hurt.. but i'll get over it

"it was really good seeing you that one sunday. hope you've been well."

"rofl"

"why are you laughing? are you laughing at me?"

"yea, i'm laughing at you. you're a joke."

"but honestly, it really was good seeing you."

"right."

.... that. hurt. a lot.

i've never, ever been called a joke.

why that person said what s/he said... i won't understand. nor will i forget it.

but i'm not going to let it get to me. if one person thinks that i'm a joke, then clearly, i need to step up my game and strive to be a better person. it was definitely a slap in the face, more like a nail to the heart. but i'll take it and use it to my advantage.

not just for sundays

i started something new this year -- something that i always found to be boring and for "old" people. i started listening to sermons in the car on my 25-35min drive to my tutor kids' place. i'm not sure how it started... but i felt like sunday sermons weren't enough. i wanted more. this sudden thirst for Christ came so unexpectedly. i selfishly wish people could listen to the same messages as me so that i have someone to talk to about them, haha. anyway.

if you ever get tired of the same songs in your ipod, i recommend checking out pastor miles' (from the rock church, san diego) sermons. i really like him, his humor, and his persona. but most importantly, i like how he's a real man of God. his sermons are available on itunes and they're free! and if you have a short attention span as i do, you're in luck -- his sermons aren't very long :)

think good thoughts

i get so caught up in mindless matters that i pollute my head with garbage. i probably think about such trivial things more often than i should. but i can't help it; random things just pop up. my brain is so active yet my body is so lazy. what the heck -.-

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things. -- Philippians 4:8

convicted

no matter how long it takes

no matter how hard it's going to be

i'm going to keep going

and not give up

because i want this

i really want this

and in the end, i'm going to succeed

you'll see.

i'm going to succeed

if i weren't...

one day, i was thinking to myself that if i weren't a christian, i wouldn't be friends with the majority of those whom i'm friends with now. if i weren't a christian, i wouldn't bother to smile, say "hi," and hug people who i don't really know. if i weren't a christian, i wouldn't spend my time having one-on-ones. if i weren't a christian, i wouldn't care about the brokenness of my family. if i weren't a christian, i would judge everyone and be jealous of those who are rich, beautiful, thin, and successful. if i weren't a christian, i would hate on a lot of people.

if i weren't a christian, i wouldn't know what love is. what joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control is.

thank You, Father, for showing me all these things. for i am your daughter.

this is what it should be

"Happy Valentine's Day! 사랑하는 사람에게 사랑을 전하는데 그치지 말고 사랑이 필요한 사람에게 사랑을 전하는 날로 만드세요"

-- sean of jinusean (yes, the korean hiphop duo. i follow him on twitter, haha!)

never stop showing love to your loved ones but also make this day where you show love to those who need love.

"So I asked my children, 'So guys, who's your valentine tomorrow?' One of the girls said, 'JESUS!'"

-- a brother who teaches sunday school at church

mm :) i really like both of the above :)

fortune-teller

my friend and i are really indecisive when it comes to choosing a place to eat. for our next date, she told me to make the "hard" decision. actually, she commanded me to decide. gosh, how rude! haha just kidding. as i was complaining on her fb wall that i didn't want to decide, this (the picture above) popped into my head. paper fortune-teller! i haven't made these since i was in elementary school. my oh my, what fun memories :) my friends and i used to make these all the time. we would write things like, "you will have a great life," or "you will be rich," or "someone likes you." we were pretty smart kids, though, because we knew that not all fortunes are good. so, we made up bad ones, too -- "someone doesn't like you," or "your crush doesn't like you," or "something bad is going to happen during recess," etc. hahaha. anyways.

i made a fortune-teller today. i really like it. and i'm pretty proud of it ^___^

i'm turning 24 this year, and i made a paper fortune-teller to help me decide on a place to eat with my friend. oh dear!! hehehe~ dear reader, are you rolling your eyes at me?? hahaha!! no matter how old i am, i will always be a kid at heart :)

sunday

today was my first church service for 2011. i haven't gone to church since the 19th of december. it's been way too long...

today was simply amazing.

i was so happy.

to be united with God's family

worshipping Him as one body.

i was reminded and rebuked.

of how the Lord's day is so important.

the one day out of seven where all believers come together

to honor Him. and sing praises to Him.

i was so delighted.

to see everyone in high spirits.

to hug those whom i've dearly missed.

to hear everyone greet each other in their own special and distinctive way.

what a perfect sunday...

thank You :)

before i take a cozy nap on this beautiful, sunny day, here's a song that fits perfectly with my entry. thank you, friend, who introduced me to this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm3aCyRD3Vg

Craig Morgan - That's What I Love About Sunday

Raymond's in his Sunday best,

He's usually up to his chest in oil an' grease.

There's the Martin's walkin' in,

With that mean little freckle-faced kid,

Who broke a window last week.

Sweet Miss Betty likes to sing off key in the pew behind me.

That's what I love about Sunday:

Sing along as the choir sways;

Every verse of Amazin' Grace,

An' then we shake the Preacher's hand.

Go home, into your blue jeans;

Have some chicken an' some baked beans.

Pick a back yard football team,

Not do much of anything:

That's what I love about Sunday.

I stroll to the end of the drive,

Pick up the Sunday Times, grab my coffee cup.

It looks like Sally an' Ron, finally tied the knot,

Well, it's about time.

It's 35 cents off a ground round,

Baby. cut that coupon out!

That's what I love about Sunday:

Cat-napping on the porch swing;

You curled up next to me,

The smell of jasmine wakes us up.

Take a walk down a back road,

Tackle box and a cane pole;

Carve our names in that white oak,

An' steal a kiss as the sun fades,

That's what I love about Sunday,

Oh, yeah.

Ooh, new believers gettin' baptized,

Momma's hands raised up high,

Havin' a Hallelujah good time

A smile on everybody's face.

That's what I love about Sunday,

Oh, yeah.

That's what I love about Sunday,

Oh, yeah.

111

woah.

"2011 has 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11. Take the last 2 digits of the year you were born + the age you'll be this year and it will = 111"

i don't know if i'm just being easily amused, but i find this soo cool.

first phone call :)

trying to be a loving daughter.

called pops yesterday, during my lunch break from doing taxes.

it was my first time calling him for no reason.

he answered the call when he was coming out of the bathroom at costco.

hahahahahaa~

he called me today when i was eating lunch.

it was his first time calling me for no reason.

he called while he was walking around quarry lakes.

(it's a recreational park/lake in fremont, norcal).

2011. what a good start to a new year.

happy lunar year. rabbit year.

1987'ers: you know whatsup.

2010 taxes

today was my first day of volunteering to do people's taxes in downtown sd. i am so happy to say that it was super fun! my first client's taxes were simple to do, but my second client's taxes were a bit trickier -- even the person-in-charge was perplexed at the situation. thank God for the supervisor who came in right on time and helped us! :) my third client didn't know how to speak english, but it was still A-OK because her son was there to translate for us.

i'm so thankful for this hands-on experience. it's so much more interesting and insightful to actually do returns rather than just reading and studying about it. yay! :)

now, if only i could exude confidence and learn how to be more interactive with people. stop being so shy, sahleenah!!

VITA/TCE

volunteer income tax assistance/tax counseling for the elderly

as of today, i'm certified to volunteer for the VITA/TCE program :) this program is run by the irs and it offers free tax help to those who have low to moderate income, and to people who are aged 60 and older. basically, i'll be doing taxes for the sd community! whee!~

my first day of volunteering is this thursday. i'm incredibly excited and nervous to meet my first clients. i hope i don't mess up! :)