~ * ~ 65 Random Things About Myself ~ * ~

I've seen this done on other blogs and I find them very interesting (it helps me realize I'm not as weird as I sometimes think).  Who knows!  Maybe I'll have something in common with you!

1. I started my first job at the age of 18 and have stayed with the company for the last 8 years.  (Talk about commitment!)
2.  I love to break the register at work (make it display funny error messages) and find out problems with the coding.
3.  I absolutely love the Asian culture (obviously), but I don't know exactly why or what started it.  [See #23]
4. My favorite type of food is sushi.  [See #32]

5.  I'm rather fond of things that are different/unique.
6.  I'm not a huge fan of cooking, but I believe that it's simply a mental obstacle and once I start cooking (or befriend someone who loves to do it) I will enjoy it much more.  [See #18]
7.  My favorite animal is a tiger.
8.  My bedroom could also be classified as a library because of how many books I own (and not having access to a library card doesn't help the decreasing bookshelf space).
9.  Up until recently, I had never flown on a plane.  It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be.*

*This picture may not reflect opinion stated above.

10.  I created my own daily planner using Excel and a mini binder.  I absolutely love it.
11.  I haven't listened to English music in over 8 months.
12.  My favorite music group is Super Junior, where my favorite song writer is David Hodges (though they are in no way related).
13.  In high school, I went through a "goth" faze, but never got around to dying my hair black.
14.  Now (ten years later) I can't seem to get enough bright colors in my life!
15.  I absolutely adore my co-workers and the people that I serve.
16.  I can easily spend hours on YouTube watching vloggers.

17.  My favorite holiday is Christmas as the Spirit is amazing, (and I'm not referring to the materialistic spirit).
18.  My mother suffered from a degenerative disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis for most of my life, and doing simple daily tasks were very painful and challenging.  [See #6]
19.  I am the "President" of a creative writing group with nearly a dozen of my friends, and I love being with them!
20.  My favorite thing to do with friends is go out to eat, window shop, or simply watch funny videos/movies with them.
21.  My favorite movie genre would be technically classified as "Family" or "Children" as I LOVE the animated movies such as Rise of the Guardians, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Megamind for their stories and morals that are taught.
22.  I'm definitely a story-kind of girl.  If the plotline doesn't make sense or isn't interesting (mindless action scenes, etc.), I won't enjoy it.
23. When I was a child, my best friend growing up was from Cambodia.  [Possible reason for #3?]
24.  I am normally very suspicious of people due to my trust being broken in the past.  However I am working on improving this.
25.  I am an only child and wish I had siblings.
26.  Some of my favorite vloggers on YouTube to watch are: Dodger Leigh, Random Panser, Marikplier, and Mary Doodles.  [*Not all content on their channels I approve of, however I do love their vlogs when they simply talk about their daily life]
27.  My birthday is in February and lies on the border with the horoscope calendar, so I have mixed qualities of both Aquarius and Pisces (if you believe in horoscopes).
28.  My mother passed away April 22, 2011 and there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about her.
29.  I love fruit, especially during the wintertime.
30.  I have only experienced two "Snow Days" in my entire life, though I have lived in the state with the "greatest snow on earth" my entire life.
31.  My dad and I are really close and have similar personalities (you've been warned).
32.  I love breakfast meals (pancakes, waffles, eggos, bacon, sausage, hash browns, etc.).  It's probably my second favorite food.  [See #4]
33.  I have over 19 hours of kpop music on my iPod and I love every minute of it.

