Sep 3, 11:40 PM
Tonight, we went on our third weekly Night Ride. We started out late for reasonable situations, we got further delayed for unforeseen circumstances. The first thing that happened was everyone not meeting up in a timely manner, which is definitely okay.
The second thing that had happened was bike trouble, the chain on the rear gear of one of our friend’s bikes ended up on the lowest gear and got stuck. I was able to fix it for her but we didn’t feel safe riding a distance and having it happen again. So she stayed behind and hung out elsewhere.
The third thing that happened was that my derailleur, did a similar malfunction as Emily’s bike. The chain got stuck between the frame and the high gear. Les was able to pull it out, I made sure that the chain was properly placed on the right gear again. After this, we were off.
The fourth thing that happened is Byron’s left crank arm (the stick that attaches to the pedal) came off. We halted and searched for the missing bolt. Les went the distance and searched far and wide, but to no avail… the bolt was not found. We waited for a bit and decided to call it. The night was over. Eleven O’ clock in the evening, right on time.
I’ve let go and accepted again that there are just some things you can never put your hands on.
Upon all these situations happening in one night, first thing I thought to myself was, “I think we should have prayed before we left.” Not that whatever happened, would not have happened. In the grand scheme of things everything was a blessing. If Emily felt confident to ride on the bike and got to where we were, it may have not been good for her. When she wasn’t able to make it, I thought to myself “God’s will.” My chain getting stuck, Les being there, able to help… overall, it was a good night. I’ve let go and accepted again that there are just some things you can never put your hands on. I hope you had a great night. Let’s ride again!
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Sep 3, 05:57 AM
I remember last year, how I was different from who I am now. Seasons pass and change, but we’re always able to recognize their arrival. I feel that I’ve changed much within the past year, I feel that I’ve learned much from the situations that have happened in my life.
I can imagine myself last year, being so “broken hearted,” I can remember last year being one of the best experiences in my life. Times I’ve spent alone to reflect and pray, the times I’ve spent with good friends and good company, the times where it was plain fun, and the times when I’ve done something stupid. (Like drop my wheel into a ditch blocking a driveway and preventing over thirty people from getting home… it was a great night.)
Last year, around this time, I took time to pause. To see where my heart was and where it is. I’ve come to know that it’s in Jesus. This is still something I wonder about; how I could love my God and never see Him. There are so many instances when I know that my hope in Him was the only thing that kept me from falling apart. I know for sure that He’s around, I know for sure that He’s taking care of me.
I spent time in peace at parks, to hear the rustle of the leaves. I spent time at the beach to hear the crash, fizzle and roars of the waves. I felt as if I needed to know who I was and who I wanted to be. I know who I am now, and I know who I want to be. Summer rolled around, then fall came and I knew that I had changed. There were leftovers of how I used to be, and I can remember how things affected me.
This year summer’s almost passed, fall is here to come. I know my heart’s ready, I know it’s in the right place. I’m further waiting for many seasons of change.
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Aug 28, 04:14 AM
Being on a bike is one of the most exhilarating things I’ve done in my life. It may not seem like much but going fifteen to twenty miles per hour on leg power is an amazing feeling. It really isn’t about the destination, the feeling of freedom just riding on the road, wind blowing behind you, or against you, the sun, seeing places closer…
Today, I dropped by a small record store in downtown Fullerton, I was surprised I didn’t see it before. They had so many indie records and Oasis albums, it was pretty cool. Being in a car seems limiting to a leisurely ride. I can imagine riding in my car and passing by that place so many times without realizing it (which I’ve actually done).
The feeling of the road as it bumps underneath me is somewhat hypnotic. Then going downhill is most rewarding after rolling up a hill on two wheels. There’s so about biking that’s almost a metaphor for life. But it would be a cliche to say. But let me just say, if life was a bike, ride it.
In any case, if you see someone riding their bicycle on the road, please be kind. Unlike people in cars, the chances of us getting hit by an irresponsible driver is greater than yours. Also, helmets don’t prevent you from getting injured really although they somewhat help your head, it’s biking safely and responsibly.
It’s difficult to bike around here in California at times. People are impatient and usually anxious on the road. They’d really rather have their way instead of letting cyclists just drive their bikes in peace. There’s a lot of patience and persistence that get’s involved in my psyche when I’m biking. It’s always a good practice.
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Aug 17, 02:00 AM
I’ve been constantly revising the look of my text pages, namely the Projects and Article sections. I keep on changing my mind on how I should present my information. I feel that I loose so much, to compromise for a design I favor. In essence now, both pages are much more united with the front page.
It makes me wonder when I’ll ever be satisfied with my own website. This is one of the reasons why the portfolio isn’t updated. I keep on making revisions because of dissatisfaction. I know what I want my site to look like, but I feel like it’s hindering on the progress of it becoming a finished site.
Hopefully, soon enough. I’ll be praying for satisfaction and inspiration in design.
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Aug 16, 04:33 AM
What started off as a children’s and homeless ministry in early 2007, has become a consistent movement of good works, twice a week in Long Beach California to the homeless. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, a group of friends meet up, prepare food, and take over a thirty mile drive to give to the needy.
The more profound work of this group is that they don’t minister without question. They rarely talk about their faith, and rather engage in an upfront conversion routine as most evangelists do, they talk about everyday life. It’s not that they can relate to what these displaced people have to say, it’s to listen to what they have to tell us. More often, the time passed there would become a slur of conversation; latter to us, after we’ve left, personal prayers.
Personally
The longer I’ve stayed with this group, the more I understood it’s purpose. We don’t feed them spiritually, only physically. We have no control on where they place their faith and hope. We don’t mind so much as to be open platters that feed the birds of the field, at the same time, mediating to make sure that everyone has a share of the seed. We serve the broken, the prideful, the greedy, the homosexual, the drug taker, and lost. We’re impartial to the current situation they are in. We’re there because we choose to be, not to judge or tell them the right way. Instead, we’re more like light. In a sense, we’ve come to a place where it’s dimmer than the rest. Hope wanders and falters at times. The people who know of us, hope that we’ll be there at the same time, and same places we meet. 
Every time we’ve come, the few who stay, they thank us and we hesitate to say “You’re Welcome.” We share this feeling of humility because it’s never been in our hands to not come. I know that it’s somehow over us, an unfathomable force that compels us. I feel and know that it’s God’s work that’s being manifested there every week. So I thank God always for it.
It has come to mind that most of us who serve have had a sense of “brokeness.” Most of us has lost hope in one way or another. I am in wonderment to know that in our worst, most selfish moment, we’d rather choose to go than sit comfortably at home. Every week there is somewhat different. We never know what to expect. When some of our best days started out hostile, and our worst days started out hospitable… it’s just life. We work in cooperation with the Spirit for everything in this.
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