stacy) and managed to get a picture of both of us with our trophies.

Souper Bowl and Super Bowl Sunday

2009-02-06T10:53:00.004-06:00

152 million viewers (according to Nielsen, though I must admit I have never quite understood how people come up with those statistics) watched the 2009 Super Bowl as the Steelers defeated the Cardinals. We had a wonderful youth Super Bowl party, but our day started much earlier with the Souper Bowl of Caring. 20 years ago the youth of Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC address the issue of hunger in their community with this Super Bowl Sunday prayer:

"Lord, as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us to be mindful of those without even a bowl of soup to eat."

That year the one single church invited 21 congregations to join them and together they raised $5,700. Over the last twenty years, as more and more congregations across the nation have joined in, over 20 million dollars has been raised!

This was the fourth year FPCA participated. The youth picked out soup recipes, we went to Costco to get food, and then on Sunday morning we cooked three different soup recipes (to feed over 200 people) - a classic chicken noodle, a chicken tortilla (that was the best), and a minestrone. And at the end of the day, we had collected $915 with all the proceeds going to Arlington Charities.

I only have a few pictures, but there are some more good ones on the First Presbyterian Church website (just follow the photos link).

This was the start of our minestrone soup.

We had met during the Sunday School hour to start cooking, and then took a break so that the Agapes (the youth choir) could sing the introit.

The youth serving lunch in the fellowship hall:

Then, later that day it was time for our Super Bowl party! It was a party complete with lots of food,

and 3D glasses to wear in order to watch commercials (the few that were designed to be 3D).

Great way to spend a Sunday!

Congratulations to Rev. Tully Fletcher and Happy Birthday to Tori!

2009-02-05T12:10:00.003-06:00

Though I had just been in North Carolina for the week between Christmas and New Years, I made a quick trip back to NC to be there for the ordination of Tully Fletcher (who took a call to be the Associate of Youth of Orangewood Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, AZ). Tully and I had grown up together in the Westminster Presbyterian Church youth group, and it meant a lot that I was able to be there for his ordination.

On Sunday after the two Sunday morning worship services, Tully's mom hosted a BBQ lunch (North Carolina BBQ in case you were curious) at her house. It was the perfect opportunity to snap a few pictures.

Tully and his sister, Jen:

Me and Tully:

And then after lunch it was time to head back to WPC to get ready for the 3pm ordination service. My dad took this picture of the church, and I just love this picture

Around 2:30 Tully's entire commission (all those involved in the service) gathered together for final instructions.

Part of what made the service so special was that the 3 pastors who had been on staff when Tully and I were going through the youth group were a part of the service. This is the five of us just before the service:

At the end of the service I had been asked to charge the congregation. Usually a charge is given to a congregation where a pastor is being installed. But since Tully had been baptized at WPC (and the elder who had read through the baptismal vows in 1986 when Tully was baptized read them again, and we as a congregation reaffirmed those baptismal vows), we thought it was more than appropriate to charge the congregation at WPC as well. It was very special for me to stand side by side with Tully, wearing our robes, and to charge the congregation.

Introducing the Rev. Tully Fletcher!

As the reception was winding down, we headed back into the sanctuary for a few more photos:

An added bonus to being back that particular weekend was that it was the weekend before Tori 15th birthday. I made the drive to Wake Forest and Keelan come home from NC State for the weekend so that we could properly celebrate Tori's birthday! I hadn't really brought any party clothes with me, so I turned one of Tori's dresses into a shirt and wore it over jeans.

Keelan planned a wonderful pasta/chicken dinner, and we had 2 different cakes. An angel food cake for us, and a funfetti cake just for Tori. We got a little carried away decorating Tori's cake...

But Tori loved it which is all that matters.

It was a WONDERFUL weekend, and I am so glad I got to be there for it.

And then, I flew back to TX just in time for the ice storm! When I moved to Texas in May, and spent the summer trying to adjust to the heat, I never guessed that the same state could have an ice storm! The schools were closed, but the ice didn't last too long and after a day or so we were back to our normal routine.

This is the walkway out to the parking lot from my apartment.

a busy (but wonderful) start to 2009

2009-01-23T17:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not really sure how so much time has passed since I last posted to my blog - the last thing I had posted about was the 5:00 Family Friendly Christmas Eve Service at FPCA. Well, since then, there has been much activity...

After the Family Friendly Service we had a party, a birthday party for Jesus, in the fellowship hall (complete with pinatas and cake). When I made my way back to my office to prepare for our 7:30pm Christmas Eve Service, I found that my office had been "flocked" in honor of my birthday. What a wonderful surprise!

It was definitely strange not to be at Westminster in Durham on Christmas Eve (I can't remember the last time I wasn't there on Christmas Eve), but it was a wonderful joy filled evening. We had a 7:30pm and 11:00pm service, and both were beautiful, fun services.

Christmas morning I had an 11:00am flight to head to North Carolina, but I had some time in the morning to hang out with the McClellands. This is Stacy and I in our pajamas that two of the youth group girls gave us.

It was a ton of fun to be with the two girls on Christmas morning and to see their excitement as they opened their stockings and presents.

And then, it was time to get on a flight. I landed just in time for Christmas dinner with the extended family.

My cousin Stacy came over with her 3 kids, and as always my dad (aka Uncle Richard) is a crowd favorite.

Stacy and I ended up "helping" the two oldest kids make these play do mosaic things. But somehow "helping turned into us doing it...

And then, the very next day it was time to celebrate my 28th birthday. This is my dad and I out for dinner at a local Chinese restaurant.

After dinner we celebrated with a TCBY yogurt cake.

And then the next day we celebrated my mom's birthday (it actually wasn't until Jan 2, but since it was her 60th there was a big party at our house on the 27th).

Since I was in NC, I definitely had to make a trip to Wake Forest to see the Danku clan. We had a truly relaxing, restful time while I was there. Besides going to visit Keelan while she was at work at the Texas Roadhouse, we really just sat around in our pajamas, watched football, sat in the hot tub and relaxed - it was wonderful.

Marryn and Keelan at the Texas Roadhouse:

Tori and I:

While I was in North Carolina I got to enjoy many of my favorite places. One of which is the Duke Cross Country trail - it's a wonderful place to run, and I miss it.

I also got to see some of my favorite dogs, Callie,

and Ronin.

I also got to go to a Duke game with my dad - which was SO much fun! The players warming up:

Tip-off:

My dad at half-time:

New Years Eve I spent most of the evening hanging out with my dear friend Rebecca, but briefly stopped by a party to say hi to some of my WPC girls.

And then on Jan 2, I headed back to Texas (I was scheduled to preach on the 4th). The 3rd we had a 5K run - the "Jiggle Butt." It was an all women's race (though next year they will have a men's division called the "Jiggle Gut.")

Pre-run:

Presley and I pre-run (it was this very oddly warm day - but it was icing two days later).

Another pre-run shot:

I ran my fastest time that I have run in recent years, a 26:45, and it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Michelle finishing strong:

Post-race:

Presley finishing:

Presley and I tired from the run:

And a post race picture of the four of us:

That evening we went to a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert. It was incredible, and because of a ticket drawing at Michelle's office, we had free box seats. Sadly though we weren't allowed to take cameras in, so we have no pictures of the event.

The next morning when I went into church, I found another surprise - three of the FPCA youth had cleaned my office while I was gone. What a gift!!!

