Friday, March 25, 2011
Drumroll please.....
Hey guess what? We're scheduled to close on our new house on April 8! Once it's a done deal, I'll make sure to post some pics :o)
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Give me a revelation, show me what to do...
Lyrics from a great song. No, I don't know the name of the song or the group that sings it. I'm terrible at stuff like that.
The grad application is sent, and house contract is signed, and I just started a new Beth Moore Bible study on Revelation. Oh yeah, you can bet things are about to get crazy up in here, up in here.
Ya'll gonna make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here.
Don't know the artist or the song title to that one either. I told you-really bad at this.
The grad application is sent, and house contract is signed, and I just started a new Beth Moore Bible study on Revelation. Oh yeah, you can bet things are about to get crazy up in here, up in here.
Ya'll gonna make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here.
Don't know the artist or the song title to that one either. I told you-really bad at this.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Cha cha cha chaaanges!
Many new things happening in our lives right now! Some exciting, some a little daunting, all of them a new chapter.
Patrick officially accepted his position at Charles Schwab as an Estate and Retirement Specialist.
We're both thrilled about this opportunity for him to move closer to the focus he's aiming for! He's already given the recruiter some grief-as Patrick does. She's been negotiating with him for so long (and I'm sure gets a bonus for every employee she signs on). She called him to "up" the deal a little and he said, "You know, I've been thinking a lot about this...and I've decided to stay with Wells Fargo....................nah, I'm just kidding." She said, "Patrick?! You almost made me lose my lunch!" Already making friends in the company-that's what he does :o)Now that Patrick's job will be in Phoenix, and mine are in Phoenix and Glendale, we've started looking at houses in south Scottsdale. It's the perfect location to still be "where the action is at," close to lots of freeways, the SAME distance to church and my parents house (add 4 minutes), gym close by, dog park less than a mile away, and we'll significantly cut down our commute time (mine especially). So we have a couple picked out, and one specifically that I'm a little attached to. But they're mostly short sales so we're not expecting a quick answer. If we get a house out there, our plan is to rent our house out in Mesa. Right now there are lots of renters in the market with a turn around time of only 2 weeks. Sweet deal!
I'm in the process of applying to USC's Social Work Graduate Program.
They have an online medium, called their Virtual Academy, and the curriculum is every bit as rigorous as the traditional lecture classes on campus. In my experience, online classes are actually a lot harder than on-campus classes. I was a little hesitant about doing my whole degree online, but after talking with the admissions counselor found out that I could transfer to a campus easily if I needed to. So I'm going to give it a shot! I think this degree lends to a lot of flexibility in the kind of job I'll be looking for in the future. I'll be able to work in a school, be a director of a non-profit, advocate, get a certificate to be a therapist, the possibilities are wide open! (Plus I have some ideas for the near future regarding social work :o) I told Patrick that I will be walking in my black cap and gown across the Trojan stage. He said, "Of course."Something that hasn't changed? We still don't have kids. But that's ok because our plan was to be married for 5 years or so before we even start trying, and we're doing good so far! I think we'll have to push our timeline back about 7 months so I can finish my master's and then Mr. Stork you're welcome into our home.
Not that he's not welcome in our home, he's just not our preferred guest at this point in time. Man, that thing is ugly. Whoever made up the story about the stork delivering babies didn't see the real thing. Yuck! Plus we don't want to steal anyone's limelight. On Patrick's side Sheena and Jake just had baby Allison in January, Rami and Dave had baby Bo in February, and on deck we have Beth and Josh with another baby Jones and (drum roll please)........Krista and Jace with twins-coming soon to a hospital near you! Yes, it's a busy year for the Jones family. Patrick and I see this as a great opportunity to celebrate with them, hold babies, and go home to our dogs :o) Hey, you would think the same thing if your probability of getting twins was more than 50% too. Yes, that's where the 5 years comes into play. Of course with all these new things happening, I should probably knock on wood...Whatever happens, don't believe a word Patrick says. He's the boy who cried wolf. I see why he always teases people though. When he even hints around (falsely of course) that we're pregnant, he gets a big rise out of people. Oh Patrick.I'm not really one for change, and this season in our life has been quite a struggle for me. I think God just decided to dump it all at the same time so I'd get over it. Way to be God, way to be. You'll be happy to know that I'm a little more fond of new things now than I was before. It's all about the growing process...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
What do you do?
