Following HIS Lead

I'm back in Brenham after a wonderful 4 day vacation with the family in the thriving metropolis of Bryan/College Station. Much of the vacation was spent relaxing and doing all the Lombardi family traditions that take place over the Christmas weekend. Going to the movies, last minute gifts, Christmas Eve service, wrapping presents, cooking and baking, sleeping in; two new additions this year were going to the nursing home to visit mom and dad's friends and laundry.
Christmas morning we all piled in Mom and Dad's bed [something that has never stopped since we were little, but i have to admit..it was kinda good Tony wasn't there cause I dont think we all wouldve fit!], then we made our way to the living room to read the Christmas story [we read Luke], next comes presents. After presents, we had lunch and then headed to Grandma's in Sealy. Grandma's was fun..we ended up staying a lot longer than expected and we had a lot of laughs with my Grandpa and aunts...one of the nicer Christmass' in a long time.

Monday I ran some errands with mom in the morning and then we met up with dad to pick out furniture. PTL we've decided on a couch and ottoman & the fabrics & pillows! Hopefully in the next week or so they will order it so they will have it by the big 2-5 anniversary. After furniture shopping, I chilled on the couch watching tv & reading, while mom and dad went TV shopping...i had no desire to participate!

Being at home for so long was such a blessing and it always makes me sad I have to come back here, I almost dread it. I'm always looking for a reason to go back to CS, ways to rearrange my schedule for more time at home.

I'm looking forward to this weekend..another fun weekend filled with fellowship & friends in Austin!

grace & peace,
lish

well..the Bethlehem Stroll has come and gone & my children's choir managed some pretty cute performances despite having half of them catch the nasty stomach bug going around..so 1/3 of my choir was missing or late tonight..but who says more is better? less is definitely more manageable! they were precious in the little shepherd costumes & singing Away in a Manger; it was great fun playing with them too..but i think i'm a little too easy on them sometimes, but I do remember how tough it is being a kid, and sometimes, you just can't keep your hands to yourself.

PTL-Im going home for Christmas! thats right, my first (and probably only) Sunday off! 4 complete days spent in College Station not even having to think about Mission Brenham..I can't wait..it is a much needed break and will hopefully provide some time to get my motivation going for the spring...my last leg-the home stretch! The Lord is faithful to answer my prayer..[thanks for all the prayers family!]

The time with my brother was good. We had some quality time together as siblings last friday night..we went and saw Narnia..I think it was maybe the first time the 3 of us saw a movie together...i enjoyed it tons. last night the fam came to Btown for the Stroll and to celebrate a mini Christmas with Tony...it was Lombardi Family History...breaking the deep rooted tradition of not opening any presents (except ones mailed) until Christmas morning. We had good laughs, yummy treats, & took many pictures. He will be missed; hopefully i'll be able to see him before he leaves again in May.

my favorite roomie Tracy came to see me tonight & was a huge blessing: helping out with the kids during the stroll. you see, tracy has an amazing gift..she works wonderfully with kids..they love her (and i do too!). it was great seeing her and hanging out with her for the time she was here in brenham...and i'm super glad she's in CS so i can hopefully see her more this spring!

thats all for now.

merry Christmas
grace & peace,
lish

so, its pretty lonely here in B-town most of the time..but I've got the best pet in the world: Alexander the Red Beta. He's good company, well behaved & doesn't make messes :)


the real world continues on here, getting ready for Christmas & really wanting the month long break that comes with being in school, but i've fallen into a routine thats nice, keeps me occupied.

making more progress about going overseas...I know the Lord's hand is on the situation and He's been faithful to provide me confirmation, but its still utterly scary and exciting all at the same time. Lots of unanswered questions and concerns that I need to surrender to him, but who knows maybe in 6 months i will actually be in Spain?? we'll see :o)

If I've learned anything from being in Brenham, its that the Lord doesn't forget or forsake-His plans are specific, His timing is perfect; a hard situation is supposed to bring forth stronger faith, more dependence. In a world thats so full of violence, hate, and bitterness my life has to stand out, especially when I want to throw in the towel.

I get to see Tony this weekend...the last time I saw him was in March. He's changed a lot from what i hear from the family..not for the better unfortunately, but I pray and hope for his spiritual light blub to go off. Its a pretty jam packed weekend with William, Ashley & Micah coming in for PJ Party 2005 at Eric's (WHOOP!), family portraits, doing fun familal things & then back to Brenham for church, Bethlehem Stroll practice and performances Monday & Tuesday AND the family is coming Monday to celebrate Christmas with Tony since he'll still be in town until Tuesday.

the Christmas party was fun...pictures around the tree, opening presents & dinner and desserts. in the "sitting down" group pic from left to right its april, jane, me & marissa. April and Jane go to blinn & Marissa is the BSM director at Blinn.

so i just had the most amazing night...marissa, my one close friend in Brenham, who lives 2 apts down from me, invited me to share in their Roommate Christmas. I was very honored and it turned out to be wonderful...they even got me presents! We took many pictures, had a lot of laughs, ate some delicious spaghetti & scrumptous holiday treats. I like having fun neighbors..pictures will be posted shortly..(ie-tomorra after lunch when i get the usb stick)

just thought i'd share-its been a long time since i've had a genuine fun time in Brenham :)

happy holidays,
lish

the reality of death is so apparent around the holidays, not to be depressing or glum, but its true. The past couple of days I've been thinking a lot about my grandmas. My Grandma Thorne(Dad's mom) who lived in Florida passed away on Valentine's Day and my great-grandma "Kirk Grandma" passed away in June. Grieving is an interesting thing. I really havent figured it out; I know that i miss them..especially the small things that are so apparent during Christmas: Grandma Thorne's package of Christmas goodies. About 2 weeks before Christmas we'd get a UPS package in the mailed-we didnt even have to open it to know it was from Grandma because of the aromas coming from the box-snickerdoodles for Dad, chocolate covered peanuts for Mom and rice crispy treats for us kids-and this year, there will be no box from Florida. [My dad's getting his cookies though...i'm putting them in the mail tomorra :)]
the other day I was talking with Mom about Grandma Thorne, her birthday would've been the 2nd of December, and she said i think the most important thing about death..and its probably been said before & pretty obvious when it comes to grieving, but she said "dont ever act like it didnt happen". So as sort of a reminder and memory of Grandma Thorne, I set up her old Christmas tree with her ornaments & a navity scene she had..its good for me because i think i'm a whole lot like her & it makes being alone in Btown during the holiday season special.

grace & peace,
lish

well, the past couple of weeks have gone by in a whirlwind; they were jam packed with adventures including a couple random drives into my favorite town of College Station, a holiday party in Houston with Mr. Micah J. Meads, where I was able to get all fancied up for the night, and a Saturday road trip to Waco to see the comical duo of Libby Leatherman and William Meier. Fun times were had all around. Laughter is good for the soul :)

Work has been pretty slow the past couple of days, i've kinda saved my work this week to do now so the end of my week wouldnt be incredibly boring cause Marcus was out of the office Monday & Tuesday. Still leading worship..yeah i know.."a couple more weeks" has turned into all semester...surprise surprise.
The children's choir is coming along quite nicely. We've decided to sing the first 2 verses of Away in a Manger and the the first verse of Silent Night, acapella; I'm really nervous but im sure in the end it will be a hit..nothing like the production Central's children's choir did Sunday :)!

Tony is in Texas...he'll be in College Station the 16th-20th, so we'll be celebrating Christmas then with him. I get to hang out with my wonderful mom and fantastic sister tonight-we're going to Katy Mills Mall to do some Christmas shopping. And then I'll be back in College Station Friday until Saturday afternoon to get some laundry done and pick up a bunch of Christmas decorations & receipes from mi casa.
I'm glad the cold weather is finally here..i got to wear my black pea coat last night as i ran an errand to Walmart last night! bundling up in a scarf, coat, mittens & a hat is a favorite of mine during the winter; not to mention the fun Christmas socks I wear throughout the month of December! i heard on the radio the possiblity of snow tonight..i'm not getting my hopes up.

Be looking for a new addtion/change to the blog page..at the request of Marcela, who I found regularly checks out my blog!

grace & peace,
lish

a real update coming soon....stay tuned!

