I am in San Diego. The show is here for a week and it has been a nice stay... but today something special happened.
A group of orphan elementary school age kids got to come see the show today. They were brought by some type of youth group and we were able to have a talk back session with them after the show. We all gathered in the lobby to meet these precious kids. We introduced ourselves and then had time to answer a few questions. The first question was directed to the girl playing Belle. A 12 year old girl looked boldly and confidently at LIz and asked her "how does it feel to bring so much joy to kids every night?" My tears came immediately. My heart just sank and jumped at the same time. That is what my job does...brings joy. Wow. I struggle with my profession somedays... but today I appreciated it so much. They just loved the show and these children have never been able to see theatre before. I cant imagine my life without theatre or a family. I feel so blessed beyond what I deserve. I pray for these kids...that they will find joy and confidence and love.

Theatre is not necessary to live but it makes the quality of life better.



in other news, we are having a halloween party tonight and I am going as Peter Pan. Should be a good time. I love the idea of dressing up and having parties! Not into the blood and scary stuff but I love the dress up... even though I do dress up every night anyway...


A few more days in San Diego then we head to Santa Barbara, Costa Mesa, Modesto... and a few other cities in California. I like Cali....

stil learning to live day by day and bring light... Lord help me.

love to all.

Aloha

Just returned from Hawaii.

Paradise. Truly incredible. I still can't believe that I spent 2 weeks getting paid to be in Hawaii. I spent the whole time on the island of Oahu and mostly in Honolulu. Everyday was a new adventure. I spent the time snorkeling, surfing, boating, SKYDIVING, hiking, shopping, beaching, performing, parasailing, driving the coast, swimming, and having the time of my life.
The aloha spirit was all over. "Aloha" means hello-goodbye- and love. The local people were so warm and the beautiful land sings the glory of a artistic creator!

Napa Valley

Beauty and the Beast

I am on the bus leaving Kansas City headed to the airport to hop a plane to San Francisco! This week has been a whirlwind. I arrived Monday evening in Kansas City to be a part of the Networks touring company of Beauty and the Beast. I auditioned for this show last summer and was called in many times within the next few months. I was not cast originally and felt such a peace about it. I am so aware of how God works and directs my life through theatre. I have had the most wonderful year being led to and from by jobs in theatre or lack there of.

So rewind to 3 weeks ago. I was performing in Winter Haven in a really special production of RENT and got a call from the B & B management. They needed a replacement for a girl with an injury and worked it out to bring me in the day after RENT closed. SO grateful. Incredible how when God wills something the timing just works. We are not sure how long I will be with the tour but as of now I am with them till Oct 4. That means I get to go to Hawaii with them! TOO GOOD. wow.

So I said goodbye to a incredible summer full of love, teaching, performing, friends, and family and stepped into a new world.

They allotted me 2 1/2 days to learn the entire show. I play one of the Silly Girls that swoon over Gaston, a plate and spinning napkin in Be our Guest, and other ensemble roles. I spent two, four hour days with the dance captain learning the ins and outs of this massive musical. It was one of the hardest things I've had to do in this field. I rarely feel that my jobs in theatre have been "work" but this week was work. But Thursday came and I went on with few mess ups. I felt the prayers and peace and my training really kicked in. I felt prepared and excited. The cast and crew were so very supportive. Now I have done 4 shows and I'm feeling more comfortable with each one. Im still asking questions and needing to perfect moments and steps but I'm feeling good. We were also in an outdoor venue which was interesting.

My roommate is the best. We get a long beautifully.


Well thats it for now.... I have a hard time some days relaying this on the phone or even getting to the phone so I thought this was a good way to share.

Above all I feel Gods leading so strong and it is the most wonderful feeling.

words

I've been so moved by words lately. Poetry, lyrics, thoughts written by people who are inspired to share what is one their heart... I'm just gonna share a few that have resonated with me lately and hope you are moved by them as well.