What do you do when everything in your life seems to be changing?
What do you do when everyone around you seems to be going through some crazy changes in their life too?
What do you do if you're not particularly fond of change?
What do you do when a series of events happen that prove coincidence is much too light a term to use?
What do you do when you follow where you know you need to go only to find constant opposition?
What do you do?
Believe in the One thing that you know is constant. The One thing you know will never change. Trust that that One can see farther than your eyes can see, and can plan things you never thought imaginable.
At least that's what I do.
What do you do when everyone around you seems to be going through some crazy changes in their life too?
What do you do if you're not particularly fond of change?
What do you do when a series of events happen that prove coincidence is much too light a term to use?
What do you do when you follow where you know you need to go only to find constant opposition?
What do you do?
Believe in the One thing that you know is constant. The One thing you know will never change. Trust that that One can see farther than your eyes can see, and can plan things you never thought imaginable.
At least that's what I do.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Waging War Against Child Sexual Exploitation
**This post is not intended for the faint of heart, or for small children to read. It's not overly graphic, but please understand this is intended for a mature audience**
====================================================================
Today I woke up early to make the long trek (1 hour drive one-way) out to Streetlight for some training. The Phoenix Vice Sqad was teaching us about "the game" (prostitution).
I walked in the office building just as I do every week, signed in, stated my reason for being there-the usual procedure. I sat in a chair in the back conference room, took out my pencil-I was ready to go. These two normal looking ladies introduced themselves as members of the vice team, then wanted to hear how we heard about Streetlight and in a short description what led us to be there. There were about 30 women in this crammed room, and as each one took a short time to answer the question I noticed some strong similarities in responses. The normal response, "I heard about SL through my church ________ and I feel like God is calling me to work with these girls." The wording varied slightly, but the meaning was the same. They were basically saying, "I have a heart to help these poor girls." And who wouldn't?! If you have studied this issue at all, or have even remotely paid attention to the news you know that human trafficking is a local issue. More on that later. The other common response I gathered was, "I don't know what my role is here or how I can help, but I'm excited to help." Remember these two responses as you read the rest of this story.
So the vice officers begin by giving us some street lingo that we'll probably need to know to keep up a conversation with a girl coming through SL. I'll give you a few just as examples, there are too many to list...
Pimp-actually an acronym for provided income from managing prostitutes. Pimps are incredibly narcissistic and are described under two different categories:
Player-a pimp who is more persuasive verbally than physically
Guerilla-a pimp who is more physically persuasive than verbally
*most pimps are both
Wifey-prostitute (yeah, I'm sure your reaction was like mine...not going to use that word again!)
Stable-group of prostitutes that work for the same pimp. Obviously referring to a group of women as a stable is demeaning in the worst sense-basically calling them animals.
Square-you and me. People who aren't in the "game" and who lead basically normal lives w/ jobs that are legal. I never appreciated being called a square until today.
MOB-money over bitches
Track-location where prostitutes walk the streets. I found out in AZ that the biggest tracks are around Indian School, Bell, and 7-27th Avenues. Hmmm...Phoenix Christian is at 18th Ave. and Indian School. Coincidence? I don't believe in coincidences. I'm in the right place without even knowing it! Put in the middle of the battleground.
Turn out-brand new prostitute, one who was just turned from a normal girl into a prostitute.
**don't read this if you get sick easily**
Turn out party-several pimps "unite" to abuse a prostitute either for being disrespectful, trying to leave, or reporting a pimp to the police. Usually consists of pimps "gang-raping" the prostitute, beating her, urinating and/or defecating on her, and other forms of abuses.
***
There's other stuff of course, but not necessary to put on a family blog-you get the idea.
