depth perception

When did it suddenly become December? Christmas lights are up. Hawaiian Santas are popping up in store windows. Garland is hanging in doorways. It's insanely trippy to be wearing shorts every day and blasting the AC at night. But I will not so secretly admit.....I LOVE IT! :)

I had to buy new sunglasses this week. I've always felt like my face was not meant for sunglasses. And I begrudgingly wear my normal glasses (even though I am probably a hazard to others around me without them. Yikes). When I was out paddling the other day, I was looking down into the water, and it was a pretty clear day, gazing at all the coral and fish swimming around. A lot of the time, I feel like my paddle or board is going to brush up against the reef, when in reality, it's way deeper than I think! My depth perception is whack. So over the course of the last week, I felt like a theme of perception, and vision, and keeping my eyes on the King kept sticking with me. How can I step back and see a situation for what it truly is? How can I step back and see God for who He truly is? Who I truly am? A child of God. Beloved. We get so intricately involved in our lives, which is natural, that it takes some intense untangling to get a clear perception of the bigger picture. I want to see things the way God sees them. I want to see people the way God sees them.

"When Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him-and in seeing him, become more like him." -1st John 3:2

Okay. Fun photos now :)This is my favorite laying out/relaxing spot on Maui. I typically SUP here too.Alyssa and I at Jeff's Birthday party. Alyssa is so great--we have some rockin' memories together. Mere moments after this photo was taken, we ventured to the bathroom, where I proceeded to flood the entire stall with a single, and unassuming flush. Magical.I love these two women so much. There is nothing better than chugging 2 liters of diet pepsi, cruising in a convertible with the top down, stretching out on towels, and laughing with these gems.
This is Jeff (the birthday boy, and also Alyssa's boyfriend). I learned that playing sand volleyball in a floor length dress is tricky, but not impossible. In the spirit of team unity, Jeff rolled his shirt up to support. He's a ballerrrrr.This is my life. Thank you, LORD.

lifestyle of thankfulness

Grande Americano. Dash of cinnamon. Biking up Welakahao to work. Video Editing. Thanksgiving Eve service prepping. Decorating. Service Formats. Memos. Communication. Mind melting to UH volleyball. Paddleboarding with Lyss and getting WORKED out on the water. Balance. Focus. Rebel. 808 Deli for lunch. Recording choir parts for Christmas. Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things. Really? Women were sobbing. Incredible. CDs. Choir packets. Sunset. Overworked voice. Slept in Saturday. Complete bliss. Mama Joy chat. Bought 3 dollar rafts. Best 3 dollars spent on Maui :) HARRY POTTER. Friends. Early morning. Sunday. Lighting. Colors. The intern girls all wore cute blue and white dresses. Jake's pool. Floating. Music. Thanksgiving Eve Service. BUSY. Mary and Martha. How can I be both? Luke 10:38-40. Sick Steven. Stays home. Candles lit. Wheelchair ramp works. Fix graphics. Hula dancers ready? Yes. Manned the camera. Thankful. I'm thankful for so much. Too much to even fathom. Seriously. Crashed into bed.

Wake up. Gulp down copious amounts of coffee. Truck. Kayaks. Paddle Boards. Charley Young Beach. Friends. Sun soakage. My board connects me to the water. Salty water tickles my toes. Effortless. Turtles. Inhale fresh sea breeze. Exhale stress and worry. Kayak flipping. Giggle. Inviting towels in the sand. Sigh. Lisa and Ryan whisk me away to Jake's pool. Diet Coke. Floaty pros. Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen. Laughter. "We're just obscure laborers in the Pacific"-Jason Spence. Cowboys football. Thanksgiving with Rise. Mingling. Apple Cider. 4 TURKEYS! Dessert. Cranium. Windows down on the drive home. Breathing in Maui night air. Heart to heart with Lisa. Twinkling Christmas lights. Sleepy eyes.

