Beach Camping

Sharon & Darryl Johnston
Today i met up with the Johnstons, the Holmquists, and other relatives done in Carlsbad. We went surfing, talked around the fire, made so kind of chocolate biscuit thing, and played the guitar! It was such a fun and relaxing night! God has been good to me and has been challenging me in a bunch knew ways. It's good.

Sitting around the fire!

STUPID!!!

So the car was getting worked on so i figured i would cruise around on my longboard skateboard. Since i was cruising i left the sandals on... OBVIOUSLY!!! Welp the good news: Even when i couldn't stop and had to bail i ended up only losing one toenail.... the bad news: I lost one toenail... and it HURT! Don't try this at home!

Ouch

Flashback!!!

My twin
Everytime i see this guy at camp i think i am looking at me ten years younger again... just not quite as cute! His name is Cole and if you ever wondered what i looked like as a kid... Here you go!!!

JC Bodyshop
Today i stopped by the old youth group! They were doing good! There was about 40 teens that came and Steve Woodland spoke. Next week i am probably going to speak. It will be fun to get all my thoughts out again... a quick prayer for that would be great!

7 miles!

Yeah i couldn't believe it myself
It is time to start running again! I went out jogging at cruising speed for a 5 mile jog or until i got tired... i ended up going for 7 miles! THis was like my kick off to get exercising again. Since i have been back i have exercised like once a week, but instead decided to enjoy the food and not work that hard. Now it is time! I weigh 210! I weighed 185-190 out of high school 2 years ago! Anyways, if anyone thinks i am bragging... i'm not. THe next day i went out to run and only got to 1 3/4 miles before i was done. Have a great day and stay happy! :)

Remembering the family

My family in Washington DC
Forget Where's Waldo... Where's BRENT!?! :) I had to do a post on my family as they all got together in Maryland this weekend! I love them and i am sure they had a blast although i am sure they missed me. No family is complete without the annoying little brother! hahaha but they enjoyed themselves. Now my mom, day, Jen, and Brandon are down in North Carolina visiting the grandparents on the farm for a few days! So jealous! If you ever dream of living a laid back life on the farm with a slow paced life, this is the place. It is paradise! A beautiful white house, ponds to fish on, cows to chase, a tractor to drive, and beautiful mountains and fields to enjoy! I hope you are enjoying life, Family!

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

QUICK THOUGHT:
"God's dreams for your life are not for you!" - Miles McPhereson The dreams i have for my life, the money i am making right now to spend, the job i am working at, whatever i am doing to enjoy life, whatever i am trying to get better at like surfing, and everything i own is not for my enjoyment! Well, yes it is to an extent, but its main purpose is to some how glorify God! How blind am i most of the time, that i think i am earning this money or getting better at surfing for me. It should be and will be somehow for Him! Now if i start living like that i will have a much better perspective on life!

Skyline Wesleyan Church
Today i visited Skyline Wesleyan Church for their 50th year anniversary service. I went with Rick and Amber Klausen(friends from El Cajon Wesleyan). It was huge because the services were combined under a big tent! Maxwell spoke and it was nifty to see Jim Garlow and Maxwell up there together.

Jim Garlow(present pastor) and John Maxwell(former pastor) at Skyline Wesleyan Church.
Then I went with Rick golfing later in the day. I got lucky, but I made a birdie putting from the rough and i chipped in my first shot ever! I talked to Casey Craig a friend from El Cajon Wesleyan who is traveling with a minor League team trying to make it pro. Apparently he is doing really well with hitting and even stole home in one of his last games... that reminds me of Sandlot the movie! ANyways, I went over to Travis Hobbs graduation party from IWU for a little while and then went to The Rock where Miles McPhereson(a former Charger) speaks! He spoke the Word of God and was HILARIOUS as usual! Trace and i had a good talk about life afterwards. It's amazing how God orchestrates everyday life to wake us up to His truth and miracles in so many ways!

Fun & Exhausting

Some of the crew chillin on the beach

San Onofre Sunset
Friday, i had a day off so i worked construction with Trace for his step dad Dennis... NEVER AGAIN! just kidding, but seriously it was one of the hottest and most exhausting days i ever worked. But it was cool to feel like i really earned the money. After that i headed up to Beach camp with some friends from Work. There was about ten of us. We had smores and hungout on friday night. I spent two hours in the waiting room while one of the girls was getting treated for the burns she got on the back of her legs while bending over the fire! It would be typical for a girl to ruin the night with some act of stupidity, wouldn't it? Just joking. Luckily she burnt herself after the smores though! Then we went Surfing Twice today, cooked out, laid on the beach, played the guitar, and just enjoyed life! I'm exhausted, but i know i am not going to get much sympathy for this one!

San Clemente Sunset

A nice Wave

I have woken up at 5:00AM the past two mornings to go surfing!  It has been great.  Today, I almost got barreled for the first time.  The waves were small but had good form.  I was too big and not quite good enough, though!

This is being barreled, but this is not nearly what i looked like.  I still had a great time.  I am loving life and getting to hang out with my friends.  it's good!

A Tribute to the old houses

Here is a look at all the places my family lived in California

The Church Parsonage Lived here 7 years
This was the place we moved into coming from North Carolina. The new pastor is fixing it up! If there is one thing i remember about this house... it had a gargantuous mailbox. I really think i could've fit in it as a first grader. Surprisingly enough, i was never stupid enough to try!

Second House- lived here 2 years
This is where we lived up on Shadow Mountain for two years. The view was AMAZING! The fires burned the mansion next door and apparently got very close to this house but it ain't got nothin'!

