Beanhead!!

Alive and Kicking

Hello Out There!
Not only am I around, but I'm lovin' it! Heaps going on that I need to think about and deal with (future stuff, like work...- too deep for now- but not sad so don't be concerned)

Catalina Island part 2: Completely Different from part one!
-Biggest group I've had, which inclueded 4 boys instead of the usual 1 or 2
-the mixture: Aussies, Kiwis, and one Englishman. spicy
-Fleese blanket +-30 degree bag = Warm Nights. I Love that camp now =)
-pulling weeds. no, not weeds- trees with a "weed" label. our poor scratched arms, but we DID get to be in the sun all day.
- Poison Oak! 'nuf said.da
- KAREOKE! Again! And I did much better this time. well, I was on a stage and I danced more than I sang and the dude running it sang with me. BUT it was SWEET CAROLINE, so how could I go wrong?
-Twister. remember that game?? yeah.

I probably won't post more because my mind has since shifted to the tour. 35 students- and I love them all. OH and I have a Bus Driver (coach captain) named Freddy that is Cool As! So earlier prayers have been answered and I feel well taken care of. Not much more one could ask for!

<><

posted by jana @ 1:02 AM 1 comments

Disclaimer

Alright, below is the Longest Post EVER. no really- look at it. it just keeps going!!
I'm posting it because
1. I won't be able to blog for a long time (probably a week) so it'll tide you over
2. If I can't post deep thoughts on my own blog, where can I?
3. I'm sure there are other reasons... i just can't think of them at this point =)

Anyways, take a section at a time, really read it, and get back to me. If it's hard to follow, it's because I was writing in "train of thought" format.

cheers

posted by jana @ 9:57 PM 1 comments

found this- apparently my response to DaVinci's Code, written ages ago...i rewrote it but didn't proofread...

Despite Catholic attempts (and other Monotheists) to eradicate the feminie from the spiritual, true believers of Christ existed (and exist) apart from the Catholic Inquisition (and apart from "alleus Maleficarus" or "the Witches Hammer") -and they certainly recognized female as "God's Image" just as much as male. Once again, Women, just like men, were created In God's Image.
There Are women pasters and leaders now. We recognize the injustices done (and we know it was nasty) and what can be done now is to not play ignorant, but study the past and move forward from it: seek the true "sweet spot" path and live according to God's design of the way of life in this world.
Something important came from the feminie injustice, good comes from evil or else the evil wouldn't occur in the first place. God doesn't sin or make one sin, but He allows sin to happen (he lets persons make mistakes) because the good- His will- follows. He goes to great lengths (the Passion), using our humanity and the outcomes of our crazy decisions, to bring back His "prodigal child" (someone that Doesn't believe) and celebrates the return of 1 lost sheep (another metaphor for the same thing).
So, wait and see what comes from this (in terms of the feminine and religion). Things are already starting to come about, of course they are: The past helps determine the future. Example: Perhaps the fall happened so that God could cement our need for Him in our hearts. We (or Adam and Eve) had all we needed in the garden. Therefore, without this garden and protection, we realize how dependent we really are. Side point: The more the history of Christianity is known, the more the stories tie in together- and all comes back to the Gospel-* see below .
As a believer in original sin, I have been taught that the fall does not come back to Eve alone. Like pagan (said as a religious scholar- not in a derogatory way) symbols- yin and yang, sun and moon- there is a balance of blame and distrust of God's goodness between male and female for what happened in the garden of Eden. This ties in with all else that I am writing about because the seed, human and imperfection, is passed on through the male. We all inherit it, as we are all products of male and female sex- sperm and egg. The virgin birth is not BS. If God created nature and made reproduction in the first place, there why would it be beyond God to Impregnate a virgin woman with a perfectly good egg? It isn't
Through this, a child was born from the perfect seed of God rather than the not-perfect seed of a man.
The new Testiment tells of a man born without the genetic repercussions of "eating the fruit that would 'open man/woman's eyes to see as God sees'." (Therefore: a man, Jesus, was seperate from the human race by his ability to know God's standards and to live by them perfectly. But still just as human as we are. He was therefore capable of making wrong decisions, He just never did. Thus, He is referred to (and is) both God and Man.)
I can understand non-believers apprehension toward Christianity- it is a religion blemished with hypocracy and nasty people- but I go back to the cross. The whole point of Christianity. I am not in it because it's mainstream. I don't really like mainstream. I am in it because it makes sense. There is too much of a connection and too much evidence, even in my own life. I just can't ignore it.
The basis of Christianity is love. God knows we are not all-loving. If you'd read the Bible, it shows humans as we really are. It's a love letter that accepts us as we are- everyone included. Christianity is full of such terrible acts and people because God is showing compassion- it's not necessary to compare ourselves to each other. God works on an individual basis, and He acceptes all because He sees our Hearts. He doesn't care about what the world thinks. What matters is what one individual thinks about God once he/she hears the truth about Him- the Gospel of the Lord= accept or reject. knowledge of God's ways comes slowly after that.
I have studied and learned a lot about Christianities past. I know how the final Bible was put together, I know the corruption of the Cath. church (parts of it, I should say). These things don't shock me, and they don't sway me away from my faith because they are not the point.
I can live with some uncertaintly as long as this aspect of my faith is rock solid. Jesus truly died to set me free from imperfection. NOt from being imperfect- I am. But I am Free to be imperfect and still be welcomed into Heaven just as the prodigal son was welcomed into his fathers arms and home again. I can still mess up, I do still mess up, but the blame isn ot on me. It should be, but simply because God loves me, it isn't. Yes, I am repetative. sorry
Moving back to an earlier topic: Sex is not considered a shameful act! It's beautiful and celebrated- we consider it special enough to not just throw around and degrade as an answer to lust. but to preserve as a special act within a Holy union. The church and God= husband and bride. Sex is spiritual and beautiful and looked at with Respect. It has been perverted in different ways and situations (there were certainly times when Christians felt dirty and bad about sex-which is ridiculous. Even husbands and wives would feel shame! This is a perversion! Not just "society today" which is always referred to), but it is special to us. So imporatant that it is set aside as a wedding gift from God to Us.
random comment as my ending: DaVinci's Code was fascinating and true in areas, but was only seen through Non-Christian eyes when it was written, and therefore negative against the church.

