jumbled thoughts [life update]

• I am not a fan of social networking anymore. Blogs, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter have given everyone their 15 minutes of fame.  Now that EVERYONE is special, NOTHING is special.  People have no attention span and no real community.  We are an "instant coffee" society. There is nothing like smelling the whole beans, grinding them, making the coffee, and enjoying it.  Same with community.  
• I'm excited for our vacation to Chicago in a bit, especially since we'll be there over the 4th of July! A city vacation is unconventional, especially because we're such beach lovers, but I love this city and Kaitlin hasn't been there.  Kaitlin's family is going at the same time and her sister is going to look at some colleges.  Can't wait for Chicago Deep-dish pizza from Giordano's! 
• Kaitlin are professional dog/house sitters I guess.  We have 5+ "jobs" this summer and more still in need. Crazy, but so nice. It's like a mini-vacation. Plus we can earn money to go on an actual vacation! We start our first job on Saturday. We are praying that we get to babysit (okay, DOGsit) Muffin again!!!
• We're celebrating Reenie's birthday on Friday at Mastro's! Best steak EVER..can't wait!
• I am learning the richness of my identity in Christ! It is beautiful.  I'm unpacking a lot of crap but also discovering so much joy in my true identity, not the one I have forced myself into.  God is good!
• I think I like running again.  It's probably because of the sun.
• I freaking LOVE Sprinkles Cupcakes in Newport Beach.  I constantly crave them now.
• I haven't bought Starbucks in a couple weeks now. Can you believe it?!?! I have set out to prove Kaitlin wrong.  Though, there is nothing wrong with people buying it for me!!! ...(hint, hint)...
• The youth group summer is completely booked.  I can't wait.  It is the busiest/greatest season of ministry! 
• Kaitlin is almost done with school for the semester...only 1 more week!
• Here is my blog post form one year ago today. I am happy to say that I am not in that place right now. 
• High school guys small group at the pool and jacuzzi is a good idea. We have a lot of fun and good conversations. 

hello blog that i once loved so much!

so i have not updated for a while.  kaitlin and i are trying to figure out our life schedules.  it is working out pretty, though it seems a lot tougher for her then for me.  she goes to school twice a week and works the other three days. on top of that, she helps me in youth group and leads a girls discipleship groups after a 7 hour school day.  yeah, she's awesome! i love her so much!!!  

what else?... well, we seemed to be settled into our condo quite nicely.  it is the perfect size to feel cozy and have room to stretch.  oh ya!...our bed arrived about a week ago.  we were each used to sleeping in a full before we were married. then the honeymoon tricked us with king size beds the whole time.  i say tricked because when we got home, we had to share a full! CRAZY!!! kaitlin's parents were awesome enough to buy us a bed for our wedding gift.  we ended up with a king size sleep number bed!! *heaven* 

i love cooking! i do it all the time. tonight it homemade enchiladas! mmmmmm!  i like making my own recipes, or variation on ones i read in cookbooks.

so as of right now, my beautiful wife and i are sipping tea while she works on her homework and i catch up on blogging and facebook.  i'm still trying to maintain a loose connectedness to social networking.  i find myself not obsessed, but not completely removed.  it seems appropriate. 

oh ya... GOD IS AWESOME!  more on that later. 

So Much and So Little

Recently, I have had SO MUCH to blog about, but SO LITTLE time to do so.  Life is crazy--full of wedding plans, school, work, relationships, being sick, and very little down time.  However, the Lord has blessed me with strength to get up in the morning and do it all over again.  Here and there I see God in the ordinary and am recharged!  Isn't it amazing that our awesome God is real and involved in the daily?!  It's so rad.  

So anyway, these could all be blog posts by themselves, but I the time is short.  I will do my best to recap the highlights of all things.  Here we go:

• Biola Youth Conference -  This was way fun. We talked about how " The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).  Not only that, there were some sweet pics with the Jesus mural!!!

• Hindu Temple-  Kaitlin and I went to a Hindu temple with our World Religions class.  It was an interesting experience, full of dancing, crazy artwork, loud bells, and chanting.  There was a lot of beauty in the worship, but I sensed a lot of spiritual strongholds.  I spent most of the time we were there praying.  
  

• Hanging out with students- This has been a blast.  A lot of my relationships are starting to grow with students in the group.  Each day looks different and there are always surprises.  This is what ministry is all about, though.  
• Wedding plans- Coming along well.  Kaitlin is making our wedding awesome!  She is working so stinking hard, and I feel like all I do is say "Yeah I really like it!"  I'm so excited... Less than 3 months away!!! CRAZY!!!

• When God Weeps- This book is really interesting.  It was written by Joni Erickson Tada (a quadriplegic) and she is speaking in my Theology of Suffering and Disability class next week.  I really am enjoying exploring suffering on a deeper level.  God is using this book in little ways in my life right now.
• Little encouragements- I have been blessed by so many things and so many people.  It is incredible to me!  I love random things like this!

Well, that's a little recap.  Hopefully I will be on top of blogging.  If not, just check my Twitter.

Prodigal Blogger

I left my blog

Sought a new, cool blog

One that had a cool look

And savvy widgets 

But I wasn't happy

I was out of place

I missed blogspot

I wasn't quite sure 

If it missed me

I came back to check

And was welcomed

With open arms

And I'm home.

Hmmm...

Wow I really don't blog that much anymore do I?

I could use the "I'm busy" card.

And I really am.

School.

Work.

Wedding plans.

You know...

In fact, I got to run.

More wedding registry stuff.

Crate&Barrel.

Macy's.

Target.

PCI Youth Ministry Blog

Check out the new Pacific Church of Irvine Youth Ministry Blog!

Cake + Bible + Baseball + Dads = Blog Update

Here is the update I have been waiting for so long to do.  I have been so busy for some reason and have had no time.  My weekend is just a taste of the next 3 weeks ahead of me... I need to find time to rest rest rest! 

CAKE

Kaitlin and I went cake tasting on Friday for our wedding.  It was so much fun.  However I could not look at cake without getting sick afterwards.  Read all about it on Kaitlin's blog. 

BIBLE

I have found that I am craving the Bible more and more.  I have tons of opportunities to read it, but I am not bathing in it.  This sounds so strange, but books and commentaries have actually been keeping me from the Word.  I have decided to take a one week fast from extra materials in order to focus on the Bible.  This will be more fruitful for myself, my relationships, and my teachings.  

BASEBALL

Last night the Youth Group went to the Angels' game!  We had a ton of fun talking, eating, taking pictures, and NOT watching baseball! Here is a photo review:

Most of the group.

Cuz' we're cool like that...

The Girls...

Kaitlin and the gang!

The after-fight!

DADS

Happy Fathers' Day!  I have to say that this Fathers' Day I have appreciated my dad so much.  He does so much for my brothers and I, especially through the recent family difficulties.  Please tell your dad "Happy Fathers' Day!"  No matter how much or how little they point you to your Heavenly Father, rest in the fact that the Lord will never leave us, stop loving us, or providing for us.  Yay for Fathers!!!

New Blog Look

As you can see (unless you are reading this with Google Reader, which I love), my blog has a new look.  I wanted to do something more creative, incorporating more of my life in the style.  It may change again, but I would love to see what you think.  Have a good day!