Emily has started a blog. A non-365 blog, which is weird because she’s been doing 365 for two years. In an e-mail she asked me what she should blog about. I haven’t responded yet, but I don’t know. I don’t even ever know what I should blog about. Some people blog about things – they reshare interesting stuff they find online or whatever. Some people blog about things they make, food or crafts or babies. Some people blog about their family. Some people blog about their daily life. Some people blog a lot of words and no pictures about various things.

But I don’t know what to blog about. The easiest is my daily life, with pictures and stuff. But that has to get boring, right? I’m not the most interesting person on the earth and I refuse to believe anybody cares that much. Oh well. So here’s some updates on my 20/11’s list and my 365 and just life in general. My daily life, I guess. How vain. and boring.

02/365

The evening before I left, I went to church. The last time I will be able to go to New Heights for awhile. So sad. Katie, me & Cassie. I love them very much.

03/365

Big travel day. Woke up, had breakfast with  my papa, went to the airport, was picked up in Oakland by Stacy, received a pb&j sandwich from her {it was delicious} and hit the road. Four hours away from Los Angeles, I decided I absolutely would not make it in one piece – emotionally and physically. Called up Katie and got the OK to stay the night at her house. It was the best decision I have made all year. Katie is good for my heart.

04/365

So I’m trying to be an optimist. I’m trying to learn what it means to have hope and joy and to be content in any and all circumstances. I’m discovering that it all has to be intentional. These are not things I am inclined to do naturally. So I texted Sarah and we went to Panera {nursery rhyme time!} and I got a cup of hot chocolate {so good!} and a cinnamon roll {Sarah’s suggestion}. It was good. The time with Sarah, and the eats.

05/365

Sofia and I were finally reunited. We hung out in this cool cardboard playhouse she has in her room {on the door of it is a sign that says “Sofia’s room. and Stephine”} and we went to the library and shared a cookie at a bakery.. but not before hatching a dragon egg. It foamed over the side of this cup and revealed a cute little purple dragon. and then I remembered “I get paid for this.” and felt blessed.

06/365

…and speaking of reunions, it is so good to be around my roommates. Well, some of them. Aleen immediately left for Canada the day after I returned. but Rachel and I went to IKEA. We didn’t buy anything until the end, when we each got 2 hot dogs. I love hot dogs, and I don’t even care what they’re made out of.

07/365

I went to YPL at the Pomona corps. Sarah put together this awesome thing where we played a card game and whoever won got to take a card that was part of an ice cream sundae, and at the end you got to build a sundae with what you won. Well, I’m pretty good at card games and this was my sundae pile… after I gave away some. One girl had only won a cherry. She did some Justin Bieber bashing, so I told her if she sang “Baby” very nicely, I would give her one of my scoops. She did. I ended up trading a scoop for a topping. It was excellent. The ice cream, the cards, the girls, and the time.

Phew. I would also like to take a moment to update this:

1. Read and write about 11 books.
2. Sleep in 11 different places. {4/11}

1. My house, Vancouver WA. – January 1, 2010
   
2. Katie’s house; Bakersfield, CA – January 2, 2010
   
3. My apartment; Covina, CA – January 3, 2010
   no picture… yet.
4. Sarah’s house; El Puente, CA – January 7, 2010
   no picture…. yet. 🙂

3. Paint 11 pictures.
4. Write 11 letters.
5. Buy 11 people coffee.
6. Go on 11 adventures.
7. Give away 11 items I own.
8. Read 11 books of the Bible.
9. Spend 11 days without the internet.
10. Seek out 11 people in prayer.
11. Help 11 people do something important.
12. Donate $11 11 times {aside from World Vision & Mocha Club}.
13. Go out of my way to show 11 people I love them.
14. Memorize 11 Bible verses.
15. Share 11 #truthursdays
16. Every month make a list of 11 things I am grateful for.
17. Document 11 days in pictures.
18. Make a list of 11 places I want to go.. and go.
19. Visit 11 different {not new!} churches. {3/11}

1. Mt. Olivet Baptist Church; Portland, OR – January 2, 2010
   
2. The Salvation Army; Vancouver, WA – January 2, 2010
   
3. New Heights Baptist Church; Vancouver, WA – January 2, 2010
   

20. Wild card 

Here’s some food for thought, after sitting through all of my pointless updating about myself. I’ve been thinking about a few things lately.

• I’m trying to be an optimist, to live life fully. A few days ago I wrote something I really liked; I might share it with you. It’s about a rocking chair, and how one day I hope to sit in one and tell my little grandkids stories I lived.. and how that requires bravery and adventure and optimism. So I’ve been working on my optimism, on my ontological existence.In doing that, I’ve really come to realize that optimism is dependent on hope, and hope is spiritual. You can be spiritual with lots of things. You can be spiritual about God or nature or people. Your hope has to be put in something outside of yourself. Even if you put hope in yourself, you’re still putting hope in circumstance that allows you to develop yourself, or to prove yourself.. you know? So as a believer, my spiritual hope is found in God, and that means that my optimism must spring from him as well. My outlook on the future has to be founded in God if I am to look favorably upon it.

• I can’t put this into words just yet, but I’ve been thinking a lot about repentance and forgiveness and the motives behind it in my life. Any thoughts?

I will leave you with this quote I found and loved.

An honest man with an open Bible and a pad and pencil is sure to find out what is wrong with him very quickly.
-A.W. Tozer