Engaged

Sunday's message was a simple and blessed challenge, taken from Matthew 28:16-20. I needed to be reminded about Jesus' authority and His command to go out.

I want to be engaged. I want to be engaged with God and His work for His kingdom. I want to be engaged, filled to the brim with love. I want to love God's people so much that it would cause them to pause and realize His love for them. I want to wake up from this daze of an ordinary day; I want to participate in the extraordinary wonders of God's everyday miracles. I want to be engaged.

Dear God, Give me the grace I need to live out this engagement. Amen.

P.S. Today was my cousin's engagement party. Congrats Cousin! Love you much!

Long Days

The days seem too long when you're cooped up inside a dreary building with depressing walls. Don't get me wrong, I thank God for His perfect provisions. There are a few things I need to spruce up. Pictures? Flowers? I need to see some color! I need to see some faces with smiles! I need happy!

Enough of the boring. Well, there's not much else. When I come home, I'm hungry, tired, and in need of some kind of outlet to make me feel alive. I'm too young to be livin' so old! Kidding. How's your summer? I'd really like to catch up sometime. Looks like email and text are the best ways right now, unless you'd like to schedule an appointment?

Ha. An appointment. "Do you have an appointment?" I think I'm going to watch that movie tomorrow; that's if I have it!

Summer Time

Summer started on Monday, and I missed it! How did that happen? Finals are over, school is done; how did I miss the beginning of summer? I don't want to miss one bit of it anymore. Unfortunately, life isn't that easy.

I'd love to be young and care-free again, to watch t.v. 'til the break of dawn. I dream of driving off in the early morn for who-knows-what to come home in the evenings for an impromptu pool party. I want to spend a lazy day at home in my jammies, prepared for a marathon of movies and a series of shows to watch. I just want free time to do stuff. I don't care what that stuff is, as long as it has nothing to do with an eight hour obligation.

Oh, the taste of the real world, it is bittersweet. I don't enjoy the toil, but I do love the reward. This summer's plans aren't what I want, but it's God wants for me. This summer is for learning, for growing, for attempting to understand God's plan for my life. Let's see where this summer takes me; hopefully, I'll update more!

Everyday Grace

God gives grace like no other!

I most totally do not deserve the grades, but God has blessed and kept me by His grace--including all other aspects of my life for the past two months.

God has just showered me with His blessing with a job, supportive family and friends, and wisdom to name a few. This isn't a joke. I asked, and He gave. There was so much to learn and be grateful for. One thing that God continually reminds me to do, is to live out 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. It's by His grace that I will.

Let's get together for some stories. I'd love to share with you!

Hangin'

Remember my Surf City Half Marathon? The toes took a beating. Now my toenail is hangin' by a skin. Just thought you should know.

P.S. The other two are still too gruesome to look at, but I do it anyway. Scratch that. I don't look; I ogle over it. Haha! Ew.

Ketchup

Time to play catch up with blogging and such.

Die Familie: My momma had a quiet celebration with the fam including Nicole. She had everything, a giant pancake from the Guasti Homestyle Cafe (her fave breakfast stop), browsing stores at the Ontario Mills, and an early dinner at Yashima (the family's beloved Japanese joint). My parents are growing into their years, so we all need to watch how we treat our bodies. Philip is graduating next month. Yep. NEXT. MONTH. Mitch is hustlin'--in getting his school stuff situated! It's about time! I look at my little, little brother, and I don't see him so little anymore. They're both not little anymore, and I miss 'em being so young and carefree. Time waits for no one, for sure. I'm happy to watch these two grow into young men, though Mitch has a lot more growing. Why are they growing up so fast?! Nicole is as sweet as ever. The other day, she baked these bomb choco chip cookies. Choco ANDES MINTS cookies! Deeelish.

Die Schule: The quarter is just about halfway through! I've made a friend or two or three, including an accountability partner! God has mosdef answered my prayers about having friends at school, let alone a sister in Christ!! PtL, for sure!! And I've some challenges ahead of me, and I'm ready to tackle 'em. Which reminds me, I've got a massive case study to handle by Friday.

