Let's go fly a kite!!!

Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!

That is my I am happy/I am oober excited song. :) (Thought you would enjoy that Sarah) So why am I so happy and obber excited? Let me tell you!!!

First off, I have to say that Royal Rangers totally and completely ROCK!!! And for those of you who don't know what Royal Rangers is: Royal Rangers is a ministry that reaches across the United States and in over 65 nations around the world. It motivates boys spiritually through Bible study and memorization, devotionals, and Christian role models. Boys are strengthened mentally by an advanced awards-based weekly program. Further, the boys increase their physical prowess by participation in age-specific activities and recreation. Finally, they are introduced to church, community, and nature-related activities to develop their social skills and awareness. (taken from http://royalrangers.ag.org/about/index.cfm)
Anyways... On Wednesday we (BTown staff) went to Tigard Assembly to pick up some things that were donated to us. When I got there, I found out that they weren't just donated. A group of boys (not sure which age) raised the money and bought BTown Kids a brand new BBQ (a really super nice one), a 30gig Ipod for our music, and 5 new tables. HOLY COW!! I was floored!!! My dad is a long time commander and my brother is receiving his Bronze Metal on Sunday, so I am connected to RR that way. But man, I am just blown away by this.

Second, I received a call from a Child Care Center that I submitted a resume to online and they want me to come in for an interview. Yesssss... that is cool!! So I am going in on Thursday at 10am for that.

Third, I went to the Children's Relief Nursery for their volunteer orientation today. If you can recall I posted a while ago about them and wanted to get a position there and since I couldn't I went for the second best thing: volunteering. I am soooo excited to start there!! This place is amazing! Their classrooms are state of the art, teachers really care about the children and families, there are parenting classes offered, clothes and children's things given to the families and the best part is... everything the CRN offers is FREE of charge to the families!!! As I was walking through the facility I was thinking, "God, this is what I want to do. This is the kind of program I want to have in Seattle." So volunteering here I not only get experience in working with low income, at risk children and their family, I am working at a place that will give me leverage into Seattle.

And finally... well, I can't tell you cause it would ruin a surprise that I have for a friend. But it makes me super dooper and oober excited!!!!

There was one almost downer today, but I think it is a blessing in disguise. I talked to the Apartment manager where we will be having BTown Kids and they aren't ready for us to start this weekend, so we will prolly have to wait until next weekend to start. BUT.... BTown Kids IS starting!!! And that makes me happy!!

OH OH OH!!!! One more thing: My birthday is in two weeks!!! woo hoo!!!! I will be 20. :)

So all of this combined into the last couple of days, makes me want to BURST!! I am literally dancing around my house! hehehehehe.... EXCITED!!!!

So sing it with me....
Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!



PS: I have made an adult decision. Yes that is right. Since one of my weaknesses is Starbucks and I buy coffee there too often for my budget, I am putting myself on a limitation. One a week. Yep on Fridays or Sundays. That is it. Once on either Friday or Sunday. *big smile* I am proud of myself.

Currently Listening Enjoy The Ride By Sugarland Settlin' see related

Summer Movie Frenzy

So on Saturday, I saw one of the 6 movies that I want to see this summer: Spiderman 3szh5ZsAcgJU. I heard from a couple of people that it was good and from others that it was so-so. Personally, I thought it was great. It was a bit long yes, but worth it. The villains were good, revenge was defeated, friends were reunited, and love was restored. It was great! There was only one thing missing. Spiderman should have redeemed the kiss with MJ. When the movie was almost over and they had defeated the two villains, I was ready. At any moment, Spiderman was going to come in and totally redeem the love story. But it didn't happen that way! Gah! Why not!? Too predictable? SO! It was perfect! Anyways, it doesn't matter.

The other 5 movies for the summer:
Shrek the Third 5.18.07
Pirates of the Carribean At World's End 5.25.07
Ocean's Thirteen 6.8.07
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer 6.15.07
The Bourne Ultimatum 8.3.07

The End...