***The Gospel:
-The absence of God is death, just as the absence of heat is cold or the absence of light is darkness. Cold and darkness are not an entity unto themselfes. Another one: the absence of good is evil.

-God is like an ocean of perfectly pure water. perfectly pure. if a grain of sand or one speck of salt falls into the water, the whole ocean is no longer perfect. Our imperfections are like the grain of sand and the speck of salt. big or small, they all measure out the same. THUS, we are simply unable to be with a perfect God because we aren't perfect ourselved.

-"The wage of sin is death" means "our imperfections mean we won't ever be with God."

- Say a mom wants to pay the fine for her kids speeding ticket, or the friend gets killed so his buddy that has a family but can't pay the man has time to get away. That is the innocent paying for the guilty so that the guilty is off the hook

-Jesus the innocent is hanging on a cross, unable to die because he has no sins to die for. So he puts our sins, the "sins of the world," onto His shoulders, takes the blame for stuff we did, and dies for that.

-He carries all that crap- from before, now, and the future- into hell with Him, and leaves it there.

-He did not stay in hell. Hell is the place described above- no warmth, light, or goodness. cold, dark, and evil because Gods influence is not present.
~Every person alive was created in the image of God. that means we all are capable of what the Bible refers to as fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Hell is, quite simply, a place Without any of these.

-Now Jesus' death is a gift. I can hold a gift out to you and say it's yours, but you have to Take it to really have ownership of it.
same thing here: If we say, Yea Jesus took the blame for My mess-ups, then we are no longer a grain of sand or a speck of dirt, but a perfect Child of God's. If we don't say "yes, thank you" to this gift, then God will still see us covered in and burdened by the mistakes we've made.

posted by jana @ 6:54 PM 1 comments

my phone loves me

Alright, so I know how worried y'all were about my cell phone (or mobile, as some like to call it). so this post will make you happy =).
I have my sister's cell, and it rang. that happens, right. So I look and it says "jana" on it. I was like, my phone??? YES!!!! it was my mom calling from my phone!! It Works!
So give it 2 weeks and I should have my own phone once again. sic


photo: a psyched-up version of the monster that ate my phone!!!

posted by jana @ 12:48 PM 0 comments

I wrote this post in OCTOBER? Why was it in "draft" i know not. but here it is now...

Environmental Questionaire- check it out: http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/jobs/careeroe.shtml
I'm getting over a bit of a life crisis that came on suddenly last week. What the heck am I to do w/ myself? I love ISV, but I need to work alll year, ya know. No answer yet, but no panic either. Just a little internet research that led me to this:

Basic Job Questionnaire
One way to approach looking for a career is to ask yourself what types of actual work you like to do. Answer the following questions and you may think of other questions like it to ask yourself.

