I can't say this is definite, but I think I could be ready to say goodbye Xanga. I think I'm ready to move on. I'm already starting to update more regularly on my photoblog, but as I wrote in wordpress:

Twenty four oceans
Twenty four skies
Twenty four failures
Twenty four tries
Twenty four finds me
In twenty-fourth place
Twenty four drop outs
At the end of the day
Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty four hours ago

Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And I'm not who I thought I was twenty four hours ago
Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You

Twenty four reasons to admit that I'm wrong
With all my excuses still twenty four strong

See I'm not copping out not copping out not copping out
When You're raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now

And You're raising these twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies
In twenty four parts
But I wan to be one today
Centered and true

I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
You're raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now
And You're raising the dead in me

I want to see miracles, see the world change
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And You're raising the dead in me
Twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies
In twenty four parts.
I'm not copping out. Not copping out. Not copping out.
 - Switchfoot

Its been a great week (pictures to come)...
but of all the things I'm thankful for and all the things I celebrate,

I celebrate YOU, Lord Jesus.
And your amazing grace.

I wasn't all that prepared for Bible study tonight...at the end of the week, my brain usually just feels like mush. Nothing is coming out, and just a little is going in.
In the past few months, It's been a pattern of mine to get through the week to get through the door of church on Friday night and plop down in a chair next to Steph or Becky. I attempt to listen intently and take diligent notes long enough to find a poignant challenge to chew on. I think about it during small group but as soon as I climb in bed, its already a thought of the past. On a good Saturday morning, I will revisit the Bible (at the neighborhood Coffee Bean) and try to catch up on the last few chapters of Leviticus that I should have read earlier that week.

Today however, but I was really challenged through the sharing time in our small groups to consider how much I missed out on by not working through the sermons and the teaching times that I am have been so blessed to receive. Sometimes it feels like an overflow of information that will just make more work for me, more effort to build up disciplines to fight sin... and rightfully so as my sinful heart is being exposed more and more. Then it makes sense - its no wonder that trying to apply the principles of the Bible seem impossible...it's no wonder that my pride is hurt and I start criticizing people when things don't go the way I planned or when people don't react the way I hope... it's no wonder that selfishness and folly rear their ugly heads in my life because I'm not living in light of the gospel...it's no wonder that I keep sinning. As Jenie was sharing about her own struggles, my favorite verse from this summer popped back up in my mind:


Discipline is necessary for godliness... and to say it plainly I've been lacking all sorts of discipline in my life...I know that I need to pray. Pray, pray pray.


Prayer Request #1 & #2:
"The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,
         And before honor comes humility." (Proverbs 15:33) <-- to grow in both of those things

Prayer Request #3:
    "The plans of the heart belong to man,
         But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD." (Proverbs 16:1)
There are several pending changes in my life and several decisions that I'll need to make but rather than neglecting my time with The Lord, I need to seek Him more instead of making my own way for my own plans. Having established that I have a sinful heart, how can I possibly depend on that to guide my life? How can my wisdom compare with that of the Almighty God? It can't!


So really, this all points me back to the wonder of God choosing to save someone such as me, truly, a pitiful sinner through the sacrifice of His perfect son, Christ. In his mercy, I hope, know and can rejoice that by His grace, his strength is perfect in weakness. I just need to run hard - to glory in my redeemer... it's the only thing in life that really matters. To remind me, my memory verse of the week is Acts 20:24 -

Hello all from Sacramento!

 
My pops.

It is extremely difficult to get a photo of my brother.

We had some fun playing outside before dinner.

My sister was getting pretty good on the razor.

But I, on the other hand was no good on the knee board

My cousin...She's a cutie.

I'll be back in SD tomorrow!