Salvation mountain

I went and visited my sister in la this past weekend and we finally got to visit salvation mountain! We have been wanting to visit this place for years and finally had an entire day to drive the 3 1/2 hours there and back.

 

For those of you who dont know what salvation mountain is this is how the website describes it:

" Salvation Mountain is Leonard Knights tribute to God and his gift to the world with its simple yet powerful message: "God Is Love." Leonard's passion has lovingly created this brilliant "outsider art " masterpiece resplendent with not only biblical and religious scripture such as the Lord's Prayer, John 3:16, and the Sinner's Prayer, but also including flowers, trees, waterfalls, suns, bluebirds, and many other fascinating and colorful objects. Salvation Mountain must be seen to be fully appreciated as those who have made the journey will attest. Its 50 foot height and 150 foot breadth is made totally of local adobe clay and donated paint and is truly unique in the United States and probably the world. From its Sea of Galilee at the bottom, to the big red heart in the middle, to the cross at the very top, the reoccurring theme of "Love" is everywhere at Salvation Mountain." learn more at http://www.salvationmountain.us/

 Just like the website says it truly must be seen to be fully appreciated. We drove a total of about 7 hours that day to see this place and it was totally worth it. It's definitely not somewhere you might just pass by on your way to somewhere else, its way out in the middle of the desert.

We actually had to drive through a border patrol checkpoint on the way back to la because I guess we were pretty close to the Mexico border, who knew?!?

The whole place was a weird mix of dirt, clay and trees. It really looks like a Dr.Suess version the bible that came to life in the middle of the desert.

There were also all these random cars that were completely decked out with the theme of love all around the mountain.

We had a great time climbing and exploring the mountain, my only regret is that I wish I would have worn cooler clothes, Even though it was the end of November it was so hot in that desert. There is also this tiny little town that leads to salvation mountain, actually I don't know if it would even be considered a town it was so small. There was only one street called 'main street' go figure. It held a very interesting looking trailer park. Every business except for a liquor store was abandoned and partly destroyed. It was literally a one horse town. There was a guy who wore very little clothing and hung out doing push ups next to his horse, yep that's right, the one horse in the entire town.

If you have been thinking about visiting Salvation Mountain then I highly suggest you do, its one of those places you have to see to believe!
-Jamie

A name I never learned and a face I'll never forget.

I figured it was about time I started telling some stories about my trip to Ecuador. I thought I would start out sharing about when we went to an aids orphanage and spent the afternoon playing with the children there. When we first arrived I was handed a little girl who had been sleeping so I was able to just hold her and love on her while she slept.

You could tell from her physical appearance that she was much more sick then the other children. Once she finally woke up she wouldn't speak and showed absolutely no emotion. It wasn't until about 15 minutes before we left that she finally opened up to me and started laughing and playing with me, she still wouldn't speak and I never did learn her name.

 When it was finally time to go and my entire team had already left and got on the bus I had someone tell her that I had to leave now and tried saying goodbye, she instantly latched herself to me and wouldn't let go. My heart broke into a million pieces as I tried to sit her down and she started screaming and holding onto me tighter. I felt physically incapable of letting her go; I just couldn't do it by myself. Another girl had to help me put her down, the whole time she is still screaming and crying. I would have just taken her with me if I could have but I had to walk away with her crying and reaching for me, my heart hurt so bad as I walked back to the bus no longer being able to hold back my emotions. As I said before I never did learn her name and I may never know what happens to her but I'm so happy I was able to hold her and allow her to feel safe and love on her even if it was just for a little bit. She will now forever be my motivation and reminder about my dream to give a home to orphans one day.

I just spent 10 days in another country with a bunch of strangers.

The title of this post is sort of a lie. Yes, I did just go to another country for 10 days but the people I went with are no longer strangers to me. 

The picture above is just one day after this crazy group of people met each other and were already becoming fast friends.

So as some of you may or may not know when I signed up for this missions trip to Ecuador I did not know a single person going. It was so not like me to travel with such a large group of people who at the time were strangers, I sometimes still can't believe I went through with it but am SO glad that I did. I plan on writing more about my trip in future posts but I wanted to write just a little something before I go home to California (I'm still in Florida) about the people I went with. 

