Christmas Jubilee

Each year our home church puts on a Christmas Jubilee. The children's department goes all out to put on a 45 minute musical and these kids are so talented. They memorize scripts that are probably difficult even for me to get down...and with so much expression & singing on top of that. We're so lucky to have directors and teachers who are willing to put up with these kids for 2 months straight in an effort to put up this show. The set was beautiful, the kids were so cute, and the musical itself was touching.

I sat next to my friend Narae for the Candlelight service. P Sam says it's his favorite joint service of the year and though I don't get the chance to go to too many joint services anymore, the candlelight service is also my favorite. The whole sanctuary lights up one person at a time, and everyone sings Silent Night together. By the end of all 4 verses, darkness turns into light. Toward the end of service Narae asked me where I'd be after I graduate...whether I'd stay up in nor cal. Of course, no one knows. Only God. The question caught me off guard and so I replied "wherever I get a job of course" to that she said "니가 너무 없어.." After thinking about all she's been through in 2009, after thinking about what 2009 did to a lot of people around me... I couldn't help but cry. I wish I could have been here for her when everything happened. I wish I wasn't up in Berkeley so lost in my own world up there, so unable to comfort more. Sometimes life throws something at you and you have to grow and mature decades within a span of a few months. You really don't have a choice. Sometimes, it comes sooner than you expect or want. 2009 was a difficult year for a lot of people, sobering, really. 2010...what is in store?

But today is Christmas. And Jesus you came to be with us. You came to give life and hope to the world...so even if 2009 was the way it was, you are hope and you are life. We move on, we grow up, and we mature because you give us a new day to live.

Jjim jil bang is so fun. And relaxing. I recommend to anybody who doesn't mind getting naked afterwards in the sauna. And my dad is a pro sheep-towel maker, I don't know how.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Weak because I am human

Tempted because of my sin

Lonely because I ignored you and searched elsewhere

Strong because you are my strength

Victorious because you saved

Joyful because you live

That's it.

Leave him alone

As we all know, recently Tiger Woods came out and confessed that he had cheated on his wife. But it's been about a week and every time I open up to the LA Times there's yet another article of Tiger Woods. Just within the past day, I've read one article about him taking an indefinite break from golf, and then yet another just about an hour later that questioned why and how his long history of infidelity had been a secret for so long.

Honestly, the story was pretty intriguing for me when it was released. It's Tiger Woods, right? He seemed to have such a pristine history thus far, he never really caused much of a ruckus unless he won another award or fell to second place. But now there was something to hold over his head. I, as a rather apathetic individual regarding Woods before this scandal was suddenly making judgments such as "Why would he do that, how could he do that to his wife when she was pregnant with his child?" But I really think that it's been taken too far. People, leave him alone. He's apologized, and now he's taking time off to try and mend things over with his family. Of course there is the thought--how much is publicity, how much is real, how much is he even really sorry for? But for what it's worth, the press has gone too far.

Dear NY Times,

Give it a rest. Leave Tiger Woods alone for now.

Sincerely,

Rachel.

habits developed in 2009

Within the past year I realized I developed some habits...A lot of these have no reasons, I really can't answer why I do some of the things I do.

1. Waking up and immediately checking messages on my blackberry. Seriously it's so addicting...What happened to the days when I would only feel the need to check once a day?
2. Deconstructing the sleeve on my coffee cup after I'm done drinking it and then placing it inside the cup.
3. Sarah says when I think something is funny I'll always repeat it for some reason. Sadly, I caught myself doing this after she pointed it out to me.
4. Twitter has made me so much more aware of random news headlines as well as the mundane going abouts of my friends. Also, where the cupkates truck is at all times -_-. I followed Kogi truck for a little bit but they just updated way. too. often.
5. Blog checking/browsing every time I open my computer. I get so excited when I see (you guys) and other bloggers have updated since I last checked. One of the bloggers I've been following for a few months just recently got engaged to her boyfriend of 7 1/2 years! I don't even know the girl besides for the fact that she has storage of lots of cool facts & cute pictures on her blog but for some reason I was so happy for her.

Okay that's all I will disclose. My 5 habits of 2009.

finals means a ridiculous amount of blog entries, duh!

