Oh yeah Christmas!
So after Christmas I was just visiting friends, going to the prayer meeting in Santa Maria, I went to midweek study in Thousand Oaks; did some shopping and eating frozen yogurt. I was also preparing for Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara's mission Sunday on the 2nd.
But first New Years!
Unlike most people I know, I actually really like New Year's. I find it very anthropologicly (word?) interesting. Here is mankind, who has created a system of tracking time and when the allotted "year" is over mankind celebrates the passing of time and the future all at once. But I have yet to have an amazing New Years. :(
One year I did go to San Francisco, but I had to work the next day which meant I had to get up at 6 am to drive back down to Santa Barbara. Bleh! Then my first New Years in Ireland was fun, but I was with a bunch of people who aren't really so excited about "New Years" so it was more of a holiday party. Fun but not what I was hoping for.
So this time I decided to make New Year's great! Anyone who has known me from my early adult years know I love 80s music. I just can't get enough! ;-)
So there is a place in Hollywood that always has a big 80s New Year's bash. This was what I wanted. I convinced my good friend Bri to join me, even though she said she is not so much into dancing. This just shows you what a great friend she is! SO Bri was on board! Then my brother Nathan lives in LA! A place to say! No one wants to drive 2 hours back to Santa Barbara after dancing all night! Plus how fun to celebrate New Year's with my bro!
So Bri and I drove to LA, to Nathan's house. Then spent a good 2 hours getting all done up with Nathan's girlfriend Cera. I am such a girl because I love the "getting ready" part of an evening our. We teased our hair, adorned loads of jewelry and tried on many variations on the same outfit! Nathan was a dear and went and got pizza for us!
We took to metro to Hollywood Blvd and made it to the club with 5 minutes to spare for the discount early door fee. And then we danced the night away! It was so much fun! We cheered the count down, danced some more and then took the metro home! A good night! A great New Years!
Bri had to work in Santa Maria in the evening so we left LA at about 11. I went home and took a nap! Then went straight to work on my presentation for Mission's Sunday.
I was given the great opportunity to get up before the church and share about what I'm doing in Ireland. Santa Barbara, supports so many great missionaries and many were there so I knew it was a big deal that I got the slot. Unashamedly I know the pendulum swung my way because of my father but as a missionary, any opportunity to get your face out there is appreciated. My dad told me in the days leading up to it, "Aan-Sofie it's got to be good."
"I know dad, I'm working on it."
"No, it's REALLY important that you do really well on Sunday."
"Oh... okay...."
Not that I was going to do a lazy job but I sudden'y realized the gravity of the situation. David Guzik had given a speaking slot to his daughter. If I bombed, it would reflect poorly not only on myself but on my father's judgement and decisions. So I went over and over my text. Saturday afternoon I did a dry run in front of my parents. They said it was great. My dad gave me the nod of approval and I continued to work on my videos and table decorations.
Sunday came, I wore my new dress, curl my hair and read furiously over my notes. I was so anxious as I walked up the steps to the podium. I had decided to have a slideshow of Eoin and me playing while I spoke. Partly to just show people what I do, but also so that they would look at the video and not me! It worked! I was nervous but as I spoke I was more confident. When you are sharing something that you are so passionate and invested in, it is easy to speak. So I was done, my dad gave me a hug and I walked back down, took my seat and breathed!
I had to do it once more for the second service but I was much more confident then.
In between services and after the last one I manned my table in the lobby. I had "lucky" Irish pennies to give out, prayer cards and smiles! I got to speak to many people who had special needs kids or work with them and they were touched by what I do. Since many americans have Irish roots I met several who were glad to hear what God is doing in Ireland.
All around I'd have to say the day was amazing! God blessed me so much, my hard work paid off, and the church was encouraged to hear my story!
You can see my presentation at the link below. It's the whole service. First another missionary speaks, then my dad, then me about 33 minutes in:
Next up Missions Conference! (but that's for the next post!)
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