At Forest Lawn.
Looks like we are at an European village. =)

At Forest Lawn.

Praise the Lord for the awesome weekend!

Friday
Thank God for the first gathering of the small group. We had 7 people. Good start. New beginning. We had dinner together and then shared about the purposes & expectations for coming to the small group. We encouraged each other to have commitment to our small group. We will start the foundation series this coming Friday.

Eva stayed overnight at my home and we watched a Korean horror movie "A Tale of Two Sisters." I haven't seen any creepy film lately. I watched this one with my eyes closed most of the time. haha =) Here are some reviews from "Rotten Tomatoes." Eva and I stayed up so late just to chat but I almost fell asleep on her.

Saturday
My family went out for lunch and then we headed to Lorest Lawn in Glendale to visit my grandfather's grave. We also visited its museum which had the exhibition called "The Fine Art of Medals." I bought a large penny. =)

Later we went to Trader Joe's on the way back. That's what we do every time we go to Glendale. I like shopping at Trader Joe's because they have unique grocery items that can't be found at regular supermarkets. My dad always gets the Charles Shaw California Merlot and the mango & green tea Mochi ice cream. The funny thing is the cashier's name is Mochi too and he told my dad the ice cream is his relative. =P

Eva and I didn't want to waste the rest of the afternoon so we went shopping. We were going to Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga but the traffic was very bad then we decided to go to Ontario Mills. We had dinner at Royal Thai. I had beef satay with shrimp fried rice & a cup of Tom Ka Gai (coconut chicken soup). The soup was super sour but overall the foods were very yummy =)

Sunday
"Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs." Psalm 100:2
It was my turn to teach the pre-K to first grade children's Sunday school. I had 7 kids in my classroom and we learned the Bible story of King Hezekiah who worshiped God with music. To me, it's a challenge to teach the kids about God. It takes a lot of time to prepare the materials & think about creative ideas. I love it and I am still learning every time.

ishyjo got back from the pharmacy conference from San Diego and we spent some time together. We watched "Tears of the Sun" and then he needed to study for his final. =P

This was my weekend. Have a blessed week everyone~

I love babies, cute babies =) and anything that is related to babies. I love to hold them, take care of them, smell them, play with them, even changing diapers sounds fun to me. I like to read baby magazines and shop for baby items for people's baby showers. I just think babies are adorable and they inspire hope for life & make me feel alive.

I heard on the news yesterday that a new research suggests babies are in a deep sleep throughout their time in the womb and do NOT hear or feel anything before or during birth. Pregnant moms don't need to try to bond with their unborn babies by playing music to them because they can't hear a thing.

I do NOT believe that. Well, that's my personal opinion. I think fetuses develop senses while in the womb. I was searching to find the study and found out that this research was carried out on sheeps, which are widely used as a model for human pregnancies as there are many similarities. I don't think this research is accurate enough to apply on human babies. =P

ishyjo and I are going to start a small group at my house. We will start with some young people from my church. Tomorrow night will be the first gathering and we will start the foundation series in march. I pray that through the small group, people can connect with God & connect with one another.

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Baby Josephine & Auntie Sydney =)

Tired. Want to take a nap. Couldn't sleep last night >_<

Happy Birthday to Jeremy~

No work today. Y(^o^)Y
It's so nice to get up whenever I want, especially in the weather like this. I woke up around 10:30 this morning heehee. It's still raining outside and I am glad that I don't have to go out and get wet.

I had lots of fun yesterday.
- church in the morning
- bowling with CIR in Arcadia
- visit Baby Josephine
- dinner at Sinbala
- movie "Million Dollar Baby"

I told ishyjo that I wouldn't go bowling if it was raining. Thank God, the weather turned out to be really good around 1pm. So after I got home from church, I went to the garage to look for my bowling gears. Unfortunately, the holes of my bowling ball are too tight. That means my fingers are getting thicker. I tried one of Deb's bowling balls and it really fits me. I scored 137 for the second game. yay..So happy =) Then Deb gave me that bowling ball. How nice of her~ thanks Deb! We sure had a blast.

Later, ishyjo changed the windshield wipers for my car because the old ones didn't work that well and should be replaced. We went to Kragen auto parts and instead of buying the entire wipers, we bought the refill blades. It started to rain and we had a hard time taking the old blades out. We asked the person who works there to help us change the wipers but they refused. They said they only help customers who purchase the entire wipers. That's really mean~ ishyjo tried several times and did it by himself. Very smart ishyjo. Thanks =)

We went to visit Baby Josephine. She is adorable. This is the second time she met auntie Sydney. She has grown so much since last time I saw her. She is bouncy, energetic & smart. She starts to read at age of 6 months. Amazing~

I haven't gone to the movie for so long. The last movie I saw in the theater was "Bourne Supremacy." I am so out of date. Last night, ishyjo and I went to catch a late movie, "Million Dollar Baby." This is a movie that you would sit quietly in your seat after the ending and have tear in your eyes. A lot of thoughts would come to you and make you think about the deeper meaning of the movie. Inspiration, ambition, courage, dream, faith, trust, endurance, love...

