in less than two days i will be CAMPING!

thats right... i get to be doing my favorite thing ever.

words cannot express my excitement. 

thought i'd share my excitement. i almost cannot walk straight because of it.

i wish i could have an out of body experience right now.

if i could have an out of body experience right now i would do one of the following:

1. run around in a field of flowers and be able to smell all of the my favorite flowers.
2. spin around singing my favorite songs with close friends with el capitan (random, i know).
3. be floating in the beautiful crystal clear waters of maui.
4. get a massage. i have never had a real one... someday when i make it big (ha, yeah right).
5. visit memphis.
6. wake up to the smell of bacon, eggs, and many delicious breakfast treats from my dad.

these are a few of the random events i would love to do/be apart of right now if i could. instead i am sitting here in a comfy chair, with a cup of green tea in hand, snuggled up in a brookstone blanket, while writing a paper on the museum of tolerance that i went to today in LA (which is why i am so mentally drained). the museum was educational but it was nothing i have not heard before. i went to the holocaust exhibit, which i was dreading, and all i could do was shake my head. what else can you do while hearing about people's stories and the events that led up to the six million Jews being killed? the museum did a good job at presenting issues of today and issues pertaining to the past that involve hate. the one statement that i felt the museum was trying to present was "do not hate one another but try to understand one another." the museum made that clear, but they did not make it clear of how to do that. jesus made it clear. he said love one another as you love yourselves. he said to deny ourselves to take up our crosses. he said that we need to decrease and he needs to increase. he said that god has authority over satan.  he said that we are living in the kingdom of here and now. true love, forgiveness, and reconciliation is obtained through jesus. god's heart pours out justice and peace. its the very heart of god to see people love one another. yet people throughout history continually deny the most loving message of all. people love evil. people love to hate and to think of reasons why not to like one another. i wonder what it would look like if people truly saw each other in the image of god. what would it look like if i walked around trader joes saying in my head "she is made in the image of god," "he is made in the image of god," "that baby is made in the image of god." i think i would treat people a lot differently. i remember doing this one evening at an ice cream shop near ucla. i had a good ten minute session of "wow this is how god wants us to see one another."

anyways...
in recent news:

1. i have a job for senior year! i will be one of the secretary for Associated Students/Student Missionary Union. PTL. 
2. rachel, melissa, christina and i got an apartment for next year :) 
3. i am going camping (my favorite thing ever) with lots of lovely and fun people from friday-sunday at crystal cove. i am stoked.
4. this week is jam packed with papers, events, and lots of meet and greets.
5. my mom is in mexico with her bf- maybe fiance soon! i am still shocked by the fact that she could be getting married sometime in the near future. strange.

pray for: summer internship, rejuvenation, and time to pour into others.

my new sisters

sometimes i feel like i am dreaming because i have such odd/fun experiences for a 21 year old. most 21 year olds are worried about their tan, being a hipster, or drinking. i don't think i fit that description at all, although i just made a huge generalization of our society. tonight i went to hang out some of the Franciscan sisters i befriended. for my interpersonal and intercultural adjustment class we have to become familiar, hang out, and "study" a sub-culture here in LA. about a month ago i went to a conference and worked for The H20 Project. i did not realize that the conference would be swarming with sisters (nuns), priests, and a ton of catholics. so i got the idea of hanging out with nuns! i called about five convents in LA to ask them if we could hang out with them, do charity work with them, see their convent, etc. the franciscan nuns of LA were the nicest and most welcoming of them all. random snap shot: franciscan nuns take a vow to poverty, chastity, and obedience.


the first day we went to the children's mass with the sisters and the children at the preschool that the sisters run. it was really precious seeing preschoolers do all the catholic traditions and customs during church. when i was in preschool all i did was color when my mom took me to mass. the children's voices were high pitch as they sang songs about Jesus loving them. not joking, i almost died because it was the cutest thing i have ever heard. we had the opportunity to meet with the most welcoming, devout, and loving sister ever: sister mary magdalene. she shared her story of coming to be a sister, her hardships, but most importantly the joy she has had because of saying yes to God's call for her life.


i feel so incredibly blessed even to just type this out. tonight ashlee, justine, emily, and i went to the preschool to meet sister mary and then drove to the convent.


side note: once i called sister mary to see if we could initially meet with her, she let me know that only people who were considering being a sister could come into the convent.


anyways, sister mary, 3 weeks later, invited all of us over to dinner and to join them (5 sisters) in their private chapel for evening prayers. hello trust bond! Jesus is good :) we laughed loudly, hugged, cried together, prayed together, sang songs of praise together, and heard stories from the sisters hearts. the Holy Spirit was present, Jesus love was deep within our hearts, and obedience to God was first and foremost among us all. there is unity in Christ.


i am so encouraged. this is not just a project to understand people other than myself, this was friendship building. i let them know several times that i value my time with them and that they are my new friends, whom i have already come to love deeply.


i am inspired by their love and devotion to God. whoever said nuns were boring was totally off their rocker. these nuns or sisters, as some would say, are hilarious and very enjoyable to be around.


i love that my life consists of random things like this. my perspective on life has broadened even more tonight.