Whew....

So this week is pretty busy for me. Mon, Tues, Wed, and Thurs(only morning this day) I am watching Marshall's two boys while they are at District Council.
Thurs(evening), Fri, Sat(morning) my brother will be here and I will be supervising him while Mom is at a conference.

So I had my interview at Starbucks this morning. I was asked the typical interview questions, the "think if a time when ______ what did you do?" questions, and general ones about what I am doing in Portland. I am pretty sure the interview went well. The manager said that he likes to have a day or two to look over his notes and then he will call. So he said he would call me Wed morning with an answer. We will see what happens then.

That is all for now!! yup yup.

Bad Joke of the Day

TODAY IS 'STARWARS DAY'

MAY 4TH

(May the Fourth be with you)






OK You can groan now... 

woooo hooo!!

Okay, so I have been putting off dropping off my application to Starbucks... partly cause I needed a printer for the resume, but besides that I was putting it off. But yesterday, I got my butt in gear and drove to the Starbucks around the corner. I could have walked, yes, but I also dropped off some mail at the post office, went to Starbucks, then deposited some money, so I had to drive... and the wind was blowing pretty hard. I walk in and ordered my coffee, Grande Caramel Macciato (not decaf today), and handed the gal my app. She rang me up, then handed the app to the guy making my coffee. He proceeds to read it and make my coffee. He looks up at me and asks, "Are you Kari?" "Yes I am" "I am Mike (I'm pretty sure that is what his name was) and I am the manager here. Is there any way you could come in for an interview on Monday?" Thinking to self, "Monday!? what? you are asking me that right now? whoa!" But I say. "Monday... Monday would be fine." Manager: "What time of day works best for you?" Thinking to self: "I have to watch Sam and Noah in the afternoon so..." "Morning would work best." "Here is your Caramel Macciato, let me go check my schedule...... How about 11am?" "11 will work, I will see you then."

HOLY COW!!!!!!!! Like I got an interview right then and there!!!! SWEET!!!! AT STARBUCKS!! That is stinking AWEsome. I know what some of you are thinking... Don't feed her coffee addiction. Well I have taken the advice of a friends authority... If you can drink a swig of black coffee, watch it come out, and swallow it... and you still like it? Then by all means, drink it. So I am. :) Mind you I do Decaf most of the time, because I don't drink coffee just for the caffeine, I also like the taste and smell. And I only drink caffeine sparingly due to heart palpitations. So anyways. Pray for my interview on Monday that all goes well... and that I get the job. And if I get the job, that I get the hours that work best for my schedule at BridgeTown.

loooong weekend

So yesterday I woke up at 7AM!!! Can you believe that I, Kari, woke up at that time on a Saturday!?!?! hehehe... well, I did. That was after going to bed at like 12am cause we had NightStrike. Anyways... I left the house at 8:15ish, stopped for gas, then headed up to Washington for the day. Yep that's right, the day. It was Crimson Bridge this weekend and they wanted to learn "The Stomp" which is a thing we did on DTS. So I drove up I-5 and got the NFC about 11ish. Spent the day there teaching The Stomp, prayer walking, and hanging out with my CB family (esp her!). Then at about 6:30ish I decided that I needed to go back home, so I got in I-5 and drove back to Portland. Sheri and a friend were watching a movie when I got home, so I watched that with them then got to bed at about 10:30ish. Was up again about 8 this morning and went to church with Gramma Carol. So now it is about 2:36 and I am ready for a nap. :P but I can't cause I gotta clean up my room, do dishes, hang my curtains, and run to Fred Myer to get some stuff for my printer. This weekend has been busy to say the least.

Bubbles got some HOTT boots!!! Check these out:


Uh huh, that's right! AWEsome, eh??

PS: Currently Starting the first season of CSI and eventually the first season of House. :P Sheri has season 1-4 of CSI and 1-2 of House. hehehe... and I'm gonna watch em!! Oh and I am eating Couscous. yummy!

