.music mondays - selah.

this is a music monday and it will be in just a few minutes, after my side note...

so i got an email this afternoon re: a meeting for the presbytery (for whom i work) that i have to be at on wednesday. it's from 8-noon and it's at a place called "the surf shack." here's what the rest of the email said, and i quote:
"Bring Bible, swim suit, towels, surf toys (don't need them but your choice.) coffee and snacks provided."

really?!?!?! is this seriously my job?!?! i almost feel guilty for hangin' out with a bunch of cool pastors on a wednesday morning at the beach... okay maybe not. but tis pretty darned SWEET!!!!

---------------------------------------------------------

.music monday - selah.

today's amazingness is by none other than lauryn hill (sometimes i miss the fugees)

Nothing can be done against the truth
No matter how we remain in denial, yeah
Wasting time
Replacing time
With each empty excuse
But that'll only work a little while
Coping with despair
Knowing you're not there
Ashamed to just admit
I've been a fool
So I blame it on the Sun
Run away from everyone
Hoping to escape this ridicule
Trapped in misery
Wrapped so miserably
In this deception that im wearing like a skin

Dying to mantain
Oh I keep trying to explain
A heart that never loved me to begin
Oh I'm such a mess
I have no choice but to confess
That I've been desperately trying to belong
Lying to myself
And everybody else
Refusing to admit my right was wrong

And then He came
Selah
And it means
Praise and meditation
And then He came
Selah
And it means
Did you think about that?
And then He came
Selah
Oh and it means
Praise and meditation
And then He came
Selah
Oh and it means
That it is seen

How beautiful is fruit still in denial of its roots?
My guilty heart behaved so foolishly
This treason from within
That reasons with my sin
Won't be happy til it sees the death of me
Selfishly addicted
To a life that I depicted
Conflicted cuz it's not reality
Oh what's left of me
I beg you desperately
Cause me to agree with what I know is best for me
Please save me from myself
I need You to save me from myself
Please save me from myself so I can heal

The choices that Ive made
Oh have been nothing but mistakes
What a wasted use of space
Should I die before I wake?
In all of my religion
I've fortified this prison
Obligated to obey
The demands of bad decisions

Please save me from myself
I need You to save me from myself
Please save me from myself so I can heal

And then He came
Selah
And it means
Praise and meditation
And then He came
Selah
And it means
Did you think about that?
And He came
Selah
Oh and it means
Meditation
And then He came
Selah
Oh and it means
That it is seen

And then He came
And then He came
Then He came, then He came, then He came
And then He came

i know. it's a long song, but it's well worth the download. it's beautiful. and this week it grabbed me by the back of the neck and sat me down and made me think. one of my most faithful friends is in the middle of a bunch of really hard stuff and this song spoke to that situation, but more than that - it offered hope. "And then He came" and "That it is seen" reminded me of how good our God is. it reminded me that HE SHOWS UP and that HE SEES. i've wondered a time or two this week if he's showing up in my friends life or if he even sees what's going on or cares, but this was a gentle reminder that HE IS and that is enough.

selah.

.a blog-worthy saturday night.

i'm not sure if i've mentioned this on my blog ;), but i just moved... 2 hours from my friends, 2 hours from my church, 2 hours from the only life i've known for 7 years. and let me tell you - it. is. hard. i mean, i knew i had it comin' but once you're living in it, the reality sets in and it's a bummer deal some days. but i'm here to tell you, i went home last weekend and it was SO good for my soul.

and we had a spontaneous blog-worthy saturday night.

i had planned to hang out with my friend casey and we're kinda sorta known for spontaneous adventures - you know, small things like Africa... and tattoos... and 2 day layovers in London...and sketchy thai restaurants in LA - those kinds of things. And we decided we were gonna hang out but had no plans in mind except that at some point we'd like to hit the Rusty Pelican (lovingly referred to as "the rusty p"). it may sound creepy, but let me tell you. it is my happy place. and it's classy.

more on that later. so what we decided to do was to do a newport beach restaurant crawl. it was maybe our best idea yet, besides Africa and tattoos, of course.


here was our evening itinerary that we made up as we went...

6pm - memphis at the lab. result? yummy corn bread and a great drink, fun little place too.
7:30pm - bree has NO night vision and royally BIFFS IT into a rain gutter thingy and scratches up the whole right side of my back (if you need a picture, i have proof)
8pm - 930 sushi on PCH. result? crazy good sushi, even some with jalapeno and the option of ordering LIVE shrimp, like still squirming around and looking at you kind of live. but fun nonetheless.
10pm - the blessedness of the rusty pelican. good gracious that place is super. piping hot sourdough bread with soft butter (this is key, people), great wine, super fun live music, looking out at the harbor. we were happy there until the valet came and brought casey his keys at 1am because they were closing down shop.
11:22pm (approx) - casey runs into a pole - this was pure comedy and maybe an attempt at solidarity with my earlier injury?
1:15am - a little wound care on the back scrapage and night night termite.

so if any of you are looking for fun things to do in newport beach this weekend? there's your answer. and if you're just looking for a fun night? restaurant hop. order a little appetizer and a drink at each place and just embrace the night. it's well worth it.

thanks OC for a fantastic weekend. it was great to feel known and thanks casey for yet one more amazing spontaneous adventure and the scars to prove it.

a retweet from casey that pretty much sums up the weekend: "home is not where you live, but where they understand you." well spoken. very well spoken. happy weekend to you all!