"I'm going to live my life inspired
Look for the holy in the common place
Open the windows and feel all that's honest and real until I'm truly amazed
I'm going to feel all my emotions
I'm going to look you in the eyes
I'm going to listen and hear until it's finally clear and it changes our lives

There are so many ways to hide
There are so many ways not to feel
There are so many ways to deny what is real

And I just showed up for my own life
And I'm standing here taking it in and it sure looks bright

Oh the glory of God is man fully alive"
-sara groves


"Let your kingdom come in my world and in my life
You give me the food I need to live through the day
And forgive me as I forgive the people that wronged me
Lead me far from temptation
Deliver me from the evil one
I look out the window the birds are composing
Not a note is out of tune or out of place
I look at the meadow and stare at the flowers
Better dressed than any girl on her wedding day

So why do I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need"
-jon foreman


"baptize my mind
baptize my eyes
baptize my mind
For these seeds to give birth to life
First it must die"
- jon foreman


This is from a Donald Miller book called "searching for God knows what" - this is the ending of the introduction

"On this journey, you may travel through the same dark night of the soul through which I have come. But on the other side, I assure you, is Christ, and you will love him for what He has done. You will stand bloodied from the battle, kneeling before Him, knowing He is all the hope you had, and hopefully, in a delightful moment of freedom, realize He is always the only hope you need."


“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough”- albert einstein

“Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.”- ralph waldo emerson

“When Christ taught that God commanded people to "love each other as I have loved you," He didn't add a footnote that said, "except for the gays, the people of other religions, the people of other colors, the poor, or those who don't live up to your expectations."”- Cindi Wafstet



I think so many of our issues with each other and each others doctrine or theology on life and God is a language and ego issue. Yes some issues are black and white and should be able to be presented with our words as such. But some things just are not. We all come from different life experiences and journeys so how could we expect to all be able to express our feelings on God, politics, relationships, or health in the same way. We also inherently have the desire to be right, so when we express ourselves there is often no room for humility. And when we hear others thoughts we immediately compare them to how we would express the same idea. I want to learn to listen better and truly see where the writer is coming from. Really try to hear what they are saying with my ego on the back burner. But at the same time knowing what the Spirit tells me and what God has set in stone.

Just some thoughts. Words.

Today, I love growing up. I love that I am growing up (although some days I wish I didn't have to.) Learning. Searching. Being molded and refined. Defining who I am in this world. I see the growth from the years that have passed and I am excited to see what the next chapters hold. I want a teachable heart. A humble spirit. Thank you God for your teaching and leading.

peace.

raw

Today is day 5 of my mom and my 10 day raw food "diet"

I have been sharing with mom about a raw and living food way of life and how I have become more and more passionate about heathy/natural eating. I asked her "if I cook for you for 10 days, will you eat what I make?" She said yes and I went to Publix.

Many people cringe or worry when I say raw food, so I will explain.

Raw foodism is a lifestyle promoting the consumption of uncooked, unprocessed, and living foods as a high percentage of your diet.

It is eating food in its most natural and nutritional state. No raw meat...don't worry.

When we cook our food a large part of the nutritional value is depleted from it or the chemistry of the food is changed. Eating raw veggies, fruits, seeds, and whole grains is the best way to get all the nutrition that God intended for us to have when he designed these amazing foods that come from the earth.

I have been on a healthy eating journey since my last semester of college. I look back at the crazy food I was eating during senior year and all the stress I was under. No wonder I had back pain beyond my years and muscle pain all over my body. Yes, I am out of the stressful environment now, but I believe the way I feel now has a great deal to do with diet (and exercise.) The past 2 years have been an evolution of thought and revelation. I am learning so much and I have never felt better or been more convinced that eating healthy is vital to living a healthy life.

Imagine with me a ripe juicy orange. The color. The fragrance. The zest. The juice. This incredible fruit grew from a tree and man had little to do with it( other than the wonderful men who take care,pick, and juice them.) It was designed by a perfect creator that knew that our bodies would need vitamins and minerals and enzymes that this piece of fruit would supply. It is perfect.

I am astounded by fruits and veggies. How they grow from the earth and offer us everything we need.

In our world today that is full of processed foods, and refined flours and sugars it is no wonder we suffer from pain, illness, and most of our nation is overweight. Now this is a touchy subject but I think it is always worth discussing.

Our bodies are temples and we are only given one of these miraculous pieces of art. It is amazing to me how we have become so accustomed to junk food. When our diet contains more processed, messed with, and fake food than natural living green food, something is off.

