The Plot : The Stealing of the Mustang Mascot

The plan was fool proof. There was no way they could fail now. As Samantha Robinson pulled up behind the school, behind the railroad tracks where the buses drop off, she began to have doubts as to the success of their plot. “I do not know about this guys,” Samantha said with doubt in her tone, “Why can’t we just leave them a degrading note or something on their gym or change the M on the football field to a C? Do we really have to steal their mascot?”

“Lighten up Sam,” laughed Rudie as she messed up Samantha’s hair, “You and Norman are just going to sit here and keep the engine running while me and Monique go in, grab the stupid costume, and then we will all go to Denny’s to celebrate.” Samantha wasn’t convinced. “You still owe me gas money for all of this,” said Sam as she rolled her eyes and put the car in park. Norman sees Sam’s fear and gently reminds her that they will all be ok and at the first sign of trouble they can drive off, without Rudie and Monique. Rudie glares at Norman and plans to get her revenge on him at a later point. Right now, she needed to focus.

As Rudie and Monique get out of the car, Rudie’s mind starts going a million miles an hour. All at once she is trying to remember how everything is about to happen. They would use the cover of darkness to get over to the hall in which Ms. Kies’s room is located. Once there, the doors remain unlocked up until the room itself. Luckily, they had snuck the key out during a class they had with Ms. Kies earlier that day.

Getting into the room was a breeze and thanks to Athena, they knew exactly where to find the lovely (sarcasm) Mustang costume. Finding it with ease they began to get careless in their judgment, laughing and joking at the top of their lungs. The sound they made boomed throughout the hall. Outside the front of the school happened to be a police officer doing his rounds when he heard the ruckus the girls were making. He decided he better check on the school.

As the girls headed outside they noticed the police officer and panicked. They would not be able to make to Sam’s car and not get caught. They decided to try to make a run for it, but as the girls approached the football field, they knew they would not be able to escape without some diversion. Rudie turns to Monique and says, “Time to act natural.”

As the police approached the field, he took out his flashlight. What he saw confused him. There was the Mustang mascot costume but it appeared to be eating the grass. Riding on the mascot was a girl in a cowboy hat. “What are you doing?” asked the officer with a bewildered look on his face.

“What does it look like? I am feeding my horse,” replied Monique coolly. The officer was so astounded and amused. He couldn’t let the girls go, though, and said, “Well, I think you and your horse need to come with me.” Rudie wasn’t about to let it go down this way and started galloping away. The police officer was in hot pursuit as Rudie and Monique approached Sam’s car. They jumped inside and Sam sped off.

Not even a minute later, Doug is sitting in his room, checking his facebook, when his mom comes in. “Doug? The Mojave Mustang and a few others are here to see you.” The gang walks in with Rudie still in the Mustang costume.

Hosea Part I

Hello all! I know it has been forever since I posted and I was going to post all of my study of Hosea in one post. Alas, I cannot. This book is way too much to dissect in one go. So I am going to discuss the concept of brokenness and how it can bring us back to where we began. I am finding out just how much God is in love with us and it makes me cry reading this book.

I have recently been thinking about how God pursues us. He loves us so relentlessly that He follows us into it all showing His love in everything our lives bring us. He does not force our love in return but desires it. I know you are probably like, "Duh, Athena." but this is new to me.

In Chapter two, God discusses how He will bring Israel to a point where they will have to acknowledge Him to survive. They think they can handle it all with "their other lovers" but they cannot. God has the power over everything. He can change the hearts of our friends to turn away from us in our time of need. I think God does this to show us just how unstable human love truly is. We fail even when we do not mean to. However God's love is never ending and is permanent.

After God's discussion on how He will bring Israel to its knees, God then says He will allure her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. This part astounded me. I didn't think Israel was getting out of this one and it reminded me of a time with my dad. I had stolen a pen from a store at the airport when I was 6 and he found out. Before my dad spanked me, he explained how he loved me and just wants me to know that he will no matter what. It is hard to believe as his hand comes down hard on my backside but it is so true.

All of my thoughts have led me to think of what I put up on a pedestal as God or instead of. I was talking to my High School Chem teacher today and he said something kinda cool. His wife wants him to be protected while he drives and gave him a rosary. He is not catholic and doesn't believe in the rosary but sometimes, seeing the cross will be an alter of sorts, a way to remind himself of God. He has to remind himself though that the little stupid jesus on the rosary is not his risen savior. That got me thinking a lot. Sometimes i feel as if Navigators is Jesus and while they teach me more about my God, they are not God themselves. I feel this way about a lot of things though and God is revealing this to me each day.

So this has been a post that doesn't make the most sense but it does to me =)
I encourage you guys to read Hosea and maybe you can help me with a few questions =)

Some Thoughts (as found in my journal)

I have been thinking a lot about God lately and my relationship with Him. Actually, this is a lie. I have been bombarded with truths about God and His role in my life. I have been attempting to suppress His voice for reasons I do not fully understand. It all started June 20th, Father's Day, when Pastor Bob gave a sermon on the following: "If I could go to heaven and be with everyone I love and it be absolutely perfect But Jesus wasn't there, would I still want to go?" This question hit me and got me thinking a lot. I think I would say no to going to heaven if this were the case. But I have my days (or years) of not loving God as I should and I think I have figured out why. I just finished reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. In the book, Miller discusses the concept of story and how it translates into a life. One point he makes which I found extremely profound was how human lives are not like stories in that we do not have climaxes, or moments that solve all our problems. I often think that relationships, possessions, and even my relationship with God will be like a climax in which once this one thing comes into my life, my problems will disappear. Once I realize this is a lie, I can be free to love people more fully, get more out of my stuff or let it go, and desire to spend more time making a better story with my creator leading the way, knowing that none of these things remove the problems of my life.

Once I get to a place, I do not remember the journey most of the time. This is why I have to set up alters....not because God likes seeing piles of rocks but to remind myself of God's faithfulness. It is like we were discussing in Sunday School two weeks ago: Samuel and the Israelites set up an alter to remember God's faithfulness against their enemy, the Philistines.

God prayed for us that the evil one would not triumph over us...not that we would have perfect, problem free lives.

Miller brings up a point that I learned at STP: God takes delight in us. Miller compares it to his dog Lucy. He loves watching his dog play in the creek and he takes pleasure in her pleasure. It is the same with God. He delights in us playing and discovering life. God wants us to enjoy life and remain faithful to Him. They go hand in hand, I am learning, in that really getting the most out of life comes from a relationship with God. This is an exciting process and I am eager, and scared, of what awaits around the corner.

just realized something

I am starting to figure out that I do not matter to people. I see all the happy conversations people are having via facebook and I feel left out. I am giving up I think. No one reads this blog any way.

It's about time

So I figured it was about time I updated this thing with my conclusion of STP. I am going to do so but I am going to preface this little spiel with the fact that I am still processing and I will most likely not know to the extent that I learned at the Greenhouse STP. I am still processing all that was said, reading through journals and attempting to sift emotions that I have about the whole experience. This is quite a lengthy process.

Any ways....on to the good stuff.

I think one thing I learned that I didn't necessarily understand before was more on the concept of God liking me. Ok, you are probably saying to yourself, "Athena, God loves everyone." Yes, I know but does He like me? The answer is not only yes but he takes delight in me. Kyu-Ho gave a great talk on the kingdom and what God desires from us. He desires faithfulness, like that of a Bride to a Groom, Husband to wife. We are like kids in a living room running amuck and God is the Father on the couch just delighting in His child. This made me realize something and Kyu-Ho says it really well: The more we hide, the more we wonder which "us" He loves. Be honest and just know that He loves you, the real, messed up you!

I also learned the importance of evangelism and how to do it. Steven's crash course in how to strike up the convo was so handy. We did evangelism both Saturdays at STP and the first time I cried. I was so scared and nervous. Luckily, I had Diana, my teamleader, as my partner and she just told me to pray for us as we went out. I ended up sharing the bridge with a girl from Switzerland. This made me realize that I want to do an IBD with international students next semester. Hopefully it works out.

