...and wanted to share it with you.
"Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
Those whose walk is blameless,
who do what is righteous,
who speak the truth form their hearts;
who have no slander on their tongues,
who do their neighbors no wrong,
who cast no slur on others;
who despise those whose ways are vile
but honor whoever fears the Lord;
who keep their oaths even when it hurts;
who lend money to the poor without interest
and do not accept bribes against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken."
-Psalm 15
I would like to be a person like this.
4.24.2009
Caramel Apples, Mountains, and Sun
Wow... I've been back from Utah for a couple of days and I finally feel like I'm over my self-inflicted sleep deprivation. The cure: sleeping 12 hours in one night. That's right. Twelve. I won't lie... I can sleep, but even that is a little excessive for me.
Utah was amazing!! Thank you to everyone I got to spend time with! I had a blast, felt so incredibly loved, and I'm even more excited to get back to Salt Lake. I'm so thankful for such great friends, an amazing church community that feels just like family, and my old roommates who are so giving, loving and prayerful. I had so much fun being back by those awesome mountains, playing Wii with Heidi and Daniel, being outside in the beautiful, sunny weather (I really miss places like Liberty Park and Park City...), going to K2 and getting the chance to surprise a couple of my students, hanging out with the middle school group for a night. It was better than I could have predicted, imagined or asked for.
God willing, I'll be home (that would be Utah for those of you who are a little slow on the uptake) in three months! I can't wait to see what God has in store!
Peace.
Enjoy some pictures from the trip:
Chimay and sweet potato fries at The Bayou is tradition
My awesome roommate
Hanging out with the Vertical leaders
Things you only see in Utah
Utah was amazing!! Thank you to everyone I got to spend time with! I had a blast, felt so incredibly loved, and I'm even more excited to get back to Salt Lake. I'm so thankful for such great friends, an amazing church community that feels just like family, and my old roommates who are so giving, loving and prayerful. I had so much fun being back by those awesome mountains, playing Wii with Heidi and Daniel, being outside in the beautiful, sunny weather (I really miss places like Liberty Park and Park City...), going to K2 and getting the chance to surprise a couple of my students, hanging out with the middle school group for a night. It was better than I could have predicted, imagined or asked for.
God willing, I'll be home (that would be Utah for those of you who are a little slow on the uptake) in three months! I can't wait to see what God has in store!
Peace.
Enjoy some pictures from the trip:
4.08.2009
Did video REALLY kill the radio star?
Or does the radio just suck??
What is up with horrible music on the radio today? Due to difficult economic times I've not been able to buy many new albums, so I've resorted to using that ol' thing called the radio. But there is something just wrong about what people are putting out these days... Let me just give you some examples of some horrible lyrics I've had to listen through recently:
1) "All my single ladies (all my single ladies). All my single ladies (all my single ladies). Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. If you like it then you should have put a ring on it." (By the way, does Beyonce really have the right to sing this song? After all, Jay-Z put a ring on it. What's she complaining about? All of us ladies who are actually single thank you for rubbing it in...)
2) "P-p-p-p-p-p-poker face. My p-p-p-p-p-p-poker face." Now, granted I don't know why Lady GaGa is singing about her poker face. And I really don't care to find out. Plus, I think it's tasteless that her other song "Just Dance" is about being so drunk you don't know what club you're in or where your keys are (you shouldn't be looking for keys if you can't remember where you are Miss GaGa) and even more tragic for the rest of us is that "Just Dance" is just so darn catchy...
3) "Blame it on the Goose, you're gettin loose. Blame it on Patron, you're in the zone. Blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol, blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-a-a-achohol." Really? I mean, really?? Nuff said.
4) For my last example, I can't remember the actual words (thank goodness), but it's something to the effect of "I won't cheat on you as long as you remember that I can have any girl I want, but I chose you." Wow... Well if that's not true love I just don't know what is...
