Signs and wonders all on the road.

Everday is indeed a miracle, and you can see it everywhere you go. Hope you enjoy.

Boyle Heights, Los Angeles

Silverlake, Los Angeles

Hollywood, Los Angeles

Olvera Street, Los Angeles

Downtown, Los Angeles

Echo Park, Los Angeles

Glendale, Los Angeles County

The 4 principles

There are 4 principles that the owner of House of Love in Yanji, China lives by:

1.  No Hidden Agenda. If you’re a baker, then bake bread.  In other words, do what you say you are going to do, and don’t try to manipulate or trick people.  This is crucial in China because the government hates it when Christians lie about what they’re doing.  For him, the government knows he’s Christian.  He and his wife are extremely open about it.  But the government respects them because he’s there to house orphans, and that’s exactly what he does.  He doesn’t secretly try to convert the kids.

2.  Work. Do work.

3.  Live by example. Don’t just tell people what to do or what to believe.  In fact, there is little you need to say at all if you just live out what you believe.

4.  Do the work yourself. This is basically a reiteration  of #2 and #3 combined.  But don’t just tell people what to do.  Do it yourself.

I’m not really sure why I am typing this up.  Maybe it’s to serve as a reminder for myself.

3 lessons in 3 days.

For the first time in my life, I could say that I have my own car.  I learned 3 life lessons through her, which I will share with you now.

Lesson 1:  More money equals more greed. You’ve all heard of this saying before, but with the purchase of my car, this statement bred itself in my heart and started to infect my mind.  I couldn’t stop looking at the pretty exterior, but quickly found that the interior did not meet my standards.  The audio system does not deliver the sound like it does in my mom’s Honda Accord.  I started to find all the features that it lacked or that I wish it had.  I started reading its ratings online and found that many people have complained about this car.  After a day or two I realized what was happening.  I was complaining about a car that most people only dream about owning.  Because it appealed to me on the outside, I wanted it to be nothing but amazing on the inside.  When I finally got what I wanted, I couldn’t be satisfied.

Lesson 2:  Beauty is fleeting. Another cliche that materialized itself before my very eyes.  Every time I park my car I find myself looking back at it with googly eyes.  Every time I think about the things I don’t like about it, I look at her and think “Well at least she looks good.”  But after about 3 days her looks just couldn’t compensate for her insides.  Just remember this when you look for your future spouses ladies and gentlemen!  In the long run, it is truly what is on the inside that counts.  I am not just saying this to say it.  Please do not make this dreadful mistake.

Lesson 3: Everything I own is not really mine. When I drove Ana around (yup, that’s her name), I found myself extremely tense.  I couldn’t stop thinking about the car payments, insurance, maintence, and gas.  I would lie in bed extremely stressed out because I am still not sure how I am going to help my parents pay for all of this.  Then I thought, how could I stop worrying about this?  How could I drive normally without being so anal?  Then I realized, the only way I can do this is to remember that nothing I own is my own.  God gave me this car, and He can take it away if He wants.  I sleep well.

Ana helped me realize that I should be so thankful for everything that I have.  My life, my family, my friends.  Good food, good company, good music.  Passion, persistence, patience.  The fruit of the Spirit that I only wish I could say that I have.  For the good and the bad.  The loyalty and laughter.  For intense heat, pouring rain, the falling snow.  My car.   I am thankful, and undeservingly so.