Boxing Day/Beginning of Kwanza update...

A few updates from the field:

-I'm house-sitting for my brother and sister(-in-law) in Valencia, so I took some time to record some old songs I had never recorded. One, written three years ago, is about trusting God, and the other, written two years ago, is about the phenomenon of falling asleep in class. You can listen to them here: www.purevolume.com/olre


-Caleb and I watched a movie from 1999 that was pretty hyped up as being scary, but we weren't impressed. There were some creepy moments, but we felt cheated when it ended. I think we were slightly relieved, too.

-Christmas with the family was fun. I forgot to bring my camera, but maybe my brother will post some photos later on. We played Rock Band, ate food, sang songs, then slept over at Paul and Jess' place. We talked about life 'til 3 a.m. Christmas day featured recording drum tracks for this Sunday's service at my brother's church. Then we ate Thai food at President Thai.

-Chad and I decided that we're driving to Idaho on Monday. We're going to visit the third amigo, Justin Williams.


We also hope to visit another Idaho friend, Kelly "good grief" Robinson


Anyway, we're driving up Monday, returning Friday, so that's where I'll be.

I hope everyone had a great day celebrating the Incarnation. What a baffling thing. God is Love, and Love is real.

Merry Christmas, Happy Boxing Day, Happy New Year. (If I don't 'talk' to you before then)

One More Sleep 'Til Christmas.

I just had to. It's so appropriate!

By the way, if I had to choose to be best friends with either Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Charlie Brown, or Kermit the Frog, I would choose Kermit....hands down.

I'm a big Muppet fan. However, sadly, not a lot of people get the Muppets these days.

Today is my half birthday

Things I've learned since I last posted:

-Students are very generous, and Christmas time means lots of students bringing gifts for teachers, even P.E. teachers! Hooray for gift cards, cookies, fudge, blankets, and other forms of Christmas presents from SGCS students. Thanks!!

-Rain and a recovering field make it difficult to hold soccer practice.

-Ice skates are very sharp, and sometimes you can cut your own quad open with your own skate! Poor Teemu Selanne.

-If the Jonas Brothers were swiss, it would be pronounced "Yo-nas Brothers." Jonas Hiller is a great backup goalie for the Ducks. (He is Swiss). My name is Jonas is a great song. Jonas is the name of my friends' son.

-Further Seems Forever was a very, very good band. I think I enjoy the record, "Hide Nothing" the best.

-Disneyland is a jolly, jolly place for friends.

-Apartment hunting is exciting.

-Christmas carols are joyous.

-Predestination is often confusing, especially when trying to discuss it with jr. highers.

-Sunday afternoon naps are some of the best kind of naps.

-There are many characters at the mall during the Christmas season.

-Chai tea from Coffee bean is pretty delicious.

-Some areas have A LOT of christmas lights.

-Elf is pretty comical, no matter how many times or where you watch it.

-Rock Band is pretty fun.

-Christmas break allows one to sleep in plentiful amounts.

-The Incarnation is a wonderful, baffling thing. Let's celebrate the day Jesus was born to die.


Merry Christmas.

Reading Material

It seems to me like anything close to me that has words on it suddenly becomes good reading material during times like breakfast.

I start eating my Strawberry Frosted Mini-Wheats, and for some reason, it becomes a good idea to look through the Vons ad. Or, perhaps I'll get caught up on "back-of-box" literature, and learn how Mini-Wheats could help my colon. Or even today, I looked at Good Housekeeping, learning how to drop 5 sizes.

Funny to me.


Oh, know what else was funny to me? Last night in class, a classmate was giving a presentation, and he said, "Any thoughts that this lesson plan was watered-down were washed away." I laughed out loud, looked around, and no one else laughed. I mean, come on! "Watered-down," and "washed away" in the same sentence? Hello, pun.

That's all.

Chew on this...

-Life and logic don't always match up.


-Tostada party AND Turkey Tamale party today.


-Hide nothing. (FSF)


-Change is coming. No, it's nothing personal. (FSF)


-You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. (Wayne Gretzky)


-If you don't TAKE a chance, you MISS a chance.


-'Tis the season for those big buckets of popcorn with some festive print on it.


-What's the REAL origin of Christmas trees?


-Be.....sure...to drink..your.....ovaltine. Ovaltine? A crummy commercial.

Show and Tell...

Here are some things for show and tell:

I made my soccer team run to my house and back to school on Wednesday. I told them, "Ok guys, I left my watch and chapstick at home, so we've got to go get them." So, we ran 2.14 miles to my house, I made them wait outside on the lawn, and we ran 2.14 miles back to school. Here they are in the front yard as I was inside.




