Smells Like Summer

Yesterday morning I got the call back from the casting agency and I'm going to be a payed extra for a ballroom dance scene in Johnny Depp's next movie, Public Enemies!!! I still can't believe that I was one of the first people they called out of all the people that went there!!!
The only bad thing is that they're going to cut my hair realy short cuz the movie is set in the 1930s and the shoting hours are really long (from afternoon till when the sun comes up the next day!). But it's going to be fun and I'm going to make some money for my India trip!! Yay!! (and I might get a glimpse of Johnny Depp! =P)

Last night I watched August Rush! It's a must see for all you music lovers and those who like fairytale-like stories! I really really liked it! And the boy in the movie (who was acted by the kid in Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) reminded me of my little brother Isaac =)

This evening I went to see our high school's play! They did Arsenic and Old Lace and they were great! I loved it! I love all of our high school kids =)

Although I tend to be a little bipolar sometimes, I really do like living here right now and I am happy =) (I know, I keep saying it, but it's good for me to say it)
Living here, I've come to realize SO MUCH (through rules, people, teachings/books, God and my own thoughts). Like figuring out what the roots of bad things about me are, seeing things from my parents point of view, understanding and agreeing with the JPUSA rules (like accountability, boundaries, understanding what is best to tell whom, etc.), figuring out that it's best for me to stop watching R rated movies (cuz, really, they're just movies and it's better to worry about having a clean mind than one full of garbage), seeing how things aren't really that important and that a simpler life is easier, learning to accept and adapt to change, and so much more.

Forgiveness

It's very interesting how certain things come together (obviously not coincidentally).
Last Thursday, Jon Trott had us watch a documentary called The Power of Forgiveness. It talked about forgiveness from all points of views (different religions, science, etc) and some of the topics were 9/11, the Amish Tragedy, a foolish teenage murder, and others. It was really good. It showed the process of forgiveness that different people went through.
Then, on Sunday, the whole thing that I talked about in the previous post happened.
The next day, in our Community and Growth class, Neil told us that someone had come up to him once and had told him that it's obvious that this community has been and is still going thanks to a lot of mercy, which is so true. And really, without forgiveness no one could live together.
That same day, Lisa Borden from Tanzania wrote this great post talking about one of the things that were mentioned in the documentary!

The general email has been deleted so that what happened can't reoccur, the people that got into the fight have apologized to the community. Life goes on, though I'm sure that the two people are still hurt and people in the house are still talking about the whole thing...

Please Pray

Please pray for our community, Jesus People. Yesterday, two people got into a pretty bad fight over the general email (email that goes out to all the members of the community). I don't get the general email so I haven't read it, but I heard that I lost of really dumb are hurtful things were said... Please pray for the man, M., and his wife and the woman, R., and her husband and all the rest of the community, cuz a lot of people got shaken up by it. Some people even wanted to leave the community....
I did think it was really silly how adults can act like children sometimes, but I wasn't really affected by it cuz I haven't read it, so I don't know what was said.
Thanks!
Whitney

Daisies

On Friday, before her and Bethany left for the weekend,Hannah gave me Daisies! =)
I love Daisies!

Flowers make me happy =)
(I'm so glad Spring is here!!!)

My Present Living Situation

I think it's funny how, before I got here, people were telling me "Oh, now you're going to that hippy commune...you're gonna come back to us with dreads and acting like a hippy" and "Be careful to not make their way of living influence your view on having money. You know, God does say to become poor for Him, but that doesn't mean that it's bad to have money" or something like that. But really, I'm probably the only "hippy" on my floor (not that I'm a true hippy, but I've kind of always been a little hippy-ish) and tuns of people here make money with side jobs and spend it on whatever. Some people like to eat out a lot, some like to get brand name clothing and some love getting electronics. Really, this community is just a bunch of normal people living together. That's it, plain and simple =)

I'm really happy that I moved! I liked where I used to live, my room was really nice, I got along alright with my roommate, there were a lot of nice people on my floor, the floor was nice, clean and calm. But now on second floor I feel like I'm living in a house, instead of a floor, I feel like I'm in a big family, instead of having neighbors that I barely see or talk to and my roommate is a really good friend, instead of a girl I live with and get along with. Sure, it's a lot crazier and louder than 6th floor, but I like it. And really, it reminds me a little of when I lived with my family in Italy.
The fact that second floor is like this is probably because almost everyone on this floor is related, there are a lot of young singles and couples on this floor, and there are a lot of little kids, too.

So, this weekend I have my room all to myself cuz Bethany went to her parents' house for her mom's birthday. It'll be nice for me cuz I'll be able to relax, (hopefully) have more time to be alone with God and time to organize my stuff. I'll also be able to get more acquainted with my room =). No, don't worry, I'm not going to start talking to my room or anything. haha

I really hope that I can go to Unique (the thrift store that's near by) on Monday! Mondays are half price off (and I'm trying to not spend much money!), but I usually have homework to do on that day and I don't feel like going in the evening. I have so many things that I want to find there like some cool mugs and a tea pot (that way I can make a big thing of tea!).

Ok, well gotta go!
Hope you all are well =)

P.S. Sunday I finally saw The Passion of The Christ! I'm glad I watched it by myself. I really really liked it. I love the fact that it's real, even though it makes it heavy and graphic...but why should a movie about the killing of Jesus be light and happy? I love the fact that the whole movie is in the original languages!! And I also got really excited when I was able to understand when the Roman guards were speaking and there were no subtitles!
A lot of people tell me that they don't like to watch that movie. In fact, no one wanted to watch it with me (and I'm glad they did cuz I liked watching it by myself). But I loved it and want to watch it again soon.

P.P.S. I really miss Italian/European food...

Giving Hearts and Pride & Patience

For our devotional this morning, Kathy read Prov 3 and then had us all say what we got from it. We (or at least I) usually don't like it when people want us to use our brain at 7:45am, but this morning we got some pretty good stuff out of that chapter. Mine was...
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
when it’s in your power to help them.
28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,
“Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”
(New Living Translation)
or
"27 Do all you can for everyone
who deserves your help.
Don't tell your neighbor
to come back tomorrow,
if you can help today."
(Contemporary English Version)
I think we could give so much more than we really do....

So when it rains here, there are always huge puddles on the sides of side walks and on Monday I jumped over one and landed badly on my foot. It hurt really badly, but fortunately, because I put ice on it and kept it elevated and wasn't walking on it much, it didn't swell up. This morning was my first time walking to work after my injury, though if people found out what I was doing, they probably would have told me not to. But I was determined to do it, so I walked out of the door confident that I was going to be fine and just made myself walk very slowly and carefully. So although it took me about 10 minutes to get to work instead of 5, I was proud of myself for being able to be patient with my body. It's so funny how I've been realizing that I do struggle with pride, especially when I need to constantly ask for help for silly things (like calling people to drive me to and from work even though it's just 3 blocks away). I also find it funny that so many people in the house have come up to me asking me how my ankle is doing. News spreads fast in a community. Especially things that you don't really want everyone to know haha