This leads me to ask the question: Is there really any good music on the radio? Sure, I'll admit it. I like Ne-Yo. I even like that new Black Eyed Peas song "Boom Boom Pow" (although twice I've turned the radio on and three of LA's radio stations were playing that song at the same time). And even a little Britney never hurt anyone... maybe... But I would prefer more Miley Cyrus on the radio. Good, wholesome music. Miley's a girl singing songs that are appropriate for a sixteen year old. Unlike Kelly Clarkson, who currently sings a song entitled "My Life Would Suck Without You." Really deep I'm sure.
So... what kind of music do you like? I'm all ears...
What is up with horrible music on the radio today? Due to difficult economic times I've not been able to buy many new albums, so I've resorted to using that ol' thing called the radio. But there is something just wrong about what people are putting out these days... Let me just give you some examples of some horrible lyrics I've had to listen through recently:
1) "All my single ladies (all my single ladies). All my single ladies (all my single ladies). Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. If you like it then you should have put a ring on it." (By the way, does Beyonce really have the right to sing this song? After all, Jay-Z put a ring on it. What's she complaining about? All of us ladies who are actually single thank you for rubbing it in...)
2) "P-p-p-p-p-p-poker face. My p-p-p-p-p-p-poker face." Now, granted I don't know why Lady GaGa is singing about her poker face. And I really don't care to find out. Plus, I think it's tasteless that her other song "Just Dance" is about being so drunk you don't know what club you're in or where your keys are (you shouldn't be looking for keys if you can't remember where you are Miss GaGa) and even more tragic for the rest of us is that "Just Dance" is just so darn catchy...
3) "Blame it on the Goose, you're gettin loose. Blame it on Patron, you're in the zone. Blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol, blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-a-a-achohol." Really? I mean, really?? Nuff said.
4) For my last example, I can't remember the actual words (thank goodness), but it's something to the effect of "I won't cheat on you as long as you remember that I can have any girl I want, but I chose you." Wow... Well if that's not true love I just don't know what is...
This leads me to ask the question: Is there really any good music on the radio? Sure, I'll admit it. I like Ne-Yo. I even like that new Black Eyed Peas song "Boom Boom Pow" (although twice I've turned the radio on and three of LA's radio stations were playing that song at the same time). And even a little Britney never hurt anyone... maybe... But I would prefer more Miley Cyrus on the radio. Good, wholesome music. Miley's a girl singing songs that are appropriate for a sixteen year old. Unlike Kelly Clarkson, who currently sings a song entitled "My Life Would Suck Without You." Really deep I'm sure.
So... what kind of music do you like? I'm all ears...
4.06.2009
I Try to Read
I read a lot. And I hate leaving a book partially read, but there are some books I just cannot get through. Love In The Time of Cholera was like that. Really, I tried. I put forth a significant effort to trudge through the slow parts, but to no avail. I just asked my friend, Crissy, how it ended. Months ago I picked up The Memory Keeper's Daughter, by Kim Edwards. I wanted to know how it ended, but I just couldn't get through it. I picked it up a few days ago once more and could not put it down because the ending was really intriguing. I guess sometimes it pays to finish a book. So The Memory Keeper's Daughter, not bad, but definitely wouldn't recommend it to everyone. 
Next on the reading list is 100 Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide, by Jared Cohen (author of Children of Jihad). I'm really interested in this book because it explores the Rwanda genocide (which began exactly 15 years ago today and lasted for about 3 months) and America's response to it: why it wasn't a priority, who was really to blame, etc. I've read a few memoirs from the genocide, but not the politics. Should be an interesting read. I'll let you know how it turns out.
By the way, tonight the Ryono household mourned Michigan State's loss to North Carolina for the championship. Next year... The good news in sports is that baseball season is finally here, and the Ducks are still in the running for the playoffs!!!
Peace.