Since then life has just been busy with work and running. One last picture to leave you with...

One morning when Stacy and I were out running, it was a little chilly. At the end of our run I had developed a thin layer of frost on my shirt - so Stacy wrote a message in it. This winter the Texas weather has been weird, hot one day, cold the next. One day I may get used to it, but for now it still just seems weird...

This weekend I am back in NC for a few days to celebrate the ordination of my friend Tully! It's going to be a fun weekend (and hopefully I won't take so long to post about it).

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2008-12-29T09:28:00.007-06:00

We had a ton of fun on Christmas Eve! The two traditional services were at 7:30 and 11:00 (with the choir singing at the 7:30, and all of the Agape Alumni, the alumni of our youth choir, singing at 11:00), and our Family Friendly Service at 5:00. As we were designing the service, Bill and I decided to take a slightly different approach and we recruited the FPCA youth, and a few key adults, to help us.

This was our crew

Rob was going to start the service in the traditional fashion and then during the first hymn, our organist would transition into playing the Happy Birthday song, and we would all come in singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. And then, after a little bit of an intro, we launched into the story of Jesus' birth, with the youth acting it out along the way.

So of course we needed a Mary and Joseph,

and a crew of angels.

We made buttons that said Happy Birthday Jesus, and that lit up for everyone, and Bill and I wore shirts that I had ordered.

A few more pictures from the service...

And then afterwards, we all moved to the fellowship hall for a party - complete with party hats,

pinatas,

and of course cake. Though we decided this was probably one of the most unattractive cakes we had seen.

Two of my favorite parts were the "sheep" that really looked more like poodles,

and the fact that Mary was in a wedding dress.

But it tasted great, and after Suzie cut it up and served it, you really couldn't tell about any of the strange details!

It was a great start to our Christmas Eve, and a ton of fun to do! I really can't remember another time when I have laughed that hard during church....

It's Christmas Time!

2008-12-24T11:57:00.000-06:00

It's Christmas Eve, I'm just about to head over to church to start getting ready for our 3 Christmas Eve services, but I thought I would take a moment to update my blog. It truly has been a fun Advent season. For the four weeks of Advent, we've done a series at church focusing on Isaiah 9:6, looking each week at one of the different names - Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. It's been a great way to stay focused on the "reason for the season."

It's also been a BUSY few weeks, but with plenty of time with Christmas fun sprinkled in there. I've also learned that Texas winter weather is a little strange - it's just not at all consistent. It can be 70 one day, in the 20s the next, and three days later it will be back to the 60s/70s. It's definitely a change from living in Southern California, and I've had to adjust to seeing ice again (but not all that much of it really).

Being Christmas time, there have naturally been a lot of Christmas parties. The first party of the season was hosted by the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC), and they decided they wanted for me to celebrate my first Texas Christmas. It was a TON of fun, with beautiful decorations,

cold drinks,

and great Texas BBQ.

And, some interesting desserts....

I am so thankful for the APNC and the support they've continued to show me throughout my time at FPCA. This is the APNC, myself, and Rob, dressed up for our Texas Christmas.

Cameron and Taylor were there for the dinner too, and had a good time, especially because there was a dog there.

No Christmas would be complete without some home baked goodies,

having the chance to wear new pajamas,

and have some random silly fun moments.

Last weekend, we had our FPCA staff Christmas party. Sammie and I ended up driving together, and because there was so much traffic, we decided to try back roads- so we ended up getting lost. But in the midst of getting lost, we found some houses beautifully decorated for Christmas!

We finally did get there (more than a little late)- and here Sammie enjoying her orange soda.

And what is any staff Christmas party without a white elephant gift exchange? We had quite a few fun gifts, everything from random stuffed animals,

to a picture of the FPCA youth group from 1989,

to random home made crafts (made by Esther while in the hospital on bed rest),

to a CPR dummy (complete with a DVD demonstration).

I ended up with a pair of pink pants that say "I Love Ethiopia" on them.

And this is our staff (minus our night security monitor).

The next night was the Christmas party for the 20s/30s Sunday School class. I'm not actually a part of the class, but went just to have a chance to hang out.

And the last Christmas party of the weekend was the youth group Christmas party, complete with Christmas cookies (these are the cookies I made Mer Bear - if you look close enough you can see her name).

And of course, we once again had a white elephant gift exchange - this time complete with a fish

and somehow the 1989 FPCA youth group picture surfaced again.

I ended up with some fuzzy Christmas socks.

And then we had a "snowball" fight. Since it was in the 20s outside, I let the teams make their snowball inside, and then we headed out for the snowball fight.

This is the group (well we're missing a few, but most of the group) at the end that party.

And then it was time to head back to church for our 6:33pm worship service. And after church ended Michelle (who is working on her pilots license) had the idea that we could go up in the air to look at Christmas lights. And one of her friends, who has his pilot's license and a plane offered to take us up.

Michelle helping to push the plane out of it's holding spot.

I tried to take pictures, but it didn't work so well (with it being dark, I needed to be able to hold the camera still to get a good shot. Well, that's not easy to do with the plane moving. If I shot directly in front of me, I could sort of get a shot,

but when I tried to shoot from the side window, it didn't work at all!)

But it was fun, and the houses did look very fun from above. Michelle at the end of the evening.

Tonight we have three Christmas Eve services, and then in the morning I'm headed off to NC for a week! Wohoo!

Spiders = National Champions

2008-12-22T10:54:00.002-06:00

For me, this was a fall filled with football. And as long as I'm living in Texas, I'm positive football will remain a part of my fall routine. It's been a good year for college teams here in Texas, with both UT and Texas Tech going to bowl games. I would like to take a moment to pay tribute to two East Coast schools. First, Duke finished the season at 4-11, which may not seem that impressive, but is a HUGE improvement over the last few years. And, on Friday, December 29th, my Richmond Spiders beat the Montana Grizzlies in the FCS Title Game to become this year's Division I-AA National Champions!

My first real live Christmas Tree!

2008-12-15T10:35:00.002-06:00

For the first time ever, I have my very own real live Christmas tree. It's been fun to have, decorate - it's definitely helped put me in the Christmas spirit!

Advent Conspiracy

2008-12-10T11:00:00.000-06:00

Advent Conspiracy is an organization I was just introduced to this past Sunday when Rob used the following clip as a part of his sermon. By using this clip, he wasn't necessarily trying to promote this organization but the general idea of spending less at Christmas on gifts, giving gifts of time or handmade gifts, and then using the money that has been saved by not buying gifts to help those in need. It's definitely an interesting video (and a short clip - only a few minutes long), and it was very thought provoking for me.

It gets cold in Texas!

2008-12-07T21:12:00.015-06:00

After a VERY warm summer, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from my first winter - but I found out this past weekend that it can get cold!

Friday night the FPCA youth group traveled down to Mainstay Farms, a Christmas tree farm about 40 minutes outside of Arlington to watch an outdoor showing of the movie Elf. We bundled up in warm clothes, brought blankets to sit on and cuddle up in, but were still cold! It was a great movie though, we drank good hot chocolate, and had a great time.

A few pictures from the evening...

And then the next day, Saturday, was a day filled with fun runs. First up was the Don Zetnick Winter Run at UTA. As a part of the event there was a 1k (the penguin waddle), a 2 mile, and a 10K. A group of us of all ages from church were there for the event.

