Blessing 51 - Baby Gum Drops

I met a friend at Starbucks this morning and saw these little
gum drops!

New candy at Starbucks but a really old childhood memory. I happen to like the pink ones...watermelon! I just thought they were really cute. God was so kind to have me notice them. I am appreciating the little things in my days so that I may remain simple and uncluttered.

Blessing 50 - Oil Painting

My Ocean View

A most wonderful experience to be able to paint for the very first time! I had asked J.J. to teach me a few of her painting techniques before I headed out to my Beach House this weekend. Look what God was able to accomplish through me today! We actually prayed before we started painting. Have I found a new love? It's quite not finished, but I am looking forward to see the end product. Believe me, it's a lot harder than just clicking my Canon to capture a picture.

From blending colors of oi paints, from oil paints to a brush, from a brush onto an empty canvas, a seed of inspiration was planted in my heart by God. What a serene and wonderful experience I had today. Praise God!

.

Blessing 49 - Tonight's Sunset

One of my goals in life is to travel the world. I realized that today, God brought part of the world to me. The same sunset from Mare Island would be the same sunset I would see in Italy. The source of light is of the same entity. I am grateful that I can enjoy such beautiful sunsets right in my own backyard. One day, God willing, I will capture a sunset from Italy.

Blessing 48 - Free Earrings!

In exchange for a few items, I got these lovely earrings at our High School Girls Swap Meet! These earrings will go great with my North Carolina wardrobe! It was a blessing to see the young ladies get all excited over some free stuff! It's cool how your junk can be somebody's treasure! I believe that the best things in life are those that are simply free!

Except FRIENDSHIP...It comes with a great price tag.
It's Priceless.

Blessing 47 - Diamonds

Before I headed home on Hwy 80,
I just had to stop for a brief moment...
Today in Emeryville...I discovered a treasure!

The encouraging waves that we send out to friends may be like rare diamonds that shine within their hearts. You just never know how a kind word or gesture can change someone's day or even his entire life for the better. This is one of the reasons that keeps me blogging on Blessings 365. Even though no one may ever see or feel the waves you send out, God sees them...and that makes all the difference!

Blessing 46 - Cracker Jack

Tastes Just as Good as You Remember!

As it turned out, I never got my Pink Popcorn. But I did eat some Cracker Jacks today! It was just as fun eating them as it was trying to dig out the prize inside! Now that's something that you won't get from Pink Popcorn...a prize! There's always something to be positive about and thankful for when you can't have what you really want. Sometimes, what you end up with may actually come with an unexpected and sweet surprise. Sometimes, it may actually have a greater blessing for you. Sometimes, God brings someone into your life to help you see other alternatives to your desires...and I am so grateful for that!

The little quote at the bottom of the Cracker Jack Box reads "Taste Just as Good as You Remember!" The first piece of popcorn that I ate did bring back nice memories as a child...not to mention that it did taste pretty good! I remember wishing for that Cracker Jack ring or those fun tattoos all the time!

When I remember what the Lord Jesus has done for me, I can't help but praise Him for His faithfulness and goodness in all my days. As I feast upon God's Word, each verse is like a sweet morsel within my heart and mind. When it's hard for me to remain content, I immediately think back on how great He has been and how wonderful He continues to be. Even though I may not always get what I want, I know He will always have the best in store for me.

Psalm 34:8
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Blessing 45 - The Climb

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
IT'S THE CLIMB!

(MILEY CYRUS)

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE JOURNEY
EVEN THOUGH I MAY NEVER REACH MY DESTINATION.

My Dream:
To Travel the World, To Capture God's Beauty,
To Write my Book, TO GLORIFY GOD.

Blessing 44 - Genuine Worship

John 4:23
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

Upon being challenged by Fran to remain faithful to the Lord, our Youth Bible Study tonight were encouraged to truly worship God in spirit and in truth. Fran shared the benefits of Faithfulness from God's Word and I felt the Spirit working in each individual heart. I was standing at the back of the room and was led to open my eyes as we were closing in worship. I saw one of our guys stand up and was in total submission as he worshiped God! This blessed my heart! This was my blessing today.

I Love You...I Need You
Though my world may fall
I'll never let you go
My Savior, my closest Friend
I will worship You until the very end.

JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL.

