A Lesson on Perspective

Today was quite easily one of my best adventures to date.

Myself and eleven family members (9 of which I just met!) took a drive to Tagaytay City, where we then hopped on a bangka (boat) taking us to the base of Taal Volcano Island. This would have been a killer hike, but since that was not something everyone in the group could do, we rode horseback to the pseudo-summit.

Have you ever enjoyed a moment more intimately by recalling times when you were far from that kind of happiness? I experienced this on the boat ride to the volcano as I closed my eyes tight, threw my head back in genuine laughter and remembered how big and good our God is. But in tandem and albeit a bit grim, lightning flashbacks of my lowest moments sporadically flipped through my mind: misplaced anxiety attacks forced to suppression; writhing in bed as my heart ached for love that was lost; blank stares at the wall sitting on the bathroom floor, empty of tears. But when these thoughts raced through my mind, I perceptibly embodied James 1:2, considering my trials pure joy. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for those valleys–not because I was now enjoying such a high, but simply because I realized I no longer have to dread the recollection of moments like that. It’s in the trials that steadfastness is produced, and that’s where joy is found.

Later on in the excursion, I found myself faced with an opportunity to exercise a humbled perspective. When we got to the summit, the view was breathtaking in a way that makes me hesitant to even use that word, in fear of overuse diminishing its reality. I stared in disbelief, not knowing what to do with myself–until a group entered the foreground, facing a man with camera in hand. That’s when the irritation of having left my phone behind set in. I even had the audacity to say that the camera on my phone was better than the one we did have available for pictures–how embarrassing of me. Getting off my high horse (pun intended), I chose to look at the situation from a better perspective–how was this experience provided for me in the first place?

From the moment I met my tour guide, RJ, I knew I wanted to learn more about him and share his story. RJ innocently told me I was beautiful at the start of the horseback ride–his kindness was continuously evident. He is 19 and has been giving these tours for two years. Although they only allow the horses to give one ride maximum per day, it is 8 km (nearly 5 miles) round trip from the base to the summit. RJ, along with over 600 other tour guides, spend their days making this trek on foot as they lead tourists to one of the most beautiful vistas they’ll ever see–the very place they call home.

I asked RJ what he did for fun, but he said he wasn’t sure what I meant. There was only a slight language barrier between us, and I know there are things he must do in his free time regardless, but I had to remember: my experience here is his livelihood. RJ and his colleagues (family is probably a better word) live in homes that most Americans above the poverty threshold wouldn’t call a house. Their lives essentially revolve around taking care of the horses that provide them the opportunity to make tips off of their guests. Don’t get me wrong–the people living here were not destitute and it’s not my intention to portray them as such. But after an instance where I was petty enough to be concerned with how I was going to get the best picture, it was necessary to instead recognize the beauty in enjoying a moment without the compulsion to preserve it, and empathize with the lives of those who took care of me in the process.

The pictures didn’t turn out so bad anyway.

Investments & Adventures: August

To my surprise, I’ve felt more “settled in” to life (for lack of a better term) this month perhaps more than I have all year. God has been doing new things in me & around me and I couldn’t feel better about it. My August adventure started with a trip to Wilmington & continued into a 60th birthday party for my dad. My investment has been in my word of the year: HOPE!

As a bit of a continuation of some things I mentioned in last month’s blog, I decided to spend a week in my college town of Wilmington, NC at the beginning of the month to spend some time with my sweet friends living there. I was able to stay with my best friend/freshman year roommate Brooke, catch up with my friends June, Shelby, & Chetna over drinks/dinner, & hang out with one of my sorority littles Reilly every day I was there! Not only did I get to unwind in good company, but I also spent some much-needed time alone working at coffee shops & lounging on Wrightsville Beach. As social as I am, I’m an introvert who needs her time away from it all, so this time was the perfect way for me to reset & prepare for the busyness of the month ahead as I began my new job with Yelp Hampton Roads & a new semester of classes.

It was truly a privilege to plan a 60th birthday celebration for my dad! He is more deserving than anyone to have a day all about him. His siblings were able to make the trip to visit us in North Carolina from all over: New York, Georgia, & Florida. He also had plenty of other long-time loved ones celebrate with us at our home where we had a huge cookout & party. I could go on and on about how awesome this day was for everyone, but for me it was an event planning adventure that couldn’t have meant more!

