Visiting the Park

On Saturday evening James and I decided to go check out a park in Beverly Hills. The sunlight was beautiful as it set in the mountains. Here are some pictures from our excursion, enjoy!

Shaky Ground

Well the earthquake hit while I was at work. There was a noise and a sudden movement feeling like a bus or truck hit the building. But the building didn't stop moving, it began to sway more. I looked out the window and the trees were moving. Everyone stood up and kind of looked at each other torn between the decision to bolt out the door or wait around and see what kind of an earthquake it was. What a strange feeling....it didn't last long and it wasn't very violent. Nothing crashed or fell down. Afterwards I felt a little weird, kinda sick. Other people in the office felt sick too. I'm told this is due to gravity and your equilibrium (or whatever that thing is), apparently it makes you feel like you have motion sickness after an earthquake. I guess our bodies aren't used to the counter movement of the earth. I found out a few people in our building ran outside once the ground started moving. These are the same people who were around in 1994 when an earthquake devastated the LA area, including the flattening of the mall and office buildings in which our building is located. Since then our building has been re-built with state of the art earthquake stuff, hence the swaying feeling of the building in the earthquake. I can't help but wonder what being in the world trade center must have felt like on 911. To feel the building move underneath you with you inside, knowing it could collapse at any minute. It must have been strange and scary. I now know that when an earthquake hits you are supposed to hide under a door frame or a desk, though I think I would probably want to run outside too. James thought the earthquake was really neat, he was at work too when it happened.

Along with earthquakes, I feel like in life right now I've been on shaky ground too. Being new at work I'm constantly trying to figure out my role, and what that means. I hate being new and having to sift through everything. I love it when I can get down to business and cross things off my list. I know this comes with time so I'm just praying that as I continue to plow ahead, that I'm able to meet the expectations laid out before me by others and myself. I also pray that I would continue to adapt well in my new surroundings. James and I are also still getting used to the LA area and learning our way around. We don't have the friend base here that we had in VA to turn to for help, or our families to assist us in close proximity. There is something to be said for knowing your local area and where to go to for what. I hate googling everything, but I love that technology has made getting to know a new area easier. All in all we're making our way through doing the best that we can with adapting to life in southern CA. So far there have been some shaky times, but we're diggin in and learning a lot in the process. I can't wait for everything to feel like an old hat!

Today James fixed our car, so its currently running again yay!!!

All of the earthquake news reminds me of how important foundations are:
Matthew 7:24-25
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

"Someone's got a case of the Mondays"

Today was a fine example of why Mondays get a bad reputation. James and I began our morning with a small disagreement...not the end of the world but not quite your ideal morning routine. I left the apartment 4 times before I could get to the street. Each time I had to go back for something I had forgotten, and each time I locked the door sure that I had everything I needed. I finally made it to my car with everything I could possibly imagine that I would need for the day...only to find that my car would not start. Not even a little...:(. James was already at work himself so I headed back to the apartment...this being the 5th time through the door before 9am. I called a taxi to take me to work and reluctantly paid the $30 fare for my fine highway cruise. All in all a great start to my day :) I'd love to say the day got better but it depends on your view better. It didn't get any worse! My director offered to give me a ride home and a ride to work in the morning so I feel really blessed and am so thankful!

I'm thinking Tuesday will be better... although I am scared for Wednesday when we take the car in to be looked at. Yikes!

Days like to today remind me of Matthew 6: 25-34

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

And similarity Luke 12:22-34

"22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I'm glad that in the end our earthly possessions will have no value... I wouldn't have much to show if they did. It's so funny how some things can seem so important and life shattering, but when put them into perspective, those things mean nothing. Though I'm not thrilled about dealing with our car now, I know that it's no use to worry about it. God will see us though the process and 6 months from now it will be the last thing on our mind.

On that note I'll end with a fun link. If you've never seen Hoops & YoYo you need to. They have some really funny e-cards on Hallmark.com. There is a Monday one...click here to view.

HAPPY MONDAY!

Fun Stuff

We officially have two cars again, yay! This past week James and I have been on the hunt for a car. It may seem like an easy task in such a large city, but being a large city is exactly our problem. Money, or lack of, also made this hunt quite challenging. But we finally found exactly what James was looking for in the price range we were planning for. We were given a bag of 40 oranges from the backyard of the previous car owner as a parting gift. He picked them off of his orange tree for us. Only in California would you close a car deal with fresh oranges! I made fresh squeezed orange juice that night... and it was quite a delicious gift!

We are now the proud owners of a 77 Datsun 280z. For those of you who are like myself you have absolutely no idea what this means, so I've posted some pictures below to aid you. I will have to post some more pictures with the full car view. I was unable to get the front of the car in the photo due to lack of time...we went to the beach today and couldn't spare much time with traffic! I've also posted some pictures from our day trip to Santa Monica beach and pier. It was a fun day. I am now a little burned but it was worth it to go to the beach. On our way home we drove through Beverly Hills with all the palm trees and cute shops. We were even able to get a glimpse of the Hollywood sign as we sat in traffic on our way home. All in all a great day and the weekend is just beginning.

Our friends Arielle and David are getting married today! We were so bummed to miss their big day. This is one of the big downfalls about moving so far away from home. We miss out as well as miss everyone. We'll definitely have to visit them when we go back to VA to visit James' parents. I'm excited I'm planning a trip home in August for my cousin's bridal shower and to celebrate my Boppa and Nana's birthdays! How fun it will be to see everyone... I'm counting the days!!!


Now begins the real work for me....job searching! Pray for me in the endeavor... it will be very challenging. I have high hopes and a great God....anything is possible with Him! Please pray that I will have discernment in my job search. That the Lord would open the doors to a wonderful opportunity that He has planned for me and that I would be able to use my talents and gifts to their fullest. We so appreciate your prayers!!!