Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend we took a special trip to go see an old college friend, Libby in Kentucky. We went to my university and got to catch up with some professors and reminisce about times past. Then on Saturday, my friend Libby made us a breakfast fit for a king complete with homemade tortillas, eggs, sausage, juice, and fruit, then after breakfast, we relaxed until lunch, then after lunch at a new local Cuban joint, we went on a hike to the butterfly gardens in Lost River Cave, and to top it off a glorious day we went to The PopWorks popsicle place to try their delicious assortment of popsicles! So good and fresh.. https://www.facebook.com/thepopworks/Sunday was church day and then driving back home so we could take a nap to recover from all the vacationing! :)Thanks Libby and Levi for a beautiful weekend!Until Next time :)

Gratitudeful – Day 6/34

Getting back in the swing of writing is an interesting practice. It feels a bit awkward, but I suppose that is to be expected. Too much time away from anything, makes for a awkward reintroduction.. Today I'm ruminating over why what I do has value. I'm realizing that the work I do is valuable, whether I make an impact or if I don't make one. How so?My work becomes important when I realize that where I am is precisely were God has put me, and if the God of the universe has decided that here is where I should be then here is where I shall live and live in Peace and Joy -- No matter how big or small my impact seems to my human mind.Gratitudeful for the truth.

Gratitudeful – Day 3/34

My mind is blank -not many words come. Yet today I know that I am especially gratitudeful for true friends. Those that look out for me, let me go on rants, share joys, fill my life with lots of goodness. You know those friends who want to be with you, just because they do. Yay! I'm remembering to slow down and enjoy them just because they are awesome, and deserve to be treasured.

Gratitudeful – Day 2/34

Happy day two of gratitudeness! I almost didn't get a chance to sit and write. I was already tottering on the edge, playing with fire! But life happened and I got blessed with someone having an early bed time, and a little piece of silence not common in these parts.Today was a good day, full and good. I got up early this morning to make breakfast, read as much Bible as my morning eyes could absorb and then go off to the gym. As I left the gym, I was feeling especially thankful for my sweet husband who surprised me with the gym membership and thankful to my sweet God who provided the magnificent clouds in the sky to help me stop and breath in the goodness of the upcoming day.

Gratitudeful - Day 1/34

I want to be more grateful and live with more thought in the moment -- Savor the victories, live in the present. I am challenging myself from now to July 31 to be more gratitudeful (my new word) and slow down and enjoy the bubbles in the sink as I was dishes or to enjoy peeling the 16th clove of garlic as I cook dinner.Today, I will be especially gratitudeful for the small feet that totter about to welcome me each day. 

Your Self-Image #30

How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself clearly? Do you see yourself as the gifted, kind, beautiful, unique person that God crafted, Or do you look at yourself in a broken misty mirror, looking at yourself through the eyes of your criticisms and pain? Today decide to throw out the old mirror, and go look in the right mirror and see the truth about yourself. You're amazingly made. Consider this passage from Psalms 139:14 and keep it in your pocket whenever you're tempted to believe lies..

Psalm 139:14

New International Version (NIV)

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful,I know that full well.

© www.ingekathleen.com, broken glass, broken self-image, raindrops, apartments in the rain, broken mirror in Korea, Psalm 139:14

Happy Thanksgiving in Asialand :)

