DILLY DALLY

2011-12-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!

Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

Henry J. van Dyke, 1907

2011-11-28T13:07:00.000-08:00

If I forget, yet God remembers.
If these hands of mine cease from their clinging,
yet the hands divine hold me so firmly
I cannot fall.
And if sometimes I am too tired to call for Him to help me,
then He reads the prayer unspoken in my heart
and lifts my care.
I dare not fear since certainly I know that I am in God’s keeping,
shielded so, from all that else would harm.
and in the hour of stern temptation,
strengthened by His power.
I tread no path in life to Him unknown.
I lift no burden, bear no pain alone.
My soul a calm, sure hiding place has found:
The everlasting arms my life surround.
God, Thou art love! I build my faith on that.
I know Thee who has kept my path
and made light for me in the darkness
tempering sorrow so that it reached me like a
solemn joy.
It were too strange
that I should doubt Thy love.
Robert Browning

2011-06-22T23:49:00.000-07:00

2011-06-11T23:05:00.000-07:00

2011-06-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

"If I swallow the scientific cosmology as a whole, then not only can I not fit in Christianity, but I cannot even fit in science. If minds are wholly dependent on brains, and brains on bio-chemistry, and bio-chemistry (in the long run) on the meaningless flux of the atoms, I cannot understand how the thought of those minds should have any more significance than the sound of the wind in the trees. And this to me is the final test. This is how I distinguish dreaming and waking. When I am awake I can, in some degree, account for and study my dream. The dragon that pursued me last night can be fitted into my waking world. I know that there are such things as dreams; I know that I had eaten an indigestible dinner; I know that a man of my reading might be expected to dream of dragons. But while in the nightmare I could not have fitted in my waking experience. The waking world is judged more real because it can thus contain the dreaming world; the dreaming world is judged less real because it cannot contain the waking one. For the same reason I am certain that in passing from the scientific point of view to the theological, I have passed from dream to waking. Christian theology can fit in science, art, morality, and the sub-Christian religions. The scientific point of view cannot fit in any of these things, not even science itself. I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C. S. Lewis, “Is Theology Poetry?,” in The Weight of Glory

pray

2011-06-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

Heart Check

2011-05-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a gardener who grew an enormous carrot. So he took it to his king and said, “My lord, this is the greatest carrot I’ve ever grown or ever will grow. Therefore I want to present it to you as a token of my love and respect for you.” The king was touched and discerned the man’s heart, so as he turned to go the king said, “Wait! You are clearly a good steward of the earth. I own a plot of land right next to yours. I want to give it to you freely as a gift so you can garden it all."

And the gardener was amazed and delighted and went home rejoicing. But there was a nobleman at the king’s court who overheard all this. And he said, “My! If that is what you get for a carrot – what if you gave the king something better?” So the next day the nobleman came before the king and he was leading a handsome black stallion. He bowed low and said, “My lord, I breed horses and this is the greatest horse I’ve ever bred or ever will. Therefore I want to present it to you as a token of my love and respect for you.” But the king discerned his heart and said thank yo, and took the horse and merely dismissed him. The nobleman was perplexed. So the king said, “let me explain. That gardener was giving me the carrot, but you were giving yourself the horse.” Prodigal God by Timothy Keller (p60)

2011-05-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

OH the delights of reading the Psalms. A Psalm 40 brief: Answered prayers; Deliverance. Found Hope and Foundation. Leading to Rejoice, Praise and Thanksgiving! . Proclaim! - God is Awesome, Faithful, God is Sovereign, God is Omniscient, God is Holy, God is Good. Jesus is the Perfect Sacrifice! Joy in Obedience. Proclaim! - To everyone, everywhere - God is Love, God is Faithful. Recognition of human depravity and sin. Resulting in Humble Dependence.

The gospel, 'tis so sweet.

2011-04-11T01:01:00.001-07:00

Everything seems special and beautiful on an open Saturday morning.

2011-04-07T22:26:00.001-07:00

A few of my favorite things

maternity shoot - alex & maria

2011-01-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

special thanks to, Alex and Maria for this maternity shoot! :) technically, they're my first "clients" ...

I think I'm understanding better why i love photography! it's SO much fun!
it's easy when you've got a beautiful couple, glowing with excitement and love for their baby on the way!!

2011-01-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

saturday morning good reads.

