Jesus said: "Foh-gedda 'bout it."

Matthew 6:26-27, 34

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

...Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

2 things:

1.) When I read this passage I think of Psalm 46:10; "Be still and know that I am God." Why does God tell us to be still? Because God is absolute ruler of all the universe and is sovereignly in control of all things. He alone is the Creator (Gen 1:1, Ex 4:11) and since He is the originator of everything (1 Chron 29:11-12, Ps 33:10-15, Job 42:1,2) we should rest assured that things are in their proper place. God's plans never fails because He is a perfect God. And because He is perfect, God always keeps His promises. In the passage in Matthew 6, Jesus emphasizes that if God tends the creatures of Earth, how much more so the pinnacle of all His creation? God knows every intricate detail of every human being on Earth. For those that He has called, that He loves as sons and daughters in Christ, He has promised them that "all things will work together for good." So why worry then? Easier said than done, right? I throw up my hands and say "why worry??" It is so foolish to fret when there are clear evidences in my life of God exerting His absolute and perfect control in seemingly horrible situations. Why worry...

2. ) If we worry about the future too much, without dealing with the current problems we face on a day-to-day basis, we worry ourselves into a frenzy. This is especially true of women, as we are prone to think about our lives 6 months from now, instead of thinking of...now. We tend try to be one-step ahead of God, making sure all the bases are covered. Trying to plan every single detail of our lives. Wanting to control everything. How silly. "Each day has enough trouble of its own." I have realized that worrying about what tomorrow will be like makes it hard to see how God is revealing His glory today. I just miss out sometimes and fail to see God's goodness and His blessings everyday because I become consumed with worry about the outcome. God already has the outcome figured out. I just need to focus on submitting to Christ every moment of everyday and...life will work itself out. All for the glory of GOD!

peace.

To be or Knott's Berry...

Yeah, I know that was bad. Sorry, I couldn't help it.

Today my friend Jennie and I went to Knott's for free! She's an EMT at Care Ambulance and the company wanted to show their appreciation by giving all the EMTs (and their friends and family) a day pass to Knott's Berry Farm, which also included a yummy ribs/fried chicken all-you-can-eat-buffet for dinner.

The day went pretty well, except for the fact that I am a pansy when it comes to roller coasters of any kind, or any ride that is even remotely close to a "thrill" ride. I do not exaggerate when I say that I absolutely abhor roller coasters. I hate, in the strongest sense of the word, that feeling that I get in my stomach when I'm plummeted against my will at 40-60mph towards the ground. Yeah, no thank you; I don't like feeling as if my innards are being compressed in a trash compactor, or...picked up like a wet wash cloth and wrung out to dry.

Unfortunately, riding those "thrill" rides was all that seemed worthwhile doing at Knott's Berry Farm--since it lacked the charm and pizazz of the Happiest Place on Earth. And Jennie, whom I assumed to be docile and un-adventurous, wanted to go on most of the roller coasters. This obviously posed a problem. She tried to convince me by saying that it was good pain. I dug my heels in the dirt and said "Heck No." Every time I walk out of the Tower of Terror (I've gone 3, maybe 4 times) I always wonder angrily as to why anyone enjoys that sort of thing...

I somehow managed to bend a little. Though not as much as Jennie would've liked (sorry). I went on the Silver Bullet, the Whirlwind and...well, yeah that's about it. When Jennie suggested the GhostRider, I almost passed out. I'm glad Jennie and I are such good friends and that our friendship is not contingent upon how many roller coasters I ride (or not ride) with her.

In other news: Jennie and I got to see Wall-E for free! After Knott's, I drove Jennie's car (cause she was eating pie in the passenger seat) to downtown disney and then stood in line at the AMC to buy our $10 ticket for the 7pm showing. Suddenly out of nowhere (or so it seemed), a kind-looking gentleman approached Jennie and asked if she wanted a couple of free tickets for Wall-E. Uhm...did he have to ask? Of course we did!

Interesting enough, the tickets were for a "private party" in Theatre 8. Apparently, the ALA (American Librarian Association) was having a conference in Anaheim and as part of their reward for being great and dedicated librarians, they were all given tickets to see Wall-E for free.

Random? Yes. and Amazing.

it worked!