Thanksgiving was amazing.
I love my family...& their strange quirks :)

We purchased our Christmas tree...from the cute "Christmas tree boy" at the Christmas tree lot by Pei Wei's. We found 2 Christmas puzzle which is exciting yet sad for me at the same time because I wont be home to put them together (but knowing my fam..they will leave some for me..or just get too frustrated putting it together so i'll get to finish!)

I worked the consesssion stand at the A&M/Texas game...oh the memories, its crazy to think i've done it for almost 8 yrs! of course now, the games that i work are few and far between, but i get at least one in every season!

Saw Harry Potter with Caley Thursday night! you just have to read the book, it was great to see it come to life, but there was so much that was left out. Definitely by far the darkest Harry Potter movie yet & a much needed PG-13 rating. Its funny to me that i've become a Harry Potter fanatic...what can i say? its good stuff & J.K. Rowling is an incredibly talented author.

Brenham is Brenham; i'm directing the children's choir for our 3rd annual Christmas Stroll. do i know what i'm doing? Nope. the whole production should be pretty interesting. I enjoy teaching sunday school...preparing the lessons & activities is great & my kids are fun to teach.

thats about it. there will be morer updates to come
grace & peace,
lish

My heart is restless in me
My wings are all worn out
I'm walking in the wilderness
And I cannot get out
I need You, oh, I need You
Blessed Savior come
I need You, oh, I need You
Fill the every longing of my soul
Oh, how I need You, Lord
I need Your perfect word
With tearful eyes to see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today
My bed is soaked with sadness
My sadness has no end
A downward spiral of despair
That I keep falling in
I need You, oh, I need You
To You my soul shall fly
I need You, oh, I need You
Yaweh, how I love you more than life
Your silence is like death to me
So won't You hear my desperate plea
Today my soul is soaring
Way over mountains high
Though I can see the valleys
They're all just passing by
It's not that I am stronger
Look at my feeble wings
But I've been lifted higher
Yaweh's lifted me in His own strength
Oh, how I love You, Lord
I love Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The God who always will endure
Now I will celebrate
For all the thousand ways
That You have shown me grace
And made my heart in grace to stay
You've made my heart in grace to stay
Lord, make my heart in grace to stay
I need You, oh, I need You

-The Swift

i've been wanting to post for a couple of days now, but have had no idea what i should write about. life has been pretty uneventful the last couple of weeks-minus the whole truck fiasco.

yeah, Tyron's transmission went out 2 weeks ago. he got towed to College Station & has been at Olympic Auotmotive since. I've made 4 attempts to go and get him and all have been failures...so i will not pick him up until Thanksgiving because I'm going to Indianapolis this week & not getting back til Sunday night, and then I'll be home on Wednesday..so-Indianapolis this week for an "urban leaders conference" is what Marcus is calling it. its should be really interesting and informative. not looking forward to being the only female in our group of 4, plus 5 straight days with Marcus & Chris is gonna be weird.

I'll definitely write on that next week.
I'm sure glad the cold weather finally showed up-i love my winter clothes, hats, scarfs, gloves!
Plus there are supposed to be snow flurries in Indianapolis this week while we're there, wouldnt that be fun?

well-gotta get back to packing & cleaning

much love to all
lish

okay this is not to brag about anything or to boost my abilities, but tonight i made history. i just got back from the gym where i RAN for 30 minutes straight.

now, i know for some of you, that is nothing, but me, its huge. its tangible evidence and proof that with correct motivation and self-discipline from the Lord, ya know, faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains, or run for 30 minutes. there were definitely moments of temptation to just press the speed button slower, but i refused, determined to reach my goal.

so now, i'm gonna get a light snack and hit the sack.
its gonna be an insane day tomorra-if you can, say a little pray for me

grace & peace, lish

i had a great weekend-wish i lived in the metroplex.

community and fellowship are very vital to the soul.

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. ~ C.S. Lewis

dont forget to vote.

so marcus casually mentioned today they are still waiting on the grant to come in for my salary starting in the Spring...

yeah.

uh-huh...thats right.

grace & peace,
lish

[note: i dont fear that the money wont come in, nor am i frustrated at the situation; its almost like an assessment of my "trusting" scale-kinda my idea of my relationship with Christ hits the reality of my relationship with Christ-if that makes any sense at all]

so i unfortunately landed myself as a Longhorn fan this season....my precious pee-wee hockey team was the Longhorns...

sadly, the season is over; we were 6-2-1, were league champions, and came in 2nd overall in the tournament. our star forward was named MVP in the league!

and i was the offical assistant coach..i even got to sign the certificates!
but no worries, another season starts in January..so yall will get to hear all about it!

let me tell ya..it was intense tonight..we ended up having 2 shoot outs! it was like it was the Stanley Cup or something.

gig'em longhorns :)

grace & peace,
lish

[preface: i've been post-happy lately..meaning i've been posting a lot, for no apparent reason.]

okay so, its the first weekend in a while that i actually dont have any plans of any sorts..

i dont think i'll be able to stay in brenham ALL weekend, so a trip into CS will probably happen Saturday.

its Friday..Fridays are my favorite
on the agenda:
put up clothes
wal-mart
chores
Goblet of Fire
maybe a movie tonight
& i'll probably end up having to drive Chris to Houston-because i'm that great of an assistant ;)

have a great friday friends->its the end of the week!

blessings to all,
lish

so i've started reading goblet of fire again.

i definitely want my own wand to put up clothes with. harry potter & laundry are a good mix. magic would make chores a whole lot easier :)

i'm just sayin'

i'm dedicating this post to Jeff Hildebrand: the most amazing guy i know.

enjoy the fabulous fall weather.
The Lord is our hope and salvation.

grace & peace,
lish

wow.
they are amazing.
an awesome balance of entertainment and worship. it was so apparent that they wanted us to have a great time at the concert, and at the same time really get to meet with the Lord.

I was able to see my favorite JAM staffer...Michelle! and since i kinda went with the BSM kids from blinn I got to know them better..still havent really connected with anyone.

overall, it was a good night, minus the getting in really really late. i'm not really a concert type person, but i'd go see Crowder & band any night of the week. they blew me away!

if we all had theme songs..i think this would be mine right now.

I crumble at Your kiss and grace
I'm a weakling in the dust
Teach me how to cling to You
With all my life and all my love

Father come to me, hold me up
'cause I can barely stand
My strength is gone and my breath is short,
I can't reach out my hands
But my heart is set on a pilgrimage to heaven's own bright King
So in faltering or victory I will always sing

And on the road to beautiful
My seasons always change
But my life is spent on loving
know You in Your power and pain

Father come to me, hold me up
'cause I can barely
strength is gone and my breath is short,
I can't reach out my hands
But my heart is set on a pilgrimage to heaven's own bright King
So in faltering or victory I will always sing

You're my portion in this life
You're my strength now in my fight
And to You I pledge my heart
In the pain and in the dark
I'll love You


in this new season for me, a more eternal perspective is needed for my day to day responsibilities..i think thats the hardest thing to walk in-finding eternal perspective in a day by day, moment by moment faith.
i'm also thankful that self-control is a Fruit of the Spirit, not Fruit of Alisha.

feeling philosophical:
Say for instance you have one of those math problems where train A is going 60mph and train B is going 45 mph they are headed towards each other and you have to figure out where they have to meet, it doesnt matter how fast they are going with Jesus, they will meet when HE wants them to-sure with math & physics or whatever you can prove that at such and such time they will intersesct, but its all the cities they pass and people aboard the train that matter; our God is a relational god, personal, alive, active, constant and in control of all circumstances.

i dunno if this makes any sense, but lately i feel so caught up into where i'm suppose to go next, i'm forgetting to look out the window.

grace & peace,
lish

exert from my daddy's bday celebration tonight...

so the past couple of weeks have been significantly better, i can even venture to say that B-town is kinda growing on me...dont take that as "i'm lovin' it here" but its one of those things that could be worse.
work has been work, i had my first sunday school lesson, that minus the cd player not working, went really well..it was harder than i thought it would be because the group of kids is very diverse, and i thought they would border more on the older than the younger and that wasnt the case. worship was jacked up, thats all i can say to describe it; but thankfully the Lord answered my prayers and today in staff meeting i was able to share my heart and marcus and chris were very understanding..so i'll keep doing it for a couple more weeks and then my worship duties will end.
for those of you that are wondering, my coaching debut was a success! a tie (8-8) and a win (7-3)-not too shabby, eh? the second game was pretty intense for 5-8 year old peewee roller hockey, but we managed it.