2010-12-22T12:15:00.003-08:00

2010-09-17T07:33:00.001-07:00

The perfect way to start Friday.

boston sights

2010-09-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

Boston

2010-09-11T23:28:00.001-07:00

Not a photo of the typical redbrick buildings here in Boston, but a
quick snapshot of our view while having a cup of new england chowda in
front of Quincy market

2010-08-29T07:47:00.001-07:00

Heheh...pretending that I'm in Paris...

2010-08-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Creamy pb and a dollop of homemade kumquat jelly atop a toasted English muffin. Dark roast espresso and freshly steamed milk to accompany.

2010-08-25T15:35:00.001-07:00

summer berries. <3 snack time at work.

the dslr in action.

2010-08-21T23:46:00.001-07:00

2010-08-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

i love it when bicyclists make their way into my snapshots. this one makes me want to go back to Yosemite and ride into the sunset.

Summer sweets

2010-08-04T08:49:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite refreshing treats prepped in bite size cubes by
mommy. So many blessings to count.

2010-07-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

i want to sprawl out on a fleece blanket in the middle of a grand forest, and stare up into the trees.

Imagine yourself as a living house.

2010-07-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on : you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of -- throwing out a new wing here, putting an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself. (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity p174)

2010-07-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty sweet ministry!
Phillipians 4:6-7
Psalm 55:22

The songs are so catchy!

I'm sinnnnging to my cells @ work and meditating on these verses this morning.

2010-06-12T23:05:00.001-07:00

Psalm 73

The Lord is my strength and my portion forever.

It is good for me to draw near to God.

2010-06-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

While thumbing through Dave Harvey's "Rescuing Ambition," this stuck out.

"But think about this: If we’re not perfect, then our goals aren’t perfect either. Sometimes we confuse our goals with God’s will. We think they’re the same thing. So an inevitable part of life is the frustration of at least some of our goals. We simply won’t get everything we want or do everything we desire. God has a different plan than simply giving us the satisfaction of a completed to-do list. He frustrates us to change us—to turn our life in a different direction. But even more important, to bend our heart toward the habitual posture of submission and obedience. He gets us off our fast track and onto a lonely train at midnight to somewhere we didn’t plan to go." (p. 148)

The hiccups in life, the suffering, the pain and the trials, the most joyous occasions, the aha! moments, the daily grind, the "coincidences," the why me? moments..all orchestrated by our sovereign and loving God...
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Running the race.

2010-02-24T23:39:00.000-08:00

I've read through the Pauline epistles quite a few times now, and took notice of Paul's analogy of the Christian life to running a race. Not until this month has the analogy come together and become more real or tangible to me.

I give major props to Paul. What a perfectly fitting analogy for the Christian life!

Man, does running take a lot of discipline, focus, and sometimes painful effort. It's an activity usually dreaded by many. And this was definitely true in my case for as long as I can remember. Oh, those torturous middle school mile-runs on Wednesday afternoons - I was so happy to finish in 10-11 minutes and my goal was to not faint under the scorching San Fernando Valley sun. Then, in October 2008 - I set my mind on training for and completing a half marathon (13.1 miles). I had never run more than a mile in my life and then BAM, I needed to make sure I could run 13.1 miles. IT WAS HARD. But, I needed to stay focused and fight off bouts of laziness that would keep me from running. I definitely could not have done it on my own - I had running buddies to share in the struggle, help encourage and keep me on track. Now, as of February 2010, I've finished 2 half marathons and 2 5k races. Since then, I've been consistently and conscientiously setting aside time to keep on running and staying fit. It does get a bit easier, but keeping up endurance still requires daily discipline and commitment. After 2 years of running now, I think my body is finally getting used to it. Dare I say it's even very much enjoyable, especially when new friends get into running and when there are opportunities to explore new running routes.