Next for show and tell, here is the new Thrice dvd, which is a complete 25-song set they performed at the House of Blues, Anaheim on May 28th of this year. It was the night after some friends and I saw them. It is the dvd, and two cd's of the whole live show, for only $14.99 at Best Buy! (last minute gift idea for the Thrice fan in your family) Fans will appreciate the diverse set list containing songs from The Illusion of Safety, The Artist in the Ambulance, Vheissu, and Alchemy Indexes. (Sorry, no Identity Crisis or First Impressions)



Next, these are my first batch of "Thank You" cards I received from students at my school. I went to Catalina with them as a counselor, and I got these from them after the weekend was over. It was a really rough and confusing weekend, so to get these was very nice.



Next, I may have mentioned this before, but I was finally able to read the short story/writing/account that inspired Thrice's "The Artist in the Ambulance." It comes from Al Burian's Burn Collector, and is quite an interesting read. One definitely must use discernment in reading any of Burian's works, but this one was very intriguing, looking at how society needs different sorts of people. That is, an ambulance driver has a very clear cut job: to drive people to the hospital. He goes, picks up, drives, delivers. Done. An artist, however, has a unique calling to create some kind of beauty or thought-provoking 'things' (whatever medium of art you choose), that will lift up and inspire those who see or encounter it. Maybe one sounds better than the other, but the fact of the matter is that society needs both.


Finally, here is something I have compiled over the past 8 years or so. You see, I prefer to buy cd's. I like going to the store, picking it up, paying for it, going home, opening it, putting it in my cd player, and looking through the liner notes as I listen to it. I like to look at the artwork they include with it, and appreciating the packaging. I just like having the tangible. So anyways, I like saving the little label that goes on the top of it, and I put them on this one notebook I have. So here's what those look like. Keep in mind, these aren't all of the labels, as sometimes I forget, or the cd won't come with it. But I like this little collection I have going.




In other news, we have one week of school left before Christmas break, I watched Elf and Muppet Christmas Carol in the past two days, and I will be joining my brother to play with his church worship team this Sunday.

What's up with you?

Instead of Homework, I will post a blog...

Oh yes, I will.

So, my dad and I got our bikes stolen whilst staying in the hotel. Let me tell you, this isn't just one of those, "oh well," things. My dad rides his bike to work a lot, and in turn, inspires me to do so as well. I had even just gotten a new helmet that is not 4 months old. Stinks.

Oh well. I mean, uh, something else.

Saturday was December 6th, and I had planned on it being a good day for one reason, but it turned out to be good for a different reason. We had our Jr. High Christmas Party, which was a mexican theme. Here are a few photos from the madness:






That sideways photo is me dressed like a vato, with my plaid shirt buttoned at the top, white undershirt, baggy dickie pants, and white spalding shoes. Oh yes, and my mustache. (it was gross, but I don't think a lot of the kids picked up that it was a joke.) I also filled the night with Sufjan Stevens Christmas songs, as the students had burritos for our mexican themed night. We also had a gift exchange, pinata (filled with flour), and made a story as to how "Santo" got from Mexico to the N. Pole.

Anywho, it turned out alright.

Sunday was sunday, and I love sundays. Worshiping together with my family of believers is such a wonderful glimpse of eternity. YES. "Why burn poor and lonely when we can be TORCHES TOGETHER!!"

We had a great time at Pray'n'Praise, too.
Just a small group of us at a home, worshiping and praying together. Whew. God is so good, and His promises are true, I'll tell you. Even in rough life situations, He is there to bring peace and joy and hope and mercy and love. He does it all the time. God is good, all the time.

BFC ran 3.5 miles today....

ummmm....

for good measure, here are some photos of Bo:

Circus...

There have been few times in my life when I see a fumigation tent and don't think "Circus."


Our house got fumigated on Thursday, which meant we stayed at the Quality Inn in Pasadena on Thursday and Friday night. A few bonuses from staying at the hotel: cable (a few episodes of House, The Santa Clause (i know), The Office (not cable)), Jacuzzi and sauna, and free continental breakfast (corn pops, danishes, muffins, and juice).
I love free continental breakfasts.
A few negatives from staying in the hotel: Our room keys deactivating whenever they are within 6 inches of a cell phone (can't get into room), taking twice as long to get to work (10 minutes instead of 5, GEEEEEZZZ!!), unfamiliar pillows (slightly too firm for my cranium), having to put Bo and The Kitty in the garage at my neighbors.