And Stuff!

I am blessed beyond all measure.....

With Family who loves me and supports me 100%
With a Church that supports me
With Friends who pray for me and care about my life

With a God, whom I can trust with my life, my decisions, and my future. Who loves me more then anyone ever could.... Who gently leads me back on to the path when I stray... Who is Elohai... My God.

What more could a girl want?

---

Changing gears....
I had life smack me in the face this week when I realized I am turning 20 in about a month. CRAZINESS!!!! I am leaving the teenage years and entering the young adult phase. Weird.

Pics of my house
My bed... yeah it's a twin. Bummer. :P


I know it looks messy, but I am just working on a couple of projects at the same time.




The living room... We have a bigger TV now... well as I am in the process of writing this a guy came and got this tv and we got one from the Center. Man change happens fast! ;)


The kitchen... small, and not much counter space, but cute.


There you go! That is my house!!

blech, blah, gag

i do not like not feeling well. i wouldn't say i'm sick, i just don't feel very good. and it sucks. yup yup.

this coming week is going to to pretty much me looking for a job. i'm gonna talk to some people and see what happens. pray i get the one God wants me to get.

Hit the ground running... kinda.

Well, my first team here at BTown came in last night. They are doing A Week of Passion. So the got here last night and they received orientation. They are spending the day in Portland today so I am chilling at my house. That sounds so cool. My house. hehe... anyways, I'm gonna work on my Resume and College app today, go buy a coffee grinder (yes, for my DECAF coffee), and chill until about 4pm when I will help get dinner ready for the team. Life has been good so far. Oh yeah, my job this week is to job shadow. So I am following Josh and Sheri around seeing how the team stuff works. This morning I was up at 7 to make sure the team was up and ready at 8. Well, I was awake at 6 but dozed until 7ish.
I am actually really excited about one place I am going to look for a job. It is called Children's Relief Nursery and it is a Child Care Center for low-income families. I am totally praying that I will have the opportunity to work there. SHOOTS!!! I just remembered that my CPR/First Aid Card expired a couple months ago. I'm gonna have to find a class. Bleh, I don't like those classes. Oh well, it's for da babies. I am also updating my resume. Yeah I am having lots of fun.

The meaning of multi-tasking: talking on phone to friend in HI, IMing Mom, updating resume, posting blog, and writing an email, while listening to music and thinking about a million different things. lol.

Moving...

So the past... umm... since Friday, so three days, I have been in the process of moving to North West Portland to work with a ministry called BridgeTown Ministries . Anyways, so that is what I am doing for the next six months. Working with them, getting a job, growing more and more in God, and learning how to be independent. That is weird, let me tell you. You mean I have to menu plan and like know what I am going to eat? Oh... yeah. Stuff like that. :P And learning a new area. That will be interesting. hehehe... yep yep.

God Stuff:
Ya know... I really, REALLY like God!!! He is like the coolest thing ever!!! Anyways, I have noticed over the past, oooohh, two weeks or so, and increase in... how do I say this... an increase in tears I guess you could say. I think that I am getting that back. I don't cry, let's start with that. And I certainly DO NOT cry in front of people. Hate that. About 2 weeks ago or so, Mom and I were talking about life stuff and I started like sobbing. She held me and I just cried. I had been bottling stuff up and stuffing the tears. I am a girl!! And girl's have a big right to cry. Tears are something God gave to women to release emotions. Since that night, I have cried more then I did while on DTS. Crazy, yeah? But it is so... I don't know, so good, so wow. And I actually cried in front of people today. The worship leader at Gramma's church was singing a closing song and during one part it totally spoke to me and sounded like this part of my life. I'm not sure what the name is, but I am going to try and find out. Anyways... yeah. God is doing some cool things right now. I am excited to see what's next!!