So, we're talking about these terms briefly and I see the women around me drop like flies just with their facial expressions. They are shocked. I look around and think, "why am I not having that same reaction?" I wasn't shocked at all, it made perfect sense to me. IT'S NOT OK-hear me loud and clear on that, but I wasn't surprised by all of this.
In the next part of the training we saw actual footage from a pimp being interviewed by the vice after he received his life sentence in prison. He knew he was done for, so he spilled the beans to them about the industry. As the police officers asked him questions he very casually, very charmingly stated his answer. He was funny, witty, persuasive, totally likable. This was not at all what I had pictured. I sat there listening to this guy and thought, "I could have fallen for him as a teenager just like any one of these girls." That is scary. One of the most commonly asked questions is, "Why don't the girls just leave? Or why don't they seek help?" You see we "squares" can't fully understand why these girls don't just break free from this bondage. If you saw this guy in his interview it would all make sense to you. These guys are normal looking. They're charming. And not in a creepy way-I have a creepy radar! In a very unobtrusive, normal kind of way. Probably like your boyfriend or spouse was once charming. And their plan is to flirt with a girl who has low self-esteem (what teenage girl doesn't?!) and get them thinking, "Wow, he's really sweet. He's interested in me. I could see him as my boyfriend." Their relationship starts out like any other relationship. Then out of the blue-he picks her up for a date. Drives her away from her familiar environment, beats her nearly to death and the rest is the game. They take away her human nature through acts of sex. He begins "grooming" her and scares or convinces her that her only choice is prostitution because now he knows her family. If she refuses he'll kill them. THAT'S why they don't leave folks. They either can't because her pimp will kill her or she's been with him for so long that she finally believes the lies.
After watching some of these videos with girls telling their stories and how "normal" and actually quite charming the pimps are, some women are wiping tears. I look around and think, "This is exactly why they have this training BEFORE you work with these girls." You see, in an industry this hardcore, you can't react, you can't judge, you must be stable. I think it's ok to feel intense pain for these girls. I think it's ok to help because you have the strongest desire to see them changed, to see them healed. Those two reasons kept us sitting in that room. But if you react to what they're saying, if you judge them with "religious talk," even if you're too soft, those girls will manipulate you, shut down or worse, run back to their pimp. You have to know how to deal with kids. You have to know that they're lashing out as a direct result of their abuse. And you have to know that they're kids trapped in an nasty adult industry, so they will not trust you.
My reaction to all of this? It wasn't tears, it wasn't shock. I felt more mentally prepared than I ever have. I'm excited. I'm invigorated. I'm ready to do this because I know I have the ability to be what those girls need: a non-judgmental woman, with boundaries, with no shock on my face, able to acclimate to the environment and prove trusting me is safe. Underneath all that is a heart filled with compassion to see these girls' lives restored. I desire their restoration-I just can't tell them that right away. I have to prove it by winning their trust.
I'm ready Lord, send me into battle.
====================================================================
Today I woke up early to make the long trek (1 hour drive one-way) out to Streetlight for some training. The Phoenix Vice Sqad was teaching us about "the game" (prostitution).
So the vice officers begin by giving us some street lingo that we'll probably need to know to keep up a conversation with a girl coming through SL. I'll give you a few just as examples, there are too many to list...
Pimp-actually an acronym for provided income from managing prostitutes. Pimps are incredibly narcissistic and are described under two different categories:
Player-a pimp who is more persuasive verbally than physically
Guerilla-a pimp who is more physically persuasive than verbally
*most pimps are both
Wifey-prostitute (yeah, I'm sure your reaction was like mine...not going to use that word again!)
Stable-group of prostitutes that work for the same pimp. Obviously referring to a group of women as a stable is demeaning in the worst sense-basically calling them animals.
Square-you and me. People who aren't in the "game" and who lead basically normal lives w/ jobs that are legal. I never appreciated being called a square until today.
MOB-money over bitches
Track-location where prostitutes walk the streets. I found out in AZ that the biggest tracks are around Indian School, Bell, and 7-27th Avenues. Hmmm...Phoenix Christian is at 18th Ave. and Indian School. Coincidence? I don't believe in coincidences. I'm in the right place without even knowing it! Put in the middle of the battleground.
Turn out-brand new prostitute, one who was just turned from a normal girl into a prostitute.
**don't read this if you get sick easily**
Turn out party-several pimps "unite" to abuse a prostitute either for being disrespectful, trying to leave, or reporting a pimp to the police. Usually consists of pimps "gang-raping" the prostitute, beating her, urinating and/or defecating on her, and other forms of abuses.
***
There's other stuff of course, but not necessary to put on a family blog-you get the idea.
So, we're talking about these terms briefly and I see the women around me drop like flies just with their facial expressions. They are shocked. I look around and think, "why am I not having that same reaction?" I wasn't shocked at all, it made perfect sense to me. IT'S NOT OK-hear me loud and clear on that, but I wasn't surprised by all of this.
In the next part of the training we saw actual footage from a pimp being interviewed by the vice after he received his life sentence in prison. He knew he was done for, so he spilled the beans to them about the industry. As the police officers asked him questions he very casually, very charmingly stated his answer. He was funny, witty, persuasive, totally likable. This was not at all what I had pictured. I sat there listening to this guy and thought, "I could have fallen for him as a teenager just like any one of these girls." That is scary. One of the most commonly asked questions is, "Why don't the girls just leave? Or why don't they seek help?" You see we "squares" can't fully understand why these girls don't just break free from this bondage. If you saw this guy in his interview it would all make sense to you. These guys are normal looking. They're charming. And not in a creepy way-I have a creepy radar! In a very unobtrusive, normal kind of way. Probably like your boyfriend or spouse was once charming. And their plan is to flirt with a girl who has low self-esteem (what teenage girl doesn't?!) and get them thinking, "Wow, he's really sweet. He's interested in me. I could see him as my boyfriend." Their relationship starts out like any other relationship. Then out of the blue-he picks her up for a date. Drives her away from her familiar environment, beats her nearly to death and the rest is the game. They take away her human nature through acts of sex. He begins "grooming" her and scares or convinces her that her only choice is prostitution because now he knows her family. If she refuses he'll kill them. THAT'S why they don't leave folks. They either can't because her pimp will kill her or she's been with him for so long that she finally believes the lies.
After watching some of these videos with girls telling their stories and how "normal" and actually quite charming the pimps are, some women are wiping tears. I look around and think, "This is exactly why they have this training BEFORE you work with these girls." You see, in an industry this hardcore, you can't react, you can't judge, you must be stable. I think it's ok to feel intense pain for these girls. I think it's ok to help because you have the strongest desire to see them changed, to see them healed. Those two reasons kept us sitting in that room. But if you react to what they're saying, if you judge them with "religious talk," even if you're too soft, those girls will manipulate you, shut down or worse, run back to their pimp. You have to know how to deal with kids. You have to know that they're lashing out as a direct result of their abuse. And you have to know that they're kids trapped in an nasty adult industry, so they will not trust you.
My reaction to all of this? It wasn't tears, it wasn't shock. I felt more mentally prepared than I ever have. I'm excited. I'm invigorated. I'm ready to do this because I know I have the ability to be what those girls need: a non-judgmental woman, with boundaries, with no shock on my face, able to acclimate to the environment and prove trusting me is safe. Underneath all that is a heart filled with compassion to see these girls' lives restored. I desire their restoration-I just can't tell them that right away. I have to prove it by winning their trust.
I'm ready Lord, send me into battle.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
New Year!!
I noticed from the background that I haven't blogged since Christmas. Woopsies :o) Here's a quick update:
Patrick wasn't able to get any time off work for Christmas so we stayed in AZ instead of visiting his folks. It was a pretty busy season. We sang at church December 23 & 24 for a grand total of 7 services. WHEW! It was a blast, but boy it was long!
After getting home at 11pm, Christmas Eve, we each opened one gift. I opened one from Patrick and what did I find? The precious movie Charlie Brown Christmas.
We watched it together and definitely set the mood for a perfect Christmas Eve, just the two of us. It was so special to spend time with the one person I love more than anything in the world. I think I'm going to make that a tradition every year from now on :o) After the movie we finally went to bed. The next morning we slept in, and in the afternoon headed over to my parents' house for some dinner and presents. Afterward we had some friends over for drinks and dessert. Of course we had to play games! It was the perfect Christmas. (You can check out the videos on Facebook. No holiday get-together is complete without a game of Quelf!)
Christmas was over, and it seemed that in the blink of an eye New Years Eve was here. We made plans to go up to Flagstaff with some friends, but they had so much snow a couple days before, I-17 closed! We canceled our hotel reservations, but it turned out to be a great night anyway. We went to Amber and Ken's dinner party, and what a party it was! They made the most delicious food ever (words cannot describe-and I know good food when I taste it!), and we all had some great fun. I was also introduced to jello shots. Amber couldn't believe I'd never had one before. Let's just say I like them :o) There's a funny video to go with that story, but not one that I would post online, lol.
All in all, it was a wonderful holiday season. January is already proving to be full of great opportunities, and I have no doubt that 2011 will be even better than 2010. Thank you Lord for your blessings in our lives! Cheers!
Patrick wasn't able to get any time off work for Christmas so we stayed in AZ instead of visiting his folks. It was a pretty busy season. We sang at church December 23 & 24 for a grand total of 7 services. WHEW! It was a blast, but boy it was long!
After getting home at 11pm, Christmas Eve, we each opened one gift. I opened one from Patrick and what did I find? The precious movie Charlie Brown Christmas.
We watched it together and definitely set the mood for a perfect Christmas Eve, just the two of us. It was so special to spend time with the one person I love more than anything in the world. I think I'm going to make that a tradition every year from now on :o) After the movie we finally went to bed. The next morning we slept in, and in the afternoon headed over to my parents' house for some dinner and presents. Afterward we had some friends over for drinks and dessert. Of course we had to play games! It was the perfect Christmas. (You can check out the videos on Facebook. No holiday get-together is complete without a game of Quelf!)
Christmas was over, and it seemed that in the blink of an eye New Years Eve was here. We made plans to go up to Flagstaff with some friends, but they had so much snow a couple days before, I-17 closed! We canceled our hotel reservations, but it turned out to be a great night anyway. We went to Amber and Ken's dinner party, and what a party it was! They made the most delicious food ever (words cannot describe-and I know good food when I taste it!), and we all had some great fun. I was also introduced to jello shots. Amber couldn't believe I'd never had one before. Let's just say I like them :o) There's a funny video to go with that story, but not one that I would post online, lol.
All in all, it was a wonderful holiday season. January is already proving to be full of great opportunities, and I have no doubt that 2011 will be even better than 2010. Thank you Lord for your blessings in our lives! Cheers!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was a blast. We got together with everyone on my Mom's side of the family. Not such an easy thing when you factor in adults with jobs, college students, and coordinating the other family's plans.
All my cousins were there, so I insisted that we take another cousin pyramid picture. The boys were a little reluctant-and if you see where they are in the pyramid you'll understand why. But it happened easily, and much quicker than the first time we did this (two years ago).
And a piggy back picture...
Of course there was lots of football watching as well.
So thankful for my family. I quote from my father-in-law, "You can pick your nose, but you can't pick your family." While this is true, I wouldn't have chosen any other family.
I especially love this crazy guy. (I'm glad I picked him :o)
All my cousins were there, so I insisted that we take another cousin pyramid picture. The boys were a little reluctant-and if you see where they are in the pyramid you'll understand why. But it happened easily, and much quicker than the first time we did this (two years ago).
And a piggy back picture...
Of course there was lots of football watching as well.
So thankful for my family. I quote from my father-in-law, "You can pick your nose, but you can't pick your family." While this is true, I wouldn't have chosen any other family.
I especially love this crazy guy. (I'm glad I picked him :o)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)