Yes...I am alive.

Its been a long time since I have posted a blog. Life has been crazy! In the past week I have moved homes, had a huge youth event, started summer school, house sat, attended two parties, a luncheon, and saw the doctor...amongst many other things. Hopefully life will begin to slow down and I can actually spend more time on the good ole blog. Until then may God bless you and try and stay cool in this hot weather!

Vanilla Ice Ice Baby!

So, today I was flipping through the radio stations in the car and what to my wondering ears should appear...you guessed it! Ice Ice Baby!!! It automatically made me stop and laugh and think of my amazing friend Becky Kruse! No one can Stop, Collaborate, and Listen...like my BK!

And on a true vanilla note. I love vanilla ice cream! I bought French Vanilla at the store and really wanted fresh blue berries to put in it but they were out so I settled for fresh raspberries. I was not so sure how much I was going to like them but it was BOMB DOT COM! Mixed with a little vanilla ice ice baby, what a wonderful treat. I think I will have some now! =)

Dreams...

So, I have noticed a major change in my sleeping patterns. I typically fall asleep very quickly and can sleep all the night through without waking up. This has not been the case over the last month. I continually wake up. I doesn't matter if I am home or sleeping somewhere else such as these past few days up at Hume. I wake up and think its morning and its only been an hour or two since I last work up and is the middle of the night. I don't know why my body is doing this but I don't like it.

Secondly, I used to never...okay hardly ever remember my dreams. I don't know if I didn't dream or if my thick head could just never remember them. Well, now I am remembering all my dreams. So are very odd like me losing hair on the left side of my body but not my right. Very odd. Others are about things that went through my head during that day. And I am experiencing nightmare-like dreams every time I sleep. It is so weird. I just woke up from a nap out of breath because the dream was so intense. I think I would rather go back to not dreaming or at least not remembering my dreams.

Over-Complicating God???

For the last five months I have been trying to finish the book "Searching For God Knows What" by Donald Miller. It has been a great read that challenges the way I think. I have about four more chapters and then I am done!!! Today I was reading and found this interesting...

"I think it is more safe and more beautiful and more true to believe that when a person dies he will go and be with God because, on earth, he had come to know Him, that he had a relational encounter with God not unlike meeting a friend or lover or having a father or taking a bride, and that in order to engage God he gave up everything, repented and changed his life, as this sort of extreme sacrifice is what is required if true love it to grow. We would expect nothing less in a marriage why should we accept anything less in becoming unified with Christ?" (Miller, p. 156)

Prior to this quote Miller is discussing how people believe that one person can be more Holy or more loved by God because they know their bible inside and out, or went to seminary, or followed all the rules. It made me think are why not over-complicating God? I mean we as humans are setting up all these do's and dont's when really who's place is to judge man other than God? This is why I am thankful that I don't belong to a denominational church. The more I see the way different denominations do things and claim that they do it right and other churches do it wrong makes me sick. Isn't there supposed to be unity among all believers? Should a non-Christian student of mine walk into a church and be yelled at by an old women who is mad because the kid is wearing a hat in God's building? Aren't all buildings God's building? Isn't He the creator of everything? Shouldn't we be thankful that this teen stepped inside the church not whether he is wearing a hat or not. Gosh! This stuff gets me worked up. Jesus sacrificed His life and here we are fighting over right and wrong...we are ALL sinners, why don't we accept that and try to show Jesus' love to those around us? I mean actions do speak louder than words right?

Just some thoughts...back to my book.

God's Creation

Can I ask how amazing is God's creation? I have been so blessed to be able to come up to Hume Lake and stay free of charge for a little retreat until Wednesday morning. It is amazing up here. I arrived and it was a beautiful 65 degrees which felt great since it was 94 when I left Fresno. I was able to spend time time walking by the lake then last night I went for a drive and went to the look out point where you can see all the city lights. It was amazing to look today and see all the light twinkling as if they were dancing about. I sat up there looking out and was in complete awe of how busy out lives are. Looking at the city made me realize that. It was so refreshing to stop, pause, and breathe and know that you actually can escape the fast paced world every once in a while. If you have the chance to get away I would highly recommend it. I think I will now go for a morning jog since I was able to sleep in. More bloggin to come...

Emo...

A year, maybe two years ago my roommate gave me this link to the Emo Song. I saved it in my favorites and every once in a while I click on it, listen, laugh, and then think wow what has this world come to? If you would like to experience the same, turn on your speakers, and click http://emosong.ytmnd.com/

Is Age Just A Number?

Is age really just a number? You see last night I was sitting in a meeting with some high schoolers as well as some of my elders from YFC. One of the elders made a comment that teens want to hang out with people a few years older than them because they are cool. She then referred to the staff as uncool, but said well Derek you are still a little cool but you are losing it slowly as your age increases! Sign #1 I am getting old.

Then I was sitting at my computer and realized wow my stomach is really getting large. I have always been able to eat whatever I want and have it not phase me, that is no longer the case. I am puttin on the pounds. My dad always said once you hit your 20's it will catch up to you. Sign #2 I'm getting old.

Last night I was taking a student home and we were talking about music and an old song came on the radio from when I was in Jr. High and it was way before his time. He didn't know the song. I then realized he was born in 1991 and when I was in Jr. High he was just starting Kindergarten! Sign #3 I'm getting old.

Then this morning I found not one, not two, but three grey hairs on my head. And I am sure if I keep looking I will find more! This is so depressing! Sign #4 I'm getting old.

But who really cares right? Age is just a number after all. =(

Meetings

Does anyone agree that meetings can exhaust you? I had three meetings yesterday and by 5pm I was beat. Wasn't like I worked too heck of hard but dealing with people and sitting in one chair for hours...it just wears a brotha out. PTL for no meetings today! =)

Stupid People...

I hate to be the typical self-centered, know-it-all jerk...however I dislike stupid people. I am sure everyone can relate to having to deal with stupid people from time to time. Last night I had one of these experiences. My AC was not fixed by my apartment complex (go figure!), so when I go home I was a little frustrated. After calling the office twice with no answer I marched down to the office. Low and behold Barbie actually does live in flesh!!! The girl in the office (who is one of many I have seen in the office over the past 10 months, they have huge turn over because they hire real winners) was your typical Barbie. She was about 19 years old, blond, tan, and spoke with the most annoying high pitch voice I have ever heard. To top it all off I left feeling about 0.00004568 confident that she could handle getting the request into the computer so my air could be fixed...seeing as how I called on Saturday and it was never done...and seeing how she could hardly answer the questions of the lady who came in to apply for an apartment. I wanted to tell the lady to run for the hills! So, I admit this blog is not very kind or uplifting but last night I really wanted to say swear words after dealing with her. But hey God loves everyone of His creations right?