Thursday, January 11, 2007
Ahhhhhhh!! I just bought my one way ticket to Turkey! Needless to say a lot needs to get done before I leave. How has time come upon me so suddenly?
Anyway, here's the deal...I'm leaving LA by Feb. 1st and driving all my crap down to SD where I will store, rearrange and pack some more. Then my plane will leave for Turkey Feb. 11!
So I definitely want to hang out with you LA homies before I leave. I'll be emailing tonight to make times to meet with ya'll.
Anyway, here's the deal...I'm leaving LA by Feb. 1st and driving all my crap down to SD where I will store, rearrange and pack some more. Then my plane will leave for Turkey Feb. 11!
So I definitely want to hang out with you LA homies before I leave. I'll be emailing tonight to make times to meet with ya'll.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
silent night, holy night...all is calm...
i've begun to realize how much i analyze in an attempt to control my life. i can get in cycles where i worry myself sick over things i can't control nor completely understand. God has begun to show me that there is a time to stop thinking, mauling and just give..give it into hands bigger than my own.
it's freeing and scary...if i'm not worrying then what will happen? a loss of perceived control but in actuality getting out of daddy's way so that He has full reign over the issues.
i realized tonight on deeper level something i think the Lord has been consistently whispering to me for a while,
Ps. 113:1-2
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
i've begun to realize how much i analyze in an attempt to control my life. i can get in cycles where i worry myself sick over things i can't control nor completely understand. God has begun to show me that there is a time to stop thinking, mauling and just give..give it into hands bigger than my own.
it's freeing and scary...if i'm not worrying then what will happen? a loss of perceived control but in actuality getting out of daddy's way so that He has full reign over the issues.
i realized tonight on deeper level something i think the Lord has been consistently whispering to me for a while,
Ps. 113:1-2
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
was on my way to SD this morning and actually had to turn back to Pasadena because the traffic was so bad. one of those road repair trucks actually got on the highway and started shouting into a loud speaker, "everyone get off the highway...the highway has been closed...take an alternate route."
CRAZINESS
i got off and ended up stranded at a shopping center with dozens of other commuters. eventually, we found out that there had been a police chase on the 15 and the culprit had been shot. apparently, the highway was going to be closed until 8pm....two days before christmas! my oh my
so i turned around and drove 45 minutes back to pasadena and promptly took a nap. for some reason it really wiped me out or maybe i'm getting sick. anyway, i'm going to be leaving early tomorrow. hopefully it won't be a repeat experience.
Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone!
And while i remember here's an awesome sermon by chip ingram i recently listened to which is definitely in the spirit of christmas. maybe you can listen to it while making cookies or something..
Generosity: The Gateway to Intimacy With God
CRAZINESS
i got off and ended up stranded at a shopping center with dozens of other commuters. eventually, we found out that there had been a police chase on the 15 and the culprit had been shot. apparently, the highway was going to be closed until 8pm....two days before christmas! my oh my
so i turned around and drove 45 minutes back to pasadena and promptly took a nap. for some reason it really wiped me out or maybe i'm getting sick. anyway, i'm going to be leaving early tomorrow. hopefully it won't be a repeat experience.
Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone!
And while i remember here's an awesome sermon by chip ingram i recently listened to which is definitely in the spirit of christmas. maybe you can listen to it while making cookies or something..
Generosity: The Gateway to Intimacy With God
Friday, December 22, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Part 1 Colbert 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner
Okay, I just don't get it. Why did they invite this guy to speak at a White House event because he's seriously dissing on everyone in the room especially Bush.
It's crazy! You'd think he'd tone it down because he's there. Oh man...no matter what you think of what he says you have to admit that guy has guts.
I looked this video up because I heard someone on NPR calling it one of the most striking cultural moments of the year. Mostly because of its shock value....apparently no one thought he'd be that bold in that setting.
It's kind of uncomfortable to watch because of that reason.
Okay, I just don't get it. Why did they invite this guy to speak at a White House event because he's seriously dissing on everyone in the room especially Bush.
It's crazy! You'd think he'd tone it down because he's there. Oh man...no matter what you think of what he says you have to admit that guy has guts.
I looked this video up because I heard someone on NPR calling it one of the most striking cultural moments of the year. Mostly because of its shock value....apparently no one thought he'd be that bold in that setting.
