Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Something's not right...

I needed to vent...so here I am venting to my best friend...my blog.

Newsong church currently just finished a series called Chaos. I think that would appropriately summarize my life at this current moment. I just recently saw one of my final class grade and let's just say I am going to have to retake the class. No big deal right? Wrong, it's a big, big, BIG deal for me. My parents constantly challenged me to plan ahead and for once I did. I pretty much planned out the rest of years left at UCI. I had plans to study abroad, plans for summer school, plans for grad-school and plans for vacation. All of these plans came apart because of one little thing...one little class that I have to retake. Oh my God. Literally. Oh my God, why does this has to happen to me. Why did He decide to make my life so much tougher, so much more stressful. Everything was set up so perfectly and God decides that He wants to infuse a little chaos into my life. In all honesty, this quarter has been really tough for me. I admit it. I lied. That's right, I lied. I was not doing fine and my life recently has been really tough. I don't even know where to start, but I'm going to try.

You know that feeling where you felt like you find somewhere or something you belong to and your proud to be part of it? Well, I had that feeling last year when I joined my college ministry, the Edge. It was an amazing experience last year, however this year feels different to me. It still is a great ministry and it has so much to offer and the potential to turn into something beyond amazing, but for some reason I don't know what it is, but for some reason I'm not feeling it this year. I feel like everyone got so much closer this year and I pretty much stayed in the same place. I didn't advance with my relationship with others but at the same time I didn't go backwards. At the same time I feel like my relationship with God is not going anywhere either. I'm not walking forward nor am I moving backwards. I'm like in this limbo where I am simply not moving in any direction. One of my friends asked me why am I still part of the Edge and I couldn't answer that question. I still don't know the answer to that question as of now. Honestly, my whole experience with the Edge this year has been a very bittersweet. I'm honestly not feeling anything when I'm going the large group meetings, Re:act. I still enjoy being around the people there and they are so welcoming and friendly. The messages, on the other hand, are not hitting home with me, I'm not really feeling worship that much, at times I feel like I'm left out from a lot of group outings...I just don't know what is going on with me.

On the topic of friendship, I feel like I'm somewhat fading with one of my friend that I really got close with last year. A couple of times I asked her if we could have a talk, usually for me to vent about something or get some advice from (I consider her pretty wise and comforting to talk to) but recently she's kind of been putting me off. Well not really putting me off, but like she never has time now but I feel like when she does have time she usually is with her other friend that she recently became close with this past year. It's always one of us are to busy at one time to talk to each other this year so it is understandable that we are not able to talk as much. However,one time when I found out she was talking with her other friend after I asked her if we could talk, I'm not going to lie, I was hurt. I won't tell her but I really felt like she pushed me aside. I am really hope that we can start doing our talks again but as of right now...things just don't look like they favor me.

All my life, the biggest question for me has been what am I going to do when I grow up. This year I finally found out that I want to become a physical therapist, but God is making it very difficult for me. My classes this quarter have been very tough and I feel confident about two of my classes but one of my class I have to retake sometime soon. This really sucks. I was planning on going to London this summer to study abroad for physics and spend next summer doing summer school classes that I need for PT (physical therapy) school. Now I have to retake this class during one of my summer because I simply won't have enough time to retake it during the school year because I'm switching majors which means I have to take other classes to "catch up." Not only will that only complicate things, this class will lower my GPA like mad meaning it will be really hard for me to apply for things because of my low GPA won't meet the requirements.

Why do bad things happen to good people? I'm not just talking about me, I'm talking about EVERYONE.

You always see those stories on the news reporting a story of a family that experienced tragedy. They were simple law-abiding citizens that did not deserve it yet it happened. The other day I was asked to join a Facebook group for a guy who has lost his wife, his two baby daughters, and his mother-in-law in a freak accident. The guy was a co-pastor. We're talking about a freaking Co-pastor here. This guy is as Holy as it gets. Why does something like that has to happen to someone like that? Why does God allow that? Those two babies didn't even get a chance to experience a childhood. My friend's laptop was stolen during finals week and she was shining example of a good Christian. Why did she have to go through more stress than she needed during an already stressful time? I am just confused. Honestly, I think it is more than just God testing us. I really wish there was someone out there that can give me the answer to that question.

Does God answer all prayers? As of right now, I don't think that God think what I'm praying for is significant because He has not answered my prayers at all this entire quarter. I prayed for a successful small group. I have yet to have at least two official small group meetings. I asked for Him to help me through my finals. He instead makes life so much more difficult for me. What do I have to do to get my prayers answered? Why does whenever I pray really hard for something, the opposite happens. What does this mean? Am I screwing up somewhere? Why is it every time I ask for guidance or answers I am left with more questions and more lost than before? Am I not listening hard enough? Am I not looking hard enough?

I don't get it. I did what I could to go further in my walk with God, yet I don't feel like I'm moving anywhere. I've prayed and He doesn't answer. I looked and I can't see what He wants me to do. I listened and I can't hear Him at times. What am I missing? Why is He making me go through so much crap? He gives me one of the most amazing summer experience in my life and then He gives me one of the toughest quarters of my life. What does He want me to do? They say that everything that happens for a reason and God will take care of me in the end. I don't understand why I have to go through so much, so many ups and downs, in order for me to realize what He wants me to do.

Someone please help me understand what is going on.

This guy pictures are so inspiring...This is something that will keep me upbeat in a down time...it looks better bigger.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

The Beginning of Those Good Times!

It's official! I have finished my last final of the year on December 12, 2008 (That was Friday). Every quarter so far, finals week has always been kind of a downer week for me and I usually get really stressed out and I am just simply not as upbeat as I was as compared to a week before finals week. This quarter I wanted to try something different to see if it would affect me differently during finals week. My goal during finals week besides studying hard and staying focused on school was to be as positive as I could possibly be.

