Angel/blessing in disguise?

 **PLEASE READ... I THINK THIS STORY IS WORTH IT**

So... some of you might know about my 2007.  It was a tremendous year of learning about myself, life, GOD's best laid plans, my career, how I spend my time, who I choose to spend my time with, and just a real year of [cliche warning]... "soul searching".  And I did a lot of things in 2007.

-  I took up golfing again (just yesterday I finally broke 100 for the first time ever... still looking for my first birdie though)
-  I expanded my willingness to try new things & was able to make new friends 
-  I got a 24 Hour gym membership (I'm still looking for two REALLY good pictures to show the world the huge difference in a year)
-  I took a gamble on a job that looked like it was going into turmoil and going to be eliminated (which, ironically, is now going to be increasing in size by 50+%)
- and most importantly I began visiting Casa Hogar Sion in Tijuana, Mexico.

Now, this trip I had wanted to go to for a really long time, but never found the time..... until 2007.  I still recall my first trip down there in January 2007.  I had been on week-long trips w/ my home church (shout out to Sacramento Chinese Baptist Church) back in '97, '98, '99 and wanted to check out another orphanage.  Little did I know that I'd be impacted sooooooooooooo much by such a tiny person.  And here's the story.....

I'm down on my first trip not knowing anybody there.  We're taking a tour, walking around, learning about the orphanage.  It's awesome, kids running around everywhere.  I start utilizing some of the Spanish I know.  I'm loving the kids, but still timid and shy.  I remember, I was walking past the little playground area towards the overhang in front of the girls dorm when I hear a little "ha ha ha *oink sound* ha ha ha".  I turn around and see this girl.  She's small, looks normal for her age, medium to dark skin, long hair and a smile that would melt the heart of Scrooge himself.  I look down at this girl and point in a way asking "Did that sound come from you?".  She smiles back at me and I kneel down.  I take a chance and I tickle her.  She makes the sound again.  HILARIOUS!!!!

I finally finish playing with her thinking "Cute kid... ok, now what?"  I turn to walk away only to find a little hand in my hand.  I look down and she still wants to play.  We sit down at a table and she sits on my lap.  She keeps laughing, but now purposely making the sound.  I calmly ask her "?Como te llamas?"  She replies "Carolina, y tu?"  "Me llamo Edwin.... err...... Edwardo esta bien".  She utters back "Edwardo" and smiles.

That was that.  You know that cheesy line (which I admit I like myself) from "Jerry McGuire"..... "You had me at hello"?  Well, I was had at that smile.  I don't think words can describe how amazing Carolina was.  The rest of that day (my first day) she was stuck to me like a fallen slice of toast w/ peanut butter that lands face down on the floor.  That day the group took the kids to the park where I watched her take care of a little 2 year old girl (who I would later on find out was her sister).  This girl had so much character, she was like a little cartoon animation character w/ the faces, the chance encounter you'll see her bust into dance, jump/skip/hop around laughing w/ her friends........ just the best person to see when you were feeling down.  And you know what????  I met her at a time where that's what I was asking GOD for.

I was asking GOD "Show me something..... something good and something I can be a part of."  Because of that day in January 2007 where I was able to meet Carolina, I found a place that I've been committed to at least once a month, which has turned into twice a month including being able to spend CHRISTmas eve & day at.

HERE'S THE POINT OF THIS POST....... I found out this weekend that Carolina and her family decided to leave the orphanage (reason I don't know).  *side note, she was not an orphan, rather her parents were staff at Casa Hogar*.  As I reflected on the notion that I am likely to never see her again and that the last time that I DID see her (on 1/26/08) might be the last.... I thought about what she's done for me.  I think GOD put her in my life to give me hope and to show me a little bit of His goodness and beauty and love.  With Carolina, you never felt unloved at all.  NEVER.  So this post is dedicated to my good friend, "mi amiga"........... Carolina.

Currently Watching Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Widescreen Edition) By Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, Corbin Bernsen, Dash Mihok see related

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

I just saw "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" which is a hysterically funny, witty, noir/L.A. detective film w/ Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer.  If you watch it, you gotta pay attention closely b/c the verbiage is soooooo quick, you'll get it later, but you might miss something while you're getting the last comment.  Here are a few quotes I loved.........

Perry: Did your dad love you?
Harry: Only when I dressed up like a beer bottle, how about you?
Perry: Well, he used to beat me in Morse code, so it's possible, but he never said the words.
===============================================================
Harry: Do you think I'm stupid?
Perry: I don't think you'd know where to put food at, if you didn't flap your mouth so much. Yes I think you're stupid.
===============================================================
Harry: Umm, clearly I'm interrupting. I feel badly. Let me... What are you drinking?
Harmony: Bad.
Harry: Bad? Sorry... feel...?
Harmony: You feel bad.
Harry: Bad?
Harmony: Badly is an adverb. So to say you feel badly would be saying that the machanism which allows you to feel is broken.
===============================================================
Perry: Go. Sleep badly. Any questions, hesitate to call.
Harry: Bad.
Perry: Excuse me?
Harry: Sleep bad. Otherwise it makes it seem like the machanism that allows you to sleep...
Perry: What, fuckhead? Badly's an adverb. Who taught you grammar? Get out. Vanish.
===============================================================
Harry: [voiceover] I sent Harmony home believing A, we'd meet tomorrow to go over her case, and B, I'm not actually gay. Please do not ask me how I did B.
================================================================

My favorite line is: "[Perry] You know what you find if you look up 'idiot' in the dictionary. [Harry pauses] A picture of me? [Perry] No, the definition of idiot... which is what you are."

