Meet My New Toy II

Check out my new toy! I'm so excited. It's an upgrade from my old one. Just take a look at the pics below.

I love my new iPod. It's in color and it can play videos. That means I can download shows and movies unto it and watch it anytime and anywhere! I love it! Isn't it a beauty?

DETOX.

Well, today is the first day of my detox. I did this detox 1.5 years ago and was satisfied, so I thought "why not just do it again?! " Sooooooooooooooo...I dragged my friend Kim (the Asian one) alongside with me. I hope I can make it through and that she will hold me accountable and encourage me.

For the first week all we can have is our shakes, unlimited fruits and veggies and a bizillion pills three times a day.

Second and third week are the same as the first except with different pills. I also get to add meat for one of the meals but Kim doesn't. So I'm not telling Kim this because it wouldn't be fair to her. "Why does she get to eat meat?" you might be asking. Since I've done this before, the doctor modified my program and meat was added in for me.

The fourth week we drink our shake for breakfast, fruits and veggies for lunch and dinner we can add meat and bread.

The fifth week is back to normal eating.

Why am I doing this? To get rid of unwanted toxins and to lose some weight. To hopefully get me back on track to eating healthy. To take care of the body that God has given me.

So, if I see you in the next few weeks, please don't be mean and try to tempt me with goodies. :) If you do, I will fight you off with my carrot and celery sticks!

MY CLAIM TO FAME and PRAYING OUT LOUD.

So, I was recently asked by a film producer of sort if he could use my voice for a documentary that he's producing. I said "Sure!" since it's not technically public speaking. I am not the main narrator. I'm the voice of a girl that's giving her testimony. It was two whole paragraphs! So, yup, that's my claim to fame. You will probably never see the short documentary film, but that's ok. If you want an autograph, please let me know. My royalty checks should be rolling in soon. Oh, too bad that I volunteered for this. Darn! :)

Ok. So, I've struggled with speaking in public my whole life. Basically I don't do it. I took small group communication in college. I skipped out of my classes whenever we had to do presentations (yup, it was worth the deductions). I even declined reading a passage at a church we attended in Israel (do you remember Kim?). I never raised my hand in class to ask or answer questions. I don't volunteer praying in front of groups. My poor Marketing professor learned his lesson the hard way.

For some of you, it's no problem. And you may be thinking, who really cares? Well, I do. I just don't do any kind of things like that especially if I'm not comfortable with you. When I'm put on the spot like that, my stomach starts to turn, my heart feels like it's going to jump out, and occasionally I will start crying.

You're probably thinking "Why is she telling me this?" Well, I guess part of me is venting because of what happened yesterday. You see, we have devotions every day at 11:30. I like to go to devotions and listen to what others have to say. I like to participate in praying, but not praying aloud. So, yesterday, the woman who was leading devotions comes up to me and hands me this piece of paper and said "You have to do this." Basically I had no choice. I was to pray for a particular country....ALOUD! First of all, that completely ruined my state of mind. All I could think of was how much I disliked this woman and how dare she say that I have to do this. I don't have to do anything. I was complaining inwardly. So, it got to the point where I was just absolutely angry and nervous that I just left and went to Sarah's desk. I told her that I couldn't do it and that it ruined my state of worship and I shouldn't be in there. So, Sarah took my place instead and prayed for me.

I've been told by people that I need counseling in this area and others just let me be. Yes, this is a big fear of mine. I hate public speaking with a passion. It kind of goes along the line on my post about Traffic and Satan.

So, note to self: Please don't ever ever ever put me on the spot to answer a question or to pray. Unless you don't want to be my friend anymore, that will definitely guarantee it. I don't think I need counseling. I do think that I need to have a better attitude when someone does call on me. I do feel bad for those strangers who have experienced the wrath of me.

Thanks for letting me vent. :)

LOVE, BOOK FAIR and FRIENDSHIP.

LOVE
No, no. I didn't fall in love with anyone. :)

This week my brother wrote me an email. At the end of it he wrote the word "Love." I re-read that part over and over again because my brother never said or wrote that to me in my life. I felt such a warm and fuzzy feeling inside of me. You see, my brother and I didn't get along too well growing up. We fought about everything and anything. It's pretty amazing that we didn't kill each other...literally. But this last couple of years, there has been definite changes in his life. I know part of it is to his wife's doing, but the best part is that he has re-enter a relationship with Christ again! Through it he has definitely discovered what a "horrible" person he has been, especially to his younger brother and sister. He has apologized to my parents about his behavior toward us and not being a good big brother and told them that he's going to try his best to treat us better. So, the email was his first baby step. :)

BOOK FAIR
This past Saturday, Elaine and I headed over to the forbidden UCLA campus for the LA Festival of Books. Can I just say that it was one of the most fun Saturdays I've ever had in my life?! There were tents full of books all over campus and people of all ages walking around. It was basically Disneyland of books! It was great. We got to see Tim Gunn from Project Runway. Love him! Julie Andrews. Love her! It was so cute to hear all the little kids say "It's Mary Poppins!" The best conversation I heard was between a little girl and her dad that stood behind me.

LG: Dad, she's not wearing her skirt, hat and holding her umbrella!
(Me: Trying not to laugh out loud, but was shaking.)
Dad: Yes, she does have a closet full of other clothes.
(Me: Still trying not to laugh out loud because it was just too cute and continue to shake.)
LG: Oh.

It was just too cute! After Julie Andrews, we went to see Don Cheadle and John Prendergast talk about the genocide in Darfur. It was great!

So, now I have signed copy of Tim Gunn: A Guide to quality, style and taste which I probably won't ever read and a signed copy of Don Cheadle and John Prendergast's book Not on Our Watch which I'm totally excited to read when I'm finished reading with the other 10 books I have going. Then I bought some books for some very special kids and had them signed by the authors.

Overall, it was a great day! Elaine and I will definitely be going back next year and we are going to make it to both of those days! It really wasn't till a few years back where I really fell in love with reading. Now I can't get enough of it and going to a book fair was like a little kid going to Disneyland or the candy store for the first time! It was such a great day. Hopefully all of you can join us next year. It's really a great event!

FRIENDSHIP

On Sunday, I had the privilege to meet up with Shannon Gramatky. We spent 6 hours just sitting on the couch with our Starbucks in hand and just talked and talked. It was like old days. We kept saying how lucky we were to be able to go months after months without talking and yet when we finally talk it seemed like we were never apart.