I think the greatest concept that was reinforced while there was the awesomeness that praying through Psalm can be. Towards the end of STP, I was fed up with getting nothing from Colossians, and maybe I wasn't meant to, but I was ready to just throw in the towel. Steven encouraged me to read Psalm 13 and oh boy that chapter is so what I was thinking....minus the last part. Psalm 13 says:

¹^A)"> How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
²How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
⁴ lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him,"
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

⁵But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
⁶I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

I was pretty much feeling it all except the last part. I wasn't remembering God's faithfulness. I started journaling through this and this led to other Psalms and other books.

We also had some really fun dance time =)

So To recap: STP was awesome and I am still finding that I learned more than I thought. I also made good friends even if they do not talk to me on facebook now.
My life is moving pretty fast out here in the desert and I am spending time getting a lot of stuff done in my room. I hope you are all well and look forward to seeing some of you soon!

The Greenhouse STP

STP 2010 has been amazing so far. We are studying the book of Colossians and really just running after God in this two week period. The first week is done and while it seemed like the longest week of my life, it has also been such a good week.

Our daily Schedule

• 8:30-9am: Breakfast
• 9-9:20am: Worship through music
• 9:20-11:20: Bible study prep
• 11:20-12:20: Bible study in our teams
• 12:20-1: Lunch
• 1-5: Work (I work in the dining hall, go figure=)
• 6-7: Dinner
• 7-whenever: Nav Night or team bonding

With all that I am learning here, I am somewhat disappointed. I imagined that God would just change my life through me studying Colossians but I honestly do not feel like I am getting anything from the study itself. I am learning so much from all the other things. Here are some questions that have stuck out in my mind.

Have been thinking critically about what I believe about God?
Is God and His word what drives my thinking or do I use Him as a resource, not the source?
Am I being transparent and vulnerable?

I am realizing how much I am not vulnerable with my sin and that is hindering me from getting beyond this sin. I am more worried about my standing with people than getting past these sins I fall into over and over again. I also got to do evangelism with a stranger for the first time yesterday. I shared the bridge with a girl named Stefanie from Switzerland and it was so exciting. She did not jump all over wanting to be saved because she doesn't see a need for God but it made me realize I have a heart for the international students. I think I want to do an IBD with I-House next semester.

God has been so gracious here at STP and I cannot wait to share more, but for now I am going to go eat dinner. I love you all!

Pre-STP: The Close of My Fourth Semester at CSULB

Well, I am now officially moving into my third year at CSULB. It is super crazy just how much things are changing in my life. Just thinking about where I was at the beginning of this semester and how God is changing my heart has been astounding and mind boggling. I am truly blessed, even when the changes hurt.

As I prepare to head to Summer Training Program with the Navigators at Pine Valley Bible Camp, I am thinking about what I want to see happen. I really want to spend a lot of quiet time with God. I know that once I get home, I might get distracted with matters in CC. I am praying that this intentional time with God will carry me home and help me seek consistency in my walk with Christ. I do not really know what to expect for STP, I just know God is going to work and I am excited to see that.

I am also working through not being sad about all of the friends who are graduating or moving far away. I had a good cry about that on the way back from the beach today and I am just praying to God that He comforts my heart and blocks out the lies that satan is telling me in that I will never see these people again. I hope that even if that be the case that I will be ok with that and be happy for these wonderful friends and the journey that God has in store for them. I know that someday, approaching quite soon, I will be one of these people who leave to continue the journey elsewhere. God has work that is to be done and I am trying to get to a place where that doesn't frighten me so.

This summer is looking so promising. I am praying that God will help me in CC, working with my home church and the youth that are there, I am planning some ideas for fun outreach days with the youth. I also want to be a blessing to my Dad's best friend, Steve Knight. As of right now, it looks like I may be working with his campaign this summer. I just pray that God's hand is visible in this campaign. I hate politics but Steve is like my Uncle and I adore him. He is a great person and truly loves God. I just pray that I can be a light in the dark political world as he has been too!

I am running on very little sleep after an all-night adventure [which was amazing] and so I think I shall conclude this blog post. I love you all and pray that you are seeking God above all else!