My poor boys.


We had to put them in my neighbor's garage, and they freaked out. They thought we were leaving them for good until I visited them on Thursday evening. But now they're home, and ok.

In other news, I've been observing a 4th grade class at San Gabriel Christian, for my class at Point Loma. Since I haven't been teaching P.E., I've been wearing Church-ish clothes, and it throws ALL my students off. Here are a few things they have said at seeing my appearance in something besides soccer shorts and t-shirt:
"Coach, are you getting married today?", "Coach, are you going to court today?", "Coach, are you trying to impress that new P.E. substitute woman?"

It's been pretty funny.

I also got my Certificate of Clearance (essentially glorified fingerprints), and TB test, which are required for this interview I have to do for Point Loma on Monday, so I'm glad that's done.

And finally, Bulldogs FC is looking good...or should I say, fit. We've only touched the ball once in our first week of practice. The rest has been conditioning, and we ran 5 miles yesterday. The team stayed together, and I was very proud of a bunch of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders sticking with me.

And finally, finally, I stuck around for the high school Christmas party at our church last night, and ended up singing Beatles songs with Fidel, Matt, Jennifer, Libby, and Zack. It was a good time. Tonight is Jr. High Christmas party! Whooo Hoooo!

Today.

I like Steven Curtis Chapman. I always forget I like him, and then I re-discover his songs, and get into him again. There are select songs I really like. Here is the current one I'm really into:

Miracle of the Moment.

"It’s time for letting go
All of our if only’s
‘Cause we don’t have a time machine
And even if we did
Would we really want to use it?
Would we really want to go change everything?
‘Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

Chorus:
So breathe it in and breathe it out
Listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
And I don’t want you to miss
The miracle of the moment

There’s only one who knows
What’s really out there waiting
In all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He’s out there waiting
To Him the future’s history
And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about
And if it brings you tears

Then taste them as they fall
And let them soften your heart
And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go, let it go
You gotta let it go
Listen to your heartbeat"


He uses Psalm 118:24 (This is the day that the Lord has made...), Matthew 6:33-34 (Seek ye first the kingdom..., Do not worry about tomorrow...), and Philippians 4:6-7 (Be anxious in nothing...) as the inspiration for this song.

I'm really into it. Live for today, glorify God today, He has given us this day, so let's be glad in it!

here's a youtube link for the song if you wanna hear it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rResKXjKqjQ

First practice for SGCS Bulldogs FC...

Today was the first day of practice for Bulldogs FC, the first ever soccer team in SGCS history. It was also my first day as a the head coach of a sports team.
I had the opportunity to be an asst. coach with the flag football team, but this is my first time as the go-to coach.
Here are a few pictures from the flag football days:






Today, however, I was boss, and I had a great time with my team. Due to our poor field condition, we let the girls soccer team (of which I am also asst. coach) have the whole field, and me and my boys took a run to Smith Park, about a mile away. All of my players had already run 2 miles that day in P.E. (harsh teacher, eh?), so they were going to run 2 more, as well as more fitness drills to condition for the soccer season. We had a lot of fun doing squats, stretches, Herbies (suicides, lines, latters, whatever you wanna call 'em), push-ups, wall-sits, and sprints.

Now my legs feel kind of like jelly. But I was very proud of the Bulldogs Football Club (BFC) on their first day. I am very excited to have this time to be with them, and to really focus on playing our best for the glory of God. That is the reason we play, it is the reason I coach, it is the reason we all live: for the glory of God. So our team will focus on that aspect and how that reflects on the field in our sportsmanship, attitudes, and efforts. One thing that always bugs me is when great Christian guys become jerks out on the athletic field, and then play it off like they are just being 'competitive.' It's one thing to try hard and play your best, but it's another thing to harbor thoughts of hatred and enmity against the opponent and try and hurt them. Then, you're not 'playing' sports anymore, you're losing self-control. This is a big topic to talk about, and a really great book that addresses a lot these topics is "Game Day for the Glory of God" by Stephen Altrogge. It's a guy from Sovereign Grace Ministries (C.J. Mahaney, Josh McDowell, Bob Kauflin), and it's legit.


If you are an athlete, or just like to watch and follow sports, this is a great book that relates the glory of God to sports. I think I often fail to remember that sports can, in fact, bring glory to God, if we do it right. There are other times where can totally make fools of ourselves with our attitudes on the field, or even watching a sporting event.

All that to say, BFC is off to a great start, and I will update you on the team and our games (when they start in mid-January).

That is all.