I saw something cool the other day...

...I ran across a blog where, periodically, the writer would list her likes/dislikes for the time being. Its her way of chronicling what she's going through. I decided to do the same, and I love the idea that I'll always be able to look back on these posts and remember different times in my life.

Likes
plaid
being outside
alpha
bike riding
raspberrry mango smoothies
meeting new friends in alpha
Acts
hippie sandals
Lisa Ling
good modmates
deep purple nail polish
Ben Folds' "You Don't Know Me"
Adele's "Chasing Pavements"

Dislikes
mass comm paper
my lack of understanding of what justice looks like
extreme complainers

the best day

I had the most beautiful day yesterday, with my mom. I'm so happy just to be around her and I look up to her more than she'll ever know. She is just so strong and so smart. I was so ecstatic she came to visit me!

She had the day off so she decided to call me and ask if she could come pick me up. Of course I said yes, so she picked me up and we went to a really good lunch at Panera (If you've never tried their tomato mozzarella sandwich or their greek salad, I recommend them both to you!). Then we went and got our nails done, which she was super excited about (as was I!) because she had some extra money to spend on manicures...from her bonus! She was really happy about that, and I am so proud of her. She works so hard despite disliking her work. My family is beyond blessed to have both of my parents employed right now while our country is in so much economic tragedy. I'm so grateful that God is taking care of our family. Well we had a good time sitting next to eachother, chatting eachothers ears off (actually that was only on my end), and getting our nails done. To make the time even BETTER, we got some great laughs while sitting there! Somehow a lizard (or gecko, or salamander, or something) had gotten into the shop and the nail ladies were freaking out! There is no way I could describe this in writing and actually do the story justice, but picture this....a 5'5" woman scared of a 5 inch lizard who comes bursting out of the closet with an upside down broom, screaming she's ready to attack. That's all i'll say. It was comical!

Free from time constraints, we decided to spend some time walking off our food at the mall across the street. We walked and talked, and laughed, and looked for presents for my grandma and my mom's best friend. It was a success! And my mother was elated about that. We had such a wonderful time together. After spending over an hour walking around the mall, my mom insisted it was time for some fro-yo from Yogurtland! How could i say no to that? So, with a full belly, i served myself all the best flavors and fruits (pistachio, original, and cherry vanilla yougurt with tons of yummy fruit on top - heaven!). After we sat and finished our yogurt, we headed back to Azusa, still enjoying our time together even as we drove back to my school. On the ride back, we listened to Taylor Swift who my mom loves (as do I). She showed me one of the songs she liked by her, which, coincidentally, i had never heard before. The song is called "The Best Day" and is about how Taylor and her mom used to have the best days together. That's exactly how I felt on this day. Here it is...

I'm five years old,
it's getting cold,
I've got my big coat on.
I hear your laugh,
and look up smiling at you,
I run and run past the pumpkin patch,
and the tractor rides,
look now the sky is gold.
I hug your legs and fall asleep the whole way home.

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall,
I know you're not scared of anything at all,
don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away,
but I know I had the best day with you, today.

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean.
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys,
and we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away,
and we talk and window shop 'til I forgotten all their names.

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school,
but I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you,
don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay,
but I know I had the best day with you today.

I have an excellent father,
his strength is making me stronger,
God smiles on my little brother,
inside and out he's better than I am.

I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run,
and I had the best days with you.

There is a video I found from back when I was three,
you set up a paint set in the kitchen,
and you're talking to me.
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs.
Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world.

Now I know why all the tress change in fall,
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong,
and I love you for giving me your eyes.
Staying back and watching me shine and I didn't know if you knew,
so I'm taking this chance to say that I had the best day with you today.

incomprehensible

I don't know. I've been having a really hard time lately with something. My question can be answered with a simple statement, but I really don't think it's as simple as some people make it. God has the big picture in mind. God has a greater plan. God has a purpose for everything, right? Then WHY (and I say this with extreme emotion) do people suffer the way they do. Please don't assume I'm talking about myself; I most definitely am not. But, honestly, I was brought to tears last night, once again, thinking about our society here in comparison to societies in third world countries. Of course, there obviously is valid, extreme, suffering, here in America as well, but what breaks me so often is the images i see from foreign, less established, countries. I don't understand what makes America function the way it does and, honestly, how our country has all of this money in the first place. Is it because we have big business to circulate money? Then, why can't we build businesses in foreign countries? Is it the government? I honestly have no clue. But why is it that so many people go hungry, shivering, and downtrodden from day to day?? It makes me so MAD!!! Simple-readers digest version-type answer: Adam slipped up, sin entered the world, now there is suffering. And of course, the ever popular supplement to this answer: God has a plan for everything. So, that justifies suffering? I mean, we have a just God, right? How can I believe He is just when there is obviously so much privilege in the world? And it frustrates me how I go to a Christian school that sings songs of suffering, when I really don't feel like I'm experiencing suffering. And, if i want to be able to communicate God's incredible omnipotence and omnipresence to someone who HAS experienced extreme suffering, how do i do that without ever experiencing the suffering that they have endured? I can try. And as I'm writing this, I feel like I'm answering my own question in this area - What if trying is not enough? Answer: Its not, on it own. With God, its enough. Okay, so I know this is a lot of random thoughts. Forgive me for any errors in punctuation and fragmentation. These are just a few of the things I've been grappling with lately.

