Doing the WILD THING? 

That seems to be the most asked question in my PCT adventures.  

To catch you all up.  I am taking off on April 9, 2017 to section hike the Pacific Crest Trail, more commonly referred to as PCT.  The trail is about 2650 miles long and ventures from the Mexican border to the Canadian border through California, Oregon, and Washington.  I have had a desire to do this since I was a youth backpacking with Campus Life of Nevada County and the First Baptist Church youth group.  We backpacked each summer along with my family loving to camp, ya know tent, hard ground, cook around the campfire.... CAMP...  and so I caught the "camping bug".  I have had it ever since.  

In December, 2016 I started planning to section hike the PCT.  I was going to start in March, 2017, however, the weather dictated differently.   

I have all of my gear, a little heavier that I would like. 

I waited too long to book my flight to San Diego and the cost ended up being more than I wanted to pay. 

I have researched San Diego transit system from airport to the trail head in Campo, CA.  

I needed a trail name and my cousin/sister gave me the name Poppy!  I love it! 

I will hike for 5 days and see what adventures I can experience.  

I will blog my journals when I return.  Praying for safety... as they say 80% of the journey is mental!

Though don't tell my husband who has supported this costly venture.  Over $2000.00 and counting. 

Doing the WILD THING....
Follow my FB post....PCT Back to the Basics

Poppy

Continuing on with our adventure through the fruits of the spirit. Joy is next.....

Continuing on with our adventure through the fruits of the spirit.  

Joy is next.....  looking at the upcoming year and what this world really needs is "Joy", not a fake happiness, but a true delight and inner happiness.  

We bring joy to God in our lives.  Joy is a gift from God and because we believe in Him we can receive His gifts.  His salvation is joy, an expression of His love in us. God created us and He desires for us to have His joy.  True joy shines as a light on ones face and in their lives. We have access to the gift of Joy and all we must do is ask, He will give joy completely.  

There are many ways we can express our joy... through music, singing, dancing, instrumentals.  We only express joy because of His gift to us. We can shout joyfully to Him. We will desire to lift our voice up to the Lord in praise and worship when we have His Joy and trust Him to Fill us with joy daily.

We can begin by thanking Him for all He provides and for the gift of His everlasting Joy.  

In our lives we have the promise that He will turn our mourning into joy and comfort us in times of sorrow. Only He can replace brokenness for Joy.  He is joyful when we repent and gives us a promise of peace and joy in heaven. 

praying for His Joy in my life this year.  A joy that will not fade and is not circumstantial. 

Joy-Delight, happiness

1 Chron. 15:16

Job 33:26

Ps. 51:12

Ps. 89:12

Ps. 132:9

Is. 61:7

Jer. 31:13

Matt. 2:10

Luke 15:7

Rom. 14:17

Gal. 5:22

Phil. 2:2

Joyful-feeling gladness

Deut. 16:15

Ps. 21:6

Ps. 126:5

Prov. 17:22

Joyfully-Full of joy, happy

Ps. 66:1

Is. 52:8

Luke 19:37

Fruits of the Spirit Series~Love

Join me in an adventure to looking at the fruits of the spirit...

let's start at the beginning, a very good place to start... everything begins with LOVE!!

God is love as designed to be a noun and a verb ~in action~

All love is from God, no one has more love than God.  

God is the author, creator and keeper of ALL love and ALL things love.  

God’s love is unconditional ~which we as humans cannot even imagine what that means~  

Nothing is greater than His love.  

His love is unchanging, steadfast, never will grow cold, give up, nor run out. 

1 Cor. 13  God’s love is perfect, patient, kind, gentle, hopes, endures, compassionate, and perseveres. (and we can have this love also from Him)

Love is the fruit of the spirit given by God through the Holy Spirit and we are to act upon the love He gives us.  (Verb)  We are to abide in His love and love ALL people (neighbors).  The action part is us expressing the love He gives us (through our asking and receiving, trusting Him and keeping an attitude of repentance with Him)  God expressed His love through His Son and His outpouring on the cross. 

I am to ask God for unending love, accept it, use it to serve others, change the world in His name.  He will always give me more. 

Love is a Noun…..Compassion/devotion

Prov. 10:12

Micah 7:18

John 15:10

John 15:13

Romans 5:8

Romans 8:37-39

1 Cor. 8:1

1 Cor. 13:4

1 Cor. 14:1

2 Cor. 5:14

Gal. 5:13

Eph. 4:15

1 John 4:7

1 John 4:16-18

Love is a Verb….

Galatians 5:22

1 Cor. 13:4-8a

Col. 3:12-14

Deut. 6:5

Prov. 17:17a

Amos 5:15

Matt. 5:44

John 3:16

John 13:34

Eph. 5:22-31

1 John 2:15

John 15:9

 

The job I am interested in is Youth Services Librarian I at the Madelyn Helling Library in Nevada County, CA. The job announcement is located at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mynevadacounty/jobs/1409473/librarian-i/apply/jobdetails

 

As the Senior Library Technician at Hub Zemke Library I etablished and maintained cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, established and maintained priorities and objectives for myself and others, and developed and implemented library services consistent with community library's goals and objectives as well as patron's needs.

My cover letter is:

Dawn Marie Brindley  

15640 Ant Hill Rd

Penn Valley, California, 95946

530-913-7501

 

Dear Hiring Manager,

As a Youth Services Librarian I, I can provide excellent administrative support and communication skills.  I believe my skills would be a positive asset for the Nevada County Library system. My background and abilities in youth services, school library management, and program coordinator for youth programs lead me to be qualified both educationally and experientially.

