LA county Fair!!

The LA County Fair!!
This fair is a annual tradition of our family for years and years. We always get to go in free because of being connected to the homeschoolers. (it really is quite special!) In most recent years, we have lost members of our family. But this year, was the slimmest yet. It was just me and my mom! We had a blast. Below are some pictures of our fantabulous day! Be jealous of our fair. it is...fairly phenomenal!



This is one of our ferris wheels! and the crowds :]




My mum and I...frolicking?



Famous footsie-wootsie machines. They are a $.25 foot massager.
(My camera messed it up..so ya got half of it!)




We got to see a baby sheep be born in the animal barns.
It was pretty amazing for us city folks. Just another
testimony of God's amazingness!!



Within 15 minutes, he was already trying to stand up!



What fun is the fair without some fried food, eh?



Turns out, bloomin' onions are yummy...
...but soooo not worth it :]
but TRADITION reigns!



Really rad oldies traveling band-on-a-truck



My all-time favorite! the K9 show
This is the Jack Russell, Dixie.

All in all, we had a wonderful day!
It kept alive our fair traditions.

Too bad I don't have any pictures of the shopping buildings or the Chinese Acrobats.
but there is always next year :]
You really should experience this fair before you die.

Can I get a "U!"

Here it is lovely people of the cyber-world!! My uniform for work. It is required and they are pretty in depth about the detail.
Anyways, enjoy!

The life of a working individual.

Ladies and Gentleman, I have gathered you all here today to inform you of the latest happenings in our company... We have added a new team member to our crew. Suzanne will be joining our host department here at Mimi's Cafe. We welcome you, Suzanne and are glad to have you working with us!


So yeah, I got the job. I am a hostess at this cute little cafe in Monrovia, California.

It all works very nicely. I spend my days greeting people, smiling a lot, avoiding the wrath of servers when I double seat their section and make small talk with old people who tell me my smile is adorable. oh, and did I mention that I get paid for this?
I will soon post a picture of my rad uniform. I get to wear this sweet outfit which makes me feel like an male AC. yup. white shirt, black pants, tie...it really is quite fun. Ohhh and I get free food for training week (I have been taking full advantage of that) and then 50% off when I eat here at other times! Even with a guest. Come and eat with me :]

Anyways. I am learning the ins and outs of seating people. and keeping our serving staff in happy order! Come and visit some time!

Well that is it for now. I will try to post some other pictures later.

Thank you to those who prayed, helped and were involved in this happening!
<3

ACYF

As children, we were taught that it stood for: Apostolic Christian Youth Fellowship. But this year for me defined the true definition. About to go Crazy You call it Fun? Being officially graduated, I am technically no longer involved in our ACYF weekends like I used to be. Oh, wait...explanation may be needed. For those of you who don't know exactly what ACYF is... It is a weekend of fun and fellowship (oh, and don't forget food...we are real AC's!) where the AC churches of Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, San Diego and Altadena (oh yes, and more recently, Magdalena) get together. Loads of fun.
Well this year, I became the designated driver. It was an experience, let me tell you. Due to slight irresponsibilities on my part, it was Friday night and I had no plan for the following day.

Coveted plan: Aly gets dropped off Friday night, Suzy and Aly go get Petter and Ashur Saturday morning, Tina drops Christi off at Klotzle house, we are packed and ready to leave, we drive over an hour up past Malibu to Sycamore Cove beach. And hope to arrive at 11.

