Psst! Guess what?

It’s 2:30 am but I must say, I really like this girl.

And no, I don’t care how overly cutesy that may seem.

how’d I get so lucky?

So according to Andy Park, God really loves me. I’d like to say that circumstances don’t determine God’s love for me, but I must say my circumstances are pretty good these days. Two things in particular are evident above: I got an amazing job teaching science to kids in an after school program, and I have someone who would go above and beyond to celebrate it with me

Today at the elementary school I was able to get into this activity with the kids where they answer a question I pose to them on paper, then they write me a question and I collect their papers. Then I go home and answer them all, and write them another question and bring it back to them next week. Here’s a sample I got…so cute…

Another circumstance that amazes me is today I got a phone call, and someone told me that they want God in their life and that they are jealous when they see what I have in God.

See, God is so attractive and so evident. He really does draw people to Himself.

just some thoughts

I got invited to an interview for UC Davis’ Master’s program. The only problem is I’m here, they’re in NorCal.

Sometimes hunting wild turkeys is the funnest thing ever. Especially with cool friends.

Sometimes when I’m feeling too busy, all I have to do is look at someone twice as busy as me and I immediately stop feeling sorry for myself.

My neighbors stomp too loud. Luckily noise is not my pet peeve.

I’m starting to see that my family is a little cooler than I originally thought. They’re also a mission field where I’m already an insider, accepted and loved. I need to be more consistent in my prayers for them.

I like…no actually love prime rib and crepes covered in dark chocolate. That’s my new meal I’d request if I had one meal left before I die. That and cheesecake.

That’s all 

the joys of math rugs and being the line leader

I finally got to go have my first day at the elementary school I’ve been placed at. After I got introduced by the teacher (as Mr. McAllister, ha!) a little boy raises his hand.

“Can you write upside down?” he asks.

I was slightly puzzled, and the teacher explains that they are always impressed by her ability to write upside down when she helps them. I walk over and tell him I could try. I ask his name, which is Saul, and I wrote it on his paper. I had to do it in all caps, but that’s something I’m practicing now.

Other than that I got to read my first book to kids in the traditional thumb-and-pinky-holding-open-the-pages way so that they can see the pictures the whole time you are reading. Apparently without this they soon lose all ability to pay attention.

Oh second graders…

Things I’m thankful for lately…

A debate that happened in the December of 2008,

A dream,

A birthday wish,

Three words from God,

And time.

These things have led to me eventually being challenged to be a better man, and I wouldn’t have it any other way 

WI 10

Wow, so the quarter has officially begun.

I can’t believe that I’m almost done with grad school applications, it’s like high school all over again. I’m not working this quarter, but I’m taking 21 units. I’m taking Spanish for the heck of it, but I’m really considering dropping it. Something I’d really like to do this quarter is pour into Urban more and pour into people more. Do you ever get that feeling like God’s up to something big, and you don’t want to miss it? You don’t wanna be trapped in some classroom or locked away learning the dias de la semana or los lugares para vacaciones. What you wanna be doing is engaging with what’s happening in people’s lives, on this campus and in the city.

I feel like that’s the desire of my heart. It’s senior year (in case we didn’t notice yet) and there’s no room for too much stress or busy-ness. Six months left people, that’s it! Maybe it’s time to postpone some español and take a few more pictures, have a few more laughs.

Break

So I just got back last night from an amazing 8-day vacation that took me to Seattle, back to SD, up to Sacramento, to Tahoe, to Nevada, and back to SD.

6 planes in 8 days

The best part was how little it cost me in relation to how much fun I had. I think this was a good time for me to get out of my SoCal shell and remember how big the world is (or at least this side of this country lol). It was also a good time for me to be able to remember what it’s like to mess around with friends and not worry about anything (thanks Andrew, Carla, and Robert for taking care of all the logistics haha). Definitely 8 days that I want to remember quite well.

Other than that, I have just registered for the GRE Yep, it’s what I anticipate to be my last real standardized test thingy. That’s on the 31st, so pray for me for that.

I’m finally going back to Anza. I can already see that my prayers have been working marvelously. Oh, prayer. How can we so easily neglect something so important?

My brother’s already here in Cali. Once I leave La Jolla (and my marvelous internet) here in about an hour, I’m gonna finally see him after 2 years. My family from the East Coast is coming Wednesday night (which is gonna be awkward considering I’ve only met them once when I was seven). And my family from Sweden is coming in a few days as well. I’m gonna see them up in LA after Christmas, since they’re traveling through wine country for a few days.

With that, I’ll leave you with a thought I have every time I fly on a plane. I think that it’s so powerful to look over an entire city, remember that it’s just one city, then realize that with so much going on and so many people, God still knows you. He still knows and cares and listens and delights and….loves.

Hello Seattle

So I’m currently on an airplane headed to SanFran. From there I’m headed on to the city that is known for rain, wind, and coffee. Seattle.

Last night as I was trying to fall asleep I was reminded of how lucky I am. How lucky to be able to take opportunities such as this. To live in a country with so much opportunity…even despite inequalities.

My goal for the next few days is to just take in everything. To be present in each moment and to make memories worth having for a long time to come

Oh, and I’m sitting next to someone cool. I was told to add that

Is it time to grow up yet?

So right when I was pretty much considering myself an adult I decided to head down to the DMV to renew the registration on my car (like most adults do) just to find out that my car insurance has been expired since May and I had NO IDEA. Can you believe how irresponsible I am? I guess I never told them my new address since I moved or something, because it hasn’t even been a thought of mine. And to think I got in a fender bender and luckily the guy took off.

Oh my, I think God takes much more care of me than I give Him credit for. I guess I’ll treat this as an opportunity to trust Him more until I actually get insured. Maybe I’ll do a little more growing up as well.

a quote and a song to tickle your fancy

I ran into this quote and this song today. They don’t have anything to do with each other, but they’re worth sharing anyway 

*click here for the song*

 

“The definition of success–To laugh much; to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one’s self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition.; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived–this is to have succeeded.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson