happy birthday Jesus

this one goes out to the birthday celebrant of the season.... who deserves all glory, all honor and all praise! happy birthday Jesus! .... everyone now... "hip-hip hurray! hip-hip hurray!"... merry christmas friends....  i do hope that your celebrations are jolly and full of cheer and that Jesus is celebrated in the midst of it all... 

oh sweet solitude

.. i've been on the go for most of the year in australia doing what i love, meeting some extraordinary people, and seeing myself as a part of the bigger picture (although i still find myself piecing pieces together to really know what that means!) .... it was due time to come back to cali-cali... and so here i am .... writing this entry from a place i love to call HOME... theres nothing like being with family for christmas and catching up with old friends face to face... and ahh... theres a million things that i need to and want to do while i'm here but im taking it easy, resting, and as my friend johannes put it... "oh sweet solitude." its exactly what i need and its so good. so the plan is for me to be here until mid-january until i return to townsville and continue on being on staff... until then- i wont refuse to stuff my face with good american- (and filipino!) food, great customer service, family, friends and a cold christmas by the fire....

i miss you... yes you

so we took this picture for my good friend, fellow communications staffer and foot harasser, peter cabrera... who just recently left reef to outback after being here nearly 5 years. we had some good good times and all the peterisms and everything that came with it will surely be missed... and as much as i would like to dedicate this whole entry to mr. cabrera, let me broaden this for a bit... because doing what i do, here at y-wizzle, and seeing people come and go every few months doesn't really get any easier... for some people- maybe. but not me... i've come a long way and found life long friends who at some point in life ive connected with... so... to friends from california to hawaii to switzerland to brazil and everywhere in between... "i miss you.... yes you."

hands down

okay. i am officially the worst blogger in the world.... and i apologize to the world. you just have to imagine maybe- 3 or 4 blog entries in between this one and the last.... but yes, in my shame, i'll remain loyal.....

so heres the big news... the school of design finished... exactly a month ago today...so not only was it the day of the graduation, exhibition, student assessments, cleaning up the classroom.... but it was the day i entering a new year of my life... yes, it was my birthday as well ... i remember 4:00 rolled around and i felt like i haven't stopped moving since i woke up that morning.... and i just needed to... sit. so i did... i hid and i found a quiet place... acknowledged God in thanksgiving and contemplated how significant this day was... taking a look at all the work of the 6 students at the exhibition was overwhelming because sometimes it felt like it was all about the blood, sweat and tears....but it all paid off and i felt like a proud little mama and and knew that nothing of this would be possible without God's grace and faithfulness... hands down to the charters club.... peter, stephen, mary, laurel, deedee, shalom, bart and phililpp... the coffee kept us sane and i say ... job well done...

the charters club

and here they are ladies & gents... 6 students... 3 staff. its one big happy family...left to right, we have philipp (germany) peter (texas) bart (indiana) shalom (sydney) laurel (california) deedee (california) mary (georgia) and stephen john bryde (australia) .... the first ever school of design at RTO... the 'charter's club' as we declared ourselves in the beginning of the school... and we are officially half way done with the school (yes friends... that shows how much i suck at blogging). we've had some pretty amazing God-sent speakers come through imparting the 'goods' to the school ... including mr. joseph avakian, emma blake from perth and at the moment, neil shanks... follow the links to my friends blog and you can read up more on what we've been covering week by week. i can't even explain right now in one blog entry what God has been doing through me, the staff and the students up to this point... i just wouldn't be able to find the words. being trained in a 3 month design school is much more than color theory or grid layout friends... but its really coming to know and grasp our hearts and minds around the fact that we are CO-creating with God. its been fun for sure, but i can't deny that its been a challenging, learning time for us all... but inspiring above anything. and the thought of God coming along this creative journey is such a privilege... so just you wait... were not done just yet...

joanna* originally uploaded by stephenjohnbryde
well friends... the School of Design has officially begun and you can officially call me Miss School Leader.... its craziness i tell you.... but it the reality and its been one week and one heck of a ride already. i just had to stop the other day, gather my thoughts, and to really just thank God for the significance of this school happening after waiting for so long. you've heard me say this a million times but it is 'vision becoming reality' and im stoked to see what God is going to build up, rise up and unlock in these students..... im lucky. i have front row seats....