Umm, One More

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Thanks, Rosie, thats refreshing to hear for once.

Chin Up

"Optimism is the foundation of courage." - Nicholas Murray Butler

Solvang

"A handfull of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains." - Danish Proverb

Hope

"It is risky, and yet we are people of faith, believing that giving is more contagious than hoarding, that love can convert hatred, light can overcome darkness, grass can pierce concrete.."

Oh please oh please oh please!!??

Gandhi

"There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed."

The man knew a thing or two.

Irony

This day was wonderful. This night is awful. For lots of reasons.

It takes so much for me to get this upset. ladsk;fldskfj;ladskfladfsk;jlihf.

Praise God for everything anyway. As hard as it is. Praise God for my family, that i get to go to school, that i live in a free country, and that i have wonderful friends. I really have to much to rejoice about. Especially the fact that God strengthens me and comforts me in hard times like this, and that He gives me joy when I have none. Im not just saying this just because.. i really mean it. May God be thanked even when everything seems to suck. He knows what Hes doing, and He still deserves my best.

Meet some wonderful friends who are wonderful at cheering me up (though I am blessed with many of those...these ones did the trick tonight haha):

My Kloos. The best friend I could ever ask for. Period.
Negevsies: same story, always encouraging me and pointing me back to the Word of God.

Miles Davis: .... ok so we dont hang out or anything. haha. But ohhhhh miles davis. He is soothing to the soul. (like a cup of hot tea, or a good nap... both of which I could really go for).

Let it Be

Life is Such a Beautiful Gift!!!! I can't help but smile today and just take in deep, deep breaths of fresh air. AH!!!!!! Today is just one of those days I am overjoyed to simply be alive.

I can assure you thats not from me, last night I was stressing out.. a lot. But I prayed.. A LOT. And today, my heart is renewed. I have so many reasons to be joyful in my life. I can't help but just rest in that fact today, and be happy.

Some wisdom from a friend today:

• "If you are open to it God will use you, it doesn't have to be something crazy elaborate. Just let it happen. thats why i have named the theme of this year "let it be"

• "Dream big, never lose that, let God weed out the bad ones and gives you good ones."

• The "Bottom Line": God is in control, He knows whats best, and He loves you.

What a gift friendship is.

Once Again...

...I sure do heart Josh Ritter.

"The crickets all lept up and met the moon with a standing ovation."

Christmas Present anyone??

Oh my gosh! I want these sooooo bad! They are only 4 dollars. Someone should Christmas gift it up! BEARDS HERE

iTunes...

... has one audio book on Masada that I could sure use for my paper.. but its in Spanish!! Shoot.... I'm thinking about getting it still!

I Miss..

...Ronny and Boaz.

Ode to Steph and Hanna

I miss you guys. This reminds me of you.

I Know How the Caged Bird Sings

Quote Night

"What the world needs is people who believe so much in another world that they cannot help but begin reenacting in now."

I pray that my actions are from pure motives like these.

Oh Baby

" I'm not sure we need more churches. What we really need is a church." - Claiborne

(Reminds me of Ephesians 4.... Read it)

Return

You must excuse the tacky photos. ( I do not have time to make them all fit right now either. Got a lot of hw.. anyway).I want to go back to Israel so so bad. Out of the 13 countries I have been to, hands down this is where I would want to live for a while. There is something about it that I love so deeply. There is so much to learn there. So much to explore. So much beauty. So much rich culture. So much peace.

Yet there remains a sense of sadness. Gods people.. lost.

I pray I can return here.

I sure do..

.... Love my dad so so deeply. I am really so blessed and thankful for him. I can't ask for anything more in a dad. We've had a lot of rough times in our relationship, but we are really by the grace of God pulling through. While we still go at it sometimes (probably because we are very alike..), our relationship is so much deeper and so much stronger than ever before.
He shows me the love of Jesus. I really don't deserve the unconditional love my dad gives me. I am ungrateful to him and prideful towards him on a regular basis, but he loves me anyway. When I come to him and tell him about all the crazy things I want to do in life, he fights it. We debate, we fight, we agree, we discuss, we butt heads, and it is all because he loves me. I am so grateful to have have two parents who love me so dearly. I do nothing to deserve their love.
I pray that one day, we can side by side serve the Lord together. On the front lines. Fighting with all we have. A family united in Christ? Now that is a mighty force that cannot be stopped.

