Anniversary Adventuring Part I

Time sure flies!  I can't believe it's been THREE years since we got married.  :)  Our anniversary was end of May but it's been a little busy.  :]

We did some local adventuring since I had a work trip to DC two days after our anniversary, and Memorial Day weekend travel/lodging is so expensive!


Anniversary Adventuring Part I: Pacifica

Pacifica is suuuper close to us but I've (and definitely never Tim) really explored it much.  Not that there is a whole lot to explore... but we got coffee, a hike with a view, and BBQ - what more can you ask for?  :)

First stop - P-Town Coffee!  Recommended by Joe from our small group who lives in Pacifica.  :)  We got a bagel (with way too much cream cheese, but who complains about too much cream cheese) and a coffee for me.  And who doesn't like a train caboose that serves coffee??

 

Pacifica also boasts having a Taco Bell with the best view!  It was indeed a pretty snazzy Taco Bell and I finally got to try a Doritos taco!  We were planning on having better food for lunch, so I only got one.  The nacho cheese didn't taste too unique with the taco.  I will have to try the Cooler Ranch one next time!

 

We hiked Mori Point!  Who knew there was a trail there!  There was a "short route" (if you park by the Moose Lodge), but we took the long route which involved hiking up a very, very steep hill thing.  -_-"

Gorilla BBQ!  Also recommended by Joe --- it was a long line and no seats, so we took it home!  Which was just as well since it started to drizzle/rain.  It was pretty tasty!  The BBQ sauce was a bit too tangy for us, but Tim added some honey and it was magically delicious.

Tim's card for me  :)

This is a terrible picture of the leather Bible he got me!  Since the traditional gift for one's third anniversary is leather.  <3

 

I got him a role playing mat for his table top games (it's got a grid on it and you can draw on it) and a keyboard volume control pedal!  The role playing mat is supposed to be the "leather-like" present.  haha.

 

My cousin sent us a happy anniversary card!  Isn't that cute??  :D  And she even sent a random piece of leather (upper right pic).  HAHAHA.  :)

 

Stay tuned for anniversary adventuring part II!  Or dinner.  On our anniversary.  :)

 

 

Blanket the World in Love - Recap

So I posted about the *Blanket the World in Love* event a little over two weeks ago. It was a day to basically bless other people! To make someone smile or to make someone's day by doing something unexpected.



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Since I only found out about it the night before, I didn't have too much time to hash out something brilliant or creative. And sadly, my plan of treating two particular co-workers actually fell apart! Well, I ended up treating another co-worker to a Jamba Juice, but I was disappointed I wasn't able to treat everyone! (There was a battle at the register.) Next time! And I must say, sometimes it is even more fun to bless a stranger. :)

Fun finds about making a more generous, awesome world:

1) I recently found out from this coffee-lovin'-site that there is a coffee shop in South Carolina where people pay it forward and pays for the next person's drink. All the time! :)

 2) This YouTube video, "A Pep Talk from Kid President to You," has gone viral lately. It's pretty cute and my two favorite lines, that I think are quite relevant to this post are:

"I want to be on [the path] that leads to awesome!"

"You've just been pepped talked! Create something that will make the world awesome."

 

 

Did you participate in *Blanket the World in Love* day? Was there a time someone blessed you unexpectedly?
                     

Love Worth Fighting For

This was supposed to be a quick share but then I started talking about why I wanted to share it.  :oP

As mentioned in my Pinterest post, I've been clearing email drafts of random links from everywhere.  One of them was this song, Love Is Not a Fight, by Warren Barfield.

Source: Uploaded by user via Alvina on Pinterest

I heard of this song from the movie Fireproof.  A cheesy movie with a really great message.  It's about a couple, Caleb and Catherine, who are on the rocks and fighting all the time.  They are about to give up and get a divorce when Caleb's dad challenges him to a 40-day "Love Dare," (a real-life Christian devotional program designed to strengthen marriages).  He does it reluctantly, but silently without telling Catherine what he is doing.  I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so you can read the wikipedia entry if you want to know what happens without watching the movie.

Despite it being kinda cheesy and the actors not being that great (sorry, Kirk Cameron), it was a pretty powerful movie, and I am usually not moved by such things as movies!  Though I'm sure anyone can identify with the struggles, I felt like it impacted me all the more because I was married.  (And Tim and I don't even really fight!)

Anyway... one of the theme songs in the movie is called "Love is Not a Fight."  The lyrics are below and I encourage you to read it through.  So many people are getting divorces these days... sometimes it seems like marriages aren't worth it anymore.  We've become a very "me"-centric society and the minute something or someone doesn't make me happy, we move onto something that does.  But I want to think differently -- that marriage is a commitment made and not to be broken.

Love Worth Fighting For

By Warren Barfield

Love is not a place
To come and go as we please
It's a house we enter in
Then commit to never leave

So lock the door behind you
Throw away the key
We'll work it out together
Let it bring us to our knees

Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

To some, love is a word
That they can fall into
But when they're falling out
Keeping that word is hard to do

Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

Love will come to save us
If we'll only call
He will ask nothing from us
But demand we give our all

Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

I will fight for you
Would you fight for me?
It's worth fighting for 

 

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Have you seen Fireproof before?  What do you think about this song?