After she left, it made me realize how lucky we are to be part of each other's lives. I know that we are all in different stages of life and we are all spread out, but the fact that we can still get together, laugh and have a good time. I am so glad that God brought us together through Sigma. I love you all!

Hot Fuzz, The Great Omission and Seoul Train

Hello Friends!

On Friday I went to see Hot Fuzz. At first I didn't want to see it, but I was so glad that I did. It's by the same makers of Shaun of the Dead. Anyway, both are dark and funny. I loved Hot Fuzz and I liked Shaun of the Dead. The two main characters in Shaun of the Dead are also the same two main charaters in Hot Fuzz. They make a good team.

Also, I'm going through a book with two of my friends. It's The Great Omission by Dallas Willard. Great, great, great book to go through yourself or with friends. The three of us always run out of time and we are actually putting some practice into place and holding each other accountable. I remember trying to read The Divine Conspiracy and not being able to get half way through because it was just so deep. But The Great Omission is a lot easier read.

Lastly, I would like to ask you for your prayers as Open Doors is participating in the North Korea Freedom Week. This is one of our many campaigns that we participate and make awareness of. If you haven't seen the documentary Seoul Train I highly encourage you to do so. I even wrote about it last year in April. Few of our key people will be heading to Washington DC for panel discussions, meetings with different congressmen, protest and prayer vigil, etc. So, please pray that all the logistics will fall into place and that every words that's being spoken will be heard.

Thank you! Hope you've had a great weekend!

I AM ASIAN.

I know that some of you have wondered for years whether or not I'm truly Asian. I think I proved it this Saturday. I had my friends Elaine, Gina and Paul over for a Chinese food feast. Here's what we had:

Drinks:
Apple soda
Lychee soda
Apple wine-Thanks Gina and Paul!

Appetizers:
Green onion pancakes

Main Course:
Pork Dumplings-we made it together. None of those frozen stuff.
Chinese Brocolli with oyster sauce
Celery with bamboo marinated in chili oil
Chinese pickles
Chili cucumber salad

Dessert:
Peanut Butter rice balls
Sesame rice balls (note to self...not popluar to the westerners. According to Gina and Elaine, it taste like bacon.)

After dinner, we played Schnapps. It's a card game where you can shout "Taking it like a sucka!" It's so much fun. But of course, it got more and more crazy as we all drank the wine. We learned that Elaine cries when she laughs, but only her left eye tears up. Gina gets sleepy. I get embarrassed. And Paul, well, the wine wasn't strong enough to effect him in any way.

Over all, the night turned out better than expected! My mother will be so proud. She even prayed for me after getting the recipe from her the other night. It was so precious. Now that I know how to make it and that people actually enjoyed it, I can proceed to make it more often! You might just be the next lucky chosen one! :)

So, I think I've convinced those three that I'm Chinese/Taiwanese/Asian. Slowly, I'm embracing my culture. I'm taking baby steps. This is a good thing.

Meet My New Toy.

This is Spud Trooper. Isn't he so cute or what?!

LIFE IS SWEET!

Sometimes a small gesture can make your day! Sometimes you just need a little picker upper to encourage you on. Sometimes you just want to know how lucky you are to be at the place your working at. Sometimes those little things are ways God reminds you that you are very special to Him. Those "sometimes" are so crucial in life, especially mine. It makes life so much sweeter!

Last Friday, I had to go to a board member's office to get a check signed. Before I left, my co-worker, Dianne, asked me to asked Lindsay, the secretary at the office, if they have any youth books. I followed her orders but was wondering why I would be asking for youth books from a legal secretary. I didn't question Dianne. I just went and followed directions.

I was very shocked when I found out what this board member did exactly. He's a lawyer. He's the lawyer for John and Staci Eldrege, Beth Moore. Rob Bell, and John Maxwell just to name a few. I was in total shock when I was taken to the back. There were just books after books after books! Lindsay just kept handing me books for Dianne and when I told her that I love John Eldrege, she gave me two hardcover books! And then she told me that I can just go back there and grab books whenever I wanted. I was kind of in a state of shock to find out how big this lawyer was and yet he's so down to earth and serves on the board of Open Doors. It was pretty amazing.

When I got back to the office, I was on cloud nine! It was just a great end to the week! It's those little things makes my day and life so much better! It was what I needed after feeling lousy for the week. It was that picker upper that I needed to keep doing my job. I felt so lucky and honored to be working there. All those connections! If you want a book or two by any of those authors mentioned, please let me know and I'll try my best to get them for you!

LOVE/HATE: DISNEYLAND!

I love that place.
I love the atmosphere.
I love the BREAD BOWLS!
I love people watching.
I love the fireworks.
I LOVE BUZZ LIGHTYEAR!
I love it when it's decorated for Christmas.
I love their peppermint ice cream during Christmas.
I love It's a Small World and Haunted Mansion during Christmas.
I love Dole Whip.
I love walking around Downtown Disney.
I love the AMC at Downtown Disney. You pay student price with your annual pass. :)

I love the Peter Pan ride.

BUT...
I DON'T love it when people invade your space in line.
I DON'T love it when it's crowded and every line is a billion hours long.
I DON'T love it when people hold up the line to the parking structure by asking questions about the park with the parking attendants. They are the parking attendants for crying out loud, not guest service!
I DON'T love Tortilla Joe's at Downtown Disney. The food is gross. The service is bad. It's way over priced. Don't go there. If you do, don't let me know about it.

Overall, it's still the Happiest place in Orange County. :) For some strange reason, I'm not tired of it even after having a pass for 10 years now. To me, it's still a magical place. I think it's pretty awesome.

Hey Gina! 2 for 2. Not bad, huh? :)

HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD

First of all, I just want to dedicate this blog entry to Gina. Gina: This one is just for you! :)

Yesterday night, my friend Archana and I talked via computer thru Google Talk. She lives in Sydney, Australia and we talked for free! My parents and I talk through Skype. With Skype, you need to prepaid for your service. $10 goes a long way! It's been 6 months and I still have $5.00 left on the account. The best part with Skype is that if my parents are online, we can talk for free and they live on the other side of the planet! It's pretty amazing how technology has transformed. I can't even imagine living any other way.

Well, here's a little update from me. The audit is over. It really wasn't bad at all. Thank you for all those who prayed for me. It was totally a breeze. Now I just have a ton of filing to do again. Those auditors ask for a bunch of things that needed to be pulled out and now there's a huge stack. Fun!

