Thanksgiving...Dodson style

This year we spent Thanksgiving here in Orlando with John's family. We had 39 people over for Thanksgiving dinner...well lunch really. It was quite an experience!






Joanna took over a lot of the cooking since John's mom felt sick. The night before Thanksgiving they prepared the turkey so it could cook all night. They actually made 3 turkeys since there were going to be so many people. This foil was carefully constructed by John's grandpa. We learned not to mess with the foil. It is serious business.







This is one of the turkeys right before it went into the oven...stuffed and ready!










We peeled over 20 lbs of potatoes for mashed potatoes. Phillip drained the potatoes and then passed them over to John.







John used the hand mixer to mash the potatoes. He was a little upset at first because Amy added too much milk but he's so good that he was able to fix it. Although the second batch turned out better than the first because John took over total control. :)








Then it was time to eat!








And eat...and eat...and eat!











And then it was time to sleep :) That night there were about 20 people staying at the Dodson house (me included). I cuddled up with Holly in the girl's room. Adam slept on one couch and Luke was on the other. Luke and Elizabeth took over the boys room while Ken and Gail slept on the inflatable mattress in the middle of the floor.



Andrew and Phillip slept on the floor in the living room and Hannah and Stephanie slept on the floor in the girls room. Sarah and Tim were smart to secure their spot in a bed at someone else's house. Needless to say it was packed at the Dodson house....but it was great fun!





Sarah and Amy...cousins








Aren't we cute :)

Wedding Bells Will Be Ringing...

...on May 24, 2009. Yes, we've finally set a date!

You know, people seriously underestimate how difficult the task of setting a date is. You have to consider family conflicts, out-of-town guests, school schedules, work schedules and venue availability. And how do you know where you're going to have your wedding after only a few days of being engaged? I'm not sure because that is quite the involved process as well. To know where you're going to have your wedding depends on how many people you anticipate having and how much money you're planning on spending. And you can't know that without having written your guest list and established a budget, which takes quite a bit of planning and research....so pretty much I planned my entire wedding in 2 weeks just to nail down a date!

P.S. Our wedding website is http://www.mywedding.com/johnandjackiedodson

WE'RE ENGAGED!!

On October 24th, John proposed...and I said "YES!" He took me to Columbia, a restuarant in Celebration, FL. It was so cool because at the end of dinner our waiter told us that an anonymous friend called in and paid for our meal. John had no idea that that was going to happen and it really blessed him. After dinner we took a walk around the lake next to the restaurant and John proposed on a bridge under the stars. He got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. All I heard was "Jackie Horyza, will you..." and I was already saying "Yes!" He did finish the question and then put the ring on my finger. This picture was right after the proposal.

The next day we went to lunch and when we got to the restaurant, my mom, stepdad, sister and sister's friend were there! It was a huge surprise. They flew all night on Friday and arrived Saturday morning. John and my mom had been planning it for the last month. It was so special to have them there! That night there was an engagement party with both of our families and some friends. It was such a whirlwind weekend that I will never forget! :)

A Day at the Beach

On Sunday, John took me to Clearwater Beach for the day. It took us about 2 hours to get there but definitely worth it! We walked out on the pier and took this picture where I cut the top of John's head off (as usual).





Then John took a picture of me talking to my mom. I think it turned out decent...my mouth isn't in a weird position or anything and my hair looks pretty good. :) We called my mom to tell her that both of us are going to be able to go out to California for Christmas. Yay!




After the pier, we went and sat in the sand...well really we sat on a beach towel, but you know what I mean. It was such a beautiful day. There was a breeze which kept it from getting too hot. We also went and put our feet in the water and walked along the shore line.




But this is the main reason that John took me to Clearwater Beach! Isn't it beautiful? We sat and watched the sunset over the water and loved every second of it...except for the second when a lady stood right in front of us and blocked our view. Other than that, we loved it! :)




After watching the sunset, we went to dinner at Joe's Crab Shack. Yum! I got to eat BBQ seasoned crab with a bib on and it was delicious. It was John's first time at Joe's Crab Shack and he really like it. Maybe that means we'll get to go back again soon. :) The entire day was so relaxing and we had a great time talking, laughing and spending some extended time together. I just love my boyfriend!!

