Quote from D.A. Carson

"People do not drift toward Holiness.
Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord.
We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated."

All the more reason to fight vigorously, through the help of the Spirit, against our sins.

Quote from Saint Francis

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Memoir of 2014

January
-started my new position at WFA on the 1^st week of the new year.
-flew up to the Bay Area w/best friend to celebrate my 25^th. Thankful for a time of bonding with old friends, checking out Napa + wine tasting for the 1^st time, and exploring one of my fave cities to visit, SF
-had a family outing at Disneyland. Daddy hasn’t been in ~15 years and ended up loving his experience so much, he bought a pass

February
-attended LBCLA’s inaugural service; it was such a blessing to witness the love & support from people & the faithfulness of God towards the church
-made a last trip to Disneyland before my pass expired; rode on Mark Twain’s riverboat for the 1^st time
-brother visited SD for a business trip and treated me out to SD’s only decent sushi place

March
-couldn’t celebrate my daddy’s birthday, but had the sweetest text exchange with him.
-got to hold my newest nephew, Oliver, for the 1^st time. Wouldn’t let go of and ended up holding him for hours =)

April
-went on a family trip to Maui.  A short, but sweet and memorable trip. Because of this trip, I can never eat ahi poke again…

May
-played basketball and completely ruined my left pinky. Swelling has definitely gone away, but to this day, the pinky is damaged. For some reason though, my interest in basketball has grown from this day and have been playing here and there since then
-celebrated 15 years of God's faithfulness in the life of LBCSD!
-visited the Bay Area with one of my dear friends. Had some good memories playing college games, running + being forced to do burpees, & watching the Bay Bridge Lights for the 1^st time
-had our annual flag football tournament. We didn’t do as well as the previous year, but I was thankful for no injuries & for my little sister + coworker who came to watch me play

June
-after a long hiatus (4 months), went back to Disneyland with a few friends + got another annual pass, thanks to gracious people!
-started learning about true beauty, the way that God sees it…a start to a painful but sanctifying journey
-had a farewell party for a girlfriend. Our relationship developed into a sweet, growing friendship in 2014, so it was a sad parting. But we enjoyed our girls-only, KBBQ Meat Fest. Finished off our night with a Facial Mask party
-enjoyed a wonderful dinner with one of my fave couples at Hinoki & the Bird. Learned to never be sneaky with paying for the bill again

July
-celebrated 4^th of July in Thousand Oaks with friends + sister. Had fun watching 4^th of July fireworks (1^st time in a while)
-went to Las Vegas with a group of church friends. It was nice spending time with people, but was right about my instincts of not really enjoying that city.
-had our last Single’s small group gathering for the school year at D Bar. Miss those girls & the times we had together as a small group
-moved out of apartment of 3 years and moved into a new condo in Del Mar. 1^st time having my own bedroom in a long time!

August
-went to the Del Mar Racetracks for the 1^st time
-got a stress fracture on my left foot. Wasn’t able to be put pressure on that foot, so was inactive for a while

September
-did a Painting & Vino class with some married ladies
-had a traditional Noobcakes reunion with brunch + shopping at Madewell
-watched Goonies for the 1^st time at one of Eat.See.Hear’s venue in Pasadena. Love outdoor theaters + being able to picnic

October
-had a freshmen year roommate reunion. Thankful that we still have a sweet friendship
-explored Portland with a few girlfriends. Food was excellent, but the best thing there was hiking at Multnomah Falls. Incredible views at every angle
-celebrated baby sis’ birthday at Disneyland, and got to try Carthay Circle for the 1^st time. Finished off with excellent viewing of World of Color

November
-one of my fave couples got engaged. Was so privileged to celebrate with them + decorate their engagement party
-discovered one of the best places to take walks + see the sunset… Dog’s Beach in Del Mar. Trying to make it a routine thing, but have only gone 3 times
-started a fitness challenge with my brother + best friend. First week was absolute torture (in terms of the change of eating) but now appreciate and am used to a more Paleo-type lifestyle.
-1^st time in 3 years being able to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family. It was the most epic Thanksgiving we’ve had with non-traditional Thanksgiving food, campfire with s’mores, and tasting a $2,000 wine
-had yet another traditional brunch + shopping hangout with Noobcakes
-was taken to my 1^st live football game, USC vs. Notre Dame, thanks to my dear friend. Loved the school spirit + watching USC destroy Notre Dame

December
-met up with (who is now) my special friend for the 1^st time
-had the worst food poisoning experience ever. Was yakking up for an entire day
-performed for our church’s annual Christmas concert. It was memorable because it was the 1^st time coworkers actually came out to this event. Thankful also for my family members who supported me by attending
-watched a charming play of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Still haven’t watched the movie…it’s on my to-do list for end of 2015
-celebrated Christmas with the family at my brother’s new place. Enjoyed take out from Lawry’s (prime rib….drool) and busting out in Karaoke
-had an entertaining and blessed time at the annual, Fregan Christmas party.  

From Honest Abe

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us"

Abraham Lincoln
Proclamation 97 – Appointing a Day of National Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer