Saturday, May 30, 2009

YALL!

Okay...I know I tend to exaggerate, but I think I just discovered a piece of what my Heaven is going to be:

The Vitamin String Quartet

I love music more than most things in life, but music with strings is the absolute cream of the crop.  Mere minutes ago I stumbled upon The Vitamin String Quartet.  I immediately youtubed them (obviously) and discovered that not only do they cover "Fire and Rain" (which is what I found first) but they also cover such musicians as:

The Beatles, Coldplay, Dave Matthews, David Gray, Death Cab, Depeche Mode, Dixie Chicks, Flyleaf, Norah Jones, Phish, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Kanye, and a trillion more that aren't worth being listed because you should be listening to them instead of reading this!  Go!  Now!  Youtube "The Vitamin String Quartet" or conveniently click on the title of this post.

Praise Him for:
  • Violin, Viola, Cello, Upright bass, the idea of covering a song

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Hold me. Like the river Jordan.




Today at work, out of nowhere, my boss started BLASTING this from the enormous speakers in our studio.  We all kind of chuckled at first and were like, "Is this the Free Willy song?"  And then, slowly, we all admitted that we actually LOVE the song and we continued to listen to it.  It's the most inspirational and triumphant sounding song.  


Also, my roommate is friends with Jason James Richter.  Yeah, that's Jesse.








Praise Him for:
  • the greatest internship, good music, Michael Jackson's music (really.  before he got messed up), fellowship, exciting experiences
"I have had prayers answered-most strangely so sometimes-but I think our heavenly Father's loving-kindness has been even more evident in what He has refused me."  Lewis Carroll

Monday, May 25, 2009

The joy of being alone

Today I slept in late, woke up in a roommateless apartment, ate a big bowl of cereal, slowly got ready, and drove 20 miles by myself to Santa Monica.  I laid on the beach with my favorite music in my ears, read a book I'm obsessed with (it's like it was written for me alone) sent to me by a good friend, and had a Clif bar.  I drove down around the Pier just to see it, and enjoyed every aspect of this day by myself.  

I made the drive back to the Valley by myself and got a phone call from home.  I was put on speakerphone and at the other end of the line sat my mom, dad, brothers, and all my grandparents.  I got to just sit and laugh and talk with them and it was so good for my soul.

I love how well the Lord knows me.  I love doing things on my own, but I'm so thankful He knows every aspect of me.  Doing this whole summer alone is great for me in so many ways, but I'm learning that the comfort of familiarity is something I can't go without.

Praise Him for:
  • knowing me better than I know myself, family, the blessing that is this summer, California weather, familiarity

"Our life is full of brokenness - broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God's faithful presence in our lives."    Henri Nouwen  (this has no relevance to this post, but I just love this quote.)

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Crazy LA Happenings: Part II

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 is the most unreal day of my life to date.

Let me tell you why:

My co-worker of two days, Emily (confusing, I know-2 Emily's in one studio) is the greatest human.  In August she filled something out saying she would like to get tickets to the American Idol finale.  Lo and behold, 9 months later and 2 days before the show she was contacted and found out that yes, they do in fact have 2 tickets they would like her to have.  I must've really made an impact on her those two days that we worked together because who did she choose to invite to go with her?  Yes, it was me.

Fast forward to Wednesday.  Emily and I go into work from 10-12.  Rough, I know.  We quickly left work, went to her house, changed into wardrobe-requirement appropriate clothes (i.e. "if you wear jeans, we kick you out") and went to down to the Kodak at Hollywood and Highland.  After waiting in line for 2ish hours, we were let in.  This is where the fun began.

1.  I was seated on the front row.  Of the Kodak.  Next to Ruben Studdard and his wife and daughter.  In front of David Hasselhoff and family.  In front of Heather Locklear and daughter.
2. Aside from those three, I was amongst Kate Walsh, Amanda Bynes, Nicole Richie, Joel Madden, Jason Mraz, Gavin Degraw, Janice Dickinson, a million past contestants, all the judges, etc.
3. Which was fun, but the most amazing part was the 2 hour long concert which included: KISS, Queen, Lionel Richie, Cyndi Lauper, Keith Urban, Fergie, the Black Eyed Peas, Rod Stewart, Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Lil Rounds, Jason Mraz, etc.
4. And then Kris Allen won.  Ruben's wife and I stared at each other after they announced it and were both shocked.  Both happy, but completely surprised.  
5. And then they shot off the confetti.  It was such a joyful, exciting moment and I felt like a little kid.
6. Emily and I busted outta there to beat the traffic.
7. I dropped her off to see Ben Folds.
8. And I went to see Milosh at the Hotel Cafe.  Again, for free.

It was the most eventful, crazy, amazing and inexpensive night ever.

I'm aware that it's been almost a week since I posted, but life has been so busy!   I hope this one was decent enough to make up for the lack of recent posts.  Be well and keep checking in for more posts. :)

Praise Him for: 
  • Emily-my new co-worker and friend, free concerts all summer long, music, the Lord knowing my heart, and relationships

Monday, May 18, 2009

Crazy LA Happenings: Part I


Let me give you the top 4 highlights of my last 3 days in LA:

1.  My first "celebrity" sighting of the summer: Sally Field in the Palisades
2. My first earthquake: it was a 5 on the richter scale
3. Calling 911 for a homeless man who collapsed on the side of the road
4. Getting free tickets to the American Idol finale-see ya Wednesday sucka!