                        

*Blanket the World in Love*

 

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I thought I'd share this since the event is... TOMORROW and I said I would do it! I kinda wish I had more time to think about it (though I actually had an idea -- that involve the words, treating - coworkers - lattes, before I even heard about this!), but here goes in case you want to participate. Then we can participate together! :D

Ellie Fun Day (they "design baby blankets that change the lives of marginalized women in India"!) issued this "challenge" for tomorrow, January 18.

The pitch?

 

"This is the day where LOVE prevails and people are surprised by the simplest act. Can you imagine someone cheering you up in a totally unexpected way? Can you imagine that YOUR simple act of love bringing a smile to someone's face?"

Details here and suggestions by Ellie Fun Day:

"Blanket with a Gift”

• donate a blanket to Project Linus
• pay for someone’s latte behind you
• gift someone in need a bag of groceries
• buy a dozen balloons and hand them out to kids in the park

“Blanket with Words”

• compliment a stranger sincerely
• write a letter of appreciation to someone that had a meaningful impact in your life
• send an encouraging email to someone you haven’t talked to in a year
• tell someone at work/school something they do well
• write words of encouragement with chalk on your neighbors’ driveways/sidewalk

"Blanket with Fun”

• invite a friend to have an indoor picnic
• take a hike, even a short-walk at lunch with a friend
• Go to a matinee with a friend

I've got a busy night tonight with more new-parents meals (lasagna!), but hopefully, in addition to treating coworkers to lattes, I'll be able to find ways (cards?  postcards?  emails?  secret notes?) to "blanket with words"! Which is one of my favorites. :) I'll let you know how it goes.

Got any nifty, creative ideas to *blanket the world in love*? What are some ways you've been blessed by others before?
                           

Happy two years!

I've been a very, very bad blogger.  >_<  But you should SEE the backlog of posts I have... in my head.  :)


Today's worth posting about, I suppose.  :)  Can you guess?  :oP

Can you believe it's been TWO years?  :)  Sometimes it feels longer, sometimes it feels shorter.

Happy Anniversary, Tim!  :)

                     

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

Late last summer I discovered the wonders of the Pioneer Woman. The site is pretty cool since it has recipes, photography tips, home & garden stuff, homeschooling, her ramblings/thoughts, etc. Last fall I posted about one of her recipes I tried making and also in very small font about her story in which she documents how she met her husband, the Marlboro Man. She started sharing the story chapter by chapter on her blog, and then it turned into a book. :] The online version (scroll down to the bottom for chapter 1) goes up until the wedding and the book, The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story, which I just finished reading last night, goes through to the birth of their first child.

It was a fun, sweet read so I definitely recommend it.  :]  I actually particularly enjoyed it since it made me think of when I met Tim (ok, maybe fast forward to when I liked him, haha) and our journey from then to now.  :]  Through time, relationships change and people often transition out of that "honeymoon phase" of needing to inhale each other all the time to a comfortable existence.  I think that's when the marriage part really kicks in of putting effort into the relationship to keep it new and interesting.

I think Tim and I are sort of riding both, which I think is a great place to be.  :]  Some days are still shiny and new, and others are more comfortable where we sort of do our own things.  I think these days people get bored when the shiny and new part tapers off, when the thrill and excitment of dating wears off a bit --- they want out or sadly, try looking for that thrill elsewhere.  :(

That's why date nights are so important!  Don't get too comfortable, try new things!  There have been many date nights when we go out that I kinda just go out in whatever I'm wearing for the day.  :oP  I don't think Tim actually minds but when I think about it, wouldn't it be more fun if I put in a little more effort and got dressed up a little?  It's so easy to think of how the other person doesn't do things for you anymore (how come he doesn't bring me flowers anymore?  how come he doesn't leave me little notes or send me emails telling me he misses me as often like when we were dating?) and not realize how we've become lazy as well.  I understand that when a relationship matures, we can't always expect the attentive-dating-actions, but from time to time... WHY NOT?  :D

It makes those thoughtful moments extra sweet, and don't you love to see really old couples, like grandmas and grandpas who still look at each other like they're in love?  (This may be rare in old Asian couples.  haha)
                  

love mercy part 2

  A few weeks ago, I wrote about  "Love Mercy: A Mother and Daughter's Journey from the American Dream to the Kingdom of God."  I finally finished it last week and here are two more quotes I liked and found thought provoking that I want to share, both from Lisa Samson (the mom):

How much different would my life be if I ran my actions through fewer filters?  Can you imagine Jesus being asked to heal and responding," Oh I was on my way to the synagogue.  I'll catch you when I'm finished, and we'll take care of that disease then."  What would it look like if I lived in imitation of the Father, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and says his mercies are from everlasting to everlasting?

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God's great love for me means I can't misrepresent that love to anyone else.  His great love is the model for how to run our charities and churches.  Above all, his love shows us how to love each other.

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  ~  John 13:34-35