Once Upon a Plane Ride..

There are so many ideas swirling through my head that I could write about-being at home, the differences in the family/house, my flights yesterday, what God is teaching me....the list goes on. The one I am choosing to write about today, or right now, because who knows...I could blog again today. But, the one I choose, is Harold. Who's Harold you may ask? Well after a few lines of reading the rest of this blog you will no longer be wondering.

I was the 55th person to board the plane from Phoenix to Little Rock. I barely even made the flight, or at least that is what I thought was going to occur! My flight from Orange County to Phoenix was about 30ish or so minutes behind schedule due to a late departure because of weather. I landed at approximately 11:15am (Arizona time). Next flight scheduled to take off at 11:20am. I became slightly panic stricken, I wanted to go home!! I started praying. After some brisk walking and mild running, I made it over to my other gate. I was pleasantly reassured by the line of people still standing there waiting to board. First thought, pee. Goodness knows those plane bathrooms just don't suffice. On to Harold...

So back to being the 55th person to board the plane. To my extremelyyyy pleasant surprise and bewilderment...the front row on the left side still had 2 seats remaining, 1 of which was the window seat. I was seriously shocked that no one jumped on the opportunity for a window seat in the front row, which means you have at least an extra 12 inches of leg room, and you get to be one of the first to get off the plane. God knows that I get extremely restless and antsy on planes, I think he saved it for Harold and me. After boarding, it took nearly an hour to take off...we were in line behind 12-13 planes.

In the mean time, this little old man was the last to board. He was well dressed, looked like a golfer. He also appeared quite friendly. The lady came over the intercom and said it was going to be a completely full flight. The seat to my left was still open. The old man made his way to the front and took the seat next to me. We started talking, we never stopped talking. The longest pause in conversation was 3 minutes, if even.

Harold was quite the business man. He grew up in Alabama, southern baptist, one of the 3 kids-he was the middle. He is the owner or partial owner of 3 companies. He told me all about them. I learned SO much about him and from him in that 3 1/2 hours. He has been happily married for 52 years...he says Californians look at him like he's crazy for being married that long. He told me about the up and coming inventions and products that are about to be huge. We talked about real estate (he is a real estate agent as well). He told me about the crop circles outside the window (he was an agricultural major in college). He told me about his favorite states, cities, and countries (he has been to every state multiple times, except Alaska). By the way, I was asking questions...he didn't just offer all of this. He asked me about myself a lot as well. I told him about how I ended up in California, my major, my dad's job, I taught him how to play Sudoku, I told him about crocheting, about how I love photography, about Arkansas...but mostly I enjoyed just listening to him.

He is 74...I asked him if he planned on retiring, he said only when his health fails him and smiled. He told me how is wife thinks he's crazy for taking on new projects. He told me about not having electricity until he was 8, and a tv until he was 18 and how his grandchildren can't even comprehend what that is like. He told me about being on a company plane when it crashed (while we were on the plane.....not cool Harold). He told me to email him when I graduate and he would give me a job and handed me a business card.

This is long, and this isn't even the half of it. I love meeting people on planes. I love meeting people full of life experience and wisdom, especially if they are willing to share some of it with me.

Another amazing flight full of interesting convos.

-Until next Monday.

My Prayer. My Hope.

When the day is done

And there's no one else around

While I'm lying here in bed

You're in my heart, You're in my head

You're all I need, You're all I need

There are a million voices

Calling out my name

But You're the One I want to hear

So make the others disappear

You are all I need when I'm surrounded

You are all I need if I'm by myself

You fill me when I'm empty

There is nothing else

YOU'RE ALL I NEED

When the morning comes

And Your mercy is renewed

There's a fire in my bones

I'm not afraid to go alone

You're all I need

You're all I need

The sun on my face

I hear You whisper loud

You're still the God that opens seas

Every flower, even me

You're all I need
You're all I need

I'm drawn to everything that You do

Nothing compares with You

A Lot to Consider

Observing people fascinates me. The things they say, what they do, how they react, the way they dress, down to how they talk. The things they value or seem to value based off their conversations, etc.