Anyway, on to better things. Last weekend I went to see Zodiac and Amazing Grace. Both were great movies. Zodiac is more on the creepy side and Amazing Grace on the heart-warming side. Even though they are on the opposite spectrum, they were well directed and well written. This past Friday, I saw 300. Ummmmmm, yeah, LOVED IT! It's definitely going to be part of my movie collection. I would buy Amazing Grace too. Zodiac is just a little too eerie to own.

Yesterday, we threw a shower to Dana. Yup, Dana Pearson is getting married in less than a month! Her best friend, Beth and Rahime did a beautiful job planning this special event. It was right out of a Martha Stewart magazine. We had enough food to feed a small country. The whole thing was just so beautiful.

Anyway, I guess I should get back to work now. Ever since the auditors left, I haven't been wanting to work. Strange.....

THE AUDIT.

This is my first audit. So far so good. I filed literally ALL day long today. I brought the papers home on Friday and didn't get to them until Sunday afternoon. I started at 5 and didn't stop till 11pm and it still wasn't done. I was basically frustrated because I couldn't match up anything. It was really irritating. But the most amazing part of this whole ordeal was how God answered my prayers. I woke up this morning praying that God will somehow magically do a miracle and help it all make sense to me and He came through. With the help of Dianne, my favorite cubicle mate and the best co-worker ever, we filed away the impossible pile away. Right after we filed, I received the list of entries that they wanted to check. Two of them were the last two I just filed away. The last two I matched up. I still had the binder opened to that page. I was pretty amazed.

When little things like that happens, it reminds me how God cares even if it's a really small matter. I love that.

CHECK OUT THE SCORE!

My highest ever! I'm ranked 54! I've never been ranked before on this ride!

What a great end to such a fun night!

I WON! I WON!

Now, now. I didn't win the lottery, but I did win an auction! I won something on Ebay! I can't believe it. For me, it's a first. I've done this before on other items, but never won anything. Wow, I can't believe I won. So, you're probably wondering what I won, huh? Well, it's a very rare item. It was the only one on Ebay that cost less than four others that's for sale on Amazon.com. I'm so excited. I've been wanting this item for a long time.

I bought the soundtrack to October Sky. I can't believe that I am going to get it. If you ever seen the movie, the music is amazing. When I first saw the movie, I knew I had to get the soundtrack, but couldn't find it anywhere except on Ebay and Amazon.com. You can't even download it from iTunes! I've read reviews after reviews and knew that I need to get it because I love good music. It's no longer available in the stores. I am so excited! I am just hoping that the cd is in good condition. It was a little costly, but I don't care. Not only did I purchase something I've been wanting, but it's a rare commodity! I'm just so excited!

So, have you bought something on Ebay before? Share with us your experience!

BLAH & @#$%^!&!

Yup. The title explains it all. Last week we had our Team Days. From what I've heard about the past, it's this great week of fun and getting to know your co-workers better. I had high hopes and was so excited on Sunday night about the week. We were told not to work because this week was devoted to team building.

Well, the week has passed and I feel like crap. Isn't that sad?! I didn't feel like I got closer to anyone. I enjoyed 2 out of the 10 sessions and now my desk is just full of crap that's due at the end of the month. Yup, I feel like crap. I feel like @#$%^&^%$#@! I feel overwhelmed. But at the end, I still love my job and the place that I am at. It beats the other jobs I've had before. I love my two bosses and my partner in crime. I love my friends that I've made there. I love everything about it. I know that there are going to be bad times and there's always something to complain about and I can make myself miserable listing those things. But the reality is that in the end, I have to see if I did it glorifying God. I definitely did not have that "happy" attitude this past week and I feel badly about that. I need to do better. Everyone has their faults, there's always improvements and there's probably someone else out there that can do the job better. But at this moment in time, God has placed me here and I need to do it wholeheartedly and try my best to accomplish the job that He has graciously given me.

Please Try Again.

Ok, so I apparently forgot to press the "Save Changes" button. So, please try again by clicking HERE! :)

PICTURES!

Hello friends! I've finally uploaded pictures from Taiwan. Instead of putting it on my blog, I've created a folder through Winkflash;). Thank you Brandy for sharing this site. It's so much easier and much faster than the other ones that I've explored!

So, here it is. Click HERE to view the album. You will need to sign up for an account in order to view it. Sorry! I do have to apologize for not explaining each picture. But here's a short summary of our trip:

-I started off the trip with a mosquito bite on my left eye.

-In Guilin, China we went and toured 3 different caves. It's amazing to see the natural formations of rocks inside the caves. We also saw a "mini cave Great Wall." :)

-Went on 2 boat rides.

-Watched a bird catch a fish.

-Watched a show that was performed on the water at night.

-Stayed at 5 star hotels. One of the pictures shows how our hotel was surrounded by "normal" living in China.

-Visited an old village where people portrayed living in old China.

-Guilin is known for it's hill and rock formations. There's picture of a rock that looks like a toad, camel, snail and elephant.

-Watched a very boring water show that our hotel (Lijian Waterfall Hotel)in Lijian puts on every night. It was suppose to be "Spectacular," but I guess after being spoiled by Disney's Fantasia, nothing meets that standard. The show lasted for 10 minutes, but we only stayed for about 2 minutes. One of the longest two minutes of my life! But to the rest of the people, it was nightly extravagance.

-Mom & I on a very old ski lift going up to the highest point in Guilin where you can see all of Guilin. It was so beautiful!

-Shopped and ate till we dropped! Seriously. We ate so much food. It was crazy. We also shopped like no other. Although we did a lot of window shopping, it was still fun.

Guilin was so beautiful, but freezing! It's surrounded by mountains and the site was just amazing. If you ever seen Chinese art with mountains in it, it's most likely that it was inspired by Guilin. My parents and I had a great time. God blessed us with a really great tour group and guide. We were very blessed.

Anyway, if you have any questions, please ask away or just do a Google search. :)

Love ya!

A WEEK LATER...

Yes, yes, I know. How hard is it to upload some pictures? I tried for about 10 minutes on Saturday and I didn't have the patience for it. So, here I am, pictureless, writing to let you know that one day I will have pictures and share about my trip. But in the meantime, if you're planning a trip to China and you're wanting to know where to go...Well, here's my suggestion: Guilin. Make sure you go with a group. It's worth it!

