This Week's Adventures at Work

"What is a Badabee?"

Skittles made into characters. Badabee's are my own creation, created for improvising stories for my kids at work.


In fact, my "lil' sis" and I even made our very own theme song for these favored creatures. It's become quite a hit around campus too.



Isaiah is perhaps the one of my favorite kids to talk to. We hit it off so well - and for that, I'm thankful. Yesterday, he and I made our very own Star Wars picture book. Oh yeah. It's pretty epic. Sure, General Grevious isn't quite to scale-size, and of course, the ships aren't really THAT small... but the book has some amazing action in it. In fact, I think George Lucas should take a personal look at it.



Along the crazy adventures I have with Faith, at the end of the day, she and I discovered a room the church uses for youth group. It's become our new hangout pad - complete with foozeball table, Basketball hoops (carnival style), a coffee shop and kitchen, beanbag-chairs and bookshelves, a ping-pong table... seriously, this room is like Oz, compared to the rest of the school campus!! Not to mention... they have a stage with instruments. So Faith and I decided to start our own band. We have no name. We no other instruments other than drums. We have no clue what we're doing. We have no real talent. But we have all fun.

Rejoice To The Extent That You Partake

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh,
arm yourselves also with the same mind,
for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh
for the lusts of men, but for the will of God…
But the end of all things is at hand;
therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
And above all things have fervent love for one another,
for "love will cover a multitude of sins"…
Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
As each one has received a gift,
minister it to one another,
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God…
Beloved, do not think it strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,
as though some strange thing happened to you;
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings,
that when His glory is revealed,
you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

1 Peter 4 1:2, 7-10, 12-13,

Seeing the Invisible

“Therefore, we do not lose heart.
Even though our outward man is perishing,
yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
is working for us a far more exeeding and eternal weight of glory,
while we do not look at the things which are seen,
but the things which are unseen.
For the things which are seen are temporary,
but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Working Hard.

Sand in my shoes. Swings flying high. Snapshots from a fun day. Creating fake "throw-up." Ah, the joys of having an awesome day at work.





I had a really fun day with all my kids today. I was able to help them with homework; we got plenty of exercise from from running around; we began a new, HIT coloring contest (draw your favorite Pokemon); and at the end of the day, Faith and I made our very own barf-concoction.

Another Semester.

"I gotta do better this time, I gotta do better this year," I kept telling myself repeatedly. "It'll work out. It's another chance to give my all." Desiring to do well in school is a deep swirl inside my stomach, causing me to live-out my certain determination.

The morning chill struck my face, awakening my senses to a new day. As I walked around the familiar campus, the same buildings greeted me with their gloomy hello. I see the same morning glisten, as before. Same quiet pathways. Same peaceful stillness before a mad rush of uncertain young-adults flood like cattle. Same as years before. Almost an hour early, I was thankful for bringing my Bible, as I sat indoors, staring at a wall of modern art. Psalm 97 was on my lap, and the words sing to me still.

Overall, I am entirely satisfied with my teachers, my class-times, and my subjects. Time at school may be spread out a while, but I am allowed more room to focus without experiencing a brain meltdown. I trust what God has for me. It may not make sense to me, right now. I may not even SEE what doesn't make sense to me! But I do see this: open skies, that remind me of God's never-ending love. I see a path I'm charting. Although my path is unknown...it is not uncertain. For I am certain my life will be unfolded by the hands of my Maker - which causes me to crumble in humility and submit myself to His voice. Praise Him for it all.

Realizing. Reaching. Really Living.

As I was talking on the phone to Javi last night, we discussed the reality of where we're at in life right now. Gone are the days that encounter a certain freedom - a peculiar, carefree manner - that I have no desire for anymore.

All the things that once filled my life are no longer available or visible. Strange, isn't it? How time moves on? It's concept that rings true when looked upon in hindsight.

I stare at my life today, as I'm fighting to do what's right in all areas. I stand in a much better light than I ever have. It glows with hope. It CAN become dim, at times, from feeling that I fight alone... but then, a close-by spark comes into view. The spark triggers an illumination for everything I need, and I realize, I'm not alone.

Becoming a young man of God isn't always easy - and there's plenty of speed humps along the road. In fact, sometimes, current life is simply defined as "tough." But God is not the author of confusion. Nor is my Lord too weak, too busy, or too stubborn (as I am) to empower me.

So where am I at NOW? Having turned 21, someone asked me if I feel any different. For the first time in my life, I answered "yes." Why? Because I can see a distinct line...separating myself from the past stages of my life.

There's always childhood to pre-teen. Then hits the teen-to-older-teen stage. As for me... those stages have come and gone. Now, the remaining future is unwritten and undeclared as ANYTHING yet! I can declare my past years as "This" or "That" - having been there. Now, I can only live out with passion, give my entire best in life, and allow God to be the author of my story. May He continue to guide and plant seeds in me, so I may bear much fruit.

A person is not defined by the digits of their existence.

Maturity is the measuring stick to which I size a person. And I pray, with all my might, that I might be "measured" as tall - in who I am.

