Humility.

Man I need humility.  My heart is burdened by my damnable pride.  Pride in my musical gifts, pride in my scholastic success, pride in my driven attitude, pride in my eclectic tastes, pride in knowing some theology, and seriously…the list could go on and on.  When did I become so absorbed in me?  When did I forget that I’m a sinner; that on my worst day I’m a sinner but that on my best day I am still a sinner?  I have taken God off his throne and placed myself in it.  I have continually NAILED CHRIST TO THE CROSS for my sins and my pride.  I have forgotten the price my Savior paid for me. 

Yet I hold fast hope.
HE is the God of the BROKEN
The Friend of the WEAK

I have been brought out to the light through the death and resurrection of Christ.  His wounds have paid my eternal ransom.  I rejoice in the reminder that I am nothing compared to the Glory of the King.  I rejoice in the LORD who died for me, redeemed me, and ultimately loved me.  All glory and honor and praise to the Lord on high.  Thank you.

Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.  For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

-          2 Corinthians 10: 17-18

‘Cause I know that You’re alive
You came to fix my broken life
And I sing to glorify
Your holy Name
Jesus Christ

You bought my life with the
Blood that You shed on the cross
When You died for the sins of men
And You let out a cry
Crucified now alive in me

["I am not the man I ought to be, I am not the man I wish to be, and I am not the man I hope to be, but by the grace of God, I am not the man I used to be."]

-          John Newton

PS.  I love the BEAT and I love Harbor.  God is growing me so much here in San Diego.  It’s good. 

Hello friends.  It has been quite a while.  My first University quarter has come and gone and I am now in the third week of winter quarter.  That means midterms…yay for me.  You would think that I would have gotten used to the quarter system, but no, not yet.  Anyways, I digress.  My first quarter was good, excellent even.  I accomplished my main goal, which was to be academically successful.  I studied, made new friends, sang with the beat (I LOVE THE BEAT), became a tad more physically fit, and had fun doing it all. 

Now it’s the new quarter but even bigger, it is the new year.  Soooooooooo, New Year’s resolutions time.  (Don’t give me crap because it’s already the end of January)

-          Exercise at least 4 times a week

I haven’t been able to do this one lately because I have been sick, but as soon as I am healthy again, it is on.

-          Read a book every month

Generally I just want to be well read.  I’ve started reading The Economist too.  It’s pretty good.

-          Save money. Manage money

I am horrible at this…because I spend all my money on food.

-          No more warcraft

Pretty much no DOTA….dangit…so hard to do.

-          Straight A’s

Yup…straight A's…no A-'s

-          MCAT score above 35

MmmHmmm…delicious..MCATs.  It’s actually kind of fun

-          Eat more seafood

I’ve started this one suckas.  Ate some sushi with Sake Bombs too.  Yum.

-          Learn about Wine.

This is so I can pretend that I’m cultured and mature.

There are the main ones.  I think they are realistic right? Right.  So how was everyone’s Winter break?  Mine was good.  Went to New York and had a blast.  Reconnected with cousins I haven’t seen in years, and met some cousins I had never met before.  Hung out with some buddies, did the touristy things, ate good food, and saw three musicals.  Yeah…THREE!  Chicago, Mamma Mia, and the Drowsy Chaperone.  Watch the Drowsy Chaperone.  It is frikkin funny.  The only downer of New York was the absence of snow.  NO SNOW!  Such a bummer. But other than that, it was terrific.  I have to go back again.

Other than NY, I just had a really good time meeting up with friends. Oh yeah…I got addicted to guitar hero too.  Frikkin Sam Son and Biggie Son.  I was so tempted to buy the game and controllers and bring them to SD.  Good thing I have self-control… no one actually believes that, so the real reason I didn’t buy it was because I was broke.  Yeah.  But I did have enough money to buy a Cajon.  What’s a cajon? I’m glad you asked.  It’s a hand percussion instrument.  Need imagery?  Go check out Youtube.  While you are there look up RagFair.  Also watch the new 300 trailer.  I feel more manly watching it.  Not that I need to add to my already 110% manliness….I can’t believe I wrote that…but I’ll leave it so you can laugh with me…fine…at me.  Heheheh.  This is one random entry and I need to go, so closing thoughts.

I LOVE THE BEAT

Be Happy.  It’s contagious, just like laughter and smiles.

See you on the flip side
($20 dollars to whoever knows where that’s from)

….jk about the $20.

Hi.

The

Gospel

Is GOOD.