The Line

This is it
the end of one chapter
closing up of the childhood
no longer one of the youngers
becoming all growed up
making adult decisions
looking at life with adult eyes
no longer concerned with childish things
Life is settling in
making it's home
no more beating around the bush
i am making a stand
drawing a line
You, Abba, are the center
the focus of my life
in You i put my trust

When I was a child, I talked like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

TRUST

1.	reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.

2.	confident expectation of something; hope.

3.	confidence in the certainty of future payment for property or goods received; credit: to sell merchandise on trust.

4.	a person on whom or thing on which one relies: God is my trust.

5.	the condition of one to whom something has been entrusted.

6.	the obligation or responsibility imposed on a person in whom confidence or authority is placed: a position of trust.

7.	charge, custody, or care: to leave valuables in someones trust.

8.	something committed or entrusted to one's care for use or safekeeping, as an office, duty, or the like; responsibility; charge.

I trust in Him, wholly and completely......... Do you?
He is the center of all that I do....... Is He your center?
He is in control of my future......... Is He in control of yours?
His spot is in the driver seat......... Is He driving your life or are you?

Panoply - a full suit of armor

Some interesting things to think about:
-I think a lot of people look at me and say that I'm weird. But what I've noticed - and this used to worry me a lot when I was little - is that I don't know one normal person. I've never met one, actually. We all have our special, odd little things, and we should be proud of that.
-Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today
-The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
-To reject risk is to reject life.
-Just go in there and remember - you're fantastic.

Okay, so you are thinking... well, maybe. So these things you did on Outreach are cool, but what did God do in you? What did you learn? Well, let me tell you! The biggest thing he taught me is...

TRUST HIM IN EVERYTHING!!!!

During the entire outreach, God was teaching me to trust Him in every aspect of my life. When I left to home for outreach, there were things I had to leave undone because of time. I didn’t know when I was moving to Portland, I did not get to finish filling out my application to Evergreen State, and there were several things I was leaving behind. God was asking if I trusted Him enough to bring it all back together and take care of all the unknowns. Everyday it was a continual process of crying out to Him and letting go of all my fears. I had to pry my fingers off of controlling the steering wheel and allow God to take over. The last Sunday of outreach, February 25th, during worship I declared that I trusted God to have COMPLETE control of my future. I felt such a wonderful feeling of freedom after that and during our performance at the church I had so much fun dancing under the new freedom I had found. It will still be a continual process of everyday trusting God, but I know that He is definitely big enough.

I have been changing lives, history and making war in the heavenly realm from Mianyang, China to Kampong Spoe, Cambodia. DUN, DUN, DUN!!! WOOP WOOP!!

One Sunday, in Cambodia, we felt like God was telling us to share personal testimonies or words God gave us then close with “Redeemer.” When I was praying about what to share on, God told me what the topic was: Love one another. Which is something that God was continually telling the team over and over. Every place we went, someone had a message that said, “They will know Jesus by how you love one another.” So it was a familiar topic to us, but to me it was kinda getting old. But God gave me a few verses (9 passages to be exact) and things to say, I was really nervous about speaking in front of the children and staff at the Centre, but God came through and gave me the words to say. The leader, Solvan, was really agreeing with what I had to say. Some, or most, of the children don’t treat each other very nice. They call each other names and hit each other. So even though it was a topic we as a team had heard over and over, I was able (with God’s wonderful help) to bring it to the people He wanted to hear it.

So yes... I spoke in front of 130+ people (most under the age of 20). Can you believe that!?!? If you would have asked me that like 6 months ago... uh uh... no way... and it would definitely have to be a direct word from the Lord to do it again. But yeah... there you go!!!

Me with the city of Mianyang in the background.

This was at one of our favorite restaurants in Mianyang. We were talking to and entertaining some little children that were hanging around staring at us because we were foreigners. It's crazy... over there, we were like movie stars. Everyone stared, pointed, laughed, and if we stood still long enough, a crowd would start to gather. It was funny!

That thing was HUGE!!!! It is called (of course), the Iron Ox. Go figure.