Reality: Aly does get dropped off Friday night. my mum told Petter and Ashur that we would pick them up at 9:30. Well since they live half hour away and we wanted to leave for the beach at 9:30...that is not happening. So we wake up early, and on our way to their house, call and tell them we will be there at 8:30, could they please be ready. (FYI, no one informed me they were still sleeping at the time, we just got a cheerful, ok, they'll be ready!) Once we followed our stellar mapquest directions to the middle of LA (not the safest place for two white girls in a Bonneville to be driving on a saturday morning) we arrived at their apartment. And we waited. And waited. So much for getting back home by 9. During this time i took down directions to the beach. (yeah, failed to get those earlier). and they read something like this:
Go 101 for a long time. go down steep hill. pleasant valley and santa rosa. left food, right beach. ten miles to lewis road, lots of farms. up and over quick left onto 1.

but they were far more complex. When the boys finally got into the car, we discovered that
they had been woken up a mere twenty minutes ago. (I felt Horrible!!!) So I began to retrace my steps to the freeway. But I got lost. I took the truck route and then the signs disappeared.
Then from the back seat:
Ashur: you could have taken the short cut, you know.
Suzy: WHAT? there's a short cut and you didn't tell me???
Petter: you didn't ask. we go by the freeway all the time on our way to school
Suzy: Well where do we go. you promise you know how to get there?!
petter and ashur: YES! turn left.
suzy gets in left hand lane.
Petter: um you were supposed to turn right!
Suzy: but you told me left!
Petter: No I didn't.
Suzy: *sigh of frustration* Ok, now where.
Petter: Well let me take off my john lennon sunglasses so I can see. um...keep going straight.
Ashur: Oh, over there is the penitentiary. but its ok, it has maximum security.
Me and aly are getting slightly nervous. Suzy almost kills us a time or two.

Finally we make it back home, and as the boys get something to eat (remember, we woke them up...no time for food), i replayed the morning.
Suzy: So this guy named oscar called me and said you guys would be ready
Petter: Oscar? who's that??
Suzy: I think he's your cousin...
Petter: We don't have an oscar...maybe it was my dad.
Suzy: but he said he was your cousin!!
Petter: Oh maybe he was the other Oscar, the one in Puerto Rico...
Suzy: I'm pretty sure it wasn't. um...maybe it was Antonio?
Petter: Oh, thats our dad.
Suzy: Why did he say oscar??
Petter: I dont' know...maybe you're crazy

At this point. i was going crazy. and it was only 9:45.

I won't recount the rest of the day. but the weekend went swell. the speaker was Matt Steffen. We had fun and fellowship. and food.
I got to hang out with a bunch of seventh graders and it took me back to being a kid.

And the world keeps spinning round

The title of this grand post is not reflective of me, my head, or whatever. It really just sounded kinda cool. My life, in fact, is far from spinning. here it is not too exciting right now. I still have a good three weeks until school starts and I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. Aside from the obvious task of getting a job, I'm spending lots of time online...(hence the blog.) and I babysat. and I eat. a lot.

But...nevertheless (is that really all one word?) I was still able to pull some spiritual stimulation out of this slow time in my life. In church on Wed. night, we read in Psalm 2. It is such a powerful chapter. The beginning of it is a question of how the nations and kingdoms of the earth plan these attacks against God and his annointed one. As these mighty men are organizing, do you know what the Lord does? He laughs. Thats right. He scoffs at them. Because He knows all. He knows what is going to come. But then, His response deepens and our Great God becomes angry. He has provided all of this for His creation, and they are using it against Him. He is disappointed, frustrated, angry and sad.
The chapter continues saying all of the terrible things the Lord will do to them that turn away. But our God is faithful. At the end of the chapter is a typical God thing... it is a promise.
"...But what joy for all who take refuge in him!" God does not leave us hanging. He will provide.
How great is our God...

Lyrics by Rich Mullins:

While the Nations Rage

Why do the nations rage? Why do they plot and scheme?

Their bullets can't stop the prayers we pray In the name of the Prince of Peace

We walk in faith and remember long ago

How they killed Him and then how on the third day He arose

Well, things may look bad And things may look grim

But all these things must pass except the things that are of Him

Where are the nails that pierced His hands?

Well the nails have turned to rust But behold the Man He is risen

And He reigns In the hearts of the children Rising up in His name

Where are the thorns that drew His blood?