Check It Out

http://preemptivelove.org/

http://preemptivelove.org/about/

http://preemptivelove.org/blog/

This is worth your time.

Thanks Hanna.

Oooooooh. They offer summer internships in Iraq......

Dear Mom and Dad.....

Happy Song.

"Over hill
Over dams
I run with you
If it works
If it fails
I run with you

Since fifteen
I have ran
Everywhere
You can run
But together is much better
So let's run let's run let's run

Empty hands
Tired feet
I run with you
On the sand
Over concrete
I run with you

Since fifteen
I have ran
Everywhere you can run
But with you
It's much more fun
So let's run let's run let's run

It doesn't matter that they say we'll never make it
It's so strong that nothing can ever break it
You and I can tackle anything of any size
All anyone can ever want is a co-pilot
Someone to leave this town and
Up and start a secret
And when you sneak out at night
I'll kiss you right between your eyes

Over hills, over dams
I run with you
Down the mountain
Through the trails
I run with you

Since I was fifteen
I have ran
Everywhere you can run
I'm not done with my traveling
So let's run let's run let's run
I'm not done with my traveling
So let's run let's run let's run
I'm not done with my traveling
So let's run let's run let's run"

Run, Ben Kweller

I...

.... am a fool so often.

Friends..

... Are such a blessing. I am so thankful to have REAL, TRUE friends. That is a wonder in life that sadly some people don't get to experience. I am thankful to have people in my life who always encourage me and stand by me. I literally can't believe it right now.

So thank you everyone. I love walking through life with you, you are a gift to me. May we continue to "press on toward the goal, to win the prize, for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus."..... together.

The only road worth walking.

The Best..

... wisdom I've been given in a long time. (don't know that theres better in fact.)

"Just keep the main thing, the main thing, all the days of your life."

Carpe Diem

"What would my life have looked like if I had started risking earlier?"

This is a very encouraging and thought-provoking phrase to hear, from a man who is currently making a big difference in the world. What can I do today Lord????????? I don't want to get to 40 and look back and have any regrets about the time I have RIGHT NOW. Shoot, I don't want to get to 20 and feel that way.

I Think..

... exercising more would really help me with my school work. I am having such a hard focusing and I suspect that's a big reason why. I'm not exercising much, so I'm not hungry and thus don't eat much.. thus I don't have much energy .... thus I can't really focus much....

eh? eh?

I want to make time for it. Along with a lot of other things for that matter.

I am very thankful and happy to be alive today btw. I have so many blessings. I hope I can share some today.

I Love the Smell of Elevator Man Essay in the Morning

I love this song more than ever.

"Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow'r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots,
And melt the heart of stone

’Cause Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Oh priase the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead"

hahahahhaahahaha

I was searching name meanings and came across this. Its funny cause I feel like a lot of it accurately describes me. It makes me laugh though because of the terms it uses "soul urge" and "inner dream". I feel so Ojai / New agey.

I miss you Ojai.. this is a tribute to you. hahah.

This is interesting though how accurate a lot of it is.

You entered: Heather Alicia Brooks

There are 19 letters in your name.
Those 19 letters total to 90
There are 9 vowels and 10 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:

English

Female

A flowering evergreen plant that thrives on peaty barren lands as in Scotland. Heather.

Your number is: 9

The characteristics of #9 are: Humanitarian, giving nature, selflessness, obligations, creative expression.

The expression or destiny for #9:
The expression that you exhibit is represented bythe number 9. Your talents center in humanistic interests and approaches. You like to help others as you were intended to be the 'big brother or big sister' type. You operate best when you follow your feelings and sense of compassion, and allow yourself to be sensitive to the needs of others. You work well with people, and have the potential to inspire. This suggests that you could successfully teach or counsel. Creative ability, imagination and artistic talent (often latent) of the highest order are present in this expression. It's possible that you're not using or developing all of these capabilities at this time. Some of your talents may have been used at an earlier time in your life, and some may still be latent. Be aware of your capabilities, so that you can make use of them at appropriate times.