The 1k was Cameron's first ever race, so Stacy and I ran it with her.

And she did great!

Next up was the 2 mile. Hannah finished just in front of me (you can see both of us in this picture), and it was fun to be able to run the race with her.

And then once we all finished (none of us were doing the 10k) we went inside to warm up and be there for the awards ceremony.

All of the kids who ran the 1k got a ribbon.

And while we were waiting for the awards for the 2 mile, we had time for a few pictures...

Cameron had the camera, so we ended up with quite a few random pictures (like this one) and a few funny videos (which will not be posted).

And then, the awards started. Somehow my time was good enough (I finished in 17:13) was good enough for 2nd in my age group - and my prize was a stuffed penguin mounted onto a stand.

Jennifer got 3rd in her age group.

We had a few hours to rest, and then we gathered again, this time with a much bigger group and we headed to Fort Worth for the Jingle Bell 5k.

Cameron and Taylor both came for this race, but neither one of them ran - they were all bundled up and were pushed in their stroller during the race.

Since we had registered as a team, we needed a team name - so Presley named us "the speedos." To go along with our name, Presley and I decided to run the race in speedos (with clothes underneath - it was much too cold to just wear bathing suits).

I quickly learned that trying to run in goggles was not a good idea.

The rest of our team dressed festively but opted out of wearing bathing suits.

It was a CROWDED race - and the start was packed - it took awhile to break through to where we could run without having to move around people.

I know it's hard to tell what this next picture is. And no, it's not just a picture of the sunset. At just around mile 3, when the last turn was in site, there was a parking garage that we passed with smoke coming out of it and tons of police officers and fire trucks everywhere. A car had caught on fire inside the parking garage

This next picture I had to post, because I was so amazed at this guy - I have no idea who he is. But I do know that he did the entire race on crutches and in a walking cast (and he actually finished in 42 minutes!)
And a few after race pictures....

Yes, this is our pastoral staff at FPCA....

It was a good run. I was a little sore from the morning run, but I still ran a 28:35, and was very pleased.

It was a great weekend! It was cold, but the cold didn't stop us from getting outside and having fun!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-02T22:12:00.000-06:00

This past week I drove down to San Antonio/New Braunfels to spend Thanksgiving in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Knowing that Highway 35 would have tons of traffic, I opted for the more scenic and less crowded 281. It was actually a very peaceful, beautiful drive.

And once I got there, it was a very relaxing, wonderful holiday. It was probably the most low key Thanksgiving I've had - and after just having had my wisdom teeth removed, it was just what I needed. It was just Sharon and I on Thanksgiving day, so there was no need to cook a big spread of food. Except for the turkey, all the foods we made were "soft," and we ate while watching the original Miracle on 34th Street (which surprisingly I've never seen).

Well, and of course we had to have some kind of dessert, so we made an apple pie...

After we ate our dinner, and pie, we decided to go for a walk, and saw the most beautiful sunset.

And we ended up stopping to chat and have a glass of wine with one of her neighbors, who took this picture for us.

One of the things I enjoy about going down to visit the Boles is that their new house is out in the hill country, in a very relaxing, peaceful subdivision. It's very common in the morning for a deer, or two, or five, to wander through the back yard.

While I was down there, we decided that it made sense to go get a Christmas tree for Sharon since I was there to help her put it up. We went to a very fun Christmas tree place - we didn't get to cut a tree down ourselves, but we did have TONS of options.

And we did find one that would be just perfect for her house.

And while it wasn't the most logical decision I decided to get a Christmas tree to that I could take back with me to Arlington. I've never had a live Christmas tree before in my apartment, and I was very excited by the idea.

The tree made the trip back successfully and looks great in my apartment (I'll have to post pictures later).

The McClellands were in San Antonio as well, and so we decided it was the most logical thing to do to travel back together. The girls entertained themselves for part of the drive back by playing with my camera....

2008 Thanksgiving A-Z

2008-11-27T14:21:00.005-06:00

As has become a tradition the last few years, I wanted to list a few of the many things I am thankful for this year (this list by no means covers everything - 26 letter just isn't enough to describe all the people, places, and things I am thankful for).

A - Arlington (First Presbyterian Church of Arlington)

On June 1, I started as the Associate Pastor of Youth and Missions at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington. I had been nervous about moving, and leaving all my friends in California, but the congregation at FPCA has been so welcoming it has made my transition so much easier.

You might remember the "Welcome Sophie" shirts they had made to wear my first Sunday.

It's been a wonderful, fun, loving place to begin my pastoral ministry!

B - Bearian

Recently Becca flew out to lead the junior high house for FPCA's Disciple Now retreat. After doing ministry with Becca for three years at San Marino, I've definitely missed having her just down the street. But, I am still thankful that despite the miles that we can share experiences, ideas, and continue to support one another.

C - Company of New Pastors

One of the programs sponsored by the Presbyterian Church (USA) is the Company of New Pastors. Every year they pick 10 students from five different seminaries (Princeton, Austin, Columbia, Pittsburgh, and Fuller) who then commit to a six year program. The goal of the program is to support first time pastors. There's a trend that a lot of clergy burn out, and so the hope is that by providing support for first time pastors that we won't leave the ministry.

Our first year and a half of the program we meet monthly with the students from our respective school. Once we graduate we are put in regional groups. I was placed in the Western Regional Group before I took the call in Texas (actually 3 of us in the Western group have since moved to Texas). Now that we are in our regional groups we meet for one week a year (except we missed our 2007 meeting, so we had two this year).

We have been given two pastor mentors to guide our group. This group has been a huge support and blessing to me, especially the last six months, as I have begun my pastoral ministry.

This is our group at the end of our January meeting (this time we met in San Juan Capistrano, CA).

And these are the woman of our group (or those of us who could be there) at the end of our Sept/Oct meeting held in Malibu, CA.

D- the Danku/McIness/Lazzarini clan

My home church Westminster Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC is much like one large extended family, and there are so many people people and families there I am thankful for. One of the families I bonded with when I was young was the Danku family. They have since moved from Durham, first to Chapel Hill, and then to Wake Forrest, but we've stayed close and they've been a huge blessing in my life.

When I first decided I would attend Fuller to work on my Masters of Divinity, Laura mentioned that one of her sisters, Martha, lived out in Southern California. They didn't just live in Southern Cal, but in San Marino, a town just three miles from Fuller in Pasadena. The Lazzarini/McInnes family immediately took me in, and during my five years there I spent my Thanksgivings, Easters, and most other holidays with them, and actually lived with them the last six months I lived in California. They were a huge support and blessing, and I am so thankful for them.

E - Effie

As many of you know, I am attached to my car, Effie. This is the same car I got used when I was 16, and she has been with me for the last (almost) 12 years in North Carolina, Virginia, California, and Texas. She just hit 151,000 miles and is doing well (though she has a few quirks, like the fact that she has lost the passenger side visor).

This is Effie and I outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico as Tully and I were driving from California to Texas.

F- Fuller Friends

One of the best parts about being at Fuller was meeting Christians from all over the country and world. They were a gift while I was there, and it's a blessing now to have colleagues in ministry to compare notes with.

I couldn't even begin to post pictures of all my many wonderful friends from Fuller, but here are just a few.

G - Gu

I'm sure most of you have never heard of Gu Gel, and will probably never have a chance to eat Gu Gel. And it's not something I would choose to eat if I was not working out, but in the midst of a long run or a long bike ride it sure does hit the spot.

