Buttons (This will change your life.)

After a pretty heavy entry, I decided to go for a much lighter one this time around.

So here is some curious tidbit of information that you may or may not have known! I don’t know who told me this, but someone told me a long time ago a very interesting fact about buttons…

Please note the pictures below:
 

If you are very observant, you will notice two things about these pictures.
1. The one on the left depicts a man and the one on the right depicts a woman. (Duh)
2. THIS IS THE IMPORTANT ONE! …The buttons on the man’s shirt is on the right side of the shirt…while the woman’s is on the left side!

HOLY CRAP! Now, this hold’s true for all shirts I believe, and it’s a surefire way to find out if you’re wearing a women’s or men’s shirt. (Seriously, go check your shirts.)

But more importantly, one must ask why!!! The theory we came up with (we being whoever told me about this phenomenon) was that women’s shirts were designed that way back in the day so they are able to button up their husband/boyfriend/whatever’s shirt with ease…if you don’t get that one, think harder, it makes sense. I don’t really know the true reason, and don’t actually care enough to find out, but if you do, please pass along the information!

 

….Interesting, right? Your life will never be the same. =)

Pick Your Battles Wisely.

Dear Friends,

I hope all is well with you and that you guys are keeping up with each other’s prayer requests and your own spiritual walks.

I must confess that life back home is hard for me without the support system and spiritual accountability that we so often take for granted at NYU. I’m doing my fair share of struggling here in Jersey, as some of you know, and not quite on the ball myself.

Guys, I hope you realize that spiritual battles are waging around us. I pray that AACF and your various churches have equipped you well for the summer. Satan is working hard to get a foothold anywhere he can — don’t think that every obstacle you face is merely a test from God. It’s true, sometimes God is testing us, but when we’re put into situations where we are tempted to turn away from God or compromise ourselves, I don’t believe that’s a test from God! When God tests us, He sees if we will step up in a situation that will further our faith and trust in Him, not whether we’ll fall into sin or not.

I think it’s safe to say that some of the most intense battles are probably fought during the summer…some of you are fighting hard to hold back the enemy. All of a sudden, we’re thrown back into the “real world”; no more large groups, no more small groups (besides some of your churches), and no more daily lunches at Kimmel. The temptations have seemed to multiply overnight! Then again, some of you may be thinking that things are good and summer is easy and you have no idea what I’m talking about. I hope you are right and that all is truly well. But remember that even the smallest compromises we make are battles that Satan has won — skipping those quiet times, disregarding prayer, forgetting about God except for Sundays, not going to church at all, or just plain getting caught up in the busyness or laziness of summer that we forgot to spend time with our Father. The enemy considers all of these victories, friends.

With this said, keep your guard up! Heed Peter’s warning: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.” (1 Peter 5:7-9).

Continue to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). Take a step back from the busyness of life to refortify your barriers and equip yourselves through prayer and scripture. Watch your thoughts, actions, and words, and be cautious not to give even the smallest foothold for Satan to work. As I said to one of my good friends, let’s not be caught in battle with our swords in our sheaths. Take out those bibles and fight the good fight. We need to fight just as hard as the enemy is. Seek out brothers and sisters around you who will keep you accountable and will challenge you.

And remember that we are all fighting right alongside you. Don’t be afraid to ask us for help or prayers — battles are not usually won alone! Oh, and be a smart soldier — know when to flee and know when to stand your ground!

Lastly, don’t be afraid. Be comforted in the knowledge that we have the power and authority of God on our side — use it!
And rejoice! For although we may lose some battles, we have won the war. (Cheesy, I know.) 

-Your fellow sister and soldier.

Nicotine and Gravy (fries)

Song: Nicotine and Gravy - Beck

The edited title of this song sums up a lot of my junior and senior year of high school. Many a night was spent with old friends at Jersey diners with some smokes (remember when the smoking ban was only existent in NY?), mozzarella cheese fries with gravy (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it), and grilled cheese with tomato. It was almost an oddity if I didn’t hit up a diner with my friends on any given weekend. Diner excursions usually started around 11:30pm or later, and often ended with long drives and good…or drunk and silly…conversations.

I think back on these memories fondly - nights when we would just be goofing around and life seemed a bit simpler. I can’t lie - I may have been living a secular life, but I did have a lot of fun. Granted, having fun doesn’t exactly mean I was happy or content with my life.

A lot has changed since those days of nicotine and gravy. Since getting back on point with God last summer, things have become a bit more complicated when I come back home. It’s weird to think that I was almost always the one to suggest having a party and the first to start pouring drinks, lighting up smokes, or helping to make spliffs (even though I stopped toking before college)…and now all of a sudden, I’m the only sober one at parties or playing the role of “DD,” or “designated driver.”

These days, I don’t even stay long enough to drive people home just because a) I have to wake up early for my internship or b) I get tired of people of reverting to their high school self as if college never happened and the same scene could have ensued years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my friends and would love to spend more time with them. But seeing that most of my free time is at night, that’s also the prime time for parties. …And would you believe me if I said I haven’t seen some of my friends sober since I got home from Korea, except for during the HS graduation? Believe it. The scene gets old pretty fast if you’re sober.