Enough said. I am trying my best to get the pictures up! Works been super duper crazy and by the time I get home I basically get ready and go straight to bed. Who knew that the older you get the harder it is to adjust? I'm totally feeling my age this week!

Love ya!

Just wanted to say that I'm back home safely. I'm so excited that I'll be sleeping in my own bed! I'll be updating my blog with pictures from my trip to China as soon as I get some sleep and energy. :)

A Letter

Dear Lao Bey Bey (old man in Chinese),

With respect, please, please, please do not let your stubborness and your pride effect 180 other passengers on the plane. I know that as someone much younger than you, I'm suppose to show a lot of respect which I did. I didn't yell or say anything to the flight attendants, but I must say that inside, I was boiling with rage when I found out that it was you that caused a 45 minutes delay on the runway.

I'm sorry that you weren't feeling well. Really, I am. I can't imagine not being able to go home and rest comfortably in your own bed. But was it really necessary to hold up the whole flight because you simply refused to get off the plane? In the end, you still had to get off. Please, please, please, don't do this again. It was quite annoying.

Thank you.

Hello from Taiwan!

Hello friends! I wanted to drop in and say hi. I'm in Puli, Taiwan right now waiting for dinner to be served. We're having Shabu Shabu tonight. Yeah, if you never had it before, I will have to take you sometime. It's so much fun and the food is great! But of course nothing beats Shabu Shabu in Taiwan. It's cheap and you can eat a lot more. :) I don't understand how they stay so thin over here. It really baffles me. Well, actually a lot of things baffles me here, but that will be another topic.

Well, today we drove all over Puli looking at different sites. It was fun, but a lot of driving. Then we can home and my sister-in-law took me to get my hair washed, scalp massaged, my neck massaged, and my hair styled. All for $5! This is why I love it here. Everything is so cheap. She then took me to some clothing stores, but of course, the clothes are way too small for me, but they are so cute!

Next week we leave for China. We won't be seeing the Great Wall. According to my parents, it's too cold to go. And since they are paying for this trip, they get to pick where to go. So we will be going to Guiling, China instead. It's one of the most beautiful place in China. So, that in itself should be exciting. I will see the Great Wall one of these days! :)

I wanted to drop in to say hi and hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year's!

Love you and miss you all terribly!

OH BOY!

I've never had such an extensive birthday in my life! It officially ended yesterday night. I had my last birthday dinner and now I'm getting ready for the Christmas festivities!

Well, it's been quite hectic at work the last couple of weeks. We've moved back into our new and improved building 3 weeks ago and then now the year-end stuff. It's amazing how working with numbers can keep you busy all day long. To all my accountant friends...I admire you.

In 2.5 weeks I will be leaving for Taiwan. I'm looking forward to this trip. I just found out that we will be making another trip to China for New Year's. My mom hasn't told me exactly where in China, but I'm thinking I might even get to see the Great Wall! We're going with a tour group and not by ourselves. So, for that, I'm excited. I do hope we get to see the Great Wall.

I really can't believe that 2006 is coming to an end and 2007 is just around the corner. I hope each one of you will have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! I'm sure I'll be blogging before, during and after my trip. I will finally have a digital camera, so I'm pretty sure I will be camera happy and present you with lots of lots pictures! :)

Love you all!

I'M NOT...

ignoring you. I had a great week in Dallas with my friend Sarah and her family. Now, I'm just trying to recover the lack of sleep as well as digesting all the food I inhaled. I hope that all of you had a great Thanksgiving! Share with us what you did! Love ya and I'm so THANKFUL for each one of you!

It Just Doesn't Seem Right!

Ummmmmm....has anyone else notice the weather? I mean, really, it's past mid-November and it's 90 degrees outside. I'm getting tired of the warm weather. I want to wear sweaters and jackets, not shorts and t-shirts. So, that's my little whining. It's just doesn't seem right!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A Time for Everything

1There is an appointed time for everything.

And there is a time for every event under heaven--
2A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
8A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NASB)

WATCH THIS!

Hi Friends. So, this weekend I did something I never would have thought of doing in a million years! It was the best experience I've ever had! Everyone will need to do this once. It was amazing! I loved it and will plan on going again!

http://www.realxstream.com/?XStreamID=60241

Once you click on the site above, choose a format and wait. It will take awhile to download!

Enjoy it!

Love ya!

COMFORT. IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

We all LOVE things that are comfortable. And I know that I've been making a lot of recommendations lately instead of writing an actual blog, but I just want to share the good news with people! So, here's my recommendations for this week...

Shoes: Rocket Dog shoes (www.rocketdog.com) Your feet will thank you! It's like walking on clouds!

Bras: Chantelle from Nordstrom or wherever you can find them.

Ice Cream/Soft Serve: Golden Spoons. Hey, it's COMFORTing. :)

Junk Food: Natural Cheetos. It's not bright orange and it actually taste better too!

Well, so, there you have it. If you have any recommendations, please share with us! It can be anything! Food, clothes, movies, etc. Anything!

Gotta Watch...

MOMENTO.

Thanks Gina for the recommendation!

I SURVIVED!

So, I had the wonderful privilege to housesit for the CFO. The responsibility came with 3 kids (11, 6 and 4) and 2 cats (we all know how I LOVE pets). It was for 2 days, 1 night. I mean, in one minute I had to get all three kids ready for school, feed them breakfast, drop them off at school and daycare. I was driving around with a carseat and a booster chair! Then went to work and then fought traffic to pick them up from school and daycare. Feed them dinner, help with homework and get them ready for bed. For 93% of the time, they were very respectful and obedient. Overall, I had a good time.

I know it was only for a short period of time, but I have a few stories to tell about them already. I was very surprised at them and at myself. I even miss them a little bit tonight.

Another Recommendation...

THE PRESTIGE and THE ILLUSIONIST.

Go and see it.

If you saw it, I would love to hear what you thought!

HAPPY....

BIRTHDAY TO KIM (9/29)

&

ANNIVERSARY TO KIM AND DOMINIC (10/07)!

I know this is late, but hey, don't you feel special that it made it to my blog? :)

To relive one of the most beautiful weddings, please click here.

Enjoy.

ABBY!

Everyone, please welcome Abby to this group! Oh, words cannot express my deepest gratitude for this girl. She is a prayer warrior and dedicated friend. She has inspired me in so many ways. Thanks Abby for being such a great friend! Who knew that we would become such good friends stuffing bulletins! You are the best! I am so glad to see all that God has done and is continuing to do in your life. Remember this time last year? We were both pretty much sitting around not knowing what to do with our lives and look at us now! We are in a place that is more than we've ever asked for! Thank you for your encouragements and for your prayers. Love ya and hope to see you soon!