I am skilled in performing professional library work in the Nevada County Library System; I currently manage, direct and implement major service areas at a community library.  I perform a variety of administrative and operational functions in support of a community Library Department.

I am prior military and Library management is my highest aptitude for employment.  I am proficient in writing, organizing, computer use, filing, record keeping, policy, and procedure maintenance.  I have attention to detail and a desire to ensure quality work and customer relations.  I have the discipline to succeed in all that I do and strive to meet goals with attention to detail.

The accompanying resume will provide you with additional details of my accomplishments and skills.  I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and learn how I can make a positive contribution to Nevada County Library system.  I am convinced that a face to face meeting to discuss my qualifications would be mutually beneficial.  Should you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact me at the phone numbers above.  Transcripts are included and references are available upon request.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Dawn Brindley

Traditional vs. Learning Commons in Libraries

There are many ideas that our library would like to try, however, some of the users are not having it!  They want personal touch or at least communication face-to-face with a human.  They do not want the technology driven library with self-sign-in’s and self-check-outs. Some do not want the impersonal-ness in the library of the future.  Then you have those who thrive on the impersonal, and wish for the library to be a quiet space, non-distracting, and yet still comfortable.  How do we balance it out?  How can we please everyone?

We have many patrons who do not “feel” the need to explore our databases online and who shy away from the technology tools, whether they be eReaders, Playaways, or Computers in general to do their research.  Then we have the patrons who can do it themselves and want too, or at least try. 

As a library we want to shift to the Learning Commons Model and have so many users, of all ages, who prefer one way versus the other.  We try to slowly integrate the changes and yet give instruction to those who are uncomfortable or feel the “old” way was better.  I think either way the shift must be deliberate, keeping all informed, and updated on the shift with the users in mind.  The positive attitude of the staff will be key to the shift.  With a willing-ness to assist all users.

Life-Changing Seminar

I'm back!!   The past year has been a ride for me, with coordinating Women's Ministry events, completing my Bachelor of Arts in Library Science and Media through Ashford University and working almost full-time at my dream job.


I recently attended a Spiritual Warfare conference that Living Ministries International hosted with speaker Cecil Peasley.   I felt like I was in a revival, except the focus was on my walk with God and my diligence with my walk with God and how the "culture" around me affects my attitude and my decisions daily.


Remember the theme of this blog is "Living Love Outloud".  So with that being said here are the highlights of the conference that was presented in 5 sessions over the course of 4 days. 


In life we are responsible
In death we are accountable


Satan wants NO Christianity in our world and will do whatever he can to detour us in our lives


Corinthians 4:16-18     New International Version (NIV)
¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.


In the analogy if we are the boat, Jesus is our anchor and the Holy Spirit is connecting us.


In one day we are deposit from God 1440 minutes to spend.  Are we using or losing the time?  Are we wasting the time God gives us?
FAITH is our most valuable asset.


GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD!!




Psalm 139   New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

~Radical Disease calls for Radical Surgery~

God is alive and active .... Is He in my life?


What must I do? 
                 Everyday submit to God.  RENEW...

Good Grief!

Grieving....


The past year has been, what I would consider, a year of loss for our family, friends, and church family.  I have kissed the cheek of many tear stained loved ones.  As I hold them in their grief, tasting their tears on my lips, I pray for strength, peace, and healing from this hole in their heart from the loss of their loved one.  My heart aches for the loss and though I personally have never lost (to death) anyone, who I has left a sizeable hole in my heart.  I have felt loss and felt that sizeable hole in my heart from losses of either friends and family who have chosen to not choose me.  I desired to please them, to be part of their lives, to do whatever to be "in" with them.  What I found was my conviction to Jesus Christ in my life being a stronger life commitment that any person on earth.  My loss OR My gain?  I choose life with Him over life dependent on pleasing any other person on earth.  I know my Father is pleased with this decision (maybe not other decisions in my life), but putting Him first should be my #1 priority. 


Our pastor recently spoke on "Let the Chips Fall".  In the process of our living here on earth we have a choice to speak up for what God wants, to lead our world in His path and trust Him to take care of the "Chips".  The decision to follow Him or to follow the world.  When we put our faith in human's and their choices, it will fail every time.  When we put our faith in God and trust Him with the repercussions of our words to stand for Him, He will take care of us.  He took care of Daniel, Shadrach, Medshach, and Abednego, Paul, Peter, and many others throughout the Bible.  He will take care of us.  The decision I made to put God first in my life and to follow Him has been a process and will continue to be.  I have watched the "Chips Fall" many times and know I am held in His arms first and foremost.  As a human I miss and sometimes look back to what choices I made, I do not long to live in Babylon and my desire to live with Him.  Can there be a balance?  I have questioned the balance of living in the world and not being of the world.  There are so many choices in this decision including gossip, drinking, partying, homosexuality, drugs, lying, lust, pro-choice, etc.  So if I compromise in one area then my life will be a compromise in all areas?  The grey will suck me in and I will be like the rest of the world.  There will be no light in me, there will be no difference.  I would have conformed to the life of the others, but I will fit in?  I will have lots of friends and family....but not have God.  I will be just like them... and not be like Him. 

Through the losses and through our choices we still have a will and a choice to live for Him or not.  The holes in our heart can and will be healed through our faith and trust in Him.  He will be our Abba, our Father, our Healer, our Protector, our Strength, and our Peace ALWAYS.  We do not need to look to the world for this only look to Him, on our knees, in humility, and reverence.  He holds us in life and in death.


Whatever grief we experience....