"Thank God! Call out his Name! Tell the whole world who he is and what he's done! Sing to him! Play songs for him! Broadcast all his wonders! Revel in his holy Name, God-seekers, be jubilant! Study God and his strength, seek his presence day and night; Remember all the wonders he performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth. Seed of Israel his servant! Children of Jacob, his first choice! He is God, our God; wherever you go you come on his judgments and decisions. He keeps his commitments across thousands of generations..."-1 Chronicles 16:8

"fall-ing"

Lately, I have been spending most of my work hours in our auditorium decorating for fall. The theme we were aiming for is like a cathedral arch look....and I think we accomplished it! Here are a few photos! I took this Friday, during our service called The Gathering. In the next photo you can see that they are more tree-like, since it is fall! :)



Lighting makes such a difference in what the trees look like! They make me think of a person with their hands high, worshiping Jesus. I love that the image of that sticks in your mind when you close your eyes after looking at them on the stage. I took this photo on Sunday.We also printed off hundreds of leaves on brown contact paper and put them in arch like formations on the walls above the doors lining the auditorium (I forgot to take pictures of that part!).



My newest intern educational experience has been learning to run the lighting system. As you can see from the photo, it is extremely intimidating! I have loved getting to run it though! With the help of other knowledgeable people close by to make sure I don't blind everybody in the audi accidentally, I think I've managed fairly well! Once you get an eye for what looks good and what doesn't, it's really fun to play with colors and match them to the graphics. Lighting the arches is pretty cool too. We are so blessed to have such a high tech system! I've learned that lights can control a situation. Even if a video starts playing, people tend to pay attention when the lights go down. It's interesting. I love it!Yesterday after church, I got to go Upcountry and play indoor volleyball with a bunch of guys. I just love volleyball. I think I managed to hold my own :) On the way home, I snapped this shot of what I still can't believe I can call home for this season of my life. The next month and a half is going to be out of control busy. But this view truly can ease the most stressed out of hearts. Eyes fixed on the King. Deep breath. Sigh of relief. "But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed course of God-the free life!- even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action." -James 1:26-27

joyful noise

I've been reading Psalm 37:3-7 in a different version every day. I want it to be etched on my heart. My favorite so far has been in the Amplified version. I had my quiet time on Friday in Wailea, sipping on my Honolulu Coffee--my all time favorite coffee place here--and sitting on a lounge chair looking out at the ocean and this verse really spoke to me:

"Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.

And He will make your uprightness and right standing with God go forth as the light, and your justice and right as [the shining sun of] the noonday.

Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass."

-Psalm 37:3-7

I'm trusting the Lord. Committing my way to Him. And I am making a habit out of it. Also, I've been telling God when I delight in Him. It's so great to acknowledge it! I just love this passage so much!! It's my prayer of this season.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXFFoN-QoXA

I was missing Brazil the other day, and when I was looking through all the photos, I stumbled across this video. I had never seen it before! After extreme (and not fruitful) amounts of effort to upload it to my blog, I gathered up the courage to put it on youtube :) It's funny because only 3 people in the room actually understand English, so no one knows what I'm even singing about. I just cherished the time I spent there with my Brazilian brothers and sisters in Christ. I hope you enjoy this little clip! :)

a bogus-ly busy week: photo style

-Ho'okipa for Ryan's Birthday--Hillbilly Hoedown with a bunch of High Schoolers--Trilogy Cruise to Molokini and Turtletown with my Maui family--A ninja turtle Halloween-
-12 things I learned this past week-
1. I function much better once I drink coffee. I had a TON of early mornings this week.
2. Peanut Butter in long blonde hair DOES come out after many washes :)
3. Eyeliner works great if you need to black out a tooth.
4. Sunscreen does actually need to be reapplied. You will get sunburned.
5. How was I landlocked for 21 years of my life?? I LOVE being out on the water!!
6. Getting stung by a jellyfish doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would.
7. I got a taste of hawaiian indoor volleyball and realized how much I truly miss it.
8. Adventures to Camp Pi'iholo in a 15 passenger van are destined to be epic.
9. Tire swinging with 6 kids is a blast!
10. I want to be a hero in a half shell every day of the year!
11. The jokes on Laffy Taffy wrappers are awesomely bad!
-ex: How do you get an alien baby to sleep? ---you rocket. (ha really?)
12. I ate spam and I liked it!! Never thought that would happen!

