Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day can bring on mixed feelings. For some, its expectations of romance and flowers while for others its a night with friends. For others, its a painful day reminding them of what is missing from their lives. Still for others, expectations of what the day should be kills the joy of celebrating what the day becomes. I've experienced all four.

This Valentine's Day is a bit different. I have recently discovered the joy and absolute treasure of having my husband who is my best friend. I have a thing for llamas stemmed mostly out of my last name. How many people have last names that are also animals??? Because of that I have started a small llama collection, and am greatly amused by all things llama. My husband humors me, and thinks I'm a nerd, but its something we can enjoy together. Well this year, he out did himself and made me a very happy lady.

This make me so happy!

I'Ll aLlways Llove my hubby!

It's definitely not a typically romantic gift, but it says Andrea all over it. He went and found something he knew I would enjoy and bought it for me. I'm typing this blog post right now wearing that shirt because I am crazy about it. 

Right now, my husband just finished teaching guitar lessons to a group of guys. This is our Friday night routine, and I have a heart shaped pizza on the way for the two of us to share. It's not a roses and candle light kind of Valentine's day, but it's okay. I feel treasured and thought of by my husband, and hopefully I did equally well with what I bought him. We'll probably eat our pizza and watch a movie that isn't a romantic comedy and just enjoy being together. After all, that is what really matters.

So whoever you are, and whatever your relationship status, remember that the real world is different from the movies. Things won't always work out the way you planned. And romance isn't always flowers and jewelry. Some times its kicking back in a llama t-shirt with pizza in hand, sitting next to your best friend. I am so blessed to get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. 

Happy Valentine's Day all!

Reading the Bible

Starting in Matthew, I have been reading a verse-by-verse commentary alongside portions of scripture and its bringing the Bible alive in ways I haven't experienced in a while. Students of the Bible know the importance of reading the Bible through the lens of its original audience. For example, each of the gospels has a different intended audience and Matthew was written for the Jewish people. Matthew wants to convince the Jews that Jesus was their awaited Messiah. I have been struck multiple times with how amazing the Bible is that even though it is 2,000ish years old, its still applicable to us today, especially since it wasn't written for everyone who picks it up and reads it. But yet, it was at the same time.

Yesterday, I was reading the Beatitudes and I had a realization that I hadn't before. In the beatitudes, Jesus tells his audience something that is very contrary to what most of us think. He said "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven" and "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Notice he's talking about what we would consider low and weak characteristics, and he's exalting them like we would think he would say mighty warrior or righteous soldier. Instead he says, the poor, the meek, the lowly. How would the Jews' have reacted to this? Remember, the gospel of Matthew was written for them. The kind of Messiah the Jews were waiting for was not a lowly, humble servant, but a mighty king. They wanted someone to come rescue them from foreign rule and oppression, to set them back in their land, and to make their lives better. They wanted someone who would fight for them. Instead they get a carpenter who teaches them that the poor in spirit inherit the earth. What an amazing disappointment. Here the one who they are investigating as the Messiah tells them that they will inherit the earth exactly as they are, which is not a place they want to be.

I can image how let down some of them probably felt, and I can also image how incensed others may have felt. I begin to ask myself why. Jesus would have known their reactions, and would have known that what he was saying would anger, confuse, disappoint, and turn away those he loved. We see pictures and movies of this scene with everyone calmly sitting on the grass, looking up to Jesus with their mouths agape, completely in wonder of his words. I don't image that's how this scene actually played out, at least not for everyone.

This is the way our Lord works. He works in ways that are opposite to what we think should be the way. Jesus came not as a ruling prince to the family of a mighty king, but to a poor girl who wasn't even married to be born in a stable. He was the one who sacrificed his own life for the sake of those he loved. He taught that "the first shall be last and the last shall be first." It's the great reversal, and its being presented to us today as it was presented to the original audience.

Photo Fun - California Version

Stunning Patio View!

Love these windows!

Beautiful Purple Mountains

Your mercies are new every morning!

a photoshop painting!

