"...An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess"

Last weekend I gave Megan a few books for a graduation gift. Funny thing is that I got the same books for myself, because I have heard they are brilliant. I started reading this one a little while ago, and every night as I read a few pages before going to sleep, I am convicted. I am saying, EVERY night. Every time I open this book, I am convicted. The book? Seven, by Jen Hatmaker. I am telling you, this book is up there with Shane Claiborne's books. In fact, Jen has met Shane...they share a lot of ideas. Um...awesome. There are tons of things I want to post about this book, but it's 11:30pm, and I have my LAST DAY OF TEACHING tomorrow...so I can't stay up too much later, but I could not go to sleep without letting my small world of blog readers know about this book. (I actually wanted to get on the phone and call some of you fun people to discuss these ideas, but then looked at the time....) Seriously, order 7 online when you can, and then grab a pen and some paper, because you are going to want to jot down some notes every time you turn the page. Seriously, people. If you do not feel like being rocked, changed, moved, saddened, filled with hope, and convicted....don't read the book. For those of you who are crazy enough to check it out, I am telling you, God will speak into your life in a GOOD way. Not an easy way...but in a good way. Ah...so much more to say....but I will have to leave you in suspense until another day. For now, here are some quotes from the book, Seven: An Experimenal Mutiny Against Excess "I mean, seriously, do we really NEED more new clothes? When do we put the breaks on this runaway train? When I consider our resources, buying more clothes to add to the 327 I already own is positively stupid." "Create margin for God to move." "What if my silly little individual purchases DO matter? What if I joined a different movement, one that was less enticed by luxuries and more interested in justice? What if I believed every dollar spent is vital, a potential soldier in the war on inequality?" "If we all raised others up instead of raising ourselves a little higher, there would be few needs left on earth." "The working poor get lost in the shuffle." "I wondered if the American church was like well-mannered nice-talkers, sitting in a living room sipping coffee, talking about choir practice, while the world burns down outside our windows. While the richest people on earth pray to get richer, the rest of the world begs for intervention with their faces pressed to the window, watching us drink our coffee, unruflled by their suffering. It's just not right." And finally....... "The church is not beyond the movement of Jesus. A stirring is happening within the Bride. God is awakening the church from her slumber, initiating a profound advancement of the kingdom." WHOA.

Bowling and Sombreros...

Last night we took the youth group bowling. Who doesn't love taking off your OWN shoes to put your feet in stinky bowling shoes that 1,000,000,000 other people have worn? Then you get to pick up a heavy ball and support the weight of it with 3 fingers, and throw it with all your strength down a slippery alley - all without falling on your face or rolling down the alley with said ball. If that's not fun, I don't know what is. Which is exactly why I opted OUT of bowling, and just hung out with the kiddos. I love them - I don't need to wear a used pair of shoes for a good time.

Students at school have started taking their Spanish one final!!! Wa-hoo!!! Part of their final consists of sitting in a desk across from yours truly ("Ms. Flying-Saucer" to my students) and having a short conversation in Spanish. Yesterday was the first day of this little test, and like the good teacher I am, I pulled two desks outside facing each other, so I'd be at eye level with the kiddo. Then I slathered on some SPF 50 to avoid the sunburn that is inevitable in SoCal for this lady. While I am outside listening to my kiddos, I have a sub in my room making sure kids stay on task as they work on another part of the final exam. Yesterday after one class period of sitting in the blazing sun, my sub said to me, "Didn't you bring your sun hat?" Images of my dad gardening in the backyard came to mind...long-sleeves and a massive WIDE brimmed hat on his head. I kindly said, "Oh, I guess I forgot my wide-brimmed hat today. Oops. But I am wearing sunscreen." Wouldn't ya know it....my sub looks over to a little table in the corner of the room, grabs the green sombrero I use for decoration (I found it in the street a few years ago when I was running - SCORE!), and he hands me the ridiculous hat. "Um, thanks," I say as I sheepishly don my new accessory. My kids all said it looked great, so I put the strap around my chin, and went outside to continue the exams in the sunshine....later that same sub said to me, "You know, there is a patch of grass in the shade just over there, why don't we move the desks so you are completely out of the sun?" BRILLIANT! No more green-found-in-the-street-sombrero for me! :) As the go-getter teacher that I am, I brought home my exams to start grading....and then email, facebook, and these pictures of youth groups kids got the best of me. After I posted a photo album on our youth group's fb page, I realized that in case you don't check out "The Bridge Church" and "The Scene" (name of our youth group), you may never get to see these lovely kiddos. Thus...I pushed the stack of tests aside (as usual) and hopped onto blogspot. Remember how I am a procrastinator? :) In other news...I worked out so hard yesterday with some friends that I need to get a massage. Seriously - it hurts to move, people. Ouch. Today I opted out of another "backyard workout" with those cool people, and walked with my new friend from church. It was such a blessing - as it has been the past few times we've walked. We just start praying for our church, and the leadership, and for a new youth leader, and for VBS in a few weeks, and anything else that comes to mind. My friend is always saying, "Amen, in Jesus' name, Amen..." and I love it. Ah...where two are three are gathered, there HE is also!

