AZUL

RECAP OF THE PAST MONTH OF MY LIFE

Due to the craziness of life, I have found myself to be neglecting this little fledgling blog of mine. This last month and a half of my life has been a roller coaster of emotions for me. Happiness, sorrow, excitement and fear have all melded together and are now residing in my heart as an awkward stew.

My life has recently been filled with many hellos and a few goodbyes. This blog posting will be a hello for some and a goodbye for others as I start my new life in Mexico. I leave in just 4 short days and my heart and mind are exploding with a thousand different thoughts and emotions. I will make a feeble attempt to convey just a fraction of the events which have helped shape my current disposition. I will write chronologically, articulating each event and its impact on my life.

So fasten your seat belts, because here we go!

WAKE/GOODBYE PARTY

To start off, I just want to thank everyone who helped plan and attended my wake/going away party. As some of you may know, I was laid off from my job with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District after being there for over 5 years. It was a job that I sincerely loved. Not only was it awesome meeting people all the time and helping them, but my coworkers were the BEST.

They weren't just coworkers, but friends. I enjoyed going to work every shift, even when the air conditioning didn't work. I miss hanging out with all of my work buddies, but I know that the relationships that we built at the Whitney library will last and I am so thankful for that.

Well, in a display for their affection for me and my other coworker Dee who was also sadly laid off, my work friends threw a celebratory wake in mine and Dee's honor. The event was also sort of going away party for me. I was utterly surprised by the great love that was showered on me. I am so happy that I was able to touch their lives, and they were able to touch mine in such a profound way. Not only did they show up, but they also loaded me with Mexico-bound gifts!

I am so grateful and words cannot explain just how much your words and actions have affected me. I am so much better prepared for Mexico not only physically, but mentally as well. As sad as saying goodbye was for me, I know that the end of this chapter of my life is only the beginning of another and I cannot wait to share the new passage of my life with my friends.

JUNIOR HIGH CAMP/DILLON

The next event that deeply impacted my life was serving as a Junior High summer camp leader a couple of weeks ago. I love summer camps and the life-changing implications has for the students who attend them. What's better than getting away from the noise and chaos of life and just focusing on Jesus? In our high-tech digital world it is so hard to just unplug and think about life.

I know I have had life-changing experiences at camp and having the opportunity to impact junior high student's life is such an honor. I truly believe that ministry is my life-calling and nothing fires me up like impacting the lives of children towards Christ. The summer camp was hosted at United Christian Youth Camp in Prescott, Arizona and it was phenomenal. The Junior High ministry at my church (Central Christian Church) is so healthy and amazing.

I love serving with the other leaders and we just have great community together. I had a group of 8 junior high boys in my group and it was a blast! Besides the life change that happened at the sessions and in small groups, me and my group had an awesome time shooting others in paintball, falling off our mountain bikes and acting like madmen once the lights turned off in the cabin.

I think I learned just as much from the camp as my kids did, if not more. Coming home from camp I was definitely on a spiritual high and was on fire for God. But then that sort of went crashing down.

Once the buses were unloaded and all the children picked up, I stepped inside my church and saw a few people crying. I found out moments later that an awesome guy I knew had died. My day made a complete 180.

Dillon Patterson was someone I was extremely blessed to serve with at my small group house this last year. He had completely turned his life away from partying and drugs and was filled with the light of God. He radiated God's great love to all those he met. His eyes and smile were filled with kindness and compassion and people were utterly attracted to him. He truly lived his life as described in Ephesians 5:15-20, which basically meant that he had the best out of everyone opportunity and gave God the credit was it miraculous turnabout.

Using the pain of his past and the hope of his future he helped lead groups at Celebrate Recovery at my church, a weekly service that helps both adults and youth with addiction and breaking free of the garbage in their lives that keep them from living a full life for God.

Dillon inspired me and many others and I am absolutely devastated by the news. I am also angry that his life was taken away; not only because he was very young (19 years) but also because of all of the potential he had and how much he meant to everyone. His family has been in my prayers constantly and I cannot wait to see him again in Heaven. :)

See you soon, dude.

FISHING/MEXICO

I was unable to attend Dillon's memorial service this past Monday because of a trip I went on with my family. It was basically one of the last opportunities I have to spend with my family before I leave for 8 months to study abroad in Mexico. I'm sure Dillon would understand.

My family and I went to Panguitch Lake in Southeast Utah and boy was it beautiful! A large lake surrounded by pines forests, Panguitch was so calm and easy-going, a definite change from the fast-paced life of Vegas living. I'm so glad I got to spend some alone time with my family and hope that the memories created there will carry me through my studies in Mexico while I'm separated from them.

While in Utah I got to visit Bryce Canyon! I've always wanted to visit there because of it's awesome name and I got a few funny pictures and snazzy postcards out of the deal. The trip made me realize just how much I love my family and its dysfunction; can't live with them, can't live without them. I've had to promise my 12-year old sister Jessica that I won't forget English when I come back from Mexico. ;p

And this brings me to today. I am just about as unprepared for Mexico as I was a month ago, and the month before that. Nothing is packed and my brain is still trying to wrap itself around the prospect of living and studying in a foreign country without the comfort of friends and family. I am really at a crossroads in my life; a tipping point into adulthood. I'm not entirely ready for it, but here I go jumping headfirst off this cliff into a new chapter of my life.

I've said a few goodbyes, but I am now about to say a whole bunch of hellos as I adjust to life in Puebla Mexico at la universidad iberoamericana puebla. I've been listening to a long a lot lately by a Mexican singer named Natalia Lafourcade called 'Azul'. Its sung in Spanish, but its about the fear of change and growing up. I've really clung to this song these last few weeks and totally relate to it and I think you should check it out.

I know that this post is WAY long and if you've read this far, I want to give you a big hug.

I thank you all for your tremendous support and I can't wait to share my life with you all.

As long as I keep focused on the Father and keep the Son in my heart and all you friends at my side, what could go wrong?