The painful part of being an intern...

...is transitioning into the "leaving" part. I feel like I have been here for AGES when in fact I've only been here for 9ish weeks. I have 3 more weeks and then I depart back home for a few days and then to school.
I said good bye to one of my disciplers. She will be gone for 3 weeks and won't be back until the day after I leave. I had just a great time with her. Lots of good laughs.

Lots of laughs

Lots of good laughs has been the theme for this week. Most people are gone for CSU and so now it's just us crazy people. One of my friends got new contacts and she can't see up close. This resulted in her walking into a tree, me having to read her coupons, and me noticing that the film she cut up to hand to tour guests did not contain Jesus and in fact had some random guy in them.
I had to remind her that Jesus wears white in all/most of the shots and she said the person in the film was wearing white. To which I had to inform her that he had a white beard and was not wearing white.
I love talking with people that are older than me and have really ridiculous senses of humor. It is so much fun. One instance is my boss. His hair is now blue... because he declared today "Blue Day." Another example is one guy who "retired" last year. We went to lunch with him. He and my friend mentioned above were in the front. They're both older than 50, whereas Steve and me in the back are younger...by a lot. They were joking in the front how they were ready to go home to Jesus as we were driving to Quiznos. We had to remind them that we couldn't wait to go home to Heaven but we didn't want to go just yet. Probably one of the scariest/funniest experiences.
At Quiznos we had fun joking about the Michigan and Ohio rivalry. We also had fun with Quiznos trays.

Steve with his thought/speech bubble

In work I am done with my Magdalena edits. I'm kinda glad. I'm now working on the HD version, and some other random projects. The head replacement is still happening as well. :P
I have grown a lot but I will miss this place...a LOT. The next 3 weeks will be full of fun, laughs, and then those dreaded goodbyes.

Oh Florida.

It's begun...

...the exodus of CCCI and JF. If there has been little to no people working this past month there is absolutely no one working now...and even less after this week. It will be an experience.
I had my advisor come by and I was approved (I'm pretty sure) for getting credit for this as an co-op. He seemed overwhelmed. A. CCCI HQ is huge. B. JF spares no expense on its Master Studio equipment C. People are largely welcoming and will love to talk and learn things about you even if you are just there for an hour. I had to talk/guide/entertain him for an hour because he was 3 hours early but it went over smoothly besides that. I had my co-worker from Cleveland chase him down and talk to him. It was quite funny. Unfortunately no flying monkey or light saber fights happened while he was around. Also, the poor guy was doomed for two days of rain while he was in "sunny" Florida but the sun finally showed up on Saturday. So hopefully he gets to enjoy some days on the beach.
I have gotten to talk to some of my friends who just got back from Summer Project and it is so cool to hear how God is working all around the world right now. The stories make you mourn for the way people are living yet be equally joyous for the peoples' lives that are being touched.
As well as having friends coming back, I have friends leaving. For Cru's staff training as well as for Nigeria. A travel team group of women leaves later today and will get back just before I leave. I will see them again but it will be for a short time. It's sad but I know I'll see them again, and if not on this earth, in heaven.
My time here is winding down. One month left. Already thinking about whether or not I'll be back with the Orlando Summer Project next year. It's up to God. But I would love to come back and JF, especially, is willing to be really flexible when it comes to scheduling since next year my brother graduates from high school and I want to be there for that. So we'll see. I'm not going to worry about it right now. :)

Majoring in loitering and minoring in cake

I love my co-workers... a lot.
We've had an increase in deserts around here probably because all of post-production has an addiction to sweet things. (also probably because of all the 4th of July parties lately and leftovers). Well today we had pie. Mostly apple but lots of pie. And what do I hear? Not normal excitement over apple pie but, "Ooo! Second breakfast."
To top it off a light saber fight happened today as well. It started that I threw a flying monkey at one of my co-workers. He responded by whipping out his iphone with his lightsaber app. And in response to that, my other co-worker took off a piece of his cubicle and they had a "lightsaber" fight in between the cubicles. To say I laughed until I cried would be an understatement.
We had a good bye party for two of the travel team guys and there was cake. And "miraculously" all of the post-production guys were there. My co-worker who took apart his cube to make a lightsaber was staring at the cake and said, "I went to school for this." He went one to say, "Yeah you know. I majored in loitering and minored in cake." I will miss them when I leave in a month.

Me at work...notice the flying monkey

Today was hard. Lots of stress but I got through it. It was a trial but I continued through. I realized recently along with this that relying on the Spirit and spending time with Jesus should be about pleasing God. He is pleased just by me existing in a walk with him. I caught myself recently seeing my time with Jesus as a way to appease God so I didn't have a bad day the next day. Albeit...days after I don't have my Jesus time I have trying days but on those days I can blame my lack of time alotted only for Jesus. Like blaming Karma. Which is bad. I should spend time with Jesus, led by the Spirit, because I want to connect with him and hear God's words on a deep and meaningful level.
I recently heard this... "Being hungry for Jesus means desiring a deeper walk with him today than you had yesterday." That is so cool to me. And so challenging...

