La Sonya

I went skiing today. The last time I went was just about 10 years ago. The snow is still cold, the mountains still big.

Mariposa Grove "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires" Psalms 37:4 Climbers Trail to Wawona Dome "Whom have I in Heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth." Psalms 73:25

When I was 20 years old I moved to Santa Barbara, Honduras. I lived at a home for children, Hogar de Ni ñ o s. That was the year of mi Pepino. Nahum was his given name, but mi Pepino was his special name. I'm not even sure how I came to call him my cuccumber . I just did. He never seemed to mind either, he would call me silly names too but none of them stuck on me like pepino did for him. I remember one day we were laying on the benches in the court yard between the buildings. We were not really talking, we were simply sharing the love language of quality time. Then the little guy pipes up and asks me, "Sonya, what are we doing?" I replied, "Nada". Then without missing a beat he says, "In that case we must be pirates." He was referring to the pirates who don't do anything from Veggie Tales! Ah, what a kid. So smart and quick. If you asked him his favorite book of the bible: Nahum. He liked that it talked about fighting and warrior things. Another...

Once upon a time I was roommates with Andrea Keele. (Andrea is on the far left) I was a member of Myspace before she was and so I would use her computer to log in and check out all the cool stuff Myspace had to offer. Since I never worried about her logging in to check her non existent myspace account I never really logged off. . . until the summer she got an account and the hacking commenced. This is the blog she (along with her brother Donnie Keele) wrote with my name: It seems this happens more to me than anyone else. I mean, have you ever met someone and its just like so natural. Its almost as if when you look into their eyes that time seems to slow down. And in that moment you seem to learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible. *sigh* I dont know. Maybe nobody understands...maybe nobody ever will. But these feelings, they are so strong. I cannot deny them. And so here I sit. I stare at a blank wall, but it is not the wall I see, but painting of life. So full of color...

As I walked outside the door I was greeted by darkness. Unable to see the path in front of me I walked slowly and cautiously. Knowing the darkness would not always be there I gave it time and I gave it space, I wanted to see past the darkness. As I walked outside the door I was met by a half moon. Only slightly able to see the path in front of me I took bolder steps. Knowing the path and seeing more of its turns and twists I was becoming more familiar with the path, I wanted to call it friend. As I walked outside the door I was welcomed by the snow and the moon. My eyes had been opened to a clear trail, an open path. Knowing and seeing past the darkness, and reveling in it's character I had seen the difference, I had walked through the change and now I understood it's beauty. I had become a friend to the trail in the woods.

I am growing up. I've realized this recently as I bought my ticket home to Texas for my high school reunion. I used to be afraid of getting older and not accomplishing the average goals for one my age. But not any more. I've embraced it and I am championing the world of living where God sends me. Well, maybe not championing it but at least boldly living it. Tonight I was watching a show and as the intro names were coming on I saw one that looked familiar. Devon Sawa. Upon further investigation I realized who he was in the show. Hmmm, he does look familiar. Who was he? He was none other than Junior from Little Giants. Oh what a little girl crush I had on him! And he's alive and still doing what he loves. He's growing up. I'm growing up too. But think about it, this guy, this Devon Sawa, is my age (okay I just looked it up and he's older than me) But the point is he was a kid around the same time, or he played a kid, around the same time I was a kid and now he...

I made hot chocolate mix the other day from scratch. I had to sift cocoa powder, when I was done I had chocolate boogers. I ran down to the stop sign and back in a little over 3o min. I am helping with summer camp prep and that makes me think it's summer time. I baked muffins with Cheerios. I baked muffins with Raisin Bran. I baked cookies with Cheerios. I baked cookies with Raisin Bran. I bought a plane ticket home to Texas in March for my high school reunion. I can't wait to see all my old friends and their new additions to their families. To relive all our old high school jokes, to tell stories and look at pictures. It's going to be epic. I've been learning a lot about waiting on God. It seems as though this process has been slow but that is how it sometimes feels when one is waiting. I've learned to enjoy the slow days and embrace the quietness. I went to the Worlds Agriculture Expo in Tulare, California and drove all sorts of cool stuff. I learned to weld and p...

How shall I go in peace and without sorrow? Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city. Long were the days of pain I have spent within its walls, and long were the nights of aloneness; and who can depart from his pain and aloneness without regret? Too many fragments of the spirit have I scattered in these streets, and too many are the children of my longing that walk naked among these hills, and I cannot withdraw from them without a burden and an ache. It is not a garment I cast off this day but a skin that I tear with my own hands. Nor is it a thought I leave behind me, but a heart made sweet with hunger and thirst. Yet I cannot tarry longer. The sea calls all things unto her, calls me, and I must embark. For to stay, though the hours burn in the night, it to freeze and crystallize and be bound in a mould. Fain would I take with me all that is here. But how shall I? A voice cannot carry the tongue and the lips that gave it wings. Alone must it seek either. ~Kahlil ...

I am from Texas. I grew up just a short 20 minute drive from Dallas. I have friends who live in Dallas now. The things this video says are not okay. They should not be true, but they are. Spread the word. Let's stop modern day slavery in AMERICA. Natalie Grant and Tenth Avenue North PSA for Traffick 911 from Nate Bernard on Vimeo .