Day 2

On day 2 we headed down to a wonderful restaurant named Manducatis in Long Island City. Leigh-Ann, our project leader, has a friend who owns the restaurant. The owner is a quintessential New Yorker with a wonderful accent. While we were there running over the program for the next couple of weeks the owner mentioned that she knew the man who's photographs lined the rustic brick walls of the restaurant. The man's name is Tony Vaccaro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Vaccaro) Then she called him up and asked him to come over. This guy was amazing! The wisdom he had about photography and how to get a great picture was so inspiring.

He’s photographed so many famous people. The one that caught my eye was the huge photograph of Georgia O’Keeffe.

After derailing the original program because of a wonderful close encounter with a legendary photographer, we headed off to the NYC Campus Crusade for Christ city director’s apartment. It was gorgeous. Unique art hung all over the walls and the views were of Long Island city and NYC. We were at least 26 levels up off the ground. We began to talk again about what the coming weeks were going to look like and managed to get done with everything two hours early.

We took a pit stop to Magnolia bakery before heading onward.

The evening’s merriment consisted of going to the Top of the Rock. I’d been to the Empire State building before, but this was great! The inside walls had huge panels of Swarovski crystals and three levels where you could view the city.

The group split up to go have dinner and my group headed off to the west village. I fell in love. Mom and Pop restaurants everywhere! Hardly any chain restaurants. Foodie heaven!

After an initial uneasiness about being in a new place I have really settled in!

Prayer Requests-

Please pray for the Lord's continual protection around our team and for everyone's health (mental and otherwise)

Day 1

I made it!

Wow. Except for the time I was in three Maymesters at one time (which was just a couple of weeks ago, goodness!) I haven't moved this quickly in my life. The moment I got off the plane New York City just kind of swept me up in it's movement. I've been careful to try and find snippets of time (sometimes only minutes) to think about things I'm learning. Day 1 was a blur. Here is a short recap:

I was already in love with the architecture the first two times I visited NYC...this just reinforces the obsession.

Taxi ride from the airport.

My tourist obligation! I had to visit Times Square the first night with the other people in my crazy group.

I will post my amazing short brief mini recap of day 2 soon!

I miss ya'll!!

Two days, five hours, 31 minutes and counting!

We were instructed to read "Imagine. A Vision for Christians in the Arts" by Steve Turner. It has been an amazing book so far. I haven't been able to to finish it yet, but I hope to before I get to NYC on Monday afternoon. I can catch up on the plane!

I have been scurrying around doing last minute errands. I think the best moment will be when I sit down on the second leg of my flight to NY. I won't be able to get off the plane and run and get something else I've forgotten. I'm bound to the city...with or without toothpaste.

The biggest realization that I've had lately is how much I'm letting fear rob me of my excitement. I'm a good worrier. An expert, really! I've thought of a lot of scenarios. Most of them are negative. I've been convicted in the past of not seeing or imagining the amazing things God wants to show me or use me to do. I only look for the things that go wrong. I can make up a million excuses for why I think like that now, but I won't write any of them down. All that matters is what I choose to do in this moment with my fear. I'm just going to keep bringing them to Jesus.

I got a "God telegram" (my words for a Holy Spirit nudging) this morning during my quiet time. He told me He already had ordained my path and all I had to do was be obedient to His will. That is the safety net I needed to hear about. He has me in the palm of his hand! I just need to remember that. My greatest prayer is that I can love on other people these next 18 days and that God will fill me with patience, kindness, and hope.

The days are quickly going by! It will be Monday morning before I know it.

NYC 2011

I am heading off to New York City next week! Wow! I wanted to keep people updated. I am excited and terrified. It's like the moment when you are on an amusement park ride and you're almost at the top but not quite and you know that whatever is below you is going to be fun but wild and maybe sometimes scary? That's where I'm at. Yikes. I have a to-d0 list the size of...well..um...the size of something incredibly big!

The theme for the mission trip to NYC is "Take Root." Any details about what we will be doing specifically, have not been given yet. I'm not good at taking a step out in faith which is probably one of the reasons this trip will be so good. It will be great having to flex those spiritual muscles.
I am excited to post about what is going on and any prayer requests that pop up. There will be pictures galore! I feel so blessed to get together with other Christian artists to create work and be inspired by our Creator!