Hope is something I’d struggled to keep at the forefront of my mind in the last couple of years, on & off. I’ve let lots of discouragements, disappointments, & letdowns get the best of me to the point where it actually hurt to keep hoping in something. But God has shown me a better way to handle these emotions through the hope I can have in Him. While I knew I’ve been called to meditate on the word “hope” in 2019, it hasn’t always been easy. From the first day of August, this month had seemed to promise a lot to be hopeful about. A new job I had been prayerful about for months, the clean slate of a new semester after (somehow) crushing my summer sessions, & a few weeks of down time before heading full force into it all. Even when I became overwhelmed with stress & anxiety, I was as intentional as possible to change my mindset toward a life-giving perspective on whatever situation faced me.

Having hope in things unseen can be scary–I had to let go of that fear. Having hope can be unnerving–I had to be brave. Having hope meant that I had to trust God to take care of me no matter the outcome. And let me tell you: God completely & unexpectedly blew me away with His love & favor this month in more ways than I’ll even share right now. A simple decision to remain hopeful in the face of uncertainty allows God the opportunity to exceed our expectations & calm all of our fears in the process.

That’s what I did this August & I refuse to quit as the year continues.

“Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!” Romans 15:13

Investments & Adventures: June

I feel as though this month has the potential to be the longest or the shortest monthly I&A blog. Seemingly overnight, everything I knew my life to be in a moment shifted to a familiarity of a life I’ve lived before, yet as someone entirely different than I was then.

My investment this month was in my ability to feel comfortable with, and content in change. I did not talk about it with anyone too much, but every day has been a struggle to accept the change of life’s seasons. The beginning of the month was filled with a countdown of days left in Colorado to do as many things that I had wanted to do, in a short amount of time. Balancing the anticipation of finals and the big move with trying to enjoy my last couple of weeks was difficult. Half of me wanted to embrace each moment I had left there, while the other half wanted to rip the band-aid off and settle into my new routine. Thanks to some amazing friends, I was able to find joy in the finality of a transformational season which I did not want to say goodbye to. But the goodbyes were said, and in the beginning it didn’t feel real. I’m now trying to completely accept the new swing of things: a drastic change in my surroundings (no more mountains serving as my compass), physical distance between me & the friends I’d made, school work consuming the vast majority of my free time, not having my own place, reminders everywhere of an era I wanted to forget– the list goes on. Accepting all of this change has taken its toll on me already, but I know God will continue to give me the strength to embrace it with grace.

My adventure of the month was the 1,800 mile road trip across the country with my dad! It started with a car-sized game of Tetris to fit everything I had left with us. Besides a case of lemonade and a too-tall hamper, we got most of it. We left immediately after I took my two finals for my first summer session of school, getting 500 miles under our belts and staying in Kansas. The second day was the longest, since we woke up early, hit the road, and continued until after sunset. After staying in Kentucky, we left early again the next day and made it home to Virginia by the afternoon. My sweet cat Abel was an ANGEL, much to our surprise. He barely made a peep the first two days. On the final stretch, he was clearly getting sick of being cooped up, but one pit stop did the trick to quiet him down for the final hour or so.

Overall, this month has forced me to change my perspective more than I’ve needed to in a while– but that’s a good thing. God has been calling out to me to lean more into Him as I begin a new chapter of my life, despite what feels like a spiritual attack I’ve been facing. But when that happens to any of us as Christians, we can trust that God is up to something bigger.