It's pouring outside again. The heavy rain reminds me of Noah's ark. heehee stay dry everyone!

Here comes Brownie again~

This is so cute~

For me to know and for you to find out.
We are on a need to know basis and right now you don't need to know.

TGIF~

I got pulled over by the police on the way to work this morning. Guess what? I got my very first ticket for speeding. I got pulled over once before at the same road, Grand Avenue, but the police officer was nice enough to just give me a warming. Too bad, I couldn't get away this time. The speed limit is 55 and the police said my speed was 65. I don't think I drove that fast. It was downhill so I probably drove to 65 for a few seconds before stepping on the brake. I've always been a good & careful driver without any record. I just wish I can have another chance. heehee =)

I was very busy at work these days and I didn't get to use the computer. I wasn't even on msn for couple days like I used to be every morning. I need to send test reports home for about one thousand students. My eyes are tired cuz' I have to make sure I send to the right person. But I figured out how to use the big folding machine at work.

This morning I had a Mrs Field's cookie. I am not a cookie person but I think the cookie is soooo good. I think I like cookies that are soft rather than crunchy.

Funny... 

I had an advisement meeting for the credential program on Tuesday. So many things need to be done but I am excited. I feel I want to be a student & be busy again so I won't waste too much time. It seems like a lot of people are taking classes and working at the same time. You know who you are. Thumbs up for you guys~ =)

I'd been to SOP WNW for the past four Wednesdays. I really enjoyed the worship & messages every single time. I always feel encouraged and regenerated. But there was no WNW yesterday so I spent my night eating "chicken feet" & watching American Idol.

My dad bought a massage bed because sometimes my mom's lower back hurts. I tried it last night for 30 minutes before I went to sleep. It is a very interesting bed that the massager inside moves from head to lower legs and up and down. I can also adjust the temperatures for the upper body & lower body. So it was warm and I covered myself with a blanket. It made me feel like either I was floating in the air or sinking down. I almost fell asleep while I was getting massaged. I went to bed like 11:30 and had a really good sleep last night. Don't know it's because I was too tired or the massage bed helped me to get good sleep.

No sight. No sound. Silence.

I ate a lot.

I took Robert to Applebee's for lunch today because he has no school. Both of us had 3 course combos. I ordered Italian combo which includes mozzarella sticks, garlic toast, grilled chicken & broccoli pasta Alfredo, & raspberry cheesecake rapture. Robert's Cowboy combo includes onion pills, mesquite honey BBQ sirloin, garlic mashed potatoes, vegetables, garlic toast, & blue ribbon brownie. Of course, we didn't finish everything.

My dad took my mom to Palm Springs for Valentine's Day, very sweet of my dad. Since no one was going to cook, we headed to In-N-Out for dinner. I had a cheeseburger, fries & strawberry milkshake. Can't imagine how much calories for all the foods I ate today. Scary~

January of 2005

October of 2004

June of 2003

August of 2002

Happy Valentine's Day~

For my dearest friends who are currently single~

There are three types of single people.
* by Choice
(not willing to commit in a relationship or want to focus on career.)
* by Circumstance
(can't find the right person to fall in love with or rejection.)
* by Calling
(God has the calling for you to be single to serve Him better.)

Key to be joyful & single

1. Accept your cicrumstance. Stop complaining about being single and being ashamed about your singleness. Once you have a good attitude, you become joyful & more attractive.
2. Adopt God's standard. See other single as God's beloved.
3. Develop Godly relationship. Invest your relationships.
4. Utilize your freedom. You have the greatest asset~Time. Develop your interests, enrich your life, read more, travel & meet more people.

(Something I learned from a SOP workshop back in 2004)

For me! Thank you, ishyjo~

Surprises at the door when I got home....

I wish I could be here right now. Calm & still.

I've been up since 4:45am, couldn't go back to sleep after I came back from the bathroom. I took the third magic pill before I went to bed and I think I am having the side effects of the drug, like dizziness, nausea & fatigue. I guess the medicine is still fighting the bacteria and it is like a battle inside my body that makes me want to vomit.

