Day 1

Sat June 23rd 2012

I always forget something. On the way to the airport my dad asks me where my pillow was. Nooooo! My beloved pillow pet Pluto. I washed him (or my dad hand washed him I "dried" him) yesterday so he was all fresh and clean for our trip and I left him behind...

so sad...

Pluto chillin on my car

Get to the airport and the line is super long. This is probably like my 30th time? checking into an airport and I've never seen a line this long. Running late because my alarm didn't go off today so I'm quite nervous in line. Doesn't help that every min someone comments on how long the line is.

But thankfully I make it to the gate on time. waiting to board the plane.

Beep, beep, beep. get to my boarding pass. BONK!

why my boarding pass no work?!

The guy tells me I have the wrong boarding pass and I need to go to customer service.

NOOOOOOO. this can't be right...think. think.

oh wait! hehe ^^" I gave him the wrong boarding pass (my flight transfers)

Dig through my bag quickly cause I'm holding up the line.

Tada! so sorry....

Ah yes this is why in 1 Corinthians 1:27 it says

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise"

mmm...thank goodness I have no problem being foolish at times :)

We were assigned a book to read before we arrive. Except I didn't start it until I got to the airport. hehe.

I expected it to be some boring lecture book but it's actually quite interesting! it's called "The Miracle of Freedom: 7 tipping points that saved the world"

Basically it explains 7 events that the world wouldn't be the same if it didn't happen (in a good balance of stories and explanation). I'm at the part that explains the movie 300 (about the Spartan warriors) pretty epic. but then again...why would they have us read this o.O

It's truly mind blowing though how we are all connected to each other and how God is in control of billions and billions of things. Great kings and empires are even at His mercy.

Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. 

Ironically this book refers to freedom so far as doing what you want, when you want to (basically nobody to control you). In a way that's true but I think it's a disguised form of freedom. I don't even know what tomorrow brings, how am I supposed to plan out my life? To some people it may be unsettling that God determines where they go in life, but to me it's actually quite comforting. Learned early on that God's plans are always victorious but any plan against His will never succeeds.

Better that I surrender my life to Him now than try to fight against His will. When my desires are aligned with His desires, I am never disappointed! To me freedom is choosing to place my life in the hands of an eternal God who laid the foundations of the earth. Freedom from anxiety and failure, to me that's pure joy and peace. mwahahahahahaha. now...just gotta work on obeying and committing...

aha my deep thinking at Starbucks writing in the (legendary) Moleskine journal that HCC college ministry got me!

Arrive in Cali. the air here is different. it feels so light and wonderful. I am also quite exotic in SoCal because I am chubby and pale. even the grandmas here are skinny and tan.

The place we are staying in is pretty nice. Rooming with 8 other girls. woohoo room 120 family. I like making families when I go places.

As soon as I unpack, we are whisked off to a 4 day camping trip. Expect it to be like 30 min max away but then we're driving for like 2 1/2 hours into the Cali desert with Joshua tree and everything. Look like something I would see in NatGeo!

Get to the site, which is on some mountain and we are staying in Tipis!! like legit tipis.
so wilderness..

on cue a Native American chief man (w/ feather hat and everything) is playing a plan flute in the background. where am i....

Diana, Sarah, Christina, and Me in our Tipi

Afterwards we gather in this small room to worship/pray/message. There are 52 of us this year. Don't really know about the others' spiritual lives, but man once we all got together and started praying/worshiping with loud voice it was like Holy Spirit wooosh wooosh. I was so joyful.

They tell us that our physical trainer is an ex-marine. I almost throw up the sub I ate earlier imagining what morning exercise is gunna look like.

Everything here is so physical. Even the sermon: Running w/endurance.

1) Pack light

2) Focus on the goal

3) Run w/other believers

I hope to build that discipline here and I'm so glad that I have other amazing brothers and sisters to encourage me.

When everything is over and we step out of the room, it's now dark. The sky is filled with bright stars, the air is cool and light. Cali is a wonderful place.

Time to go to my Tipi and pass out.

Goodnight :)