[Image Source]

34.  I wish I had a great sense of style and accessorizing like other girls with short hair, but I don't. [See #54]
35.  I don't even have my ears pierced!
36.  Thanks to my first boyfriend, I'm no longer afraid to be my true self.
37.  Overall I am a generally happy person.  I will act happy even when I'm not, but once you get to know me, you'll be able to tell when I'm having a hard time.
38.  My favorite New Testament story is the story of a man named Legion and how Christ heals him.  For some reason that story has stood out to me for years.
39.  My favorite Book of Mormon story is Alma the Younger's life story.
40.  I love looking for symbolism in life.
41.  I can't wait to go through the temple [See #40].  But I don't have plans to receive my endowment as I would really like to go through the temple my first time with my future husband.  I am temple worthy and hold a baptismal recommend however.
42.  My dream is to someday do an Asian tour and visit all the countries.
43.  I plan to meet someone "famous" in my life.
44.  My guilty pleasure is YouTube, Netflix, and DramaFever.  They will be my downfall.
45.  I love to set weekly goals and strive to accomplish them.
46.  I love video editing (mainly making movie trailers) but after killing my third computer, I stopped.
47.   I miss the days when life was simpler and my greatest concern was whether it was going to be sunny enough to play Power Rangers outside or not.
48.  I am not a big video game person, but I do have friends who are (and I obviously follow YouTubers who are HUGE gamers, but I myself am not one).  [See #26]
49.  I haven't had a serious boyfriend in years (mainly because I told the Lord what I wanted and He was kind enough to bless me with it... though now I'm not so sure I can wait for the blessing).
50.  I am on an adventure called Life and I love every moment.

51.  I would not change anything in my past, for by doing so, I would change the person I am today and I don't want that.
52.  I'm far from perfect, and I hope my future husband has some flaws or I'm going to feel extremely inferior.
53.  As a child, I was never into "girly" things.  In fact, when McDonald's would have the different toys for girls and boys (barbies for girls, Hotwheel's cars for boys) I would cry if I ended up with a barbie because I wanted the car.  Yeah, I was THAT child.  But look at how well rounded I turned out! :)
54.  My entire wardrobe could do with a makeover [See #34].
55.  I can't speak another language, but if I could, it would be Korean.  But I am trying!
56.  I do not have a single scar and I have never broken a bone.  (as of yet)
57.  I graduated with a degree in Family, Consumer, and Human Development, with an emphasis on Community Services.  Basically, I want to work with helping families have a better life.
58.  I originally wanted to major in Psychology, but I hated the medical diagnosis side and loved the application side.  [Hence #57]
59.  I took art all 4 years in high school, but I don't consider myself an artist in the least.
60.  I enjoy writing and coming up with stories.  It's the organizing different scenes into a coherent storyline that I struggle with.
61.  When I was little, I used to eat chapstick; specifically the strawberry flavored kind (Smackers brand).
62.  I didn't like raspberries until after high school because of the "little hairs" but yet I love to each peaches with the skin on (fuzz and all!).  (Side note: I did wash the peach first.)
63.  I'm a total geek at heart. <3
64.  I enjoy playing European table top games ("Euro Games").  My favorites include Dominion, Carcassonne, and Tsuro.  I even wanted to start a weekly game night with friends!
65.  I would LOVE to adopt Asian children once I'm married.  They're ADORABLE!!

I'm going to stop it here.  If you want to get to know me better, feel free to contact me. :)

Motivional Monday

Because I am so busy this semester (and it's not always a good day), I find having motivational quotes in my daily planner has helped, especially when they are quotes by people I love or look up to.  Here is a sampling:

"There are no bad days, just good stories."  

~ Dodger Leigh {YouTuber}

"Believe in yourself... 
There will always be people who'll say... you should just forget your dreams because they're unrealistic.  But dreams are supposed to be unrealistic!  You're supposed to be able to reach for the stars.  You're supposed to be able to reach as high as you can and push yourself as far as you can go, because you never know what your limits are until you reach them." 

~ Markiplier {YouTuber}

"FIGHTING!"

~ Super Junior
[Translation: "Keep on fighting!" or "You can do it!"]

"Sometimes the bad things in life put us directly on the path to the best things we will ever experience." 

~ Unknown

Walking On the Sea of Life

The Church recently released the following Bible Video:

The story of Peter walking on the water is one that is near and dear to my heart.