I was in bed for almost an hour, trying to find the right position to fall asleep again, thinking about calling people to wake them up, crying out to God for His healing touch, mediating on the purpose of my life, reflecting my relationship with God & people, pondering things that happened this week & conversations I had with others. "Does your relationship with this person make you a better person? Closer to God or away from God?" This question is like a yardstick to help me to evaluate my relationships.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone~ heehee, I forgot to say that earlier this week. The luncheon at my work on Wednesday went pretty well. They loved the foods from China Buffet. Most people at my workplace are kind of conservative. They don't like to try things they are not familiar with, so they considered orange chicken the best dish. =P

Guess what? Deb finally updated her blog. No more big blue number 7. heehee =)

Two Chinese New Year Celebrations this weekend:

* The Big Reunion at Saddleback Church
Date: Saturday 2/12/2005
Time: 10am ~ 2pm
(RSVP required)

* Chinese New Year Dinner & Celebration at my Church

Chino Hills Chinese Baptist Church
Date: Sunday 2/13/2005
Time: 6pm dinner
(everyone is welcomed~)

I have a meeting this morning at 8:30. Still have 30 minutes to rest. Back to my bed & TGIF~

Happy Birthday to my little Auntie~

生日快樂~我親愛的小舅媽~

I went to the doctor this afternoon. After explaining my symptoms, the doctor checked my weight, blood pressure, heart beats, muscles, tongue, eyes, & collected my urine for test. I am diagnosed with Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

my symptoms:
* I have a fever.
* I have a painful sensation while I am urinating.
* I often feel the need to urinate, but I only pass a small amount of urine.
* There is blood in my urine.
* I experience an uncomfortable pressure in my lower abdomen.

Then the doctor prescribed a medication called "Cipro XR". ishyjo, my future pharmacist, could actually read the doctor's prescription, very cool~ There are only three tiny tablets but they cost me $30, very expensive drugs.

Sisters, listen to this! "Women are much more likely to develop UTI, especially women between the ages of 18 and 40. It is estimated that nearly 60% of women will develop a UTI at some point during their lives." Remember to drink plenty of water everyday and do not postpone or resist the urge to urinate. =)

Thank God for being with me through this. God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Thank you for remembering me in your prayers.

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed.

Happy Birthday to Emma~ =)

This morning, our small group had Bible study at It's A Grind Coffee House. Even though there were only four of us, we had a great time of fellowship. It's a new start! =)

There are only a few young people at my church and most of them are not Christians. We do have meetings every Saturday but sometimes we just cancel it because there is not enough people. Be honest, there's the invisible pressure of being the oldest one among them and it's very tiring to serve a group like this. Many times I feel my heart gets so cold that I don't want to care anymore. But recently, I keep thinking about this group of people. Many of them stopped coming to the group or the church. I feel a strong burden in my heart. I wonder why God put me around this group of people who are non-believers. What's the purpose of this small group? It's bringing people before God & love them with the love of God. But so many times I refused to do so and not willing to step out of my comfort zone.

I know I have to focus my eyes on Jesus, not on myself. I pray that whatever it is God has called me to do, both now and in the future, He will give me the strength and energy to get it done well, even the most difficult and unpleasant parts. God is great, all the time~

Be Compassionate & Humble

"Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." 1 Peter 3:8

The dictionary defines compassion as "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." We can't be compassionate if we are only focused on ourselves. We are capable of great compassion. However, we have the tendency to be less sympathetic in our everyday lives. We must remember that the next person we meet could be experiencing one of the worst days of their lives. Wouldn't it be nice if we could help turn it around for the better rather than making it worse? Dedicate ourselves to showing more sympathy and compassion to those we meet~

Our district office is going to have Chinese New Year luncheon on next Wednesday, Feb. 9th. This morning we were discussing the menu from China Buffet. Orange chicken and sweet & sour pork are the two items they always get. =) Since I am one of the two Chinese at the office, I am part of the coordinating group. They asked me to make labels for each dish using Chinese words. Nobody is going to read it but I guess it's just part of the decoration. heehee =)

Tonight, I went to SOP Wednesday Night Worship. It was a long long long drive and I felt so tired. But I got really encouraged by the message. Tonight, Pastor Dennis shared about Psalms 11.

4 important points:
* The Lord is my refuge.
* The Lord is in His holy temple.
* The Lord is righteous.
* The Lord is my judge.

February, makes me to think of Valentine’s Day. Tuesday, makes me to think of the chicken nuggets. Today, I had lunch with ishyjo at Baja Fresh, one of my favorite restaurants. We used to go to Poquito Mas when ishyjo lived in West LA. That’s when I started to enjoy Mexican foods (except the beans). After lunch, ishyjo headed back to class and I went to Borders to look for some books that I need for my CSET preparation. By the way, ishyjo wants me to “study more & sleep less.” heehee =P

Tonight our tambourine dance class gathered together once again for practice for the first time this year. We will join Clay Music’s music sharing event this Saturday night. It's a Chinese New Year's outreach concert, so it would be great for non-believer friends to come. If you have nothing to do this coming Saturday and you love music, come and bring your friends too.

Here is the info:
Saturday, February 5th, 2005, 7:30 PM
First Evangelical Church in Rosemead ~ 聖迦谷羅省基督教會
3658 N Walnut Grove, Rosemead, CA 91770