Morning Sunshine

Right Place, Right Time

God often works in ways that are supernatural to us, but when we think about it are no big deal for Him. Recently, I was coming back from a work trip in California. I had gotten onto my plane, and my aisle seat was occupied so I ended up sitting in a middle seat on a different row. I'm pretty easy going and didn't really care where I sat, just really wanted to get home.

I like to chat with people on airplanes. You can meet some of the most interesting people during traveling and since there isn't much else to do, most people are pretty open for a chat. I started talking to the woman who was sitting on my right and she ended up being a pretty interesting lady. She moved from Chicago to LA to take a teaching job and founded a charter school with an emphasis in helping autistic children. She was super fascinating to talk with. Well in the course of the conversation I told her that I worked for a Christian, non-profit organization that works on college campuses helping students build community and to become leaders. She thought that was pretty cool, and it was obvious that we both shared a heart for helping people.

During the course of our conversation, the guy on my left had been kind of waking up, then he would pull himself up with the seat in front of him and look over to the right at a group of three people, make sure they were okay, and then he would sit back down, kind of adjust his seat, close his eyes and rest. I had noticed him when I first got onto the plane and thought he might be a Nepali man, but wasn't sure and since I wasn't sure if he was sleeping or not, I didn't want to disturb him. Well of course the drink cart came by, and me and the other lady got our drinks and we left the man to sleep. I debated on waking him, but decided it was better not to. So when he woke and unsuccessfully tried to wave down the flight attendant for drinks, I decided to help.

Well it turns out this guy was flying from Nepal to Omaha, Nebraska with his wife, young daughter and parents. They had a very long and difficult journey and were nearing the end. He spoke English but very little and it was clear he was going through massive culture shock and was of course extremely tired. I had some snacks in my bag that I handed to him and made sure to get him a glass of water. He ate the peanuts so fast. I started trying to ask him more questions, but he didn't understand much and I'm sure the exhaustion didn't help. I asked him if he knew where to go next, and he didn't have any idea. The only help provided was a tag around his neck with all his information on it, and an envelope sticking out of it that was written "Please write my gate number here. Thank you." Poor guy was never going to be able to navigate Denver Airport with just a gate number. I told him to stay close to me and I would help him. In the midst of interacting with him, the lady on my other side had gotten interested and started asking me questions about this man. I told her a little bit about the community of Refugees in the US who are ethnically Nepali but have lived in Bhutan for a hundred plus years, recently fled Bhutan to Nepal, and now have been given the opportunity to come to the US, Australia or Europe. My husband and I are actively involved with a community of people in his exact same situation in our city. She began to really emote with this guy. By the time she was getting off the plane, she was so moved that she really wanted to help, and asked me if I thought it was okay for her to give them some money. It was so amazing to watch her go from mildly interested in this guy to honestly wanting to help.

We got off the plane and I led them through the Denver airport and prayed that I would have enough time to get them settled in and get to my own gate which was about 40 gates apart. We had less than an hour. I was traveling with a friend who ran ahead of me to our gate so that he could save me if worse came to worse and I headed through the Denver airport with 4 bewildered and exhausted people on my heels. We got to their gate, and I gave them a contact number that I hope they will use. My husband really wanted to stay in contact with them. I made sure they had everything and gave them the money the lady had given me on the plane. I couldn't stay long because of my flight. I ran into my friend on the way and he said our gate had been moved so we were just a little ways away instead of all the way down the terminal.

The best part about that whole story is that after paying lip service to my being a Christian, the lady I was sitting next to got to see Christ in action. I cared about someone who we had both seen be pushed aside by the flight attendants, and showed her that Christians are more than lip service. Being a Christian is action. She asked me if she could give them money and I wasn't sure how he would react if she just handed him money, so I asked her if she minded giving it to me and I could use it to get them a meal. I told her that I would for sure to use it on them. She told me that she trusted me because I was a Christian type.

After all that was over and I was on my last plane, I sat in my seat praising the Lord for the way He works. He loves all of us enough to change our lives a bit to make sure His children get taken care of. I pray that the lady whose name is Amy, will come to know the kindness and goodness of the Lord, and I prayed that Tara and his family would have peace in their travel and find people to help them when they arrive. It was so fun to be able to help people and to demonstrate that Christians are servants first. Just as God is our "ever present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1), so should Christians be a help in times of trouble. To Him alone is due all the praise, honor and glory.