i might have touched on this before, but a lot of the "brenham getting better" has to do with me consiously decided not to attend personal pity parties. its hard because me and my selfish nature want to say "look at me, see all i do? feel sorry for me..", nor do i see the fruits of my labor...but it doesnt work like that. i'm to be the salt and light in every situation no matter what my feelings say...and thats what so great about Jesus, He doesnt work off of feelings-He's constant & always in control, unconditional and sovereign.

this is definitely going to be a good week. micah is coming on Thursday! and then.....drum roll please....my LIBBY will be in CS this weekend..i dont know if i'll be able to keep my excitement contained until then, i might just burst! ya know those cheesy best friend necklace you get in like 2nd grade..well this amazing girl has the other half of mine..yup thats right, Libby and I will be reunited for the weekend & i cannot wait. i have missed this girl so much..phone calls & emails definitely do not make up for face time! and i also get to go to a women's conference with my mom, my other best friend, i'm looking forward to it, it will be a good refreshing weekend of renewal & fun!

some more thoughts passing through my brain:
i really want to be overseas at this moment
how to get my spanish fluency back up to par
what the rest of my work week will look like with the boss gone
new neighbors in the complex who are kinda friends
how to be friends with someone who you really dont immeadiately click with, especially when they really want to be your friend
whether or not i should eat a bowl of bluebell
who my first bf will be
looking forward to caley moving here


anyways, i miss my "crew"
you guys have a great week
grace & peace,
lish

i want to dedicate this post to mi familia...i luv'em!
My Daddy..the Vince Lombardi :) who records my favorite tv shows every week on VHS for me because my budget is so tight i cant afford cable :)
My Momma-i dont have enough space to explain how great she is..if you know her, you know!
My Little Sis...the coolest chica in the world..& i'm so lucky and blessed to have her AND shes gonna get to be my roomie!
My Brother-who i'm very proud of whos far far away in Washington & i miss him bunches, but thankfully he's coming at Christmas
Boots..poodle extraordinaire..the sweetest, most spoiled dog ever

I think this will be the first weekend in about 2 months that i'm not going to College Station to see them...yup..i've got other plans! Saturday is Helena Reunion so Friday night i'm gonna grab some BBQ at Dimebox's casa, then head over to do some pre-reunion preparations [insert mischevious grin here], then Saturday i'll be seeing my fam for a little bit, meeting up with random folks, then the Reunion will start & fun times will be had!

i gotta head to worship practice, then the washer & dryer at 305 Academy has my name on it for the night...most likely a movie will be put in & more alisha/courtney bonding will take place.

so when i started writing this is was about 6 0'clock..now it is going on 2am and i just finished working out at the gym. the night was insane..we had practice, then i had to help with youth girls, i got done with that, then headed over to courtney's to start laundry, went back to the SHAPe for more practice and finally at 11 we back to Courtney's to finish...folded my last piece of clothing at 12:30-came home changed and hit the gym..i'm now super exhausted & really not wanting to put the clean sheets on my bed because i dont wanna have to take a shower in order not to get them dirty...i think its a couch night..
tomorra is a crazy day..i already know it.

who wouldve ever guessed that i'd be up this late because i was acutally busy?!?

anywho, much love,
lish

Sister Homecoming was fabulous...a new fish, tennis, junk food & movies...not to mention some amazing company. Caley is THE coolest sister ever & a great bestfriend.

aren't we cute? hopefully the new pics will attract more readers.

thats all for now..i'm gonna go make some breakfast-for-dinner (thanks for the great idea william)
hope yall have a wonderful week.

grace & peace, lish

so i can not believe that i forgot to update about this..
i guess this shows how ingrossed in work i can become once my weekend is over...

last Friday....went home to see the familia-i had a rough week and was craving some familial lovin'..so mom cooked spaghetti & had banana pudding icecream with bananas on hand (my favorites)..it was glorious...so i come in Friday afternoon and couldnt find anyone to have lunch with me-which just put me down on my luck..because i come into CS tryign to feel loved & just get rejected by like million people..okay, only 4, but still...Friday afternoon was great. I hung out with Meghan & Trisha, caught up on their lives..i cant believe my "kids" are jrs! next i went to my favorite roomie's new casa...quite loverly, me & Tracy gabbed for an hour or so..good times-its times like those i really miss living with girls :) anyways..went back to the house for dinner & then heres the "exciting" part

...after dinner Caley goes to work and Mom, Dad and i are left with the evening to ourselves & thus begins the Dianna/Vince battle over the tv and plans for the evening...mom wants to walk, dad wants to clean & watch tv..mom wants to do anything BUT watch tv..and so forth they go on and on, while i'm in the pink chair cracking up-a typical married couple & me on the sidelines-cause while its funny to me, its their normal behaviour :) so Dad gets tired of Mom and goes to the bedroom and Mom and i are left alone in the living room...30 minutes later Dad comes out and then Mom leaves...so then its me and Dad and he thus proposes "hey, you wanna go to the nursing home & meet our friends?"
you see, Mom and Dad have started this "ministry": every Wednesday they go to a nursing home by our house and spend time with elderly people who dont get visitors. well..more recently theyve started playing dominoes & have worked up quite a social network at the home...so, with nothing else to do i say "sure, why not? what else are we going to do?"
we go to the nursing home where i meet 1. Mrs. Barbers, who has alziheimers..kinda in short term memory loss form..while its sad that shes in that condtion..she keeps great spirits & even manages a joke here and there about herself..plus you just have to laugh when she comments "its a wonder i can find my butt every day to wipe.." or "how do i know you? who are you again? when did you get here?--over and over again. Mom and Dad have been going every week for like the past 2 months & she never remembers them. #2 Mrs. Nobels, she was cranky, from what Mom said, something has been bothering her so she hasnt been herself..but she was pleasant enough and good at the game and then there was #3 Johnny..he was quite an amazing dominoe player...he could've fit right in with the men here in the projects that play all the time..and i think a time or two he was wanting to slam them down to get his points (which is apparently what youre suppose to do)..but he refused unfortunately. Dominoes was great fun, i seemed to get really good hands & felt bad for schooling them when none of the peeps i was playing with were in their right mind, but everyone got a chance to go first & somehow we always tied;)
After game night, mom and i picked up a movie while Dad cleaned (Fever Pitch..it was good, clean, pretty funny)-when everyone was accounted for again at the house we popped it in & settled in for the night. not really what i envisioned my Friday night to look like, but it was fun nonetheless.

its interesting how something so trivial (the visit to the nursing home) could mean so much...i mean Mom was telling me how the nurses tell them that Thursdays & Fridays are great days for the people they visit at the home because they just go on and on about their visitors..and all i did was play dominoes for and hour and a half-which is something i enjoy doing.

i love my weekends at home...they tend to be more random and spontaneous, which is good since i dont live there anymore...Saturday I had the house to myself, had lunch with Anna (i always try to get in a Cheddar's meal when i'm in town), then Saturday night Caley and i hung out..we went to DQ so i could get the 4-1-1 on her trip to Seattle & life...nothing better than your sister & a rootbeer float....we went by sweet's but it was crowded & we just felt awkward..weird how 4 months will "grow you up"

so that was my weekend..its weekends like those that make being a Lombardi so great...i love my parents, my sister & brother..and even Boots too :) they are wonderful people..not cause their my family and i gotta love them..but deep down they want the love of Christ to pour from their lives at all times. Home will always be "where my mom lives" :)

grace & peace,
lish

Henry died today. its bittersweet in a way.

I was cleaning his bowl this afternoon and after returning him to his home i noticed his labored breathing and how he was laying on his side, all dead like. and for some of you that know Henry, this isnt too abnormal..(his famous trick being "playing dead"). but knowing my fish's behavior..i knew this wasnt normal. so, thus began the attempt to save Henry.
first i changed his water again, then i made sure his gills were functioning right..they looked a little abnormal. then i went to the one pet store in town and bought aquarium salt and put him in a salt bath for a little while. but all my attempts failed. Henry was just plain old.