SO?

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF LOST LAST NIGHT?!

PLEASE SHARE!

Meet My Friend...Sarah

So, this is my new friend, Sarah. Some of you have met her over Labor Day weekend. She was my date. :) Sarah and I both started at Open Doors around the same time. She is the receptionist and is very good at what she does. She is also in school. We instantly connected and there hasn't been a day without laughter. People at work are always shocked to find out that we've only known each other for a little bit over three months. I love my new friend. I hope all of you will meet her one day. She would be a great addition to this family. :)

But don't you guys worry...I still love you! I would never just drop you and forget about you!

My Recommendations

Book: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
**I just finished the book today. I absolutely LOVED it!**

Movie: Akeelah and the Bee

Show: Project Runway, The Office, The Amazing Race and Lost

Music/Artist: John Mayer

Food: Tofu anything!

Drink: Pommegranite Ice Tea Lemonade (made with Passion tea) from Starbucks

What are some of YOUR recommendations?

Amazing Race

I am so thankful that I was with Sarah or else I would've missed the Season premier of the Amazing Race. Since we don't have cable and I'm just too lazy to adjust the bunny ears all the time, I haven't been watching tv to know when different shows start. Anyway, all I wanted to post on here is that

I LOVE THE AMAZING RACE!

IT'S SUCH A GREAT SHOW AND YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING IT TOO!

Okay, that's it. In case you're wondering...it's on Sunday nights at 8 PM on CBS.

Tag, I'm It!

Three things that scare me:
1. Height
2. Being wrongly accused
3. Boys :)

Three people who make me laugh:
1. Sarah J.
2. Jessica
3. Kids

Three things I hate:
1. Public speaking
2. Arrogance
3. Traffic

Three things I don't understand:
1. God's goodness
2. Boys
3. Traffic

Three things I am doing right now:
1. Typing
2. Listening to Frank Sinatra
3. Wondering what I should have for dinner :)

Three things I want to do before I die:
1. See the world (minus India, just not interested)
2. Own a house
3. To live a full life

Three things I can do:
1. Cook a mean tofu dish
2. Keep in touch with friends
3. Buy movies :)

Three ways to describe my personalilty:
1. Loyal
2. Fun
3. Amazing! Just kidding. I can't think of any.

Three things I can't do:
1. Public anything. I have a hard time playing Cranium for crying out loud! So, don't ever have me speak, pray, dance, read, etc. in public. I can't and refuse to do it! If you do, you might end up on my "bad" list. I'm not kidding.
2. Put on makeup
3. Resist buying movies when they are on sale :)

Three things I think you should listen to:
1. God
2. Good friends/parents
3. Good music

Three things you should never listen to:
1. Arrogant people ( I just can't stand them!)
2. Strangers and don't talk to them either
3. The little voice inside your head that tells you negative things.

Three things I'd like to learn:
1. Cook
2. Fly a plane so that I can see the world
3. To give more freely

Three favorite foods:
1. Tofu
2. Gelato/Ice Cream
3. Bread, bread, bread, bread

Three beverages I drink regularly:
1. Water
2. Vanilla Rice Milk
3. Water (Once in awhile I'll drink a soda or juice)

Three shows I watched as a kid:
1. Punky Brewster
2. Silver Spoons
3. Cartoons (any kind)

Three people I tag:
1. Brandy
2. Abby
3. I don't who else has a blog! But if you have one, you're it! :)

Back to School.

Tuesday night I went to my first class at Fullerton JC. It brought back so many college memories. Oh how I miss those years! If I could, I would relive it again. Wouldn't you?

Last Wednesday, Gina reminded me that it was 10 years ago when we moved in (for some of us) to the dorm and began our journey. I remember moving into the room and finding out that my roommate was a no show. But luckily, God had another plan. He gave me Kimmie! I remember the first time we met. I think it was the beach trip during SOS and we sat next to each other on the bus. We hardly spoke to each other. Awkward, but it was worth it. I remember sitting in the hallway and talking into the wee hours of the night with Brandy. Oh, the memories...there are so many. Thank you to all who made those college years so memorable!

So, what are some of your fondest memories? Share with us!

More Love to Thee

"More Love to Thee, O Christ"

(Words: Elizabeth P. Prentiss, 1856; Music: W. Howa)

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!

Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.

This is my earnest plea:

More love, O Christ, to Thee;

More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;

Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.

This all my prayer shall be:

More love, O Christ to Thee;

More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;

Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,

When they can sing with me:

More love, O Christ, to Thee;

More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;

This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;

This still its prayer shall be:

More love, O Christ to Thee;

More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

This morning, the pastor shared this hymn with us. Then the band came up and played the song. The words and music stuck with me and I wanted to share it with you. I love hymns because each has a story. To learn more about the story behind this hymn, please click here. Fernando Ortego does a beautiful rendition of this with just his voice and piano. It's so beautiful! If you have iTunes, you can download the song for 0.99 cents! If you don't have iTunes, I'm not sure how to help you, but encourage you to download the program. :) You can do that by going here. I love this program, better than Real Player or Window Media Player. I can buy music for less than it would cost me in the store and I can buy shows as well. I download the whole season 1 of The Office for way less than buying the DVD at the store. It's amazing! Anyway...

Do you have a favorite hymn? What's the story behind it? Please share!

Name This Movie!

#1: You don't like raisins?
#2: Not really.
#1: Why?
#2: They used to be fat and juicy and now they're twisted. They had their lives stolen. Well, they taste sweet, but really they're just humiliated grapes. I can't say I am a big supporter of the raisin council.
#1: Did you see those, those raisins on TV? The ones that sing and dance and stuff?
#2: They scare me.
#1: Yeah me too
#2: It's sick. The commercial people they make them sing and dance so people will eat them.
#1: It's a shame about raisins.

I love this movie!

My Thoughts On Traffic....

I hate Satan.

I hate traffic.

Satan=Traffic.

One More Thing Checked Off of My List.

Person #1: "I'm the Assistant Regional Manager."
Person #2: "You mean, you're the Assistant TO THE Reginonal Manager."

So, can you guess which SHOW, not movie, that is from? It's not word for word, but close enough.