Last House- Lived here 5 years
This is the last place we lived which my mom and dad turned into a paradise. Beautiful Backyard, swimming pool with waterfall and slide, jacuzzi, a pool table, and a good view. We should've advertised and rented it out as an isolated resort on the edge of Lakeside and the people would've just come flocking! Well maybe subsitute Lakeside for "San Diego, CA" but you get my point!

Visiting El Cajon Wesleyan

El Cajon Wesleyan
Today, i got to stop by our last home church. It was fun to see all the familiar faces. The music was pretty much the same style, the service had a good feel to it, and the new senior pastor Stephen Forsyth had a great message. There were still changes but it awesome to see how God continues to bless and grow the body of Christ everywhere!

It was pretty crowded
I went to Flood that night and i sang Holy and Anointed One and it struck me...

Your name is like honey on my lips
Your Spirit is like water to my soul
Your Word is a lamp unto my feet,
Jesus i love you, I love you.

And i sat there and thought, these words are truth, but are they truth in my own life?
Is His name so sweet that i crave talking about him like i crave chocolate?
Is His Spirit and time with him essential for me to get through the day or can i do without?
Is his Word really what's guiding me or is it just giving me hints/suggestions in my life?
and then i came to this final question... i know i am okay and not rebelling...
but am i challenging myself to go to new heights in my walk? How have I challenged myself in a new way this past month? Somthing to think about!

Good Times in Cali

Danielle, TIffany, and Me
I have been seeing everybody since i have been home. I caught up with Danielle and Tiffany(two of the the San Diegans that go to Indiana Wesleyan too). I have seen a few movies, Trace and i went and played basketball and frisbee the other night, and surfing as usual. I did laundry last week(and some of you ask "why is that a big deal?" but if you know me...That's a BIG Deal!), Trace and i did some work for Dennis(Trace's Step dad), and i got a new country cd. WARNING: Country music grows on you! I am still not hard core, but if i am not careful i could easily fall into the deep end of country music! :)

The Count
Surfing=11111111111111
IN-N-OUT= 1111111
Mexican Food=1111111111
and it continues!
TOday was a great day of surfing. We went to PB(Pacific Beach) and i was catching big waves and Trace couldn't stop smiling because he pulled his first floater. He couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day. Well, Trace and I have been reading the Purpose Driven Life as of late. While we were surfing Trace said that his metaphor for life was: "Life is a Wave." I started to crack up because of the obvious answer to this statement and he told me to hear him out. He said, "We are sitting in the ocean and God is the waves. We need to and are going to be moved by God(the waves) no matter what, so the question is what you do with it. No matter how big or small, God is going to send waves into your life and you need to decide what to do with it. They can crash on you, they can suck you out into the sea, or you can ride them and make the best of whatever is sent your way.

Fun with the Kids at Sea World!

Sea World Group
I am working 40 hour weeks for the summer! It's long but crazy fun. Wednesday we the campers washed the counselers cars(oh yeah, we've got the power), Thursday we went to Seaworld, and Friday the 5th-8th graders that i work all go to the beach... Exhausted?!? Oh yeah, i have slept in until noon the past two Saturdays!

It's Great to be a kid

The Beautiful Life

The Marriot
God has been good to me out here. We just finished our first week of working at the kid's summer day camp last week. I am teaching Bible and it is going to be AWESOME! It will give me an opportunity to still have a ministry and yet have a lot of time off too. You've gotta keep it real! As i am reading the through the Purpose Driven LIfe, i think it is chapters 5 and 6 that keep echoing "Life is a Test, a Trust, and a Temporary Assignment." Thinking about this really helps me keep my life in check. That is why i am also really like the Switchfoot song "this is your life, are you who you want to be?" So in honor of this siezing the day attitude, i went and ordered not a doulbe double... but a 5x5 at IN-N-OUT and enjoyed the beautiful buildings and palm trees around me. It has been especially fun talking to all of my old friends: Matt Moser, Noah Vowles, Mike Muniz, Clint Gerlek, and the list goes on and on! Just keepin' it real and enjoying it!

mmmm....

A Tribute to all those girls...

Who keep everybody on their toes. It's amazing! I could know and talk to a girl who is a little below my eye level for years. Then one day she will walk up to me and she is either a few inches taller than me or a complete midget! It's shoes like the crazy one's below that blow me away... It for sure has to be like a 5 inch heel! I would be Shaq's size if i wore those shoes... well not quite, but you get the point!

Look at the size of those things!

Padres' Game in the New Stadium

Day
So after work... oh yeah, had a little work today!... I went to the Padres' game. Trace's step dad Dennis was hosting a business party so we went to the Padres' game for free and went into the Private Party section and had ALL the free hot dogs, chicken strips, barbecue & honey mustard sauce, and sodas that WE WANTED!!! i don't think i have ever felt so special in my life. This was the Stadium view we had. It was a pretty cool Stadium. The Stadium is right in the middle of everything downtown and has a great view. It was a chill night. QUICK NOTE: "Chill" is Trace's new word for everything... so if i start to say it, sorry. After that we went and sat in a jacuzzi for a little while. Not a bad night at all if you ask me!

Taneil & boyfriend Ryan, Trace, Tom, and Me

Night

Backyard Stadium View With the Coronado Bridge!

another stadium view

OUCH!!!

Front Right Bumper
This is for all of you that feel like nothing bad happens to anyone else... because it does! Especially to accident prone people like me! On my way to work about a week ago, i had to pull forward to get around Trace's truck before i went to work. The thing i forgot to take note of was the detached bulldozer bucket conveniently placed where i couldn't see it. In the parent's new car... this could never be a good thing so a few scratches, the window washer fluid container, and probably a couple of my pay checks later... Life goes on. If your life is bad just remember somebody has it worse, and its probably me...hahaha just kidding! Happy 4th of July!