Well, the thorns have turned to dust But not so the love He has given

No, it remains In the hearts of the children Who will love while the nations rage

The Lord in Heaven laughs He knows what is to come

While all the chiefs of state plan their big attacks Against His anointed One

The Church of God she will not bend her knees

To the gods of this world though they promise her peace

She stands her ground Stands firm on the Rock

Watch their walls tumble down when she lives out His love

Job

This post is about..... a job. My lack of one. My need for one. My search for one. When I began to drive, my father said to me, Suzy, you may use our family van. I said, Thank you.
My mother said, Suzy, when will you start paying for gas? I said, when I get a job. She agreed. After my long summer away and that school business lingering in the future, a job is a pressing matter. After finding out that my back-up job at Interior Services was not available, I began a search....and pray. Hoping God will open up doors for a good school job.
Options:
*American Eagle--
*Cheesecake Factory--
*PacSun
*Val Surf
*Mimis Cafe

So the basic theme is, clothes and food. my life in a nutshell. just kidding... Oh! so, follow me here. I was thinking "my life isn't food and clothes, its Jesus! OH! I'd work for a Jesus store! OH! Lighthouse Christian Bookstore!" So I'm going to check it out, just a sec.

*Time Passes*

They obviously don't believe in online applications...or information. I will have to go visit them in person.
Ahh, I feel inspired. Anyways, back to story. I chose to apply for Mimis Cafe. They want experience, which I don't have. At least not in professional food serving. Done enough of that at my own home. And the people skills are no problem.
We shall see in the coming week (s) if this shall pan out. I hope so. I need money. This is not a selfish need of money. This is a suzy-is-almost-completely-broke need for money. It is real. And painful.
I will keep you posted (no pun intended) in the future for those who read this to update you on my search for responsibility.

theres MORE?!

So I just realized that my last post says Wed. the 15 and that this one is going to say the same date. Who decided midnight should be the next day anyways?? thats annoying.

Besides that. I am feeling so productive! Not only am I organizing my life for college, I have time to blog! Let me tell you a little something. I learned something important today. Basically it is a word picture.

Something in my life goes wrong. I am hurt, angry, misunderstood...whatever the negative situation prompts. I am enclosed in a small cylindar, mad thoughts rushing around me. I can't escape the intenseness of the negativity. I am surrounded by it, it is weighing me down. I can't forget about it no matter how hard I try.

CUT.

There is a sunset. It is beautiful and it takes up the entire horizon. Before me is a vast ocean which is limitless. All of it represents God. He is big in my life, stretched out before me, so glorious that I cannot help but gape at the awesome power and majesty of it. As someone comes up beside me and pulls my gaze away, frustrating me and making me angry, I can take those thoughts as they rise up, one by one, and lay them down. I place them in the ocean, not so they can float away into oblivion, but rather that God can take them and I can fully trust Him. There is so much space. No matter how many thousands of thoughts and emotions I have, I can just keep laying them down, spreading them out. There is no pressure. No desperate feeling of being trapped with my anger and hurt.

Choose the sunset. That is where I begin when I feel stuck.

God is good all the time.
All the time God is good.

WHAT?

Its an almost-daily post! Like, about 24 hours ago I posted! This is a novelty. I'm not sure if I, or the cyber world can handle it. But, if the resources are available (aka time and a blogspot) then, by all means, I'll post!

As I am putting my life slowly in order, I am looking forward to the newest big step ahead. Now, in this case, the phrase "looking forward" doesn't necessarily mean "anticipating" or "waiting with baited breath" or "overly exuberant and excited." Au contrare. (sp?) It means it is a ginormous looming beast waiting to suck away four years of my life devoted to a subject which could possibly define my future.

oh. that sounds so pessimistic. Allow me to rephrase.

College is coming. Ready or not, here we go.

Keep praying, though...it is just another big change among many.

Well, it looks to be a short post. Esta bien??

Buenos Noches Muchachos

How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! Psalm 47:2

Ain't it good to be back home again...