52 things I did while living in Colorado

1. Accomplished my #1 bucket list item of seeing Odesza perform at Red Rocks.

2. Went to a Rockies baseball game with my Aunt Bonnie.

3. Flew first class on July 4th on the way back from Joey & Melicia’s wedding.

4. Went to my first rodeo with my coworkers.

5. Went whitewater rafting with Amy down the Arkansas river on my 20th birthday.

6. Went on my first overnight trip alone to Leadville.

7. Went camping in Moab with Jasmine.

8. Admired the aspens in Crested Butte.

9. Got my Wilderness First Responder Certification.

10. Endured 4 months of anguish trying to get my cat to me.

11. Got tattoos with Rachel & Hannah when they came to visit me.

12. Went to Rocky Mountain National Park with Brianna.

13. Made a new best friend.

14. Hosted my first Thanksgiving at my apartment & cooked with my dad and grandparents.

15. Went to a Broncos football game with my Aunt Bonnie.

16. Finished reading the entire Bible.

17. Started my first monthly blog series.

18. Visited Jasmine in San Francisco.

19. Did a Daniel Fast for 21 days.

20. Taught a cooking club for kids.

21. Tried skiing for the first time.

22. Became a ski technician having only skied one time the whole season.

23. Planned my first event with over 300 guests.

24. Went camping in Albuquerque with Yajaunte.

25. Tried cryotherapy while spending the day with my mom & Rich.

26. Chopped my hair off.

27. Went to the hot springs with Reilly in Pagosa Springs.

28. Got stuck in a snow storm on the way home from Pagosa Springs.

29. Finished (& won) my first entire game of (National Park) Monopoly.

30. Visited 5 National Parks.

31. Got two days off of work from a bomb cyclone.

32. Rode out the blizzard in the best ways possible with Brooke, Mason & Jordan.

33. Watched Yajaunte & Keevin get married in Waialua.

34. Started my master’s degree.

35. Went 14,115ft up to the top of Pike’s Peak.

36. Had my coworkers make me the biggest, sweetest basket on my last day of work.

37. Went on lots of day trips to Denver & Boulder.

38. Went on some really lame dates.

39. Gave up online/app dating as a result.

40. Finally went to the movie theater by myself.

41. Learned how to salsa dance. Then forgot.

42. Had two successful hand surgeries.

43. Sorta figured out what I want to do with my life. At least more-so since this time last year.

44. Recorded 70 miles & 31 hours of hiking.

45. Healed from a broken heart.

46. Led a group of high schoolers on Sunday nights to grow in discipleship.

47. Loved on more kids than I can count.

48. Was driven crazy by them too.

49. Lived alone and loved every minute of it. Even the ones that were lonelier than others.

50. Hosted 8 friends & 5 family members who were so kind enough to spend their time & resources visiting me.

51. Drove 1,800 miles with my dad back to the east coast.

52. Talked to lots of people about Jesus.

Investments & Adventures: April

This month’s investments were all about family and preparation for a new season of life. At the beginning of the month I was admitted to the Master of Business Administration program at East Carolina University! While this will all be online, I realize how much work I’ll have to put in to balance working full-time, going to school full-time, and maintaining my social, recreational, and most importantly–spiritual life. Furthering my education into graduate school is something I’ve known I’ve wanted to do for quite a while, and God made it clear that now was the perfect time for me to start. I am so excited to pour my effort & energy into this new endeavor. I’ll be completing a graduate certificate through the MBA program in Hospitality Management, as that is the specific field I’m continuing to head into. I have a feeling that the Lord is trying to press the idea of being hospitable into my daily life on top of my career field, so I look forward to seeking opportunities to get the most out of that calling.

As an investment and also this month’s adventure, I was able to spend an entire week at home in Virginia with my family over Easter. I actually had hand surgery on the Friday before the holiday, and hopped on a plane a few hours later (don’t tell my doctor)! Not only was I able to enjoy service at the church that first set me on fire for God, but I also got to indulge in the best Easter dinner with loved ones.

The week that followed was so needed for my soul in many ways. I was able to pick my little brother up from school almost every day and spend time spoiling him with sweets, exploring parks, and sharing lots of love & laughter that I miss more than words can describe while living so far away from him. Missing some of his key childhood moments is easily one of the biggest sacrifices of choosing to move to Colorado, but that just makes our time together than much more meaningful & memorable to us both.

                                                       

Of course the time spent with the rest of my family was just as heartwarming. My dad & I anxiously planned our upcoming summer National Park trip, my mom & I got the matching tattoos we’ve been wanting for years, my grandma taught me how to make traditional Filipino foods (lumpia & adobo), and the whole family was able to get together multiple times for dinner. Even a relaxing spa day with my grandma, mom, and aunt Krissie, and a whole day with my best friend Rachel was able to be fit in during the trip! I realized during this visit how much my family means to me than ever before in many ways, and that made it harder to leave than it has yet.

                       

As I sit writing this on the plane back to Colorado, I can’t help but thank God for how he’s moving in my life. I may have cried a gallon of tears leaving everyone, but He reminded me that He has purposefully led me to where I am now for my good & His glory, which makes every sacrifice I’ve had to make worth it.