If you are able to achieve the potential of your natural expression in this life, you are capable of much human understanding and have a lot to give to others. Your personal ambitions are likely to be maintained in a very positive perspective, never losing sight of an interest in people, and a sympathetic, tolerant, broad-minded and compassionate point of view. You are quite idealistic, and disappointed at the lack of perfection in the world. You have a strong awareness of your own feeling as well as those of others. Friendships, affection, and love are extremely important.

Undeveloped or ignored, the negative side of the 9 expression can be very selfish and self-centered. If you do not actively involve yourself with work that benefits others, you may tend to express just the opposite characteristics. It is your role to be very involved with other people and their needs, but it may be difficult for you achieve this role. Aloofness, lack of involvement, and a lack of sensitivity mark the low road of this expression.

Your Soul Urge number is: 7

A Soul Urge number of 7 means:
With a number 7 Soul Urge you are very fond of reading, and retreating to periods of being alone and away from the disruptions of the outer world. You like to dream and develop you idealistic understandings, to study and analyze, to gain knowledge and wisdom. You may be too laid back and withdrawn to really succeed in the business world, and you will be much more comfortable in circumstances that are tolerant of your reserve, your analytical approach, and your desire to use your mind rather than your physical being.

You are very timid around people that you don't know very well, so much so at times that casual conversation and social situations can be strained. You tend to repress your emotions to the extend that some people have a good bit of difficult understanding you. You tend to be very selective with friends and you don't easily adapt to new environments or to new people very quickly.

The negative traits of the 7 include becoming too much the introvert and isolated from others.

Your Inner Dream number is: 11

An Inner Dream number of 11 means:
You dream of casting the light of illumination; of being the true idealist. You secretly believe there is more to life than we can know or prove, and you would like to be provider of the 'word' from on high.

Jobbing

Prayers appreciated!

Paul and Timothy,

meet your new friend James.

I think you will get along just fine.

Is It Strange...

... that two of my favorite parts of the day revolve around my bones popping? haha.

.. don't answer that.

Seriously, everyday I get excited when its time to get off my bike cause my hips pop and it feels soooo good. Also at night when I go to get into bed, my ankle pops and that feels good too.

bahashbfdkjadsklfhgj its the simple things in life sometimes.

LIKE BRETT DENNEN with iced peach green tea and mi santa biblia.

Nowhere Man

The Beatles even sang about the same thing I was trying to articulate in my last post. ("real world...whatever that means")

"He's a real nowhere man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

Nowhere Man please listen,
You don't know what you're missing,
Nowhere Man,the world is at your command!

(lead guitar)

He's as blind as he can be,
Just sees what he wants to see,
Nowhere Man can you see me at all?

Nowhere Man, don't worry,
Take your time, don't hurry,
Leave it all till somebody else
lends you a hand!

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

Nowhere Man please listen,
you don't know what you're missing
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command!

He's a real Nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody!"
- Nowhere Man
The Beatles

"Real World" ... whatever that even means

I am having a really hard time transitioning from my slow paced last year and summer, to my new mega fast paced stressful year.

Its not that I didn't have anything to worry about last year, or that I didn't work hard. On the contrary I did more in 9 months this last year than most people do in 5 sometimes 10 or more years. Same with this summer. I was grown and stretched a lot last year. Life was just quieter and slower than. I took things step by step.

Now I'm back in the "real world". A world very sick with the diseases of business and stress. I'm not stressing out, but I feel it all around me. My life is so loud and fast these days, even when i fight it. I haven't been able to find one place that is truly silent (or dark). (I think that just comes with living in a real city... another thing that is new to me). Even resting isn't true rest. I don't believe Americans really know how to rest, and that is a very dangerous, and disgusting disability we have brought upon ourselves.

16 units is a challenge. 16 units and a job will be even more challenging. Its not so much even time that I'm talking about though. It's the heart behind the matter.

I think my frustration right now, is that I have so much to do that I can only give everything half my effort. That just doesn't settle well. I desire so badly to be a person who honors God by giving 110% in everything I do. Instead I'm giving 40% here and 75% there. It just makes me feel scummy and fake. I know America would disagree, but once you get to that point.. that is too busy.

This all just doesn't sit right.

I'm so sick and tired of the darkness in this world. WAKE UP!

One More Place...

...to add to the list.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Soon my friends, I mean it.

This is like the definition of happiness in my book! ha.