It's the end of May....and it feels like it.

I am a little closer to summer with each blog post. :) It certainly feels like summer outside....what with it being 85 degrees at 6:24pm when I went for a run tonight. Sheesh! If you are wondering...the run was mas o menos...not so great, not so horrible...I only walked about 7 times. Not bad, right? Ha! Blame it on the heat. But after my run, God opened my eyes a little bit, and I "stopped to smell/look at the flowers" - so here is a picture. :)

Also, here is a picture of my running shoes. I tried to be artsy. Didn't work. But I do need new running shoes. :)

Last Sunday was Mother's Day...my mom rocks my socks off. You know what she always does when she sends me a card in the mail? She puts a stick of gum inside the card. I don't really know when that tradition started...but now my sister and I do it too. Funny family. My sister and sister in laws are all really amazing moms too. What with setting up a pool in the front yard, playing trains to no end, and taking walks around the neighborhood every night...Heidi, Michelle, and Lora are great moms. (the dads that go along with them aren't so bad either.) :) The happenings of life this past week include... a) teaching: It's funny; students think THEY are ready for a break. Ha! Teachers are just as ready, kids! I am giving finals this week....wa hoo! Also, my "secret prayer sister" at school gave me this super cute travel cup...see picture. I have always wanted one...!

b)leading fun games at youth group: (remember playing that pool noodle game when Michelle sprained her ankle at the lake a few summers ago? Yep...that's what we played at youth group), c)discussing future plans for our youth group, d) baking cupcakes for my former student Jordan and having her help me do some school work, e) going to Bible study to talk about the book of James and eat delicious treats made by Kelly f) sleeping a LOT of hours on Friday evening/night ..... I can hardly function, seriously! I guess summer really is just around the corner.... g) attending graduation at Cal State Fullerton with Megan Z and some fun people. CONGRATS to Megan - she is a rock star, and one of the most intelligent, innovative teachers I know. Ask her about her thesis sometime. It is fascinating. h) I got my bridesmaid dress for my cousin Noelle's wedding!!! And it's a good thing, too...seeing as how the wedding is in 3 short weeks! Mason City, Iowa...here I come! i) attending Megan's grad party last night....fun times had by all...holding baby Kyra, laying in the hammock with Jon (Lisa dared me/bet me $5 to do it..), eating tacos, talking with former colleagues, and just having a good time j) Today after church I drove to Whittier to attend the baccalaureate service for our seniors. Although I don't know any of them super well, it was cool to hear them talk about their spiritual experiences at WCHS. I had lots of other super inspiring ideas I thought of on my run, but they seem to have left my brain. Bummer. Instead, enjoy the pictures.....

The choices we make....