In my search for healing remedies this afternoon i ran across the life expectancy of a male betta fish, and the average fish only lives 2 yrs. Henry was about 5-i think he set some sort of record. He was old and tired, he was losing his color and i think he might've developed a fungus that catalyzed his death. So my faithful fish companion is no more, but i feel like I did a pretty good job taking care of him, seeing as he lived more than twice his expectancy...which those of you that know me, know me & Henry's history...he definitely made it into the garbage disposal a total of 4 times, survived a summer without me (I was so worried Caley would kill him while i was in Costa Rica), [Meghan claims I raised him from the dead my junior year..but i refer back to Henry's tricks ), made it through 3 moves (2 were across town, the other to another city...) and not to mention the countless times i probably forgot to feed him. he was a survivor-one tough cookie.

While some think it strange...Henry and I had something special-i mean he went through college with me..cause 75% of college i lived alone; he was with me through thick and thin..and yes i talked with him-not to get answers, but to kinda vent...you know...anyways, im gonna miss my little swimming pal. i flushed him..he was dead so i didnt think it too inhumane..supposedly the pressure from the flush blows the fishy into smithereens...

so tomorra, i'm headed off to the pet store to get another fish.
i love fish...you should get one; theyre great to have-they are like youre most low-maintience pet ever
& i've already picked out a name Alexander..and no, i will not call him alex.

thats all..Lombardi Homecoming commences in t minus 20 hours!
grace & peace,
lish

my great day included:
1. membership at Sam's Club
2. lunch at Mi Cocina with the one and only Evan Stewart
3. the purchase of The Big Book of Bible Games
4. a relaxing night at home with a good book
5. working out at the gym

i gotta keep truckin' on. productivity is a good way to keep perspective. I have a meeting with the FBC Children's minister tomorra that i'm real excited about..i think he is going to be a good source of wisdom and opportunity; plus from our phone conversations he sounds like youre typical children's minister :)

grace & peace,
lish

oh & get excited about Lombardi Homecoming Saturday night...my wonderful sister is coming to spend the night with me..whoo hoo!

so i joined a gym. i went for the first time tonight..for the following reasons.
1. to avoid awkwardness...my thinking, its a small gym, not very many people in Brenham should be there...
2. to avoid males..again, my thinking, its 9:30, the gym shouldnt be crowded & if by chance there are people there, they will leave me alone..we're there to work out, not carry on conversations
3. working out late makes me sleep incredibly well....
conclusions: going to the gym at 9:30 does not prevent
1. awkward situations from happening
2. creepy Christian boys trying to subtly figure out how they can get your number without actually having to get it
but it does
allow for a good nights rest
apparently my gym is a hang out for a couple of the BSM kids because one of the guys works there. one good thing that happened was that i was invited to a Bible study on Friday & a prayer meeting on Sunday, not to mention how incredibly sore i'm going to be tomorra morning-but thats a good thing right?

lifes been very convicting lately. Taking my head out of the self-pity i've been absored in, things look clearer, not better or improved, but liveable i guess. its all about "feeding His sheep". I love Him and aim to keep His commands, its as simple as that for me right now, and does it ever really have to get more complicated than that? the more i examine my walk with the Lord, I realize I have such a simple faith, and its that simple faith that i feel is put into question by my fellow brothers and sisters here, and it frustrates me...so pray for that-my pride takes that and runs to Satan with it and its bad news all around when that happens.

going to bed.
sending lots of love out across cyberspace.
grace & peace,
lish

please pray for me. its going to be a long, hard week & Satan is really attacking.

I miss all of you guys.
grace & peace,
lish

I will trust
I will obey
I will follow where you lead come what may
I will die to myself and my cross I will take
I will trust you, I will trust you
I will trust and obey.

Singing this song in church yesterday brought a whole lot of conviction. Chris and i led again, it went a lot better than the first time & it was just us..me on the keyboard & vocals and him singing...very simple..anyways, it was quite an inner struggle of will during worship singing this song, because honestly, i dont know if i really am living those words, but the turmoil came because as a co-leader, i needed to sing them-to lead our congregation in meeting with the Lord..then that creates this inner circle of doubt, fear, conviction, shame of if i cant sing those words geniunely, then what am doing leading in the first place? I long to be able to have the strength and confidence to, but every step i take i feel i get weaker and weaker in my faith. no matter how much i know, theres something in my heart that chooses not to accept it in various trials and circumstance...so back to my knees i go-knowing and believing that the Lord will reveal what He needs to in His perfect timing, asking for the wisdom and strength His love provides.

grace & peace,
lish

for the 2 readers of this blog...worship on sunday went surprisingly smooth. watching our congregation meet was the Lord was a privilege for me. yes i was extremely nervous, but hearing them respond to the Lord comforted those fears. the chris and alisha band will most likely be the interim worship peeps (tour dates have not been set) until a partime non staff member replacement is found..(if we're still looking). The Lord continues to stretch me pretty thin; the amazing thing is that i think an ordinary alisha would be a little overwhelmed, but i surprised myself in staff meeting today when Marcus asked me how everything was and how i was handling the responsibilties..see sundays will now consist of a pre-service sound check, then i have to set up the nursery, make last minute adjustments for meal prep and service, teach the preschool lesson during the prayer service, the drive the tour bus to pick up church goers in 3 neighborhoods, get them to church in 30 minutes and then co-lead the congregation in worship....not to mention all the after-service duties...so back to how i am dealing with everything...how did i respond? with a "good, i'm just depending on the Lord; all this stuff is required of me, so i have to depend on His strength to get it done...theres not a choice about it". which after saying it, surprised me because Sunday at 230..i was plum exhausted...which stirs mixed emotions for me because with all the jobs and responsibilities, church tends to lean more on the work side than worship and meet with the Lord time. and this now makes me wonder about my new role in the Body. If sunday is a work day for me, then how am i to be fed?, since it will have to be done outside of the normal church service..yes the Lord continues to speak to me through the message and i do meet with the Lord while i play, but it wasnt (at least yesterday) the intimate level i've experienced in the past...and is that where my heart was yesterday or is that how its going to be? Ministry is an interesting thing. The harder i work, the more i learn they need to make a "Ministtry for Dummies" book. i dont think ive ever been in a place where almost everything i do is an experiment, a step of faith in a possible right directions and at any moment, my plans are subject to destruction and complete failure-being sure of nothing but having absolute confirmation that this is where i'm suppose to be.
pray for the afterschool program. pray for kid's church. pray for facilities. pray for Mission Brenham. pray for me-the lonely girl in Brenham who needs a friend.

as a conclusion, my blog probably isnt going to have much variety. most all my thoughts and experiences these days center around Mission Brenham. my fears and joys deal with the every day battle of living here in B-town. with time i know a development of friends and socialness will make this site a little more interesting, but for now..bear with me.

grace & peace,
lish

so, i think i've been handling the stress of having actually two jobs: executive assistant and children's minister quite well these past weeks, but apparently the Lord doesnt think so..this week i will also be leading our congregation in worship..along with Chris. when did we find out, oh this afternoon. fun times at Mission Brenham-never a dull moment...please be praying for me as i'm very nervous!

praise the Lord my job is never routine! i love going into work. i just want to take this time to share how faithful the Lord is..i mean really, how incredibly blessed are we?? take me, the past couple weeks have been pretty rough for me. dealing with loneliness, doubt, confusion on a different level that i've never experienced before, and yet no matter how many times i've complained, the Lord still encourages me. look at the people of new orleans..we have about 600 here in Brenham that have nothing, are having to relocate here, find jobs, places to live, and yet time and time again, all i hear is stories where these people are so thankful for the Lord's provision, that the community has welcomed them, that despite the fact they have nothing, they are excited to be able to move here.

my job is a blessing. while i look at what i do and realize i havent made any great initial accomplishments, the Lord has used me effectively and His name has been maximized through me-the abilities and talents HE created and put in me. i've been "networking" like crazy, researching and brainstorming..i'm creating a tutoring/afterschool program to start in the spring; and its getting really fun! for the first time in a long time, i really, truly, feel completely passionate about something specific, not just "i love kids, or i like ministering to kids, or i can see problems and try to solve them" but in the deepest parts of my tummy, i long that this program be the ultimate program for these kids in the projects..my greatest desire is that when they come through Mission Brenham's afterschool program they KNOW the Father loves them and that people in the community care about them as well as having better education. and with such a great expectation for this program, i'm only want the best..i want to target the EXACT needs for elementary kids in this community.
Today i went to the Boys and Girls Club and i saw a lot of incredible things going on-good things: caring staff, organized schedule but it lacked one important element: true purpose. The Boys and Girls Club of Washington County is doing a pretty darn good job of helping these kids, but oh the excitment it brought me to know that not only is our program going to be good, but most importantly the kids in our program are going to get to know about JESUS, our precious Creator and King! Its ulitmate purpose is to share Christ's truth and love through providing them help with schooling, education, self-esteem and confidence, to foster relationships to further the Kingdom.
Tomorra i'm meeting with the former director of the HOSTs program. and thats another cool things about this "networking". Nobody has had an ounce of uninterest. Every person i talk with and set up appts with have been excited and have devoted their full time and effort to make sure that i've gotten the information i needed; and still want to be of service in any way possibe; like the director of the Boys & Girls Club, we're virtually creating a similar program and most likely will take some of their students away eventually, but as i was leaving she encouraged me to call her if i had any more questions or needed any help with anything...

