Feelin this. (Beside being my overall story) This is the testimony of my week for sure:  "You hold my every moment, you calm my raging seas. You walk with me through fire, and heal all my disease."

 

I love belonging!

...like this much 

WAIT! I actually really love coffee too.


coffee and tea =

Tea > coffee

Fall and winter are rich. In summer, the sun, waves and fresh air speak louder than any other voice and win our times affection every time (as it should be). But when the sun gets shoved to the back of the crowd by the clouds, and when the waves are seemingly icy, suddenly all the honey-sweet whispers of beauty, creativity, and a thought-life are remarkably audible. Serendipitous moments spring up to stay indoors, to dwell, to drink sugary hot-drinks you probably shouldn't drink, and to draw from a deep well of creativity that you long doubted the existence of during all your summer free time. It's a midst the furious hustle and bustle of the  "mundane" that we bump into this well. It always surprises us, but we waste no time drawing from it, for by this time in the year we are weary and thirsty. We drink deeply. Remarkably wonderful things are made, read, thought, felt, dreamed.

The thing of irony is this: at this time of year, the days are startlingly short, but these special moments seem to be outside of time. It is by way of these little escapes to another world that our chilly, dark winter days are warmer and longer than any fleeting summer's eve could dream of being.

Flowers bloom in spring.
Joy and adventure bloom in summer.
Creative spirits bloom in fall and winter.

Somehow I can study really well to dubstep. Like it helps me focus. Except that all I really want to do is dance like a maniac to it. 

Just found this from a few months ago. I love this handsome little chubby monkey 

Wisdom from a friend

"You cannot be so worried about the fuzzy, unclear parts of life that you neglect what is already clear and right in front of you."

Otis Redding makes my homework tolerable.

This is one of the most exciting, special, most enjoyable times of my whole life.

His grace and presence light up my world like a brilliant summer sun.

A True Shame:

"El poema descafeinado por el correo electrónico".

Friends are the very best gift. I am SO blessed and SO thankful to have such sweet, real friendships.

AND I get to call God my friend 

               !!?!!?!?!

I love friends.

Today, just outside the cafeteria, while squatting in a planter (mid-clover-pick)....a thought occurred to me: if I saw someone doing the weird stuff I do throughout the day... I'd judge them for sure.

I resolve to be more mentally kind to fellow weirdos.

JAW DROPPED

This song IS my testimony. AND ITS JUST SICKKKKKKKKKKK!!!

When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.” (Psalm 91:15,16)

I miss riversides radio station options.

My summer fashion is either classic, vintage-glam.... or unfortunately more often than not, tacky beach town high school.

This song feels so good to me right now. I want everything to be beautiful like this (song). Maybe it is already, but I guess I'm just having trouble seeing it.

Once upon a time (last night)

Once upon a time, me and my friends swam and swam and swam, and laughed and laughed and laughed until our hearts were so full, that they were overflowing into a pool of joy. Then we swam in that and it was love.

Dad: I still like rocks...all guys like rocks!

Me: Why?

Dad: I don't know.

Very enlightening

According to brain games on discover channel, I am a man.

I am slightly offended, slightly proud, but mostly.. Not really surprised.

 A dadcommendation from my dad (obvz)

Musical breakthrough = pure bliss.

Thank you God!

wild wild wild and free

Kurt Vile

Shoot... do I smell a new summer fav?

I just checked my life dream list to see if I've lived-out any more of it, and guess what?? In the last year I've accomplished 8 more items on it!!!!! I feel so happy! That makes 24 total dreams lived on my dream list! Yipeeee! Thank you God!

"My spirit is all harmony and rhythm:

everything in my being is musical and song, 

from the saddest requiem of tears

to the triumphal melody of joy."

-Latin American oral tradition

"Child of the pure, unclouded brow And dreaming eyes of wonder! Though time be fleet and I and thou Are half a life asunder, Thy loving smile will surely hail The love-gift of a fairy tale."

 -Lewis Carroll

10 resolutions for mental health

Wow. This just set me free to be who I already am, but sometimes feel I need to suppress.

Before bed last night, I opened up a post on John Pipers "Desiring God" blog. I was falling asleep as I even opened the page. But before I drifted off to sleep, I read three random reminders, and they were the very ones I needed. They sunk deep into my soul and I take them as encouragement straight from my God my loving dad. They were as follows:

    1.Don’t give up when your long prayed-for prayers have not yet been answered.

And he told them [the parable of the persistent widow] to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1).

 2. Don’t give up when that familiar sin, still crouching at your door after all these years, pounces again with temptation.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

3. Don’t give up when the devil’s fiery darts of doubt land and make you reel.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day…in all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:13,16). 

SPOT on what I needed to hear. The Spirit of god is willing and gracious. I feel loved, cared for and protected.