Obviously, new joys have come in to my life and flow abundantly; however, looking back when times were without the cares of today... and they were without the duties I shadow wherever I go... yes, they were fun - but I wouldn't live it again. Nor do I crave it now.

My life is filled with goals that are yet to be tasted in fulfilment, realities that cause my smile to widen, truths that cause me to better myself, close guys that are more than just "pals" - but rather, my best friends that I can come to for anything... and most of all, I have my Redeemer who overflows His love to me, causing me to love Him back with every breath I take.

I like where I'm at in life. That's an understatement. At the same time, I don't want to stay here - and I'm not comfortable with where I'm at - only because I desire to grow and be better, and better, through the power that comes from above. I will keep reaching out.

Constantly on the move. Never going back. Looking with anticipation at what lies ahead. This is me.

I am about to embark on a daily journey that leads to me to eternity. How will I live it? With every ounce of focus to come out victorious.

Not A Very Good Day.

Some would call it a failure of a day... but I call it just plain TIRING.

We drove up to the snow, leaving at 8:00am - and all events that followed were a spiral of disappointment. Some of the main disappointments? Not having chains. Hardly a good thing to lack, when driving through snow-covered mountains. After brutal traffic, and being warned from the sheriff (more like a mall cop), we were forced to back down and buy chains. It just so happened, the closest general store was out of the chain size we needed. Cold temperatures. Frozen doors on the outhouse. Lack of chains. Yeah, we were bummed from the start.




Our raggedy team of four traveled far down the mountain to a lower, local shop - where apparently they sell jerky that's famous around the world. (Who would have known?) Finally, we bought our chains AT LAST! Tested 'em out, and drove back up the mountain. A strangely familiar local now... every turn was memorized, it seemed.



Once we reached our buddy "sheriff" again, we installed our tire-chains. Bearing the burning freeze on our greasy fingers, and carrying a good attitude of that little engine that could..."I think I can, I think I can..." we thought our journey was finally about making progress. Until...

Our back tire-chain busted, right as we took off driving. The rear, left chain SNAPPED like a snake filled with firecrackers. Now what? The other car was in the distance, and Dennis and I were left to fend for ourselves. Great. Fingers felt more like frozen fish sticks, trying to repair our chains on the side of the road. Mud-flavored slushies were being thrown at us from the passing of nearby cars. Not what we had in mind.



I ran to the sheriff and borrowed the tools from his truck, and attempts were made to fix the tire-chains. Attempts. Eventually, Dennis and I had to rest our hands and backs, praying for some hope in the day. Sadly, I had to call my work. I was not going to make it.

When Diego came back to us, everything was found to be a waste that day. The retreat center was so snowed-in, our purpose of unloading food for the weekend was no longer valid. It was time to go home. We were supposed to be home at 1:00. We were still up there at 1:30pm, at 7,000 feet elevation, and we were cold, hungry, hurting on our hands, and without chains.

We ate food at the nearest restaurant at the bottom of the mountain. A&W, baby. All American fast food. Okay, so it tasted like Styrofoam and rubber gloves, but heck - we were so hungry, even our double cheeseburgers seemed like scrumptious Iron Chief creations.



At least we took some nice photos of what COULD HAVE been our winter retreat this weekend... emphasize "COULD HAVE" been.

At the end of the day, as I looked at my reflection in the car mirror... I thought to myself: "a day is only as good as I make it. I won't ruin this one by a bad attitude. When I reflect on things, in hindsight or in current moments, it's up to me how I will carry on."

So what did I learn from today? That stressful days, disappointment, and spending a waste of time, can been seen from a good perspective. Much like the sun, shining as a million flashlights through mountain trees... there's always a bright side when things are looking shady.

The Life of Best Friends pt. 3

Documentation is a superb way to channel your life. It's a way of living I strongly uphold.

However, have you ever filmed videos with a sibling or an old friend... and when you look back upon the films, you wonder, "What the heck was I thinking at the time?"

I often have that thought, humorously!

In the year 2007, I made a series of WEBISODES, for absolutely no reason; and they were fantastic! Mischief. Memories. Magnificent moments captured on film.

I look back upon them, and consider that I'm still willing to make more for each year - but then, a slight dose of reality hits. Time has moved on since then. Some things have changed in life - time, responsibilities, money, heck... even our faces. Some times of freedom can never be brought back again. However, that not does stop one from remembering such past days, and smiling upon them.

Who knows, maybe another series of films about my year will come with time.

In the meantime, enjoy part two of the Spring Break Series. See what happens when Javi and I attend Disneyland as a duo, for a morning of acting a bit stupid... and making soap opera actors look like Academy Award winners.

21.

I enjoyed this weekend immensely, in spite of feeling quite sick. Friends that I love dearly, fun gatherings of being free, and food that'll make your mouth memorize savory flavors... all combine as a delightful treat, in my year's beginning. Saturday was (by far) one of the best times I've have in a long time. Nothing went wrong, nothing was out of place, and everything was joyous. The hang out was a crack-up; the length of day was perfect; and everyone I spent time with is somebody I love in a personal way. For once, I'm actually speechless - except to say - taking a step forward, on my timeline this year, was a day I'll always remember and smile upon.



