Archive for May, 2011

My life after the move

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First of all, I just wanna say I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I’ve thought about it, but it didn’t seem like anything important enough to write about.

Things have been going really smoothly and I’m seriously loving how close I am to work. Parking in the community where I live can be a nightmare, but what community doesn’t have parking issues?

Emma seems to be okay with my new place, even though I’ve had to change-up how we spend our time together.

Overall though, I’d say I needed to make the move.

It’s certainly been life-changing and eye-opening for me.

But I can’t shake this feeling that now that I’m down here, God is about to make some big changes in my life.

I’m not totally sure what the future holds, but it really isn’t my place to know. My job is to trust in Him who provides everything for me. So all I need to worry about is making sure I’m being obedient.

I tend to worry too much about the details and the decisions I have to make. I need to let God handle the details and focus and just walking the path He has for me. As long as I’m moving, He can direct and guide me. That’s all I need to worry about.

I know this all seems a little vague, but that’s the way it’s gotta be some times. Please just keep me in your prayers that I can be obedient and surrender myself to God and that I can put my family before myself.

-i

I didn't really need a U-Haul. And check out the hair!

Five Minutes

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Nothing really new with me-OH WAIT!

I MOVED!!

 

I didn't really need a U-Haul. And check out the hair!

 

That’s right! I’m living in Aliso Viejo now and live five minutes from work.

Do you have any idea how much of a blessing that is?

I can leave from work at 6:00 and be home at 6:05.
No more waiting until 8:00 for traffic to die down.
No more getting home after 9:00.
No more being gone for 12 hours a day.

I will actually have a life outside of work!

Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you for everyone’s prayers and support as I start a new chapter of my life. It’s exciting to see God moving and opening doors for me and allowing me to be even more connected with the friends I’ve gotten to know and grow close to at Coast Hills.

-i

I can't not smile when I see this picture

365 Days

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1 Year.
12 Months.
52 Weeks.
365 Days.
8760 Hours.

Okay, maybe not exactly 8760 hours, but I’m sure it’s close.
That’s how long I’ve lived with the Snyders (see Jamie, no apostrophe!).
I can’t believe that it’s been exactly one year.
May 12th, 2010 was the first day I stayed with this awesome family.
And now, May 11th, 2011 is the first day I’ll be living in Aliso Viejo.

It’s amazing how many memories were created over the past 12 months.
Most were good.
But some were bad.

Remember that most of the time I was here, I was dealing with my divorce and other junk I’ve been going through.

I would definitely say that the good memories outweigh the bad.

And since I don’t really have too much else to say, I’ll just leave you with this: some photos taken throughout the last year.

(BTW, look how little Em looks in some of them!)

One thing I can say is that even though I’m glad I will be much closer to work and will almost have no commute any longer, I’m sure going to miss living life with this family.

You guys have stuck by my side and had my back through one of the darkest periods of my life. You’ve helped guide and get me through some of the worst crap I’ve ever had to go through. You’ve treated me and Emma like part of your family and I will forever be grateful of your amazing family.

I love you guys!

Isaiah

I’m feeling…

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I’m nervous.
I’m excited.
I’m anxious.
I’m tired.
I’m restless.
I’m hungry.
I’m sleepless.
I’m scared.

What are you feeling?

UNITE: An Evening of Worship and Prayer

My Prayer of Thankfulness

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Dang! I did it again…
I’ve tried to get away from putting “My” in front of every blog title.
But my C.D.O. (that’s O.C.D. in alphabetical order…) makes me want everything to be consistent.
I hate that.

Anyways, moving on…

UNITE: An Evening of Worship and Prayer

Wednesday night at Coast Hills was UNITE: An Evening of Worship and Prayer and it was off the hook! The whole band and vocalists really brought the BOOMSAUCE!!

It’s so amazing to be able to come together as a church body and just focus on singing praises to God and worshipping him.

That night was very special to me as it was the first time I’ve run FOH (Front Of House. AKA, the sound board) for such a big event.

I can’t even begin to put into words how it felt to be used by God to help lead His people in worship. I literally got chills when at one point during the evening, I was looking down and making some tweaks to the mix and when I looked up everybody in the room had their hands raised and was singing out to God.

