Size 9 Black Stilletos if possible...

Let me start by saying: I will always consider myself a Washingtonian. I love the rain and I scowl at the ice cream truck as it drives by in January. I will never root for USC and the no matter how bad the Mariners are, the Angels have no merit in my book.

That being said, here is a story of a Washingtonian displaced in California on a rainy day...

This morning started like any other Tuesday morning. I woke up, got dressed...finally in a long sleeve shirt and rain coat :)...ate some breakfast, back my backpack and headed to school. While it has been forecasted to rain this week, a California rain storm lasts a few hours and then stops and the street dry up in another hour. So being from Washington, I was not worried about walking to school.

Near the end of my class the rain picked up and the winds started blowing...the attention captivating abilities of rain in southern California can easily be compared to the A.D.D. induced by the first snowflake of the season seen outside an elementary school classroom in Washington.

People got frigidity!

As I said before, Washingtonian. Therefore, I am used to the annual windstorm that makes the rain feel like needles and knocks out the power for a few hours. So instead of stressing about walking 20 feet in this weather from class to work, I just felt more at home :)

Well during my break between class and work, I sat down to eat lunch. While reading a book, I get a call from my roommate who works in Irvine.

Jill: Where are you?
Amanda: School...
J: What is the weather like there?
A: Raining...why?
J:There is a tornado warning! It is supposed to start in Long Beach and move toward Whittier! (Whittier is the town next to La Mirada)
A: Oooo!
J:Don't you dare walk home in this!!
A: Gotcha
J: Ok. I just wanted to let you know.
A: Ok. Thanks.

I laughed after I got off the phone...really? A Tornado? Wizard of Oz much?

When I got to work at the advising center, apparently campus safety had sent out a notice to all Biola employees telling them about the Tornado warning. For the next 30 minutes the registrar and the advising center were buzzing about what to do in the case of a Tornado.

Possible solutions:

• Go the basement...that no homes have
• Hide in the bathtub...which is right next to a window
  
• Lay down in a ditch...which is flowing with water
  

Again, not that worried, but secretly hopping it would come closer because windstorms are COOL, I prepared in a different way. I decided on the shoes I would like Glinda the good witch to give me in the event that my house is picked up by the tornado and transported over the rainbow to a land of color ;)

Fire Engine Red

Today I rode in a fire engine!
Yes, it was as cool as you think it is.

For my interterm class, Christ and Contemporary Culture, we were sent out in small groups to talk with people about how they integrate their faith into their place of employment. Our group was assigned to go meet with someone who works as a firefighter at the LA City Fire Department. At the end of our time talking with him, he offered to take us for a ride in the fire engine! We climbed in the cab, put on their headsets, and drove around their neighborhood a bit.

So. Much. Fun.

Lesson Learned

I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway.I will not speed down Imperial Highway...

I personally think that writing "I will not speed down Imperial Highway" 100 times is a much more effective punishment than a $400 ticket and traffic school...The point has been communicated clearly ;)

Goodnight 2009

Goodnight Year

*

...Goodnight 2009

Goodnight oh year devine

Goodnight meetings

Goodnight partings

And the just got startings

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Goodnigt ResLife

Goodnight marketing strife

Goodnight Shark

And goodnight Ark

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Goodnight friendships that kept getting stronger

And goodnight semester that kept getting longer

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Goodnight little bakery of bread

And goodnight Kenyan airport of dread

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Goodnight interview prep

And goodnight tears I've wept

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Goodnight Cove

Goodnight graduating bro

And goodnight to God whispering "go"

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Goodnight Washington

Goodnight oh big tree

Goodnight realization of what I can be!

21 going on 5

Sometimes I react to situations in a way that much resembles that of a 5 year old. There is yelling, unfair shifting of blame, the occasional punch is thrown, and even sometimes tears. You'd think that after 21 years of life, I would realize this is not endearing...

If there was a penalty box for immature behavior, I may think about making it a little more homey, due to my potential frequency of attendance...

I can come up with reasons of why I am upset. I can blame the world for spinning the wrong way, for all the good it will do. At the root of it all, there is no excuse, I just have a bad attitude and unfortunately, my family bares the brunt of it.

At this point, the embarrassment of my toddler-like behavior is the worst consequence I could ever endure for my tantrum...and let me tell you, they are tantrums.

So where do I go from here? I pull my head out of my ostrich hole of shame and apologize AGAIN to my family.

I think it is time to put the conflict shark to rest and try on an owl for a change...

We Will Go Home

Yes Please :) Tomorrow!

Redeeming Facebook

On the average day, my facebook news feed is filled with selfish ego-centric status updates. However, this week, facebook has served as a catalyst for the gospel.

On Monday, Justin Key passed away suddenly. While Justin was 4 years older than me, I knew him because his dad, Brian, was a junior high leader for my youth group back in Washington. I remember the numerous Summer Safaris that I attended as a camper and as a staff member. When I was a camper, Justin would come to the junior high camps with his dad to drive boats and help with the kitchen crew. Later I would serve along side him at these camps when I entered high school and he was in college. I remember the countless junior high girls that could not contain their giggles due to Justin's irresistible charm. From these brief interactions at camp and in the youth group, I can't say I knew the Key family very well, but I have been impacted by their lives of faithfulness.

The news of Justin's death began as shocked status updates Monday morning and eventually became a group page later that day. Memories and pictures of Justin came pouring into the group's wall.

Stories of how he touched people's lives and led many to Christ.
Stories of his infectious laugh and uplifting spirit.
Stories of adventures and excitement.
Stories of a life lived well and of a faith that was unshaken.

Because of facebook, this news traveled from the east coast, where he attended school, to Mexico where his parents were, to Seattle, WA, where his parent's church is, to La Mirada, CA, where he attended Biola and was part of the Torrey Honors Institute as well as the business department, and beyond, within 24 hours. Because of the connectivity of facebook, his testimony has been shared with hundreds in such a short period of time.

In my opinion, this memorialization of the life of Justin Key has been more effective at spreading the gospel than any of the other "1,000,000 Christians Strong" groups on facebook. His life was a genuine testimony of God's love flowing out from him. Over and over, people have written that he walked the walk and talked the talk. Justin was a man of God and his life proved that. Even in her immense grief, Justin's mother got on facebook and pleaded with all who had joined the facebook group because they knew Justin, to consider the God that he served.

Facebook may seem ridiculous at times, but God is using it in this instance to achieve his purposes of making His name known and glorifying Christ in all things.

Isn't it time we recognize facebook as an effective tool to reach the nations?

To the Key family: Your loss is felt deeply and you are in my prayers. Excellent job raising Justin. He will be remembered well. May you feel the peace of God during this time of sorrow.