Incline your ear and come to me...

hear, that your soul may live."
Isaiah 55:3. Probably my uplifting verse of the week. I found it "randomly." My bible flipped open to it after I had just looked at James3:4-6 and felt down about not finding anything really to dwell on in those verses. It's like a father talking to a child. Calming them through the turbulence of life. I wrote about it stating, "Breathe. Relax. Rest in the arms of the Father."
I even drew a picture to exemplify what I was feeling. I want to perfect it. Add some water colors...etc. We'll see. I have been drawing and imagining a LOT lately. Good? Bad? We'll see :P
But along with that creativity comes some craziness. Example: I texted my friend, Ashley, "There be giants in these parts." Because I found giant tea cups. I'm weird therefore I entertain?
Now... wal-mart. You see, I was at wal-mart getting my tire "fixed." You know... the one from the previous post. The one pretending to be flat. Yes. I say pretending. Nothing was wrong with it. All the automotive guys at wal-mart stared at me like I was crazy, spoke rapidly in spanish, and handed me back my keys.
But that night, and here is how cool God is, my travel team friend found that the car she was borrowing from another travel teamer had mostly low/flat tires but she had no tire gauge and no knowledge on how to quickly fix the tires with air. Who had a newly acquired tire gauge and newly acquired speed at the air pump? Well I did from my previous day of craziness. God had a plan for that tire fake-out. I was just surprised at how blatant it was.
Speaking out of how obvious God's beauty is. Here is the amazing looking clouds that threaten to produce every day. The coolest looking clouds on Earth (at least in the US). I'm convinced.

My neighbors think I'm crazy. I stand outside taking pictures of the sky.

At work I have made Jesus headless... is that blasphemous? Well he's headless for now... he'll have a head again and this time it will be the right head. Hopefully not looking like a jibjab cartoon. Most of my coworkers are thrilled with headless Jesus and thinking about marketing it as Halloween version. I'm sure it will go over well. I'm working on a new project that is transcribing CMA(Christian Motorcyclist Association) videos. Soundbooth is supposed to transcribe but Soundbooth + Southern accents = nonsensical words. So I will be fixing that. Tomorrow(later today). On my day off. I will also be working on the revamped bethechangevacations.org website and my co-op report. Fun day. At least there's a potluck at the end of the day and the next day is the 4th.

Yay! Happy Birthday Nation!

Glory, glorious

Week 3 done!
This is going by too fast. I already feel like this is real life and not just a summer that afterwards I will leave and continue school. People will talk about next year and I'll get excited... just to immediately remember that as of right now there is no next year for me with them.
I'm currently working on all sorts of things related to the repackaging of Magdalena... including some very experimental stuff with rotoscoping and frame by frame work. Not sure how successful it will turn out but it is good experience.
I met with two of the women who are helping disciple me this summer and it was so cool how God showed me similar things through both of them. A. I rely too much on myself and need to take more things to God. B. In realizing (A) I must also rely on the Holy Spirit because that is the part of God that he has given us to guide us. Along with this Psalm 6 came up in my bible reading for the week, in which part of it says "the Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer." All of this was very sweet in a time that I realized I was listening to many voices that weren't God, especially in the confidence and insecurity areas of my mind. Prayer is becoming increasingly a more beautiful thing to embrace for me and I have prayed in groups a lot more which puts my heart at ease. Slowly moving what God thinks of me to a higher pedestal than what people think of me.
Along with this one song's lyrics have caught me all week - Empire by as cities burn. "'Cause I was a pharisee, I never saw my need for grace; Then your love came to me stood next to mine, and I saw that I was poor... We are glory, glorious not from what we've done, but being the least." I can't describe what these lyrics have done to my heart this week.
Now for some chronicled events :P. I went to Universal's City Walk and got to see all the iconic signs etc.

Cassie and I in front of the Universal globe

(also got to get Cheesecake Factory cheesecake before hand) The next day I went to the beach with some of the Travel Team from JF.