It's kind of uncomfortable to watch because of that reason.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
The Inner Voice of Love
"Henry Nouwen, Catholic priest and popular author (The Wounded Healer, 1972), hit a six-month spiritual and mental crisis at the end of 1987 during which he "wondered whether I would be able to hold on to my life. Everything came crashing down: my self-esteem, my energy to live and work, my sense of being loved, my hope for healing, my trust in God... everything." This book is his personal journal written during his time of anguish. For years, Nouwen felt his experience was too personal to share with the world, but on advice from friends, and in the hope that these insights would help nurture others, he published his journal entries."
Sounds so good...I love Nouwen. I think I'm going to check that baby out at the library.
From last nite's reading:
Romans 5:2-3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance (uh-huh); perseverance, character (yup); and character, hope (huh?).
I mean...I believe You and everything but I don't really see the connection. However, I think I've found a jewel that I'm excited for You to uncover.
"Henry Nouwen, Catholic priest and popular author (The Wounded Healer, 1972), hit a six-month spiritual and mental crisis at the end of 1987 during which he "wondered whether I would be able to hold on to my life. Everything came crashing down: my self-esteem, my energy to live and work, my sense of being loved, my hope for healing, my trust in God... everything." This book is his personal journal written during his time of anguish. For years, Nouwen felt his experience was too personal to share with the world, but on advice from friends, and in the hope that these insights would help nurture others, he published his journal entries."
Sounds so good...I love Nouwen. I think I'm going to check that baby out at the library.
From last nite's reading:
Romans 5:2-3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance (uh-huh); perseverance, character (yup); and character, hope (huh?).
I mean...I believe You and everything but I don't really see the connection. However, I think I've found a jewel that I'm excited for You to uncover.
Friday, December 15, 2006
moments that still make me smile:
*alison gleefully dancing across the empty dance floor at the 80's club in downtown SD oblivious (or at least appearing to be) that the whole bar was watching her with a mixture of amusement and surprise. of course, as usual i was laughing hysterically in the corner at her big curly haired antics. (and i should add that this dance floor is framed by glass walls...so pedestrians walking by gazes in) haha *sigh*
*joanne...oh there are so many. (seoul, korea) ro, sandy and i are running down the stairs to catch the next subway train before the doors close. but do we take the train on the right or the left? only joanne knows and she's still running down the stairs behind us surrounded by dozens of others running for the train.
we yell and motion to her trying to communicate through all the noise and bodies. we point to the left and she yells out, "narr,narr,narr" haha see...joanne is australian and apparently in australianish when you're in a hurry and can barely hear each other "nar" means "no!" needless to say the three of us looked at her in bewilderment and were like, "dude, does that mean "no"?"
But despite the language barrier we did get on the right train...
*joanne on the dance floor at sandy's wedding. hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. oh that memory will have laugh mileage for years. we were later discussing her "uninhibited" dance style and she made the comment that she hoped that she didn't look like an old man who never gets out dancing around in his cardigan. haaaaahhaha
and you know what-for a while whenever i looked back at that night without even realising it i imagined joanne dancing around in a cardigan. haha
*sandy in her big floppy winter hat...the hat in contrast to her big bubba shrimp lips....something was hilarious about it. especially when she would accidentally scream because of my crazy korea driving and her hat would fall over her eyes a bit. she looked a little like one of the 7 dwarfs. haaha
*(in mexico with our basketball team) ro and i speeding by our dumbfounded teammates in our speedy motorized boat. one of the girls yelling at us that we're supposed to stay in line...and ro and i just cackling evilly and waving. hahahaha Because our tour guide had told us to speed ahead of everyone including him because for some reason our boat was much faster than everyone else's.
*alison gleefully dancing across the empty dance floor at the 80's club in downtown SD oblivious (or at least appearing to be) that the whole bar was watching her with a mixture of amusement and surprise. of course, as usual i was laughing hysterically in the corner at her big curly haired antics. (and i should add that this dance floor is framed by glass walls...so pedestrians walking by gazes in) haha *sigh*
*joanne...oh there are so many. (seoul, korea) ro, sandy and i are running down the stairs to catch the next subway train before the doors close. but do we take the train on the right or the left? only joanne knows and she's still running down the stairs behind us surrounded by dozens of others running for the train.
we yell and motion to her trying to communicate through all the noise and bodies. we point to the left and she yells out, "narr,narr,narr" haha see...joanne is australian and apparently in australianish when you're in a hurry and can barely hear each other "nar" means "no!" needless to say the three of us looked at her in bewilderment and were like, "dude, does that mean "no"?"