Blessing 43 - Fireworks and Goodnight!

This had to be one of my most tiring day thus far this summer! From 10 am this morning to 10 pm this evening, I have felt like I have been running a marathon! Every hour was accounted for and I hardly had any time to sit and breathe. But it was all worth it. Anything done for God's glory is truly a blessing. I finally headed home at exactly 9:59 pm and as I was driving, fireworks filled the skies over the Solano Fairgrounds! I suddenly felt like God lit those fireworks just for me as I was about to cross my finish line for the day. It made me smile =). It spurred me to finish.

The sight of my bed was a such a true comfort! It was a great sight for sore eyes and body. It was a great place to finish today's race. So without further delay, I bid you a Good Night! Thank you for praying for me today.

Blessing 42 - The Irony of Commitment

The Way I see It #76
(Starbucks Cup Message)

The irony of commitment is that
it's deeply liberating - in work,
in play, in love. The act frees you
from the tyranny of your internal
critic, from the fear that likes to
dress itself up and parade around
as rational hesitation. To commit is
to remove your head as the barrier
to your life.

~~Ann Morriss
Starbucks customer from New York City

I constantly get this same message from my Starbucks Cups. Today was no exception. I knew it was time to "commit" and finally write about it. To some, a commitment is equated to a ball and chain. Freedom becomes a luxuary of the past. Commitment, as some may come to fear it, may be seen as a pain rather than a progress in one's growth. How ironic that these misconceptions are so far from the truth. No wonder we have so many undecided individuals lacking in faith. When the one thing they are fearing most is actually the very thing that will free them from their fears. COMMITMENT.

God would never hesitate in committing to loving us for even one micro of a second. This would go against His very nature...for God IS Love. He demonstrated His own Love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) He committed to us when He demonstrated His love to us. He committed to us when Christ died for us. God is committed to US. This frees us from any bondage or hesitations! If God can commit to me, who is merely but dust compared to His worth, what is hold me back from committing to HIM? Do I need to see the whole picture before I commit? Notice how the picture above only shows one side of the cup. You don't have to see the whole cup to know it is a cup. You just simply know that it is. Maybe this is where I need to exercise my faith in God. No...I don't need to see the whole picture. I just need to fully commit.

Please read this message on my Starbucks Cup again. Although it's from a lady named Ann from New York City, I truly believe that God has a message in it for all of us. It had one for me.

"To commit is to remove my head as the barrier to God.
It's deeply liberating."

Blessing 41 - Honey Bees and Sunflowers

Driving down one of the older streets in Napa today, I noticed a front yard filled with beautiful wild sunflowers shining brightly as their name! And 0f course...if you knew me...your next guess would naturally be..."Oh, don't tell me, she stopped her car just to take pictures of them!" Well your guess was absolutely correct! I did stop, walked quietly up to the flowers, and carefully took pictures like I was on some secret mission! I didn't want the owners of the house to see me =)! To my surprise, I saw a Honey Bee doing its job, business as usual, tapping at the flower. It was quite amazing to see one of God's creation doing exactly what it was meant to do for the duration of its life. So this has led me to write about these hard working insects. I know that you will also be truly amazed after you read some trivia about these Honey Bees:

How many flowers must honey bees tap to make one pound of honey?
Two million.

How much honey does the average worker honey bee make in her lifetime?
1/2 teaspoon.

How long does a worker honey bee live?
Approximately 42-45 days in peek season.

How far does a hive of bees fly to bring you one pound of honey?
Over 55,ooo miles.

Think about it...

An average honey bee will only live close to 45 days to just make 1/2 teaspoon of honey. I consume one teaspoon of local honey per day during those bad allergy seasons! They fly over 55,000 miles and visit over 2 million flowers to make ONE POUND of HONEY. AMAZING! But this is their purpose for living. This is their "good works" for all humanity...to add some sweetness to our lives! If God can orchestrate and plan out a life of an insect, how much more will He do and can do for His children! I am brought humbly to my knees to have such a magnificent privilege to serve such a magnificent God. I am nothing...YET...He has given me everything to act on His behalf.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Blessing 40 - Pink Popcon

