golden yellow leaves

during this time of year, some people get snow... some people get sun.... what do i get?! beautiful golden yellow leaves up and down my street in san jose... ive never enjoyed turning into my street as much as i have these past few weeks. as i stared at these leaves from my window, there came joy and sadness as i knew that these leaves wouldn't look like this forever. in a matter of a few days, the wind and rain would strip these trees from its intense color and beauty... but i also knew that it would bring a new season...ive realized that in my life and through the "transitions" we face, God has a divine purpose and plan for the times before and after the 'golden yellow leaves' are present. theres times we can feel stripped from all that we know and all that were comfortable with, and it can be tough, but next thing you know, the new season is there and it'll bring beauty that we haven't ever thought to imagine.

the center of the universe

so our friends tiff and ryan from ywam maui, just had a baby...jericho levi is his name. the cutest little baby "in the whole world" (that ones for you tiff!)... so me and my friend jon took the greyhound... yes, the greyhound... which by the way was what we like to call a "cultural experience."... at least it was for me! but the 9 hour bus ride was all worth it once we got to medford, oregon... it was like a ywam maui reunion and i got to see some old friends from my DTS and the Studio. it was good times hearing the guys jam out once again and see what their lives outside the ywam bubble really looked like. i must say it was kinda weird... but good. :) but i'll tell ya, these medfordites are something. i love you guys and thanks for the good times in the center of the universe called medford....

change is good.

yup. thats me at three... or two...:) but anyway... im back home in san jose california and its good to be back to be with my family for the holidays and to catch up with good friends here. i'll be here though christmas but time is already going by so quickly... im reminded everytime i come home that change is always happening. friends getting engaged, people moving, and of course, realizing that the kids i use to teach during VBS are now leading worship at youth group... its scary but eh, change is good.

its a small world

its as cliche as it gets... but its the best way i could describe this ywam journey of mine. but i've come to the end of yet, another chapter of my life. i've spent the last 7 months in townsville, Australia at the ywam base (Reef to Outback- look at all those beautiful people) doing the 3 month school of digital communications and then doing the internship in communications. i loved what i learned on the techny design side of it all and i loved what i was able to impart to that ywam base during the internship. i've never been so inspired to co-create with God in this area and i know full on that this is where He is calling me... i know i've just seen the tip of the iceburg and i believe the door to Australia and my ministry there isn't over just yet. theres some plans for the coming year that i've been really praying into and i'll share more when things are confirmed... but as of right now, i know this. "many are the plans in a mans heart but its the Lords purpose that prevails."... its a theme of my life so i know nothing else but to trust in Him... but i must say, in the "meantime" im going to miss my RTO family for sure. i've come across some amazing people that now have a piece of my heart. i give them the best star jump ever. it was bitter sweet leaving, but i wipe those tears away and i want you to sing along with me now... "its a small world after all... its a small small world." i'll see you mates again one day...

clean, green and beautiful

so without overdramatizing it all... my DREAM came true and i made it to new zealand! what you hear about new zealand is all true...its clean, green and heck- pretty darn beautiful. it must be one of the most beautiful places ive ever been and the whole time i felt like i was in the middle of a calendar photo shoot or something. it was a constant reminder of how awesome are God is... how creative He is... how big He is... and how He created all this for us, his children, to enjoy... me, my friend kristina and my sister joyce spent a week around the south island and it was good times... driving (i must say im not the best at map-reading), hiking (go kristina. approx.11 miles in 5 hrs and 45 mins. whatta charger), kayaking, horse back riding (ummm...just ask me and i'll let you in on a little secret of how it feels like falling off a horse.. .haha). it was good times for sure... although my digital SLR bailed on me in new zealand... let me say again... my camera broke in NEW ZEALAND. isnt it ironic? its getting fixed at the moment so she'll be right... oh the lessons we learn...

what we do

...and here we have stephen, jo and teva and myself illustrating what we do when the party is dying down... crush a good pair of sunglasses with your bare hands that belong to your friend who is unaware of the enterainment you just gave the group, take the broken pieces and and take a really really ridiculous foto... good times for sure... oh how im going to miss this place

i finally got one

i finally got one... a picture with a koala. :) it seems everyone here at Reef to Outback has a picture holding a koala but since i didnt do my DTS here, i never got one... until i recently tagged along with the DTS and finally got my turn. :) can't say that koalas aren't the cutest thing ever. especially when they wrap their little paws around you...