H - Health

After facing mono (among other things) it has been a true gift to be healthy. Yes, I've still had the random illnesses and injuries, but for the most part I've been able to work out and enjoy life. I couldn't think of a better picture to celebrate health than the picture taken of me after the San Antonio Half Marathon.

I - Installation Service

I started at FPCA on June 1, but I wasn't officially installed as the Associate Pastor until August 24. When a pastor gets ordained or installed in the PC(USA) church there needs to be a commission from within the particular Presbytery. Being new to the DFW area, I thought it would be a challenge to form a commission of elders/pastors from Grace Presbytery and thought I would have a commission of people I didn't know. That, however, was not the case.

Everything about the service was fun and special, and the youth choir even sang.

I had some good friends from Houston drive in for the service, and it was a true gift to have them there.

Jill came up from Austin to celebrate. I was a part of her installation commission at her church in Austin, and so it was very special to have her as a guest on my commission as well.

J - Jelly Belly

I am not a big candy eater, but there are a few types of candy that I will enjoy - one of them being Jelly Belly jelly beans.

K - Kindness of Strangers

The night of the San Antonio Half Marathon I went to Rudy's for dinner (a BBQ place in Texas), and we struck up a conversation with two men in line who had run the race. Well seating at Rudy's is first come first serve, and they got through the line before we did, so they saved us seats. We had so much fun chatting over dinner and sharing race stories. It's always fun for me when I have those moments, when random strangers show kindness even though they don't have to.

L - Library

When Paul Ransford retired this last March he let Rebecca, Tully, and I divide up his books between us. We were up quite late one night dividing up the books, but as I begin my first call I am so very thankful for the books and for the start to my theological library.

M - Muddy Buddy and (half) Marathons

I love to run, and it's such a gift to be healthy enough to run. I had registered for three different races that I couldn't do because of mono and shin splints/stress fracture, so it was wonderful to be able to do the San Antonio Half Marathon. And ever since 2003 I have wanted to participate in a Muddy Buddy, so I was thankful as well for the chance to do that as well.

N - New Life

I have two dear friends who are expecting! I can't imagine two couples that would make better parents. I am so excited for these babies to be born (you can't really tell that Sara is pregnant in the picture, because the picture was taken in August and she's not due until January).

O - Ordination Service

If I had to name one of my favorite days EVER it would be the day of my ordination service. It was a day when I got to be with tons of the people I love from all over the country, and when I got to celebrate my ordination to the Ministry of the Word and Sacrament with the congregation that helped raise me in the Christian faith. Words can't describe how special that day was and how thankful I am for everyone that made it possible.

P - Parents

What a gift it has been, as I have moved all over the country to pursue my advanced degreed and to take a job to have supportive parents. I know I wouldn't be where I am, or in the situation I am in if it weren't for them and all the many ways they have sacrificed to support me.

Q - Quality Support

In addition to having supportive parents, I know I have a wonderful support network. I couldn't begin to post pictures of all the people who are important to me, or who I know pray for me and my ministry, so I choose to post two pictures that picture to me what support is all about.

R- Rev Ransford

One of the most influential people in my faith journey has been the Rev. Paul Ransford. He came to Westminster to be our Associate Pastor the summer before my junior year in high school. I could write pages about the ways Paul influenced my life, but the basic idea is that he was influential through my high school and college years and was one of the people that was a huge support as I went through seminary. He preached at my ordination service, and I can't imagine anyone else I would rather have been there to do it. He was the original "disaster pastor" and I am where I am largely because of his example.

S - Socy, as in Photos by Socy

One of the things I've missed in recent years is photography. In college I had the privilege of being an assistant in the photography classes, and after graduating, I spent a summer working for Lee Thompson helping her shoot weddings. Since 2003 though, I haven't had a whole lot of opportunities to do any photography. And then....I moved to Texas and met Stacy, who also has a passion for photography. We have dreams of starting our own photography business (and no we're not actually going to call it "Photos by Socy," but we're still searching for a name and that's what we've called it as we've dreamed). This past year I've had the opportunity to do some engagement portraits for friends, family portraits, and random other things. We're hoping to get our photo business launched soon, but more than anything I'm just thankful for the chance to be shooting again.

T - Tully

Tully and I were a part of the youth group together at Westminster. After graduating, we went to different colleges, different seminaries, but stayed close. In May, Tully flew out to California and drove with me from California to Texas. I was thankful for his companionship on the journey, but also just for his friendship throughout the years as we've journeyed together towards ordained ministry.

U- University of Richmond

I graduated five years ago with my BA from the University of Richmond, and I am continually thankful for the friendships I developed there that have lasted throughout the years.

V- Valentines Day

Over the last few years, we (the fab five) have created a wonderful tradition surrounding Valentines Day. We draw names, and we each end up with a secret valentine. On Valentines Day, we have to deliver a small gift to our secret valentine but not reveal our identity. And then, a few days later we'll get together, go out to celebrate, exchange our big gifts, and reveal who had drawn who. It's a wonderful tradition - and I'm thankful not just for the tradition but the women whom I share it with.

W - Westminster Presbyterian Church

One of the main reasons I am a pastor today is because of the Christian nurture I received at Westminster Presbyterian Church. I am so very thankful for my home church, the people there, and all the many ways they have loved and supported me.

X - Xray

While 2008 has been a much healthier year for me, I have still had a few random things come up - whether it was shin splints, wisdom teeth surgery, allergy shots, etc. I am very thankful for the wonderful medical technology that we have - xrays that check for shin splints, surgeons to take out wisdom teeth, allergy shots to make it possible to live in a variety of lands, and a whole mess of other tests/procedures.

Y - You

If you're reading this, know I appreciate you. I wish I had enough space to list all the friends/family members I am thankful for, and share a funny story or two about each person, but know that I value your friendship, your love, and your support.

Z - Zany Fun

For the last three years, I have used the same phrase for Z. Part of that is because there aren't a whole lot of Z words. But it's also because I really do appreciate just being able to kick back, be goofy, and have fun.

Wisdom Teeth?

2008-11-25T20:22:00.008-06:00

When I was in college, I was told by my dentist that I had no wisdom teeth anywhere in my body. And at the time, this was great news- no wisdom teeth meant no wisdom teeth surgery. So you can only imagine my surprise when I went to the dentist in September of this year, and the dental hygienist made a comment about how one of my wisdom teeth was partly grown in. I quickly told her that I didn't have wisdom teeth, only to find out that I was wrong - I not only had one, but two. Well later that day, I found myself calling to make an appointment with an oral surgeon to schedule a consult. Long story short, the oral surgeon confirmed the presence of my wisdom teeth and decided that they needed to come out. After some careful thought, I decided to have this simple procedure done after the half-marathon, but before Advent started. So last week, I went in and had both wisdom teeth removed. It was all quite simple really - the whole process took no more than 30 minutes, and then I was on my way to the McClelland's to rest and recover.

Recovering at the McClellands was great, because I had two little people eager to cuddle up next to me and watch movies all day long...

We watch Toy Story 2, The Little Mermaid, and Cars (a few times). And when they weren't around I did watch some other non G movies too.

And being at the McClellands not only meant having two wonderful girls around (and their fabulous parents) but two pets as well. Chuy, the cat and I beginning to bond, but I must admit she's one strange cat...

