I lose myself sometimes. I’ve done it for years. I get so focused on trying to fit into a group of people, or I compare and try to be like others around me; I end up forgetting who I am and who I was made to be.
Here at CGA, I’m re-learning who I am all over again. What I like, what I don’t like, situations where I thrive, and other ones where I struggle a bit. So in light of all that, here’s a fun, (not-so) little blog about some of the things that make me come alive…and a few things that are just not me.
Some things that I really love (and fun pictures just for you):
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Vanilla chai lattes. It’s like Christmas in a cup AND they’re perfect year-round. Just get them iced when it’s hot and get it warm when it’s cold out. Also, it’s almost Starbucks holiday cup time; I’m excited.
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I love missions and ministry in general, but my heart lies with the 10-40 window. Most especially the Middle East/Muslim cultures. I went to the Middle East on a short-term trip four years ago and I loved it.
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Fall, it’s my favorite season. But for me, it’s all about the colors changing. Forget Halloween and Thanksgiving, they’re just the holidays that get in the way of Christmas.
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Christmas is where it’s at. My heart comes alive with the holiday and joy overflows. I love gift-giving; it’s cold, possibly snowy; and Christmas lights are everywhere.
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Family is huge for me. I haven’t always been great at being part of the family, but going on the World Race changed all of that for me. I’m learning to be a better daughter, sister, and auntie. I love them so much.
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Boba and Asian ethnic suburbs. So many memories from my college years involve both these things. So, naturally, I found some boba in Georgia and dragged my housemates to it.
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Chips and salsa. Another staple in my life. And I do judge Mexican restaurants by the quality of the salsa they serve. This place has some of the best salsa ever…you just have to go to Northern California for it.
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Lakes. Other bodies of water are good, too, but I really love lakes. It’s where I connect with God the most and I conveniently live near a lake both in Georgia and back home in California.
- Panera Bread. It’s my go-to, indoor spot where I spend time with Jesus. Or where I go if I just need to focus and be productive. I’m literally sitting in one right now as I finish writing this blog. Bonus: you never come out smelling like old coffee.
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Stories. My love for stories propels me in many different directions. I crave friendships and knowing others deeply; I want to know their life story and what makes them tick. When my sociability is taxed, I dive into books, movies, and TV for an escape.
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Netflix and Panda Express. If I’m having a rough day, these are the only two things I want. And maybe a close friend to sit next to me and partake in the activities. No need to talk.
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Redwoods…and trees in general. I’m a nature kid. I grew up with redwoods all around me and running barefoot through the woods. They just make me happy.
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Harley-Davidsons. I grew up riding on the back of my bio dad’s Harley. Some of my only good memories with him…but that’s another story. I may also have been brain-washed to believe that the only true motorcycle is a Harley; everything else is…well, not. But I’ll compromise on that if it means I get to ride on whatever “motorcycle” someone may have. There’s a freedom to it that you don’t get with riding in a car.
- Building forts in my living room. ‘Nough said.
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Music. I almost always have music playing. It speaks to my soul and courses through my veins. I played piano for 8 years, haven’t played for 8 years, and desperately want to relearn how to play again.
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Friendships where you can pick up right where you left off the last time you were together because you just know each other that well.
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Cooking/baking for others. And hospitality in general. I would call it one of my love languages. It’s also ridiculously relaxing for me.
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Engineers (or boys that are kind of awkward). Those things aren’t necessarily always corresponding, but they frequently are. I grew up with an engineer for a father and went to an engineering college. They just tend to make some of the best friends and I find the awkwardness endearing. I can’t explain it.
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Driving with the windows down and the music blasting. Especially when I need to process…so that’s been happening a lot lately.
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Eyes. They really are the window to someone’s soul. At least for me they are.
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Elephants. They have been my favorite animal for a really, really long time. And God granted me some awesome experiences with them while I was on the Race; so now, when I think of them, I think of all the blessings God gives me.
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Animal butts. They just make me laugh. [Confession: sometimes, well, a lot of times I’m not very mature. But that’s okay!]
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Trying new foods. Cause, why not have a little adventure?
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Tattoos (and piercings). Tattoos tell a story and they can be beautiful works of art. Piercings, well, I just like those.
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Travel and learning about other cultures. A selfish desire of mine is to have my passport be filled before it expires. But I’ll follow God wherever He takes me, even if there’s no passport stamp involved.
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Pouring into those who come after me…so, discipleship. I had the blessing of discipling these three girls in college and I loved it. It’s a huge piece of my heart to walk alongside others through their spiritual journeys. It’s so good. [I also may have gotten into a paint fight right before this picture was taken.]
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Running around barefoot. Again, super freeing. Shoes: they trap my feet and I hate them. My mom always had to yell at me to put shoes on when I was a child…and most of the time, I just ran away outside before she could make me put them on.
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Swings. They were (are) my favorite part of any playground. The motion is soothing for me. If I need to process and I don’t want to go for a drive, I go find a swing.
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Riding in the bed of trucks. So much more freeing than riding in the actual car!
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Manual labor. There’s just something about having a project outside to work on that requires breaking a sweat and working your muscles past the point you think they’ll go. It’s one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment for me.
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Making weird faces in pictures. Because, sometimes, smiling is overrated. I believe that everyone needs to let their weird out now and then.
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Fields of flowers. Especially sunflowers. Want to know why? Click here.
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Sunsets. And sunrises if I ever happen to wake up early enough for one. Each one is a sweet blessing from God for me. This was in Iowa on my birthday this year.
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Dogs. They just love so well and I love mine so much! I’m so excited to go pet them and hug them when I come home for Christmas!
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Babies. Especially little African (or Asian) ones. My squad on the World Race voted me most likely to smuggle an African child home in my backpack. I definitely contemplated that with this sweet girl.
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Exploring with Jesus. I road-tripped across America from California to Georgia all on my own to come to CGA. By far the best decision I could have made! I miss long days on the road with just Jesus and I. I want to do this again sometime.
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Skinny dipping. You definitely don’t need a picture of that. But I also like swimming with my clothes on, so here’s me in Thailand at Phi Phi Island…
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Clouds. I’m obsessed with them. They’re beautiful. It makes driving interesting sometimes cause I’m too busy staring at the clouds and not the road. Whoops.
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Pranks. When I have too much time on my hands and I’m feeling a little mischievous, things can get a little crazy.
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Disneyland, especially at Christmastime. Disneyland = awesome. Christmas = my favorite holiday. Disneyland + Christmas = MAGIC.
Some things that are just not me:
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Loyalty to a sport’s team. I’ll watch sports, but don’t make me pick a side to cheer for. I’m extremely non-confrontational to the point that listening to other people bicker about sports gives me a bit of anxiety.
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Large parties with lots of noise and standing around making “small talk”. I just end up over-stimulated and hiding in a corner.
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Halloween costumes. They require so much time, energy, and money I do not have. But I’ll gladly show up as myself and watch Hocus Pocus with you.
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Standing in front of crowds and talking. Don’t get me wrong, I can talk in front of large crowds, but I won’t like it while I do it.
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Hats. They just don’t work when your hair is curly and voluminous.
- People who think being introverted means I’m anti-social. I love people; people are great! I really love having friends and community around me. But people also drain ALL of the energy out of me, so I’m careful and cautious about where I spend that energy. [Let me step down from my soapbox now…]
- Asking for help/letting people into the middle of my mess. Vulnerability is hard. I’m working on that one.
