01.31.11

Boys, cover your eyes.

Adina Cho of 2011! :)

01.30.11

I can't believe the weekend is already over. Yes, I am updating before 12 AM, surprise surprise! It's because I already know what I want to share. Those girls up there are my best friends: Donna, Kai and Michelle (from left to right). We only see each other like once a month-ish but the time I spend with them is always so life-giving and memorable. We just went to Starbucks for two hours before church and talked and laughed. God has blessed me with really really beautiful sisters. I'm so so grateful for the friendship I have with these girls. I'm so encouraged by the way they pursue their faith and the life that God calls them to live. They teach me and show me so much about God, faith, boys, relationships, future. We want to start a wellness center together when we grow older so we can work together and play together and see each other hahahahaha. We'll see if that's where God calls us, but until then we can dream :)

01.29.11

I can't resist, it's been a while since I've been home (yes, a month is a long time) and there's so many people I want to share so it calls for three pictures! First, I was able to spend some time with my mom. Whenever I go back home, my mom and I always have breakfast at Hot N' Tot and share the veggie omelet. So we did that in the morning and then ran errands and talked about life after college, how we're doing, etc. My mom reminded me again today that I should be more loving to the boss that I despise and that I should win her over with love. And Marie also shared with me a verse today that talks about doing just that (Proverbs 25:21-22). So, yes, I am being tested on love haha.

My grandparents celebrated their 50th anniversary and so we had dinner at our house. It was nice to share a meal with them and talk and laugh and eat. My mom and I got them balloons and my grandpa held it around the house the first few minutes and then said something along the lines of, "What am I, a kid?" and then he let them go.

After dinner Vivian came over and we headed over to Busby's in LA to celebrate our beloved friend, Cat's 22nd birthday! Her birthday is actually the 30th (which is now since it's 12:10). We've been friends since we were 4 so that makes it...17 years! You are a special girl, I hope that you are having a great time with your friends and I also hope that this year is full of joyful times with friends and family and God! :)

01.28.11

Despite the email and talk concerning my "performance management" at work, bumping into Agnes and Chris in the prayer room, talking with Crystal, getting Baskin Robbins with friends, eating sushi with Hana, and going to bible study all made Friday stupendous!

Finally, home sweet home :)

01.27.11

Today Isaiah, Matthew, Elijah and I made a fort using blankets and chairs. It was actually pretty cool and reminded me of the days when Josh and I used to do that. They just sat inside and I put on a movie for them to watch.

I don't like the dark. I never did. I don't like being in the house alone at night.

Thanks Sam Lin for being a pal. Egg pudding was good, yum.

01.26.11

Yes, if you saw a girl obnoxiously waving her camera in the air attempting to take pictures with no flash in the dark...that was me, JUST so I can get a picture for my blog today haha. I related to a lot of things Chizu was a good reminder for me. God is faithful and He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Who He says I am is constant. Thank you, Esther Hao, for praying for me today and understanding what I'm trying to say even though a lot of times it's a jumble of words. Thank you, Jane Lee, for also praying for me today during Harbor's prayer meeting. I'm really encouraged by the way you pursue God and want more of Him in your life.

Breakthrough.

01.25.11

7:30AM at Geisel. Why? Because of midterms. Sometimes I feel like all the energy and time we use to study can be directed towards something more productive. Hahaha but I remind myself that we should be good stewards of our resources.

I've been thinking a lot about love again. We talked about it in community group and I feel like it always comes up. How can we be better lovers? Is it because the message of the Gospel hasn't taken root and has yet to completely transform me? Is it the Spirit and flesh fighting each other? Am I selfish? I am constantly reminded of the sermon from Harbor about how we should love without expecting anything in return and we should love those we don't think are deserving of it. It's hard enough loving the people around us, but loving our enemies? loving those unlike us? loving those who betray, abandon, backstab, and hurt us? loving those different from us? How different would our world be if we were able to do just that?

In moments where I'm unloving and I want to give in to my flesh, I am reminded of this verse.

Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

01.24.11

John 16:33

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

01.23.11

My roommate got me a planner! Wahooooo! :)

01.22.11

God tells me to trust in Him and not lean on my own understanding.

So trust in Him, I shall.

01.21.11

(missing Donna)

Today was so fun! Work, class and friends.

Ate lunch with Esther which was super fun. I love talking to Esther about how God is moving in our lives over sushi. Plus talking about our futures and how we don't really know what we want to do but knowing that God is pushing us towards more.

Also loved eating with and hanging out with Cathy Min, Donna Lee, and Kristina Han. Yummy steak, mashed potatoes, and asparagus wrapped in bacon.

In bible study we talked about what the church should look like.

Then McDonalds (yum french fries!)

Then Sarah's house to play with her adorable, soft, cute bunny named Chewy.

TGIF! :)

01.20.11

Have you ever met my roommates? Aren't they so cute! :)

01.19.11

Power of prayer!

I'm cheating because I didn't take any pictures today but we had a prayer meeting for Harbor and it was nice to get together with other college students and pray for our campus, church, and friends.

01.19.11

After 3 failed attempts of waiting in line for Sprinkles, I was finally able to get some for community group and housemates. I want to try the pumpkin and chai one next time!

01.17.11

I have a new pencilcase!

Thanks, housemate :)

01.16.11

All I ever show pictures of are my friends and food haha. Today was another beautiful day and the message at church about "change" was so good. If you wanna hear about it let me know because I vigorously took notes to share with others. Went to Point Loma Seafood with friends and ate crab sandwich which was yummy. It's nice to just rest at home and be with friends so that's exactly what we did (after some studying, of course). We went to Red Robins to celebrate the return of Joe Ho for the weekend then went back home to hang out.

I'm hooked on Bejeweled. Steph has an ipad and it's so nice to play on it that's all I do. Waste of time.

01.15.11

What a day! Slept in and watched "Marry Me" with Steph and Jeannette this morning. Adina and I drove to Point Loma Seafood but the line was long and we didn't find parking so we ended up at Jersey Mike's Subs. It was actually pretty good! Then we drove over to Amelia and Eric's house to babysit the kids for the day while they went to a wedding in Temecula. It was so much fun. I love hanging out with the boys because they're so full of life, innocent and so imaginative. I love listening to them talk about random things haha. They have so much to say (although sometimes I don't know what they're talking about). It was a perfect day to go to the park and that's where we took the boys after their quiet time/nap. We played on the monkey bars, slides, swings, and sand. Afterwards we walked over to get some ice cream which the boys (and Adina) loved very much. We had some yummy pizza for dinner and watched How to Train a Dragon for the rest of the night til bed. By the end, Adina and I were so pooped we just hung out on the couch watching Secret Garden on the computer. Kudos to parents, seriously!

01.14.11

TGIF! The beautiful weather, the company of good friends and good food makes for a good Friday! It was fun going to Harbor Bible study running around for the scavenger hunt, practicing for the dance, playing jeopardy, and building a tower made of marshmallows and dry spaghetti (go team 8!). Afterwards went to MinSokChon with Adina, Elsie, Jeannette, and Steph. Ate some yummy ddukbokki and fried chicken and came home to watch "Marry Me".

It's so easy to make judgements of people based on what we see and hear. I mean, of course right? But to define a person purely based on a small action, word, or outfit does not say much about a person. I remember while taking an ethnic studies class it was so easy for me to label something as racist but in another class my professor emphasized that each person is complex. It's never simply black and white but that people have stories. So many times I have to remind myself to be slow to judge. I mean, really, who am I? hahahaha

1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

01.13.11

Today was a busy day! But hanging out with friends always makes things better. I got to hang out with my housemates and Lawrence and see Victoria and hang out with the girls at TGIF. I was able to spend time with Adina and Kristie at Kristie's place. She made us some yummy fried rice and tofu and we ate icecream with bluberries. It's always really happy to hang out with Kristie and I'm glad that we're friends! :) I went to the PT/OT meeting which freaked me out a bit because it means that I'm one step closer to leaving college. It's so so weird, I've been thinking about my freshmen year a lot and I can't believe the end is so close. AH!

Today I was reminded of how I am just an instrument. I am merely a tool. I am not the Savior. And then I feel free from all the burdens and expectations of being.

1 Peter 2:21

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

01.12.11

Hung out with Leslie Chin today! Wahoo it was fun to talk about life, why did it take us 3 years? Currently I am eating banana chips with my roommate Adina. Yum, I could finish all of it :)

01.11.11

I left my camera in EJ's car so picture is soon to come! Today we had community group and it was so fun and happy and good. We all went to Cotixans and ate burritos and talked and laughed and took pictures. I love that all of us really want to be there and that we want to share and keep each other accountable and grow in our relationships with God. I'm really excited to see where God's going to take us the next few weeks.

Today after having talked to a coworker and listening to the discussion we had in my ethnic studies class, I thought a lot about the purpose of certain events in our lives and the reactions that they evoke. Like how certain circumstances lead us to lose hope in beliefs that we held on to for a long time or how certain tragedies lead us to grow bitter towards God. What kind of words of wisdom or encouragement can you offer to someone who lost a loved one during 9/11 or someone who gives up on Christianity because they haven't felt His presence? What can you do to convince them that God is still loving and real? Or is that even the purpose? It's so easy to be discouraged so what can we do to uplift those around us and reinstate the Truth that the Bible claims?

Psalm 46:10

He says, "Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth."

On a bummy note, I got a parking ticket :( The one day that I leave my car out instead of moving it to La Jolla Village Drive earned me a big fat ticket.

01.10.11

Us at 12 AM, unable to sleep, just ate a plate of fries, and tom yum soup. I went to bed at 10:30 hoping to get a good 9 hours of sleep but was rudely awakened by my roommate (ahem, Anna) calling me from her room asking if she could take my night pass tomorrow. Can you tell how happy I am?

On a happier note, today was a good day! Spent time at Amelia's place with Crystal, played with the boys, and took home some yummy food. School work is already piling up and it's stressing me out but I'm trying to take things one step at a time. School, I will conquer you!