Must be summer

My feet are JACKED! And I don't mean buff haha. My two big toes got bruised from backpacking last summer. The bruised part turned into dead nail and this summer, the new nail part is still growing out. On this summers first backpacking trip, the dead part of the nails got cracked and wants to come off (which would look even more gross because that would leave me with very tiny big toe nails). In addition I have HUGE blisters on the sides of my big toes from this last backpacking trip. Also, the day before that trip I cut off the tip of my pinky toe in the back yard. IN ADDITION I jammed that same toe on a rock at the beach the other day.. and today ....broke it... Soooo basically, my feet are beautiful.

Some summer landmarks are glamerous: lemonade, tans, sun-hats, fireworks....
Some are not: Jacked feet...

But either way they both tell of long days spent wild and free. :)
I'll take it. I guess.

"Celebration is at the heart of what it means to belong to God." 

 -Ray Vander Laan

Thanks again Mandz.

Most glorious B

GUESS WHAT?? I got a B in a class I realllly truly should have failed! I did like everything wrong (overslept, missed critical assignments, didn't study, turned in stuff late if at all..etc) and it was the one class I needed to pass to get in to Channel Islands next year. I wanted to do well, and I tried hard at times, but I just got so exhausted and overwhelmed this semester with work/family stuff.. I seriously messed up everything, but I felt like the Lord just encouraged me to keep doing what I could do and to call on Him for my help. When I wasted all my time and made decisions, I was tempted to not ask for help (because I didn't "deserve" it) and just wallow in my guilt/shame, but every time God reminded me that I don't deserve anything; That everything I have, including a wide open relationship with HIM, is mine because Jesus was the perfect one on my behalf. He always humbled me and asked me to call on him for help and butttt-loads of saving grace!!  I swear to you that I passed by prayer, and by Gods grace alone!!!!! and its awesome and exhilarating. I LOVE GOD! hahah!! I am sooo glad His grace shines very, very, most-brightest in our weakness. It's wonderful. I'm so glad that He has called me to school right now (something I am naturally a ding-dong at), because He has shown Himself off over and over again through it, and built up my faith big time. In my laziness he shows himself diligent. In my forgetfulness he shows himself faithful and mindful. In my weakness he shows himself strong. In my apathy he shows himself passionate. In my mistakes he shows himself perfect. He's also changed me a lot and made me a way more responsible, diligent student (though I CERTAINLY don't always operate in that) haha. I think school has been a very valuable life experience for me in this way (and other ways as well). I believe that when God leads me to new callings and journeys in the future, I will remember His perfect faithfulness and nearness in this one. He always brings us through different experiences for our good. I can attest to that! It's not easy or pain free, but a life spent with God is seriously a win-win!

Yay yay yay!!! Just wanted to share the good news and give God the praise and ggglllloorrry HE DESERVES! Though it has been really very tough, I LOVE this season of life and am sooo thankfully enjoying it.

woohoo woohoo woohoo!!!!!!

p.s. They should just make my diploma out to God at this rate bahahha. 

I must report that as of 11:24 pm....

..... I am officially on Summer break. :)

Hw tunage

Muy bien. 

"Where sin abounds grace abounds all the more. Let the Accuser roar- I have been justified."

Christ is the glue of my family. Things get ugly (as things do in any human relationship), but he holds us together in His perfect love.

I am thankful to be learning to work hard, to endure, and to wait for what I hope.

I can feel insanity creeping in.

#finals #almostdone

Today the ocean was so beautiful that I felt like I was seeing it for the first time.

I've gotta tell you...

This song. It reminds me of all the feelings of being in Europe. When I hear it, I picture laying in a hypothetical quiet field in Germany near my hypothetical house, with my hypothetical someday-family. And you know what? It makes me want to cry because its so peaceful and beautiful.





Allllso, somehow I've still never seen this movie...

Where the light goes, the darkness flees.



Naturally.

I LOVE my pals. Like the real-deal love. They are the most joyful, talented, kind-hearted, creative, silly, genuine, adventurous, considerate, absurd, loving bunch around. And they love to love and follow Jesus. It is sheer grace and a big fat gift that I have such great friends (family really). I don't deserve them, but I sure as heck enjoy them. (all of them, not just these ones! All of my friends leave me speechless and giddy).

Haha this one cracks me up so much. I look like I'm constipated and eating a lemon at the same time haha. 

This is simply a "HECK YAH! Thank you God!!!!!!" post. All glory to him for everything good in our lives. Use us as you choose.

Mad respect

for Nara Leão

Feelin' this song. Although I wish there was a video to share without a cheesy slideshow of pictures haha. Oh well, it's a really good song.

Truth 

YES!

Haha! I attest, it's all true!

Don't you want to go see the WHOLE WIDE WORLD?

WELLLL???

DON'T YOU??!

Come, let's away. Someday, someday, someday soooooooon.

(P.s. These are photos of various villages and mountain areas of Nagaland, India; a wonderful place).

Regular guy

I absolutely cannot ever get enough of this video. I've watched it probably 45 times now. I just love his adorable little (typical guy) self-perception.

Definition of inspiring. These are my new role models. 

THANK YOU Amanda Lee for (once again) brightening my day.

This is one of my best friends Nathan. He makes me very proud and his faith always encourages me SO much. Can't wait to see how God uses him in life.