days like these...

that southern california is not appealing at all. there are some places that are really pleasant and enjoyable to be in when its cold outside. southern california is not one of them. its cold, wet, and gloomy... and nothing to do really.

heater is blasting, blanket on, and a good cup of green tea is keeping me company this afternoon. i have my bible in hand and "attacking poverty in the developing world" in another. its reading time.

i wish i was at home, where its nice to be there when its cold. you can see the snow on the mountains and hear the soothing rain.

there are some things in life that are enjoyable in one location, but not so much in another. that is totally today.

biola, why can't you be in norcal!

my life is a question mark.

this is how i have been feeling recently. it is not bad by any means. this is why i say that:

1. i do not know where i am living in the fall (i will find out if i get an apt at 5 tomorrow with rach, christina, and mel).
2. i applied to several jobs for the summer and have had interviews, and should find out soon if i receive something.
3. my living situation for the summer depends on where i get a job.
4. i have 2 interviews within the next few days to work with AS and/or SMU. stoked about this.
5. i may or may not apply to Memphis Teaching Residency for 2011 because the orientation starts on graduation... and well i don't really want to miss graduation.

yet in the midst of all of this, God has given me an incredible peace and patience. thank goodness. i am reminded that God takes cares of the birds in the air and that he is taking care of me. God knows where i will be this summer. it is my job as a responsible follower of Christ to continue to pray. i have done all of the follow-ups. now its time to sit back and trust. who knows, from the history of how God likes to operate with me, i am sure another door with open.

prayer would be appreciated :)

children, poverty, and treasures.

today i was scheduled to volunteer in the children's service at church. every 3rd sunday i work in there and LOVE IT. we are on a new series focusing on hope and orphans. today was very interactive and encouraging. we focused on mark 19:16-30:


¹⁶Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
 ¹⁷"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
 ¹⁸"Which ones?" the man inquired.
   Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
 ²⁰"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
 ²¹Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
 ²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
 ²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
 ²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
 ²⁶Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
 ²⁷Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
 ²⁸Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.


we sang songs about letting the weak be strong, children waved their ribbons, children ran around sinning, and others prayed in the corner.


 we read this parable and passed out 5 index cards to each kid. we had them draw pictures of possessions that meant wealth to them. lots of boys drew their wii and girls drew their dolls and bikes. we had a few kids come up. we asked them to walk 10 steps, representing the 10 commandments that this man said he kept. we then asked them, with their index cards in hands, if they would give up all of their possessions and follow Jesus. Some said yes and others said no.


i was encouraged and discouraged. how true is this? it truly is harder for a rich man to enter heaven than a man who is poor and broken. we broke up into small groups (i had the 3-4th graders) and prayed about sickness, loneliness, war, poverty, abuse, etc. it was so powerful. these children were praying for legit things. they were realizing the power of prayer and encountering God on behalf of people right here in our community and around the world.


the next activity we had them do was to pray with the "pray ball." the prayer ball is a beach ball that has sayings all over it. it said: pray for someone who is moving, pray for a friend who is sad, pray for the orphans, pray for people who are abused, etc. the kids split into groups of 3. the kid with the most green on, representing money, got all of the index cards. the person with the longest hair got 3 of the index cards. there was one person who had no wealth (index cards). these people who had index cards had to clamp them in their hands. they were not able to catch the prayer ball as we were throwing it around. within 5 minutes or so the kids caught onto the activity: it is harder to surrender and be close with God when your treasure is in your possessions. when you are poor and have nothing at all, all you can do is surrender to God. 


all of the kids wanted to get kid of their wealth so they could pray! we let them cheat because we figured it was a good excuse. they prayed boldly and passionately for children without mothers, people who were lonely, and kids who did not have shoes.


i was touched. when i was in 3rd grade i didn't know people didn't have shoes. i was not in tune with war. i didn't realize poverty. i thought i deserved a barbie for being good. i did not know Jesus personally. i did not like going to church.


i was and still am in awe. poverty is real. why just leave it to older people? maybe the reason many people do not have a "heart" for the poor is because it was not instilled in them when they were young. what if we taught the younger generation to care for the poor? maybe they would grow up to be stewards of money and be compassionate people who love deeply. maybe these children would accept each other for who they are face value and realize no one is better than another.


Matthew 6:19-21 says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."


I want my treasure to be stored in heaven. I want my treasure to reflect the things that reflect the heart of God. I am so thankful for these children who bless me more than I have probably blessed them. Thank you Jesus.

this is strange.

i am going to let you get into a little glimpse of my world recently: almost every hour i think an earthquake is about to happen.

it is driving me absolutely nuts. growing up in northern california, by the san andreas fault, i experienced a lot of earthquakes. there is a certain feeling you get a second before the earthquake hits. there is no way to describe it, you just know it. within the last few days i have not been able to sleep more than a hour without thinking that an earthquake was going to happen. one time i woke up and it was just hannah moving. false alarm. strange, i know.

so i have been praying against it and these thoughts. i think you should too.

in recent news, pray for china. they need it. 

reflection from tonights prayer at life group. mmhmm yes.

sometimes God wakes you up
sometimes he gives you visions
sometimes you feel alone
and other times he rocks your world

sometimes you feel like you are floating from blessings
and other times you feel like you are sinking
satan loves to steal attention
but luckily Jesus has already won

God has the authority
he has the power
to do whatever he wishes

i am a new creation
i am not bogged down by sin
i am a flourishing flower

i am redeemed
God calls me beautiful
God calls me pure
God calls me righteous
God calls me his

what in return do i do, oh God
love
abide
be a sunflower unto the light
follow naturally

satan tries to wither the flowers
but the spirit sustains the roots
waters them daily
by hour
and by minute

we are made to shine
to be whole
and to know whole heartedly
that we are created in the image of God.