It just sucks because I feel like there is a growing rift between myself and some of my friends from high school due to the small fact that I no longer actively participate at parties. Becoming distant with them and having my NYU friends scattered around makes me feel like I’m falling through the cracks.

I guess this is one of the first big tests that God’s set out for me for the summer. How I’ll do all on my own - without Jeff and AACF - in an environment where if I get too comfortable or start to compromise…I’ll revert back to my old self in a second.

—–
Disclaimer: I’m not judging my friends or hating the fact that they party or whatever. After all, that’s the life I led for the majority of my teenage years. I just don’t want to go back to the person I was a about a year ago because I’m not happy with that version of me.

Movie Reviews

Thanks to Korean Air Lines, I was able to catch up on a bunch of movies during the 13+ hour flights to Korea and back. So here are some thoughts on them!

27 Dresses. Okay, let’s be honest, I wasn’t expecting too much from this movie…I just love Katherine Heigl! The entire movie was basically laid out before you even pressed play if you saw the trailer. Nothing really interesting went on in the movie, and it was very cliche. Recommended only if you want to watch an okay chick flick without much substance.
 

Enchanted. I wasn’t expecting too much from this movie either, especially since I heard mixed reviews about it. And…I hated it. I wanted to stop it half way, but I also wanted to give it a fair chance. And I still hated it. I thought the plot was ridiculous, and for some reason I did not like the mixed live actors and animation together…it didn’t work in this movie. And I wanted to punch the main girl. In my opinion, Disney failed, even with McDreamy. Not recommended.

Bella. After watching two pretty crappy movies, I was glad that I finally watched a really really good one. The acting was great, the story was heartwarming, moving, and powerful. Very well done in all aspects. It made me laugh, think and cry! It really is a “must-see.” Definitely highly(!) recommended!

Annapolis. So Jeff and I watched this when stuck in a hotel without internet. And as lovers of “really good bad movies,” we decided to watch it. I think we missed the first few minutes, but the story plot still played out really nicely. It was highly entertaining and definitely made you root for the protagonists. Plus, the cast was made up of a lot of Fast and the Furious alums! Recommended if in a mood for a quality good bad movie!

Definitely, Maybe. Finally, a quality chick flick. Ryan Reynolds and Abigail Breslin made a cute father and daughter duo and there was a good amount of insight into each of the characters. It was definitely an enjoyable romantic comedy, but can you really expect less from the makers of Love Actually? Recommended for a quality chick flick…probably a good date movie.

The Bucket List. I had heard some pretty decent things about this movie, and I wouldn’t say that it fell short…nor did it exceed my expectations. I don’t really have much to say about. It was just a pretty good movie, nothing spectacular. Recommended for a decent feel-good movie.

Vantage Point. This is a movie I was looking to catch on DVD eventually (it didn’t look good enough to watch in theaters), so I was glad I got to catch it for free. And let me tell you, it was highly entertaining and pretty intense. Although it got kind of frustrating to keep going back to the same point in the movie, it was a really interesting way to shoot and present it. And all the pieces came together really nicely to wrap things up. Recommended for a decent action flick.

Penelope. I actually never wanted to see this, but I figured I would keep going on my movie-watching streak on the way back to New York (I eventually watched 6 movies back to back). And to my surprise, it wasn’t bad, actually. It was quite fun to see Reese Witherspoon play a funky sidekick to Christina Ricci also. The plot didn’t get old, but a bit cliche at the end, but remained decent. Recommended for a new take on an old tale. 

Horton Hears a Who. Not a bad take on a Dr. Seuss book. The animation was pretty good, as well as the story plot. My favorite has to be the emo son of the Mayor of Whoville. Jim Carrey also scares the crap out of me, so I’m glad everything was just voice, haha. Recommended for Dr. Seuss lovers.

 

So there are some brief thoughts on the movies I saw. Check some of the better ones out when you can!
 

China and Korea

Two weeks, 6 flights, and 7 hotels later, I can finally say that I have seen my parents’ “motherland” and China!

It was definitely a whirlwind experience, being shuttled from attraction to attraction, changing hotels (sometimes every night!), and taking numerous flights. On top of that, my brother and I were able to meet some of our parents’ distant family (cousins, uncles, old friends) while in Seoul. 

People keep asking me what was my favorite or most interesting part of the trip and I keep coming back to two. The first is being able to see and walk through the demonstrations going on in Korea against the removal of the ban against U.S. beef, and other grievances against the Korean President. The energy at the demonstrations was so high, and although I don’t exactly support or oppose the demonstrations, it was definitely cool to be able to see it, up close and personal.

The other was some mountain that we got to climb in Korea (everything sort of blurred together, so the name is lost on me). Unfortunately, we were on a time limit but Jeff and I were still able to climb to the very top. Fortunately, we also had really good weather and the view from the peak was absolutely breathtaking (and kind of scary!). God’s handiwork is truly a masterpiece. 