Aloha :)
-Risa-

riches of His glory

-The God of Glory-
"How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth"

-Ephesians 1:3-10

I've been stuck on the riches of His glory lately. Adopted in. Free from ALL sin. The focus of His love. God's desire is for me to enter in and accept His lavish gift-giving by the hand of Jesus Christ. I am free. FREE. Not just barely free, but ABUNDANTLY FREE! It's amazing, truly. All my needs are met. I can't gain or lose anything. You delight in us having this life. Message of salvation. A long range plan. Everything is summed up in Him.

Life lately:
Top down in Leslie's car. Wind in my hair. Sun beams on my skin. An Upcountry day. New shortcut. Gorgeous sunset. Uncle Pat's. Darkness. Campfire. Riding in the back of Dave's truck. Bright night sky. Fun talks. Laughter. Safe. Home. Sunday naps. Volleyball at Big Beach. PB & J and chips & salsa. Reading homework. Laundry. So heavy. Tired arms from SUP. Escape to rain and mountains in Wailuku with Jenny. Massive rainbow. God's Promise. Steven and I awkwardly taking apart old decorations. Sheet metal pinwheels of death! Clinging to a large falling pinwheel. "You got it?" "Nope!" Classic. Volunteering for Awana's Xterra night. Witnessing small children falling off bikes. No injuries under my watch :) Gardening in the Hope courtyard. John John let me use a pickaxe. Aggressive. Make my day! Announcement Memos. Announcement slides. Service Formats. Worship graphics. MCing. Service CD. Writing a wedding song with Steven for Michael and Michelle's wedding. Backwards hat. The Gathering. Biking Kihei. Keawakapu. Working the Bookstore for extra money on Saturdays. Change into dress. Sound check. Sang with awesome musicians for the reception. Janky trip in the Death Star with Lisa. A Lisa and Risa Spicy Chicken Wendy's Date. Love her. It's the simple things in life.I just love when God gives you glimpses of how INCREDIBLE His glorious riches are. I get a glimpse of it every time I sing to Him. Or when I see rainbows. Or sunsets. Or when I laugh really hard. Or dance parties with my girls. He doesn't want us to miss a thing. Not one thing. He wants us to have everything. Sigh. We shine through Him. We are the apple of His eye :)

Risa

favorite things of ROCKtober

Thing #1:
SUP with these two cutie pies. They are so precious to me! They have such amazing hearts. We just pile our boards and paddles into our janky van and book it to the beach! I love being with these girls out on the water. Last time we went out, we came back to Leslie's and she treated us to french press blueberry coffee (she got it from her fall trip to the East Coast) and it is INCREDIBLE! And I drank it out of this legit hand warming mug. Bliss. I love paddle boarding, but it is 100 times better when you're in good company :)


Thing #2:
My Fender Guitar. I am so thankful that I have my own guitar. This beauty has traveled so many places with me. More and more I'll grab my guitar when I'm home alone and have a sweet time of worship, singing to my King. "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord."-Eph 5:19. I love writing music; on my own and with the talents of Steven. I love that I'm always learning something new on the guitar. I love that it is always being played by others when we have people over. I love jam sessions with my whole heart! I could sit and listen to an acoustic guitar all day long. I would love to get better at piano, but for now I will continue conquering bridging, muting, and strumming. Also, I would love to name my guitar--any suggestions? Yep, I love my guitar.


Thing #3:
Nike's Tempo Track shorts. I currently own 6 pairs that I have accumulated over the past 5 years. They keep coming out with cool colors, so I keep buying them! I wear them as often as I can! They are amazing! Biking, hiking, sitting, beaching, office work, driving, they are perfect! I will probably collect more in the future. They are in such great condition and I wear them constantly. I love that it's October and I can still wear them 24/7.


Thing #4:
Moleskine Journals. I bought my first one in June and LOVED it. I've been journaling since I learned how to write, basically, so I'm always looking for a good journal. I've used everything from thick leather bound journals to tattered composition notebooks. Right now, these bad boys are my favorite! I'm already on my fourth one and planning on buying more. They look really cute on my white shelf too! So great.

So these are a few of my favorite ROCKtober things. I hope you like them :)

Risa