No longer a T.A.

I've always loved assisting. I think God made me special that way. From being a Program Assistant (PA) to a Resident Assistant (RA), from a Administrative Assistant (AA) to a Teacher's Assistant (TA), I've enjoyed them all! I'm thankful for the various jobs and positions God has given me in the past (even that slightly horrid stint of being a Loan Processor.. *shudder*), and I believe that all my experiences in those workplaces will bring Him more glory in the future. Not just in knowing how to do things, but more in being able to interact with people and learning how to love people.

Anyway, enough about that, I just wanted to update that yesterday (March 26) was my last day of being a TA, a job I've been at since I graduated UCLA in '07. I will definitely miss the teachers, the kids, the job itself, the random surprises and treats we get for working there because the parents are ridiculously rich... :)

I also feel like God blessed me to be successful at this school. I grew in favor (not stature though) with teachers and kids, completely by His grace. I pray that God will use my life to impact these teachers and students (over 100 of them over the years, to be exact) for Christ.

So what will I do now that I'm jobless, for the first time in maybe 9 or 10 years? I'm hoping to spend at least three solid hours of devotion each day to help me prepare for the adventure ahead. I also need time for logistics, fundraising, etc. New chapters are beginning already :P. Excited.

The Lord is my Shepherd,

I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures

He leads me beside quiet waters

He restores my soul.

A pregnancy, an engagement, a wedding...

In the past two days, I've received news of each-- I have to confess, one of the things that was hard to let go when I decided to move overseas was knowing that I'd be missing out on such important parts of my friends' lives. I'm so happy for all of them (and all of you since I know big and exciting things will happen in the next two years), and I pray that my age-old dislike of "missing out" will be overshadowed by the mere joy of knowing that such great things are happening in my friends' lives. Thankful for a chance to be a part of my dear sister Alvi's wedding in May and excited to see how I can continue to walk with those I love so dearly, even when I am so far away. :) Praise God for these challenges, too. Makes Him all the more worthy and beautiful.

Oh life. :)


congratulations!!!!!! AHH! :D

Things to Appreciate...

Recently, I was thinking about the things I'm going to miss when I leave. Instead, God told me to think about it as things I should appreciate while I'm here. Though things will be different overseas, the blessings will just be in a different form. So here's to appreciating the things in this "American/SoCal" form:

* Meeting up with sisters: I just realized what a blessing it is to have known these girls for so many years and to be able to speak into each other's lives. It's such a blessing to have been a part of people's lives and spiritual walks. Also realized that it's a blessing just to be able to communicate in English and understand one another in our struggles, triumphs, confusions, etc. I think I appreciate this more now. :)

* Green lawns: I appreciate the way America's suburbs have lawns. It's something simple, but something that's pleasing to the eye. I'm not so much a city person, so it's nice when I walk to work in the "neighborhood" and see all the nicely manicured lawns (it's Bel Air, what do you expect?) and the landscaping/fountains and such hehe.

* In-N-Out: Yum. I guess this category could be all great foods that I enjoy here in California. Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican, Japanese, Italian, American, Ethiopian, Indian, Thai, Persian, etc. All so good! Praise the Lord for cuisines-- I appreciate them very much.

* Driving: Yes, I admit, sometimes I start to get tired of driving because I have to drive constantly in LA traffic for ministry. But really, I love driving. Driving is so fun! I love the power and control you have in a car, as well as the danger (that's the reckless side in me). I love the smoothness of going from one place to the next and the fun you can have parallel parking or reversing. I am a driving dork.

* Cooking/Supermarkets: I appreciate the convenience and variety of things we have at the supermarket, allowing our cooking to be delicious! Something as simple as taco seasoning or ginger make a meal delicious. We can have any kind of soup we want, instantly! Lol, I sound so ... post-modern. Instant everything! Just kidding, I'm not that crazy about pre-processed/prepared things, but I just think it's cool.

and of course the list goes on... Thankful to have a list of things to appreciate though. Thank you, God!

"Let them praise his name with dancing..."

"...and make music to him with tambourine and harp." ~Psalm 149:3

I really enjoyed Psalm 149 recently, because "the Lord takes delight in His people". But I also really liked how we're called to praise him with dancing. And to make music to him with tambourine and harp but I don't have access to those instruments. I realized that I like dancing. Granted, I can't dance, especially like the "cool dancing" where people look really cool. But I like dancing--and because of Jesus, I feel free to dance even if I look really stupid. Dancing to praise His name!

Anyway, "Life is a Dance with Jesus"... I was thinking of "Adventures with Jesus", but I think this is more appropriate. I don't know anything about dancing, but to me, it's kinda scary/nerve wracking because I always feel like "I don't know how to", but once I let loose, it's just fun and joyful! I guess that's how I see life with Jesus right now. It's kinda scary/nerve wracking because I feel like most of the places/things He leads me to are unfamiliar/challenging, but once I let loose in the Spirit, I see that it's really joy-filled.

I'm not much of a writer, and I'm not too great with consistent updates...but let's dance!