Weather

I have just added a "weather box" on the left-hand side. It gives the weather for Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It will be almost like you all are there with me. (Some of you will!!!) The forecast looks like it will be hot, wet, and hot. Well, I'm super-excited and should have lots of pictures to share when I get back. My dad just bought himself a new digital camera, and gave me his "old" one. It's pretty good as far as I know, but I am still not sold on the whole digital thing, however it will be easier to carry than my SLR, and I have always enjoyed that little element of surprise associated with film cameras.
Well, I may post before I leave Friday, or I may not. Please be praying for us. Thanks, I'll miss y'all.
If you are curious, check out this post for all my travel plans this summer.

How to Pack...

...for a God-trip.

I expect to do a lot of packing within the next couple months as I will be traveling quite a bit. And the thought crossed my mind, what would I pack if I were going to spend some time with God. If I was going to mark time out to be with God on purpose. Here are some of the things I came up with. Bear in mind, I was trying to connect the actual item with what I would pack in my suitcase for a regular trip.

Guide Book/Map * the Bible (you can also bring devotional books, etc to supplement)

Q-Tips * to clean out my ears so I can hear God

Nice clothes * Romans 13:13-15 (AMP) says to clothe ourselves in Christ. We need to put away other things that might distract us, and put on an attitude of devotion.

Soap * Jesus' Blood --- although you don't have to take communion when spending time with God, it is important to understand and recognize the sacrifice Jesus made.

Camera * Journal --- In the same way you take snapshots of your vacation in order to remember the experiences you had and the places you saw, you should also write down or record some of your experiences with God. You will find that in the future you can go back and look at revelations you may have had, questions or prayers that may have been answered, and just how far you and your relationship has come since you started (or last you wrote).

A CD/MP3 player * Bring an attitude of worship (as much as I hate using music as the definition of worship, people relate to it so easily).

Pillow * Get comfortable, stay up all night and chat or draw or just be in the same place as God.

What do you (suggest to) bring on a "God-trip?" What should you leave behind? I'd love to hear what things I've missed, or what you think.

Travel Fiend--that's me!

A little heads up for you faithful blog readers.

My posts may be few and far between for the next two and a half months. But hopefully they will be full of amazing and exciting travel tales.

In case you are wondering, I am going to:

• Pasadena, CA from June 10th thru the 14th to see my friend Meredith graduate and just hang out.
• Portland, OR from June 15th to the 19th (approximately) to visit my brother, Ben, and his family.
• Cambodia from June 25th through July 10th and then a three day layover in Hong Kong on the way home (returning the 13th, I think). I am going with a group of 21 from Hope Chapel to build a cafeteria at the Chhuk orphan home. By the way, if you would like to donate a new outfit for one of the children in the home let me know. Girls need capri pants and a t-shirt; boys need shorts and a t-shirt (nothing reminiscent of war, such as camouflage).
• Costa Rica and Nicaragua from July 20th through August 10th, with my friend, Nick, to visit our friend, Jana. Nick will be studying at a language school for two weeks during the trip. I may do that too. Or I might just be a typical tourist. I haven't decided yet.
• Update: Back down to Pasadena (area) for my friend, Kirsten's, wedding on August 13th.

And then the weddings begin! I am going to at least 3 weddings in August/September. I will be singing in one and a bridesmaid in another. Not to mention the bridal showers and bachelorette parties. And then in November and December my sisters are having babies, so there are the baby showers (plus the kajillion other women I know who are pregnant).

On one hand I am overwhelmed and haven't quite figured out how to schedule in time to breathe, let alone do laundry. And on the other hand (the more important hand), I am so extraordinarily excited, it's hard to explain. Traveling is my passion. I want to go everywhere, literally. Who's with me?

Cambodia's ex-king has a blog

Most of it is in French, but I thought it was worth noting. Especially since I will be travelling to Cambodia in a couple of weeks. Click here to see for yourself.

I had two best friends

Today, I had a couple of old rolls of film developed. One of the rolls contained pictures I took while on a mini road trip up Highway 1 with my two best friends. It was one of my favorite trips ever. And it lasted less than a day. Our only plan was that we would start in Mill Valley driving up Highway 1. I think these pictures were taken at a beach in Bodega Bay. Serena (at right) and Melinda (below) were my best friends since grade school. I have actually known Melinda since preschool.

We discovered that our friendship is an adult! Well, after high school, Melinda went away to school at UC Davis and Serena and I both stayed home and started at the Santa Rosa Junior College. The ironic thing about what happened next is this: Melinda, the one who moved away, is the one I see more and Serena, who lives only a couple miles from me, and I rarely see each other. Every once in a while I will call Serena, we will talk for about 20 minutes and say "Let's do something," or "Let's get together." And we never do. It's weird. The three of us were rarely apart for at least 6 years that is over 25% of my life (wow!). We shared everything. What happened? Melinda and I talk a few times a month on the phone and we visit each other whenever possible, but it's not the same either. She will always be my BEST friend, but as time has progressed and I expect in the future, I have found myself with other "best friends." Initially, I had a really difficult time calling anyone else a "best friend," but they earned it. Let me tell you about two of my new best friends.

Meredith: In the summer of 2001 (I think) I started going to a new church. We both participated in/helped lead the youth group there. Although I can remember being slightly intimidated by her the first night, we (along with about 4-5 others) became inseparable. I cannot tell you how many movies we went to within the next couple of years, and we even began a "College/Career Bible Study" together--we watched movies and talked about connections to God and the Bible. It was great! In 2003 we spent 6 weeks, visiting 6 European countries, together constantly. It was incredible, but I did find out that you truly must like someone in order to spend so much time with them.
That fall, I drove with her (and all her stuff) down to her new home (apartment) in Pasadena. She has lived down there since, going to grad school. Next weekend I will be visiting and attending her graduation. I'm so proud! I have visited a few times since, but why do all my best friends move away (more about this later)--do I smell?

Jana: Many of you know her. But here is my story with her. Jana was working in another department at my (and her) former place of employment. We could have possibly never spoken to each other, but she happened to come do some work in my department the day she was leaving to go to a friend's wedding in France. I happened to hear someone else talk to her about it and decided to ask her why she was going. I got to share a bit of my experience in Europe and she asked if she could bring me anything. I at first said "no," but later asked her to bring some street artwork (like somebody who sells it on the street). She did and then soon after became the receptionist. One day I walked past reception and heard a Rebecca St James song playing. So, when I got to my desk I e-mailed her this: Are you listening to K-Love? She was, we continued e-mailing and never stopped. She invited me to come to a small group she attended (which was a much needed answer to prayer--I had been praying for God to bring me Godly friends around my age, and at a similar stage in life--I felt so lonely at the time), and I started to go to Saturday night services at her church as well. And then she moved to Nicaragua this January to be a nanny. They all leave! Seriously, do I smell?

My hope is that all of these people (and many more) will be life-long friends. So far we have not fallen out of contact, and I think one of the huge things that binds us together is that we are not just friends, we are Christian friends. And that means we are accountable to each other. We love each other the way Jesus loves us (or at least we try to). And we always will.

Now that you have taken the time to read about my best friends, who is your best friend? Why? I can't wait to read it.

Here is another great thing about Melinda (and many of my "best friends"): she always gets along with all my other best friends. It's a big deal, because so many people have friends that they have to keep separate because they don't get along. This has never been the case regarding Melinda.