Next on the reading list is 100 Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide, by Jared Cohen (author of Children of Jihad). I'm really interested in this book because it explores the Rwanda genocide (which began exactly 15 years ago today and lasted for about 3 months) and America's response to it: why it wasn't a priority, who was really to blame, etc. I've read a few memoirs from the genocide, but not the politics. Should be an interesting read. I'll let you know how it turns out. By the way, tonight the Ryono household mourned Michigan State's loss to North Carolina for the championship. Next year... The good news in sports is that baseball season is finally here, and the Ducks are still in the running for the playoffs!!!
Peace.
4.01.2009
The Joke's On You!
When I was in second grade, my teacher played a good hearted prank on her coworker. We spent some time in class making some icky goo (flour, food coloring and something chunky were among the components) that could pass for a seven year old's vomit. We spread it all over one of my classmates and sent him wobbling off to the unsuspecting teacher. After giving her a good scare we all yelled, "APRIL FOOLS!!!" It was funny. Everyone laughed and had a good time. Oh to be a kid again...
I learned somewhere in my later teens that I am horribly gullible. Every year on April 1st I throw my guard up. I am aware of, careful and attentive to potential pranksters. The problem is, it takes me at least one good one until I get that guard well enough up. Last year, Jill managed to convince me that she was converting to Jehovah's Witness. I'll give it to her... she was good. She waited until the end of the day when I was least suspecting, had a whole background story and then laid it on thick. I was panicked in the fifteen minutes between her and I dropping her "conversion" conversation for more lighthearted chat and her telling me "APRIL FOOLS!!!" I was relieved and perhaps a little bit irked.
This morning, I (albeit momentarily) could not believe my eyes!!! Was Sojourner's really telling me that Rush Limbaugh was joining Jim Wallis to be a keynote speaker for Sojo's Mobilization to End Poverty, that Wallis and Limbaugh were *GASP* friends?!??? When it got to the part about Limbaugh giving half his possessions to the poor and quoted him saying, "The way Kathy Lee needed Regis, that's the way y'all need Jesus" - well, that's when I finally caught on. Kudos to you Ryan Rodrick Beiler. You got me. And I'm woman enough to admit it...
I hate April Fools Day.
Peace.
I learned somewhere in my later teens that I am horribly gullible. Every year on April 1st I throw my guard up. I am aware of, careful and attentive to potential pranksters. The problem is, it takes me at least one good one until I get that guard well enough up. Last year, Jill managed to convince me that she was converting to Jehovah's Witness. I'll give it to her... she was good. She waited until the end of the day when I was least suspecting, had a whole background story and then laid it on thick. I was panicked in the fifteen minutes between her and I dropping her "conversion" conversation for more lighthearted chat and her telling me "APRIL FOOLS!!!" I was relieved and perhaps a little bit irked.
This morning, I (albeit momentarily) could not believe my eyes!!! Was Sojourner's really telling me that Rush Limbaugh was joining Jim Wallis to be a keynote speaker for Sojo's Mobilization to End Poverty, that Wallis and Limbaugh were *GASP* friends?!??? When it got to the part about Limbaugh giving half his possessions to the poor and quoted him saying, "The way Kathy Lee needed Regis, that's the way y'all need Jesus" - well, that's when I finally caught on. Kudos to you Ryan Rodrick Beiler. You got me. And I'm woman enough to admit it...
I hate April Fools Day.
Peace.
3.26.2009
Strawberry Fields Forever
I discovered another reason why I think Southern California isn't so bad! I live in Ventura County and strawberries are one of our top crops! This means that come early spring strawberry stands pop up all over the sides of roads so you can buy strawberries picked that day on one of the many farms in Ventura County. Plus, every year we have the California Strawberry Festival. I'm sorry, but you can't get freshly picked strawberries in Salt Lake City. So today on my way home I pulled off into the dust on the side of the road where someone was selling delicious, juicy, sweet, organically farmed, freshly picked strawberries!! I sampled one (yummmmy!), exchanged some conversation with the vendor and got myself back on the road with a flat of strawberries filling my car with fruity fragrance! I chopped all the tops off of them tonight (to make them easier to eat) and then dunked some in some chocolate and put them in the refrigerator. They should be ready jjjuuussst abooouttt............. NOW! I'm off to enjoy!