How, you ask, did an entire summer go by and I only posted once! Tis sad, I know. But I had other things taking up my precious time. Like endless games of ultimate frisbee. Like doing enough corn to make me almost go crazy. Like socializing more than I normally do with large amounts of ACs. But I do have to say, I'm not going to regret it. Although my body was sore from the exertion, I am now almost a truly domesticated farm-girl, and I am sure I know the social ins and outs of being a midwest AC, I came away fuller, well rounded, and ready to take on a new chapter in my life.

I actually just returned home a short five hours ago. And I have to say that even though I will miss my life in the country, I will always and forever, even if it is obscured deep down, be a city girl. This morning in the hotel room, I sort of panicked at this random thought that I wouldn't make it home. It was a tragic thought and so I simply lifted my love for California up to God and told him that if it was in His will, that I would like to have my bare feet touch western soil once more before my pilgrim journey is ended.

And it was. His will, that is. I stepped out of the plane LAX, only to have balmy (humidity-less) 76 degree weather greet my face, cars galore, variety in scenery, palm trees and a true sunset on a true beach. (not one of those Lake Michigan beaches, either.)

Thank you to all who helped make my trip memorable. I have learned so much. God is good.
Now, life will go on, but the memories and good times shared over 4+ weeks away from home will forever be locked in the depths of my heart.

Ahhh, vacation

For those of you who don't know this yet, I have decided (with much pressure from...an outside source) that I would not be spending my summer in CAlifornia. And when you find out my trade-off, you may call me crazy. But at this point, I--Don't--Care.
I'm in the "midwest" for the next 6 weeks-ish. Basically, from July 2-August 13 I will be in Michigan and Indiana. This is new. This is different. And yes, this is crazy. To be honest, I'm still on day 1 here in the lovely Detroit Michigan area. Enjoying thoroughly, might I add...

ok, so I am really mad at myself. As I was typing this I was like, Hmmm, pictures could help this a lot. But then i remembered that I was GOING to bring a camera, but i believe I forgot. That is tragic. Grrrrr....

Back on track. Anyways, did you know that 2% of the US population is farmers? (Econ fact). And that I'm pretty sure that I know all 2%?? Yeah. Ok, wait...maybe not all. 1.76%? Fair enough?

Oh, and I have to tell you about these kids I'm staying with. I'm with Troy and Jennifer Schrock here in Detroit. They have three children: Navy (8), Merrit (7) and Grey (4.5). Let me tell you that these kids are not shy in the least. And they love questions.
"What's your middle name?"
"Did you have Lincoln Logs when you were a child?"
"Is that one shirt or two?"
"Will you read us a Bobbsey Twins book?"

It really is a lot of fun. They are at piano lessons right now, and I am sitting here on the bed...typing a blog. good times. Grrr, i really want a camera. Maybe someday.

Worship

In my school, we have chapel every Friday. It is an hour or so where we sing songs and have a speaker (a teacher or a guest) to boost our spiritual lives and re-direct our focus. It is a great way to head into a weekend...and I find myself looking forward to chapel with immense anticipation. Because of my superb piano playing skills (or not), I play keyboards for our "worship team."

This past week, we sang a song called, "When I don't Know What to Do."

Lyrics go as such:

When I don't know what to do, I lift my hands

When I don't know what to say, I speak Your praise

When I don't know where to go, I come to Your throne

When I don't know what to think, I'll stand on Your truth

When I d0n't know what to do...

I guess reading the words sound like your typical praise song, but really, when I'm playing the piano and singing with 635 (to be exact) other kids/teachers it is a phenomenal experience.

Our leader, Jacob, introduced this new song to us this week. And my uncle has a special name for songs like them. This is a classic example of a 7-11. (Seven words sung eleven times.) BUT. I would like to share the thought behind it. It is called, "Because the Tomb is Empty." And that's basically the extent of the song :o)

Juuust kidding. It actually is an ad-lib song. So the main part goes, "Because the tomb is empty _______ "(i.e. I have hope...) But Jacob made a point when he said, "How many things can we do because the tomb is empty? How often do we recognize Jesus' sacrifice when it comes to our lives and how we live them out. " And some of his verses went,

Because the tomb is empty...