There are a world of things to be grateful for big and small..  -- Like family, friends, the feeling of sunshine and we can't forget the smell of the coffee aisle in the grocery store. God bless the man who invented this!What am I grateful for? Oh! So much, you have no idea! Just a little over 2.5 months ago I got married to the most wonderful man I could have ever dreamed of, and add some more perfectness to the package. Wowzers, Such a crazy, blessing of a year!I can't wait to see what God has for us this year, the next and the next ones to come. :) Enjoy your Pumpkin Pie, dear USAers, and perhaps Juan and I can join you for pie and whip cream next year, but this year I'll be than happy to eat Kimchi and Rice in Korea with Juan.Ok fine, you're right, you're right.. after dinner I might just break into the Twix chocolate bar stash and then make few pounds of smashed garlic potatoes and perhaps find a really big chicken and dress him up like a Pilgrim. and name him Tom, because who doesn't love the name Tom? I will make and eat all of this food just to achieve a real respectable American Thanksgiving day food coma.. Yes, I'm American down to the core....no matter how long I may live in Asialand, you can't stop me from eating exorbitant amounts of foods on the 3rd Thursday of November.Photo by the ever so talented : Brooke Pleasant : http://www.brookepleasant.com : http://www.twitter.com/brookepleasant 

Forget Your Perfection - Stupidity is Preferred :)

This weekend I met a Chinese business man in his 50s or 60s, who decided last year that he wanted to learn English, and now a year later after hours of self-study -- he listens to the English-Chinese translation of the Titanic over and over and over again... Thanks to Jack and Rose, he now can speak English rather well. ha!I was impressed because learning a new language is the most embarrassing task you can set out to accomplish. Learning a new language will make a genius of a person sound like a 5 year old child in a second. Forget the romance of Ooooo La La and conversing in sexy French or becoming the next Latin Lover. It will take you 1000s of hours of stupidity before you hit this level. Sorry. It's true.It's like like learning to walk. - You fall so many times that you're not sure that your knees or your face will ever return to their normal color again. AND....what makes it better it that usually when you're making your most EPIC fall, EVERYONE is watching you. Great! because really, what's more entertaining than watching the cute baby fail at walking or the white foreigner blubber something that sounds somewhat like your language?I, for one, really can't think of anything more fun.  ha! ^^That is why this Chinese man impressed me so much. He didn't care if he said something childish, embarrassed himself or mispronounced something. He's forgot his pride. I think that is why he has been so successful in his business life. because regardless of his age, status, success - He owns some of the largest companies in China - he still isn't afraid to try new things and fail miserable. How cool. :)I want to be more like that. Right now and when I'm 50 and 60..So here's the question of the day... What are you not doing because you fear failure or looking stupid? Go for it!People will eventually forget your mistakes and stop laughing at them because you'll eventually become so brilliantly skilled at whatever you keep trying at. And then you'll inspire others to do the same. Just like this Chinese man. :)

Quote of the Month.... Leonard Cohen

Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That's how the light gets in.

'

A Coffee Date - Barista Parlor

 

Had an absolutely lovely Friday morning sipping coffee, talking about life, and doing an impromtu photo shoot with my dear friend Chanell. We found ourselves - after a few ::cough:: U-turns  ::cough:: - at one of the newest, most hippest, coolest, hang-outs in all of Nashville. Barista Parlour.

--- Well I believe it is new, but you know me... I've been in Asialand for the last three 3 years of life. And everything here seems as new as a bean sprout to me. :D But regardless of age, this new coffee place is fantastic. You should check them out when you come to Nashville next. They're on facebook, so no excuses. Get your butt down here!

You know that I mean that in the kindest way possible. ^^ facebook page --> http://www.facebook.com/BaristaParlor

Photos taken on the awesome I-phone by both my amazingly talented artist, musician friend Chanell and myself.

**Today remember to enjoy every second of life that you have. It's worth the effort. :)

Hello Sunday Procrastination...

I have emails to write and things to do tonight. A busy, busy night, with a cup of home-brewed Starbucks cinnamon coffee to keep me energized, like the bunny! but I thought I'd procrastinate first by posting a little blog.* caption: It's a big 'ole world out there, but our job is just to take one step at a time and enjoy every blessed moment. ---  And on that note, I'm off to take another step!

~~~~~

 p.s. a large gecko just ran up the side of my wall, larger than usual. Good thing it wasn't a rat. I might have screeched. But geckos they are just cool, so they have permission to run up and down my wall as they please.