I can only thank the Lord for His provision of this job. Never in a million years could i have imagined being so excited about working full-time. While there are moments when i really long to be overseas, i realize that this is my new hand of cards..that overseas will come maybe with time, but who knows--i mean right now my plate is pretty full..or extremely full, and i think this work is gonna keep me busy for awhile, so i guess Brenham is gonna have to grow on me :) i'm sure theres a cute boy around somewhere that i'll be able to marry ;-) he just hasnt turned up yet!

in conclusion, while my tune hasnt been that happy the past couple of weeks, the Lord has really shown me that my struggles are to mature me, that being joyful in the pain and hardship is to set myself apart from the world. so with that, i say bodly: Living in Brenham, working at Mission Brenham delights me in the fullest..aka makes my heart smile!

grace & peace,
lish

so your 23rd bday isnt as lame as everyone makes it out to be...
yeah, yeah, yeah i'm getting old, but compared to someone like Abraham or Sarah, i think i can still be classified into the young category. Mom and Caley drove in for breakfast...Mom cooked cinnamon rolls..they were pretty yummy! It was great having them here to start the day...i love them a whole lot...they're my bestest friends in the whole world-i consider myself a pretty lucky girl to have such a beautiful and amazing mom & sister! breakfast was followed by work, where, when i arrived i had a nice bag of donuts & a scarf waiting on my desk from christopher.. it was classic...the morning was busy busy, chris and i have been getting ready for the missions fair at Living Hope on Saturday..its days like today when the great tasks of having 2 jobs in one body wears on me...balencing children's ministry with administrative things is tough! for lunch the guys took me to a nice italian place downtown where the serenaded me beat-box style, it was pretty funny. the afternoon flew by and then there was the dreaded youth girls transportation. its a long story but lets just say i started driving at 5pm and didnt get done until 7:25 and was quite tired and frustrated, but thankfully Marissa took me out to dinner at Chili's and we ended up scoring a virtually free meal (the waitress rang up our food on another table, so all Marissa ended up paying was the tip & drinks)...the rest of the night has been finishing up work stuff..all correspondence has to be done at my apt, because thats the only place i have internet & can email! but theres a rumor going around that all of downtown has wireless internet...the truth of that will be determined shortly...will post back with conclusions...

so overall, my 23rd bday has been good, nothing too elaborate, the family is taking me to dinner this weekend when i'm in town. the only thing really missing was a cake. i've never been a huge cake fan, but not having one, ive realized i kinda like them :)

tons of cutting & emailing to continue..the work will never end!
i love you lots! thanks for the calls, cards and emails!

grace & peace,
lish

i felt a post was necessary this evening, nothing to really update about, but for the sake of having a post, i will continue to write.

if you were to question my shirt this evening, it would probably respond with something along the lines of "yogurt should be eaten with a spoon and not a fork." i dont think she was too happy with the purple stain on her nice, cream stretchy cotton.

anyways, that all for now, maybe i'll post some more later..i've gotta clean the casa..momma & cale' are coming tomorra for the big 2 3! fun times...
grace & peace,
lish

work...
my job....
being professional..
having an occupation...

its all so foreign to me...probably cause i never do things, nor do things happen the "normal" way for me..
this whole Alisha working full-time business is quite the adventure, one because i never do the same thing any day at my job. yes i arrive at 8:30 every morning, but thats about it.
the past couple of weeks..or rather the whole month of August was spent cleaning up and organizing other peoples' messes..which got really old fast. so by the end of last week i was completely discouraged, to the point of doubting whether or not i was really suppose to be here..yeah its a lot extreme, but there are some other things that play into that questioning...

back to the job...the job is two-fold, administrative and children. which marcus, my boss, the pastor put it, eventually i'll work myself into a corner doing one and not the other..but for now its both. i dont know where the Lord is going to lead me..some days i really like the administrative side of it, but then other days, like today, planning children's afterschool programs is what i see myself doing.....who knows?

thats all for now.
i like my job.
its tough, quite frustrating at times, but
in the end, i'm glad i have it

grace & peace,
lish

this weekend was quite the adventure...
we did make it to san antonio..for awhile it seemed a little sketchy for some members of our party, and it was definitely a comfort walking into the church Saturday morning and finding everyone accounted for.
so its offical, peter and leslie are married..they could be considered the first from our crew, but definitely no one in the inner circle has tied the knot..anyone wanna place bets on whose gonna be first ;)????

I think the weekend could be summed up in one word..u-turns. somehow our ages must be getting to us because getting to and from san antonio to austin we made about a million, okay really only 10 u-turns over the entire weekend. and i'll add that san antonio & austin drivers and roads dont make driving any easier...nevertheless catching up with the crew and sharing the stories of our new lives was great. its fun to see how we're all slowly becoming grown-ups, some faster than others, some i dont think will ever grow up. The Pennycook/Ness wedding was definitely Central MT get together.

at one point during lunch is was a sweet moment for me to watch everyone together, seeing us all interacting and laughing again, hearing where they are all at in their lives and remembering where we've all come from and been through together, it was special. with everyone spreading out across the great state of Texas & beyond, i've come to really cherish those relationships that still have the feeling that nothings changed, if that makes sense. with the move to Brenham, friendship and fellowship mean a whole lot more to mean than i think it did in the past; not that i ever took them for granted, but they hold a deeper place in my heart than before.

anyways, i had a blast this weekend
friends please keep me updated
i love you guys

grace & peace,
lish

so its been awhile since my last update and i apologize for all 3 (if that many) that read this on a regula basis. life as always is not slowing down one bit. So much has happened in the past weeks that i could not fully describe, but JAM has ended and as Children's Minister I am tying up loose ends and starting preparations for my job. the next couple of weeks will be doing research and development for the tutoring/afterschool program that Mission Brenham is going to start.

I'm all moved into my apartment, all the boxese arer unpacked, now i'm beginning to decorate, thats the fun part...i've never had so much wall space before-its so exciting. I have a 2 bedroom, downstairs (there was no way we were moving my piano up!). Its a safe little residence, noisy at times, but nice. I've met one neighbor, she's a single mom with 2 or 3 daughters, i'm really not sure, i talked with her briefly the other day.

Its weird not living in the BCS anymore, but i like that home is only 45 minutes away & now that i have a phone that works even better!

new info if you didnt get an email:
2345 Becker Dr.
Brenham, TX 77833

979-830-5782

thats all for now i guess, nothing too terribly exciting happening, just the busy life as we all know it.
thank you for all the prayers and encouragements, they are a blessing & keep them up, i'm really gonna need it!

grace & peace,
lish

i just had the best weekend ever..my two most favorite gals in the world came to Brenham to see me-yes Libby Leatherman and Ashley Rodenberger spent the entire weekend with me and was it wonderful!!!
the Lord blessed us with some really special time together to catch up and talk and laugh, laugh, laugh, it was so encouraging to be with them again. these girls are quality gals and spending time with them these days doesnt happen as often as it used to since i'm in Brenham, Libby's in Irving and Ash's in Ft. Worth. we definitely picked up right where we had left off and the Lord gave us precious time of rest, relaxation and fun, not to mention a great Sunday morning at church. having them come into my new life was good for me...it was encouraging to me watching them really enjoying themeselves and fellowshipping with my "new" Body. we definitely had a dance party saturday night with 2 of my roommates..fun times, not to mention the killer slumber party: the three of us shacking up in the king size bed :) (sidenote, ash likes to take the covers & libby is pretty hilarious in the mornings!)
this weekend was much needed for me as the following weeks are going to be EXTREMELY stressful, moving, finishing up JAM, starting a new job, etc. if your thoughts come across me, please say a prayer. i will really need them.