All of which leads me to question what I say, what I do, how I react, how I dress, they way I speak and interact, the things I appear to value versus what is truly important to me.

Now I am sitting here and it's February but I am already trying to plan the fall semester. Where will I live? Who with? Where will I work? How will I afford everything? And I sit here left with a few thoughts....1. God already knows and that fact alone gives me peace....2. If I move off campus and get a job, life becomes a little more complicated. More about work and less about people...is that selfish?..3. Should my Senior year be a repeat of high school? More work, less pay, a lot of responsibilities, and a lot of relationships fall through the cracks...

A lot to consider..

Incessant Questioning

Today I recalled my 10th grade year, specifically my Advanced Algebra II class. Why is this significant I am sure you are wondering?...Well it was the first time I remember being a mindless form complying to the 'system', that would be the educational system.

My teacher got so angered by my incessant questioning. I was the student that asked what the purpose of learning algebraic equations. She would just say because you will use it in life. I then would continue asking when in life because honestly I didn't see when algebraic equations would ever be used in my life.  

That year and that teacher are what made me realize to just shut up and do it. Whether I believed it or not, whether I saw a purpose or not, those things no longer mattered. She made it clear that it did not matter what I thought, that I just had to do it because that is the way it has always been done.

I continued that route through highschool, how else would I have gotten a 4.2 my senior year if I didn't just become mindless and comply to the antics of the flawed educational system. I am back to seeing the value of questioning. What we are asked to learn should make us better suited for life. Does it? I'm still left pondering that one.

and so IT begins

Ever since the first time I held my first disposable camera when I was about a foot and a half shorter I have loved capturing life in a still frame. Something about it just excited me. Something about it drew me in instantly and has yet to loosen its grip of desire.

I love capturing those little moments that would have otherwise gone forgotten. I skim through old photos and that little piece of paper with splashes of color breaths to life that moment all over again. The conversations that were occuring, the scenery, the interactions.

It never grows tiring, I always enjoy it. There is always something to be captured. Always something to be observed. Always something to learn and absorb into my soul.

And so begins my journey. First step, purshasing my first SLR.

Mi Familia

This would be my family minus my parents. My siblings and I surprised them for Christmas with this picture of all the kids and their signifcant others and now their grandchild too! 2 are on the way in this photo also :)

So starting from the back left we have Joshua or Joshie as I like to call him, he's the youngest.

Then we have Mark, Markie :), he is the 2nd oldest and the oldest of the brothers..

Next is Gary, he is my oldest sisters husband and they are expecting another in July!

Now we have Aaron, or A-ron, he is the 3rd oldest (2nd oldest broseph)..

Daniel is the 2nd youngest, he's only 16, but he's never looked his age.

Now I am clearly on the front left, I am the middle child of the 7 children and the middle of the Girls

Then we have Sofia, she is Mark's wife, she is from Namibia and they are due at the beginning of April :)

Next is my oldest sissie, Jessica (Jessie), she has her son Carson and one on the way

Beside her is Stephanie, she is Aaron's girlfriend of several years, not exactly sure how long lol..

Last but definitely not least is Jenny, or JenLynn, she is the 5th in line and the youngest of the girls

So here's my current family, but at this rate we are going to expand rapidly. But then again, I guess we haven't ever really been that small of a family.

<3

Luke Warm Latte-Yuck

Another bloggie from my journal. :)

I've noticed among myself and others an abundance of blaming things on the enemy. I feel like this is a fine line. There is a fine line between never owning up and taking responsibility for your actions and discrediting the enemy. Clearly he is powerful and evil and would like to do anything in his power to pull us into complacency and being comfortable-luke warmness! Rev. 3:14-22 in the letter to Laodicea warns about not being hot nor cold.

The enemy wants to destroy the Lord's kingdom and suffocate the passion of believers so that we come like a stagnant river just festering disease. 

Take up your sword and the full armor of God daily! "Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life, to which you were called..." 1 Tim. 6:11-12

If someone tried to tell you to drink their luke warm latte and it was your first time to try it...would you be compelled to want to taste that again? Why would you do that with your Christianity and love for the Lord...