blessings from ellie

hello friends,
just wanted to share with you about a special girl i met sunday named ellie. we went to a church in st. ignatius to share about chi alpha and afterward a 14 year old native american girl approached a couple of us wanting to learn more about missions. she said she wanted to be a missionary to ecuador and that God had given her visions for it etc. this girl was incredible. i saw Jesus in her eyes. she was so at peace and so...i don't know. just full of the Lord. she told us stories about how she, too, is a campus missionary. she said she reads her bible out loud on the playground and some of the stories surrounding that. so full of faith. she told of how she was worried that her bible would get ruined if it got wet, and God told her not to worry. then as she and her friend stood out in the snow reading, they realized that the snowflakes were evaporating before they hit the page. several of them stood in amazement as both she and her friend read without a drop hitting the pages. she told of how she prays and God leads her all around the playground, giving her people to tell about Him. she blessed, encouraged and challenged me so much. i can't wait to hear what else God does in this little angel's life.

what's on my heart

lately God has been speaking to me about what i've dubbed "pastoral plagiarism," which is when Christians walk around quoting other Christians, claiming the revelations as their own. i think it's good to learn from other Christians and all, but something doesn't sit right with me when people act like they're all profound, saying things i've read in books, or heard around the Christian loop. i was driving the other day, thinking about this, and God spoke to me. He said, jess I am infinite. pray for fresh revelation and i will give it to you. i think we have a responsibility to brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for and bring fresh revelations in a way that only we can. that truly can only be brought by one individual in this whole earth. yeah, that's my thought for the day.

mexico spring break

well i'm feeling rather nostalgic now. but can it be called nostalgia when it was fewer than 3 days ago? we are just back from an incredible trip to tijuana, mexico, lovingly called t.j. by the locals, or should i say socals? i think it's only southern californians that really call it that, being that the spanish language doesn't easily allow for the sound jay. anyhoo. i have been watching video footage at work, not so sure if it's allowed, but when the boss is away, jess will hit play...oh that was bad. and looking at my pics too. i'm very disappointed in them since 99% of them are grainy. oh well, the memories are still there and i'm soon to have a super disc of all the photos taken on the trip courtesy of my good friend lance. an i only have a minute more of this lunch break. so i bid you adios until next time.

luck o' the irish

hello out there in cyber land. i'd like to give a big shout out to my "little" brother on his birthday. happy birthday, code!!! so, do you think st.patrick would be offended that people are calling him paddy? i know around here at the hospital there is a lot of green going on. even our decorative fountain thingy is green. i, myself, have forgotten to don the color today, but have managed to escape the obligatory sly little comments about pinching. probably not for long, though.
well, all is coming together for mexico. i can't believe we will be leaving in a day and a half. my cousin is sewing a dress for one of the orphans and i can't wait to see it. surely it will blow away the wal mart competition, which i purchased last night. kids' clothes are expen$ive. well, that's about it from here. i really need to get some pictures to spice up this page:)

you like me, you really like me

i apologize for the lame title. i just always feel like i don't have anything interesting to write about, but that may be due to the fact that i am unwilling to put the most interesting things online. the title should have read, "you love me, you really love me." because lately i have just been blown away by the friends in my life and how much they love me. last night i received a phone call from a friend in california who suffers from late stages of endometriosis. i believe that i have the same disease and have yet to do anything about it. she begged me in a whisper from her excruciating pain, "please don't wait too long." it haunted me. i know God is giving me a warning and that i need to go to the doctor. but i have just been receiving encouraging words from friends as well and have been having a good week. God is really good to me.

oscar party

so i went to an unlikely source for help with my costume for our annual oscar bash. it's only 3 days away and here i am without a costume. i mentioned it to the security guards that i work with and told them it should probably involve a blonde marilyn monroe wig. but one of them had a better idea. and i think that might be what i use. i have yet to fill out my ballot and don't think i've seen a single movie up for nomination. but i'm excited for the party and especially excited to see my cousin's costume.

first posting

hello out there in cyber space,
this is my first posting on my new blog as the title indicates and i don't have a lot to say. i feel wonderful this morning. but that could just be the espresso talking. no, i got to walk to work this morning at 5:45 am and talked to God all the way here. it was great. i was so awake by the time i got here and still feel great. which is, well, great after the way i've been feeling all week. i'll put this entry out of its misery now since there is no real direction.