HE>i

 HE>i (HEgreaterthani) is a lifestyle company. They create apparel and other gear inspired foremost by our faith in God and His word. They also gained inspiration from the art scene,  friendships, and surf & skate cultures.

The idea for the name came in 2003 while trying to think of something clever to put on the main screen of a Nokia phone. After browsing through the selection of symbols, the '>' symbol seemed to stick out. John 3:30 came to mind. It says, 'He must become greater and greater; I must become less and less.'
Today, they are a full-time company sending out orders globally. Their home base is on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. By choice, they only sell directly to  customers. So, their gear can only be purchased on their website, in their shop on the North Shore, or at events they attend. with minimal writing it portrays this very powerful message, and says it like it is...or how it should be.


check out their website here

all knowing wisdom

i have only been to this bible study two times and we are studying the different attributes that God has. among His perfectness we are focusing on love, all powerful, all knowing, and more to come.

last week we studied His wisdom. ultimately as a christian I know that God has a perfect plan for me, but what i sometimes struggle with is wholeheartedly trusting that plan and giving Him complete control. it was really made clear to me through this teaching that God plans purposefully in my life and he has chose each entity of my life exactly for me. everything about my small life he has placed carefully together from my past decisions, what i will eat for dinner tonight to the amazing people he puts in my life. it is a miracle if you really think about it. each step we take is carefully watched over by our creator. each of us is a part of this astounding creation for a reason. each action we partake in is leading up to, or a part of what He has planned for our life. therefore if i know these facts why would i try to determine my own life? He has complete control and i am working each day to wholeheartedly trust in Him.

do something.

that scares you

for yourself

nice for someone else, with no expectations of anything in return

you have always dreamed of

you have never imagined to do

brave

or

silly

for no reason other than you genuinely want to

because it is Sunday

in the name of love

you felt you were called to do

that keeps you young, do not let age defy the joy of blowing bubbles or playing tic-tac-toe

spontaneous and adventurous

anything

and do that something, whatever it may be, do it today, with no fears that anything will stand in your way, for we do not always have the securities of tomorrow to lean on. Do not be shy, live for yourself and stay true to your morals and beliefs. Do not hesitate in life. Be sure of yourself and do not be afraid to be wrong. Speak your mind, others do not always know what you are thinking. In life we must take chances and live the life we were given. What is the point of always holding back? We feel we cannot read a good book because we do not have time. Must we always live by the concept of time? Relax and remember to breathe. Our work and responsibilities of everyday life will always be there waiting for us when the day is done. What are we waiting for? Let us live in the here and now. The possibilities are endless and only you can make them a reality.

chasing waterfalls.

i was invited to participate in a day trip up to fossil creek, and on a whim i decided, what better way to spend a lovely summer's day than hiking through arizona's beautiful terrain and jumping off of waterfalls? we packed up luke's land cruiser full of towels backpacks snacks and ourselves. tucked tightly in the car was luke, reed, braden, drew, shay, and myself as we followed another car of friends up past the verde valley to fossil creek. upon our arrival we parked the cars and started making the trek up to the waterfall. we decided to take the scenic route instead of walking up along the road. it was indeed scenic as we walked along the river climbing over rocks through trees doing our best to avoid mud as well as a sprained ankle. we were separated from half of the group as they took the road to get to the waterfall. at some points doubt crept into my mind, questioning if this would take us to our preferred destination, how long that would take, and if we would find the other half of the group. from my recent experiences in traveling around europe and within itlay i have learned that no matter the destination and no matter your means of getting there, always have faith. do not have doubt, because in doubting, in my opinion you are having a pessimistic attitude toward our creator that he will not lead you the path in which you are to take.

we arrived with no problems at all and the doubt quickly dissipated. we spent the afternoon jumping from the surrounding rocks into the pool below, exploring what the river upstream had to offer. above the waterfall there was a whirlpool, which we jumped in and took the chance of being swept downstream, swinging from rope swings, and eating lunch on the warm rocks listening to the creek flow.

2nd Lt. Hatton Updike

congratulations to my awesome and adventurous cousin Hatton on his graduation from the Unites states air force academy!! i know the hard work, discipline, and true dedication he has put into this accomplishment. this was my third time visiting the academy. the first for hatton's older brother, trenton's graduation, the second, for the traditional ring dance hatton's junior year and his graduation being the third. it is an amazing place on hundreds of acres of colorado beauty. the few days centered around the graduation were filled with new experiences followed by old traditions. the long weekend was concluded with a wonderful ceremony and an awesome thunderbird airshow!

 we went on an old fashioned cog train ride all the way up pike's peak. after running down the stairs and getting our tickets just in time to jump on the train and catch our seats the train began its climb. it sounds like something taken out of a movie but it was the start of our adventurous day. the warm summer air quickly turned into crisp cold air as we climbed the mountain gaining altitude with each chug of the train. at the top we were at 14,115 feet, where i felt like seasons had been skipped and suddenly i was surrounded by winter.

after the excitement of the cog railway it was time to attend some more serious matters, and the actual reason we came to colorado springs. we attended hattons pinning ceremony where he would receive his new rankings as a second leuitenant. my grandpa, norman saba under oath swore him in to the next phase of the military world. it was a day of smiles and joyous tears. the formal ceremony continued to a lovely dinner where we all ate as a family-italian style! delicious food and wonderful family the evening was filled with happiness.

the last day of our trip was the commencement ceremony.  we watched all of the graduates march out into the falcon arena in succession to receive their diplomas. one of my favorite parts is after the ceremony when all the graduates throw their hats, there is a tradition to put the amount of money inside the hat as the same year of their graduation. inside each hat there was $20.11. after all the hats had hit the ground, small children were allowed to go onto the field and collect one hat!! 

USAFA Chapel