Mr and Mrs... Juan and Katie

So this weekend I had the privilege to attend my cousin Katie's wedding in San Franscico CA. Katie and Juan are both artists and Juan designed their outfits. The ceremony was beautifully non-traditional, including a 3-D walking spiral illustration of marriage (thanks Tara), Juan's band, a fantastically rich chocolate cake, and tons of incredible mexican food. It was also so wonderful to see my dad's side of the family. Ironically enough I am going to see them all again in two weeks at my Aunt Lisa's wedding in New Jersey. It is rare that I see them so much in one year and I am thrilled about it.

To explain the pictures below:

Me and my cousin Eric (Katie's brother). I don't know when but he sure grew up fast. He is in that "uber-cool" stage, do I miss those days!

This is my Grandma (my dad's mom). She's a classic!

The walking spiral illustration. Way cool! Ask me more if you are interested (or weren't there).

These are five of my dad's six sisters (from left): Angela, Jenny, Rebecca (twin), Eva, and Heather. Missing is Lisa, the youngest, who is getting married in two weeks so you will get a picture of her then. (Alex, Heather's son, is squeezed in down below)

Juan, Katie and the cake. Incredible artists!

Katie's family: my uncle Klaus, Katie, Eva and Eric.

What a great captured the essence shot of my cousin Alex (thanks jenny for taking it). He doesn't like getting sunscreen applied, but then again who does?

Deloras Mission Park in SF where the wedding was. Isn't it fantastic?!

It was a weekend of great conversations, deep thoughts, little arguments, and a merging of many peoples.

May God bless you Juan and Katie in your future together!

Mark's Prom

So to talk about family and originals, this is the Raimondo family. They were my neighbors since I was 4 years old and though they no longer live in the adjoining twin, Vince and Joyce remain my parents' best friends. The handsome guy in all those picture is Mark. He is just the most fantastic young man you will ever meet. He is my brother from another mother and just so awesome. These pictures are from his prom (thanks for emailing me them Vince)!

Puzzle Pieces of Me

The series we are in at HPC is called "Family". It is all about your family and relationships. The series for Late Nite ties in with that as it is called House. Pastor Johnny Green spoke at Late Nite last night about investing in your local church and really making it your family. That it should be your house. Where you are rooted and planted and where you see the fruit of your work.
Anyway, it made me think about how HPC really is my home. It is all I have got down here in Baton Rouge and the people really are my family. (Not to replace any Flanigans or Thorps, just additional and local)
But then I thought about how in this path of my life and all of my travels, people are added along the way. And as I have moved such far distances, many of the additions have never met the originals.
For example, no one in Baton Rouge has ever seen my home in Havertown or my school in Wisconsin. No one knows what my life was before 2004, besides what I tell them. It is an interesting thought about what defines you, what you share about yourself, and who you are. At times it is lonely to think that no one know the whole of my life, but everyone see only a puzzle piece of it. On the other hand, it is exciting to think that all of these puzzle pieces are the picture of me and who I am.
Random thought: I would love to have a big ol' celebration somewhere where everyone I know meets each other and we take a big picture together. But I guess will have to wait until then end of my life so that I can include all the future friends and family and places. That will be awesome.

Deep Thoughts

So I feel like I haven't posted in a while, but then I looked and noticed that I just posted on the 23rd. That is the curse of the blog, you post everyday and then realize your life is not that exciting or you don't have any new things going on. But recently I have stopped writing not because of lack of stories (those who know me know I always have stories) but rather that I have been s-t-ruggling.
We all go through battle and this has been a long one for me. I have been growing weary of work and arguing a lot with the purpose God wants to work in my life. Some call it Gesthemane (the lonely place where you lay down all your will and take the cup of His will), others know it as the back side of the desert (the preparation zone where you are hidden from recognition and open for criticism); it is that season of my life when I am wanting the amazing anointing and only receiving the pain of the mundane.

My friend Rachel made a wise comment (good wise not smart aleck) to me last week when we were talking about our current circumstances: "We all want to SUFFER for Christ but it few desire to simply LIVE for Christ". I am paraphrasing it because she said it much cooler but that is how I was feeling. I totally am pumped to do the radical, ridiculous, world-changing things for Him but He wants me to do the mundane, daily, little things for Him and I am kicking and fighting against it. I feel like I cry out, "Here I am! Send Me!" and He responses, "I Did! I sent you to where you are! Now show me that you are faithful with what I have given you!"

So here I am, anxious and excited for the next adventure and not investing into where God has me. Not being thankful for the opportunity I have right in front of me.
The last week was the toughest. Just feeling like I was falling away, not on the right track. And thinking about all that I could have done has I just followed my will. Where would I be right now if I just gave up...

But now as I look back I just see I ignored all the signs that God showed me that I was EXACTLY where He wants me. He brought a friend down to encourage me; he sent people into my life at exact moments of the day to challenge and strengthen me. He even woke me up daily before dawn to tell me that He is not giving up on me. He stretched me, challenged me, taught me and even embraced me... and after I still didn't get it,... He simply spoke to me.
Sunday morning at 3:45 am He wakes me up saying "Isaiah 42:7", now mind you I have never read the whole book of Isaiah let alone memorized that verse but it was clear as a yell. "ISAIAH 42:7". So after much groggyness and trying to sleep off the noise, I outstretched my arm to the light and then down to my bible and without lifting my head from the pillow opened to the verse: "To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison." Okay, so I am awake now but this can't be for me, so I read the verse before (as if this first hit was not enough), verse 6: " "I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations,... to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison."

Got it.
Totally for me.
Turns out He knows what He is doing with me. He hasn't forgotten about me here working in the office of a Prisoner Re-entry grant. He sees me. He is watching over me.

I love how He does that. He doesn't mind our fighting, our bickering, or even our whining (that is a mystery to me, I would hate it). He will not give up on us. He cares so much for us. He knows that what He has planned is FAR BETTER than ANY OF OUR OWN IDEAS so he keeps tugging on us. Keeps pushing us forward. Thank God!

Oh and about that "where would I be right now if I just gave up...", don't even waste your time dwelling on that question. It is a scheme from the enemy and not worth it because even your wildest imaginations are LAME to the Infinite Plans of God.

Who would have thought Baton Rouge, Louisiana? What will He think of Next???

Trip to NOLA

My high school friend Rachel Hosan, who is now living in Chicago and soon to be moving to Germany, came down to visit me this weekend. It was so good to see her and to show my life to her. It was an introspective time for the both of us as we are both in very challenging seasons right now. While we were together, we stopped down to New Orleans to see the french quarter. It was her first time there and mine since the hurricane, and I must say I am impressed at how positive the atmosphere was there. Just like Louisiana, there was a festival there this weekend (this state has more festivals than I thought possible, sometimes several in one weekend) called the French Quarter festival so we got to listen to a lot of great music and the area was so alive. Here are some pictures. Enjoy!