 

Investments & Adventures: March

This month was incredibly eventful to say the least! The first half started out with quite a bit of stress, but by the end of it I was able to see how blessed I’ve been at the start of my favorite season– spring!

March’s investments were in my education and my friendships. For starters, I’d spent the better part of February and March studying for the GRE– aka the SAT of graduate school. More on this to come, but I needed to take this exam as part of the application process. I spent the majority of my free time at coffee shops working on practice problems or at home making Quizlets for vocabulary. I may have learned 160 new words and only saw four of them on the test, but I still felt like the work paid off.

Before the GRE, I was able to have not one, not two… but FOUR friends visit me here in Colorado! UNCW (my alma mater) was on spring break, so I had friends visit me on two occasions that week. First, one of my littles from my sorority Alpha Chi Omega came to visit! The highlight of our trip was visiting the hot springs in Pagosa Springs, where we had to take a detour through New Mexico on the way home because the weather and roads were so bad! It was so good to see her again and catch up since I moved away from Wilmington.

The second visit was from my best friend/freshman roommate Brooke, as well as her boyfriend and friend Jordan! God totally showed up and showed off during their trip. I was originally supposed to work the entire week they were here. Their second full day here, a bomb cyclone/blizzard hit the area and my work was closed for two days! While the blizzard was detrimental to many people, I was grateful to be protected and blessed with the chance to spend so much more time with them than expected. They even got to stay an extra day since they had to change their flight! We played monopoly, made chili, did an escape room, and just enjoyed each other’s conversation & company. I missed Brooke every day since we had last seen each other, so this visit was much needed.

Finally, my adventure for the month was the opportunity to take a trip to Hawaii to see my sweet friends Yajaunte & Keevin get married! What was even better was that I got to be a part of their special day by helping coordinate the event and spending time with Yajaunte as she got ready in the days and moments before their I Do’s. Everything about the trip and the wedding both were so beautiful, and I feel fortunate to have been able to be by her side through the journey. Of course, we managed to get plenty of sun, snorkeling, and exploring done along the way. As much as I wished I could have stayed longer, I’m happy to be home in Colorado as I prepare for another busy month ahead!

National Park Tour 2018

I love parks with all my heart. There’s nothing better to me than a place of natural beauty to recreate & relax. That’s why I bought a Colorado Parks & Wildlife pass as soon as I was considered a resident, and why I’ve made it my mission to visit as many U.S. National Parks as I possibly can. I accidentally (!!!) got a free (!!!) National Parks pass while on the job one day. In that moment I knew it was God’s way of confirming the desire I’ve had in my heart to not only visit, but also help preserve the natural resources & views He’s given us on this Earth. Hence the National Park Tour of 2018, where I visited five parks in a month, alongside some wonderful friends.

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

My roommate Amy & I made the three hour drive to this park at the end of August. We rented a sandboard and sled to goof around on the ginormous dunes, which ended in some gnarly wipeouts & loud laughs. On the way home we decided to take the scenic route, which added an extra hour, a coffee stop, & a brief lapse in Amy’s vegetarianism when we scarfed down a couple burgers at one of my favorite restaurants.

Rocky Mountain National Park

I had been dying to go to RMNP since the day I found out I was moving to Colorado. Trey and I have known each other since kindergarten, but it had been nearly three years since we had seen each other once I moved to the city he’s going to school in. We drove up north one Sunday when we were both finally free to spend the day reminiscing, catching up, & hiking around this stunning park. 100% guarantee I will be back very soon.

Canyonlands National Park

My best friend Jasmine flew in to spend a week with me this September. It was such a blessing to be with each other again after spending about four months apart after moving away from college. She shares my infinite love for National Parks, so it was a no brainer that we wanted to spend our time together checking a couple new ones out. Canyonlands was the first, which we spent a couple hours exploring after driving from Grand Junction, CO the night before.

Arches National Park

Jasmine and I camped at Arches, which was genuinely a dream come true for me. We somehow made putting up a tent in Moab heat fun (despite us taking turns complaining to the other), did some grilling & stargazing, then woke up the next morning for a hike to the famous Delicate Arch. The road trips to these Utah parks & back were half the fun of our trip together!