01.09.11

Today's message at church was really good. Learning to live a cross-centered life rather than a self-centered life is something that I am being challenged in. Being able to love without expecting anything return and being able to love someone who is or is not deserving of it. I loved the time we spent at the women's snack talking to other college girls and to the older women in the church. They are fun, kind, and full of wise words! I'm so blessed to have a community that crosses all kinds of boundaries.

It's also really good to be with friends. To eat, talk, laugh, and study with friends. Steph, Elsie, Adina, Susan and I were at the library but we were falling asleep so we played Monopoly Deal during our study break. Hahahaha, yes I won. Luck of the draw! Afterwards we went to Cafe Hue with Lawrence and hung out for the rest of the night eating and talking. We watched the basketball game and now we're home!

After reflecting on my day I was reminded of God's sovereignty. Of how He is bigger than our conflicts and our thoughts and our emotions. He is God. He knows us and wants what's best for us. He meets us where we're at and wants us to see and know that He is the perfect lover. He calls us to rest in Him and trust in Him and His plans. In due time we will see the purpose of it all but until then!

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.

01.08.11

Earlier today our house was supposed to go to Farmer's Market in Little Italy but we woke up late therefore we just lounged around at home and Adina and I watched the most recent episode of Secret Garden (hugeee disappointment, btw). Later I went over to Soo's house and met up with some girls from church and talked about community groups which was really nice because we were able to share and encourage each other and get to know each other better. Actively plugging myself into Harbor and the college group is a challenge but so so worth it :) Today our house went to La Jolla Stripclub for dinner and then watched Westside Story at the Civic Center in Downtown and it was so good! I loveeee watching musicals! Next up is Beauty and the Beast!

01.06.11

Grace E Lee's Birthday! We went to Heaven Sent Dessert to celebrate Grace's 24th birthday! This was the beautiful, perfect cake that we all ate together. It was a yummy strawberry cake! Saw lots of old friends :) Earlier today I went over to Amelia's house which is always fun because I get to spend time with her and all the boys! I am so thankful for them and the love and hospitality that they provide. Today this verse stuck out to me...

Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

01.07.11

The weather's been chilly but it's been so so beautiful!

Today I went to Horton Plaza with my roommates, did a little bit of shopping and met up the other housemates at Niban. We got together with Grace Kim for dinner because she's taking her CSET tomorrow. You can doooo it!

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ.

No matter the circumstances, when we look towards Jesus and what He's done for us there is always something to be thankful and joyous about. And today I'm especially thankful for the housemates that I have in San Diego :)

01.05.10

Guess where this is??

OVT! My life for two years. I don't know the people in the picture hahaha but this place has lots of good memories! It's where I spent late nights talking with friends (when it used to be open til 1), ate breakfast burritos, met with small groups for dinner before large group. It was so weird to step into OVT tonight because I was probably one of the only upperclassmen and I didn't know anybody! It reminded me of how fast college past by. So much has happened the last 4 years and I can't believe I'm here now. I mean I still have like 6 more months so I can think about graduation later haha. Through it all God was and still is good. He had and has a purpose for everything and everyone that I've met. Just gotta continue to trust in Him and the plans that He has for me. I wasn't able to see it too clearly when I was a first year but each year I'm learning to depend on Him more and more. How did I get from talking about OVT to God? hahahaha

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

01.04.10

Yay! It's Jenn! Today we just hung out at Jenn's house where we caught up on life and ate and talked and laughed and prayed together. She made some Chinese food that her mom taught her to make with some kimchi. Oh, and we also called AAA to jumpstart her car because she left the lights in her car during the three week break and so her car wouldn't start. Haha good job Jenn. Afterwards Steph and I went on a date and ate some yummy dessert at Cafe Hue. Yay for week 1 and play dates and fun before we gotta crack down on some studying!

01.01.11

Happy New Year from my cousin, Elizabeth, and me!

01.02.11

Got back to SD, went to church and cooked some tacos for dinner! I want to start off the new year by taking a photo a day (inspired by Leslie Chin). It'll be nice to look back on good and memories, friends, fun days. It will give me an opportunity to reflect on my day and take in how God is moving in our life. Okay, this photo doesn't really depict "GOD" exactly but cut me some slack. It's not the best picture but doesn't the avocado look yummy? It was part of Annie's "cracka" (according to Crystal) or "crolsa" (according to Anna).

01.03.11

These are my roommates :) (Steph in the middle and Adina on the left)

We reunited today at 4 in the morning after Steph made her super long drive down from norcal to here. We're glad she's back safe and sound to us! I'm so excited for this new year together with them. I've known both of them since my first year in college and we're entering our fourth year together. They bring lots of joy into my life. They know all my flaws and ugliness and yet they still love me and are patient with me. They are both super fun-loving girls with big hearts. I have so much to learn from their child-like outlook on life.

I love you both very much. This year I want to serve and love you girls more. Thanks for loving ALL of me hahaha. I know I can be a lot to handle at times :)