My First Blog - A little about me

Well, instead of doing homework tonight, I decided to blog. A single tear will probably take a stroll down my face when I see my grade, but I think I can handle it...I do pressure well. :) Actually, I don't, but I certainly like to think I do.

I'm locked up in front of my computer most of the time, but I do like to have fun with the girlfriends. Here's a pic of a fun time. Us gals decided we needed a girls hike out and headed for Winter Park, CO. No, we didn't hike all the way there...woo that would be crazy; we drove most of the way...the cabin was a quite a hike in. We had a blast that weekend...no bonfire, but we built a snowlady (what!?!? Men weren't invited...even snowmen), we listened to very old records, we sang VERY loudly, and we danced like the respectable ladies we are ha ha ha...well, we were dorks, but we had a blast. Next cabin trip is scheduled for mid July, and no hiking in is required.

I also took up snowboarding this year...ouch...no I mean OUCH! Caught the hang of it (sort of) and went up as often as I could. Stole the pastors kid to get him addicted to the slopes early...for those who don't know...5th graders ski/board for free. Was glad to have the company when my regular ski-n-board buddy bailed.

I did some absolutely dynamic flips and spins and what have you's. In fact, after doing a perfect 380 spin parallel to the ground and springing up to my feet, an instructor yelled down from the lift "that was awesome...so ACIDENTALLY AWESOME." So much for pretending I knew what I was doing. ha ha

I have a friend from New Orleans that likes to come out to ski with his church peeps during Mardi Gras in LA to escape the, well...yuck...there. This year he didn't come, so I decided to travel there (not during Mardi Gras though...eww). It was one of the best trips I have ever taken...of course I had the best tour guide EVER!

Here are my two favorite pics from that trip (from 16 rolls of film...yikes): The Vieux Carre - French Quarter as we know it - early in the morning and a pic of the early morning fog from the ferry on the west bank of the mississippi.

Fabulous architecture, gas lamps, original horse tie posts, and early morning fog...it was absolutely divine!
Of course, I would be in error if I did not tell you about my morning stop at Cafe Du Monde for cafe au lait and beignets. mmm mmm mmm

The most important thing about me though is my love for the Lord. I am blessed to even be alive when the odds were against me from the beginning. I was abandoned at 8 months, lived in foster care for four years then was taken by my psychologically unstable biological mother and moved to a small town under an alias name...Jones of course...I suppose Smith would have been just as good, but I guess there were already too many Smith's in the town. I was severely abused growing up and began running away at a very early age. By the time I was a teen, I was a mess. I slept in parks, but I always figured they were safe places to be since my friends lived close by...in my young mind I figured at least if I died someone in the area would recognize me (frankly, any place was better than home...including the grave). Looking back, I am amazed at how the Lord protected me during the roughest of times.

Well, one fine day, I ran into one of my substitute teachers whom I absolutely adored. She asked me what I was up to, so I proceeded to tell her of my grand plans to go to California (CA was the place to be...I had to go there), and she asked me to come over for dinner and we would discuss my plans. Are you kidding!!! Who cares about my plans...did she just say dinner? ha ha Well, my dear Kay took me home with her and that night I found out she was more than a teacher...she was a Baptist! She had a much better journey in mind for me. In the few months I was with her, I learned so much. I didn't know of any morals or values, and knew very little of right and wrong, proper and improper...she had her work cut out for her, and even today I cling to many of the things I learned from her. I found out who Christ was during that time, and that he loved me ... wow ... me...the one who was told to grace the world by exiting it. How could he love me when I was vicious to people who even spoke his name around me? How could he love me when I didn't love him? But I found out it was true!

God didn't send Christ into this world to tell us what bad bad people we are (I think we already know that), he sent Christ to restore mankinds relationship to the One who's love is immeasurable, and who's ways are unfathomable. He loves us. In the bible, John 4 talks about a group of people called Samaritans. Samaritans were Jewish people who intermarried with people who worshiped other gods and idols. The Jewish people who were devoted to the one true God stayed away from the Samaritans...even to add three days to their journey by traveling around Samaria so they would not be tainted by the customs of the people. Then Jesus comes on the scene and says he must travel through Samaria. God still had a HUGE heart and love for the Samaritans...and they were doing all the wrong things. Jesus had a need to go there...a greater need than a shorter journey...a divine need. There he met a broken woman and offered her living water and life everlasting. He didn't care about who she was or what she did...he cared about her...just as He cares for you. It doesn't take much to have a part in God's family. The bible says "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Rom 10:9) One simple step makes a huge life difference.

I'm not up for debate, I'm just sharing; but, if you would would like to know more...talk to me.