Perdi is quite the wound up puppy, and didn't understand why I didn't want to play like I usually do...

One night, while I was watching a movie and Stacy was at church for the scrapbooking group, Rob took the girls out for dinner. I'm not sure what the theme was at Chick-fil-A on that night but the girls came back with their faces painted.

So of course we had to take lots of pictures, making all sorts of different faces (here are just a few).

Cameron is working on learning her fractions, and one of the ways she practices is by baking. I was quite pleased to be around and taste the fruit of her labor!

I missed the morning services at church on Sunday, but did make my way to church for youth group and for our all church Thanksgiving dinner - I have never seen so many people or so much food at a Thanksgiving feast!

I had my check-up today with the oral surgeon who said my mouth is healing well - it's almost completely healed (just in time for Turkey Day!)

Rockin' San Antonio

2008-11-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

This morning was the Inaugural San Antonio Rock n' Roll San Antonio Marathon/Half-Marathon. I did my first half-marathon in September of 2006 in Virginia Beach, and loved it! I've signed up for a few half-marathons since then, but wasn't able to run in them, either because of mono or a stress fracture. Originally I had hoped to run this one in under 2:00hrs, but I struggled all of October with colds (which actually turned out to be allergies) and didn't get a lot of training it. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to run it in 2:09:04. Out of the 17,033 people who ran the half-marathon, I finished 4,832. And to break it down even further, there were 11,389 women who ran the half, and out of those I was the 2,234 person to cross the finish line. All this to say I was thrilled with my results. I love running, and there's something about the culture of a race that is very exciting. My friend Michelle and I are already plotting to run the Cowtown half in February.

It was great the day, so of course I have to post pictures. Saturday Michelle, Stacy, and Stacy's sister, Shana, and I went to go pick-up our race packets - so of course we had to show off our race numbers.

That night we gathered at the home of Sharon Boles for a pre-race pasta dinner.

our delicious meal

our gracious hostess

After dinner, Michelle and Stacy got a hold of both possibly computers and began plotting where we need to be dropped of in the morning, if we needed to take shuttles, where Stacy's dad could park (he had graciously volunteered to come and photograph us during the race).

The four of us runners after dinner

And then figuring out all the necessary details, we got a little giddy...I'll spare you all the details, but we had a good laugh, and were able to just relax before the race- it was a great way to spend the evening.

It was SOOO cold in the morning, so we had on lots of layers.

Now, you may be curious about my choice of outfits. Well, the only obvious part would be the running leggings, and the under armor short, and the ear warmer (all three items worn for warmth). The shirt was hand made by Stacy and I (yes, we didn't do that great a job on it). We had this wonderful idea of how the shirts would look, but when it came to actually getting it done, it didn't go so well....But despite looking a little strange, I had scores of people yell "Git R DONE!" to me as I ran by the crowds lining the streets of San Antonio).

And as for the kilt - well, I had told the two McClellands if they would run the race with me in honor of Scottish heritage. Only one McClelland decided to do the race, so I was going to not spend the time searching for a quilt to wear. But, one of the women in our church, Marlene, is an extremely talented seamstress and she offered to make me a kilt. After she spent sooo much time and energy making this, I really wanted to wear it.

The 3 FPCAers - Stacy, Michelle, and I.

The two sisters: Shana and Stacy

Random fun picture of Stacy and I

And the four of us before we took off our layers to put them in our gear check bags (UPS donates lots of trucks to be used, and you can put your stuff in the clear race bags with you race number attached. And then the UPS drivers will drive them to the finish line so your stuff will be waiting for you there.

After dropping our stuff off at gear check...

and the backs of our shirts.

Michelle and I both started together in corral 8 or 9 (I can't remember which one actually ended up in) so we finished around the same time. And despite needing ice on her knee she was feeling good.

I got hot while running, but after I was very ready to wrap up in my free "blanket" (I'm sure there's another word for it, but I don't know what it is).

And then getting our free drink and toasting a good, fun race.

We figured that since three of the four of us had names that started with S, we would meet under the S sign to reunite.

Stacy and Shana started back in corral 30, but finished in AMAZING time (2:39). But since they started so much behind us, it was a little while before the joined us - but Stacy was very excited when she found out (she too had a good, fun race).

The reason the angel of the above picture is a little weird is that while waiting Michelle and I were a little cold, so we found that the warmest thing to do was to get under the shiny blanket thing on the ground.

But, we eventually did get up and took a few more fun pictures - first of us as individuals, and then of us as a group.

We got back to Stacy's parents house and attempted to soak our legs in an ice bath.....

We didn't stay in as long as we had hoped to, and Cameron had the Cameron, so we got some fun and interesting pictures of the experiences.

It was a GREAT race! I had so much fun, and it got me in the spirit of races, and running, and having fun while doing it!

The Jingle Bell Run

2008-11-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, December 6, a group of us from our church will be running in the Jingle Bell Run in Fort Worth. The purpose of the run is to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation. When I registered for the race, it set up a "fundraising" page for me. I figured the least I could do would be to provide the link here. So, if arthritis is something that has affected you or a family member/friend, and you would like to donate money towards Arthritis research you can do so either at my personal page or at my team page (we are The Speedos! - don't worry I will be posting pictures of the race. We are planning on having some creative costumes to go along with our name).

Disciple Now!

2008-11-11T16:45:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, we had a Disciple Now retreat with our youth at FPCA. I wasn't familiar with the Disciple Now model before coming to Arlington, but I LOVE it! The basic idea is that the retreat is held in Arlington. Different families open up their homes. Our youth group is fairly small, so all the senior high youth stayed at one house and all the junior high youth stayed at another (in bigger churches they will have separate houses for each grade). And then different families/church members provide the meals. And we bring in outside leaders to lead the houses. We had one of our own leaders in each house, but we weren't actually in charge of teaching - so the youth get to experience other leaders.

The weekend started Thursday night - the youth gathered at church for ice cream and so they could have a chance to meet their leaders. Then Friday the retreat officially started. Since this is Texas, we had to change the schedule a little - and instead of having our first session start at 7pm, we started the retreat by going to a high school football game (Martin v. Lamar).

Three of our senior high girls at the game:

Stacy and I

Part of the junior high group

In case you're curious, that is Becca in the picture. Becca for those of you don't know went to Fuller with me, and we worked at San Marino Community Church together for 3 years. She is one of the most gifted people I know in working with middle school students and so we brought her in to be one of the leaders in the junior high house. The other leader in the picture is Walter, our other junior high house leader.

Part of the senior high group (the two leaders on the bottom right are Curt and Susan - our two senior high house leaders).

Satuday afternoon we had free time, and Rob desgined an "Amazing Race" for us to do. We divided up the teams a little, so we had the senior high and junior high students mixed up, and then we sent them out on the Amazing Race all over Arlington.

It involved everything from doing a word search,

to driving all over Arlington to find various clues.

They had to run around Rangers stadium - Presley was the first one back,

and I was there waving a flag so she could see me.

Then they had to go do a "cart corral" - they had to go put 30 carts up from the parking lot either at Kroger or Wal-Mart.

They had to put together a puzzle blindfolded (a few team members could see and had to tell them where to put various pieces).

They had to make a series of basketball shots

and had to find clues telling them where to go next,

or what to do next (which included eating random foods),

and drinking chocolate milk out of baby bottles.

