fam in cali
Last weekend...私 の おかさん と おばあさん [mom & grandma] came to visit me in カリフォーニヤ [Cali] !
Here they are. It's weird having a mom that looks young enough to be my sister.
And bachan and myself after I gave them a tour of the campus in my trusty little golf cart. (I'm pretty sure it needs a name, so suggest away.)
Oh yeah. と いま 私 の かみ は ブロンド です。 Hah, my Japanese is still laughably pathetic.
Labels: california, family, special occasion
socal fires
Don't worry everyone, I'm not charred to a crisp. The fires stopped just short of Murrieta, so they're actually sending evacuees to the campus! We still caught a gnarly view of the flames yesterday.
From campus.
Down the road.
Today one side of the sky looked like it was going to be perfect weather, and the other side pretty much looked like the apocalypse.
We'll be good for now - but come tomorrow will be the ash rain.
Labels: college, nature
intellectual suicide
Can I just be honest. I love Skillet. The heavy melodies. The overly exaggerated melodrama. Only with Skillet can you legitimately play airguitar and give the fist. I love them.
=
While I'm being honest, I'll go ahead and spill some more. You know what's a struggle? Sometimes I am so tempted to think that Christianity is intellectual suicide. Some of the stuff that I learn, and some of the stuff that I don't learn because it seems glossed over, is enough to incite all kinds of doubts and whatever. But, you know what else? I'm realizing, slowly but surely, that the problem isn't with Christianity. It's not with God, it's not with Jesus. The problem is me. I choose to make my own judgment the ultimate authority for determining truth. What an imbecile thing to do! How many times have I proved my own self wrong.
Well, if "just believing" is the criteria - then why not be a Mormon, or a Neo-pagan or an Agnostic? Frankly, nothing else I've ever considered has matched up. I'm not "just believing" in the Christian God. At least Christianity corresponds with reality. Belief in Jesus actually makes a lot of good sense. I mean, it "works". Even if it doesn't make sense to anyone else, it's changed my life.
Not every question I've ever had has been answered. Many have been, but not all. And the remaining questions...God's pretty much stilled my qualms. They were stupid qualms to begin with anyway.
So, all that to say...I'm stoked for Bible college! God bless you guys.
Labels: college, spiritual
one year ago
One year ago, I was in Japan.
Two years ago, I never ever would've imagined that was where God would send me. と私は日本を愛します！Makes me look forward to the years to come. I was just telling Jeanette earlier today that our understanding is like a little kid's. We're only disappointed when He says "no" to our whims because we haven't yet realized that He's got something better to give.
Labels: japan, life, memories, okinawa
retreat support
It seems as if I've moved my way up the M199 ladder. For two semesters I endured landscaping...
...while Jeanette scored some sweet M1's, like security.
Well, now that she's graduated, I snagged her old M1 - retreat support. Also, I even have my own name tag plus a walkie talkie. If that's not a recipe for prestige, I don't know what is.
There are a lot of minor details and whatnot. But the gist of the job is making sure that the weekend retreats run smoothly. The best part about it though, is driving around the ladies in my golf cart and helping them with their luggage. I've gotten all kinds of sweet gifts: Egyptian chocolate, a coaster featuring a bunny in a pile of pears, room and board offer in New York, prayer, etc. I've even had some really cool conversations with them, and I feel encouraged as I'm able to encourage them.
Labels: college, mexifriend, ministry
the worm
Can I reiterate again...that I love Southern California. My dormbaby Sam and I decided to drive toward the coast. We hit up Laguna, watched some surfers shred up some waves, and got fat off icecream.
Then we went to "the worm", aka Newport beach. It basically looks like a hangnail off of Crystal Cove. One time on a late night excursion, Sam and I thought we were going down the coast highway, but we somehow ended up on the worm. We wanted to actually check this thing out in the day light, and the verdict is - it rocks!
And the source of a long running inside joke that I won't even attempt to explain...
Labels: beach, california, friends, omoshiroi