Everything i want

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called mighty oaks,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:1-3

Fun run!

I ran my first 5K today! Strike that. Jogged my first 5K today ;) but it was a lot of fun! I hope I can run some more in the future. They're completely manageable - I didn't feel like I was going to die or anything haha. Well that's one more thing crossed off of my bucket list! Hmm...I think I'll post that right now.

1. Go zip-lining
2. Study Abroad
3. Change someone's life
4. Drive on the Autobahn
5. Crowd surf
6. Fall in love
7. Become a reporter
8. Get married
9. Go to Africa/Asia/South America/Australia/MUCH more of Europe
10. Live in France for a while
11. Have kids
12. Ride an elephant
13. Ride a camel
14. Go to New York
15. See a taping of Saturday Night Live
16. Learn to play at least one song on guitar
17. Go to Boston
18. Volunteer in the peace corps
19. Forgive the way I was forgiven
20. Love others the way I am called to love
21. Go white water rafting
22. Run a 5K
23. Own a bulldog
24. Get published in a major magazine/newspaper
25. Live out God's plan

I wrote this almost a year ago, and there's a ton more I plan to add to it (Guess that defeats the purpose of trying to finish everything on the list haha. oh well.) They're not in any order. Some are specific, some are vague. Either way, its just kind of a good guideline for some of the things I want to do with my life.

Yess!!!

Officially figured out the quickest route to my morning classes :) every minute counts when you're not a morning person.

Oh and to make you giggle, here's a video I saw today...

blessed

I am so blessed to have come to APU and to have made great friends here. Almost everyday i realize how lucky I am to have ended up at this school out of the thousands out there. Today's been a great day. I went to chapel and 3 classes, and still have 2 more. It's also Kristen's birthday!! Last night I brought her Reese's and Oreos (her two favorite snacks, by far!) and a balloon :) I also wrote on the mirrors in the bathroom while she was sleeping last night so she could wake up to them and be surprised. This morning I left her a card on her desk so she could read it before school ( I was still asleep of course - NOT a morning person!) and -bonus!- she loved the shirt i got her! I love birthdays! 

This weekend we celebrated both her and jenn's birthdays at the beach! We got there in the afternoon, laid out, played Skip-Bo! Then, at night, we ate and Ruby's and had a bonfire with S'moreos (s'mores made with Oreos!). After all that, we ate cake and ice cream and Kristen's dad's house in huntington beach. Superrrr fun day with amazing friends :) Here's some pics!

sigh..

I think there are very few things that can top a bike ride while listening to ben folds :) I'm a happy girl. Not to mention, its Friday! Happy weekend everyone, have fun and stay safe

Common Day of Learning

Today was Common Day of Learning at APU which means that all classes are cancelled and, instead, seminars are put on during the day that students have the option to go to. There were SO many to choose from. I could barely decide where I wanted to go because so many looked so interesting! I finally decided to go to one called "HIV, Sustainability, Sexuality and Adventure: Lessons Learned in South Africa." It was incredible. I got insight from four students who went on APU's South Africa semester, on the topics of apartheid, women, and children in that country. The images were almost unbearable, and the facts they presented were unbelievably sad and disheartening. 

- 1 in 5 people in South Africa have HIV, and rape is extremely prevalent in this country. Because of this, most rape victims end up with the life long illness. 

-40-60% of South Africans are unemployed at any given time. For this reason, many women enter into abusive relationships with men who can provide money and food for their children. 

-25% of pregnant South African women are HIV positive.

-Of the children born with HIV, 40% of them will not see the age of 5

That is just a portion of what I learned today. It was so evident that the students presenting had truly been life changed. The seminar really inspired me to do the South Africa semester...maybe spring semester of next year? We'll see what God has planned.

The second seminar I went to was called "Successful Teaching: Four Perspectives." This seminar had four students present on different methods of teaching. I really liked the one that focused on kinesthetic teaching, such as teaching students through a song and dance, or having them go to stations, etc. Just anything that gets them moving! I hope to teach at some point and incorporate what I learned today. I'm really hoping to do Teach for America. It would be such a great experience. Waddup Phoenix, Arizona?! 

Great News!

Sometime in November, I went with a few other girls and picked up ten high school seniors from a school in L.A. and brought them back to APU. We showed them around the school and then helped them fill out college apps and the fafsa, because we knew they hadn't had much help from the school in this area. I was assigned to one boy, named Trevor. I found out that Trevor was actually incredibly smart in math, he even tutored other kids, but had a really hard time in English. He had no idea how to start his admissions essay, so this is where I got to help him - being that i LOVE english! We wrote 3/4 of his essay that day, and then he went home, finished it, and sent it in. He just sent me a message on facebook telling me that he is accepted!! hooray! I don't know if he's planning on going to APU, but at least he got to feel accomplished by being accepted to the university. I'm stoked!!

The things i'm thankful for today...

the warm sun i'm feeling right now

the green grass i'm sitting on

the dancing i did earlier (i have a constant jig in my system! just can't dance enough)

my best friend kristen that i'm sitting next to

no-school-days, like tomorrow!!

smoothies...like the one i'm drinking now

a cool breeze

a good book

life's good, with my amazing friends and family by my side and a Savior who loves me and takes care of me :)