Sunday morning, we all put on our Disciple Now shirts (they just said the word "simply" on the front, and "Jesus" on the back) and went to church. There we cooked breakfast, and had a "say so" all together.

We had a lot of pancakes left over, so Stacy and I went around offering them to the various adult Sunday School classes.

The whole group in the youth hut on Sunday morning.

The whole group

And the "silly shot"

I wasn't surprised at how quickly the junior high students bonded with Becca - they loved having her there (as did I!)

Simply...

Jesus.

And of course, the classic, Bearian shot (Becca +Marian = Bearian).

The only injury of the weekend came Monday morning when Becca and I went to the gym to play soccer (we set up goals with the step aerobic benches). Becca's Pumas weren't the best for playing indoor soccer, and they destroyed her feet. But a quick trip to Target on the way to the airport, and she was good to go.

FABULOUS weekend! Plus, it was fun for me to have a friend out from CA, and to show her my church, my apartment, and for her to meet the people I talk so much about (and for the people here in Arlington to get the chance to meet Becca).

We'll definitely be doing another Disciple Now retreat sometime in the future.

October Fun

2008-11-07T16:58:00.000-06:00

This past few weeks since the Muddy Buddy race have been fairly normal (well normal for my life in Texas) - going to football games, youth events, dressing up in strange costumes, etc.

One of the out of the ordinary things though happened when I went over to the McClelland's house one night for dinner. I got a call for Cameron (who is 6) at work asking me if I wanted to come over and have cupcakes for dinner. I was very intrigued, and of course said yes....

When I got there, I realized the cupcakes weren't made out of cake, but rather were meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potatoes for icing. Stacy originally made this meal last year on April Fools day, and it was so good she decided to try it again. And I must agree that it was quite yummy!

This next picture is one I actually took the weekend of the Muddy Buddy but never had a chance to post. Jennifer and I had to drive out to the REI in Dallas to pick up our race packets the day before the race. As we pulled up, I noticed the following car parked right in front of REI....

A pink hummer? When I think of hummers I always think of it as originally being a military vehicle - so somehow a pink hummer doesn't quite fit with that image...

As I mentioned above, I've continue to spend many Friday evenings at football games - watching the game, the band,

hanging out with some of the fabulous FPCA youth.

And, I've even been able to branch out some to, and see swim meets,

and go to pep rallies.
This particular pep rally happened to be held on Halloween. So, since the dance team was dancing to Thriller, they dressed appropriately.

And even when we're at the church, we've manage to have a lot of fun - whether it's playing under the pew tag,

or handing out fliers in the neighborhood inviting people to come to our Trunk or Treat.

And of course, in the last few weeks, we celebrated Halloween. One the night of Halloween, I got to be a part of the crew that went trick-or-treating with Cameron and Taylor, who were two of the cutest pink poodles I have ever seen.

Stacy and I had made poodle costumes as well, but decided to save the full costume for the next night when we had Trunk or Treat. But we did put on our ears and noses to go trick-or-treating.

One of the houses we went to was decked out! Several of the neighborhood kids were scarred of the decorations and wouldn't go up the stairs to the house. But not Cameron and Taylor - they were so fascinated by it that they just stood their and watched!

That weekend also happened to be when the Texas Tech v. University of Texas game was being played. Stacy and Rob are big Texas Tech fans and her best friend from high school, Shawna, and her husband, Ross, are huge UT fans, so Shawna, Ross, and their two kids came up for the weekend from San Antonio so they could watch the game together. They brought with them this puzzle contraption that was holding in a bottle of wine - we tried for quite awhile, but I could never figure out how to get it open....

Halloween was on Friday, and then Saturday was a jam packed day! It started with Stacy and I taking family portraits for Ross and Shawna (we have an aspiring dream of being photographers), then there was a Memorial Service at church (very appropriate since it was All Saints Day), and then that evening was both Trunk or Treat and the TT v.UT game.

I had never seen a Trunk or Treat before, but it was so fun. We had gone out and invited the residents of the neighborhoods surrounding our church, and various church members came and decorated their trunks. That way the kids could just go from car to car and get candy.

(that cat was outside one of the cars).

And one of the Junior High boys had purchased all sorts of hair spray colors, and I got my hair decorated (but unlike when my hair was blue this summer, it actually did rinse out).

Some of the FPCAers got into the Halloween spirit and dressed up...

In addition to having candy, we also rented a bounce house and had lots of games and such.

Stacy and I finally did get into full costume (I wasn't a pink poodle - after living with the Lazz family in California and having Cassy as a dog, I wanted to be a white poodle).

This is Michelle and I (she put on her martial arts uniform).

And then after Trunk or Treat (or before it was over really), we went to Rob and Stacy's house to watch the TT v. UT game. There was a crowd of all ages, cheering for the two different teams
And if Tech would have lost, Stacy would have had to jump in the pool (they had a bet going), but since UT lost, Ross had to jump in the pool (and it was cold!). This is Cameron putting her "guns up" to show that her Texas Tech Red Raiders won while Ross prepares to jump in the pool.

It was a fun evening, and a great football game with a very close ending!

I've missed doing photography, and it's been fun to do engagement pictures for my friends, and it was a ton of fun too to take family pictures for Ross and Shawna. We took lots of pictures - some posed, some candid, and some just fun...

It's been a busy few weeks, but good. And this weekend, it's our Disciple Now Retreat- going to be a GREAT weekend!

Muddy Buddy!

2008-11-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I had the chance to participate in the Muddy Buddy. You might have heard me mention this one before, because it's a race I've ALWAYS wanted to do (ever since I first heard about it in 2003). To summarize, the Muddy Buddy is a 6-7 mile race that you do with a buddy. One person starts running, and the other starts biking. After a mile or so, there is an obstacle. The person on the bike leaves the bike, goes over the obstacle, and then starts running. The two partners leap frog throughout the course, and then after 5 legs there is a crawl through a mud pit that you have to do with your buddy - thus the name Muddy Buddy.

I did the race with a woman from church, Jennifer (who was actually on the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee that hired me). We wore bright green shirts, so that we could find each other at the end when we needed to crawl through the mud together. And we decorated our bike with green too so that the partner who was running and needed to find the bike after going over the obstacle could see it.

Jennifer and I before the race.

The race was held at the Cedar Hill National Park, and was a beautiful place to be. This is Joe Pool Lake which is a part of the park (we had some time to kill before the start so we took a few pictures).

We were told there would be "showers" available after the race - these were the showers - hoses running lake water.

We started in waves, and this is a photo when there was just one wave in front of us. I had brought a water proof disposable camera that I could take with me on the course.

The first obstacle had a rock climbing face on the front and a cargo net down the back. I was on the bike though pulling up to the obstacle and couldn't get a picture of the front of it.

Part of the course - runners and bikers.

There were definitely some people who were creatively dressed. The woman in the orange skirt and her partner actually won the costume contest.

The second obstacle was just a balance beam.

The third obstacle was a cargo net on the front side and an inflatable slide on the back side.

There were "danger" signs along the way. One arrow down meant there is something you need to pay attention to. Two arrows down meant proceed with caution and you might want to consider getting off your bike. Three arrows down meant you most definitely want to get off your bike and walk this next little section. I was actually running when we got to the three arrow - the worst I encountered on the bike were a few two arrow signs.

I'm sad this picture didn't come out because it was my favorite obstacle. It was an "A frame." There were three beams - we had to go under the first, over the top beam, and under the last beam.