well i'm gonna hit the sack early...long week ahead..early bed time is a must
grace & peace,
lish

its been awhile since my last post. time has flown by, there are only 2 more weeks left of JAM...its nuts to think i only have 10 more days with my girls. so many seeds have just been planted, but i'm really encouraged because i know i will still be here to water and watch them hopefully take root and grow. my relationship with one family has grown a whole lot and my prayer is that they will find their way back to the church body. they are believers, but have been hurt in the past by the church and dont desire to be a part of it. the mom has a relationship and thinks that is enough, which isnt the worst thing to believe, but at the same time is lacking a whole lot; but her son is involved in the youth so they are taking baby steps.
funny story..as of thursday, i now have a boyfriend-his name is Jarivs and he is 5 years old and the cutest little kid eva' :) he is precious, and if i knew how to post pictures, id put a picture up of him, but i havent mastered that feat yet.
everyday gets a little more wearing and tiring, the frustrations rise and my attitude and mouth takes a little more self-control to handle. its obvious the summer is wearing on me and Satan is attacking hard. your prayers and encouragements are deeply appreciated.
house hunting has been discouraging..not quite the selection in brenham as in college station, but i know the Lord is supreme and my provider
transitioning has been hitting me hard lately..loneliness, fear of "big decision-makings", inadaquecy, having to make new friends, yall know the drill...so with that all said, its been a rough week, but it ended well-the Lady Lightweights (my girls) won the Stomp Competition, so we get to compete in the championship on JAM Celebration day, July 30th [sidenote, every group wins..so every participates :)] i also had a fabulous weekend, friday night was spent with some amazing guys and then Saturday i was able to relax and pack some more, visited with my old roomie and hung out with the familia.
this summer has changed me a lot-the Lord has taught me a lot about compassion and what truly showing grace looks like. its funny how i can tell in my mind how I rely more on the Holy Spirit to direct my steps instead of my own strength and how without a doubt I can tell when i'm trying to do things in my own will and not the Father's.-and a lot of that has come through my times of confession. one of my deepest struggles is pride and independence and this summer the Lord has refined it, so that in EVERYTHING, whether it be a personal circumstance or something related to JAM , i'm to look to HIM, because if i dont i know that it will fail-especially with my tounge. this summer has been a summer of me taming it, learning when to speak and how to choose my words wisely. yes there have been times when i'm sarcastic and its uncalled for, but then there are times when i purposefully keep my mouth shut and can rejoice because the Lord has given me that wisdom and self-control, which brings me into a deeper initimacy with Him.
it makes me smile about this blog..i started it at the end of the school year, not knowing what to title it and thought i "randomly" came up with the idea of "following His lead", but it refreshes me to know that thats what my life is continuing to look like. I would have never gotten to where i am at right now-physcially: in Brenham, spiritually: a deeper intimacy, mentally/emotionally: struggling with fears i didnt think i would face and lastly, ready for the challenge that i know this "new" life is going to bring me in the fall-if i never took that step to surrender everything and say "okay God youre in control everyday, i will follow the path you are taking". and everyday i have to make that choice before i start my day or i know its going to be a struggle, sometimes i do it and other days i dont, but every morning He is there waiting.

this has been a long one..i didnt mean for it to be, but obviously theres been a lot on my mind. i cherish the prayers and ask you encourage me these last couple weeks.
i love you all

grace & peace,
lish

....i have a job; YES- you read right, I, Alisha Marie Lombardi, have accepted a full-time position working at the House of Worship/for Mission Brenham starting..well i'm currently working as a summer missionary, so as soon as camp is over I am redefined as full-time staff. IE-the month of August will consist of moving and working.

My job is really exciting it consists of being Marcus (the pastor) and Chris Gaines (the youth guy)'s assistant as well as heading up the Children's Ministry-meaning starting Kid's Church, a tutoring/reading program and making JAM 2006 happen. Its going to be absolutely insane, but i think i'm ready for a challenge like this!

I never in a million years expected this or imagined myself doing this, but i know that this is where the Lord wants me for now-welcome to Brenham Alisha!

please email me if youd like more details, id love to tell you the full, wonderful story of how it all came about..but its rather long and detailed..stuff i only want to bore really interested people in!

grace & peace,
lish

what a wonderful weekend..most of it was spent driving, but such an encouraging couple of days!
saturday was spent running errands for Chris and then i made a trip into college station, then came back to Brenham to see the youth off to Kids Across America Camp, then a couple other counselors and i went to dinner and watched a movie. Sunday was a busy day, church in the morning and then i drove up to dallas where i met up with libby and then we ate at Wings N More in Colleyville (WHOOP!) with William and Markum-fun times, the people in the restaurant were very suspisious of us..we were VERY excited about Wings! After dinner Markum left and Ms. Leatherman and Mr. Meier and I hung out at his fabulous apt after some gelato! LEt me tell you they are stomp masters! they helped me come up with my stomp routine for the competetion this week..mad props to the both of you! Today was spent hanging out with libby and then i headed back home to chill in college station with the madre y padre...man i love those guy..i think i'm one of the luckiest people alive...my parents are stellar peeps :)

as of right now i've got the house in Brenham all to myself-yea!
Hope yall had a happy holiday. Praise the Lord for freedom.

grace & peace,
lish

whoop for a day off for the 4th and seeing the BFF & wonderful william c. meier!
have a great 4th everyone!

grace & peace,
lish

well, my summer is basically half over, but another journey begins..
yes, there are only 4 more weeks of camp, which is insane to me, because while i feel i've been here a long time (longer than a month), the time has flown by very quickly & i'm really excited about whats in store for me in the fall...9 out of 10 fingers point to me staying in Brenham...the Lord continues to provide and direct me..in the midst of me feeling like im in the dark, but its this blind faith- it is transforming my relationship with him into something much more real and intimate, deepr than what i experienced in college...its like those verses, which i cant remember where they are but i'mi definitely craving hard core the meat, but with that comes newness and scariness, because choices are bigger and have a profounder effect on my life-wow i'm really starting to feel like an adult.

anyways, i get to see my bff..ms. libby d. leatherman this weekend..so pumped..its definitely off the chain, celebrating the 4th with the family..over all, good times are in store.

grace & peace,
lish

email for more details about my fall plans-theyre exciting & unexpected!

forever You are faithful
forever You are strong
forever You are with us
forever

tonight we had prayer and worship corporately as counselors. sweet time.
tonight the Lord just reminded me who I am and who HE is. He's forever guys-like never failing, never going away, longer than a 65 year old marriage, longer than a life of 102 years-always present. No matter how many times i'm unfaithful to him and try to take all the credit and do things my way, it doesnt matter, He's the True Constant, when the world we live in is completely inconsistent. in the midst of the craziness, ever changing ways of life i'm experience, i can rest assured the Lord is with me and will not let go-thats the peace that passes all understanding!!

thats all..just thought i'd share, so many times we say how the Lord is faithful, but do we really stop to think about what that means? its infathomable to understand why when we are so flaky the Lord calls to us time and time again saying "I will never leave you Alisha"

its almost curfew...love you guys
grace & peace,
lish

so this was a great weekend! days and nights off are glorious! friday night me, michelle and david (all JAM counselors) and Marissa, she is a former counselor & lives here in Brenham, went to Casa Ole and then headed out for a spontaneous roadtrip to H-town. we went into downtown and then wandered around a Barnes & Noble sipping our Starbucks...nothing fancy-but tons of fun and relaxing! then Saturday was spend bumming around the house until about lunch then michelle and i headed to College Station to lounge by my pool! later we met up with David and then Vern came along too..McAllister's was delightful and Shakes was sure yummy. All the other counselors at JAM were in Dallas for YEC, so me, Michell and David got some quality bonding time in! today was a great day too-i started helping lead worship this sunday...singing that is, which was quite interesting seeing as my voice is just about gone from the yelling & cheers i do during the week. after church i bummed around the house for a bit and then met Marissa at the pool-it ended up being a party as i saw a lot of JAM kids and then some other counselors came up.