A few weeks ago I had the chance to hold a baby in my arms. She was pretty old too, around three, not an infant or anything. It was so nice as she was sitting in my arms, to feel another's heartbeat so close to you. To know that you are holding a life in your hands, that they are so precious and (still so small!) and so so adorable and wonderfully made. And yesterday at the holiday party for work, our supervisor brought her year-old daughter. Why are holiday dresses so much cuter on babies than on grown women!? She's in that "I want to crawl everywhere cus I'm fearless" stage. It was so weird to watch this little baby. I remember planning and being at her mom's baby shower and now that baby is out and about, climbing stairs and crawling everywhere in adorable Ralph Lauren holiday dresses!

----

Today I pulled out my mom's scarf. She gave it to me last year saying that her father had bought it for when she was a college student. I love that it smells like her and it's crazy to think that he held this in his hands too at some point...many many years ago. Perhaps one day, I can give it to my daughter...as a family heirloom of sorts?

----

Recently these lyrics from Shane & Shane's "Vision of You" have been on my mind....

Awaken what's inside of me...

may the vision of You be the death of me

Desert pt. 2

A friend told me today "When God asks you to wait it seems like forever but when He starts moving it usually happens before you know it, it happens so fast right before your eyes."

These moments of waiting, these times in the desert -- it's all preparation, there is a mountain to climb, an ocean to cross. And right now I'm just waiting, slowly waiting, for you to take me there. Once I get there, I'll know. But for now I will just have faith, I will just wait, and stay here where you have led me. Be obedient, Rachel. Sometimes all He wants from me is simple obedience.

Slow is the preparation, but quick are You to move mightily when You will and when You want.
That is what I will wait for.

The random thoughts of a final taking undergrad

I wish I was more effective while studying late at night, I can't seem to get myself to be anything close to productive past 2 AM :(

And with all these hours I'm working during dead week, I realize I would ideally need a job as an undergrad (for the 1 1/2 yrs left that I have) to be something that I can do at night so I can use the time during the day to study. That means office jobs that end at 5 are no bueno...

Resumes are kind of a sad thing. But I figure, there's got to be a time when you're applying for a job when there isn't much to put on your resume. Gotta start somewhere right? Right...

The worst thing that can happen to you is getting sick during finals week. So don't get sick people! Avoid it like the plague.... Emergen C packets, Airborne, Cell Defense, Oranges, Tangerines, Yu ja cha, anything that'll work for you!

I bought my Christmas plane tickets around a month ago when Southwest was having a crazy deal for $25 one way. But now a month later I realize I can't go as early as I had planned nor can I fly back up as late as I had intended. So now I'm paying $50 more to make the difference. Go fig, I'm never buying tickets early again :(

And lastly, tell me if I'm wrong but aren't the following items quite necessary for a successful & effective cafe? (Coffee is a given): Good lighting, enough outlets for new age yuppies who constantly want to be on their laptops, large tables where you can actually place multiple books and look at them at once, long hours at least past 9, and free wifi? (again for the new age yuppies) I wish there were more of those in this city...

Thou Shall Not Covet vs. consumer society

This week in small group we went over the commandment "thou shall not covet" but it was particularly interesting because in one of my classes we are studying advertising and its effects on us as consumers. The whole idea is that as we are living in a capitalist society, advertisers are the agents that give meaning to common everyday commodities. (Yes, this is just a piece of gum. But it's really a lot better than all the other brands of gum out there. Because we can clean your teeth better. Your teeth will shine better and soon all the boys will be falling for you.) We learned of the 4 rather simple means through which advertising agencies speak to us, getting us to want more and more. Because what we have is not enough, and obviously what you need is the product on that ad in that magazine, or that coat on that billboard as you're driving on the bay bridge. Or those shoes that were on that 30 second commercial you just saw on hulu. Or sometimes its even more sneaky sneaky than that. You're just blog surfing and you see all these beautiful things that other bloggers are wearing...(fashion blogs, oh fashion blogs). How do we reconcile this, then? When we live in a consumer society--when advertisements are entire agencies and corporations based on the sole fact that people are buying into these full page ads and 30 second commercials? They're effective, they get us to buy "5 Gum" over your plain ole' Dentyne Ice.

I'm still mulling over this...what do you guys think?

Oh Coco. You make me laugh.
It's funny how dogs can't recognize their own reflection.