I got to the end of the race, and had to drop the bike here so I could go find Jennifer.

And then, we hit the mud pit....

We got a little muddy...

We decided that instead of just rinsing off with lake water that we would just jump in the lake.

At the race, there is also a "Mini Muddy Buddy," for kids 4-12. There was a few small obstacles (like tires to run through, a 2x4 to run across, and then a wall to climb), and then they had to go through the mud pit. Some of the smaller kids (all kids under 6 had to have a parent with them) were a little more timid, but a lot of the kids just raced through the mud. It was very fun to watch!

I have always wanted to do this race, and it was just as much fun as I thought it would be! The Fort Worth Mud Run is coming up next weekend, but I'm going to pass on that one - it's the same weekend as a youth retreat. And it's also the weekend before my half marathon and I don't want to risk injury. If you ever get the chance to do a Muddy Buddy you should!

Fun Times in Texas

2008-10-25T11:16:00.000-05:00

Growing up in North Carolina, I have fond memories of going to the North Carolina State Fair. Well it turns out, the Texas State Fair is in Dallas. So one Friday, when I had a day off, my friend Ginger (she and I went to Fuller together) and her husband Dean went to the fair. It was a great, fun day!

One of the things that kept me laughing all day was that they someone figured out how to fry everything!

I love Jelly Bellys, but the idea of eating one fried was more than I could handle...

Chicken Fried Bacon? The preschool director at my church went to the fair with her husband, who tried the Chicken Fried Bacon - and they refer to it as the "heart attack waiting to happen."

Fried guacamole....

Fried Chocolate Truffles

Deep Fried Latte?

Deep fried Peanut Butter and Jelly and Banana

And there were lots of other fried woods that I didn't get pictures of - Fried Green Beans, Fried Waffle Balls - you name it, they can fry it....

One of the trademarks of the Texas State Fair is Big Tex

And of course, there was livestock...

When we got to the sheep and goats they had just been sheered and bathed, so they were all wrapped up...

And we got to see bunnies which doesn't sound all that exciting but I was shocked at all the different types and breeds.

This was one of my favorites...

And this one was just so happy and content....

And these bunnies were just HUGE. I realized that just taking a picture of them by themselves though, didn't do their size justice, so I took a picture with them.

We went to the bird show, which was very cool,

and then we found the cows, longhorns, etc.

It's not everyday that you see a longhorn just walking down the street...

We had to leave before dinner time, so we didn't get to see the evening show. But, we did walk by the stage as Jessica Simpson was doing a sound check.

In addition to seeing animals, we got to see some cool crafts. This one was the most impressive to me - a statue made entirely out of BUTTER

a beautiful quilt

And we also got to see a few shows - like the high flying dare devils.

and the BMX bike show.

One of the reasons we had to leave before dinner, was that we all had evening plans. I've spent quite a few of my Friday nights this fall going to football games. This particular Friday night I was going to see a Martin football game to watch one our FPCA students, Meredith, dance. This is Meredith and I just after half-time.

The next night there were a couple of church events. We started up at the church for the chili cook-off (and I was very proud of myself, I tasted the one that won the prize for the hottest - made by our senior pastor, Rob).

And then we moved to my apartment (well the girls did, the guys went to Rob's) for Girls Night/Guys Night. We did a lot of random different things, including making Haunted Gingerbread houses. We divided into different teams, and each team made a house.

It was quite the messy project...

We quickly learned that the black icing, if you even touched it with your mouth or tongue, it turned your mouth totally and completely black.

Andrea's favorite color is orange, and so she started decorating herself with the orange as well.

This was the houses one of the groups came up with,

but as soon as they moved their hands, it collapsed.

The house builders

The other house did manage to stay up on its own

The builders of that house:

And of course, no girls night is complete without CHOCOLATE

And then, after almost everyone was picked up, we had a little bit of story time.

That was all last weekend, and since then there have been a few random things worthy of note as well.

One night last week, Stacy made cupcakes for dinner.

In case you're curious, they're actually meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potatoe icing.

This next picture is a little bit of youth group fun. Can you guess which came they were playing?

And then, last night I was able to go to another football game - this time to watch Andrea play in the Legacy High band. This is Andrea, Presley, and I just after half time.

And Andrea playing (she's the very first person in the picture).

Next up for me is the MUDDY BUDDY!

fun times in CA

2008-10-08T21:55:00.000-05:00

Since our CNP meeting was in Southern California, that meant I also got to see a bunch of my friends while I was there.

The first people I got to see were Chris and Paige Spearman. Since I had moved, there have been a lot of changes for Chris and Paige - new job, new house, new baby on the way. Chris has taken a job at Westwood United Methodist Church. This is the sanctuary, with one of the largest stained glass windows in the nation

Chris in front of his office door

The last time I had seen Paige she was just barely showing - but now she's a little farther along. It was so fun to see her, and to be able to feel the baby kicking. I can't wait for December when the baby is born!

As a part of Chris' job, they were given a house to live in. Just 40 minutes away from Pasadena, it's a totally different world in Westwood. While I was there, we ran into two celebrities (Alexandra Paul and Seann William Scott), and experienced city living in a whole new way. Even though I lived in Los Angeles for close to five years, I was in a part of the city I had never explored - and it was fun to explore and see.

After my stop in Westwood, I went back to San Marino. There I got to see and stay with the Lazzarini family. I didn't get any pictures of the family, but I did of Cassy. There are lots of things I miss about living with the Lazzarinis (like getting to see them every day) and having an adorable, sweet dog around is one of them.

I stopped by Methodist Hospital of Southern California. This is the hospital where I had done my Clinical Pastoral Education. No, I didn't stop by to remember old times, but rather to have lunch with Christina who is doing her internship at that hospital now.

The next stop was to hang out at the pool (a pool we often frequented when I lived in Pasadena) with Jennifer.

The next morning, I headed back to Malibu, this time with Sarah and Chuck. Having just recently been engaged we decided that while I was there I could do their engagement pictures.

Just a few of my favorites....

Part of the fun of taking pictures for friends, is that everyone can relax and just have fun. After we had taken most of the pictures, they decided to do a little bird chasing

And then Chuck decided he wanted to try surfing in his clothes

Then, we got back in the car and drove a little farther north so that Chuck could surf (not in his clothes, in his wetsuit)

Sarah and I hung out on the beach, and I took some pictures of Chuck. It was a beautiful beach and a great place to take pictures

With the exception of a few birds trying to get into our food, it was just very peaceful and serene.

Sarah did take a few pictures of me while I was photographing them

And we even got a few pictures of Sarah and I

Ironically I was also there at the time of the Fuller Presbyterian new student BBQ. I didn't stay for the meal, but I did get to stop by. What a treat! I got to see lots of friends from Fuller

This is one of my favorite profs, Doug Nason with us at the BBQ. Chuck who was taking the picture told us to roll our eyes - and only half of us did (that's just a brief explanation for why the picture is a little strange)

It was a Hawaiian BBQ, and for some reason one of the main decorations was a monkey - which of course warrants a picture

My last night in CA it was Girls Night Out - time for the Fab 5 (yes, there are only 4 of us) to go out. We all met at Becca, and borrowed Becca's dresses. Becca lives in a house in South Pasadena with two roommates and two cats. Jennifer's favorite cat is definitely Cricket (she's waving string cheese in front of her face)

And then we went out for Vietnamese food (one of the best parts about being back in LA was the food - I ate Indian, Vietnamese, and Chinese food while I was there)

There was lots of Pho to be had

and good drinks

Becca gave me my ordination present which was a set of "Noah's pals"

Jennifer and Sarah

The four of us after dinner

And then, since we were dressed up, we decided to go bowling....