the most kids i had this week was 12 so that was a break...our stomp was amazing, yet we didnt win, which that was kinda dissapointing for the girls cause they worked really hard on it-i mean the competition is rigged...we will win:-) on the flip side, i've been able to have some really good conversations with my girls and getting to know them and their families is so encouraging and challenging. theres this one family that i think the Lord is opening a door with..they have 3 kids and one of them is in my group and i pick them up in the mornings..super sweet kids, totally rough home life, but theyve been coming to church every week so thats really encouraging! also another praise was that i was able to share the gospel with my girls on Friday while we were eatting lunch at our field trip..none of them made any committments or anything, but they were full of questions. so that was really exciting

not so great news of the week but definitely a praise:
friday the youth group went to Dallas for the Youth Evangelisim Conference, meaning there was a total of 3 JAM counselors to end JAM on Friday, thus my skills as a bus drvier were used...so Thursday chris takes me out in the charter bus so i can practice for taking the kids home on Friday afternoon since he wasnt going to be there..it was smooth sailing. i didnt hit any crubs, no problems-i have great confidence for the next day cause all week i had been really nervous..cause it s a HUGE bus! so Friday comes and drop off in the first neighborhood-no problems..head to the second: major problem..there is a car parked on the corner of a street, another truck parked paralle to it on the other curb and a third truck parked probably a cars length behind it...there is no physical way to manuver the bus without hitting one of the cars parked on the street...BUt somehow..meaning no way but DIVINE INTERVENTION i am able to leave the scene with a small scratch on the car, no damage to the bus whatsoever..i'm telling you, it was all Jesus-because i know i'm not that great of a bus driver (just read previous posts)..the owners of the car werent upset and nither was marcus and all the kids were in one piece..quite an eventful afternoon though with that incident and only having one counselor to bounce the bus (when usually there are two)

so i'll admit, going into college station for fun is quite funny to me! but the past two times i've been, its been weird, cause the majority of my friends dont live there anymore and i just end up chilling with the family cause since i really dont keep in constant contact with my friends that do live in college station, i end up not seeing anyone-cause i never know what they are up to..i know its probably a lame excuse cause i could easily call any of them up.

its crazy that the summer is almost halfway over. if any of you guys would like to come visit me, feel free. i'd love for yall to see what my life looks like here-JAM is where its at. The Lord is alive and at work in a mighty way. I love that the simplest things can totally change your peception, this summer i feel as though i'm able to clearly minister through Jesus's eyes. While a lot of the time i'm constantly praying for focus and sensitivity, i am planting the seeds for the harvest and just the knowledge of that sets my spirit on fire. I am constantly being reminded of Isaiah and his willingness and astuteness..knowing he was unclean and confessing that to the Lord, being made pure and going to do the Lord's work-he was gentle and humble, something i'm usually not,yet i know that i'm being refined.

its about time for bed.
please call me or send me mal or an email if youd like to hear more or schedule a time to visit! i love and miss you guys!
grace & peace,
lish

well, i thought with internet at the house i'd post more often, but it doesnt look like i will :) really though, supposedly our summer is gonna start slowing down a bit now that the major stuff is out of the way and we're moving to a more routine schedule. a lot of you are probably wondering what my "crazy" days consist of well..here we go:
6:15-wake up, quiet time, by 6:35 i'm getting ready/showering/breakfast & fixing my lunch. since i'm 22 i dont qualify for the free meal program all the other counselors get!
7:15-sr. counselor devotional at the SHAPe center (aka the church/House of Worship)
7:50-i leave to pick up 3 jr counselors and kids that dont live in the projects...usually theres anywherer from 5 to 10
8:20 arrive at the highschool, pass out my name tags to my 12-17 7&8 yr old girls. do the Good Morning Cheer and then
8:30 is breakfast
9:00 is large assembly where we do worship, a large group game-today it was a boy and a girl racing to see who could eat a jar of baby food the fastest
9:30 we load the charter bus and go to the middle school for activites
9:45 is small group lesson/bible study
on Mondays and wednesdays we have reading for 20 minutes, then crafts and then free time on Tuesdays and Thursdays we have sports, then reading then free time
at 10:58 we are loading the bus to go back to the higschool for lunch
11:20 we are eatting lunch and by 11:45 we are in the courtyard practicing our stomp rountine. competitions are on fridays before we leave for the field trips

at 12:00 i take my kids home and then head back to the highschool "Whats UP" time (debreifing)
the afternoons are filled with different errands including going to sr ladies bible study, cleaning vans, the church, visiting kids, playing in the neighborhoods, study tyime for Bible Study on Fridays, going to youth girls bible study, being chris gaines secretary :)

the Lord has been so faithful in providing me rest in any way He can, so i've had a really encouraging week with my girls and the families i've gotten to hang out with. the counselors and i are getting along well. the longer i'm here in Brenham, the more i think the Lord has a much bigger plan for me than i thought. Back in April I just applied because i really didnt have any direction and it seemed like a new, neat, challenging thing to do-but now i think i've been given glimpses of the "Bigger Picture"...who really knows except our wonderful Father.
exciting news for the week: i get to help lead worship on sundays at the church...i'm just singing-no guitar yet ;)

for all you in college station, i will be in town sometime Saturday for most of the afternoon and evening most likely-i'd love to see yall! gimme a ring

thats it for now.
peace, alisha

hey friends, up at the good old public library in Brenham. its the second week and man, Satan is really wearing on me. my precious little girls have been horrible all week, none of my jr high and highschool helpers have been showing up, then today i woke up not feeling well at all-meaning throwup sick...but i trek on, knowing my strength and the ability to carry on comes from my Father, the Great Physican. on a good note, i've been quasi filling the role as Chris Gaines' s secretary, so thats been fun. he's like one of the most unorganized people i've met-so its pretty insane considering he's the one in charge since the director is on vacation. anyways, my parents are coming to visit me Saturday-im so excited, yeah i saw them this past weekend, but to have vistors is way cool..even cooler would be mail..hint hint (1405 Church St. Brenham, TX 77833)!!!

keep me in your prayers por favor.
i miss you guys like crazy.
i gotta run, internet time is coming to an end.
hopefully i'll write more on saturday...
grace & peace, lish

so i actually surprisingly got some freetime today :) JAM is going great. my girls are really precious. we are the Lady Lightweights, if i didnt mention that already, 7&8 yr old girls. AND we've got our STOMP routine down! yes, me with no rhythm or any amount of "soul" has to come up with stomp routines to perform on Friday mornings-we use them to teach our kids the scripture memory verse for the week..so this week, its a little boring, we're just stomping & clapping in place but i thought i'd start basic..cause thats pretty much all i can do :) last night we had a family bring us dinner, which is HUGE, considering most of the families cant even afford their own dinners. all day yesterday we cleaned out rooms for remodeling..my mom would definitely be proud of me-so it was a great blessing to get the free food for dinner! next week i get to start driving the tour bus..yeah, not school bus, tour bus. somebody randomly donated to mission brenham, the big organization that puts on JAM so i get to help out with that..i'm a little nervous-but its all good. i've been put in charge of teaching the lessons for the next 4 weeks to the jr counselors..which is cool, but a lot more work on my part..aka less free time :)

thats about it for now. i have some emailing i need to do. so peace out kids!
love, lish

wow..it seems like a million years have gone by since the last time i was at the computer, whats sad is its only been a little over a week. training/orientation week at camp was insane. there way of camp life is one heck of a whirlwind of craziness. for example camp started today and 75% of the decorations and posters still aren't up, but its whatever.
for those of you not completely familiar with what i'm doing, heres the scoop. I'm in Brenham, Texas working with 8 other Aggies at an inner city day camp for the next eight weeks. I'm leading the 7&8 year old girls..we are the Lady Lightweights :) this years theme is Soul Trainin'..the battle belongs to the Lord..kinda a boxing/training motif :) anyways, one thing i definitely learned is that i'm more Type A than i thought I was...get put in a situation wherer NO one will make a decision and you brainstorm for 4 hours instead of actually do something..you realize you kinda life order and decisiveness :) but its cool, i've got the assertion thing down-leading is what i know :) hmm, what else..well i'm living in a missionary house with the other 3 girl counselors..and when i say missionary house, i mean a family is gone being missionaries and they left us their house..ie-i'm sleeping in a king size in what we like to call "the honeymoon suite" its all floraled out, with white everywhere..the room is definitely bigger than my apartment :) yes, suffering for the Lord :)
i miss you guys like crazy & i hate not feeling connected to the outside world. my phone works about 40% of the day & interent access isnt the greatest. yet, the counselors are neat kids-i'm the oldest, thats why i got the master bedroom..isnt that hysterical?