This is Where I Work

McDirmit Davis is on the 6th floor of the Day Building right across the street from Lake Eola and right by Panera. :)



This is the view from our elevator - Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. Pretty nice huh? Too bad my office is on the backside of the building.


And this is my office...big and bare, but 2 monitors! :) What do you think I should bring in to liven up the place?

New Job!

Two weeks ago I started my new job at McDirmit Davis in downtown Orlando. I work as an accountant in the tax department. Basically we prepare individual and corporate tax returns for clients in Central Florida. My first few weeks have included some training and a lot of hands on learning. Some days the learning curve seems insurmountable, but I know I am making progress, even if it's slow. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

The firm is pretty small. I think there are about 12 staff and 4 partners. But the firm is solid and growing. The environment is "work hard and have fun". People get along and have a lot of respect for one another. I feel very blessed to have gotten a job here.

I'm getting used to rush-hour traffic and early mornings. I typically leave my house between 7:15 and 7:30am to try and get in by 8:00am. There is a bit of flexibility on the start time and right now we're only working 40 hours (no overtime) since it's pretty slow right now. It takes me about 30 minutes to get to/from the office. It's not horrible, and it definitely could be worse. Orlando is so spread out that it's not uncommon to drive 45 minutes to the otherside of town.

Dress code is business professional. I'm not required to wear a suit, but professional clothes are expected. It's been fun to shop for new clothes and shoes. :) I found this white blouse with purple stripes and ruffles on the collar...I seriously love my new shirt!

I'm really excited about my new job. I know it's going to be challenging but I also know that the Lord will be with my every step of the way.

New Contact Info

After September 2nd you can reach me on my new cell # 407-567-8274 or at my email address: jackiehoryza@gmail.com

Orlando, FL in July

I will be spending July here in Orlando. Just because I’m staying home doesn’t mean I won’t be busy! From July 7-18 I will be taking a seminary class called God/Bible/Holy Spirit. You might remember that I took a seminary class back in January as well. These classes are an opportunity for Campus Crusade staff to continue to grow and develop through the study of theology.

I will be taking this class on the campus of Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. This campus has special meaning for me as I spent 5 weeks there in June 2004 when I joined staff with Campus Crusade. I’m excited for this small break in my normal routine.

Crash-A-Rama

A few weeks ago, my friends and I made our way to Bithlo, FL which is just east of Orlando. There's not much happening in Bithlo...except Crash-A-Rama! Crash-A-Rama is the red-neck's version of Nascar. It's filled with crazy races and more importantly, crashes! Watch the video's and check out the pictures below.

Crash-A-Rama is famous for the School Bus Figure 8 race. It's basically self explanatory...people race school buses on a figure 8 course. As you can imagine, the middle of the course is the epicenter for crashes. The school buses are cleaned out and painted with wild designs. It's an event unlike any other I've been to.

Minneapolis, MN in June

In June I went up to Minneapolis, MN to meet with two other Regional Finance Professionals—Shari from the Upper Midwest and John from the Great Lakes.

The three of us spent 2 days together working on a national project related to our summer projects. Every year we send thousands of staff and students all over the world to share the love of Christ with others. These summer projects are our most effective ministry strategy that also results in millions of dollars of financial activity.

This summer we are working on developing online financial training modules and an effective training conference to help our staff manage this financial activity with ease.

I had fun exploring the city of Minneapolis with two friends.

Irvine, CA in May

In May I took a trip to Irvine, CA, back to the Pacific Southwest office that I worked in for 3 years. The PSW asked staff member Jeff Clay to take the role of Finance Professional (my previous job). Jeff and I worked together on a few different projects over the past 2 years and I was so excited when he accepted the role.

I was asked to go out and spend a few days with Jeff to help him get up to speed. I was the prime candidate for the task since I previously did the job and because training new Finance Professionals is part of my new role.

Jeff and I spent 2 days going over a lot of numbers, spreadsheets and details. We also spent time talking through priorities, policies, and guidelines.