Die Arbeit: Crazy. Unpredictable. Tiresome. I have a job, but don't. I tutor on days the kid has math homework. Aside from tutoring, I pretend I'm an arsty-crafty type o' gal. I make stuff, doodle stuff, and other stuff. I tried the Etsy thing, but it didn't succeed much. My motto: Try, try, and try again! What about picking up a temp job at a credit union as an accounting clerk? Thank God for an opportunity like this!

Das andere Ding: Sheesh. There's so much more to say and do! I want to do this. I need to do that. "I'll tell you about it. When are you free?" type stuff. I mosdef need to fix up this computer. My dad recently wiped my hard drive clean because it contracted a virus. Yep. Sucks, but it's like brand new now. I just don't know what happened to my Google Sidebar, that icon tray at the top, and my scrolling sidebar on the touch pad. Help me. On top of that I need to download all these things I need and upload other stuff. Wah.

I need to handle this business. We'll ketchup soon! And like I almost always say, "Pictures to come soon", but it never is soon enough. You still love me, don't you?

Marathon

I ran half a marathon last Sunday, February 07. I am so thankful for the grace God gave me to finish it. Stories to come, so stay tuned.

Highlights

I miss thumbing through that magazine. On a more reflective and meaningful note, some moments I would love to relish upon as the third full week of January 2010 comes to a close are:

My Dad turned 50. My relationship with my family is tighter than it has ever been. I discovered my love for learning and physical activity. My closest grandparents--Lola, Grama, Grampa--are praising the Lord all day and all night. I had a bad Spring 2009. I had a great Fall 2009. I made some new school friends. My family has Verizon Fios. My cousin Jen and I are inseparable. I met some strangers who were later to be revealed as family; apparently I have a famous pastor uncle.

So a few of the aforementioned may seem insignificant or irrelevant to others, but it covers the spectrum of big and small things that happened. And I didn't realize that we're in a new decade now. What!? When did that happen?

Fast

Wow. That was fast. Break time is over! I have so much to share, but I need sleep! There are some things I want to chew in my mind, and savor its memory:

Fall Quarter. Besties. Party Times.Thankfulness. New Friend. Old Friend. DLand. Big Bear. Christmasness. Futures.

I know it's a short post, but I promise that the quality will not be compromised. Details to come some day.

Busy Weekend

Busy weekend! I had work Friday morning, then I had to prepare myself for the Nike+Human Race at midnight. After 1 hour and 20 minutes (just about), Noreen and I finished. Success. We met up with our carpool buddies, Krissa, Kuya Joem, and Steven, and Julius and Lani. Peniel met us up for a bit, too. It was a wonderful time running the streets of L.A. at midnight.

Later that day, I went to work. Yay. When I got home, I had to study for my midterm that had to be taken and finished by Sunday. Done.

Sunday, the Lord's day, my family and I went to church. A lovely sermon about the importance of the family's role in church and Christian living was preached. As the doors of our house were unlocked, I raced to my room to handle this midterm. 12 out of 15--not bad. My dad was super excited for me to hop on and try his newly used ATC--is that what its called? Anyway, it's some three-wheeled, off-roading type vehicle that is usually ridden in the dirt. F-U-N. Then it was off to the Land of Disney with the Mom and the Mitch. They were sick, but I don't know what happened when I mentioned Disneyland. We had a good time, like always.

After all this, I realized I forgot to do one measly assignment that was due earlier today. Regardless, I feel accomplished. What's another 10 points, right?

Back in the Groove

If you didn't hear, ptL! I decided, after many hits to the heart, that I needed to change my major from the Finance to the Communications. The decision wasn't finalized until the end of Summer, so that meant that I had to hustle for the classes that I needed!

For the first day of class, I scrambled into the room of my first petitioned class. Yikes, no room. Bustled on over to the next 8:00 class--yess, a COM class. Success.

Then I moseyed on back again to the classroom prior--it took three days to finally make the add. It was worth it. The third was a bit of the same drama.

It was after U-Hour, and most people are sluggish then. I was one of the first ten students in the room, and I was sitting in front of a computer too. As the minutes passed, the bodies of registerd students began to trickle in. "Oh, no" is what I say over and over in my mind. It was at that moment that I realized, "Hey! God is going to give you what you need. Don't trip Choco Chip!" I did just that--left my worries, wants, and needs all at His throne.