its over.

so its over. my 6 month "fast" of coffee is over!... and i had my first cup of coffee last weekend and that mysterious comfort all came back to me... including the coffee breath! those of you that dont know... i gave up coffee last april (when i first got to australia) and what was suppose to be a month, ended up turning into 6 months. i guess i thought it would be an opportunity to somehow, "cleanse" my system from my addiction that started when i worked for starbucks. sure this can be all about coffee if you want to see it like that, but God taught me a lot through this. its about the choices i needed to make everyday, the discipline, and standing strong in the things i say im going to be committed to. believe me, being with my passionate coffee addict friends of mine (umm, refer to 'once upon a saturday' entry), i couldlve easily given in... but seriously, with His strength, i've endured...

once upon a saturday

once upon a saturday, stephen, kristina and i were set for a "cafe hopping" adventure. we celebrated stephens 21st birthday (and my prolonged birthday) and we hit up 5 different cafes in half a day and it was just one of those days that felt... complete. good atmosphere, good fotographs, good company and a cuppa too many. it was so much fun but then we cruised back home and had some friends over for a SUSHI party... this one is definitely going on my top five. thanks guys for a greeat day.

age a number?

so... i turned the big 2-3 last wednesday. i know, dont need to tell me that im getting up there.:) well... the highlight of my day had to have been having everyone rock out their togas at family night. we celebrated 7 september birthdays. can you say 'birthday cake galore"? it was brilliant... so i reckon we all heard that "age is just a number." but you know, my "birthday day thought" was that theres so much more than age being a number. its taking a moment to reflect back on all the experiences, lessons, revelations, memories, friendships, relationships, and the simplicities of life that make all the difference. most importantly, its taking a look at the goodness and faithfulness of God in the 23 years of my life and i am forever grateful for that... happy new year to all my september birthday friends...

undercover fotogs

fotography. 'writing with light.' call it a minor addiction of mine. an obession that every glance should be convinced to be turned into a photograph. whether it be a frown, a smile, a tear... if only i had a mental camera built into my brain and when an unexpected moment comes, it'll work its magic... too bad its not possible... so instead, i guess me and my good friend stephen john bryde will have to settle for looking like really really ridiculous good looking undercover fotogs...

the wee morning hours

i don't know what i'm doing. its past 2 in the morning and i have base worship at 8:30 tomorrow... actually, today.... i guess i just wanted to write this entry before i go to bed and say thanks for checking this thing out. *yawwn* its time for me to go to sleep now. all you back in America are probably still sleeping in and enjoying this wonderful day off from work. happy labor day to all...

star light star bright

so here we are at the Staff Camp Retreat at Hidden Valley. it was definitely a time to just "be." It was heaps fun being with the staff and students and pretty much, having a good time around the campfire and talking story with someone you normally wouldn't be able to talk to in the business of our day. the highlight? meeting with God out in the field every night under the canopy of His beautiful creation. the brightest i've seen the nightsky in awhile...

Ode to the Fireworks

can't say that i didn't just witness the most amazing firworks show that i've ever seen in my life... its a huge call, i know... but when theres an event down at The Strand called the VP60 celebrating the veterans of WWII and they put on a 51 minute fireworks show... yes, thats right, 51 minutes... and when you have a perfectly clear view from the beach with your friends and theres 3 different sets of synchronized fireworks right in front of you going off at the same time... and pretty much, so beautiful it makes you want to cry... you would say that it was the most amazing fireworks show yourself...

live. create. communicate.

heres some pictures from my school of digital communications. you got the korean. the hawaiian. the aussie. the canadians. the americans... and a heck of a lot of creativity floating in each of us. good times for sure in the SDC. click on the link (sdc website) on the right hand side so you can see some of the work we did during the school.

good times. good people.

dont think i love you less if your not in one of these pictures...

this is where i am

well, here it is... my first blog ever. this may be temporary while i am trying to figure out getting a "real" website going. but this will have to do for now. i'll be posting news and random thoughts and hopefully this blog will get me connected with you. time just flies. and whether ive talked to you last week or 4 years ago, this is where i am.