I've been trying ever so fervently to get my new header up for this blog. I've been trying all-day! Well that's a lie. I managed to squeeze in a chic-fil-a run and worked at the coffee shop for a few hours. However, when I came back--and as pathetic as this may sound--I went straight to my laptop to conquer the reluctant header. It doesn't surprise me that I would be this resolved about something so insignificant.

Anyway, after whining and complaining outloud, and stomping my feet a few times (when I'm tired, I tend to not have a filter for proper "adult" behavior), the darn thing finally uploaded! And it's there! Up there! Do you see it? Isn't it cool? It's my baby. No, just kidding. Well, I wish I was kidding.

In other news: some of my favorite "regulars" at work are an older couple who come in every day at 7:45pm or so. They're a little OCD about what they order but I don't mind because whenever they come in they bring their 2 little pet birds: a green parakeet and a white cockatoo. The birds' names slip my mind at the moment, which is unfortunate because their names are quite interesting. Anyway, the birds just sit on their respective owners' shoulders and walk casually up and down their arm. Sometimes they walk across their shoulders to the other side of the arm. Imagine that scene, while I'm trying to get their order. It's a little distracting. My co-worker thinks this is the weirdest thing she's ever come across. I think it's the coolest thing ever (of course, I also asked the couple if they were undercover pirates. They didn't quite get what I meant, which was unfortunate).

I tend to be really drawn to things that are eccentric and contrasting from whatever is considered "socially acceptable." I say, if you have the means, determination and gusto to be different, by all means, do it! Be different with the utmost sincerity! If you're chock full of idiosyncracies that are inexplicable, then we should be friends...

ok goodnight!

I am about to hurt someone...

I worked all morning on a new blog header/banner for this site, however, blogger won't let me upload it. It's really frustrating. In fact I am so annoyed so that I have given up for now--hence the extremely plain, extremely boring layout of my blog. I wonder why I decided to clear the HTML of my previous blog settings without saving it. Obviously not a wise decision on my part.

It would be better, if I didn't care. Unfortunately, I do. GRRR.

(it's ok if you laugh at my pain. go ahead. i'm sure i'll find this funny in the morning. i'm going to go play guitar now or something)

The Valley of Vision

I have come to a sobering realization that in my lowest, most vulnerable points, God is still all the more greater, and that I see Him so much clearer when life is clouded by doubts, failures and un-certanties. Granted, that this may not always be the case. Most people who face trials in their life find that their assumptions on who God is are thrown into obscurity. I fall under that category. However, this morning I realized that if one were to take the time to fully examine their pains and troubles, one can see God's presence in all of it, even if God's intended purposes are not made immediately clear. Isn't it true that after further reflection that we do see God's goodness in all things?

The following is one of my favorite prayers from the Puritan prayer book with the same title. It has been a great comfort to me and a great reminder of what my attitude should be like as I live this life and take up my Cross, to follow the One who died for the sins of the world, so that I may have life and have it abundantly.

The Valley of Vision

LORD, HIGH and HOLY, MEEK and LOWLY,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by the mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from
deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.

Another hole in my nose...

This morning, I woke up fully determined to get my nose pierced. So, shortly after work, a friend and I headed over to Nothing Shocking (a Christian tattoo/piercing parlor in downtown Fullerton) to get it done.


the after-picture:


...I know you can barely tell in this picture. If you look closely, it's on the left side of my nose. It seems like I should've had a nose piercing all along. I'm quite content with it. Though I doubt that my parents will be. Being old fashioned and quite close-minded when it comes to things like changing one's hair color and piercing one's nose, I know that they won't be very happy. I'm sad about that because my parents will assume that it is a latent act of rebellion, which isn't true. I'm 23 years old. I am living on my own, in a house four hours away from home. I'm a big girl.

I know that my parents will eventually get over it. They were able to adjust to the fact that my hair is reddish-brown instead of it's original black. It's only a matter of time.

...till then: Viva La Nose piercing!

[edit: if this nose piercing will cause too much grief for my parents, i'll remove it. keeping the bling on my nose is not worth a lifetime of dissension]

Harrumph.

(above: "When name badges attack!")

It's only Wednesday and I've already worked 30 hours (woo!). I don't mind it, really. But I am SO tired.

that's all. Nothing too profound, eh?