In a similar way, Christians are registered in a spiritual race. The goal of the race is to win and go toward the heavenly prize. Paul aptly puts it in Philippians 3, "I forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead, and press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (v.13-14) This spiritual race isn't easy or simple either. It also takes discipline, focus, and sometimes painful effort. In 1 Corinthians, Paul says "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things." There is a need to discipline the body and keep it under control and away from sin. In 1 Timothy, Paul's charge to Timothy to flee from sin and pursue a Christian life is clear: "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith." (v. 11-12)

Hebrews 12 reminds the Christian that sin gets in the way of our walk with God, and there are weights that we need to put off to run full speed, and the motivation of our efforts comes from the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and his saving work for us on the cross. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews 12:1-3

Does the spiritual race get easier? I'm not sure I can say it gets easier. Just like how I carve out time to run - I've got to consistently and conscientiously set aside time to keep on staying fit - by studying and reading the Bible. I like Psalm 119:9-11. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." The Bible helps to encourage, guide and direct our paths. Also, Christian brothers and sisters help to point us to Christ and run alongside us. Of course, the Holy Spirit is given to us. Jesus promised us a Helper, Spirit of truth to be with us forever. "He dwells with you and will be in you" (John 14:15-17) The life led by the Holy Spirit results in fruits of the Christian life - "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22)

5 years now, as a Christian running the race - I can assuredly say (maybe this part is different than physically running) that it is enjoyable. There is true delight in knowing the grace and love of my Heavenly Father. And at times when I get weary and weak - it is by His grace that I am pointed back to exactly that - grace! It is not anything that I can do that saves me, or brings me closer to God - but it is by the finished work of Christ on the cross that reconciles us to our Creator and brings us everlasting peace. There is great peace in the grace in which I stand and great rejoice in the hope that Jesus Christ promises, even in hard times because we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 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" (Romans 8:28).

It is especially exciting when new and old friends (the ones that you've been praying for!) are registered and more are added to the race!

It is exciting to look ahead and explore new running routes that God opens up for us to follow him more closely through...

When I reached mile 9 of the last half marathon I ran, I was really happy to see 2 Timothy 4:7 screen printed on the back of a women's t-shirt. When I reach year 9 of my Christian walk - I better be still running hard. And by year 99, I hope to confidently echo the words of Paul: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith!"

whoo hoo. let's run!

Sunset @ La Jolla Shores.

2010-02-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork..” Psalm 19:1

God always there. Unchanging, everlasting love.

2010-01-19T23:43:00.001-08:00

This last 3 day weekend was an awesome one. Besides good times
with friends and fam and a wonderfully long nap on Saturday afternoon,
I had some good time digging into God's word. Luke 15:11-31. This
passage, about the prodigal son, I have read so many times but each
time I encounter it, I am moved close to tears. How deep is the
Father's love for us? How vast beyond all measure? That He would
shower us with compassion and kindness and love and make those who
are not worthy to be called his sons and daughters his treasure?
I love this portion of scripture. Jesus paints such a simple yet
powerful story of God's love for us with it.

Tonight, I was reminded of God's everlasting and unchanging love
through this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0gdpdDLyj4&feature=youtube_gdata
How funny that I found this song title on a sticky note which i wrote
over a year ago at Pauling. It was perfect timing to have found it
tonight. Thanks God for reminding me of your perfect love for me.

Sent from my iPhone

2009-12-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

On my way to work in the mornings, I usually listen to KPBS. Just as I'm turning into my company parking lot at 9am (usually this is when I'm a bit late), a segment called "These Days" plays. Topics range from local issues such as the San Diego water crises to school budget cuts. Today, they invited a local MFT and discussed an issue that many suffer from this time of year - the "Holiday Blues." Listeners called in with reasons for their blues or "mild depression". On their list of causes - feeling left out because others are joyful and they are not, the pressures of gift giving, and even celebrating the holidays too much - prolonging the stress of getting things done, like shopping, preparing holiday dinners, etc. A scientific or biological reason was even given by the MFT - shorter days and longer nights, which slows the body down - which he concluded would be corrected by light therapy.
With all this said (even though some reasons sound ridiculous) - I can't help but to to agree with a few. Sure, longer nights and shorter days may cause a chemical imbalance in our dopamine levels, and yes, stressing out over shopping, preparing dinners and tackling your to-do-list will lead to a bit of the blues. But, the bigger picture, unavoidable question is this - What is Christmas for? What is the true meaning of Christmas? Many people run into the issue of holiday blues, and maybe they just let the month of December go by and then it's on with our busy lives.
I DVRed A Charlie Brown Christmas on ABC last week and just watched it now. I have seen this several times before, but didn't realize until this time around that man, Charlie Brown really wrestled with the true meaning of Christmas! Linus explained it best to Charlie Browne when he quoted from the Bible, Luke 2:8-14 "'⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. ¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He is the greatest gift from God - given to save us sinners from the empty offers of a fallen world and to restore and reconcile us to eternal fellowship with our God! If any emotion is at the forefront of this season - it should be one of Rejoice!

2009-10-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

haha, i like how i post on this blog when i want to share with someone, and there's no one around to share with....

isn't it fun how certain songs take you back to a very specific time and place?

Fun songs of this morning:

mariah carey - without you (so emo, so old school, good!)

keith urban - love somebody like you (i love the banjo and the bouncey beats!)

i <3 summertime with friends...

2009-08-16T14:27:00.001-07:00

especially when we're celebrating birthdays @a delicatessen and learning about jewish culture by eating latkas and corned beef on rye :P

summertime also means more frequent chances to hang with my church sisters

summertime fruits also help the make summer enjoyable... (look at the excitement in the eyes)

some of the best times is experiencing new things together.. like betting on horse racing (and taking picture with the horses when we're not) @ del mar!

2009-05-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

whoa it's been a year since me last post. i'm thinking i should revive this blog!

i love how my tongue glides over my teeth after a cleaning and polish.

flashback

2008-06-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

Remember the days when you'd used to run home from school to catch the number one, Backstreet Boys or N'sync music video on TRL with Carson Daly? Those were the good MTV days. Lots of fun music videos and none of this current-day reality TV trashy stuff. Don't get me wrong, reality TV can be fun. One of my favorites was Real World: Seattle. But reality TV shows have gone downhill, too.

2008-04-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

nuggets of wisdom.

15 The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether he eats little or much,
but the abundance of a rich man
permits him no sleep. Ecclesiastes NIV

18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. 20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. Ecclesiastes NIV

5 The goal of this command is love,
which comes from a pure heart and
a good conscience and a sincere faith.
1 Timothy 1 NIV

all of these things;
contentment
joy
a pure heart and good conscience
a sincere faith
are things that we need - to break away from being stuck in the world and wallowing in "what shall I do next." Well all of this, plus God's grace.

yay, for nuggets of wisdom that start conviction. now, it's about following through.

TRUE Food Coma

2008-04-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

wow, tonight, I experience REAL, TRUE food COMA.
i was fighting off this unbearably heavy feeling in my head, dizziness and trying to pay attention in class. i found myself being startled awake when my neck pretty much bent a 90 degree angle backwards, I hope only after a few minutes into my sleep.

wow. never will i eat animal -style fries and a cheeseburger in one sitting again.

Sincere Chivalry

2008-04-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

This is KEY, guys.
And it can be so SIMPLE.
Just opening doors, and saying a "thank you for your company" at the end of a date.
It'll make your date smile.

:)

think about it.

and then smile again.

:)

Amylin Breaks

2008-04-04T14:21:00.001-07:00

New Haircut + desk with view

(Palm trees = so SD!)

Simon's Durian Birthday Party

That one carton of Durian ice cream stunk up the entire office floor. People walked in asking, "What's that smell??"

just for old times...

2008-04-04T10:23:00.001-07:00

i randomly stumbled across this photo.

it still makes me laugh!!

post-core meeting times were Fun times.

i <3 NECTARINES

2008-03-31T23:08:00.000-07:00

Nectarines consumed (since Saturday 3/29) = 9

go buy them! VONS & Pavillions = $1/lb

Whoot!

RRRrrANDOM

2008-03-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

what is more gross than snails?
baby snails.
SLR + China = i want right now
violin, cello, drums - i want to play or i want someone to play for me!

oh no, a new hire is sitting behind me soon. this means no more quick gchat sessions through the day, and no more watching missed America's Best Dance Crew episodes. and no more RRRrandom blog posts.

"Perspectives" - such an appropriate title for this class...

2008-03-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Monday nights are one of my favorite nights of the week. Every night is quite eventful with classes @ Mesa or Wednesday "Ignite," but Mondays have been a particularly a blessing through what God is opening my eyes to: the amount of unreached people groups and a new, refreshed and thus more powerful perspective on the Great Commission.

God called Abraham and blessed him to be a blessing to all nations, and promised to bless all peoples on earth through him.

Genesis 12
"I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

This task of blessing of all peoples or of all nations is entrusted to us when Jesus gave us the Great Commission:

Matthew 28:18-20
18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

When we take a closer look at the word "peoples," in Greek it is translated "ethne." "Panta ta ethne" is the Greek for "all of the nations" and it speaks of every tribe, people and language in the world.

