Swip Swap

I've been contemplating this for years.... and now I've done it.

I've switched over to wordpress.  Check out my blog now at http://caitlinmackenzie.wordpress.com/ !!!

Matt Saracen*

Newsflash:  I am in love with Friday Night Lights.

If you know me well, you know that I do not watch alot of TV.  There are alot of things I would rather do than watch TV.   However, last year Reid and I began watching a show together on DVD.  A fun way to hang out when school has completely worn us out.  So, I agreed to watch a childhood favorite of his:  Dawson's Creek.  I was totally against this show growing up. However, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about (and I wanted to humor Reid).  I became addicted to this show... real quick.  Then what happened?  He told me he was tired of it.  Oh, great!  So here I sit after season 2, completely addicted and totally without resolution. 

His next choice was Friday Night Lights.   He has been raving about it for a couple years (?), and so has everyone else in my life.  It took me less than 2 weeks to finish 2 seasons.  This show is amazing.  Family-friendly, it has the sports, drama, comedy, foreign-film elements that you love.  So, we are waiting to rent/buy Season 3 and begin watching it together (as he had already finished 2 seasons), to prepare for the airing of Season 4.  I just hope Reid's attention span for this show doesn't die out soon...

*Matt Saracen is my absolute favorite character on FNL.  He is precious, but he makes some poor decisions in Season 2. 

The Lab vs the Lecture Hall

I was just listening to a Francis Chan podcast, and for those of you that haven't heard of him, you really should listen to a few sermons. One of the most exortational preachers I have ever heard, so inspiring. Inspiring in the kind of way that I tell others about what I've learned, and that it actually causes change in my life, and the desire to teach others as well.

Anyways...

I was just listening to his podcast (and paused it to write this), and he just used a profound metaphor. Remember back in HS or College when you had to attend a lecture hall? One of those rooms of hundreds of kids where you just sit and listen to the professor.... and hopefully learn something? Then you have the labs, where you go in, there are just a few students, and you are immediately putting to use the information you just received. It is practical, you are applying it, testing it to be true. What is your church experience? Are you just attending a lecture hall every week or are you attending your lab as well?

I was just thinking about the Acts 2 Communities we have at Genesis and how easily they represent the lab. We are going to be launching new communities throughout the county (about 10 total) in a couple weeks, and I am excited to actively be involved in a "lab opportunity" where I practice and test out whatever I am learning in church each week.

Do you want retirement?

"why is my life more valuable than this baby's? Someone asked me recently why I don't save money for emergencies, or retirement. My answer was how can I justify saving for myself "just in case" something happens to me when something IS happening to so many already. 29,000 kids will die today of preventable causes. If I'm to love my neighbor AS myself, why spend so much time worrying about me?"
Posted by Francis Chan at www.francischansblog.blogspot.com

What do you think? Are we all fooling ourselves by placing importance in our savings accounts or our retirement funds?

When You Fall Through

Coolest idea of the summer.

Our friends/neighbors Mel and Keith started the greatest summer tradition a few weeks ago: projecting a movie onto the side of the apartment complex in their grassy backyard.
Last week: Uncle Buck
Last Night: The Wedding Singer.

What an interesting weekend I've had. I would explain to you all that happened, specifically on Sunday, to help paint a picture, but I'm not sure I could do it without screaming. So, I'll spare you the details, but know it was crazy.

So, last night we had another movie night. For those of you out-of-towners, it is cold here during the summers at night. Meaning, I wore 2 sweatshirts, thick socks, and a huge blanket. It was awesome. Until I decided to "adjust." You know how when you're sitting in a lawnchair your butt gets stale just sitting there, sinking into the fabric, and you need to adjust by wiggling around? Well, it was time to adjust. So, as I start to move, a loud noise happens and I realize my butt is on the ground. That is right, I completely broke through the chair and fell to the ground. A solid, clean rip, all the way through the entire piece of lawnchair fabric. Amazing.

Jenny Craig? You free this week?

Day in the City

I spent the day in the city (San Francisco, in case you were uncertain) with Bethany (see picture), my college roommate. She is the lucky fiance of Brian Robles (see picture again) as of last weekend. Congrats, friends. As required in the book of good friends, I drove up to see her and get excited about this beautiful wedding and her new life as a married lady.

Obviously, we went straight to the bookstore to pick up a preliminary dose of bridal magazines, and chatter about all the creative and ingenious wedding ideas we think up or read about. Then we spent some quality time craft-browsing in Jo-Anns and Michaels (can we take a quick time-out to address how miserable it is living in the Santa Cruz area without a Michaels? ok. continue). What a wonderful time, getting excited about a wedding with a long-time friend and dreaming up all the possibilites for her big day! Now, Anna... come home quick! We have some celebrating and planning to do!!!

Sometimes you need to sing.

I freaked out the other day. All of the sudden I realized I had none of my undergraduate documents in my possession. Thankfully, my dad recovered them on my old computer at home. With those old files comes some great college memories. Hopefully you enjoy this video as much as I do. If you don't--well then you probably need to work harder to have fun in life. Because remember...

"Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional."

Remember that country song, "There is no Arizona"??

Here are some shots from my weekend in Arizona with Jennifer. We grew up in the same church together.... our entire lives. From the nursery to youth group.