If anyone actually bothered to notice my behavior during this past week, they would notice that I was a little more upbeat than normal. I was studying and having fun at the same time, I was counting the number of days left with glee, I was leaving the test in a feel-good mood. I seriously wanted just skip through a field of flowers singing my heart out after each an everyone of my finals...unfortunately there are no field of flowers in UCI.

Honestly, I don't think it is even humanly possible to be happy during finals week unless you try to and make it as fun as possible. I won't say that sleeping over in the Student Center was too much fun but it was definitely interesting because now I can brag (I wouldn't know why I would to brag about it...maybe claim is a better word choice) to others that I have slept in the Student Center before.

I will say that staying positive definitely impacts you in a way that I never imagined it would. It kind of helped me focused in an odd way. It helped me find some peace in an otherwise chaotic environment and week. I didn't feel any sense of panic when I felt like I was behind schedule, I wasn't moaning and grumbling about how hard my subject was...I just went along with the flow and just attacked my notes and studied as hard as I could. I know that I didn't like Genetics and it was one of those class that I have to take rather than a class that I want to take, but I did my best to enjoy it as much as I could and it actually made studying somewhat easier for me.

The glass-is-half-full mindset I developed during this past finals week made me feel really good at the end of each of my finals. I know that I can only study and do so much and whatever-happens happens. However, how I feel after each finals is in my control. I can be pessimistic and complain about how hard the test was and how terrible I did or I can say that I did well and move on. The choice is mine to make and no one else. Others can complain about how bad they did but that doesn't mean I have to, too.

In the end, being positive does amazing things for me and it something I am going to try doing on all my tests. People like it when you are happy and you make others around you happy. Positivity helps you believe in yourself and enables you to do great things. Gone are the days where I dread the weeks of tests because I know that week is going to be stressful and overburdened. From now on, the future is going to be filled with positivity and I'm going to welcome it with open arms.

*So recently I've been doing a lot thinking/meditating and this song helps that process a lot. Enjoy!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

You are Loved

How weird would it be if some random person just walks up to you and tells you "You are loved" and then just walks away without saying another word. Honestly, I wouldn't know how to react to that. I think at that moment I would just give the person a strange look and try and figure out what the heck just happened and what did that person mean by I am loved. After a while, I'm pretty sure I'm going to start meditating on those words, especially one world in particular: love.

What is the meaning of love? Or for the matter, what is love? Perhaps love is something that is without a definition, something that goes beyond rationality of the human mind. Maybe love is something that transcends the physical world and is something that is spiritual. I believe the concept of true love is something that we all search for in our lives. It is definitely something not easy to find but sometimes all it takes is one to open their eyes and look around them. I know it took me awhile to realize that. Back home I never quite understood why my dad disciplined me so much, but I came to realize that it was all out of love. He disciplined me to help me develop into a better person, not because he liked disciplining me it was because he cared that much for me. My dad even said he hated disciplining me but he had to because he knew it would make a better man in the future. That realization is sometime lost among many second generation Chinese kids. All they see from their parents is the harsh, disciplinary side but sometimes they fail to see that their parents are doing that because they want to see them succeed.

Love is one of the most valuable treasures in this world. I feel like we all need love just as much as we need air to breathe. I think that a life without love is life that would not be worth living. With love in our lives, we are empowered beyond belief. It helps us believe that we can do and accomplish anything that we thought were out of reach for us. I can't even comprehend how someone can go on living their life without love. Love is the very essence and core of our being. It is the energy that sustains who are and what we are. In fact, I am pretty sure that everyone has a deep-rooted desire to love and be loved.

Now-a-days, love is often just tossed around so much that it has lost some of it's meaning. People always say they love things but do they really love those things? For me, to love something means that you are truly passionate about and you are willing to stick with it no matter what difficulties gets in the way. This year I got to experience something that help me understand the meaning of love better. I wonder how many people can guess what that is? If you guessed SPOP, you guessed correctly. Yes I know I do talk a lot about SPOP, but it is something that has impacted me in so many ways that it's hard not to refer back to it. SPOP has shown me the impact that love can have on others, the things that people would do in the name of love, and the things that it makes people become. I felt like every staffer loved the program so much that they were willing do whatever they can, no matter how ridiculous or awkward it made them look, to make it one of the best experiences the spoppers ever had. And guess what? Many spoppers would agree with me that SPOP was one of the best experience they had (at least all the ones I have kept in touch with). It has also helped me really come to love and appreciate UCI in ways that I have never had before. UCI is a gorgeous campus. The park, the people, the learning environment, everything about this school is beautiful. It took me a whole year and a summer to realize that.

This brings up another point that I would like bring up. I feel like love is more than just a mere feeling, but something that expressed when we do something for another person that benefits their spirtual and emotional growth. By doing that, hopefully it will help that person realize their full potential and they will be able to start tapping into it. As Christian, I feel like that love is a gift from God that is meant to pass onto other. I used to always wonder why it was so important to "spread the love," but after much meditation I came to realize that by spreading love you not only brighten up your life but the lives of others as well. I think that's why one of the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor. By just loving others you will create a lot less problems...Heck, if everyone loved their neighbors, the world would be a much more happier place.

Now back to what would happen if some random person came up to you and said "You are loved." I honestly wouldn't know what that person intentions are and I still don't know what I would say or how I would react but I think I would smile. I'm smiling because I know that someone out there loves me for who I am and that is a fact.

"We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love." -Mother Teresa

Here's another picture that helps us get in the mood for Christmas...


























Ice Skating at Rockafeller Center by Trey Ratcliff

Thursday, December 4, 2008

It's almost that time!

I found this picture when I was browsing through my old pictures and I thought it would be nice to share it on here since it's that time of the year!