In class last night, I was amazed to learn the number of peoples and tribes that are unreached around the world, and how they break down into even smaller and smaller groups, when you get into different tribes, dialects, etc. This map was shown with each group outlined in black, and there were so many divisions that from the zoomed out view, parts of countries were completely dark from all the outlines. (I can't find a sufficient map to show, but when I come across one, I'll post it)
In the meantime, check out the numbers..
http://www.joshuaproject.net/great-commission-statistics.php

There are all these different ways to categorize/group peoples...cultural blocs, tribes, regions, languages, etc...

For example, Chinese-Koreans, are a people group that can be specifically reached out to. They have their own culture, traditions, and connect because of all these commonalities http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_in_Korea. When one learns about Jesus, the possibility for others in the group to learn and see Christ is increased, and this people group can then go and form a church, and start discipling people of their group so that there is a movement among that group.

I use this Chinese-Korean example, because my grandparents were Chinese-Koreans. They were a part of that first wave of Chinese immigrants from Shandong, China to South Korea. This specific background of mine helps me to connect with this people group, to understand their traditions and culture, and this is just one example of a door that God opens for me be a part of the efforts to reach out to specific people groups.

Now, at work and everywhere I go, I'm so much more interested where everyone is from and their background. And through conversations about that, more doors are opened for more people groups to know the gospel. There's all these people groups in our workplaces, and gyms, and school because people from around the world flock to the U.S.

This Perspectives class has really been pretty eye-opening and heart-moving. And I think everyone should take it!! Take it for seminary credits or just for a new, refreshed motivation for pursuing your part in completing God's story with the Great Commission!

SAN DIEGO, SUPER CHARGERS!!

2008-01-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

http://www.chargers.com/assets/002/11568.mp3

unemployment produces...

2008-01-08T22:08:00.000-08:00

SOONDUBU!

nothing beats this..

2008-01-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

home-cooked vegetable curry sphaghetti, acrylic paints on canvas and hillsong tunes, and to finish the night off, a fun jam session with Ryan.

now bed time at 10pm.

simplicity. i love it.

GO, GO, GO

2008-01-06T17:01:00.001-08:00

SAN DIEGO SUPER CHARGERS!!!

CHRISTmas.

2007-12-20T00:24:00.000-08:00

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:22-23

I know you gave the world your only Son for us to know your name, to live within a Saviour's love.

He took my place. Knowing he'd be crucified, and you loved, you LOVED a people undeserved.

- "To know your Name" by Hillsong United

"He has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven" Hebrews 1:2-3

Jesus Christ was given to the world so that we may have "God with us," so that we might know our radiant God's every characteristic and are moved by His loving name.

CHRISTmas.

let's remember and cherish our God's gift to us.

"have it your way"

2007-12-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

if i had it my way, i would spend every day taking photos at big events or flower fields. and then come home and paint the night away while listening to jazz or singing along with jazz ballad stars like Norah Jones.

working?

2007-12-11T10:01:00.001-08:00

1-2-3! test

INTRODUCING**** the JEANS WARMER

2007-12-10T17:04:00.001-08:00

winter season is great, minus the part where i have to pull on cold, COLD jeans in the morning. Until I patent this JEANS WARMER product, throwing jeans in the dryer for a few minutes will do.

i love late night, random thoughts! here are a few...

2007-12-06T01:03:00.000-08:00

1. I SERIOUSLY AM CONSIDERING GETTING A TATTOO!! i have a better idea of what, but not so much where.

2. MAN, DO I REALLY LOVE MANDARIN POP MUSIC. i don't know when this happened..i blame first year college roommates and the Chinese part of me that wants to really hold on to my roots.

Wilber Pan, Jay Chou, Harlem Yu, David Tao, you name them, i love their music!

3. WHAT IS MAN THAT GOD IS MINDFUL OF HIM? when more important things in life are put into perspective, they always seem to shine through.

When I consider your heavens, and the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him. (NIV) Psalm 8:3-4

to do lists.

2007-11-29T17:02:00.000-08:00

i've gotta learn how to better tackle them.

nothing like doing something permanant to get boredom out of your system.