Ramdom Rambling: If I were ever to get a tattoo (not saying I am getting one, so breathe. ) I would want something totally unique. Something that no one else has or will ever have. I would want something that would be me as well. Like for example, when I go shopping with a friend and I see an article of clothing I like, I most often hear from the friend, "That is SO Kari!" And rightly so, because I like it. That is how I would want my tattoo to be. When people see it, I want them to think, "That is so Kari!" So, of course, there would be SOMEthing purple on it.

PS- Does anyone read this anymore? If so, could you please comment so I know to keep posting here. :P It gets a little discouraging when there are not comments on the things God is doing. Thanks, Mangement

This side up ^

So I have been so busy going here and there that I have not had the chance to actually look through my pictures for more stories to put on here. I'm not exactly sure if I am coming or going or if I am up or down. BLAAAAH!! IT has been crazy and it will only get crazier. That is for sure.

Umm... let see if I can come up with a quick short story... dum dum dum.... thinking thinking...

I got to ride an Elephant!!! yep yep!!!! Me and Sarah Pudwill were together on Poo Jumbo. Yeah it was pretty AWEsome! We made up a song... wanna hear it? Well technically, you can't hear it, but I will post the words:
Once upon a time in Thailand
I was riding on an elephant, an elephant, and elephant
Once upon a time in Thailand
I was riding on an elephant, an elephant, an elephant
Today.... HEY!!!

Yeah, pretty sweet huh!? Anyways, there was this cool show before the rides that the elephants put on where they played harmonicas, danced, played soccer, lifted heavy things, and even painted!! It was cool! Then we got to go on a half hour ride. yep yep... it was fun!!!


The soccer game... Elephants are really bad at aiming.

My elephant... yep. It was a pretty jolting ride, but it was fun fun fun!!

That are our footses on the elephants head! How cool is that!!!

Our driver man. He sat on the head the whole way. It takes some great balance to ride like that. He didn't speak much English.
So that was the Elephants (or as we call then at the King house Phino)!

Back from the Outside...

I took a trip to the outside world that had... cough, cough... sputter, sputter... dial up. So I did not even try to get on. hehehe... and when I got home, our internet was down cause some wiring got messed up or something like that. So basically I was off the internet for like four days. *GASP* I know!!!

Today I am happy and sad. My friend Amber went home to Hawaii today, but I am talking to my friend from Romania. There is so much to do and a little time to get it done. BLAAAAAH!!! I should get a move on, but I really just want to sit here at my computer. I should work on my presentation for Sunday, but that would require me thinking. :silly *sigh* Today feels like a lazy Spring day. Although I did get up at 6:45am, but that was to take Amber to the airport.

Anyways... that is really all I have to say. I can't come up with a good story from Outreach to share. So here is a list of the cool things I ate while in Asia:
Cow Stomach
Pig Brain
Squid
Goose liver
Fried Cricket (that is the picture in my profile)
A little fried fish from tail to head

Yes, you eat the whole thing... with rice of course.


This is the pig brain. It was... interesting.

Start your engines....

Okay, so that you have the whole overview of outreach...
Place 1: Mianyang City, in the Sichuan Province, Republic of China...

Mianyang (Chinese: 绵阳; pinyin: Míanyáng; Wade-Giles: Mian-yang) is located in the north of Sichuan Province of western China, the second largest city in this province. It covers an area of over 20,000 km² and has a population of 5.2 million, with 600,000 people in the city proper. Mianyang's climate is the damp subtropical and its annual average rainfall is 1100 mm. Its average temperature is 16°C with highest temperature of 39°C in summer and lowest temperature of -5°C in winter. Transportation to and in Mianyang is very convenient; there are highway and railway connections with several of China's major cities. Mianyang Airport has direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Kunming.