Time with the Lord has been so sweet. He has proven himself so close & faithful through prayers and Scripture. Time with Him at night has been incredibly encouraging and we start our leader bible study on Friday, i'm real excited, we'r'e going to be studying spiritual disiciplines!

Please keep my family in your prayers, my great grandmother, whom i shared my birthday with passed away on saturday, i actually had to leave camp today to come to the funeral in Sealy & am at the public library here checking email & such. Kirk Grandma, was 95 years old. I have lots of sweet memories with her. she loved the Lord so much and her family almost as much. As sad as it is, I rejoice because I know she isnt in anymore pain and she's with our Almighty Father celebrating with him.

I hate having to end on that sad note, but I've got to head back to Brenham. Please send letters or gimme a call sometime-i'll try to respond as quickly as i can. know i'm thinking of you guys and i love yall a whole lot!

grace, lish

so is been awhile since i've posted..life got a little crazy & much has happened since my last update. i'm a college grad. so wierd-when graduating from highschool it was almost a thought that the Second Coming would take place before my college gradutation, but alas, we're still here & i'm going on 23. my life for the past week has been driving buses, working at the daycare and watching people slowly trickle out of the greater bryan/college station metroplex. its been hard because while everyone was experiencing the same emotions moving out, uncertainty, fear, leaving friends & roommates, knowing loneliness is coming; i'm staying in College Station, have no roommates & have friends that will be in town in the fall & yup, the folks are still next door. While i know this "emotional turmoil" isnt pleasant or welcomed, theres that longing in me that wants to experience the sweet refinement that our precious Lord will bring enduring through it--but with that mindset i realize there is other refinement and humbling that is going on in my life, that i am going to experience change, have different fears & even in the fall have to let go of many expectations that come with serving on Ministry Team with three other girls who i dont know very well.

tomorra i leave for Brenham. i'm not working at Blue Bell-while that would be a flippin' sweet job, i'll be a camp counselor at a day camp for innercity kids. i really dont have any idea what do expect and cant really give you any details cause i dont know them :) get excited about flexibility!! that will go until the first week of august! sundays are my day off so i'll be making trips back home for the day-so gimme a shout out or find me at Freedom :)

fun sidenote-last weekend i took a surprise trip up to ft. worth to surprise miss laura ashley rodenberger: theres only one word to describe it-fabulous! the ride up therer was great fun, carn-dog (andrea) rode up with me (she was able to go home to see her family & we met back up on sunday). we chatted away..it was sweet times. back to the surprise-the look on ash's face was classic going from freaked out to confused to so excited all in about 4 seconds! Turned out I was some great "saving grace" for awkward moments throughout the weekend has i not shown up. Saturday we slept in & then had waffles for brunch the rounded out the afternoon with a Rangers game, dinner at Billy Miners in downtown ft.worth and then hung out with some cool kids (Chris Ernst & Carrie Teichleman) in Arlington. Sunday was restful-filled with church, washing her car, a spin in the famous Cougar & an afternoon movie before i left to head back home. Such a fun random roadtrip!!

more important business--school is out and poor No. 33 didnt make it guys. she died a slow and painful death kids. it all started with a busted back window and ended with her just plain stopping in the middle of the road, having to be towed back to the barn. (apparently the transmission is dead). hopefully they're gonna retire the poor old girl, otherwise i see a pretty rough 2005-06 school year looming. for the full account of "Alisha's Bus Drama" during the last week of school, gimme a ring, i'd love to fill you in-but otherwise its pretty long. i'm telling you-a reality tv show about school bus drivers would work, i think the ratings would be great...did you hear about the incident in Florida??

thats all ive got for now. i dont know how often i'll be updating, most likely on sundays, cause i probably wont have access during the week. its back to cleaning and packing kids.
i love you guys & miss the ones that are away from me. please send me emails and phone calls & letters..i'll post my address when i get it!
yall are in my prayers & hearts :)

lish

well, its official, as of 10:38 Tuesday morning, I, Alisha Marie Lombardi, am finished with my college education at the fine university of Texas A&M. finishing my last paper isnt a huge monumental feeling like it i thought it was going to be..but its exciting nonetheless.

this past week has been a fun one, spending time with friends-everybody and their grandma's dog had a birthday this past week-so we were dancing/partying it up like it was 1999. its getting a little be weird thinking about leaving-or rather everyone else leaving College Station. i mean it seemed like yesterday i was a freshman and stepping into All Faith's on a Thursday night for the first time to go to Upstream-who knew that most of my closest friends would come out of this group..only our precoius Lord. When thinking about this college experience I've had here at TAMU, I can only praise the Father for His mighty hand for guiding me..giving me freedom & then sometimes having to shove me hard in His direction.

I'm looking forward to the summer and the fun/crazy time i'm going to have at camp..in Brenham..after my adventure last summer, i'm kinda glad i'm staying stateside-its always good to get away from this bubble I live in, but at the same time my family is extremely important to me. Caley and I havent gotten to hang out a lot & that makes me sad. shes gotten a job & with me finishing up everything with school we just dont have the time..hopefully this next couple weeks we'll have quality sister bonding time!

This innercity thing kinda scares me a little bit, but i'm ready for the challenge. I've never done anything like this before and i think this is really gonna teach me a lot about being in the mission field; I got this book that the director gave me to read before camp. Its about this guy and the innercity ministry he started in Brooklyn, NY..it looks really good-i'm excited about starting it..so continue to check the blog..i'll be updating it throughout the summer.

thats all for right now, i'm trying to keep this pretty light & cheerful seeing as in about a week it will be full of posts about loneliness, how sad my life is since i'll have no friends in College Station, this & that-really my life isnt & wont be that bad..but we all have that subconsious need to make our lives seem more dramatic than they really are; why do we do this? i realld dont know...get back to me about that
anyways,
grace & peace, lish

so its been a couple days since i've posted..why you may ask, because somehow the concept of no class creates the need for more activity and i've been absolute ingulfed with running errands, driving field trips, writing papers, cleaning & randomness for my parents....so today was a pretty amazing day...thats all i can say cause its way past my bed time, but i've honestly had 3 wonderful days, so i'm hoping Thursday and Friday will be the same...i'll write more later at an earlier hour and expound on my great days, but i leave you with this: I may think i'm the biggest dork & failure, but my Lord thinks I'm beautiful & precious; I was made in HIS image & likeness & what He sees is what matters..
grace & peace, lish

This weekend was my first Women's Retreat. we (ashley, tracy and i) travelled out to camp tejas and spend friday night, saturday and sunday with some amazing godly women. the theme was "bloom where you're planted" which turned out to be just perfect for where the Lord has brought me this semester & is taking me for the future. This weekend was so refreshing, to just be able to sit back, soak up good fellowship, learn about vulnerablity and be quiet with the Lord was a blessing. Time and time again the Lord showed me how all of the women struggle, their lives arent any easier if they are empty nesters, single, divorced, widowed, mothers of teenagers or preschoolers, which every stage of life-these women had incredible faith and joy in the midst of their trials. Most precious out of all of them was Alice. Alice Nelson is 84 years old and is kickin' like shes 50! She, no lie, had just gotten back from a mission trip to West Africa working with orphans. Funnystory: we (the young'uns) were eatting dinner saturday and miss nelson comes up and says "Ladies, I just had a 2.5 hr nap, any one want to challenge me in a footrace?"-hysterical!

Today was the 1st Annual Central Baptist Talent Show/Icecream Social-it was a HUGE success...it was so neat to see our beautiful church body fellowshipping and supporting each other. Mad props to Tracy and the Service team who did a great job putting it together...Winners were the 10th Grade boys & their lip sync/dance routine to a JUMP 5 song ("spinning around" i think)-i was almost on the floor I was laughing so hard. Almost as funny was Club 7-Matt Brown, Michael Williams, Chris Hiesy & Ryan Wayson, flowin' Christian stlye-all ghettoed out as only 4 white boys can be....

thats it, if you want to hear more about the women's retreat, ask me, id love to tell you about it!
grace & peace, lish