I put that on because last weekend I had the special privilege of being an assistant to the assistant wedding planner for my dear friend, Shannon. :) Her friend Kim is the assistant planner, and the actual wedding planner is the girl that comes with the winery where the wedding is at! So, there were three of us who were at her beckoning call. :) I had a lot of fun and I made a new friend, Kim.

I Y DAVID CROWDER BAND!

That's All!

What's Up With The Weather?!

Why does it feel like I'm being baked alive? Was yesterday not the most miserable day or what?! It was hot, hot, hot (109) and humid! It was horrible! And today it is hot, humid, and sprinkles. The air is stale and it's just gross! I don't remember summer ever being like this. Am I wrong? I am so thankful that we have A/C. Without it I think I would fully cooked by now.

This hot weather has also made me break away from a long-term habit. I no longer wear socks to sleep! Isn't that amazing or what? It's been so hot even that I can't bare having it on. It makes a world of difference! But no, this doesn't give you the permission to touch me with those dirty, nasty feet of yours! :)

Well, a few prayer requests:

1. Sarah's mom will be going in for her first chemo tomorrow. Please pray for comfort and peace. Pray for strength of the family and for her mom as she goes through this difficult time.

2. Pray that I will find housing that I can feel peace about. I've been looking and looking and I haven't found one that I feel "right" about. (Yes, I'm a high "F" on the Meyers-Briggs :) ) Thank God that I have good friends that He has blessed me with. I have several offers to stay with them until I find a place. This is a huge blessing and a huge burden off my shoulders, but I still want to find a place as soon as possible. Pray that I will find a place that's safe (for a single girl) and within my price range (which has been very difficult). I really want to live on my own, but with the high cost of living, it's making me think that I should get a roommate. If that's the case, pray that I will find someone.

3. Anything else? Please let us know! Once again, I am sorry that I haven't been posting and keeping up with the prayer requests. I promise that I will TRY to be better! Life just gets so busy!

This Is Your Life by Switchfoot

*My new favorite song.*

Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead

Yesterday is a promise that you've broken

Don't close your eyes

Don't close your eyes

This is your life and today is all you've got now

And today is all you'll ever have

Don't close your eyes

Don't close your eyes

This is your life

Are you who you want to be

This is your life

Are you who you want to be

This is your life

Is it everything you've dreamed it would be

When the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Don't close your eyes

Don't close your eyes

Yesterday is a kid in the corner

Yesterday is dead and over

This is your life

Are you who you want to be

This is your life

Are you who you want to be

This is your life is it everything you've dreamed it would be

when the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Don't close your eyes

Don't close your eyes

I Love Jalapeno Chips!

I do! I love them. I just do. I have a deep affection for them and every time I'm at the grocery store I have to discipline myself not to buy them. But then there are those days when the regular price is covered up and the sales price says "2 for $5!" I mean, that's how they get me. Of course, I can't just buy one, I have to buy 2 because it's basically 2 for the price of one! At that moment, I couldn't be happier. I just love them so much. I love "Tim's Jalapeno Chips." They are extremely bad for you, but I don't care. I also love "Vickie's Jalapeno Chips" from Subway. I just love them. Another thing that I like are Hot Cheetos! Yum! They are so good!

So, now you know. I'm confessing. I'm an addict! Extreme addict to spicy chips! I can't help it. They are just so tasty! God was very clever to create jalapenos. :)

Well, I just had to share that with all of you. I'm just so excited because I think each one of you should love jalapeno chips too!

God Stretches.

One thing that I forgot to mention on my list: Speed Dating. Yup. I did it. I went speed dating with my friend, Elaine. We both were talking about how we are afraid of talking to boys and that we need experience, so we did it. Well, she did it. I thought it was going to be one of those things that you talk about and nothing really happens. But no, she went online, found it and signed us up. The next thing I knew I had a confirmation in my email saying that I was signed up. We went and accomplish our task. There's really not much to tell. It consisted of 5 minutes per person. It definitely was not enough time to get to know someone and decide if you want to date them. Anyway, the fact that I did it was a miracle. On the way there, I kept saying "Elaine, I'm not liking you very much." She replied, "I know you don't mean it. You'll like me again once it's over." What a great friend. =)

God has been stretching me a lot this year. I can't believe that half of the year is gone. Looking back, I see how I've changed and how I've grown for the better. God had to break me in various areas of my life and build it up again. I loved it! I feel like a new person. I have new appreciation for things and I definitely have a whole new outlook on life. God has just been so present in my life. I would never have this experience if things didn't happen the way it did. I have no regrets. I was at a place where I needed to be so that God can prepare me for the next stage in my life.

As I look forward to the future, I know that life is just too short to constantly live in fear. I'm trying to take up a more confident role in my life. Take Speed Dating for example. I could have forfeited (which I would do before and have the money go down the drain), but I made myself do it. It's not like I would ever see any of those guys again. Also, I'm starting a new adventure in accounting. Boy, do they speak in another language!

I will also be moving out and living by myself in August. I'm not sure if I'll continue to rent or buy (yes, I know interest rate is high and it's not the best time to buy). Lastly, I've taken the initiative to go out and look for a church where I can be part of Christ's family. I woke up this morning and headed out to a church that I found online and went. I even went up to the informational table afterwards and asked about small groups and sat down with the pastor and other employees to hear more about the church. Yeah, this is so not like me. Normally, I would probably sneak into service and sneak out. But I didn't want that anymore. So, I braved it up and did what would have been impossible before. Oh yeah, one VERY last thing, I signed up to be a volunteer at the TOFU festival in LA. Yup. I did. I love tofu and I want to go, so I figure that I would volunteer for it. I'm so excited! Especially for all the new tofu recipe I will have! Yum!

God stretches. It's been a lesson in my life. I can't always sit on my butt and think things are going to happen. It's not.

Thank you for letting me share my journey with each one of you. It's been very encouraging to receive emails of encouragements and know that you're praying for me! Which brings me to the next thing. Yes, I've realize that prayer requested has been neglected for a couple of weeks now. But I want to start it up again. I think it's so important to be praying for one another. So, here are a few requests that I've received this week.

1. The Vencels: We need a bigger car by Christmas. Or for Christmas! :) We are hoping for an SUV with good cargo space to make it easier for us to travel as a family, but no matter what we get, we have to have room for three carseats, or I can't go anywhere alone with the kids. Please pray that God makes a way to get a vehicle without going into debt for it...