I am out to seek a way to live that is glorifying to my temple and creator and healing and nutritional.

Ok so the point is I am learning that all natural is the best for my body. And I believe for yours as well. I understand that everyone has to come to a point where they desire to learn about and make changes in their diet. Well my time is now. And I am loving it.

A dear friend of mine introduced this "Raw" way of eating and at times it seems extreme. But at times it makes all the sense in the world.

I have never been one to rush into the kitchen or even crack open a cookbook, but this week I have been making all of mom and my meals from scratch. It has been a challenge and a joy. She is a delight to cook for, even when its not the best tasting dish. (Im still learning:)

Believe it or not there are countless entrees, snacks, desserts, and soups that can be made without heating anything over 118 degrees. I have truly fallen in love with vegetables.

Our first dish was walnut tacos...

Romaine lettuce leaves as the taco shell

Soaked crushed walnuts mixed in cheyenne/taco seasoning/cumin

guacamole (maybe my favorite food of all time)
avocados
tomato/chopped
onion
cilantro
Sea salt to taste
Pinch of Cayenne

So easy and so savory. And so raw. Dad even ate it!!

I have been making juice for us every morning for breakfast.

Carrots, apples, ginger, kale, spinach, lemon...all together or in combination.

Ground Flaxseed mixed in is also a plus! In smoothies as well.

Also a great superfood type powder that I got is called Spirulina. It is a blue green algae packed with goodies for our bodies! You can get it at local health food stores.

Another dish I made was a zucchini pesto salad. This is moms favorite.

I have also experimented with falafel balls, zucchini hummus, Red pepper based soup, and quinoa salad with arugula.

I am by NO means an expert on this at all. Or am I convinced that I will go 100% raw. I measure along with the rookies at this point but I have learned from watching one of the best. I am passionate about learning how to feed my body what it needs to stay well and functioning on the most glorifying level it can.

I was just introduced to a book called "Plan-D" by Dee McCaffrey. Worth a look.

"Processed-Free Livingg is the nomenclature we have coined to describe the philosophy of Plan-D. Others have described it as holistic nutrition or clean eating. The nutshell of processed-free living is this: Eat foods in their closest to natural form as possible, avoid processed and refined foods, artificial sweeteners, and chemical preservatives, and you will reap the benefits of a healthy and happy body. "

"A person who eats processed-free generally adopts the following practices:

Eliminates white sugar and white flour
Eliminates artificial sweeteners
Eliminates trans-fats and foods fried in unhealthy oils
Eats a variety of whole grains
Minimizes consumption of dairy products
Minimizes exposure to pesticides
Always eats breakfast and never skips meals
Reads food ingredient lists and avoids as many chemical additives as possible
Eats an abundance of vegetables and fruits
Incorporates legumes, nuts, and seeds into their daily meals and snacks
Cooks healthy meals
Packs healthy meals and snacks
Makes healthy choices when dining out
Drinks an adequate amount of water
Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it)
Stays within healthy portion guidelines, but does not obsess about calories
Has a healthy relationship with food and approaches it with reverence
Surrounds themselves with a social community supportive to healthy eating"


YES! I am trying to implement this. Trying. It takes and has taken time.





All this raw talk got me thinking deeper than just food.

I want to live "in the raw."
I crave honesty and truth.
I want to be able to be raw with my loved ones and even strangers.
To be "me" living in my most natural form.
Un-proccesed,.
Not messed with.
Pure.
And in turn, just as raw vegetables have the best effect on our bodies, being a raw being will have the best effect on the ones we love around us.
The most effective for those who take us in.
Not compromised of altered to make us something we are not.
I want to live that way.

I hope you don't see this as crazy, but as an attempt to seek out some truth and health in a blinded world.



love.

sc

Recap

Well we are home!!! After a half a day of traveling I unpacked, organized my room for my life in Winter Haven this summer, slept for a while and now I cant sleep. So I will finish up this blog in regards to Israel.

Our guide Jossi was such a highlight to the trip. He was a wealth of knowledge into the land, history and culture. He was also Jewish. Meaning he does not believe Jesus to be Lord... which was fascinating. He knew so much about Jesus and was better versed in the New Testament than I am but did not have the belief and faith. It is still difficult for Jewish people to accept that Jesus was Messiah. I met a guy who said it was like breaking one of the 10 Commandments " You shall have no other Gods before me." Interesting. I just loved talking to Jossi. He was incredibly in shape for being 70 years old. Just a peach of a man. So proud. So full of life. So thankful he was our guide.