I live at the library.

Finals week is hard.

I love Christmas music.

New York here I come!!

I'm broke.  I need a job badly.

I want to sing some more A cappella.

I need to study more than I do right now.

I think the Chocolate phone sucks and is overrated.

Sergios at 3AM gives me indigestion and mad BDS

Can't wait for Grey's Anatomy marathon starting from season 1.

I need

SLEEP.

Good luck on finals. 

Watch this for your break!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DLfLe_E7AOk

I sit here in my apartment with my brain full of so many thoughts, with so many things I want to write about and unable to verbalize them and not knowing where to start.  Yet I feel a post is long overdue for my few readers and I believe writing one might put some muscles on the raw skeleton of my thoughts and be somewhat therapeutic for me.  So how do I proceed?  Like peeling an onion I will start on the surface of my life and work my way inward. 

On this Thursday evening (or very early Friday morning, however you view it), the sixth week of school is coming to a close.  Midterms have come and gone and David did good.  Having received my scores I finally have confidence in my ability to compete with real university students at a real university.  I know I know…I AM a university student now, but I needed those grades to affirm that I’d be able to do it.  El Camino College really aptly prepared me and I am thankful for that.  So basically, scholastics are not too bad…if I study of course.  Only thing now is that MCAT studying is going to enter my life in a major way. 

Moving on, UCSD is fun.  There is so much that I can do, and I am making up for three years of missing out.  The a cappella group that I am proud to be a part of, The Beat, is fabulous.  The rehearsals may take up some time, but it is worth it.  Music is what keeps me sane and relieves my stress in a world that is for the most part, otherwise comprised of science.  We are so culturally, ethnically, spiritually, and scholastically diverse, but are united together by music.  That is F-ing beautiful.  Kudos to Thomas for turning me on to a cappella and being a major reason why I am now part of the a cappella community.  Since I’m talking about music, I’ll also add that Gospel choir continues to be my favorite class.  I’m also working on looking for a hospital to volunteer at and have turned in an app to work at a free student run health clinic as well.  Plus I am going to do Habitat for Humanity and hopefully go down to Mexico with KCM every month.  I’m interested in R.A.ing as well. Like I said, so much that I can do.

Para-ministries.   My involvement in para-ministries is unique and a little complicated.  I have chosen to go to CCM general meetings and events and have also decided to go to KCM events and Mexico missions.      Neat people in both. Pros and Cons in both.  Yada yada yada. And that’s all I really have to say about that.

Now I get closer to the core.  But it’s late and so for now, I end it here.  I promise to finish this though.  For me. Because I’m selfish like that.

UCSD

Currently at the beginning of week 3, I finally decided to update my xanga.  So here it goes:

Hectic move-in, living with strangers, Ikea, Wal-mart, sleeping on the ground, Super Sergios, Craiglist, truck rental, apartment rules, apartment chores, CCM bowling night, KCM bowling night, meeting new people, finally getting swiped, FACEBOOK, reconnecting with old friends, making new ones too, touring campus to look for my classes, first day of school, Magic Mountain with roommates, first week, free food everywhere, working out at RIMAC, farmer’s market Tuesdays, GOSPEL CHOIR!, taking the shuttle, 8 AM classes, responsibility, bills, first KCM general meeting, learning about the Stuart Art Collection, studying in the alien space ship, auditioning for Tritones and the Beat, CCM luau, getting rejected by Tritones, going NRBing, getting called back by the Beat, becoming a masterBEATer, Harbor Presbyterian Church, Pastor Paul drops a PKbomb (very similar to a Keller Bomb), 2^nd week, Beat rehearsals, working out, Joyce turns 21, 8 AM classes..sigh, celebrating Chusok, more Super Sergios,  and now is the beginning of third week. 

A lot more stuff than this happened of course, but those were some highlights.  San Diego is awesome thus far, but I’ll reserve real judgment until I have finished a week of midterms.  Living with strangers has been quite an experience, albeit a difficult one and one that I think will grow me.  Scholastically things aren’t too difficult, but midterms might make me retract that statement.  College life is fun.  Facebook is fun.   Living on my own is fun.  The Beat, a UCSD a cappella group, is uber fun too.  In other news, I like Harbor Presbyterian Church.  It’s a church that meets at a high school and has gospel centered preaching by Pastor Paul.  Plus it is a sister church to Redeemer Presbyterian Church.  OoooOOoooOoooWhee.  Life is good.

Ill try to post pictures another time.  You stay classy San Diego.