It was powerful.

Even now, I’m listening to the recording of the board mix leaves me speechless.
I can’t believe that I get to be a part of this!!

Please don’t think I’m blowing my own horn here.
The recoding isn’t perfect or anywhere close to it.
In fact, I think I made the vocal fx a little too wet during Your Great Name.
And the piano is a bit loud on Rhythms of Grace.

The fact that the mix isn’t perfect is proof that it isn’t about me.
God was worshipped and His name praised in spite of human error.
I know, I’m shocked too… ;)

But I’ll tell you what: hearing the vocalists sing and the band play, all of them pouring their hearts out and genuinely worshiping and praising God is truly awe-inspiring!

A year ago, I would never have guessed that God could use me in this way. If you would have told me what I would be doing and who I would be working with I would have thought they you crazy.

I am honestly and truly blessed beyond belief and have to pinch myself sometimes! I can’t stop raving about the team and people I get to work with. They’re some of the most talented and humble people I’ve ever met.

But what really touched me the most,
What punched me in the gut and took my breath away,
Was when I looked out at the audience during Stronger and I see my dad worshiping his face off.
I lost it.

How couldn’t I?
To see the man who I look up to looking up to God and surrendering himself broke me.

Throughout the evening we also had several times of prayer.

Time of prayer during UNITE

During one time in particular, Pastor Ken asked us all to reflect and pray and just be thankful for all that God has provided and done in our lives.

It was humbling to to really think about all that I do have going for me. It’s really my human/sin/selfish nature that allows me to dwell on everything I don’t have. I should be thankful for everything I do have! After all, I have a beautiful daughter, a great job that I love, I work with amazing/fantastic people, I have parents who love me, friends and family who are always by my side and I’m relatively healthy.

I have a lot of great things going for me.

Yet I somehow manage to always focus on the negative.

No more! From now on I will be thankful for what I have and no longer think about what I don’t.

Which, by the way, I have something else to be thankful for: a place to live in Aliso Viejo!
No more driving 40 miles a day for me!!
Looks like I’ll be moving as early as next week. w00t!

Alright, I suppose I should get to bed.

-i

Aliso Veijo

Changing Seasons…

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It looks like that things might be changing soon for me.
In a good way.

 

Aliso Veijo

I may have an opportunity to move to the OC and be much closer to work.
And by much closer I mean about a mile away.
Which is 39 miles closer than I drive now.
Which will save me an hour and twenty minutes per day!

 

If everything works out, and God willing, I’ll be renting a room from a family that I know at church.
The place looks great.
They’re cool with Emma.
It’s super close to work.

Even though I’m excited to be closer to work and I’ll be able to save a ton of money on gas and vehicle maintenance, I’m still nervous.

Nervous on what the future looks like.
I’ve gotten so used to feeling like I’m a part of the Snyder family that it’s going to feel like I’m moving away from home for the third time.
What if Emma doesn’t get along with them?
What it just doesn’t work out?

It’s also a bit more than I’d hoped to be paying for rent (I guess that’s part of the tradeoff of living in Aliso Viejo).
And thanks to having to change my filing status Uncle Same decided he wanted an extra 15% of my income.
So I need to do some number-crunching and see if I can really swing this.

Along with moving, I’ve finally decided to sell both my vehicles and get a newer car. I’m hoping for something like a 2008 (or newer) Honda Accord or Hyundai or Kia. So if you or someone you know is interested in a ’89 V6 Toyota Pickup or a ’01 Mercury Sable, let me know!!

And in other news…

Tomorrow night is UNITE: An Evening of Worship and I’ll be running FOH for it.
I’m excited!
And a little nervous.
From a technical standpoint this is going to be more complex than our Easter service.
But after looking at who we have on stage and the songs that they’ll be doing , I’m pretty pumped that I get to do this!

So if you’re in the area tomorrow evening, come on down to Coast Hills and hang out with us!

Well, that’s all I got for now. Finally some good news in what has been kind of a dark time for me!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and words of encouragement.
You have no idea how much it means to me!!
-i

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