Not sure if I wrote about Caesarea. It is right on the Mediterranean Sea and was built as a port city which really grew in the 3rd century in the Byzantine era. Amazing. Roman style. Was like we stepped back in time again. Those are the pics of all of us at the beach near the water. The theatre was incredible as well. I loved seeing the old old old old theatres! The one in Caesarea is the one where Paul gave his testimony to Felix in Acts 24. We were there. WHOA.


Here is the passage

Paul Before Felix at Caesarea
24:1 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. 2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 5 For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”

9 The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

10 And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. 11 You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, 12 and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. 17 Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. 18 While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— 19 they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21 other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

That happened.

ok moving on....

to Mt Carmel

1 Kings 18- look it up...

where He "turned their hearts back to Him"
Where Elijiah asked God to show himself to the pagan believers by sending fire from heaven and He did. Powerful. I ask God to show himself to us as well.

We also stopped at a bunker in the Golan Heights near Syria where the 6 day war in 67 was fought. God protected His people. Neat walking down in the army bunkers understanding that the Israelis fought for their country with the same pride as our soldiers did and do to defend their land.

We went to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We actually saw them in Jerusalem. Proof.

We seriously did so much. Im still processing all of it.

I have seen a different side to my God. He transcends time. I am stil blown over by how we were seeing sites and buildings from 3000 years ago. And God was God then too. The same yesterday, today, and forever.

I loved being awakened to the Jewish culture and religion. I am going to study up on the Feasts.
I want to understand my Hebraic roots better. I think it is worth it for all of us to explore what that means to us. Just because Christianity started with Jesus being born, dying and rising doesn't mean He wasn't present (through the Trinity) in all of the time before that.

It will also be interesting to watch what happens with the politics in the Middle East. Lets pray for the leadership of our country to make wise decisions and to live with honesty and integrity.

I was so thankful to have been there with mom!! and Aunt Susan, Aunt Cathy, and Catie Claire. It was quite an adventure. Each of these women have such a special place in my heart and purpose in my life. So blessed by them. Just so blessed to have had that experience. And at a young age. I feel covered in such grace.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do"

Mark 13:32-33 "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. "

I am sure I have left something out but I tried my best to recall all the wonderful things we did and experienced.

Oh here is a quote I wrote down from the Holocaust Museum.

" We became aware that our language lacks words to express this offense. The demolition of man. We had reached the bottom"

Heavy.
It wasnt just Jews either. Gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped people, Polish people.

The art in the museum was almost better than the actual photographs. Captured feelings as well as what it looked like. I can't say enough about this museum.

another quote
"ones need for art, music, theatre, grows when times are miserable."
There was a whole section about theatre and the arts in this horrible time and how it lifted the spirits, as much as it could.

I could write a whole blog on the notes I took in the museum. I saw a young boy walking around the museum with his parents. Maybe 10 years old. What must that be like to be introduced to this at such a young age? How do you take it in? I appreciate the parents teaching him though.

psm 129
They have greatly oppressed me from my youth—
let Israel say-
they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory over me.



When we sat on the southern steps of the temple we read the Psalms of Ascent. (psalm 120-134) Those are also worth a read. The steps were constructed so you had to walk slowly into the temple. Couldn't rush. God as the designer wanted His people to come into his presence in meditation.
Psalm 122
I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Our feet are standing
in your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD,
to praise the name of the LORD
according to the statute given to Israel.
There the thrones for judgment stand,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."
For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your prosperity.

psm 125
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.

Well I thank you for your prayers and interest in our journey. I am thinking about carrying on this blog for other adventures so stay updated!

Mom and I are going to do a raw food detox experiment for a week or so... I am going to attempt to keep a journal of it and recipes if you are interested. I have found such passion and joy in health and live, beneficial foods and I am going to love sharing it with my mom this coming week.

Be blessed. Draw close to God. Eat well. Seek. Dream. Love. Listen. Explore.

Shalom!

sarah claire