2007-11-26T18:48:00.000-08:00

in hawaii a few months ago, i was itching to get a tattoo. i wanted one for 30 minutes, and if i were near a tattoo parlor, it might've happened. my senses kicked in (actually it was more so the realization that i am turning 23 soon and the fact that i couldn't think of something significant to permanantly print onto my body that kicked in), so the tattoo never happened.

during the extended thanksgiving weekend, that same itching again came back again, and when mom and aunts said they were spending the day in the beauty salon, i decided i was going to act on impulse for once and do something differently PERManant (permanant for 6 months or so, at least)

bye, bye straight and long hair.
hello, short hair in curls!

it's new and fun. i think i like it :)

"the asian mom workout"

2007-11-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

that one line, for many 2nd generation folks, will envoke a very vivid, and pretty amusingly entertaining picture.

for those who don't know what I'm talking about, and just to solidify some examples for those who do, here are a few pictures that come to mind:

1) both arms bent stiffly at a 90 degree angle but quickly flailing back and forth, combined with broad quick steps. definitely distinguishable from the classic power walk.

2) (usually comes after 1 and is "cool down" mode) broad, quick steps are still in place, but this time arms are circling in large circumferences on both sides, a few forwards and then a few backwards.

3) if the exercise is done in daylight: oversized visors and caps.

4) and if done in groups: the inevitable chatter of korean or chinese.

i miss home, and this is one reason why.

i think a room can tell a lot about you.

2007-11-14T22:54:00.001-08:00

the pile of clothes on my floor has gotten bigger.
i havn't made my bed since the weekend.
books are strewn across dressers, desk, and the floor.
the guitar case has a layer of dust over it.

the room at this point says: "jen, you need to find more hours in the day or do a better job of time managing."

i think what the room tells is right.

decision making

2007-11-08T10:46:00.001-08:00

i dislike it.

Today's Scent: KIMCHI

2007-10-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

dying cell culture will have many different scents. some scents in the lab i've encountered in the past: Wet Dog, Smelly Feet, Seafood (particularly Mussels and Clams). Today my good ol' olfactory senses picked up a new, familiar smell. KIMCHI. it's 11:42 AM and i'm ready for lunch! yum!

11:50PM Friday Night Thoughts.

2007-10-26T23:49:00.000-07:00

what a great day. rushed, but good. i want to just lay sprawled on the floor with paints. i still have to learn the art of using oil pastels. i still need to do several other things which could be deciding factors on larger, more important factors. i love music. i hope that this weekend will be a good one. i think living by this truth will in fact be rewarding:
"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25
my thoughts are messy. i know what'll help.

healthy hands.

2007-10-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

just a few weeks ago i bought pink latex gloves for dishwashing. they've been put into good use. i was happy to see my housemate trying to pry them off her hands after some vigorous dishwashing. they always seem to get stuck. anyway, my thought is (which could totally be the influence of my mother): a women's hands should be well taken care of. they're supposed to feel smooth and not look so worn down. the gloves help. being like me though, you end of with lots of little scars and alas..imperfections all over the hands. argh. especially the left one. what a stinker. process engineering is no help. i wonder if process engineers develop arthritis more readily. today a man shook my hand hard. it cracked in 3 different places i believe.

HOW TO: Steam buns in a Microwave oven.

2007-09-27T14:52:00.000-07:00

Frozen:
1. Wet 2 sheets of thick paper towel with water. (Note: Make sure towels are damp)
2. Wrap around green onion bun, pork bun or whatever 99 ranch bun you'd like.
3. Place in microwave and heat for 1 minute, 30 seconds.

Refridgerated:
1. Follow above steps, but Heat only for 30 seconds.

Please note: Paper towels are hot when removing!

bacteria in my yogurt

2007-09-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

ACTIV8
that's the catch phrase of the yogurt i just had for breakfast.
it stands for 8 different live bacteria cultures in the yogurt and on the carton, it was claimed proudly.
the yogurt almost came back up.
but then i reminded myself that there's bacteria everywhere!
cheese and yogurts especially.
YUM!

straight up black

2007-09-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

with one packet of sugar.
that's how i like my coffee.

Wintery Feeling.

2007-09-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

winter's almost here. hints of it are everywhere and i can feel it.
the feeling is enhanced by the chilly breeze making me shiver all over while walking to my car after work.
and then it's topped off by eating two sweet persimmons from home on the couch, with the dim overcast view of the outside in the window ahead.

SING-A-LONG.

2007-09-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

i've caught myself singing aloud at work, while listening to my ipod.
as soon as i catch myself, i would stop.
i think i would enjoy seeing my co-workers getting into their music.
so, i've decided to hum and quietly sing aloud freely.