Here's his website he's in the process of building. 

I'm thankful to have parents who forgive me 25 times a day.

And God.

I have fought a bad attitude all day. I've repented a lot of times, but its just one of those days that's a damn fight till the end.

Screw you flesh!

hahahaha.

Sorry I'm crazy, but also not, cause this is real life. Praise God that Jesus was the perfect, spotless one. My "righteousness" is a JOKE!

"There is a savior broken for me,

Jesus redeemer, the King of all Kings.

In Him I will trust, His promise remains,

 a covenant love that cannot pass away. 

So let the accuser roar,

 of sins that I have done. 

I know them all and more,

but my FATHER KNOWETH NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

My Sins have been forgiven! 

Christ bore them all for me. 

He for my sake was broken 

and died to set me free.

In life I will cling to Jesus my Lord,

loved and forgiven, redeemed and restored. 

And ever I'll trust him more every day,

His promise of love that cannot pass away.

So let the accuser roar,

 of sins that I have done. 

I know them all and thousands more,

but my FATHER KNOWETH NONE! 

MY SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,

Christ bore them all for me. 

He for my sake was broken

and died to set me free!

So let the accuser roar,

 of sins that I have done. 

I know them all and thousands more,

But my FATHER KNOWETH NONE!

My heart is yours forever

 my Savior and my King,

for when I was a beggar,

you gave your life for me. "

- Broken For Me (Matthew Eck

I will happily give my life in exchange for this freedom and love. Seriously, Thank you God.

.... now to do homework....

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
Philippians 1:6

I don't really know how to be at home anywhere else anymore. I don't even really have a true identity outside of Gods grace anymore. God uses every storm, trial, rocky/desert season, and every unfaithfulness on my part to bring to bring me further into Him. He also uses every joy, blessing, simple pleasure, and growth in me to do the same. All glory to God.

Grace. 

Love. 

Peace.

Belonging. 

I am in Gods family! I am in Him, and He is in me.

????!?!?!?!!??!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??!!???????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????

Thank you, Thank you God. 

Your grace toward me is my everything. I want you to be my everything. Please purify my heart. 

❤, Your daughter.

Haha!

"Don’t forget, the bigger the dream, the longer it takes to achieve it. Cut yourself some slack, work hard and keep believing."

  -Joel Madden

This really encouraged me.

(Confession corner.... I'll always love Good Charlotte!)

I'm getting obsessed with this cover. 

Become who you are

Please listen to this.

“From the moment we claim the truth of being the Beloved [of God], we are faced with the call to become who we are.”
-Henri Nouwen

I'm never less stirred by this song. Especially at like 4:30 when that pretty, victorious piano melody chimes in. Is it ok to have Sigur Ros as your favorite band? Haha well, they pretty much are mine.

Check

Sometimes when I look through my photos, a few stand out to me as ones that I know I'll look back on one day and fondly remember what it was like to be young. These impress me as being such. 

Alyssa is one of my dearest pals. We made a lofty summer to-do list last year that has morphed into a general friendship to-do list. This day we accomplished two items on our list: 1. Go to the Irvine Spectrum (most specifically to the asian paper store), and 2. Have a film photo-shoot day. We experimented with her old Minolta from the 70's and this is (some of) what we got! I'm happy. Love you Lyss. Here's to our friendship and to our youth.

^ I know this is just the end of the roll, but I can't help but love prints like these every time. They are their own little ...species... and I like em. ^

"Everyone wants to be right. 

But the brave admit it 

when they're wrong. 

And the best answer 

to any question 

is a humble heart."

-Josh Riebock 

Savior

Jesus as the Savior is becoming more and more and more of a current reality in my life. I guess when  I hear savior, I usually think back to the moment in history when Jesus took Gods wrath and the punishment for my sin on the cross. That is final and that is true. If nothing else is true, that is true. Jesus is my savior in that sense, and any other sense that I experience Him in only stems from that truth.

 But.

I am experiencing that same Savior...saving my soul every day. He saves me from despair, from the depths of my hearts wickedness, from deceit, from myself in general, from earthly and spiritual opposition, from sadness, from accusing voices, from apathy.  He has saved me= He saves me. He saved me tonight. He will save me tomorrow. His faithfulness stretches on for all eternity. He is faithfulness, faithfulness is God; God in Christ, God through his Holy Spirit, God as our Dad.

Oh God, help me to live in you, with you, by you. Help me to see through the lens of truth and to walk in faith.

I am new. Keep making me new. I am saved. Keep saving me.

God already won

Upon studying intuition, I have learned this much: I have strong intuition.

I don't love the intro, but I do LOVE this song and especially this version.

Twitter-light:

An alternative to twilight. (ex.London is at its most beautiful by twitter-light.)


Dreamy words.

Curglaff:

The shock one feels upon first plunging into cold water.

Death by laughter

It's the thigh! 

Confession corner

I've been using this as air freshener in my room. Sunblock just smells so magical and carries with it every happy, summery connotation!