Opus OMG!

Tonight I attended one of the most inspirational events! The Opus Prize Ceremony. This is an award that is given every year, but this year my grad school, Seattle U, was the host for it at Benaroya Hall. This award honors faith-based humanitarian leaders from around the world.
The 3 recipients (please look up, because they are extraordinary and real life Heroes!!) were: Krishnamal Jagannathan for Land for Tillers' Freedom from India, Michael Woodard for Jubilee House Community from Nicaragua and Marguerite Barankitse for Maison Shalom from Burundi. Their stories were so powerful. They saw tragedy, injustice, and the needs of many and were moved to action. They each described it as their "calling" or "God's calling for their life" and their "life's purpose". These people were so selfless and passionate, but amazingly they were just normal people who made a decision.
A student who spoke that night described Michael Woodard as someone who had "an impatience for injustice".
Krishnamal (she is so small and adorable) said how we are "all different physically, but on the inside we are the same."
Marguerite "Maggie" who spoke last and received the million dollar prize said,"...our human vocation is to love" after witnessing the murder of 72 people in her village, she is so hopeful and continues to work and restore the lives of so many people, she also said, "I know that evil will never take the last word. Never, never."
Ugh!!! I am still so moved and inspired. This night really made an impact on my heart and how I perceive what I am capable of. There is so much to do...

God's fanclub

So I was driving home from class today, a riveting Multicultural Perspective class at SU (woop woop!), anyway, as usual after a long day of work, I am blastin Santogold, Prince, or Slightly Stoopid in my Mitsubishi (another woop!). I see a few cars in front of me with bumper stickers...there's "Obama 08", "Obama & Biden", "I can't afford to vote Republican"...etc.

Then I see this car with a sticker that says, "I don't have anything against God, it's His fanclub I can't stand" Huh.

It took me a hot minute to think about, but, I really loved that sticker. I was also really sad that there was so much truth in it. Throughout my day to day...as a student, in class, in this city, at work...I can see that so many people long for God, seek Him in different ways...and oddly how it's Christianity and Christians that can many times be this kryptonite, or bad taste, that turns people off and away from God.

Sometimes it turns me off.

Is God like "WTF?" when He sees the ignorance, exclusion, and unfriendliness that I have seen in some Christian lives. All these thoughts from this sticker...I want to be someone who is transparent, loving, and redeem whatever truth has been lost by this "fanclub".
(woop!)

the Mariners game!

Grace Woo on Baseball: "Baseball players got big booties."

Yep, I have to agree with Grace on that! This past Tuesday I went to my first Mariners game with Gracie. It was crazy! We had amazing seats right behind the dugout of the other team...Da Angels. Anyway we were close...it was cold and balls were flying everywhere! The players would swing and I was so scared that a ball would hit me upside the head. Baseball fans are so brave! Balls were richocheting off poles from level to level and landing at god knows how many miles an hour down into the crowd. Foul balls hurling into crowds of children and a mix of old dudes and frat boys with baseball mits. Everytime someone caught or fought for a ball, they did a little dance after...but anytime a ball flew by me and Grace I freaked. Despite all that, I can't wait to go to my next ball game, I will be prepared either with a baseball glove or an umbrella if I am too scared to go for a ball, we'll see.

Grizzie Grizzie Grad School!

I am so excited I start Graduate School this week at SU! Once I graduated with my BA, I thought okay I am officially done, now I will make babies!! But God had some different things in mind. Now I am on my way to getting my Master's in Education...what! what!! ;)

Whoa, I'm like smart!

So I finally took an IQ test (mainly out of boredom and curiosity)...and my IQ is ....*drumroll*....122! Take that Tom Cruise*!!!





*According to the internet, Tom Cruise has an IQ of 98...not a reliable source, but you know, whatever, I got one up :)!

Today is...

My Birthday!!!
Maybe it's an unspoken rule, that you have to create a new blog post on your birthday, I dunno?
Either way here I am posting...so far I have had a really great 28th biRRFFday!! My friends and family are so amazing, I got the best morning phone calls from my mom, grandpa, dad and Barry! Hmm, what else, I also now own the movie, 'Bella', thanks to Nicholei, who gave me my present early! I kinda freaked out when I opened it, that movie is beautiful! There's more good stuff that I don't have time to write about, but in short, it's been allll love! 28 feels sooo good, like I massage or a good stretch. It's not as much drama as some people think...I feel nice and "even", just like my age! :p.

The Team

I love my team! My 1st mission trip with The Good Foot and the amazing Every Nation Seattle Campus Team aka The Better Foot. God had a purpose for each of us, and it was so amazing how we all came together to serve and learn together in the Philippines...word.