The other day a friend of mine said to me, "Allison, you are such a procrastinator!" It was then that it really hit me: she is right!!! Clearly I procrastinated on registering for and taking the GRE (see my last post), I have yet to write the final exam for my kiddos (and my colleague wanted a copy of it a few weeks ago...good thing he is so nice), last summer when I was in my 2nd year of graduate school but first year of graduate school online, I didn't quite get "online" on the start date, and kind of started the class a little behind (again - I have gracious professors!), and now I am sitting here with a STACK of projects to grade, and it is 8:13pm (I have been "off duty" since 1pm). As you can see........I AM A PROCRASTINATOR. Oops. I can't blame this trait on anyone but myself. Procrastination comes from choices I make.... Life is all about choices. We get to make choices every day. Sometimes they are little choices with not-so-big-of-deal consequences. Sometimes they are medium choices, and, you guessed it, sometimes there are HUGE choices to make that will affect the outcome of life. One decision we make every day, every second, is what we choose to say to OURSELVES - in our own heads. All those little thoughts we say to ourselves, about ourselves, they don't always seem like a big deal at the moment, but over time, those little "self-talks" can really start to affect a person's life. I had a good talk with a friend the other night, and one thing I walked away with was this: I need to stop allowing myself to think so negatively - about myself. Yikes. My friend pointed out (and that's not the first person, by the way) that I can have a really negative view of myself, and that leads to self-doubt, and self-pity, and all of a sudden those negative thoughts start to affect how I act. Right - so you already knew all of this, didn't you? well, you'd think as a (ahem...) 28 year old teacher born in the midwest would realize this too, and turn it around. Alas.... In chapel yesterday, our speaker (the "Worldviews" teacher at school) gave a good sermon about Spiritual Formation. The first thing he said was that the first step in our Spiritual Formation is the CHOICE to accept Christ and follow Him - every day. Did you read that? It is a choice EVERY day to follow Christ. Every day. Just because I got baptized in a river in MN when I was 12 does not mean that every choice I make is one that follows Christ and His teachings. Oh, if only it were that simple. Nope. We have to choose it every stinkin' day. Every day on the way home from school I am tempted to turn on my passenger side blinker and make my way into the Starbucks parking lot. I'm talking EVERY day I am tempted with this. I drive to and from work alone (duh), so I get kind of bored/tired, especially in the warm sunny California afternoons. Thus, the "need" for a caffinated beverage. When I choose to stop for a cup of joe - I reap the consequences of that choice. A) get jazzed on the way home and don't fall alseep at the wheel B) run into seniors at WCHS who have a free 7th period C) fewer dollars to spend on...a flight to Minnesota, new running shoes, rent, the offering on Sunday, groceries, the student at Calvin that I support, etc. D)(this is the worst) I am taking in lots and lots and lots of calories. Yeesh. See what I mean? Today when I got home from work, I had the choice to either start writing that stinkin' final exam, continue grading the stack of projects, or take a nap. Guess which one I chose? Seeing as how I am sitting in front of my computer with a stack of projects and a blank Word document open on my computer, you can probably guess which choice I made. Silly me. BUT...you should be a little bit proud of me, because I resisted stopping for a "cup of joe" on the way home from working out this evening - and instead BREWED MY OWN coffee at home! See, I am learning. For those of you going back to the beginning to see what time it is...yes, it is now 8:32pm and I am having a LARGE cup of my favorite caffinated beverage. Those projects will not grade themselves, unfortunately. Bummer. :) Now, I took some pictures, because blog posts are oh so much more exciting with a few photos to critique. And I will post those pictures, but I am not promising that they are GOOD pictures, okay? Because, I am not a photographer. At all. As much as I wish that were one of my talents, it is NOT (as you can tell). But I wanted to give you a quick peek into my little world right now - so enjoy the pics, and please....don't be a procrastinator like me. Thanks for CHOOSING to read my blog. I love ya! (PS: I seriously tried to space out the post into nice paragraphs, but it won't let me...sorry if it is kind of hard to read!)

Inspired by other bloggers to finally post.