2. Sarah: My mother had primary melanoma 6 years ago (the kind that’s just in your skin), was treated and was given a clean bill of health by her oncologist just last fall.

A CT scan this week shows that she has cancer again. The most likely options are metastatic melanoma (the kind that has spread through your lymph system) or lymphoma. Neither option is good; metastatic melanoma is very bad. I think the diagnosis will require a surgical biopsy (not just the needle kind), which should happen next week.

She (and my father, I’m sure) are very anxious and there’s a lot of waiting to see doctors and surgeons and get a biopsy and wait on results. I’m going with her tomorrow to see her oncologist; he won’t have any “news” per se, but will hopefully help her make some choices on the best way to proceed.

3. Me: For a place to live and the move that's happening in August. For continue guidance and strength and whatever else is needed to learn my new job!

**If you have any requests, please share them with us! Don't be shy!**

My First Day of Work.

Well, today was my first official day. It was fun yet very overwhelming. By 3:30 pm, my brain was pretty much fried! My manager looked at me and said "why don't we just continue tomorrow." I don't know if it's my dazed look or the fact that I looked really tired that gave it away. But overall, I had fun. I cut my first set of checks. I loved it! I did my first bank reconciliation. I loved that too.

Anyway, we'll see about tomorrow. So much to learn. Please continue to pray that I will be able to soak everything in.

Also, I've been neglecting the prayer requests lately. I'm sorry. I want to start that again. So, if you have any, please let me know and I'll post it. I've experienced so much the last six months and I know I couldn't have gone through everything without your prayers and encouragements. I am so lucky to have each one of you as my friend.

What I've Been Up To The Last 6.5 Months

1. God graciously pulled me out of a job.
2. Spent 5 weeks in Taiwan.
3. Spent 5 days in China.
4. Returned back to the States in February.
5. Read a lot of books. Good books. Helpful books.
6. Spend A LOT of time with just me and God.
7. Applied for a job. Went in for an interview. Got an offer. Turn down the job.
8. Spent more time with God.
9. Had dinners with friends.
10. Celebrated A.'s 1st birthday!
11. Applied for a job. Went in for an interview. Got an offer. Turn down the job.
12. Start volunteering at Open Doors.
13. Applied for the job that I thought I really wanted.
14. Start tempting at Open Doors.
15. Heard back from #13 and didn't get it.
16. Kept working at Open Doors.
17. Saw a couple of friends.
18. Spent more time with God.
19. Saw my parents in San Jose.
20. Heard back from #13 saying they would like an interview.
21. Heard back from #13 saying that I didn't make the cut.
22. Still at Open Doors.
23. Received a position offer from Open Doors.
24. Received another position offer from Open Doors.
25. Trip to Bakersfield for E.'s 4th B-day and had a fun time hanging out with good friends!
26. Able to "try out" for #24 for 1.5 days.
27. Spent more time with God and talking to friends about which job to choose.
28. Finally, I made a decision....
29. I'm now going to be the new Staff Accountant at Open Doors! (Yeah, I know. It's been pretty amazing how this all came about!)
30. God has graciously given me this bigger and better job for me!

It's been such an awesome 6 months! God has really taught me so much about life and about myself. I've been through good times, bad time, sad times, depressing times, frustrating times, etc. But through all of it, I've been so grateful for being able to go through it. I could not have done this without each one of you! So, thank you for going through it with me!

Please continue to pray that I will be able to grasp and learn the job quickly!

I love you all!

A Gift For Me!

I finally have ALL 10 seasons of Friends! I know, I'm crazy, but yesterday I found them on sale for $16.99 each! That's 1/2 half! So, I decided that I would treat myself and take this wonderful opportunity. I only needed 7-10, so I went and got them. Except they ran out of season 10, so I had to order it online because it was the last day for the price. I ended up paying $20 for it due to shipping and tax, but that's still cheaper than regular price. I now will have Friends forever!

I've got my roommate, Shannon, hooked and she was very happy when I told her about my purchase. I love a good deal!

Would You Rather...

Be the child of Britney Spears or Anna Nicole Smith?

In order to play this game, you must choose one. The answer can't be "neither." You have to choose one.

My dear friend, Becca, and I love playing this game! Anyway, I heard on the radio that Anna Nicole Smith is pregnant and I started thinking, "WHY?! Poor unborn kid!" And I started to think about Britney Spears and here I am asking you the question.

So, do you have any "Would you rather" questions? If so, share them!

Also, I would like to share that Becca sent me the game Apples to Apples! Thank you so much Bex! I love it and I love you for giving it to me! Can't wait to play it with you!

A Song.

I Bring It To You

by Avalon from The Creed album

All of these words on paper

All of these thoughts in my head

The times I feel out of favor

The fear that sleeps in my bed

All of these stones in my pocket

My dreams that crashed on the shore

Faith when I thought I lost it

I lay it all at Your door

I bring it to You

There's wonder in all that You do

I bring You the scraps that make up my soul

You make me whole, I'm gold

I bring it to You

Songs I've shouted to heaven

The grace I've never deserved

All these gifts I've been given

The life that I find in Your word

I bring it to You

There's wonder in all that You do

I bring You the scraps that make up my soul

You make me whole, I'm gold

I bring it to You

I give You the glory

And I praise Your holy name

But more than anything

I bring You love

I bring You love

I bring it to You

There's wonder in all that You do

I bring You the scraps that make up my soul

You make me whole, I'm gold

I bring it to You I bring it to You

There's wonder in all that You do

I bring You the scraps that make up my soul

You make me whole, I'm gold

I bring it to You

I will have to admit, when I usually listen to a song on the radio or cd, I mostly listen to how it sounds more than what they are saying. I usually can sing along with it, but not computing what it is saying. Am I the only one that does that? Anyway, that wasn't my point. I wanted to share this song because it's has been a source of encouragement and hope for me. I love the part where it says "I bring You the scraps that make up my soul. You make me whole, I'm gold." Yeah. I've cried to this song. I've belted it out in my car, not thinking about who's around me. I've put it on repeat over and over again. This is a song that is a representation of my life right now.

Instead of prayer requests, I wanted to share this with you. Hopefully it can encourage you the same way it has for me.

Do you have an incredible song that has just touched your life? If so, please share!

News Flash!

It's been 13 days since I wrote my last entry! I didn't realize that it's been that long! Well, I guess I haven't felt inspired to write lately. But for those who check everyday, thank you for being faithful. Hopefully, you are still checking and this will be a surprise to you!