Old Fashion Pink Popcorn

Going down memory lane...I remember this old fashion Pink Popcorn that my dad used to buy me whenever we would visit the Oakland Zoo in Knowland Park. I haven't had one in years! Funny how something as simple as Pink Popcorn can flood your memory bank with happy moments. It's quite nostalgic for me. When I was about 5 years old, my dad and I would go on dates to the zoo. He especially loved the Oakland Zoo although S.F. Zoo was a lot closer to us. I remembered the rides for the children there. I loved riding the train with my Pink Popcorn! Right before my dentist appointment on one vivid Tuesday, which happened to be my dad's day off, he decided that we would take a quick trip to the zoo! Although mom said not to buy me anything close that resembled "candy"...my dad said that "Pink Popcorn" was not really "candy'! I love my DAD! I enjoyed every bite of it as we walked around the zoo! Then...(sad face)...it was "dentist time". To make a long story short, I think my dad got into trouble with my mom! I guess the dentist told my mom later that it was awfully hard trying to clean all that "Pink Popcorn" out of my teeth! Hahaha! All I remember was that my parents had to talk behind closed doors while I waited outside in the living room. My dad later came out and sat next to me on the couch. Then he whispered quietly over to me,

"Well, at least we had fun, huh?"

WHAT I WOULD DO FOR SOME PINK POPCORN RIGHT ABOUT NOW!
Just being thankful for happy childhood memories!
Happy Face =)

Blessing 39 - JJ's Bridal Shower

Erick and JJ

Today was JJ's surprise bridal a shower and if you could describe it in a couple of words it would be "an endless river of bountiful blessings"! JJ was so overwhelmed by the love and presence of her sisters in Christ that tears immediately started flowing from her eyes! Everyone had a small part in making this a memorable day for her.

A reflection of their LOVE.
(JJ's shower favors...tin containers filled with cute little mints!)
I pray that their marriage will always be filled
and refreshed by God's unconditional love.

Delicious cupcakes lovingly made by Darlene.

The two hearts on the cupcake looks like two "B's"
which can stand for "Bountiful Blessings"
or "Beautiful Bride"!
At least that's what I see =).
Wink!!!

Song of Solomon 8:7
"Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away..."

Blessing 38 - Santa Cruz

"In my element..."

Allan, Bi, and Nathan

Da Boys trying to be beach models!

The Pagmans!

Volleyball + Beach = Heaven!

What a fun-filled day God has blessed us with! From having Dim Sum in O-Town this morning, and SANTA CRUZ in between, to finally having dinner at Buca di Beppo in San Jose...it's no wonder I missed my deadline to blog about my blessing for July 18! We got home pretty late, but it has been such a wonderful day from the very beginning!

Blessing 37 - Yogurtland

(Niko's Creation)
SO REFRESHING AND GOOD FOR YOU, TOO!

Good to the last spoonful!
My favorite: Taro flavor with Red Beans.
(Taste like Halo-Halo!)

If you get a chance to taste all their wonderful flavors,
stop by and your summer will always be delicious!
Yogurtland
2345 Monument Rd., Pleasant Hill

Blessing 36 - Ashley Turns THIRTEEN!

Happy Birthday, Ash!!!

Kua surprised Ashley with a birthday song that he wrote himself! He sang and played the Ukulele. Little did Ashley know, the Ukulele that Kua was playing was actually hers. It was a surprise birthday gift from Kuya Joseph!

"Everybody is here for Ashley's birthday
And she's turning thirteen.
And she's looking pretty clean.
I remember when you were young
And you would run around in the sun
With those small little feet
And those chubby, chubby cheeks!

Ashley is big now and she's looking pretty cool
And she's even cooler than a swimming pool
There's another little secret as tiny as can be
Kuya JOE bought this ukulele just for Ashley!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

THIRTEEN
13

Blessing 35 - Friendships

I just praise God for my friendships with Gloria and Iris. Each friend is like finding a beautiful rose in a secret garden. Though we have changed in many ways throughout the years, there will always be memories to cherish...and love to still give. Their names are written with a permanent marker in my heart.

Blessing 34 - Summer Smiles

HeHeHe!

HeeHee!

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart.
Proverbs 15:30

Blessing 33 - Dinner at Chevy's

Best things in life are always FREE!
Free Chips and Salsa...Mmm!

