week one

WOW! Week 1 down...i can't believe it's been a week already, and yet it feels like i've been here for a month! Risa and I were just talking yesterday about how we almost feel like we're home in Maui- like we were made to live here!

1. Always sunny and warm (and you know how i am usually cold!)

2. beautiful beaches- all around! I forget that i'm living on an island and can see the ocean on both the north and south side! (well and i guess east and west too- but there's two mountains on the east and west side)

3. can walk around the office (and anywhere really) barefoot :) i love this...

4. Office/church attire: shorts and tshirts- i love that all the pastors wear boardshorts everyday

5. there are no snakes on this island! Praise God!

6. Fruit and fish are the mainstays- yum

7. hawaiians run on island time, aka 15 minutes late to everything- not that i'm typically a late person, but i just like that it's laid back and not time-oriented

8. t.v. and media is not a big thing here, esp. with the high schoolers- they just love to be outside and go to starbucks...which leads me to #9

9. starbuck's- coffee is plentiful here! haha Starbuck's is almost as common as in seattle- i love it! and the high school girls love to go out for coffee- and you know i'm always up for that!

This week has been sweet. The highlight for sure was when Risa, Jena and I got to go in a hawaiian canoe Monday morning at a resort and swim with sea turtles in the ocean. The water was the clearest I've ever seen, and we saw 5 sea turtles- do you know they just cling to the reefs at the bottom of the ocean? They can stay under there for 3 hours! Aw man, that was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! God is so creative, and so beautiful. And to think how vast the ocean is, filled with trillions of sea creatures that I've never even heard of before- all because it brings Him glory and He delighted to create them!

It's also been fun to get to know the other interns better- we're becoming a family, which is such a blessing. I'm reminded though of how we need to depend on the Lord to love people in general- love is supernatural! But I really love all of the interns and love laughing together- we're pretty much all in the same office so it's super fun to laugh together throughout the day.

Last night was my first offical youth group night! It totally reminded me of youth group when i was in high school, which was so sweet! I did the slide show announcements and music- so I got to observe from the back. I loved watching the kids worship our Lord, raising their hands in the air. And I loved hearing Brandon preach- he's so good at engaging the students and giving them truth. The highlight for me though was talking with Rio, a senior (i think!) and having her ask me to coffee next week! she's so cute- i can't wait! Throughout the night though I was also reminded of the hardships and reality of high school- the insecurities, anxieties, fears, guy/girl relationships, etc...that some of those kids (or a lot, i dont know) don't know Jesus, and even those that do are still growing and need discipleship- as we all do! God's really taught me this week about grace- and how we are all at different stages, and all need to show grace and mercy to each other and patience- to be learners, humble to learn and change. So I'm super excited to invest in these kids lives, but also humbled realizing that i need to depend on our Lord for strength, wisdom and grace every step of the way...

i'll try to take photos of the church and our lovely condo this weekend and get them posted soon! for now...aloha!