I read other peoples' blogs on the weekends - it's my little getaway from reality/my own life. After reading so many of these, I remember that I am in fact an author of a blog myself, and I should probably get updating! With that said... The school year is just rolling right along - right out from under me, it seems! Honestly, I hardly remember starting this job back in November of 2011. This past Friday I went with the freshman class to serve at "Giving Children Hope," which is a huge warehouse (why even write the word "Huge"? Doesn't "Warehouse" speak for itself? Silly me...) with medical supplies to send to poor communities in the United States and throughout the world. Then they have a "We've Got Your Back" program in which they fill backpacks with food for an entire weekend and give it to kids in school who are on a breakfast and lunch program. Every Friday the kid returns the empty backpack and receives a full one with food to get them through the weekend. Meeting needs. That is what Giving Children Hope is about. I loved it. I don't know what I would do if I lived alone. Seriously. At times I have said to myself "Wouldn't it be easier and more peaceful to just live alone?" No. For this lady, it would not. My roommate Rosalee seriously helps me get through the day, the week, the weekend. Take today, for example. I decided to show her some Spanish projects my students turned in last week, and then we got to talking about the final exam I still have yet to write. Rose gave me some really great ideas, and I quickly grabbed my yellow notepad; jotted down some great ideas, then later typed up a review for my kiddos. In my mind, I knew I was going to get all this done, but having someone with whom to talk it through really helps. Know what I mean? In the summer, I take grad school classes through Dordt College. I started two summers ago, and I am almost done! Funny thing...I never took the GRE to get in to graduate school - and awhile ago I got an email from the head of the program asking if I'd taken it yet. I was sort of hoping they would change that requirement or something. Roommate Rosalee to the rescue! She reminded me that though it's a long test, and not very fun, Dordt probably just needs the score for its records, and that I probably won't get kicked out of grad school if I don't score perfectly. Another item to check off the list - I am now registered to take the GRE: June 19 at 8am. Just two short days after I return from Minnesota/Iowa. Why put it off any longer? So with that.......I logged onto Amazon.com and ordered the NEW GRE study book for a low low price of $15! Let the studying commence! :) A few months ago at church, two women got up and shared a beautiful testimony that inspired me. They are neighbors, and had seen each other walking on various occasions, so they started walking together once in awhile. Their conversation soon turned to spiritual things, and one invited the other to my church. The woman who was invited joined our church soon after, and it is really cool to see the two of them in church worshipping together. A few weeks ago, I approached the "inviter" and told her that she inspired me, and that I love to walk outside too. She then told me she's been wanting to do a prayer walk with someone to pray for the people who live around our church. Just like that - we are now prayer walk buddies. Our first walk was last week, and it was more a "get to know you" walk - since we'd only recently met each other. Tomorrow is our second walk, and I am excited to see what God lays on our hearts. Last week on our walk she asked me, "You are comfortable praying out loud, right?" I laughed and said, "Yes, most definitely." She responded, "Good, because that would have been awkward." Ha! Praying out loud for our community with another woman of faith AND getting exercise? Yes, please! God continues to fill me with His joy each day - I am thankful for the opportunities He puts in my path. Last week at youth group I had the opportunity to pray with a girl who is struggling with body image - the very thing I struggled with for YEARS in high school and college (okay...and am still struggling with today...) Small group on Wednesday nights brings me lots of joy through LAUGHTER and good discussion. Last Monday I was inspired to cook (!) so I invited a few friends over for an impromtu (is that how you spell it? Doesn't look right...) dinner, and it was wonderful. I sort of felt like Shauna Neiquist (or maybe I just want to feel as cool as her...) I am not the best cook in the world, but if friends are coming over, I am MUCH more motivated! Wowza...I just noticed that it is 10:24pm and I need to be up in....(struggling with the math....)7 hours. Okay, that is a pretty good night's sleep for most....but I am not most! :) Buenas noches a todos...hasta la proxima vez que escribo, amigos. Les quiero mucho. :)

A little slice of paradise in Granada, Nicaragua.

Joel and Lora took me to an amazing little get away in the city of Granada, Nicaragua. After watching Joel coach the NCA Eagles in yet another victory, we packed up the car and headed to this hotel/spa/chocolate museum. Random pairings of things in one place? I think so too, but who doesn't love a massage WITH the price of the hotel room??? I do!

As Lora was settling little Beto in for bed in our super awesome room, Joel and I headed across the town square to pick up pizza and salad. We enjoyed our dinner in the hotel courtyard, and just talked and talked until we decided we needed to head back to the pizza place for a delicious dessert. Tiramisu, anyone?

We were all pretty exhausted and ready to turn in, so we quietly snuck into the room and tried not to make too much noise so we didn't wake the sleeping prince. :) No problem...Alberto is a champ!

5:45am today - AWAKE with Beto! Who can resist a sweet smile and giggle from this little guy? I sure can't! Lora said I could try and sleep some more while they went out to the pool with Beto, but I just couldn't sleep knowing that I only had one more day left with the little guy. After a cup of coffee and Beto's breakfast, we sat in the pool for a bit, and Beto "swam" in the water. He loves the water!

For breakfast we had some traditional Nica food (eggs, Gallo pinto, squeaky cheese squares, plantains), and for round two we all ordered something with CHOCOLATE in it! I got a crepe - it was delicious. Oh, and in the background, a man played an accordion. Yep, and accordion. At breakfast. I thought it was kind of nice, but Joel politely asked him to keep it down a bit, because Beto was down for a nap in a nearby room! Classic.

Next came our massages - the hotel gives you a 30 minute massage with the price of the room, and you can add time for a small fee. Lora and I both got 1 hour massages - and it was TOTALLY worth it! In case I wasn't relaxed enough on this vacation....

The rest of the day was spent enjoying time with Beto and hanging out in the water. Have I said it enough times that this kid is absolutely adorable and is SO joyful? He is. And I love that about him. Plus, he's pretty cute. After a quick lunch, we packed up and headed back to get to yet ANOTHER NCA bball game. Another game of bball, another win for Coach K and the boys. It was fun to see 3 games while I have been here...I met lots of really great parents and teachers from the community, and they all LOVE Coach K!

Tonight we were all pretty exhausted, and so was Beto. After one last walk around the neighborhood and a few last snapshots of the cutie pie, I said adios to my nephew. Oh man, I sure do LOVE him! (his parents are pretty great, too!) J, L, and I talked and prayed together, and now we are heading to bed. Nothing like an early morning flight home to get ya going!

