A little bit of everything...

There is always so much going on here. I feel like when I sit down to blog there are too many different things to blog about...so I sometimes just don't :) Here are some random things from the last couple of days/weeks!

On Monday my class was canceled so I thought I would kick off the week with some ice skating! Our friend Diana takes lessons and was so nice to show me and Kristin the ropes.

*The indoor rink at Yerba Buena

Skating was so much fun we decided to go again at the outdoor rink in Union Square. My friend Mary did all the branding for the rink so she scored us free tickets!!

*Some of our group at the outdoor rink

We totally braved Black Friday more than once...haha. So late Thursday afternoon Ben and I had dinner with friends here to celebrate Thanksgiving. Ben and I decided that we were going to rest and not do anything on Black Friday. After dinner someone said they just heard that GAP's entire store was 50% off from 6-10am. At this moment, Ben knew our day of rest was not happening. You see, there is this dress I have been eyeing at GAP for a couple weeks but I couldn't justify paying full price for it. 50% off?!?! I could definitely do that! So we decided that we would hit GAP but that was all for us. Well...by the time dessert is done, plans are being made for a 10:20pm movie and then a midnight run to Old Navy. Can you tell where this story is going? Ben and I went home after dinner and before we knew it, we were walking to meet friends at 9:30. Why not?! It is only one day a year :)

Here's the kicker - living in the city, we walk everywhere. So we left at 9:30pm and walked 1.2miles to a movie and Old Navy. We walked 1.2 miles back home at 2:00am. Then we woke up at 5:30 and actually rode the train (running late) to Gap. Then at 8am we walked 1.2miles back home. 3.6 miles and all for this!

So we slept from 8:30-10:30am but then woke up to head to Josh's for the Iron Bowl. We watch most of the BAMA games at Josh's place which is always fun. This game started fun but didn't end well for us. Already looking forward to next season....ROLL TIDE!

So we went home around 3:00pm and made plans to go to the lighting of the tree with our friends Josh and Carrie Beth. We met up at 5:00pm, walked another 2miles to Union Square. It was way more crowded than we expected but SO beautiful.

*Macy's all lit up

So because of the crowds we couldn't see the stage (Katherine McPhee and others performed) or much of the tree. In the middle of the singing, we walked to meet some other friends who were on the street behind the stage. Carrie Beth and I wanted to see how close we could get so we climbed on a wall and literally through some shrubs to get right on side of the stage.

*Here we are watching from the bushes

*And finally the lighting of the tree

It's still Friday, in case you lost track. We were hungry and tired of turkey so we decided we would grab something on the 2mi walk back home. The group was wanting something spicy so we landed on going to a Thai restaurant. Here is a milestone for me. If you know me well, you know two things...I can be a selective eater (aka picky) and Thai food is not on the list. The group offered to get pizza but in the spirit of adventure and being tired out of my mind, I said "no...Thai food is great!" Ben and Josh assured me that I would find something on the menu. I was very conservative in ordering but I ate it and loved it and would go back!

So we got home around 8:30 and I don't even remember falling asleep. It wasn't our planned day of rest but after a late movie, midnight Old Navy, 6am GAP, the Iron Bowl, a tree lighting, Thai food and walking 7.6 miles...who can complain?! It turned out to be a fun-filled great day!

We are getting our day of rest though...It's currently 11:25 on Sunday morning, Ben is still sleeping and we really don't have any plans for today!

no choice but to be thankful...

It's 10:25pm on Thanksgiving Eve and as I think about my life I have no choice but to be thankful. The more I reflect on the last year, the more overwhelmed I am by this ongoing, never-ending list of reasons I am grateful. Here are just few...

I am thankful for my husband-

• Because he makes me laugh so hard my stomach starts to hurt
• Because he loves me when I'm selfish
• Because he works hard to provide for me and to protect me
• Because his faith has been tested and he has persevered
• Because he is compassionate toward those around him

I am thankful for friends

• Because they challenge and encourage me to be a better wife and follower of God
• Because they pray for me
• Because they ask tough questions and demand honest, no bs answers
• Because they celebrate great moments with me and when the not so great moments come, they share in bearing the burden and then tell me when to stop feeling sorry for myself :)
• Because they let me call or drop by at a moment's notice when I need to talk
• Because they inspire me with their stories of faith and how they live

I am thankful for God

• because he saved me
• because when I was at my worst, Christ died for me
• because he loves me according to his character and not my own
• because he wants to work through my life
• because he provides for us and is faithful

I am thankful for Calvary Church and The Well college ministry who sent me out with abundant blessings to live life and walk with God in San Francisco. I am thankful for many people I know well and don't know at all who continue to believe and invest in me. I am thankful for Epic Church and the chance to be a part of a team starting a church here.

We have celebrated some great moments over the last year and we have struggled through tough times. At the end of the day I look at my life - I have a husband, family, friends and a God who loves me and is for me...and so I have no choice but to be thankful!

We got offices!!!!

I have been in the same place ALL day and it is amazing!! Epic Church got offices last week and officially moved in this week. This is a really HUGE deal for us. As most of you know, we have been working out of coffee shops and our apartments since June 1. Being mobile was great and we got to meet and know lots of people. The downside to being mobile is losing time walking from place to place everyday in search for good internet :) We are grateful for two mission teams who put together 56 boxes of IKEA furniture and helped us get settled in. (You will hear more about their work in my next post.) So here is where I spent my day.....welcome to my office :)

Did I mention it's only a 7 minute walk from my apartment?!?!

*Where the work gets done :)

*This is for you when you come to visit me! (also my new favorite spot to read)

*More room for meetings and guests

*A view from the door

Ben and Tim are in a meeting but I want to show you there space later!

I'm still catching up the blog...next up: Epic's 2nd Preview and Ben and I are moving apartments on Thursday!!

Lindsey

Bessie Carmichael

First let me say that this is WAY over due :) As you can tell I started write this on November 2nd and am just finishing it today, November 9th!

Before I can update you on the second preview service, I have to follow-up on something from the first! If you read about 10.10.10 (if not, you can read here), you know that at the first Epic Church preview we received an offering in the service with the intention of giving 100% of it away to buy supplies for Bessie Carmichael Elementary School. It was our desire early on to partner with a public school if possible. With all the budget cuts in the state, public schools in California took a big hit.

We chose to serve Bessie Carmichael for many reasons - here are a few:

• It is the only school I have seen in our neighborhood
• It educates children from predominantly low-income families who are in great need
• It's principal said YES to working with us!

Once we received and counted the offering, we asked the school for a wish list that included some basic supplies I assumed every school had. A few items on the list:

• retractable ball point pens
• sharpies
• binders
• composition books
• staplers for teacher
• dry erase markers
• network printers (We were able to get one!)
• laminating machine
• hole punchers
• copy paper
• prizes for kids games

We weren't able to get everything but did as much as we could. It was a great joy to shop for everything and deliver it to the school last Tuesday. Ben Pilgreen and I had the privilege to deliver the supplies to a very excited and grateful staff at the school office! Here is a picture of it all!

We want to be a church and people who love and serve the city well. Pray as we continue to figure out ways to do that through Bessie Carmichael and as well as other opportunities.

more to come....

Lindsey