LOVE THAT LAST LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh man, if anybody hasn't seen it and wants to, I'm definitely more than willing to see it again.  AWESOME MOVIE!!!!!

The Last Kiss

Anybody see this movie?  It starred Zach Braff ("Scrubs", "Garden State") and is about the lives of 4 friends who are amidst turning 30 years old.  I figured it was a great coincidence that I was flipping through our movie channels looking for movies to watch or try out and I saw this movie's info..... what w/ all of my "I need to make a list of things to do before I turn 30".

There was a line in the movie I just loved..... which is ironic b/c that's what the quote is about.

"Stop talking about love. Every asshole in the world says he loves somebody. It means nothing. It still doesn't mean anything. What you feel only matters to you. It's what you do to the people you say you love, that's what matters. It's the only thing that counts (Tom Wilkinson as "Stephen")."

One more thing..... Rachel Bilson (I couldn't remember when I was watching, but now I looked it up and see she was in "The O.C.", which I never ever have seen) is one of my new celeb crushes.  What a look..... what, a, look. 

my CHRISTmas 2007

I gotta get to sleep soon, so I'm gonna make this quick.  I had a very quick CHRISTmas 4-day weekend... so quick in fact that I can't really recall a lot that I did this weekend.  But the highlight was definitely going down to Casa Hogar Sion on the 24th and spending the night and witnessing the kids' CHRISTmas festivities.  Something I learned was that in Mexico, CHRISTmas is celebrated on the 24th (as opposed to what most of us are used to as the 25th).  Here are a few pictures.....

Victor and the gang "preparan la comida de navidad"

  Who knows what this is???  2 million E-TRAIN points if you guess what this is.....

The kitchen all fancied up.... bee-YOOT-tee-full

Victor had me help tie the ties for the boys... they were so happy to be dressed up and looking "muy guapo" that Alex took my camera and took pics of all the boys.  I love this one of Raphie in the chair.

Group shot of the young boys..... HOW CUTE!!!

This is Carolina's group.... their room dressed up in their winter clothes.....fleece sweaters, mittens, beanies..... LOOK AT THE CUTE PASTEL COLORS!!!

Read that sweater...... isn't she just TOTALLY TOO CUTE???

............ I'll post more pics tomorrow or somin'.......

In other E-TRAIN news..... I've thought of some items to put on my "Things to do before I'm 30 y/o" list, and they include:  run a marathon (which will likely include short-term goals along the way such as a 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon), sky-dive, hang glide, get my LCSW, and recently have been contemplating going on a missions trip (details still undecided).

In terms of my 2008 resolutions, some thoughts are: lose more weight (maybe finally down to the 200 I had wanted this year), prepare for my licensing exams, giving, run a 5K and maybe a 10K (part of the marathon goal), finally break 100 in my golf game (after 3-5 weeks, I played today and shot a horrible 116; however, I did have a monstrous approach shot on the 18th where I nailed a 170 yard shot w/ my 6-iron, which I thought I could only hit 145), and read.  The last one is still unsure of what I want to do.... read one book a month?..... read one book every 3 months?...... read what?...... read when?........ read for what?.............. still considering.

Ok, that's all for now boys & girls............ tomorrow, back to the working world.  I wonder what melee has arised in my corner of the social work realm these last 4 days.  Looks like I'll find out in about 8.5 hours............ nighty night. 

Currently Listening Let It Snow Baby... Let It Reindeer By Relient K I Celebrate The Day see related

What to make of my life (before I'm 30)

As the year comes to an end, the typical "What did I do this year?" question arises.  But along w/ that question includes "What am I going to do next year" or "What am I going to do the rest of my life".  All questions are valid, but it all depends on the meaning and value you place behind them.

I had a GREAT weekend in which I spent Saturday at Casa Hogar and Sunday delivering gifts for my agency's Adopt-a-Family program alongside two peeps from my new small group.  But on Saturday, I came across an awesome (hopefully) new addition to our Casa Hogar trips.  While we (D.Tom and Dre'-dawg) were talking on the way down, the topic of things to do by a certain age came up.  I then thought to myself and thought "Hmmm, maybe I should make a list of things I want to do before I turn 30 years old".

There is no doubt, I had some goals and resolutions this past year (2007) that I have totally knocked out of the water (that's a post in the near future), but I'm starting to think about 2008 and the ever so near 2011 (when I turn 30).  So here's my question to you... what are some things you think a single (maybe not by the time I'm 30, but that's yet another story/post) young Chinese Christian professional living in Orange County should put on a list of "Things to do by age 30"?

Some ideas I have so far (which are pretty typical) include: bungee-jump and learn how to drive a stick shift (yes, I still have never officially done so).  I haven't fully thought about this list, but am in the process.  So any thoughts or suggestions will deeply be considered.  And they don't have to be large and outrageous things (such as the bungee jumping), they can be "make 5 new connections w/ perfect strangers" or somin' like that.

[lyrics to the song I'm listening to... "I Celebrate The Day" by Relient K]
And with this Christmas wish is missed
The point I could convey
If only I could find the words to say to let You know how much You've touched my life
Because here is where You're finding me, in the exact same place as New Year's eve
And from a lack of my persistency
We're less than half as close as I want to be

And the first time
That You opened Your eyes did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever

And so this Christmas I'll compare the things I felt in prior years
To what this midnight made so clear
That You have come to meet me here

To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
In the hope that what You did
That you were born so I might live
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me

And I, I celebrate the day
That You were born to die
So I could one day pray for You to save my life