...We can pray outloud

...We have hope of eternal life

...Death has lost its sting

...I can have no fear

...lives will be changed

This as well was awesome.

God is good, All the time.

BEEEEEEWARE

thats right, folks. I am now an official driver of CAlifornia. I'd show you all a picture of my license, but alas, i don't feel like using the scanner right now. Maybe some other time, yeah?
I am appreciating the freedom totally and now feel like I'm able to tackle the age 18 with full force.

But the question is, am I enjoying the other freedom that I supposedly claim? As the lyrics go:

I am free to run

I am free to dance

I am free to live for You

I AM FREE!!!

And I think that so often, I don't take advantage of my freedom to worship my Lord and just praise Him. Turning my thoughts to him take effort sometimes...when they should just flow because I am surrounded by such awesomeness that shouts His presence!

I pray for the ability to live for Christ, using the full potential of my freedom. And whats more...I don't have men with violence in their mind after me because I choose God. Instead, there are hundreds of people waiting to join me in song as I proclaim, "I AM FREE!!!"

Its been a while

Hey, those of you who don't ever read this...

I just want to update you on my life. it will be brief, I promise.

I AM GRADUATING IN LESS THEN FOUR MONTHS!!!!!! forever done with this little thing called high school. thats it, folks, thats my life.

Since I last typed, I did finals at school, went to Mexico, changed classes at semester break, aaaand well thats about it. Actually, just now i checked my grades on this handy-dandy little grade checker thing online aaand i found out that those tell-tale numbers are sliiiipping down the hill into the abyss of bad grades. so now I'm motivated.

I was just chuckling to myself at how unmotivated I am though. because here I am, a few months away from being the big 1-8 and I still don't have my drivers license. sad, I know. But there just hasn't been any motivation for me to reach out and take it. yes, i've been driving under permit for oh...well the date is embarrassing. And its gotten to the point where i have people (in addition to my family) asking me multiple times a week when i'm gonna get the thing. People I babysit for, people at school...I mean, what other 18 yr old person does NOT HAVE THEIR LICENSE!?!? It gets a bit depressing. BUT! I have an announcement to make. Ladies and Gentlemen of the unknown cyberspace...who probably don't read this anyways...
I have an appointment with the California DMV next Thursday. *people applause* *i bow* "Thank you, Thank you...far too kind"

But really, I look at my lack of motivation and wonder...no...know that I have done this with God. I feel no motivation, I just don't get around to it...and pretty soon, time has slipped away to who knows where and people can see the difference. Even when there doesn't seem to be a motivation to talk to God...there is a need. and that is what keeps us going.
For me, I can get to a place where I just am not feeling right enough to talk to God...or my heart is not ready for it. So what I do to help myself is, when I am feeling close to God, or when I have this prayer on my heart, I write it down in a book, on a notecard, and carry it with me or put it in my Bible. So when those times come when i know I need God but have no motivation to run after Him, I pull out the prayer, say the words of Truth even if I may not feel them...and God does a number on my heart and soon I'm back in tune.

"When your spirit gets too weak, when the water seems too deep, when you think there's just no way, I'll be there for you night and day.

When the mountains seem too steep, when the valleys seem too deep...when you think there's just no way, I'll be there for you night and day..."

Why me? Why now?!

Sorry I haven't posted for a while...there is a reason. So here's how it is. Life is hard, and then you die. its that simple. Oh yes, I forgot. there are a multitude of happy things that go on in there...but it seems that these days (i.e. finals week) my life is lookin' a bit hard. Now granted, i'm not starving in Africa. or being tortured in Bosnia...but still. Its pretty rough. Thankfully, I have a God who is my friend and sticks closer then anything else.