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The last park on my tour was a solo visit. I went to Black Canyon while I was completing my Wilderness First Responder certification course in Crested Butte, on our day off. It was so calming to spend time not only by myself, but with myself taking in the beauty of “Colorado’s Grand Canyon.” After my visit here, only one more National Park in Colorado to cross off the list!

I wish I knew how many hours I’ve spent calculating the distance between Colorado Springs and all of the National Parks in the country (trust me, it’s more than you think). I truly can’t put into words how thankful I am that God placed me somewhere where I can easily access so much natural beauty, which brings more joy to my heart than I’ve ever experienced. I can’t wait to continue my journey of visiting park after park for as long as I’m blessed to be here!

Ever take a weekend for yourself?

That’s exactly what I did these past couple of days. And man, was it good for me! I hadn’t been feeling my best in the couple of weeks prior so I knew I wanted to take some time alone doing something I love, to refresh & renew. And while I did, I was able to feel God’s presence stronger than I have in quite a long time! It was just what I needed.

Earlier in the week I hopped on Airbnb to look for affordable options for a one night stay somewhere not too far from me. After researching some nearby cities and talking to people who’ve lived here in Colorado much longer than I have, I decided to take a visit to Leadville: the highest incorporated city in North America! I found cheaper lodging in Salida, another beautiful city only an hour or so south of Leadville, and drove there after work on Friday. The views on the way there were indescribable, and pictures could never do them justice. I blasted my favorite music with the windows down, which of course is the only way to road trip! After arriving to the Airbnb, I realized that I could not have found a better place to stay. It was a little off-the-grid type cabin with all around views of the mountains. It was stunning; there I was able to spend time praying & reading my Bible in a new setting, which gave me a fresh appreciation for my daily quiet time. The next morning I woke up early and headed north!

I started with a nice breakfast at a little cafe in Buena Vista, then went straight to the trailhead for the hike I planned to do. It was the most perfect day for a hike and even with altitude ranging from about 10,000-11,000ft, I managed to make it to the lake & back within a couple of hours. I then took some time to explore the city, visiting some of the shops & local hangouts. When it came time to head home, I decided to take the scenic route through the mountainous cities of Breckenridge and Frisco since I had yet to see that part of the state. I made it back in time for Saturday night service at church, which was the best way to end my retreat of serenity & renewal.

I encourage everyone reading this to make this kind of time for yourself! Maybe you’re not the kind of person to spend a night somewhere unfamiliar by yourself, but at least spend a day doing something you enjoy (and having some good food in the process!) with no distractions from social media, work, or whatever gets you hung up sometimes. I’m absolutely going to prioritize doing this every couple of months now because the effects are priceless.

When there’s two days of class left in your college career, you start a blog…

So this is something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time, but last week while at my church’s annual women’s conference “Flourish,” I felt prompted by God to put the urge into action. He emphasized to me the word SHARE, which is what I’m aiming to do in a simple way through this blog. I’ve always loved writing & chronicling my life in various ways (poetry, photography, etc.) so it’s only natural that at the beginning & end of two huge life events I have coming up, it’s the perfect time to start writing about my journey.

Even though I’m technically not graduating until after my summer internship is over, I’m participating in a “Celebration of Achievement Ceremony” at which I will get to walk the stage in cap & gown in recognition of completing all of my university classes. Since two of my best friends are also graduating, we of course had to spend a night decorating our caps. Despite the anxiety this caused my perfectionist self, we got it done with a little help from one another. I am so going to miss these nights together, hanging out at the apartment with our kitties running around, getting into everything. It’s moments like these where I thank God that He has placed me exactly where I am, with purpose, planned out long before I even knew who these beautiful friends of mine were.

I’m still not sure if it has really hit me that I’m leaving this lovely town in just a couple short weeks, or that a little over a month from now I’ll be (physically) leaving life as I know it behind me, and starting a brand new chapter 1,777 miles away. But as I’m reflecting on where I was in life three years ago, a new high school graduate, I realize that I’m an entirely different person than I was then, in the best way. I would have never pictured myself in a place like the one I’m about to move to–and I certainly couldn’t have predicted that I would find myself in an authentic, cherishable, and fulfilling relationship with the Lord. He has not only filled my heart with new desires & dreams bigger than I could’ve imagined on my own, but He’s moved mountains on my behalf. And that’s why through this unpredictable next phase in my life, I can’t even help but continue to keep my faith in Him.