1. These are questions about your workplace environment. Add your own.
____I want to work with people. yes
____I want to work independently. sure
____I want to work as part of a team. sure
____I want to outside. yes
____I want to work with ______ age group (could be all). Kids or college
____I want to work with urban/rural/disadvantaged/handicapped/ behavioral problem/other or none of the above. I love to help them

2 Below are some of the types of activities you may be involved in with an outdoor/environmental career. Check those that interest you.
____research erf
____writing sure
____publicity yeah
____science erf
____lobbying erf
____environmental issues Yes
____education/teaching yes
____work in the outdoors Yes
____work with my hands Yes
____politics erf
____fund raising eh
____law well…

3. Below are some skills which may be important in working in an outdoor/environmental career. Check those which you have experience with or would like to develop more.
____writing skills sure
____research skills sure
____public speaking skills yes
____teaching skills sure
____outdoor skills (backpacking, canoeing etc.) yes
____environmental education skills (knowledge of biology, ecology) yes
____fund raising skills sorta
____managing people yeah

4. Another important area in looking for a job are lifestyle related questions. Below are some examples. Think up your own.
_____I want to live near the wilderness. yup
_____I want/don't want to have a house/apartment. i do want a home
_____I only want to work 40 hours per week. depends on "work". like, if work is Skiing, then...
_____I am willing to work more than 40 hours/week. see above
_____I want flexible work hours. yeah! that' d be sweet
_____I want/need to make $________ per year. oh, at least 100 grand! hahahahaha


suggestions or statements of understanding welcome =)

posted by jana @ 1:20 PM 1 comments

7 Wonders

7 Wonders of the Ancient World:

the Great Pyramid of Giza
the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
the Statue of Zeus at Olympia
the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus
the Colossus of Rhodes
the Lighthouse of Alexandria


7 Natural Wonders of the World:

Grand Canyon
Great Barrier Reef
Harbor of Rio de Janeiro
Mount Everest
Northern Lights
Paricutín volcano
Victoria Falls


wow

posted by jana @ 7:31 PM 0 comments

The more you know...

The Joshua Tree:
-Found primarily in the Mohave Desert (Southern Cali!)- endemic to this region
-Member of the LILY family!
-Leaves made into Sandals and baskets by natives
-Flower buds and seeds as food- raw or roasted... very healthy!!
-Named by mormons after Joshua the prophet "limbs outstretched in supplication, guiding the travelers westward..."
-no growth rings.
-B E A Utiful to look at

posted by jana @ 2:16 PM 2 comments

On the road again...

Just another post to say I made it safe and sound. Well, unless you consider the present company... instead of a nice ride home from the airport, we hit up the Foxfire for some crazy kareoke.
ok, it wasn't at all crazy. BUT It was fun and I did a decent job sounding terrible. I would turn around and have the lady running the machine sing the high notes for me! it was awesome.
I sing really well in the car!!!...

posted by jana @ 8:43 PM 3 comments

GO BUCKS

Our Christmas Decoration!


TBDTeams
TBDFans
TBDBITL!!!!!!!!!!!

posted by jana @ 9:32 PM 1 comments

To Leasa's Tree

I love it, I love it. It's like a Grinch tree!!

"Blast that Christmas music, it's joyful And triumphant"
-the Grinch

So this season is absolutely fantastic. I will give you one reason why: Christmas lights/trees/decorations stay up past Christmas, and it's fine. Not just fine, Expected!

That means this post is well-posted because it compliments my New Years post. All other holidays are over and done the week (DAY) after- 4th of july, thanksgiving, even Easter. but not Christmas! Thanks, New Years, for the gift of a lasting holiday season!

posted by jana @ 9:18 PM 4 comments

Jana's New Years

Lambhead invites me to a party at her mom's house. Coo'. I go, visit with her and Adam a bit. All is great. Wish I'd gone earlier, but what can ya do?

Next Stop: the Alter party.
-I drive there by memory (with a little help from Steve)
-I park, unknowingly, at the wrong house. There are very few cars. I call Steve and ask if people are Really there. "yes, just walk on in." Okay. I walk into a room of very confused people, realize the mistake, and run.
-I look in my purse for my keys.
-I look in my coat for my keys.
-I look on the ground for my keys.
-I look in the ignition of my locked car for my keys.
-eureka.
-I call AAA and walk 2 drives down to the Correct house.
-AAA will call me back. coo'. I put my phone in my back pocket to wait.
-I go to the bathroom at, like, 1 am.
-We prepare to leave the party. AAA still hasn't called. So, I decide to call and see whassap
-My phone is missing.
-I look in my purse for my phone.
-I look in my coat for my phone.
-I look on the ground for my phone.
-I look in the toilet for my phone.
-eureka.
-I call AAA and tell them to call my home phone, as my cell phone is, er, out of service.
-Steve takes me home. it is 3am. thanks buddy.
-i take my phone apart, blow on it w/ a hair dryer, leave it and promptly forget about it.
-AAA calls. again. again. again. again. things finally get sorted.
-4am i get picked up
-4:15 am we reach my car, still in some random's driveway. lucky us- the cops weren't called
-4:30 am, the cardoor is unlocked
-YAY
-5am. i go to bed. hey, it's only 2am on the other side of the country!

so anyway, Welcome to the year 2006. and, eh, good luck!...

p.s. if you wanna get ahold of me, you might try my home phone.
just an idea.

posted by jana @ 2:41 PM 8 comments