God mos def blessed me with some real helpful professors. Most of them added more than they should have, more than what these budget plans allow. And here I am, a testimony of God's great Grace and a full load of Grace to come as I tackle these SEVENTEEN units. This ain't nothin'--nine weeks and counting.

School, check. Work, next time. Everything else, we'll see. Well, I'm off to make my groove in the books! Give a hoot and a holler, and maybe we'll catch up on things.

Start

It's the start of something new. Something a little crafty. Something with my cousin. You'll see--soon enough.

AND I've started training for that (half) marathon on Saturday! Noreen picked me up just before seven in the morning, and we met up with a whole bunch of other walkers and runners. It felt so good to run in the morning, especially with a partner!

Everyone has started school, except me! I feel so left behind, but I'm glad I have roughly three weeks left of summer vacation. Busy, busy, busy!

Three More

I have three more weeks left in the quarter.
I have three more midterms to take before my finals.
I have three more reasons to trust in God.

Half Way

Woo yeah! Let us stroll backwards to the first chapters of my university life.

Time to celebrate the half way mark of my first quarter at Cal Poly. It is so different from the semester system, and I have barely become used to it all. But--Yay! Five weeks have already passed, and so has the day I took three midterms. Although it is done and over with, the exams fail to bring happiness and sense of achievements. Boo.

Weeks one through four were such a bore, but I was able to adapt to my various professors through the course of these weeks. I am grateful for the professors that God has given to me. They are tough, but not too tough. I am just grateful.

Now, enough of school. Yesterday, Mitch squashed a beetle of some sort. No pictures because the creepy crawlies gross me out; however, I did search a little to look for it crushed body to show 'em who is made in God's image, but did not find him--there was only a ring of the innards where the whole body should have laid.

My mom celebrated her birthday at California Adventure. Our good God blessed her with the opportunity to meet and greet Chef Robert Irvine, from Food Network's Dinner: Impossible. That guy is really funny with really huge muscles, and his personality differs very little from what you see on the show. WYSIWYG type guy. God is so wonderful, that He even blessed my mom with Chef Irvine's cookbook, personally autographed for my mom. Blessings, what more could she ask for her birthday? Then dinner with the family at Pompeii's, a wonderful pizza place. Kudos to Philip and Nicole for showing us that place.

And everything else? My time in the Word has taken the backseat for a few weeks, and thus proven to me (once again) that the strength to get through the day comes from God who sustains all things. In my times of weakness and worries, He has reminded me to trust in His work and in the ways He has provided me to walk in. So, let's walk in 'em.

Update Myself Please

It has been a while since I have last posted a blog. Maybe it is time for me to update myself.

Work--It has been reasonable. Lately I've been keeping to myself while working. I do not put myself out there to socialize with people at work anymore. I go to work, to work. What more do I need? Although I have been hanging out with my manager lately...we are friends? I suppose so. I would like to move up a position, but I do not know how. It makes me want to look for another job. We shall see...

School--Has not begun yet. I am excited. With thirteen units under me, I hope in faith that I will pass them all. No dropping. That is my rule. If one may say, I resolve that I will devote my time into school and less hanging out. I pray that I will be able to focus because I need to. Being faithful in this little thing will help me in being faithful in bigger things later in this life.

Family--I miss them because I hardly make time to see them. I know my family misses me because of the comments they make. "You're out too much" "You're never home" etc. I have been cutting back on hanging out lately. Okay, maybe not as much as I should...but it is summer time, and school is starting soon. I hope my parents will understand, not likely though.

Love--My heart is not torn, nor is it whole. It seems to me that I am trying to enjoy singleness, but cannot. Maybe it is that I do not want to be single since I have not been single in so long. I have always been by someone's side, as a friend, friend, or girlfriend. Eight years now...I cannot go on just yet. He said to me a few days ago: "Now that I am ready, you aren't. Ironic." Then the other one said to me the other day: "I was talking to my friend, and he mentioned to me, 'If you like her, and she likes you...what difference does it make that you guys are from a different faiths?'" Ugh. I do not know what else to do except to not talk to either one. That is not right though, and I know it.

Bible Time--Still is not well. I pray my heart does not become cold or lukewarm. It scares me so much when I think about God spewing me out of his mouth. It scares me that I take long to respond to his rebuke.

What else is there to cover? I spend too much. Remind me, please, to not spend anymore-- unless necessary.