Mianyang is one of China's major electronic industry cities. Mianyang has many well-known research institutions such as the China Academy of Engineering Physics and China Air Dynamics Research and Development Center. Many large-scale enterprises, such as Changhong Electronics Group Corporation, Jiuzhou Electronics Group, Shuangma Cement Group, and Changcheng Special Steel Company also have their home in Mianyang. There are 6 universities and colleges, as well. Mianyang is well known as a science and technology city.

Mianyang has lovely scenery, a long history, and deep cultural roots. It is the hometown of famous poet Li Bai, with many historical relics of The Three Kingdoms.

Place 2: Sanya City, Hainan Island, Republic of China
Sanya (三亚) is the southernmost city in Hainan province, China and has an estimated population of 150,208 (2006). After Haikou, it is the second most populous city of the island. Sanya is revered for its tropical climate and is a popular tourist destination.

Place 3: Chiang Mai City, Chaing Mai Province, Kingdom of Thailand
Chiang Mai (in Thai เชียงใหม่ (help·info)), also sometimes written as "Chiengmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in Northern Thailand, and the capital of Chiang Mai Province. It is located at 18°47′20″N, 98°59′00″ECoordinates: 18°47′20″N, 98°59′00″E, some 700 km north of Bangkok, among some of the highest mountains in the country. The city stands on the Ping river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya river.

In recent years Chiang Mai has become an increasingly modern city, although it lacks the cosmopolitan gloss of Bangkok. It has many attractions for the thousands of foreign visitors who come to the city each year. Chiang Mai's historic strength derived from its important strategic location on an ancient trade route, and long before the modern influx of foreign visitors the city served as an important centre for handcrafted goods, umbrellas, jewellery (particularly silver) and woodcarving.

While officially the city of Chiang Mai only covers most part of the Mueang Chiang Mai district with a population of 150,000, the urban sprawl of the city extends into several neighboring districts. This Chiang Mai Metropolitan Area has a population of nearly 700,000 people, nearly half of the whole Chiang Mai Province.

Place 4: Kampong Spoe City, Kampong Spoe Province, Kingdom of Cambodia
Kompong Speu town, south-central Cambodia. The town lies along the Tnaôt River at the foot of the Dâmrei (“Elephant”) Mountains and astride a national highway linking Phnom Penh, the national capital, with Kâmpóng Saôm, the country's principal seaport. Population: 33,231

The surrounding area supports rice, sugarcane, palm trees, cotton, cassava, and corn (maize); there are also silk spinning, timber trade.

So there you go.... When I talk about a place you can have a small idea of what I am talking about.

Can we scream any louder?

During our trip to the Baima Village in the foothills of the Himalayas (meaning it was freezing to say the least), the team went up to a hill above the village to pray over it. The wind was blowing really hard. We were following what God was telling us to do and one thing He said was do "The Stomp." It is a compilation of a few proclimation verses, stomping, and clapping. Well, we screamed it out over the village. One of the missionaries was down at our guest house becuase her 18 month old was sleeping and she said she could hear us loud and clear. That was with the wind whipping really fast... in the opposite direction of the village. So we were yelling into the wind and she still heard us! Some of the villagers were "whooping" and hollering along with us even though they didn't know what we were saying. After we were done with that, we each (15 of us) picked up a stone and built an altar to God and as each of us placed our stone down we proclaimed a name of God over the Baima people. This time stands out as one of my highlights from the trip.

A few pictures from that trip:


The Baima Village, Mianyang Province, Republic of China


Worshipping from the high place over the village


Proclaiming God's Royalty and Glory over the valley


The altar we set up to remember God in and over that place

HELLOOOO!?!?!?!? Am I out there!?!?!?!?

Kari has returned from her trooping around Asia. She has more stamps in her passport and a great tan, but more important she has a deeper love for God and for His people, she trusts Him with her future, and can't wait for her next adventure with Him.
Over then next little while I will be posting pictures and stories of what God did while I was away. I hope they inspire you to pray for those in the pictures or to go on a missions trip yourself.

May God Bless you!!!!!