School is over and spring is in the air.

This year has been a roller coaster ride of events and the emotions to accompany it. It was something, I tell ya. Studying this semester for finals were a dread. I don't think I've ever felt so "dragged" to study before. I thought I lost my motivation and fervor for things, but God comes in again to hit me on my head. This life is not my own.

So looking back on this year, I have prospective changes for the next. Let's get my act together and do it right. Study hard and play hard and pray hard. Don't mess this up again, Helen.

On the funnier, lighter note:
So yesterday, I was finalizing my plans to go back to Ann Arbor a few days earlier to take my optional final exam on Wednesday. So, I changed my original flight to go back from Friday to Wednesday. But, lo and behold, I find out that my final exam was actually... today! I spent money to change a flight to spend less time with my family. Hip hip hooray!
And, on top of that, my orgo 2 grades came out. Another, hip hip hooray moment.
+a bunch of other stressful stuff.

Buttttttttt amidst these things, I'm still joyful because God redeems all things. And He already is redeeming. So Hallelujah, Lock and Load!

a thousand words in one

Awesome picture, huh? I came across this photo on the New York Times. It was an article about the first dog, a cute Portuguese water dog given as a gift from Senator Edward M. Kennedy and his family. The dog's name is Bo.

I don't know why, but this picture means so much more to me than just a photo of our president running alongside with his dog. There are so many layers- I see aspects of fatherhood, leadership, love, and just another reminder that he's just as "normal and regular" as you and me.

This dog signifies the love of a father for his daughters as he fulfills a promise he made to them- that they would get their first pet if he were to win the presidential election. And, so he did. But this photo means so much deeper than that. Beyond his presidential role, it shows his new found role as a father to his dog. Every time I look at it, I can only equate it with images of a father running alongside with his daughter. A picture I haven't seen all too much in my own life. Yet, I appreciate and love my own father for the effort and time he put in to working those long hours just to put food on our table, to put clothes on our backs, to send my brother and I to college, and to provide a comfortable life for my family to the best of his abilities. Images of him working so hard in the back of the store, to the point where his back is so sore and his hands overworked, flash into my mind countless times. All I can say is: yes, my dad is pretty freaking awesome. That's when I look back and condemn myself for being such a brat, greedy, good-for-nothing daughter, but just like my Father's love for me, I know my dad still loves me unconditionally despite my selfish ways. If only he understood the extent to which God is extending out His hands of love to him as well...

You alone

For 19 years of my life, I've grown up with the Christian culture: Jesus being the Son of God and dying for our sins and coming back to life, but I never saw it as an event worth celebrating so hard and with so much gratitude for. I never really understood the depth and the meaning behind the cross and what it symbolized, what Christ did for us. But, I see why now. I see why Easter is the most pivotal event of the year for Christians. I see how the Gospel is being actualized through the cross-both death and Resurrection. I see why we're called to evangelize, why people are on fire to spread the Gospel once it has been made clearly to them. If you have something so great and so precious, wouldn't you want to share it? If you had the best news ever, wouldn't you want to share it with just about everyone you see? Yes.

He came as King, but made himself a servant. He went lower than a servant, He became a servant's servant. A servant to such dirty, wicked, and worthless people. Who does that? Instead of rightfully owning up to His title and throne, He CHOSE to dethrone Himself. When do you ever see that? He could've lived comfortably, but He didn't. He chose to live just to die for me, for you, for us and He does it over and over again every day because He loves us and because we fail to obey and sin.

Thank you for the cross and the precious blood that stains it.
______________________________________

"My greatest joy is within Your presence
Where the love You gave saved me
And my most treasured times are in the stillness
Where Your loving arms hold me

Cause You're all I want
You are all I search for
It is You I've always longed for"

Sometimes, I wish melodies had words.

Looking back

What is it about looking back at pictures that tend to spark a part of our brain to recollect and remember everything from the moment that photo was taken. What is it about that particular moment locked in time that brings us back to the exact time, place, and even the emotions we were feeling. What is this affect about photos?

Isn't it intriguing and so spectacular that every momentous event in our lives are not only written down through books, or engraved in our memory, but it's frozen unto a piece of paper. So what's the point of me writing this? I was looking through some albums I posted up on facebook: albums of my first-ever family vacation to Florida, my trip to India, freshmen year, prom, and so on. Flipping through each picture sparked many new yet nostalgic feelings. Ah, the good times eh? Yes, the good times.

So here are my top pics of today's session:






















Thought I'd throw him in there too, he's pretty awesome:

and so is he:

It's been awhile

since I've written in here. It's been awhile since I've done a lot of things actually. If I were to begin listing them, I think I'd be digging myself a self-pity ditch.

Anyways, days and weeks have been flying by and when I try to reflect back on what's been happening, it all seems like a blur. I'm in total shock to know that today is April 1st. April!? It's already the fourth month of this year. Insane to think that this semester is drawing to its sweet, sweet end in just 21 days. It's an exhilaration to know that spring's time to officially and forcefully blossom will begin this month (hopefully). It's exciting to wait for those consistent-60-degree-weather-with-people-sitting-out-on-the-diag's-grass-just-chillen days. It's honoring to know that in less than two weeks, we'll be celebrating Christ' resurrection- it's going to be a party. Indeed, this month is a collection of many celebrations for many wonderful things.

So for the past whatever weeks since I've written in here, has been a roller coaster of many events and emotions. I guess all in all, I'm coming to a point where I've realized many things about myself that I have to work on, pronto. This whole time, I've been displacing these "flaws" of mine unto other people, meanwhile it was me the whole time. The biggest thing I'm learning is that I need to love God more and love His people more. Everything pretty much stems out from there. Love His people more.. man, it's so hard when you finally find out that the humanly love you've been passing by on to love others finally runs out. It's no pretty site, and I can testify. I guess it's because I've been struggling to re-evaluate many aspects of my life, and one of them includes the relationships I have and the type of relationships I hold with others. How do you know that your friend is truly your friend? How do you know if their intentions are right? Am I expecting too much from people? Do I weigh friendship more than others usually do? Do I give in more to the relationship than I'm supposed to? I guess these are some questions we can all think about...
Either way, I gotta just Love, Love, Love!


Okay, well that's it for now. I'm off to study for my orgo exam. I need to pass, please.