Leprosy

Another thing I have grown up hearing about in Bible stories that I have never taken the time consider really real, or ever tried to look in the face and feel compassion for. Theres a lot of realities that I need to take a good, long look at...and swallow.

And as much as this breaks my heart, these are just photos. Can you imagine taking the time to meet the real souls in these photos? This is a mom, a dad, a brother, a sister, a daughter, a son, a cousin, a niece, a nephew, an aunt, an uncle, a grandma, a grandpa, a best friend. This is my Anita, Mike, Shawn, Jen, Steph, Penny, Kelsey, Katie, Hanna, Steph, Hilary, Betty, Rosemary, Josiah, Taylor, Jasmine, Junie, Mickey, Nikki, Kirstianna, Steph, ...etc.

Really though. REALLY.

This is bigger than leprosy though. There are hurting, dying, decaying, lost people everywhere. I want to be their advocate, their voice, their hug, their friend, their love, their strength, and their smile through the love that Jesus Christ has put in my heart. I want them to know my Lord and be comforted by His unconditional love, by His forgiveness, by His compassion, by His healing, by His presence. I want to stand up to the people oppressing them, even if it costs me everything.

Why are we so selfish though? Why am I so selfish? The world needs. They need love, they need food, they need change, they need a bed to sleep in, they need stability, they need healing, they need cleansing of their souls, they need someone to listen, they need joy. Everywhere. Los Angeles needs it like Kolkata needs it like Rwanda needs it like Paris needs it like Oak View and Ventura need it like Bangkok needs it like Buenos Aires needs it, like my own family needs it, like I need it like You need it.

Whats is wrong with us? We just walk around with our heads in our butts thinking about when we can get coffee, or just get some time to relax, or how much we hate how much homework we have. There is so much more going on in the world around us! We rarely look outside of our own lives. We have so much to give. I have so much to give. More than anything I have Jesus Christ. He didn't come to condemn us or to give us a hope of one day living in a fancy place called heaven. He came to set us free from the sin that is literally killing us. He came to offer freedom now. To offer a hand, to walk with us every step of the way. To replace our agony with joy. Not to give us a cool club called church to hang out at, and not to make our lives perfect and easy. He came to slay death. The First Part of that is already done.

It's funny, we make this such a pretty and majestic thing. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was anything but majestic. It was exactly what crucifixion was intended to be. Humiliating prologued torture.


However, death is incapable. Jesus Christ CANNOT be contained by death. He conquered death! He defied the authority of death. Who else in history had power over death? and THAT is why I put my hope in Jesus Christ, because He is the only thing worth putting any hope in. Everything else is dying and decaying. Everything else is leprosy.

So what? How does that change our lives?

Like I said, that is only first part. In this current age, those who give their lives to follow Jesus are His hands and feet. We must bring that love and bring that truth that conquers death. Sure, we live in a decaying world now because of Sin, but we are alive in Christ! We have victory and joy HERE and NOW "To live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians). We have victory over death through Him, and when we die here, we enter an age in which death is not even known.

I want to spread that truth, I want to demonstrate that love, and I want to spend my whole life doing nothing but that. I want to meet people where they are. In jail, in poverty, in wealth, in happiness, in suffering, in evil, in morals, in prostitution, in the church, in their homes.

I want to learn how to live that out in daily life. I really am trying to figure it out. I want everyone I meet to see the power and love of the God that makes the earth spin and float. I want the same for the church. The church has strayed so far from the goal. By the grace of God I am finally realizing what the goal really is. My eyes are being opened to the truth. Not the cultural truth. Not the church cultures truth. The ONLY truth. The truth of the Word of God. You want to see power? You want to see authority? You want to see patience? You want to see change? You want to see real people dealing with all of the exact issues we battle every single day? Open up the Bible. Allow Gods words to come alive like they are meant to. They are living and active.

How do I help though? That is an honest question that I really don't know the answer to. I want to boldly and fearlessly make a difference in this world. Whether in Ventura Ca, or Korea Wherever. All I know is that there are people hurting, and I want to come along side them. Whether that looks like smiling at someone, listening to them, buying them a cup of coffee, giving them my last sweatshirt, or gently washing their leprous feet.

I want to live out what I signed up for. I don't want to waste another day of my life living "successfully" or "normally" in the worlds eyes. I want to be the hands of Jesus and bring light and joy to a dark and sad world.