Ashley and Niko were given free sombrero hats at Chevy's tonight! It was just nice to get out of the heat and enjoy a good meal where it was nice and cool!

Today was just an ordinary day...I felt like the morning forgot about me and I soon found myself in the middle of the afternoon. Then the evening instantly happened and all I saw was a pink haze that filled the sky. When did the sunset happen? Today instantly became Tonight. I don't think I like that very much.

"Oh Summer...don't be in such a rush!"

Nevertheless, I will give God the praise that He so deserves. He is the author and creator of our seasons. Time waits for no one. Time is in His Hands.

Ecclesiates 3:11
He makes all things Beautiful in His Time.

Blessing 32 - Class of 2009!

CONGRATULATIONS
CLASS OF 2009!

Blessing 31 - Niko Turns Nine!

At the stroke of midnight, I took this picture of our
"Birthday Boy"!
Praise God for his life!

9

Always will be "Mommy's Boy"!

Blessing 30 - Cooking Class

Cooking Class with Auntie Beth
Turon (banana fritter) with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

and topped with Whip Cream!

Working diligently in making the Turon for our Friday Brunch.

Auntie Beth was kind enough to teach us ladies how to make Peach Cobbler, Turon (wrapped banana fritters), and a huge pot of Pandan tea! Everything was so delicious! It was a delightful time to learn something new in the kitchen. But for some of us, it was a first time to learn something in the kitchen!

Older women...teach the younger women
to be self-contol and pure,
to be busy at home (cook),
and to be kind...
Titus 2:5

Blessing 29 - Indulgence

Cupcake Brownie Sundae

Literally...just came out of the oven!
Hurry and indulge!
Ice cream's melting fast!

Blessing 28 - FUN!

HIGHLIGHTS OF TODAY...
Monta chasing Parker and I around the backyard!

Parker's version of Michael Jackson's Thriller!

Hanging out with Friends!

The blessing of $1 scoop of ice cream!

Blessing 27 - Four Leaf Clover

Kate's Four Leaf Clover

You want to hear a great story? I met a nice lady today by the name of Kate. We were standing in line together at Starbucks this morning. She asked if anyone had seen a wallet that was lost the night before. Fortunately, someone did find her wallet and turned it in. She told me that the only thing she cared for in the wallet was her "four leaf clover". I asked if I could see it and hopefully take a picture of it for I have never seen one. She was kind enough to let a stranger (crazy me) see it. We carried on a conversation as if were friends for quite some time. She told me about this certain time when she had to cater a wedding in Vermont...and there was this odd old man just sitting out on the grassy area and looking down intently on the ground for most of the ceremony. He later came up to her and handed her a handful of four leaf clovers! What a delight! Sadly, Kate was not able to save any of them. But when she finally found one of her own somewhere in Petaluma, she knew instantly that she had to preserve it and never lose the clover. This is why she was so happy to get her wallet back.

It was just really nice to have shared that moment with Kate. She believed that "luck" or her "four leaf clover" had brought her and the wallet back together again. I believe that it was truly God watching over her. I, too, had a nice story to share with her that related to a four leaf clover or actually about St. Patrick's Day =), for I really wanted her to stay and linger for even just a few more minutes. I didn't have the chance to tell her what I really thought about our "divine appointment" but I hope to see her again at Starbucks. Soon after this incident, the district manager of all the Starbucks around my area was so curious about what I was taking a picture of. So I asked Kate if she would tell her great story to him. He was just simply amazed! He called that place her "Lucky Starbucks"! I would like to call it a "Blessed Starbucks"!

A Deliberate Act of God's Goodness

I hope today's blessing brought a smile upon your face.
I pray that it brought a smile upon God's face.

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Blessing 26 - Eighteen Years

Happy Anniversary!

Today, Jon and I celebrated our 18 years of marriage. Time sure flies when you're having fun! We saw a movie tonight then had a late dinner. Nothing out of the ordinary, but what is above the ordinary is the fact that God has blessed us with 18 wonderful years together! It's such an extravagant gift and one I truly do not deserve. But thank you, God, for you are very Good and very Gracious to us!

Perfume 41

I have been waiting to get this perfume since last year. I didn't want anything big or extravagant for our anniversary, but Jon knew what would make me smile...and it worked! I am smiling and smelling very nice. =) It has been a perfect day.