.#10 - car detailed.

my car has a name. as do my bike, my computer, my printers and the occasional house plant. don't judge me. it's just what i do. so my car, her name is SENORITA ROSITA V (the fifth). she's amazing. she's truly one of my very best friends and here's why:

- she knows me really really well
- i'm comfortable enough around her to belt out songs, even if i don't know all the right words
- she's been privy to many conversations that no one else ever hears
- she's seen her fair share of tears and breakdowns
- she's gone on ALOT of road trips with me
- she's been really faithful and always makes sure i'm safe
- i wake up each morning and know she'll be there waiting for me
- she's even gotten to spend quality time with some friends of mine when i go away
- she never talks back, just keeps on keepin' on
- she moved to santa barbara with me so i wouldn't go alone

and let me tell y'all - this girl deserved some TLC, which is why i put her on my 30 before 30 list. when i posted this list, i got a prompt reply from a college student friend of mine that he details cars and he'd love to hang out with Senorita for the day. um...amazing? i think so.

i was back in orange county this weekend and had a crazy awesome time with my friends whom i've missed dearly and was able to let Brent Thomas have her for about 6 hours. she came back looking like this...


that's right. this girl is like brand new. these were Brent's words: "if cars could smile, Senorita would be beaming." well said. she is beaming. i feel like you've got to invest in what means the most to you and me and that girl go back 5 and a half years and 108,000 miles. she's been good to me. here's to you Senorita. thank you for being a friend.

1/3 of the way through... 10 down. and if you need someone to do an amazing job detailing your car for a really great price, Brent Thomas is your guy. I'll be happy to get you his info. :)

.#9 - flip a coin.

i don't know about you, but i had a great weekend. you can scroll down to read my post about my new town and where i'm living, i really do like it here - alot. it's seriously the most beautiful place to live and i still feel spoiled. i feel even more spoiled because erin, one of my best friend's from orange county drove up for the weekend to hang out with me. we decided on a whim to knock out a 30 before 30 yesterday and it was an AWESOME afternoon.

our goal was to flip a coin, if it landed on tails we were gonna drive 30 minutes to the right, if it landed on heads, 30 minutes to the left. wherever we got at 30 minutes we had to stop and document it with pictures. so here's a play-by-play of our adventure.


will it be heads?


or tails?


tails took us here...


and then here (this might be my favorite shot of the day)...


and then here...


at 30 minutes...


WE ENDED UP HERE, are you kidding? from ocean to the forest in 30 minutes and there was a little creek running through the trees.




and then i'll leave you with a few shots on the way down.





incredible day, incredible friend and one more thing off the list!!!

.#8 - shoot a deer.

for those of you who work for/support PETA, i am going to say this: we can be friends. our lives are not over. we can still have a relationship regardless of my desire to shoot a deer. it's gonna be okay. keep reading, i promise you'll be happy...

so on my 30 before 30 list was to "shoot a deer." contrary to some push back i've gotten, i actually really do like deer, i think they're cute, nice creatures who deserve to live and are a fine piece of God's creation, so before you cyber-slay me for being a "hater," know that deer are my friends.

my intent in creating this goal was indeed to shoot a deer. yes, with a gun. yes, it would be bloody. yes, my dad and brothers who live in texas would be included in the execution of this task (no pun intended). yes, i would give the meat to the homeless shelter or something of the sort. those were all my intentions and they were the best.

however...

i was home only one time during texas "deer season" which was over Christmas break. we had a plan to go out to the deer lease and see if we couldn't find ourselves a buck to shoot (did you know bucks shed their antlers and grow them back every single year and the older they are, the faster they grow, giving them a bigger rack, who knew?). anyhow, Christmas got here and texas got DUMPED ON with snow. needless to say, the hunting over-nighter turned into a "snowed in christmas eve" with just me and my mom. so our hunting excursion/deer shooting goal were shot down (again, no pun intended).

so... deer season is over, i'm at home in california, commiserating over my failed attempt at a 30 before 30 goal and then remembered a friend (by the name of david carlos escobar, who demands a shout out) who gave me a solution to this goal without having to use a gun, so here ya go:



I SHOT A DEER (with a camera of course).

and i didn't just shoot one deer, i shot a family of them crossing the road...

in this little snow-covered new mexico mountain town last weekend...

with these lovely women instead of my brothers and dad.

we were there for my brother's fiance (julea's) bridal shower weekend with my mom's side of the family. such a great girls weekend for such a great bride and one more thing off the list - yay!

8 down... 22 to go.
-------------------------
for those of you who've been asking, here are the ones i have dates on the calendar for:

- U2 concert - june 6, anaheim (casey & erin, i can't wait!)
- 10k/half marathon - sometime in may with kim and/or the mud run in june with alyssa
- climb half dome - may 6-9 (with my small group from the oc)
- visit a friend somewhere i've never been (margie & alan's wedding in newark, ca)
- read one book per month (been doing it, on my 4th month now & lovin' it)
- just so you know... i likely will be switching up the bike-riding one to a santa barbara county bike riding challenge, it might be too much to drag lolita back down there.