First of all God had is hand all up in this trip if you know what I mean, starting with the group of people he sent there. I didn't think it was possible for such a large group of people who had never met to mesh and get along so well. I'm the type of person who kind of sits back and observes things a lot and I would find myself just kind of watching everyone mingling, chatting, laughing and just thoroughly enjoying each other's company and think "Wow God, you are so good."  I've been on missions trips before but always with people I knew already and it never failed that people fought, feelings got hurt, and there was always drama. So people getting along for 10 days together kind of blew my mind. Personally I have a hard time making new friends, well that's what I thought before this trip. I don't know if it's because of all the awesome people that it made it easy for me to make friends or the fact the the Holy Spirit was sort of nudging me along the whole time to step out of my comfort zone a little bit but making friends on this trip was almost effortless. I've never gotten so close to people in such a short time before, after like day 3 we were all comfortable talking about our bowel movements with each other, I mean you can't get much closer then that lol. I believe I made a lot of forever friends on this trip. I can't wait to continue our friendships from here, hopefully getting to visit some people soon :) 

I will definitely be writing more posts about all the amazing things I experienced on this trip but I just kind of wanted to preface it with a little bit about all the people who I went on this trip with because honestly it wouldn't have been the same without them. I already feel like I'm having withdrawals from hanging out with them everyday. If you went on this trip with me and are reading this then let me tell you that I miss you already! 

Btw, #wheresmario 

-Jamie 

Lipstick Review!

I was sent the new Moisture Renew lipstick from Rimmel London last week from influenster to review.

I really love this lipstick! It is super moisturizing just like it says. I typically put chapstick on before I apply lipstick because my lips get chapped pretty easily but this time I decided not to to really test just how moisturizing this lipstick was. It totally surprised me and kept my lips nice and smooth all day! The color was really pigmented and it lasted all day, which is kinda crazy because it kept rubbing off on my drinks all day but the color still never seemed to fade from my lips.

So I totally recommend this lipstick! I will definitely be purchasing it in more colors myself!

*I received this product complimentary from influenster for testing purposes.

"Sorry I can't stay longer but I have to get home to my netflix"

My silence is finally over.

I am back to fill your news feed with nothing of real importance but I just became inspired to pick up my hypothetical pen and paper and write again.

You're welcome :)

But for reals, I came across Frans blog through Danielle at take heart who was featuring love stories on her blog leading up to valentines day and reading her love story inspired me to take another whack at this whole blog thing. 

Oh and no I'm not writing my love story, sorry if I misled you but I do not have a love story to write yet, unless you want to hear my fictional one I've concocted in my head where my future husband walks up to me while I am sitting and reading a book alone in a coffee shop and makes some kind of lame joke to make me laugh and then we immediately fall in love over our mutual obsession with books, coffee and zombies and ends with a theatrical proposal where he performs lets get married (the remix) by jagged edge in front of all my family and friends. 

Not that I've given it any thought. 

I also never daydream about him not caring what we name our kids and I get to name them all the crazy, off the wall names I want, all 10 of them.

Anyways....

Without further adu I give you :

The pros and cons of being single at almost 27 yrs old.

(Because this is a subject in which I am most knowledgeable)

Pros:

- Shaving my legs. Ain't gotta do it.

- I don't have to worry about anyone else's schedule, I have a hard enough time keeping up with my own.

-I can decide to randomly sign up for a missions trip to another country without having to consider anyone else. 

- when you split costs of things with a group of friends and you are the only single one in the group they feel bad and sometimes don't make you pay your part. True story. 

- I don't have to share a bed with someone who farts. 

- I don't have to buy any valentines day or anniversary gifts, and for someone who is the worst gift giver ever, this is one of my favorite pros of being single.

- I don't have to know how to cook. 

- by the time I do get married I have enough friends who owe me for helping them with their weddings that I will basically have to do zero of the wedding planning myself. #winning

Cons:

- when you are at a party or gathering you can't use your husband who is waiting at home as an excuse to leave early and apparently "Sorry I can't stay longer I have to get home to my netflix"  isn't a valid reason.

- sometimes being the 3rd, 5th,7th, or even the 9th wheel gets old. 

-you're grandma looks at you with her face as serious as a heart attack and says "do you just not want to be married?? Is that what's wrong?" And also expresses her sadness at the fact that she will be dead before she gets to meet her  great grandchildren. 

- your Facebook news feed basically only consists of engagements, weddings and babies now. 

-sometimes you have to sit by yourself at church and actually become grateful when the ushers make strangers scoot all the way down and sit next to you so you don't look super lame sitting in an entire row by yourself and making people around you wonder if you smell or something.

-you have to limit the amount of romantic movies you watch because they all make you cry. Even the crazy, never really gonna happen, un-realistic, outlandish ones.

-people assume since you are single that you have all the time in the world to do anything you want. Sorry but Angela and Hodgens are announcing that they are having a baby on the next episode of bones, so no I will not be able to attend your party.

Holler at me if you have more pros and cons, I'd love to hear them! (By hear I mean read, please don't call me, I hate talking on the phone) oooo another pro! I don't have to talk to someone on the phone everyday! Whoop, whoop!!

-Jamie 

* Meant to post this before valentines day but forgot to publish it. Whoops.