(Ok, I realize that being dressed up and bowling don't normally together but we thought it would be fun)

Plus, dresses and bowling shoes are so fashionable....

And we discovered that in addition to being fashionable bowling shoes make great dance shoes, they slide well.

It was so fun to be back in CA and so good to see my friends - I've missed them.

Company of New Pastors

2008-10-04T12:50:00.001-05:00

In seminary, I joined a group called the Company of New Pastors. The first two years (of a six year program) we met with other students from our respective seminaries. Each year there are 50 of us total, 10 each from 5 different seminaries, and the 10 of us from Fuller met once a month with two of our Fuller profs. During that time we studied the ordination vows, the questions we would be asked to answer when we were ordained as Ministers of the Word and Sacrament. After graduation we were placed in regional groups. Since I didn't get a call immediately after seminary, I was placed in the Western Regional group. Actually, three of us in the group have since moved to Texas. The rest are spread out between Washington, Southern Cal, and Northern Cal. Now that we're in our regional groups, we meet once a year.

This year, we met at the Serra Retreat Center. And honestly, we couldn't have picked a more beautiful location. Here are a few pictures just to give you an idea!

(in case you're curious, that's Friar Serra in front of the cross).

On Tuesday afternoon we had a good chunk of free time, and since one of our pastor mentors is an avid sailor, we were able to go sailing in the Pacific). I did a little sailing growing up, but not enough to be very useful, so I let others get set-up while we played on the dock.

This is Jill and George, two of my Fuller classmates who are also in my regional CNP group.

The boat we sailed on

Rich was one of the few people that actually was helpful as we were getting the boat set-up

And George seemed to know what he was doing as well

Jill enjoying the sun,

and taking a nap.

I spent a good part of the day sitting in the "chick chair."

At first there wasn't a ton of wind, so I just sat in the water, held onto the ladder and moved through the Pacific with the boat. Once the wind picked up, I came aboard though. Mary and I still hung on to the back, which was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Then, it was off to dinner at Dukes - a place to eat in Malibu right on the water. It would have been a super long wait for a table, so we just sat in the lounge area and had fish tacos (and it was the night when they were only $2.50 each) A few of the guys at dinner - Rich, George, and Chris.

And some of the women - Jill, Mary, and myself. There are 8 of us in the group, and then we have two pastor mentors - Mary and Jeff. It's been great to have them both leading our group.

Our whole group (well minus Jolene, who had just started a year long CPE program in Houston and couldn't get away)

The women (Jill, Tina, Mary, and myself)

The men (Bill, Chris, Jeff, Rich, and George)

And a few last pictures that we couldn't resist taking

I am very thankful for our CNP group. Before we came, we had each read the same book, so we had great discussions about that, some wonderful prayer times, and just a chance to reconnect which was very much appreciated.

Ode to David Cutcliffe

2008-09-27T14:03:00.000-05:00

Duke just beat UVA in football 31-3. Now, this may not seem like an impressive victory to some of you, but let me give you a brief history of Duke football.

The last time Duke was in a bowl game, it was 1994, and they lost to Wisconsin 20-34.

The last time Duke WON a bowl game, it was 1960, and they beat Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl 7-6.

The last time Duke won a regular season conference (ACC) game, it was in 2004 when they beat Clemson 16-13.

2007 Record: 1-11 (but that one win broke a 22 game losing streak)

2006 Record: 0-12

2005 Record: 1-10

2008 Record thus far:

In 2008, Duke Football has won more games than they have in the last 3 seasons combined, beating James Madison, Navy, and Virginia (a rare ACC conference win)

I think the new coach, David Cutcliffe, is amazing.

Football in Texas

2008-09-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

Though I had been to Texas quite a few times before I moved here this summer, there have been a couple of things that have been new or different for me. The first, as you all well know was the heat. The second, is the focus on football. I went to a private school from kindergarden through the 12th grade, and our main sports were soccer and lacrosse - we haven't had a football team at my Durham Academy in almost 30 years. And so the idea of gathering together as a high school community on a Friday night is foreign to me.

Here, football isn't just big for high schools, but it's also big for elementary school students, middle school students, college teams, and pro teams. Our church is just 2 miles from the new Dallas cowboys stadium (ready to be used in the fall of 2009). I love football. I love watching lots of college football, and a few pro games, but it's very new to be in a place where it's so easy to go actually watch live games on a weekly basis.

And I do have quite the talented youth group - whether they're playing on the field, or in the band, or dancing at half-time, there are a lot of games to see. And it's not like in San Marino, where there is one high school - but with 6 different high schools in Arlington, and schools in Mansfield as well, there are many games and fields to see.

Last night it was homecoming for Legacy High School, and a chance to see one of FPCA's girls play in the band. A few photos from the night.

The visiting team:

Legacy:

A group of FPCAers gathered for the game:

And me and Andrea (and Jennifer), as I'm sporting parts of Andrea's band uniform:

A Baby Shower, Calf Fry, and Baptism

2008-09-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

I know it's a strange combination of things, but within a 24 hour period I went to a baby shower, a calf fry, and an infant baptism. I journeyed down to the Austin/San Antonio area with Stacy and her two girls Taylor and Cameron.

I just recently have purchased a blackberry, and have become very attached to it. But, Cameron and Taylor have become attached to it as well. And being in the car for several hours at a time, it was the perfect time to play games on it (ok, this picture was when had actually arrived in Austin for the baby shower, but it was the first time I could get my camera out and capture Taylor engrossed in a game).

The baby shower we were there for was actually for one of Stacy's cousins, and the shower was held at her grandmother's house. Also, on the same day as the baby shower, one of her other cousins, Doug Moreland, was having his 6th annual Calf Fry.

And with any good party, the baby shower had ice cream and cupcakes. I didn't have any (I stuck to the watermelon) but the girls loved them (and each found cupcakes that had their favorite color on top)

This is a picture of Stacy, her sister, and their two girl cousins (Aimee, the one on the far left, is the one who the shower was for) with their grandmother.

And then, after the shower was cleaned up, we journeyed down to the calf fry. We didn't stay long, and I definitely didn't eat anything. I just wanted to see what a calf fry actually way....

Stacy and I in a chair that her cousin Doug (or one of his friends made. Doug also has a store on the same property, and he sells his chainsaw art. Before this weekend, I had never actually seen a piece of chainsaw art, but I was actually quite impressed with some of the creations).

And this is a car that Doug owns. I figured having just recently moved to Texas, a picture with the car was appropriate...

And then it was on to the baptism of Hailey Arel (granddaughter of Sharon and Brian Boles).

Hailey with her parents Alexis and David after the baptism.

She three grandchildren - Hailey, Mason, and Ethan.

The proud grandparents

The cake made for the event

And one picture of me with little Hailey (she had been asleep for most of the time I was holding her, so this was a rare moment when her eyes were actually open).

And then, it was time to drive back to Arlington. We found a good place to stop for dinner. None of us were particularly hungry, but it was good to get out and stretch our legs and play for a little bit. Who knew McD's not only had play structures but also had video games for people to play?