This past weekend I saw my lovely friend, Zoey. Zoey and I go to the same hair dresser, Mae. So, when I saw her, she told me how upset Mae was with me because I had dyed my hair black by another hair dresser. You see, Mae would never dye anyone's hair black! And when I went to the other hair dresser, I didn't ask to have my hair dyed black. It just turned out that way. At first I was shocked because it was suppose to be a dark brown, but it turned out jet black. It looked really weird, but I started to really like it because that's my NATURAL HAIR COLOR. Anyway, the funny part out of that conversation Mae had with Zoey was that Mae says I look ETHNIC! Hmmmm.....really? For crying out loud, Mae is asian herself. So, I guess just as long as you don't have jet black hair, you will never look ethnic. So, news flash! In case you didn't know, I'm ethnic. I'm shocked. How about you?

Before I end this entry, do you have any prayer request(s)? If so, let me know by Monday night and I will post them so that our prayer warrior friends can pray for them!

I love you all!

Grace

Some Thoughts From Me.

Well, no one responded to my blog with prayer requests, so I'm going to share my thoughts with you. =) Could it get better than this? It's your lucky day!

Recently, I came across II Peter 3:8-9 and the passage just stuck with me. It has become my favorite! It says: "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

What I love most about the verse is when it says "The Lord is not SLOW in keeping his promise...He is PATIENT with you..." These two phrase really hit me and caught me off guard for a minute. I mean, here I am thinking and constantly asking God to hurry up with His guidance for my life. And there it is in the WORD saying that He is not SLOW and He is PATIENT with me. It REALLY shocked me.

I've been waiting for Him and telling Him that I'm ready to move on with the next step in life and all He want is for me to live and enjoy the moment and to live a life of purity, holiness, and righteousness. And now, I'm just getting it.

I also have been thinking a lot about the last 5 months and how much I've grown. Not physically, but spiritually. I think that leaving my past employment was REALLY good for me. I wasn't growing at all while working there. I based and compromised my walk with the Lord on the fact that I was working for a church and that should be enough. But after leaving the job, I realized how little growth I've made. I actually think it got worse. Sad, I know. But that's the truth.

I believe that God was patiently waiting for me to get out of the situation to make me realize that I needed to "re-organize" my priority. And that I did. A few people have been amazed at how I've dealt with the whole situation. I just tell them that God knew I was miserable and He knew that I wasn't going to get out of it, so He pulled me out instead. It's the best thing that has happened in my life! Through it all, I know He has something great and better that He's preparing me for. I may be in a hurry and think that I'm ready, but I find comfort in the verse and I feel a whole lot better.

Hope you've enjoy these thoughts from me.

Please continue to pray for:

*Laurie, Danny and Liam Hawley.

*Gina and Paul Reeves.

*Me!

*Praise God that Nate finished his oral exam with EXCELLENCE!

It's That Time Again.

Prayer Requests? Praises? Updates? Let us know! It will be posted by Tuesday morning!

Thank you for your participation. =)

Ummmmm...The Random Blog Entry.

Hi.

So, I FINALLY watched Pride and Prejudice, the A&E version, with Colin Firth. I've attempted to watch it once about two years ago, but fell asleep within the first 1/2 hour, so I decided it was too boring for me. Then my friend, Elaine, told me that I needed to watch it with her and that she will help me get through the first 1/2 hour. We started the movie two weeks ago. We were only able to make it through 2 hours of it and I had to go home and go to bed for work the next day. We just finished the last 2.5 hours of it yesterday night. Although the second half was a little better, I still didn't enjoy it as much as I should. I think I need to watch it when I have a lot of energy. Every time I've watched it, it's been after a long day at work. That doesn't mix too well. But I loved the customs and music! Does that count? And no, I haven't read the book either. So, I need to get on that.

Don't you ever feel that TIME is just flying by? Can you believe that it's May? I mean, half of the year is almost gone! Where has the time gone? I feel like LIFE happened without me knowing it half of the time! I remember when I was young and how time went by SO SLOW! A minute felt like ETERNITY. Now, I want to enjoy THAT minute. Why is time going by fast? I feel like there are days where I'm just going and going and I have to remind myself to breathe, eat and drink (water). How did life get so busy?

A group of us will be meeting this Saturday for our first book club meeting. I will be leading the discussion on the book "The Dream Giver" by Bruce Wilkinson. If you haven't read this, I highly recommend it. It's very short and fast read. So, I'm just curious...What is YOUR dream? What's one thing you have a passion or desire to do? I would love to hear from you, so don't be shy to comment!

Hope to hear from each of you soon!

Prayer Requests.

"There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, 4 and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. 5 In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary - we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"
Romans 5:3-5 (The Message)

Here are the prayer requests for this week.

Taylor University: Continue to pray for the friends and families affected by the fatal crash last week. For more information, please read the blog entry below.

The Hawleys: Pray for their new baby, Liam. Pray for Laurie and Danny as they enter this exciting new adventure of being parents. Pray for strength and wisdom as they learn how to take care of Liam, who has down syndrome.

Brandy: Pray for wisdom in the raising and teaching of my children. I have times where I feel like there is something lacking, but I can't put my finger on exactly what it is. I am in one of those times now. I am reminded that God promises that if we lack wisdom and ask Him for it, He will give it to us. I really need wisdom in regards to raising these babies!

Gina: Please pray for continued endurance for Paul as he waits to hear from LBPD. Also, that we would continue to hope and trust no matter the outcome.

Kristie: Pray for Nate's Oral Exam, which is THURSDAY, MAY 4th! Also, pray for a new mentoring ministry we're starting at my church. My role is to help with written materials-pray that my written words will reflect the right goals and the heart of this ministry. And praise God that I get to be a part of something I'm excited about! Thanks!

Abby: Please pray for my trip coming up in July, that everything goes smoothly at the tradeshow & I am able to understand & perform all my duties.

Grace: Pray for continue guidance of my future. I feel like I'm almost getting to where God wants me to be, but you just never know when He's going to shut that door and lead you to another. So, pray for patience and peace. I've experienced a lot these last few months and I have no doubt that He is in control.
Pray for the North Koreans. May they feel the presence of God's comfort and love. Pray for the believers that are there to keep seeing hope in the difficult situation. **If you are interested, I believe you can rent Seoul Train. Well at least on Netflix you can!**

**If you didn't email me your requests, don't fret! There's still time! Just send me an email and I'll post them as they come in! Love ya!**