The amazing man in my life

When I decided to move to Florida I knew that God had special plans for me here, but I had no idea that those plans included an incredible boyfriend named John Dodson!

On May 3rd, John and I will celebrate 6 months of dating. It’s my great pleasure to introduce you to him. John was born and raised right here in Orlando. He’s the oldest of 8 kids (4 boys & 4 girls). His family is so much fun and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know them as well.

John’s dream is to work in the medical field as a Respiratory Therapist. Respiratory Therapists basically help people with breathing disorders (such as asthma) breathe better. He would love to eventually work in pediatrics because he loves children and desires to help give them the best quality of life possible.

While he continues to work towards his Bachelor’s degree in Respiratory Care, he also works almost full-time at Starbucks. He loves the social and fun atmosphere of his store and has become good friends with some of his co-workers.

John and I met while volunteering with the high school ministry at our church. We casually talked a few times before John asked me out on our first date. We met for dinner and had such a great conversation that we lost track of time! The thing that amazed us both was how easy it was to talk to one another. We love spending time together and just talking and laughing.

My favorite date was when John took me to the ICE exhibit for my birthday. This special ice sculpture event was held in town during the holidays. We both froze in the 9 degree tent but we had a blast! After ICE, John took me to dinner and then we ended the evening hanging out with some friends.

I’ve been so blessed by John. I know that God is using our relationship to show us more about Himself and also to grow and mature both of us.

John is a thoughtful, patient, compassionate man who loves God and people. I’m so glad that God brought him into my life!

Rollerskating

This weekend a bunch of us went rollerskating...yes, rollerskating. I'm pretty sure the last time I went rollerskating was at least 10 years ago (probably closer to 13 years). But if you had been there on Saturday night, you would have never known. I tore it up. And by that I mean, I didn't fall at all! It was such a flashback to my elementary school days where I would go rollerskating at least once a month. And I can remember at least 3 or 4 friend's birthday parties being held at the roller rink as well.

We had so much fun and paid dearly for it the next day. My roommate Molly came home with a roller rink burn on the hand, a bruise on her back side, and a blister on her foot. Me? I woke up with aches and pains in places I didn't even know could hurt and a matching blister on my foot as well. Despite the wounds, we had a blast! Who knows, maybe you'll find us at the roller rink every Saturday night.

Molly and I on the rink.














Molly and Chris showing off their skating skills.


















Molly won the skating race for 18+ women. Her prize was a kid's size soda :)


















Sarah came in second place and finished her race with an impressive fall.














No, I'm not considering a professional career.


















Fun times were had by all!

Students Take Panama City Beach, FL by Storm

The sound system pumps bass into a ballroom crowded with almost 1,000 college students. Energy is high as the worship band whips the crowd into a God-glorifying frenzy. The stage goes dark as the crowd roars with anticipation of the coming week.

This is Big Break ’08. Big Break is Campus Crusade’s spring break evangelism conference in Panama City Beach, FL. The conference lasts one week, with 4 conferences back-to-back. It’s the first night and the students are ready to soak up all the week has to offer.

The emcee takes the stage and introduces Ben Rivera, outreach coordinator for the week, who tells them something that will most likely frighten the entire room at once. Ben tells them that they will be spending the week going out, onto the beach, talking to other people about how they can have a personal relationship with God.

Some knew this was coming, but to some, this news no doubt carried with it a lot of fear.

But this is where the conference gets good.

Sure, Big Break is about worship, community, fun and even getting a break from the grind of college studies. However, the primary thrust behind why this conference even exists is evangelism.

Students get to experience God in a radical way as they talk to people about Jesus all week long.

Just a few days after Ben first tells them that they will be having conversations about God on the beach all week, students – once terrified by the idea of talking complete strangers about their faith – line up on both sides of the stage by the dozens.

They’re lining up to participate in what we call “sharing time.” It’s kind of like God’s show-and-tell from the previous 4 days. Sharing time testifies of what God does when our students trust in Him, take steps of faith and leave the results up to our Maker.

