(i def needed this) - it's amazing how the lyrics are enough to capture how i feel.

but here is a vid if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QemZQKKJbRU 

DESERT SONG by Hillsong

VERSE 1:
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

VERSE 2:
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

CHORUS:
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

VERSE 3:
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

BRIDGE:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

VERSE 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

'Favorite One' by Misty Edwards

Jesus, here i am your favorite one
what are You thinking, what are You feeling?
i have to know (repeat)

for i am after Your heart
i'm after Your heart
i'm after You (repeat)

and i'll crown You with my love (repeat)

so. i return... i've been on a long hiatus - not because i didn't have internet access, but because i had no idea where to start. this summer is half-way finish, but i feel like i've been all over the world and back!! it started with ISF's (Int'l Student Friendship Ministries) Mosaic West Coast, an awesome week of meeting, interacting, and exchanging with students from Washington, Oregon, and California. then i quickly jetted off to Haiti to spend 2 weeks with only the most amazing kids from The Royal Palm Children's Home orphanage. after that, i visited the family in San Diego and rested up for a week, before returning to LA to tackle such responsibilities as DICOP (the int'l student orientation of UCLA) and, yes - there's more, summer school!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

okay, so to be honest - i've been dying to post lately. esp with how good God was in Haiti... but there was just too much to record in a simple blog that wouldn't do it justice // but by all means, if you're interested, i'd be more than happy to answer questions and share stories. i love Love LOVE it when i go to Haiti, and had decided that there will be more trips... =D

while debating how to blog, i figured: 1) go deep, go the Haiti route; or 2) keep it fun and light-hearted, write about the names i've determined for my children [is it weird for a guy to have thought about these things?]. and that's where the debate stalled...

but here i am, with a bit of a pow - it starts with an anecdote, then asks a question:

since i've been back in LA, i've chosen to continue in my quest to get in shape. i started running the perimeter of UCLA (roughly about 4 miles) twice a week. it's a good thing i'd say, esp the time i get to myself. but as i joked around, challenging a friend to join me (hasn't worked yet), i did some research to find that the distance from campus to his place was just about the same. so tonight, i did something different. needing to drop off/pick up some stuff at his place, i took the bus there then ran home... it was a good run, and definitely ended with a boom!!

upon reaching Westwood (home), i heard a loud crash and approach a rather rough car accident - ouch!! although people were already on the scene, i wondered if i should run up to the cars or wait for police (which wasn't very long actually). i questioned what my civic duty even though i didn't really see what happened. in a way, i felt guilty for leaving the scene, but the drivers were already being helped by other pedestrians and police were already arriving - what could i do? i said a quick prayer to myself and continued on my way as i didn't want to obstruct traffic or ogle without purpose...

i would've never imagined a new running path would yield such a unique experience. what would you have done?

these are just thoughts and don't express my desire to get into a relationship...

so recently for a while now, i've been thinking about relationships - a lot. maybe because i am being approached more and more often about my own status... some people just curious, some concerned. i find it funny...

for the record, i am single and have never been in an exclusive relationship or even dated. and mostly it's been by personal choice to stay single. of course, i hope to enjoy a family of my own some day, but in the meantime, i'm fine with where i am...

as a singling (if that is a word), i've gotten to observe so many kinds of relationships - some i'd like to have, and some i hope i NEVER encounter. from my parents, who divorced after like 9 yrs of marriage, to cousins, who dated their high school sweethearts solidly for 10+ yrs then married them, to friends, who spent several years in abusive relationships, to my sister, who married after a 3-4 month courtship, to friends/people and the media, who encourage casual dating, constantly in a state of transition from person to person...

when i see all these sorts of relationships, i try to envision my life beyond singleness. but it is pretty difficult... so then i question myself about how ready i am. i'm sure some would say i am, and certainly some would say i'm not. so i'm confused. =P

i realize that people have different views about relationships, and i'm okay with that. but it does make me wonder: how do you know if you're ready for one of your own? what makes you ready? let me reiterate that i'm NOT looking to jump into anything right now, just curious about other views...

any thoughts?

"my country, tis of thee..." (well, close enough).

i read this article online today b/c it caught my attention = are you kidding me!? HAHAHA.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080520/ap_on_fe_st/odd_mexico_jailed_burro

Mexican donkey jailed for ornery behavior