It feels to me that lately my dad has been saying, "If you can learn these things now..." And it seems like I have the opportunity to learn a whole bunch of fascinating lessons right now!! And while it seems that my life is becoming more complex with all these new lessons to try to weave into my life, I think the best is yet to come.

I guess what I am trying to convey is this: There are difficult things in life. It requires accepting responsibility, learning lessons and then living the results of it. Its hard. No one promised it would be easy. But it is bearable...if you know God. and thats what I'm finally getting. Is that to stick near God will pull me through these excruciatingly hard finals that make NO SENSE and to move on to what my life means long term.

Red bull = Holy Spirit?

Being a teenage girl hanging out with her friends for a weekend of fellowship, I find that staying awake is a necessity. There is an easy solution, however. Buy the four pack of Red Bull. (to share amongst the four girls of course!) Red Bull is amazing. What once you were (tired and ready to drift in to the pleasant land of slumber), you are no more. This amazing drug (aka caffiene and that other stuff) is now coursing through your veins and can now keep you active and awake for another, oh lets say...four hours?

So after one such Saturday night (the hour of bed time will remain un-named) we went to church the next day. In Sunday School, we were discussing the Holy Spirit, and His closeness to those who choose to invite Him in. We were all struggling with the words to say to describe the awesomeness of this phenomenon. And for lack of a better example, Red Bull popped into my mind. So here it is:

We are Christians, going about our daily walks of life. But because we are human, we have the propensity to sin. (goes along with kids feelign the need to sleep...its just life) But we need an extra measure of "something" to boost us and keep us going on, active and ready for whatever comes up. So when we're tired, we drink Red Bull. But when we grow weary, spiritually, we need a healthy dose of the Holy Spirit. His power, coursing through our hearts, souls and minds can give us the extra boost we need to keep on in our walks with Christ. We can remain alert, active, ready for action when the Enemy attacks. But what good does Red BUll do us in the can? We have to open it up and drink. Same with the Spirit. He is around us constantly, but unless we CHOOSE to partake of what He has to offer, it won't do us any good.

So next time you're tired, go ahead and drink a Red BUll. But remember, when you feel immune to sin, ready to give in because you're weary, drink deeply of the Spirit and the life He has to offer.

Hook, line and sinker

Hello, world. This is the beginning of my posting.

First, for thought, I was listening to a speaker at my school, and here's what I came away with: He was talking about being free from enticing things that Satan puts before you. and here was his illustration. So we've all been fishing, right? well when you fish, you don't just put a hook on the end of a line and drop it in the water. I mean, what kind of fish is going to see a hook and say to himself, "Self, I haven't had me a hook in a while, i think its looking pretty good so lets go check it out!" No, of course not. if it was that obvious, the fish would not hang around. So, the fisherman, being the bright guy that he is, puts an amazing lure on the end, so the unsuspecting fish gets drawn towards the hook, completly oblivious to the end result. as soon as he bites down on it... WHAM he's caught.
Then the man called a football guy from the audience. Now this guy, Tanner (*psudonym), is Mr. Cool. He's confident in his skills at being the sickest guy in Maranatha High School. So our speaker brings him up front, blindfolds him and proceeds to rub his back, sweet talking and getting him relaxed. Then he takes him walking around the front and all of the sudden, three other football guys come out of nowhere and tackle him, stealing his wallet and leaving him on the floor, disoriented. Tanner was taken off guard and didn't know what to do. Our speaker then said, He just got decieved by my relaxation and was blindly taken out by the hook!!Then he said: but there is always that fisher man who removes the hook and tosses the fish back in the water for a second chance. Thats what Jesus is to us. He looks at what Satan left, a robbed, beaten, destroyed individual, and he removes the blind fold, restores our heart and sets us back on our feet. (at this point, he picked up Tanner, removed his blindfold and got his money back for him.) The whole scene was amazing. Everyone was silent as we listened to how blind we can be to the hooks behind the lures. God calls us to be alert, ready and watching for those deceptions that are enticing.
Thank the Lord for second chances, forgiveness and grace!
All to His Name!
<3