I’ve had a long, luxurious, lazy vacation, and yes, it was peppered with all of Los Angeles burning. Heartbreaking to see all of the Palisades and Malibu as we know it, absolutely gone. The landscape is completely different. You need GPS just to see where those buildings were because nothing is left. Just ashes. What a horrible start to 2025. The acts of kindness and support is what stands out to me though.

Malibu Before.

Malibu After.

My heart and prayers go out to those people. Yes, many celebrities lost homes but so did a lot of working folks, who had their homes for decades. Even being so close to the ocean didn’t help. They couldn’t do air drops because of the 90 mph winds.

Right Now:

Student ministry starts up again today so I am on my way to that after a quick bite and a ton of coffee.

This Week:

This Monday I am back at work. Remotely, but back to the routine. Routines can be good. I have been incredibly lazy with my wake-up times these past four weeks. In the past, I was never able to sleep in. Sleeping in meant until 6am or so. But after brain surgery, I pushed it to 8am. Unheard of! Now I am dragging my behind back to work.

Reading:

My first book of the year is The Brothers Karamazov. It’s very good and I am doing well with it. At 928 pages though it will be awhile before I review that one. I finished Bright Young Women and reviewed it.

I added the following to read alongside Brothers:

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (comes out 2/11)
Trust by Hernan Diaz (Feb club pick)

Watching:

We finished Squid Game season 2. It’s really such a good show. Very hard to stop watching so we blew through it and now have to wait for Season 3 in June. The creators went with a much younger cast of characters which made it extra playful. Really dug those new characters.

We started another Korean show on Netflix called Happiness but the Hub is not getting into it. We will watching one more episode and then decide. We’ve only watched one episode and it’s supposed to be kind of like a zombie movie but this one is different.

Grateful for:

• Coffee creamers that taste good without all the fake stuff and chemicals. My fave at the moment, Chobani. Lots of flavors.
• Opportunities to try new things. Sometimes, they stick.
• Fire crews that jump into fire battles even without water. There were so many fires that water pressure was an issue and hydrants were tapped out but they were still there, grabbing what they could like dogs and personal effects.
• That I work for a campus that puts everyone’s safety first. I was off this past week anyway but after the fires, the campus asked everyone to work remotely for the rest of the week. A good decision. Happy that my colleagues could do that.

Other than that, we are dealing with some in-law health stuff. Doctor’s visits and the like. Would appreciate your prayers.

We made it. A new year. What it brings will be interesting but let’s stay positive and be the best people we can be and it will all work out.

Evan and Emm’s short trip to see us was really nice. We had a lot of good food, time by the fire pit and we learned that our declining Otter Pup LOVES a good fire so we got more wood and will be out there tonight with her, barring wind.

Right Now:

I have a break from student ministry as the students are on winter break, but I am hosting the online service this morning from home! PJs, coffee, maybe some toast.

I am also writing a message on the topic of forgiveness. What does forgiveness mean to you? Anyone care to share?

This Week:

I am still off from work this week. The campus is back but I took an extra week, which seemed excessive but not so now. I’ve read some good books, cooked some stuff, taken walks, and still haven’t cleaned out the garage. Maybe this week?

Reading:

2025 kicked off with  my first book, The Brothers Karamazov. I’ve been gently warned that it’s a heavy book to kick off the year but you know what? I am loving it! It’s surprising me like Of Human Bondage did. The characters are so interesting and the way the story is laid out, even more so. I am into Book 2 and am reading it two ways, on Hoopla via my phone, late at night, under the covers and by day, with my physical book.

I am also reading Bright Young Women for club. REALLY good so far. Immediately grabbed me.

Also listening to The God of the Woods.

One night, at the end of the year I was waiting for the new year to start my first book but was without reading material in bed so picked up Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst. It’s non-fiction, Christian and so, so good. If you’ve ever felt left out of something, or lonely, oh my goodness, this is a book for you. I have highlighted so many passages.

Watching:

Squid Game, season 2. This season is so different than the first season. More playful with a lot of young characters. I am enjoying it but on the last episode now. Season 3 will be its final season and will hit this year.

Grateful for:

• That the Otter Pup is still with us. Every day is a blessing. She is not in pain but we are taking it day by day. She loved seeing Evan and Emma. Really enjoyed them being here.
• Books in many different formats. I have never in my life utilized so many different formats but I am loving them all, ebooks on my Kindle, my phone, physical copies and audiobooks.
• That my hair is now looking more normal after I chopped it! I cut off all the long, dangly transparent pieces and now have a cute bob. But my hair is curly now post brain surgery.
• This last week of vacation.

Happy New Year, you all. Let me know what you’re up to.