why is the red head still there?

Obviously a lot of the voters are weirdos. Who is still voting for the red head guy on Americal Idol? I can't believe the top 3 best singers were the lowest ranked on American Idol today. Luckily, my favorite Latoya London is still there. Jasmine, the remaining Filipino, also remains.

success

I spent the weekend at the Encounter retreat and had yet another awesome, life changing experience. I witnessed again the work and power of the Holy Spirit in my friends. I think there's way too much and too personal stuff to write here, but you just have to know that God still sees, still intercedes, and still listens. And He is still very REAL to me.

youth groups

Our church's youth group performed an Easter skit today and I have to say they are so much better performers than any of the youth since my time. For one, they actually memorized their lines. And another, no one yelled "SH-T!" loud enough for EVERYONE to hear when one of our standing speakers almost fell over. I don't know, it just negates your entire Christian message when one of the performers yells out profanity in the middle of church. Gotta love it . . .

But really, what made these kids good was that they had "heart" behind their message. In my day, many of the kids were "forced" to perform--except me cuz i was always exceptionally prude and obedient back then (a good asian kid). Also, we did not have a real solid youth group or leader solely dedicated to the group. To be in the youth group was truly uncool while New Kids on the Block (who I abhored--new wave was my type of music) ruled.

the past 10 years

Nearing the big 3-0, I am having some youth envy. Not because teen years were fun, but because teens are just YOUNG. I'm currently thinking of the 12-19 years and I definitely would not like to go back. The twenties were so much better (I have a few months still of course). AT 20, I took a year off school to join Youth With a Mission (YWAM) and had the time of my life getting to know God better, strengthening my Christian walk, and meeting people from all over the world. i was on a high.

Then I came back to the same humdrum life, graduated and started medical school, and became humdrum myself for a while. Medical school sucked the spiritual core out of me. Or should I say, I made medical school the scape goat for my spiritual dryness. When I would go to church (late) and sat there listening to the preaching, I kept thinking, "I could be studying." And then, as I sat in front of my TV I'd think, " I SHOULD BE studying."

I struggled to read my bible, pray, etc. I had no real friend--like in the YWAM days--that I could talk to about this stuff. I called one of my YWAM friends who lived in another state occasionally, but I couldn't call her all the time. My friends here ("the girls") were great, but they were going through their own life struggles and I wasn't strong enough spritually to be any sort of anchor nor did I make the time. Plus, as good friends as we were (and still are), at that time, we were never comfortable enough to pray or read Scripture with each other. I truly longed for a close spiritual friend.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

At 25, I got married, took some time off from school and my perspective on life changed for the better. My husband and I joined a new Young Married Couples group at church a year later and I could finally say my spiritual life started to grow again. I then graduated from med school and started intern year. Around that time, my other friends ("the girls," who had grown up in the same church as I did) started growing spiritually in their lives too. When they could, they started attending our newly named Young Married Couples AND ASSOCIATES (YMCA) Bible study group. For the past few years, I can honestly say the girls and I have gotten closer to one another spiritually. It truly isn't just a "surfacy" friendship anymore.

looking forward

This weekend, I invited the girls to go on an Encounter Retreat hosted by my church. I already went last November, but when something is "really good" I can't help sharing the experience with my friends. Can't wait.

people watching

With McDonald's fries in my right hand and softserve on the other, today I enjoyed one of my favorite past times of people watching. I went to the mall to look for comfortable, flat, "pregnant" shoes and had to indulge my craving of the hour. Nothing out of the ordinary to see though except Mexican Nationals speaking into their walkie talkies and oh yeah, a cute Indian boy being dragged across the mall by his traditionally garbed mother.

Ever since I dated and married my husband, whenever an Indian family or person walks by, someone (me, a filipino friend, my mom or dad)--WITHOUT FAIL--will say,"Look, there's an Indian!" We act as if we are jungle people seeing someone different than ourselves for the first time.

I had Indian friends previously and even met tons of Tamil Indians while in Malaysia during my mission trip. They were never as fascinating to me or my circle of friends until I met my husband. For myself, every time I see an Indian child I stare and wonder what my child will look like. Every Indian child I see has the cutest large eyes brimming with long, curled eyelashes. I pray my child has my husband's eyes and lashes too. I have yet to see the Filipino/Indian combination, yet I always say, a little filipino in anybody, always makes a person a little more goodl ooking! Hah!