Recent thought of the morning:

God's love should not be determined by our circumstances. If something sucks, God's love is still the same. If something is going wonderfully, God's love still remains the same. God's character or our ability to praise Him should not be determined by what sort of event is going on in our lives. Although it is easier to say "Praise the Lord" when something amazing happens, God should be praised all the time. 

I know that is a big "duh," but its so true.

america makes me laugh.

check out national geographic's "intelligent travel" blog to read all about america's hidden festivals. america is so rich with culture from state to state, yet sometimes i forget. just from the west coast to the east coast there is an extreme difference in scenery, people, art, dialects, etc. from the west to the south it seems like night and day. i just love it.

throughout this project two men traveled for over a year and they discovered festivals that no one knew existed. they tried to capture how people celebrated in their own community and embraced their community. check out the blog and the video's they posted on the project page. throughout the project they truly did realize that america's truly just want to have fun and are wacky (of course).

i love america.

silly things

today i officially felt like a college student.

i am no longer going to get my hair cut for 60 dollars, instead i am getting it cut for 15 at the barber.
i got my eye brows waxed for the first time in over a year (yet i managed to keep them looking good over the year).
i split food at a restaurant to save some money for breakfast this morning.

i was driving back to my house thinking of how much money i just saved and was stoked.
then i started to think, "this is how i should always live!" i am pretty simple, as many of you know, so this should never be a problem.

currently my flats are from senior year of high school, my pants were 15 bucks, my shirt was 5, and my necklace was from high school.

i feel pretty accomplished today.
oh and not to mention, i am wearing a sweet turquoise ring from my navajo family.

AND to just prove to all those people who said turquoise wedding rings are dumb... i saw someone with a sweet turquoise wedding ring at church. booya.

nature nature nature

my body in internally screaming "runnnn through the fields and soak in all the smells of these flowers." sounds incredibly hippie-ish, but so true.

the first thing i am going to do when i get home is take meghan to sunol to "little yosemite" and hike all over those hills. i absolutely love being in nature. i feel at home and all i want to do is praise God for his glorious creation.

so bay area here i come. get ready because i am going to be hiking every single day on your beautiful land.

thoughts of the week

jordan buie brought the gang all the way out from Tennessee to see beautiful California. it is funny when people come to visit. i feel that people come to california with huge expectations to see movie stars, see glamorous people, and to be warm all the time. its not always like that. i found myself saying "this isn't even the pretty part," because of my great pride for California. i love where i am from. i feel as if California is apart of me. when i was away in DC, i felt like i left my heart here. i do believe that culture truly does shape you. California culture, specifically the bay area, has shaped me. i feel that i am more open minded then most, enjoy diversity, long for nature, and have a friendly personality. that sounds like a huge generalization, which very well can be, but a lot of people in California are like this. it was fun having them out here and to show off this beauty (besides la mirada, ha).

in other news recently i have been thinking about life, direction, and where i want to end up. i feel like i am back at the ground level. i had to write a scholarship letter for school indicating why i should be awarded money to go towards school. this scholarship was for someone who had a clear vision of what they feel God has put on their heart. if you asked me two month ago to a year, i would have said "live among Muslim's, particularly in the middle east." now i don't know. i feel that it feels more right to say "do community development here in america and work with children." what? i don't get this. i actually feel quite frustrated. when people pray with me, even talk with me about missions, they automatically know my heart for Muslims. God has given me a heart for Muslims, for sure. maybe this is just a time in my life where i am in a funk and don't really feel anything. if i based everything off of feeling, i feel that my life would be in shambles... so maybe this is just a time frame thing. but i also don't want my own pride of saying "yes i am going to the middle east" to get in the way of what God is trying to show me through this process. maybe he is taking me on another road.

i have been thinking and have been challenged about volunteering and doing good for the Lord right here in my community. i really want to get involved with SAY YES or an after school program for low income families, such as MIKA in Costa Mesa, for the fall. i just love love love working with kids. it feels so right. i also wish i could reconnect with my good old arab friends on brookhurst who own the cigar shop (don't worry biola i am not smoking)!

hmm, in other news... good friday is tomorrow. i am eternally grateful for Jesus' obedience on the cross. so so so obedient and loving. i know we all know that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, but do we ever think of the fact that if Jesus had to just die for me, angela, that he would still die on the cross because of his love just for me? wow, may sound individualistic, but its true. his love is STRONG. thanks Jesus. we don't take it for granted.