Great By Choice - Book Review

"Those who spend most of their energy 'reacting to change' will do exactly that, expend most of their energy reacting to change. In a great twist of irony, those who bring about the most significant change in the world, those who have the largest impact on the economy and society, are themselves enormously consistent in their approach. They aren't dogmatic or rigid; they're disciplined, they're creative, they're paranoid. They're SMaC!"
Great By Choice by Jim Collins

And now you want to know what SMaC is! Well, you'll have to read the book. Great teaser. :)

Originally I picked this book up because it was required reading for my job. It's written from a corporate perspective, so I was curious as to how it identified with the non-profit. As I began reading the book, I noticed that it could apply to not just corporate world, but also to non-profits, churches, groups and even individuals seeking to direct and focus their lives. It was an excellent book with some very good principles about longevity, discipline, change and perspective that can be applicable to anyone wanting to be an agent of change or to an organization wanting to survive for the long haul.

The book is a study of ten corporations that Collins calls "10xers" who have shown exponential growth and a comparison to sister companies who did not show the same amount of growth. The research in the book is trying to pin point what the "10xers" did that was different compared to their sister companies. He highlights some very specific things and gives them names and word pictures to help the reader identify these things in his or her own life and organization. It seems like a very heavy read, but its actually not. Collins has life stories to go with each principle both the success and the failures to help illustrate the points, and the book reads like a chat over coffee.  The best part is that the principles taught in this book build on each other!

If you are looking for ways to guide your organization or disciplines to put into your own life to make you a successful person, this would be a great start. There is much talk about luck and unexpected circumstances, and Collins takes that and helps the reader see that there are things within his or her control that can be done in order to ease the unexpected. I highly recommend this book.

Photo Fun!

My husband and I did a photo scavenger hunt a few weeks ago. It was supposed to be a black and white shoot, but I cheated and took some color shots too. :)  I'm an amateur hobby photographer and photoshop user, but I hope to keep learning.  Here are a few of my favorites that I shot and did post processing on. Enjoy!

This one is my favorite.

Looks like something from a magic show!

Lamp through Stair Rail. So cool!

Gorgeous Door! I love the design.

Looks like something from Dr. Who :)

I know, its a repeat. I just liked it.

 

State of the... Union?

This is a little late coming, but I wanted to open discussion about it. I listened to the State of the Union address and took notes of statements that were either repeated or emphasized. Below is the list:

- Wherever and whenever I can take steps to help Americans without legislation, I’m gonna do it. (Quote from our president)

- We need congress to start creating jobs  (several shots at congress)

- But I’ll work on my own (President)

- America lead the world (Mentioned about many different things)

- Global leader (consistently, never a joint effort)

- I’m gonna do everything in my power (President)

- On every issue the world turns to us (How did the world survive before us?)

I hope you notice a couple of shocking themes. The first one being the President talking about moving forward with or without and sometimes in spite of the other two branches of our three part government system. Our government was structured with a system of checks and balances on purpose, all American kids learn that in school. Suddenly our President is talking more like an authoritarian. He mentioned during the speech that he wanted bipartisanship within the government, but then took repeated shots at Congress and how it wasn't doing enough. That doesn't seem to encourage a unified government working together. It seemed more like he wanted to make his name known and leave office as a recognized successful president. Sounds a little too dictator for me.

The second shocking theme was the leadership and global power of the U.S. I kept thinking, "no wonder the rest of the world hates Americans." We're making ourselves out to be that know-it-all kid in school who nobody likes because he is sugary sweet to the teacher while spiting everyone else. The American government could learn some humility. Compared to other large countries, we're still the new kid on the block. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from other countries who have been around much longer than we have. Humility has never real been the American style, but maybe it should be. 

I was angry and sad after I listened to the speech. Granted, I'm not politically involved, but maybe I should be. Maybe more of us should be. Maybe if more of us got involved then we could see the government be "by the people and for the people" as it was originally intended to be. Instead of by the few and for the few. Something to think about.