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A Good Ending

The sun broke out, shedding a bright glow over the wet pavement, as the song from "Annie" rang in my head. Yes, indeed, the sun will come out. Bet your bottom dollar.

It ended up being a successful week - although, not exactly an easy one. The rainy days at work were non-stressful; the new youth-band had their first night of performing (Thur) - and I am so proud of them for their fantastic job; practice with my aunt Virgie (for Sunday night) finally came together AND sounds very satisfying; the initial heartache, once felt from the start of the week, feels more like hope. Thank the Maker for it all.

Last night, I was engulfed in a battle - a battle between best friends. The rain was spitting hard on my face, in the night's darkness. The moon glowed ever so dim, as two guns were firing all around me. I grabbed the nearest PVC pipe and began to swing at Javi; meanwhile, Matt was shooting directly at my face. Oh, the joy of being boys (and having air-soft guns).

Today is the celebration for my birthday. I'm turning 21, and I feel like I don't want to. Alas, the timeline of my life stretches another mark, during this cold month. However, I look forward to (not only) being with people I love most, but also... getting another chance to reach into the future with brightest hopes. Thankfully, those people are by my side. I love them all.

BE FREE.

Hope.

Hope. It's the smile within our mind that drive our hearts to its goal.

Sure, we drive fast, hoping our car will make a two-minute difference, by going ten miles over the speed limit. Or often, we hope that our mother's food will taste as good as it smells. Frequently, we hope for clouds to part with no rain. Our fathers hope for their favorite football team to win. Students hope to get good grades. We hope to not die on a roller coaster, screaming like little girls at a Jonas concert.

But there is a hope inside of me that reaches far beyond a mediocre level of not getting sunburn in August. It doesn't belong to the category of a "chance." It drives my actions daily. It restrains me, when necessary. It pushes over the edge, speechless and breathless. It causes my heart to leap with smiles.

This hope is a path to a fulfillment only time will bring. Emptiness will no longer be the air I breath. Longing will transform into loving with every day that comes. Any current love inside of me will shape into a longtime fulfillment.

Just as the words sung by Francesca Battistelli, "..and I can't imagine anything, anything better than someday soon..."

This is my point of view... and I intend to hold on to it firmly.

The Life of Best Friends pt. 2

Not every friendship is as cute as "The Fox and the Hound." Often at times, it feels more like an intense skateboarding competition - where danger, thrills, and constantly holding your breath is the true nature of living. Sometimes, that analogy relates to physically, as well.

Matt and I grew up together. We're a motorcycle and sidecar. Easter eggs and candy. Fried chicken and waffles. Sticky gum and a tennis shoe. We are a dynamic duo of almost doing everything together. Ever seen a little sister tag along with her big brother... or sons giving some good punches to each other? That is Matt and me. We are completely and entirely real with each other. Speed Racer and Racer X. Batman and Robin.

On Tuesdays, he'll meet me at my work so we can ride to church together. See the posted video below, to catch a small glimpse of our... ways... of keeping ourselves entertained.

The Life of Best Friends pt. 1

A good friendship is like baking a cookie - it requires a bit of sweetness, a bit of mixing, quite some pounding, a touch of softness, and bit of heat to test it true.

Javi and I grew up together. Yes, we've done pretty much everything imaginable to live life to the fullest - as far as kids go. From our matching swimming trunks at Raging Waters, endless Super Nintendo days, pretending we were bad, grade-A skaters, to playing at the park (which we still do, from time to time), dressing up in costumes for no particular reason, to getting scared of the dark (uh, this still happens as well)... I've come to learn that everything and anything is better with a best friend.

One thing is for certain, when Javi and I are spending time on any day: sanity is rare.

In every group of friends, there is a leader, and a follower. Although I tend to wear a paper hat of the leader, Javi and I typically share equal interests...equal amounts of getting trouble... and equal amounts of thinking precisely the same way. So who's to blame for the insanity? We are.

It's a given fact of life, that over time, friends will come and go. Thankfully, I can say: we haven't gone anywhere.

Enjoy the video I made, below, as I will hopefully continue to post more.

Japan Has All The Cool Stuff

With my beating heart for blogs, inside of my daily-websites routine, the site listed below is definitely a favorite. Add that to my enthusiasm for all things Disney (especially "Wall-E"), and a desire to travel elsewhere apart from the US, and this is the article is just spot-on for me.

http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2009/01/world-of-wall-e-tokyo-exhibit-exclusive.html

Hope you enjoy it too!

- Jimi

(I took the above picture, as my parents drove in LA. You can picture my girl-ish scream and brightened eyes, as we drove by it.)

For Pondering...

It may seem impossible to accomplish, for our human minds... and it requires a greater strength that I do not possess... but to swim against the current of selfishness is to choose the right path.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." - James 1:2-4

Questions for asking myself today:

- What is my heart being drawn towards?

- Is there a way to become stronger, in Godly character, by what I'm doing?

- Does what I want to do always glorify God? Then, what can I do to glorify Him?

- Am I praising God, no matter what?

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken way; blessed be the name of the LORD.' In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." - Job1:21-22

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." - Matt 26:41


- Will I become a tool of Satan or an instrument of God?