We relied on Jeff’s brand new Canon Rebel to take pictures for our trip, and there were some really great shots! Unfortunately, I can’t provide more pictures because Jeff’s hard drive crashed before he transferred them to his external hard drive. But overall, it was definitely an interesting, fun, and exhausting experience, and I’m glad that after 20 years, I was able to see the land my parents grew up in. And at least we have the memories, right?

Basileia

“Basileia”…”Kingdom” for those of you who don’t speak Greek (don’t worry, neither do I).

It’s been less than 24 hours since we left the camp grounds in Saranac Lake, NY where InterVarsity’s leadership and training conference was held.

This year I was part of the “Transforming Prayer” track. To be honest, I don’t think I had too many expectations going in to Basileia. It’s not like I wasn’t excited…I knew that God would meet and speak to me throughout the week, I just didn’t know how. I honestly do think prior to going into Basileia, I had a good idea of how God uses different styles and forms of prayer to speak to us. But these past 6 days gave me a chance to not only get a more definite idea of those forms, but also ways to use them and, more importantly, a chance to exercise them. 

So what did I get out of Basileia, you ask? Well, along with a head-full of new ways to incorporate prayer and fasting into NYU’s Asian American Christian Fellowship and a re-ignited passion for prayer, I came home with a better sense of self. God really used the time I took to listen to Him to reveal to me a lot of things, which include (but aren’t limited to!): my past and how it has shaped how I experience Him, why my prayer life is dominated by interceding for others, and the importance of resting in His presence.

Along with all of that, I got to spend some time goofing around, praying for and with, and getting to know fellow brothers and sisters at NYU AACF, and at other campuses in the NY/NJ region! It was really an awesome week, and I wish I could write more, but I’m still trying to process a lot of it.

Thankfully(?), I think I’ll have ample opportunity to do this during my time in China and Korea, which I will be leaving for on Sunday. I’m not exactly looking forward to spending time in a bus to travel to the various tourist attractions in these two countries, but I know it will give me some time to reflect, pray, journal, and read some books I picked up at Basileia.

Please pray for my family’s safety as we travel and that God would continue to speak to myself and Jeff as we see our “motherland” for the first time in our entire lives! Blessings!

Hello, Summer!

Although I am super super super worried about my grades for this semester, summer is here! 

I promise a better post very soon, but what with my Mom’s birthday, Jeff’s graduation, moving out, and preparing for Basileia and Korea, things seem a bit hectic at the moment. 

So instead I leave you with a link to one of the greatest less-widely known shows that was pulled off the air years ago: Off Centre. It aired during my middle school years, from 2001-2002, and although it was pulled after one season or so, I never forgot it for its humor.

Luckily for me and you, a youtube user recently posted all the episodes at this link: http://youtube.com/user/0ffcentreTV (Previously, only short clips could be found!) 

You’ll recognize some faces, especially John Cho, whom I adore, and Eddie Kay Thomas from American Pie. If you enjoy slightly stupid and slightly inappropriate humor like me, you’ll love this. (Jeff is now a fan as well!) Plus it doesn’t hurt that it takes place in the best city in the world - New York, NY (off Centre St).

So enjoy this gem until next time.

Got the Job!

Praise God!

Got a phone call yesterday from an oral surgeon’s office in Lawrenceville, NJ (right around the Princeton area). And scored the internship by God’s grace!

Not only will I be in the office for three days, but I will also be taking the DAT prep course and continuing to volunteer. Looks like I have a pretty packed summer =)

I’ll be visiting the office on May 15th…and I’m SUPER EXCITED!!! (And so are my parents! Haha.) God is so good! I can’t wait to see what He has in store for me this summer.

I’m in this for the long run and jumping in with both feet.
All for His glory. =)

Career Confusion Catastrophe. (How about that for some alliteration?)

For the past few days…well, months really, I’ve been struggling with my career decision. Prior to coming into college and through my freshman year at NYU, I thought I had it all figured it.

And then Jesus happened.

So with a new career path in mind by the middle of fall semester this year, I thought I had really figured out what God was calling me to do.

And then Jesus happened. Again.

More confused than ever, for the past week I have been questioning and re-questioning my career options. And what I’ve begun to realize is that He has been asking me four words over and over again…”Do you trust Me?”

I kept answering, of course I do, God! What kind of question is that? I was thinking of going into inner-city teaching, doesn’t that prove that I trust You and Your provision? But God kept pushing me with those four words, “Do you trust Me?”

And so, on a rainy Monday on the train ride back home, this is what flowed out of my pen.

Lord, You know it isn’t always easy to follow the path You set before us.
But I give You my desires and dreams,
Knowing that what You have in store for me
Is beyond anything I could possibly imagine.
No more false pretenses, Lord.
I want to give You what You desire and deserve,
my Lord and King.
So take my plans, and make them Yours. 
I ask that Your promises would be fleshed out in my life,
And that I would see the true meaning of living out Your will.
May my life be a holy sacrifice that brings glory to Your name. 
“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord.
Your will, not mine.

Will it be easy? Probably not. But I’m excited to see what will happen next…

It’s nearly finals week…

…so I’m creating a blog! 
Much more soon. :)