Praise Him for:
  • God's goodness, fun memories and stories, God's relevance, the greatest roomies, a sick internship

Friday, May 15, 2009

Wal-Mart

A lot of people in California don't know what Wal-Mart is, and I love it.  
Take that Northwest Arkansas.

Praise Him for:
  • Target
  • Already knowing my way around the Valley
  • Having taken Spanish for years and years and years
  • The little exercise room in my apartment complex (how convenient)
  • Not starting work for 3 more days


Thursday, May 14, 2009

Coming to you live from the 101

So, after living in Los Angeles for nearly 3 days, I'm seriously considering buying a mannequin and keeping it in my car.  I want to do this so that I can make use of God's sweet, sweet gift to LA traffic: the HOV lane.  Honestly.  I've decided that my best bet out here is to shift into neutral and just roll to my destination as I watch the wise carpoolers fly by in the HOV lane.  Literally, I'm blogging from my blackberry as I roll down the 101 highway.  It's so ridiculous that when the traffic does clear enough to speed up a little, my rationality completely flies out the window.  I legitimately had the thought, "Who cares if I get a speeding ticket?  It's so great to remember what 55 mph feels like!"

Okay, it's not that bad.  But really, it is.

On a different note, praise Him for:
  • No humidity
  • No mosquitos
  • Good gas mileage on the highway (I'm assuming)
  • The tom tom GPS my dad gave me.  I would literally be lost without it
  • Arriving at my apartment with 2 letters waiting for me in the mail :)
God is so good.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

crazy crazy crazy

Today was my first day in LA and already so many ridiculous things happened. 

I think I'm going to be obsessed with life this summer.

Prepare yourself for stories.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

HE is good


Lucy: 
"Is he... safe?" 

Mr. Beaver: 
"Safe? 
Of course he isn't safe...but he's good.  
He's the King." 



the only thing i need to hear right now.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Everybody knows it sucks to grow up

Remember my 7:30 am Statistics final tomorrow?  (See my last post)  Me posting this is really just me following Ming-Hua's instructions.

Now that that justification is out of the way, watch this:


Good morning, son.  I am a bird
Wearing a brown polyester shirt
You want a coke?  Maybe some fries?
The roast beef combo's only $9.95
It's okay, you don't have to pay I've got all the change
Everybody knows it hurts to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
We're still fighting it, we're still fighting it
And you're so much like me
I'm sorry
Good morning, son
In twenty years from now
Maybe we'll both sit down and have a few beers
And I can tell you 'bout today
And how I picked you up and everything changed
It was pain, sunny days and rain
I knew you'd feel the same things
Everybody knows it sucks to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here.
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
We're still fighting it, we're still fighting it
You'll try and try and one day you'll fly away from me
Good morning, son I am a bird
It was pain, sunny days and rain
I knew you'd feel the same things
Everybody knows it hurts to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here.
Let me tell you what the years go on and
We're still fighting it, we're still fighting it
Oh, we're still fighting it, we're still fighting it
And you're so much like me
I'm sorry

I'm sure you've heard this song before but last Tuesday Ben Folds released the University a Cappella album that this version is from.  We are obsessed with it at my house right now.  Especially this and "Not the Same".  You need to buy at least these two songs, if not the whole thing.  If you get confused for a second while you're listening and think they cheated and used a drum or something at some point, you're wrong.  All voices and beatboxing.  It's really incredible.  AND!  One of my friends from high school sings on "Still Fighting It" and "The Luckiest".  

Anyway, the songs of this album have pretty much been on repeat ever since we got them and whenever "Still Fighting It" comes on, I get the most bittersweet feeling.  I've decided it's for three reasons:

"It was pain, sunny days and rain"
  Sarah, Bek and I have been listening to it a nearly non-stop as we pack our entire house and move out of this flawless little thing.  None of us are ready to leave the Oakland House, yet today we were making trips back and forth from my new house loading and unloading furniture, and taking pictures off the walls.  At least once an hour someone would yell out or mumble, "I don't want to leave this house."  This lyric is so good because a lot of really painful things happened during this last year living here, but I also think back on really happy sunny days laying on the hammock out front, and afternoons spent curled up on the couch on the front porch watching the rain.

"Everybody knows it hurts to grow up and everybody does"
  The other thing that we keep yelling or mumbling while we're packing is "We are seniors in college!!!"  Really, none of us is ready for that.  Life is moving way too fast and realizing that we're about to start year 4 out of 4 is a really upsetting thought.  

"We're still fighting it, You'll try and try and one day you'll fly away from me"
  The other thing on my mind is the fact that I'm moving to Los Angeles in nine days.  I'll only be there for 3 months and I'm sure it is going to be amazing, but it's weird realizing that what I want to do with my life is taking me so far away from everyone I love.  I keep trying to talk myself into being excited about this summer because my heart is with everyone else, not in LA, but now I'm just trying to stop fighting it.  The Lord has me there and He's going to be faithful to teach me and grow me.

Apologies for the emo post.  I'm just emo and reflective right now.  I know this song wasn't meant to be taken this way, but I am.  And I love it. :)