San Diego Arrival

I made it!! Sean and I took a road trip from Monday to Thursday from Toronto to San Diego, and it was a really special time. We had a lot of fun, chatted, listened to music, listened to some sermons, admired State after State and God's incredible sense of variety and creativity, but most of all His awesome ability to make so much beauty. We even stopped in Las Vegas, and were able to

appreciate God's mercy and grace in such a place....not to mention all the unbelievable hotels!

We drove our cute new Honda Fit into Solana Beach, CA, to my new Studio, and met my landlady and was given the keys on Thursday evening. It was wonderful to have Sean with me to unpack and set up my place and have memories of us in this temporary home before he flew back for the weekend. There were lots of tears, but we have been chatting a lot on Skype and using our calling card, so we are optimistic about the communication opportunities we will have. Here are a couple of pictures of the house where I am living - I have my own entrance and am completely separate from the rest of the house....but the house is ADORABLE! Check out the fountain beside my door!!

My friend Andrea and her family have been so great hanging out with me and offering support in such practical and emotional ways...I am so grateful to have them so close by. And this morning I was able to go to church with them at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, where I used to attend when I lived in California years ago. How fun that they were wrapping up their summer series on Phillipians, just as we are doing at TMH!! God really spoke to me in Phillipians 4: 8,9 when Paul reminded us to be about what is true, noble, right (just), pure, lovely (loving), admirable, excellent and praiseworthy and about not just studying it but putting it into practice. The message was of such value as I am leaping into a year full of unknowns and all kinds of great opportunities to live out my faith as an example to the strangers whom I will soon come to know so well. My prayer is that I intentionally focus on these standards set by Jesus and strive to live them out as He did....I'll fall short, but I'll aim for perfection.

With that encouragement from God this morning, I set up my Studio so it felt more like home and then set out this evening to a "meet and greet" with my fellow MSRE students.....I was praying while I was there visiting and meeting people, that they would see something different about me and be my accountability this year as they learn about my passion for Jesus and then watch closely to see how that sets me apart from those who don't know Him. I prayed for a loving, open heart towards the people around me, and for reminders that this program is only part of my purpose here....God's full plan is yet to be revealed and I need to stand fast and be ready.

Class starts tomorrow, so please be praying for me and my class, that we will learn from this program, but also from one another, and about more than just Real Estate.

Craigs List

Things are in motion for the big trip South....I have my Visa process almost complete and am now getting everything sorted out to order a new passport before I go. It even looks like this coming week is when Sean and I will go to the car dealership to trade in one of our cars for a more economical option (I'll keep you posted on what we choose!).

What I am excited about discovering during this journey is Craigs List. Never heard of it? Well get on Google and explore - it is a world unto itself. Basically it is a posting/message board that allows people to advertise what they need/want or what they have to offer. I am using www.craigslist.sandiego.com to find a furnished place to live, and there are hundreds of new listings daily. We have a Craigs List here in Toronto as well - one of our Uptown community leaders is on there frequently finding great buys and she turned me on to this exciting new realm of opportunity...thanks Kim!!

As I am preparing for this journey and making sure all the "stuff" is organized, and thinking through budgets and costs and what to TAKE and what to LEAVE, I have paused frequently to remember that life is about so much more than all this. Because I am in this world, budgeting and thinking about money is important, so is packing enough clothes and having a safe vehicle, but it is not the TRUE priority. Christ and what He did for us by dying on the cross and being resurrected has changed that for everyone....if we choose it, all that really matters is Him. We can go through the motions of living with material things, but what defines us is our relationship with Jesus, and how we allow that love and reality to seep into our hearts and pour out in our actions. What is it people see when they look at me? Do they see someone who cares about stuff? Do they see someone who is edgy and irritable from the stress of life's business and demands? What I want them to see is love. I want them to see gentleness and patience. I want to exude joy. I want to experience self-control in my actions and my thoughts. I want ME to show people Jesus!!

I am so grateful for this time of preparation. The practical side of me is glad for all the "stuff" getting done. But the even MORE practical side of me is rejoicing for the pause this time is giving me to see how much more I need to intentionally and consciously choose Jesus in my thoughts and actions....I need to let Him lead so I can be MORE of love, MORE of joy, MORE of all that He gave His life for.






Thank you for your prayers as I am in this pre-sabbatical phase of the journey.

Planning has begun

Sean and I are fully under way with the planning of my San Diego Study Sabbatical and we are very excited about the entire journey. For those of you who missed our big announcement, I have been accepted to a Masters of Science in Real Estate program at the University of San Diego. I am already Alumni of USD, as that is where I completed my MBA in Marketing back in 2001, and it was because of my affiliation with the school that we even discovered this program....

When Sean and I were visiting friends in California in May, I was eager to show my husband where it was that I had studied for my MBA - it is a beautiful campus! As we entered the Business building, there was a large sign promoting this MSRE program the school has been offering for the last 3 years, so we were intrigued and went to find out more about it (just for fun and out of sheer curiosity)....long story short, they offer this Masters degree as an 11 month cohort program, and if I wanted to apply I had 2 1/2 weeks to get my application in. We dreamt a bit, talked and prayed a lot, then flew home to our wonderful Toronto life. My mom picked us up from the airport, and as she is one of my closest friends, and my business partner, we shared with her this exciting information....and quite unexpectedly she was as motivated by this opportunity as we had been. So lots of praying, lots of seeking counsel and wisdom from friends, family and colleagues, and I applied to the program. I WAS ACCEPTED!! More praying, more seeking, and a few adjustments to our original plan, and it was decided. I am moving to San Diego the end of August for 10 1/2 months to complete my MSRE while Sean continues to serve The Meeting House Uptown and work on his M.Div...we have worked out a great visit schedule that gives us about 110 days together out of the 10 1/2 months, with no more than 3-4 weeks between times together.

It is big news!! And we can't wait....

So I am looking for a place to live - preferably a furnished apartment, or a guest house, and have friends in the area who are helping me look and will give me shelter until I find something. We will also be selling one of our cars and buying a smaller, more economical vehicle for me for the year. My mom and I are planning some retreat time for she and I to do some planning for what the 2007-2008 Real Estate year will look like with me on the West Coast. And beyond some of these bigger things, when the time comes, I will pack a couple of suitcases and be off on a great adventure.

Thank you for sharing in this excitement, and I ask that if you are praying for me, that you continue to pray for me to honour God in my preparations for this year, and trust Him and His plan for Sean and I as we step out in faith for our new adventure.