But despite the language barrier we did get on the right train...
*joanne on the dance floor at sandy's wedding. hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. oh that memory will have laugh mileage for years. we were later discussing her "uninhibited" dance style and she made the comment that she hoped that she didn't look like an old man who never gets out dancing around in his cardigan. haaaaahhaha
and you know what-for a while whenever i looked back at that night without even realising it i imagined joanne dancing around in a cardigan. haha
*sandy in her big floppy winter hat...the hat in contrast to her big bubba shrimp lips....something was hilarious about it. especially when she would accidentally scream because of my crazy korea driving and her hat would fall over her eyes a bit. she looked a little like one of the 7 dwarfs. haaha
*(in mexico with our basketball team) ro and i speeding by our dumbfounded teammates in our speedy motorized boat. one of the girls yelling at us that we're supposed to stay in line...and ro and i just cackling evilly and waving. hahahaha Because our tour guide had told us to speed ahead of everyone including him because for some reason our boat was much faster than everyone else's.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Monday, December 04, 2006
ISTANBUL, Dec. 4— For every stereotype of a Muslim country, Turkey has a fact to break it.
It has Islamic feminists (a few) and Israeli tourists (lots). Reality dating shows have had the highest ratings on television, and Islamic fashion sashays down Turkish runways.
For decades in Turkey the competing forces of the religious and secular, Christian and Muslim, East and West, were muted, as authorities scrubbed the country of differences while they built a modern state. But Turkey has become more democratic in recent years, and those forces have burst into full view, creating a sort of modern-day identity crisis.
It has Islamic feminists (a few) and Israeli tourists (lots). Reality dating shows have had the highest ratings on television, and Islamic fashion sashays down Turkish runways.
For decades in Turkey the competing forces of the religious and secular, Christian and Muslim, East and West, were muted, as authorities scrubbed the country of differences while they built a modern state. But Turkey has become more democratic in recent years, and those forces have burst into full view, creating a sort of modern-day identity crisis.
Friday, December 01, 2006
nameless teacher
I often think back to this girl that I met while I was visiting a Bible college in Palestine. I don't remember exactly what she looked like, I don't know if I ever knew her name. I just remember that she spoke very good Arabic for an American and that she was around my age.
She was tall and had long blond hair. She had been living in a Palestinian village. And I knew enough about the culture to know that she would constantly be getting attention for her strikingly different looks not to mention that she was a single American woman. I assumed that people in her village would automaticly deduce that she was a "bad woman" and that in turn would make things difficult for her.
Extremely curious about her language abilities and her boldness for living in an Arab culture so young, I peppered her with questions. "Isn't it difficult? Don't they hassle you?" I was basically mirroring all the protests people had imposed on me. I'll never forget her calm, confident answer, "Don't let people's small minds stop you."
I often think back to this girl that I met while I was visiting a Bible college in Palestine. I don't remember exactly what she looked like, I don't know if I ever knew her name. I just remember that she spoke very good Arabic for an American and that she was around my age.
She was tall and had long blond hair. She had been living in a Palestinian village. And I knew enough about the culture to know that she would constantly be getting attention for her strikingly different looks not to mention that she was a single American woman. I assumed that people in her village would automaticly deduce that she was a "bad woman" and that in turn would make things difficult for her.
Extremely curious about her language abilities and her boldness for living in an Arab culture so young, I peppered her with questions. "Isn't it difficult? Don't they hassle you?" I was basically mirroring all the protests people had imposed on me. I'll never forget her calm, confident answer, "Don't let people's small minds stop you."
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Gift monster
On this the night before December I thought it would be appropriate to post gift ideas that steer away from consumerism and stay in the spirit of Christmas by giving twice. First, there's the gift ideas compiled by The New American Dream website. I love their ideas for kids. I think I might try the "make your own bird feeder" with my niece and nephew.
I already asked my niece and nephew to donate some of their saved-up dollars and precious quarters to me so that we could pool our money to buy blankets for Gospel for Asia's missionaries in cold places. (I'll have a link for that as well.) They gave generously and without hesitation. I was so proud of them. Later Joshua asked me how many people we were giving warm stuff to and I said I didn't know. Probably one family I offered. He said that's good because we didn't give that much money.
Gift ideas from New American Dream
Gifts through Worldvision
Ten Thousand Villages (for beautiful, original gifts...LOVE their necklaces)
UNICEF's gift shop
Gospel for Asia
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
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