When Life Gives You Lemons...

You should eat them with your small group and make sure you take a picture.

Love you guys!!

Love and Lost

When you fall in love, you change. Things that were once important aren’t such a big deal. Relationships and friendships fall to the wayside. Deadlines and priorities just don’t carry the weight that they used to. Nothing else matters anymore.

When you fall in love……or when you’re hooked on a TV show.

I just started watching the first season of LOST. I’m about halfway through (don’t spoil anything for me, or I will be so mad). Honestly, I was skeptical about starting it. All I heard for years was “24! 24! Best show ever. I heart Jack Bauer! Hey, did you watch 24 last night? Blah blah blah.”

I watched 24. Entertaining, but no big deal. In fact, it’s completely forgettable.

And I was expecting to be let down by LOST as well. But I wasn’t.

Now, all I can think about is...

What happened to Jack’s dad’s body? Was it on the plane? Why wasn’t it in the coffin?

What is up with the French woman? Why wouldn’t she go back with Sayid? Where are “the others” on the island?

Why the heck are polar bears on a tropical island?

When are Kate and Jack going to hook up?

When are Kate and Sawyer going to hook up?

Why is Sawyer so cool when he is so detestable at the same time? (Oh wait, I know this answer. His hair and dimples.)

When is Shannon going to die? She is so annoying.

Where the heck did Ethan come from and what did he do to Claire that she can’t remember anything?

What is in the hatch that Locke and Boone found?

What is the deal with Locke? He is such a weirdo. What was the secret he told Walt? What are the little black and white stones for?

AHHHH…………

Ah, jury duty...

Yesterday I spent my time in beautiful downtown Santa Ana, at the courthouse, starting at 7:30am, jury summons in hand.

Not my favorite way to spend a Monday morning, or any morning for that matter, but it wasn’t too bad.

I was called, along with 199 other people, to a criminal case right off the bat. Apparently my name looks like "Leslie Burrow."

I sat next to a sweet old man wearing all black with white socks. When he asked me a question I noticed he had an Australian accent.

"Oh, are you from Australia?!" I asked him.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Oh my gosh, well I just started watching LOST.”

Silence.

Yes, I actually said that to him.

Anyway, after a loooong time hearing about the case, filling out a petition for dismissal, waiting forever to be dismissed, wondering why on earth a woman would wear an Ozzfest concert t-shirt to jury duty, being called back to be told I was dismissed, and checking out, I am now good for at least 364 days.

I've been called for jury duty FOUR out of the SEVEN years I've been eligible!!

But I’ve never been a juror.

The Year of Jane

Six books. Six months. I'm reading all of Jane Austen's novels this year, starting in June after I recover from a brutal semester of school. I'm starting with Emma. If anyone wants to join me, let me know. I'll buy some scones and we can chat.

The Rainbow Connection

Yesterday was a milestone day for a few non-native Californians on our team. A pilgrimage, if you will, that so many of us in Orange County are familiar with. I am, of course, talking about a trip to the Rainbow Sandal outlet in sunny San Clemente. The sign says "World's Best Made Sandals." They wouldn't lie.

This is our new intern, Ben, from India! Ben now knows that if you work at Saddleback Church, you need Rainbow Sandals. They're as important and ubiquitous as side-hugs. Tina, a southern belle who's been here for almost TWO YEARS, still hadn't gotten herself a pair. Clearly, a trip was necessary.

The store can be a bit overwhelming, but with some help from Clayton and Allison's daughters, I was able to find what I was looking for. (Ella almost talked me into buying some sandals with rhinestones on them. Girlfriend's got blingin' taste!)

Elizabeth (a native Virginian and proud owner of Rainbows): "I'm only going to buy a pair if I see the exact ones I want." Jackpot!!!

That's Tatum (aka Tater Tot), Ella, and Karis with Tina.

Tatum liked my black sandals.

It was a great day, and now we are an even more stylish team (who thought it was even possible?!).

All Around the World

A couple years ago during a slow day at work, my friend and I were e-mailing back and forth about where we’d like to be, if we could be anywhere in the world. I kept our favorite ideas and re-reading them makes me smile. Here’s what we came up with:

New York at Christmastime: Ice skating at Rockefeller Center, buying a Christmas tree from some character on a corner, hearing the badly-dressed Santas ringing their Salvation Army bells, and getting frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity.

On a haggard old boat somewhere in the Northern Atlantic hunting for whales among towering glaciers.

In the Lion's Head pub in Cambridge, England, eating fish and chips and imagining the masters at work.

Mining for gold in the wilds of Alaska as bald eagles fly overhead.

In the Garden of Gethsemane on a warm cloudless night, leaning against an olive tree.

Riding a large wooden raft down the Mississippi, Tom Sawyer-style, not worrying where the great river will take you.

In the Bronx, at a ballgame at Yankee Stadium, against Boston, on a hot summer night, eating peanuts and Cracker Jacks and ice cream.

International Spy Museum in Washington DC to work on my cryptology and other “spy skills.”

Leaning out of a cable car as it rolls through the hilly streets of San Francisco, on a crisp, windy day.

Snorkeling over the Great Barrier Reef, just off the coast of Australia.

Riding an elephant through the dense bat-infested jungles of India.

Drifting back and forth in a hammock beneath the shade of a mangrove, a warm breeze finding its way through your clothes while you sip on a cool pina colada.

The Assignment

The screen is white
The cursor blinks

Sweaty hands type
On dirty black keys

A pause
A stare
Click
Delete
And the screen is white again

Her blue eyes burn
It's almost midnight
But she won't sleep
Until it is finished.

Why I love seminary

Eight-hour lectures on the Old Testament can actually be interesting.

Nordstrom is right across the street.

Frisbee playing during breaks.

I am learning a LOT!

I get to hang out with these awesome guys.

And the Chik-Fil-A cow.

Ennui

This used to be the view to the right of my desk.

This is my view now. Lame.

The Crave team moved offices today.

It was sad.

And that's all I have to say about that.