Matthew 14: 22-33

22) And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 

23) And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 

24) But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 

25) And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 

26) And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 

27) But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 

28) And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 

29) And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 

30) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 

31) And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 

32) And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 

33) Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. 

So often in life we walk atop the waters of life, having faith in Christ, but when outer forces seek to bring us down, our faith waivers and we begin to sink.

"O thou of little faith..."

But if we cry out, Christ will immediately stretch forth His hand and catch us.

If we remain focused on the Lord and not let the outer forces distract us, we will be able to walk on the sea of Life and reach our destination.

Walking By Faith

In order to complete my Bachelor's degree, they require a practicum (or "internship").  I am required to gain 300 hours of hands-on experience in my field of study. I was going to do it over the summer, but I felt so confused and lost.  I was literally wandering around in the dark waiting for the Lord to answer my prayers.  Funny thing is, when I finally made a decision (as opposed to waiting) I felt a strong confirmation that I was where I was supposed to be.

As a result, in September I started volunteering at a local domestic violence shelter (as my emphasis is helping families in the community).  What we do is help individuals who have suffered from abuse, by providing a safe place for them to come if they are seeking shelter and counseling onsite that help the client get back on their feet.  I'm amazed at what a great resource this is for my community and I'm proud to be a part of it!  The individuals (staff) who work there are phenomenal!  At first I was terrified at the prospect of being one on one with a client as I asked about their experience.  But the other night (my second check-in shadowing) I had a neat experience:

The client is not native to America, so her English is a bit rough, but clear enough to understand.  The advocate I was shadowing had a hard time hearing her because the client spoke softly, so I was able to help the advocate understand what the client was saying.  Then, once the check-in process was complete, I had the awesome opportunity of showing the client around the shelter.  Her eyes just lit up.  No longer afraid, peace filled her eyes for the first time that night.  She was going to be alright.  And as I took her up to the room she'd be staying in, my heart was so filled with joy at being able to help this individual, it could have burst.  I know that was the Spirit of the Lord.

"I Walk By Faith" by Judy Cooley

You see, for a long while now (since Spring) I have felt completely lost when it came to my future.  I didn't know what I was going to do, where my life was headed, etc.  As you know if you've followed my blog for a while, I had expected to be married, hopefully staying at home with the kids, etc.  My life was not turning out the way I had hoped and it left me feeling like I was walking blind.  The Lord obviously had different plans for my life, but I would have liked to know them!  Then I had a glimmer of revelation when I thought of going to South Korea to teach English.  It gave me hope and excitement.  I knew that would be at least a year away, so what was I going to do for my practicum?  My immediate future?

The feeling I experienced the other night at my Practicum was like a light shining on my dark path.  I came home feeling energized and excited.  It was as if the Lord was telling me, "This is where you are supposed to be right now, Melissa."  I have not given up hope for gong to Korea.  But after the other night, I feel more peace at where I'm currently at in life.  And that feeling is incredible.

And last night I came across the following scripture that really captured my feelings:

"There are many mysteries which are kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself. But I show unto you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I might know... [But] it mattereth not; for God knoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to know that this is the case..."  ~ Alma 40: 3, 5

So even though I still am unsure about my immediate future, knowing that the Lord has a plan for my life brings me peace and hope to carry on walking my current path.

Prayers & Praying

They say to talk to Him as though He's sitting beside you. Tell Him your stories, fears, gratitude...

However, there are times in life when things seem to coast along, and we may become lax in our relationship with God. As a result, when the time comes we really need His help, we won't be close enough to hear His answer. This is not a result of Him pulling away, but rather us pulling away from Him through small, everyday decisions. If this pattern of relationship continues, it's no wonder we may feel like our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling.

Where is the heartfelt tale of the day?

What's the pun of that funny joke?

What do you need help with?

All of the above questions I can imagine The Lord asks every time we create distance within that sacred relationship.

So how do you go back to giving your whole heart over to The Lord in prayer? How do you remove the pavilion and look at the heavens more clearly?