Lord help me to live out what I was created to do. I know that I can't do it without your strength and guidance. Humble me and continue to shape and grow me.


....if anyone reads this, let me know how I can be a better friend, sister, daughter, or cousin to you. Let me know how I can love you better, and join me in trying to make some changes in this world. I don't care if you love Jesus, hate Jesus, or have never heard of Him. Lets work together and make some changes.

I can't just sit back and take another day of all the hate and sorrow.

I Can't Believe..

.. I've forgotten.

.......more detail to come.

Some Wisdom..

..... from my current book.

"The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne.

"Our bodies are the temples of God, and that's just not a reason to eat less cholesterol. We are the body of Christ, not in some figurative sense, but we are the flesh and blood of Jesus alive in the world through the Holy Spirit-- God's hands, feet, ears."

Man. That sure does entail some action.

I met this guy in Germany two summers ago and I've wanted to read his stuff ever since. I'm glad I'm finally getting around to it.

Love From England

Good friends are such a gift. This just came in the mail today. Love sent from Exmouth England. Made me smile lots.

Chutzpah

"Fires can't be made with dead embers, nor can enthusiasm be stirred by spiritless men. Enthusiasm in our daily work lightens effort and turns even labor into pleasant tasks." - James A. Baldwin

Word.

Life Summed Up

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. "

-(Jim Elliot)

Friend

I got to talk to Chanel for the first time in a lonnngg time today. It made me so happy.

This is true friend right here.

Quite Content

Staying up late (again) with hw is a whole lot better with a good song.

"Things you call fate" by Sondre Lerche.

SOOOO good. Listen to it.

A Beautiful Beginning

"Little people with big dreams are reimagining the world."

"There are a lot of people speaking the truth with no love, and there are a lot of people talking about love without much truth. And let's not get stuck in guilt. Most good things begin with a little guilt, but they never end there."

"I came to realize that preachers were telling me to lay my life at the foot of the cross, and weren't giving me anything to pick up."

"I had become a 'believer' but I had no idea what it means to be a follower. People had taught me what Christians believe, but no one had told me how Christians live."

"We have instituted ourselves from miracles. We no longer live with such reckless faith that we need them. There is rarely room for the transcendent in our lives. If we get sick, we go to a doctor. If we need food, we go to a store and buy it. We have eliminated the need for miracles. If we had enough faith to depend on God like the lilies and the sparrows do, we would see miracles. For is it not a miracle that the birds find enough worms each day?"

"We saw a homeless man lay a pack of cigarettes in the offering plate because it was all he had."

"In the poor we meet Jesus in the most distressing disguises."

"IT" that i previously spoke of, is only getting "BIGGER" ... thank God.

"And if you'd like to come along..."

"... I'll be yours for a song."

Josh Ritter is good every every every time.

I am..

..good at homework.

"...I melt in your peace.."

"The more i seek you,

the more i find you
The more i find you,

the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath, and hear your heart beat.

This love is so deep, it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming"

- The More I Seek You, by Kari Jobe

Love

Bahahaha. Im going crazy!!!!!

I woke up at 5am this morning to start my essay on Love that is due in a few hours. I decided that it would be a good idea to google love in order to see what the world believes about love.

When I googled it, I came across a love calculator. What it is is you type in two names and it gives you the percentage of that relationship working out.

This is what I put in. (For some reason this absolutly cracks me up!)

My favorite part is "You'll have to spend a lot of quality time together."

oh boy.

Journaling...

... Is incredible. Seriously.

I am currently looking through the journal I just finished last week to get stuff for an essay I'm writing. I just skimmed a few sentences from this summer and it blew me away. Its incredible to look back and see how God was growing me and convicting me and refining me.

Looking back at entries, and seeing where I have even come in a year is awesome.

The praise goes out to God!!!!

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

This book is changing my whole life.

In BIG ways.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;

ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice." Proverbs 31:8-9

God is stirring up something BIG inside of me.

Interesting

"Earth's crammed with Heaven,

And every common bush afire with God:

But only he who sees takes off his shoes."

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

bff

I really really really wish Habitat for Humanity East Bay would email me more.

..... oh wait.

"I'm not done with my traveling, so let's run, let's run, let's run." - Ben Kweller