My visit to Nicaragua has been incredibly relaxing, joyful, and blessed. Being an aunt is such a joy. I am incredibly thankful for this opportunity to get a picture of life for J and L here in Nica, it is amazing to see the faithfulness of an ever-present God in each of our lives. Even though our family is so spread out, we are blessed because we get to visit each other and experience a new "culture" in each visit (Boston, Michigan, Nicaragua, California, Minnesota). I don't know that all of us will ever live in the same city or state as each other, but we sure keep those airlines in business, and we love it.

Blessed beyond measure.

A post from Nica.

A very WARM greeting from Nicaragua!!! After a delayed flight from LAX, and a 7 hour layover in Texas, and a night without any sleep, I am here in Nica-land hanging out with Joel, Lora, and Alberto. Lora picked me up from the airport in Managua, and when we got to their house, I met Chilo, the woman who cleans for J&L and her daughter who takes care of Beto. I am pretty sure Beto was scared when I first came into the house and said hello to him - I had only met him for a few hours during my whirlwind Christmas in Michigan. But after a few minutes, he warmed up to me, and now we are buddies - except if I sneeze too loudly, then he gets a little scared of me again. :)

Life in Nica with Joel, Lora, and Alberto could be described as pure joy and pure fun. Seriously, this little boy does not cry at all - he just laughs and smiles and pulls on my hair. He loves going for walks around the neighborhood with his mom and dad - something they do every evening. I have visited J&L in Nicaragua before, but in the past year, they moved to a different place, where some other NCA teachers and students live. Tonight on our walk, one of Joel's students/basketball team players was outside his house nearby said, "Hey Mr. K, I won't be in class tomorrow," and I had to laugh a little - how funny to see your teacher/basketball coach out on a walk with his family.

Yesterday we all just hung out at home, talking and playing with Beto. This morning when I came downstairs for breakfast, I heard Lora on skype with her mom in Florida, Nona. I said, "Good morning, Nona!" and she replied, "Good afternoon, Allison!" Apparently I slept until 1:00pm...so it was the afternoon. No wonder Lora was eating lunch....I guess after 2 flights and a layover in which I missed an entire night's sleep, I needed the rest!

Later this afternoon (after breakfast....), I went to one of Joel's basketball games. I was thankful that the NCA Eagles played at a school that had a covered court - so I was not in direct sun all afternoon. The Eagles pulled out a win, but it was touch and go for awhile there. It was fun to see Joel coach the boys - I even shouted out a few pointers from the sidelines here and there - "Get the rebound! Hustle back! Let's go, Eagles!" Basketball games in Nicaragua are a little different than at my school - most schools do not have an electronic score board, so the official just kept time on a little stopwatch. 30 seconds left on the "clock" really meant a minute or more. I was frustrated on the sidelines watching - you can imagine how coach K was feeling too!

After the game, Joel needed to stop at school to get his bike, so he asked, "Do you remember how to drive a stick shift?" (Lora and the babe were at home) and I said, "Sure!" Their house is not too far down the street from NCA, so I thought it would be no problem. Silly me. At the entrance to their complex, you pull up in front of a large metal door that a watchman comes to open when he hears a car. Then, naturally, the person driving the car would pull in and he'd shut the door for safety afterward. Well.....he opened the door, but because I had downshifted and had to stop the car, it was tough to get up the little hill and through the big entrance. I started rolling backward and shifted again, thinking perhaps I was in reverse. Nope. I just needed to give it a little more juice....all the while cars were speeding past on the road behind me. Yikes. I finally made it through the gate, and the watchman was probably laughing at me inside. I would have been! I guess I need a bit more practice if I am going to drive the truck again. :)

Tonight we sipped tea and ate some chocolates, then took Beto on an evening stroll again. We captured a few photos of the two of us...but just focus on him when you look at the pictures - he's much more photogenic and adorable. :) After putting Beto to bed, the three of us big kids ate a delicious dinner and are now just chilling out. Joel is doing a workout (of course), while Lora reads up on recipes for her Baby Bullet (a tiny blender to make baby food, in case you are not a mom!), and both Lora and I munch on some Easter chocolates I brought from home. (see how that works? Bring chocolate as a GIFT, and you get to partake as well. :))

OK, Lora is ready to read this "intense blog post," so I better attach the pictures and get going. Just to add to the fun of this post, Joel is currently going pee with the door open, and I said, "Eeew! Really?" and he says, "It's too hot if I shut the door." This is my family, people. My precious family. I love them!