Me at the beach :D (again)

It was great to solidify some friendships there and just live life and hear great stories of travels from them. That night I decided to go do something for myself and not wait for someone to invite me. And that was to go see a movie at Downtown Disney. I will probably go back to Downtown Disney partially because I walked quickly through it to get to see "UP" in 3D on time :P But "UP" is a super cute movie that I think all need to see.
I went to a church on Sunday that I'm pretty sure I'll return to this Sunday. It's small, the worship was good (almost all songs I didn't know - a first), and the sermon was great. Everyone greeted me almost immediately and I got invited to meet their interns that they have so I have people my own age (have I done that? no. why? internet problems made it so I didn't have their office number. sleep problems made me too exhausted to call anyone but my mom. time conflicts made time impossible to call them.) That is my goal this week! Hopefully their pastor will remember me and pursue me in this. Definitely praying about this! That night went to Cassie's church again for a night of worship. It was great more or less because of the enthusiasm everyone had while praising Jesus. So cool to be a part of.
'Nyways. Recently I have been trying to hang out with the Travel Team a little more but unfortunately a lot have left and will be leaving because of trips and staff training.
And just today I went to De Leon Springs for the hardest working day of my life. (haha)

De Leon Springs

The video team had a retreat today and it was great. The water was freeeeezing. (72 while it was 95 air temp) But it was fun to eat and just hang around with everyone and their families. :) I re-realized that lil kids are very truthful and very inquisitive. (Why are your nails painted green, why not pink? What is that? *point to eyebrow ring*) That and just how silly and peanut m&ms addicted the video team is. I love these guys... Why is this only a summer?

Things learned thus far...

So I have completed my second week. So I thought, "Hey, let's reflect on things that you've learned these past weeks." So here they are.

Things learned:
1. Nerdtastic is a word.
2. Interns are targets of unnecessary harassment because everybody likes you.
3. Projectiles can be made out of anything.
4. Hearing Jesus' words day after day only bind them closer to your heart.
5. Clubs for roller coaster enthusiasts exist for adults too.
6. Coffee and Ice Cream is the breakfast of Champions.
7. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" stirs so much in my heart, words can't even explain.
8. God has created all people with certain personalities to bless others. One of these personalities are the goofballs. And I am so thankful for them.
9. In a community like Jesus Film, if they don't recognize you it's because you are either new or you're a recluse. Luckily, I'm new.
10. "God will not leave u stranded." A simple text message can make your week.
11. Praying is talking to God. His word is God talking to you. One without the other is just a one way conversation.
12. Anime can be used for God. Yay!
13. Being the baby at the workplace isn't something to be sad about. This way you get to have many older siblings in Christ to learn from.
14. If you try to aim a projectile, you will hit a wall with it and it will come flying back to you.
15. If God used Moses to work his wonders, think what he can do with you.
16. Orlando weather = sunny/humid, rain, sunny/humid, night
17. Mewithoutyou's new CD is hilarious yet deep and As Cities Burn's new CD is thought provoking and beautifully arranged. (had to put a music comment somewhere in here)
18. If you can't sleep it is probably because you are anxious. And if you are that anxious it is because you aren't praying over something with full reliance on God.
19. Weird birds = weird sounds.
20. If you can't find your boss from 12:30 - 2:30 it's because he is playing volleyball.
21. If you put your lunch on the top shelf of the fridge, it will freeze.
22. James 1:17 may have the coolest imagery in the NT besides Philippians 2:15
23. If you watch parts of the Jesus film long enough, you will see some pretty silly things. Like the body in the tomb breathing.
24. Bounce houses are not sturdy when you weigh over 70 pounds.
25. A new work place is nothing to be afraid of.

And there you have it. More to come I'm sure.

Never Too Old for Bounce Houses

I had a sweet weekend of relaxation with great fellowship. Saturday I lounged by the pool and realized that in Orlando you can get as tan in one hour as you can in one whole weekend in the sun in Missouri. That night I went to my boss' house to have dinner. His family is so funny and precious. We talked and probably played the longest game of Apples to Apples that I ever played in my life. It was fun to talk about places we've gone to serve. They have been to Santa Cruz, Bolivia and it was a gift to share that experience with them. Also got to talk anime and Joss Whedon's firefly. Who knew?
Sunday was laid back and I started listening to Brookside's latest sermon series. Definitely gave some food for thought. I will try to keep up but I'm determined to try and find a church home for this summer starting this Sunday. I know there's a church near here... there are signs. lol.
Sunday was also Cassie's 20th birthday party. And to celebrate such there was a bounce house.
Once you get over the age of 13 bounce houses get less able to withstand the bouncing. This was apparent by the number of times it collapsed.

Collapsing bounce house

Inside the collapsed bounce house

After all the fun and games I went with her to her church's college service. The spirit was definitely in that place. You could feel it stirring your heart. In the events of the past few days I have decided I am going to pursue people. I am sitting back hoping people come and gather around me, that's not right. I need to create community while I'm here. Luckily I already have people coming around me, which is sweet.
Today I finished the rough cut for Magdalena.... but apparently it will no longer be called this so we came up with some new names. "Not Magdalena" "Woman, why are you smiling?" "Happy Women" "What Women Really Want" "Same Film Different Name" This is why we are in post-production and not in charge of title making. I thought we should just go for "Sample Text" because that's what popped up first on the screen. But oh well. Tomorrow I help build a computer. If Orlando is blown off the map you'll know what happened.