After three conferences in three weeks, God has used the students involved with Big Break to lead over 725 people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

It’s incredible to see how these timid students have been used by God to usher other people into the kingdom.

Roommates

Meet my roommates...(from left to right) Peggy, Sarah, Molly and Elyse. We live in a 5 bd/3 bth house in Orlando. Our favorite tv shows include Lost, The Office, America's Next Top Model, Law & Order and American Idol. We love to cook and bake and almost always have goodies laying around. We watch scary movies and freak ourselves out. And we laugh and laugh and laugh.

Peggy, Molly and I work for Campus Crusade while Sarah and Elyse work for Pioneers. (Pioneers is a Christian missions organization that focuses on church-planting around the world.) Both offices are less than 5 miles from our house which is a big change from my previous commute in Southern California!

Peggy's first language was French, she loves to sing and dance and is deciding which grad school to go to in the fall.

Sarah travels all over the world, loves coffee and loves to laugh.

Molly sings on the worship team at her church, loves to bake goodies, has many hidden talents (including some of the best voices I've ever heard), loves to laugh and make others laugh and is going on a mission's trip to Brazil this summer.

Elyse just moved into our house last month. She graduated from Cornell, likes to watch Lost and American Idol and is pretty laid back.

Conclusion...I love my roommates!

Preview Weekend...Success!

6 students sat wide-eyed in our conference room, anxious to learn about opportunities to serve with Campus Crusade Finance.

We had 4 hours to expose these students to financial roles and responsibilities and give them a hands-on financial experience.

After 2 weeks of prep time, we created a simplified version of a project we are currently working on. Our goal was to brief the students on pertinent facts and then task them with drafting a financial policy.

The students were split into 3 separate groups, each representing a different department: Corporate, Administration and Field. We gave them an outline of the scenario and then allowed them time to discuss pros and cons from the perspective of the department they represented.

I coached the Field group. It was so fun to lead these students into a better understanding of our ministry. They asked great questions, addressed key factors and engaged in real decision-making discussions.

At the end of our time together, the students had an opportunity for general Q&A. I could tell that a few of them were really interested in joining our staff.

We are praying that at least 2 of these students will join staff with Campus Crusade in a financial role. Ultimately we are praying that they will seek God’s will for their life and his call would be clear. Would you join us in praying for these students?

It will be exciting to see which students God has called to fill critical needs within our organization!

Helping Leaders Prepare for Summer

Two weeks ago I boarded a plane for San Antonio, Texas.

Our summer project leaders were gathering at a training conference and I was asked to speak to them about their financial responsibilities.

I was excited and nervous to address the group as the new Associate Director of Finance.

About 50 leaders sat before me as I spoke on financial stewardship, policy and procedures. It was my job to encourage them of our responsibility before the Lord and Campus Crusade to be wise stewards of the resources we have been given.

This summer these leaders will be responsible for managing and spending millions of dollars. I walked them through our budgeting process and exposed them to our online financial tracking systems.

Training staff in financial practices has become one of my favorite parts of my job!

Unexpected Encouragement at Dinner

The moment I walked through the doors I felt like I had been transported to Japan.

The hostess at Kobe’s Japanese Steakhouse was wearing a bright red kimono and there were live bamboo plants scattered around the room. We sat with 8 strangers around a table where we were entertained by a chef that cooked right in front of us.

Sarah sat next to me. We introduced ourselves and found out quickly we had much in common. We both worked in Finance and shared a love for the city of Boston. When I mentioned that I worked with Campus Crusade, Sarah’s eyes lit up. “I’m familiar with Campus Crusade – it saved my cousin.”

While Sarah’s cousin, Jeff, was in college he became addicted to drugs. His whole family was afraid that he would die before he graduated. One day, a student involved in the Campus Crusade movement on their campus invited Jeff to a meeting. He started attending more regularly and decided to go on a summer project to Daytona Beach, FL.

It was there that Jeff turned his life around and started living for God. He also met his future wife that summer.

Now Jeff and his wife are raising 3 children and are still committed to God.

It was such an encouragement to hear about how God worked through Campus Crusade to change Jeff’s life!