Peace.
Peace.
3.24.2009
Simon of Cyrene
For those of you who may have missed the news, we opened escrow on the house. Michigan, here we come! I’ll be helping my parents move to the Great Lake state in mid July and then I plan (but we all know how my plans tend to go) to return to Utah shortly thereafter! 4 months and counting!
My pastor gave a really interesting sermon this past week on Simon of Cyrene. You can check it out here. He showed us a clip from The Passion of the Christ. It has been a long time since I’ve seen that movie. I can remember the intensity of it, the eerie feeling of leaving the Felix Event Center at APU with nearly 3,000 of my peers in complete silence. Many moments of that movie remain etched in my memory: The scene where Jesus is praying in Gethsemane; Peter’s denial of Christ; the moment where Jesus’ resurrection takes place and Satan is defeated. One moment I didn’t exactly recall from the movie was the clip Pastor Dave showed on Sunday of Simon of Cyrene being forced to carry the cross of Jesus. I noted on Simon’s face the definite resistance and near annoyance of being forced to carry this criminal’s cross. This man, that Mark 15:21 says was just passing by, picks up the cross and comes face to face with the Savior. I left church that morning wondering what it would have been like to look Christ in the eye and carry his cross. To watch as he is beaten, bloodied, mocked and murdered for my sake. We, as believers, know that it happened. But can you imagine actually being there? And moreover, can you imagine being Simon of Cyrene and carrying the cross side by side with Jesus? I cannot put my finger on exactly why this moved me the way that it did, but I find myself hoping beyond all hope that what my pastor suggested may have happened, actually did happen. That the moment when Simon carried that cross, that maybe he really did look Jesus in the eye. And maybe in that moment he felt something powerful, unearthly, and divine. And maybe when the rumors began to circulate that this Jesus of Nazareth had conquered death, Simon of Cyrene knew he had carried the cross of the one who carried his sin. Was it coincidence that Simon happened through Jerusalem at that exact moment, or was God interrupting his life so that he could save it? And how many times does God do that? Interrupt our very own lives for the sake of saving them?
Peace in this Lenten season.
(The picture comes from this website.)
My pastor gave a really interesting sermon this past week on Simon of Cyrene. You can check it out here. He showed us a clip from The Passion of the Christ. It has been a long time since I’ve seen that movie. I can remember the intensity of it, the eerie feeling of leaving the Felix Event Center at APU with nearly 3,000 of my peers in complete silence. Many moments of that movie remain etched in my memory: The scene where Jesus is praying in Gethsemane; Peter’s denial of Christ; the moment where Jesus’ resurrection takes place and Satan is defeated. One moment I didn’t exactly recall from the movie was the clip Pastor Dave showed on Sunday of Simon of Cyrene being forced to carry the cross of Jesus. I noted on Simon’s face the definite resistance and near annoyance of being forced to carry this criminal’s cross. This man, that Mark 15:21 says was just passing by, picks up the cross and comes face to face with the Savior. I left church that morning wondering what it would have been like to look Christ in the eye and carry his cross. To watch as he is beaten, bloodied, mocked and murdered for my sake. We, as believers, know that it happened. But can you imagine actually being there? And moreover, can you imagine being Simon of Cyrene and carrying the cross side by side with Jesus? I cannot put my finger on exactly why this moved me the way that it did, but I find myself hoping beyond all hope that what my pastor suggested may have happened, actually did happen. That the moment when Simon carried that cross, that maybe he really did look Jesus in the eye. And maybe in that moment he felt something powerful, unearthly, and divine. And maybe when the rumors began to circulate that this Jesus of Nazareth had conquered death, Simon of Cyrene knew he had carried the cross of the one who carried his sin. Was it coincidence that Simon happened through Jerusalem at that exact moment, or was God interrupting his life so that he could save it? And how many times does God do that? Interrupt our very own lives for the sake of saving them?
Peace in this Lenten season.
(The picture comes from this website.)
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