All Things considered

I figured it is once again time to update my blog even though I do much better at this than sending newsletters anyway. I am going back and forth of anxiously waiting on a reply from YO Ranch and trusting/relying on God's plan in the answer from YO. I would love to have the job and pray about it often but I also realize that I may not get it and if that happens it is not the end of the world. I will still move to TX but I will just be doing something else. This week brings lots of excitement as Lauren comes in Thursday for a week. It is also new years and we get to exchange Christmas presents, although they are not extravagant. We are also getting pictures taken for my mom. It is actually her Christmas present. My mom wanted pictures of the family and even though Lauren is not family she also wanted pictures of us.

I have recently watched the John Lynch video again called the two rooms which if you have seen know that it is good to watch fairly frequently. It impacts me every time I watch it. Also church today reminded me to know that I have/need a real relationship with my Lord not just saying that I know Him but actually striving to KNOW Him. Like striving to know a good friend. you do not stop once you know a little about them because if you do you will never become good friends. Good friends spend time together share the good and the bad. are vulnerable to each other and lift each other up. Now I cannot lift the Lord up nor does He need lifting but I do. Only a few more actual day of working at Target left which is nice in a way. It is not a bad job just early and no overtime. The guys I work with and for, for the most part are good guys to be around. But of course I find that I am not easily disliked by people because I do not give them a reason to dislike me.

Life is always changing and I never know what exactly lies around the bend, now there are some things that i can say I am certain of like my relationship with Lauren but specifics i do not know. I do not know how long we will be in TX, where I will work what I will do but God is watching over me and that gives me comfort. So all things considered I am doing just fine. or as a friend would always say "Better than I deserve" and that is the truth.

Hours and Hours of fun

So I have been in communication with YO Ranch over the past several weeks. It seems that the decision of my working there has been delayed by 4 other people looking for the same job. They are asking me for a log of hours in training facilitating and being trained for High ropes, Rappelling, Climbing, and Challenge course.

Sounds easy but going back 6 years without keeping a log is hard, especially when they want group names, age range, size and type of facilitation. Hours and hours of work to figure out and hours of work trying to process all the information onto a spreadsheet. Now it sounds a little worse. If I count all the training I had at 3 camps and a workshop my training will add up to over 100 hours. for facilitating or co-facilitating It will add up to around 500 or so hours (guessing) and me training others will not be bad. It will be around 40 but to think of all the climbing, rappelling, adv. course, high ropes I have lead even at Redcloud is daunting. it will get done though.

I am still praying for the YO Ranch Job and that god will provide but in the meantime working at Target is going good. $ AM is early but it makes for a quick day. By 8 my day is at least half over. When I get home I can still take a quick nap if i choose and be able to do stuff afterwards. Christmas is here and I know what I will be getting all of my siblings. As a coffee drinker from a house of coffee drinkers I have come across some good coffee out of Telluride, CO. IT is steaming bean and some of you may have heard it. I now order my coffee through there still and when my siblings tried it they loved it....so coffee it is. Kona Macedamia nut to be exact. the nice thing it is it not really expensive for a Christmas present. Laurens present is already bought so I am almost done with buying gifts.

Lauren comes up in 2 weeks today which I am uber excited about. I get to pick her up from the airport as well which is fantastic. Our relationship is going great and we both look forward to the future, both wishing it were now. I have recently talked with a good friend who is in a relationship as well, shortly after Lauren and I started ours and it helps talking with someone else about their relationship because it helps you view your own. It may bring out things that you did not see and truth that you need to remember. Communication is as old as time but one that people still cannot figure out. We tend to stray from it when it gets hard. That is exactly the time we need to communicate otherwise things will get worse. But we tend to forget that. Lauren and I are not perfect and I know I have my faults but one thing I am glad for is that since the beginning we have had good communication on things and that now makes it easier as we start to see things that annoy us in each other. To think that they would not be there would be impractical so instead of second guessing we accept each others bad habits along with the good ones.

The other day I was thinking about all the times that I have given my thoughts/insight on matters involving other people and thought that I should write a book about life. Not that there aren't enough books or that mine would be different but only to share my thoughts that God has given me with others who seek to know truth. not that everything I say is truth but it would give the reader something to think about and weigh the truth in it, merely leading them to the Truth. I hate writing and reading wasn't my strong point but thinking is. Only if there was some contraption that hooked up to my head and put on paper what I thought. It would go by faster than me writing and my thoughts would be more fluid. NOw that I am rambling and this post is long I feel that if I make it much longer you will not read the rest.

Que Dios Los Benedigos
(May God be with you)

Is it over yet?

I have officially been home in PA for 3 weeks and 2 days today. So far I think Lauren and i have talked every night, not that you wanted to know but... It has been good but hard. was here for just over a week before getting a job at Target. God is amazing in how He works everything out. It has been hard these past two weeks because of the fact that I do not get a paycheck until next week and I have no money. It is only because of my brother Jon that I am able to get around (well there is God in it all too). He has been a huge blessing to me in opening up his apartment for me to stay at while I am here and also including food that I do not have to pay for.

Jon is my younger brother by 3 years for those who do not know. He and I have a close bond through circumstances that has been a blessing to both of us. I believe it started when he was having a rough time in life with different things and not really following God at all. I know there were many people praying for him and after a trip to our friends house for Easter and complications with his car when we got back and a conversation that went something like this: (Jon)- does God want something from me? (Me)- Yes. anyway. He got baptized a week or so later and I went to his baptismal and watching that brought tears to my eyes. Since then he has changed his life some, not that it was bad to begin with. During my time as missionary staff at camps he has financially supported me and there is nothing more humbling than your little sibling supporting your ministry. So all that to say he and I have a special bond and I am glad for that.

Meanwhile back to the present, I work at Target and my jobs on most days starts at 4:00 am. And I thought getting up early at Redcloud for the breakfast trail rides were bad. God has been great and I am very thankful for what He has done/is doing in my life including Lauren. Lauren is coming up here for New Years which is exciting and going to be fun. We always go down to my cousins for a new years party and it includes a lot of people, food, and fun. We have been counting down the days until we get to see each other again and to be honest it seems like forever. All that I can say is keep watch of this blog come 2010 for more updates on us.

Right now I am waiting on a phone call from YO ranch in Texas to see whether or not I have that job when I go back. Please be praying for that. If I do not get it I am not sure where I will go for work. I have contacted through email a couple other ranches but I have not heard back from them. IT is also possible to apprentice as farrier down in that area but that requires more travel to places. All in all I look forward to what God is doing and is going to do in Lauren and my life together.!!!