My sweet 19th!

He was the first one in our time zone to say happy bday to me!! <3
;well he said it about twenty minutes early! hahaha cant wait for dinner!!

(: with my girls&IVheads&whybs.

How I Discovered I Was Color Blind

            It was day three of me being on the deserted island that I personally named, “Kalourbline.” As I sat watching the sunset, my mind vividly remembered the horrifying evening that literally washed me upon Kalourbline’s shore. I remembered the helicopter ride across the beautiful sea. I remembered I was sitting alongside the pilot in a serene state and then suddenly the color drained from his face and he quickly began pressing buttons, shifting gears, and then he reached for something that resembled a walkie-talkie. Horror struck me as he screamed, “MAYDAY, MAYDAY!” He fiddled with more buttons and frantically screamed to me, “Ashley, hit that red button!” The last thing I remember was hitting the button I saw him point at, the helicopter spun out of control.

            Kalourbline seemed perfect, aside from the fact that I was the only human there, the island resemble an ideal getaway. There were plenty of exotic trees that I had never seen in my life, they bared fruits that were tasty and filling. The weather was nice and warm during the day and for the cooler nights there were a number of caves to provide shelter.

            There was only one glitch, the magical water spring. On my first evening on Kalourbline, by a twist of fate, I found a tree which bared a tiny spring of drinking water at the bottom of its trunk. The water in the spring was the only pure drinking water in sight and there was plenty enough for me to survive for as long as I needed to. The spring seemed so fortunately convenient for me, only on the second morning I witnessed, what I thought to be, the spring’s “magical power.” That morning I saw a little animal running away from the spring and when I looked down I saw the spring had turned red. I jumped to the conclusion that the island was hexed and had powers to change whatever it wanted whenever it felt like it. I dropped to my knees out of fear and my first instinct was to smell the water. It smelled the same but I’m sure with such a blood red color it wouldn’t be smart to drink it.

            So there I was on Kalourbline, watching the sunset on my third day, parched. I could feel my body getting weak and knew in my heart it was time to sip the water that, aside from being blood red, seemed to be perfectly fine. To my surprise, the water was perfectly normal. Amazed I reached to the bottom of the spring and pulled out a red leaf. Suddenly, the water was back to its clear blue color. I placed the leaf in it again and the water turned red once again. I took a red berry and placed it on a green leaf and all I saw was red.

            My dad was color blind and I knew immediately that the faintest mix of colors would cause color blinded people to see colors differently. I sat there amazed and I looked up to the sky and wondered, “Did I hit the red button?” 

This past weekend I went to an asian pacific american conference in san francisco. I went into it not really having expectations, a brother at the conference worded it perfectly, “I really didn’t have a reason not to go so that was my reason for going.” So it just really blew me away & like i said above, i didn’t really have any expectations, but i’m sure if i did the conference would’ve reached high and above them. But anyway, it just really helped me see the perspective that my culture, my ethnicity, is specifically and uniquely chosen by God and i should embrace it. I spent all of my high school years sort of out of touch, turning away, and it a lot of ways i denied my true ethnicity. But now I know that I can be strong among the majority & spread the word to my fellow asian americans. <3

So now I want to write about my experience of Saturday night. There was a really intense prayer session and I was just lost in deep thought and reflection & something just dawned over me and I sarted bawling. I didn’t know why, there truly wasn’t a certain situation that was bugging me, yet for some reason there I was weeping. & so we had prayer ministry & I was sitting by Bethany, my site leader & i whispered, “whats going to like, happen if i go back there?” & we basically came to the conclusion that I had to pray with Bethany cause I was more comfortable with her.

& so we prayed & bethany asked jesus if he had anything to tell me. & I concentrate and imagine just me and Jesus & he smiled at me. I told Bethany about my vision but I still had like doubts of whether it was really Jesus showing me a sign or if I was thinking too hard, you know? But then Bethany told me she had a vision & asked if I liked flowers? I didn’t remember my favorite flower name so I said tulips and daisies. & she told me she saw a daisy blooming. & yes my favorite flowers are daisies. Which was totally like the weirdest thing ever cause not only are daisy’s are my fave & when u think of flowers blooming like you don’t think ‘daisies’ you think roses. so that was really weird. Then later she asked jesus if he had anything to tell me, to tell me & I had a vision of this prayer card in my wallet that says ‘don’t worrry about tomorrow, God is already there.” Which was weird cause Bethany read me, the final prayer, Mark 10 (i believe) & it was don’t worry about tomorrw for today has enough problems of its own. & in the passage it also talks about flowers, etc. So it was just amazing to be in the presence of God and be reminded that he loves me and he is there even when I may have my doubts. <3

My goal for next semester is to grab the bull by the horns & walk straight up to atleast one Tom Cherry & introduce myself & chat it up. Now, what or who is Tom Cherry you ask? Tom Cherry is any and all of the mysterious people around us, the one that everyone wants to get to know but it’s just sort of against the rules to talk to them because then they wouldn’t be Tom Cherry’s anymore. TC examples?

I’ll call this one thee Tom Cherry- because after all, he is TC. For starters, his name is literally Tom Cherry. Secondly, he would come to class late every single day. Thirdly he would never ever talk to anyone. Lastly, the only time anyone ever heard him speak was when the chem teacher asked for his opinion & he answered “i don’t know, i don’t like science.”

Theater TC- This guy was probably 5’0. He was really fashionable & he too sat all the way in the back of a 200 count class. Not only did no one know him, but it seemed like everyone (including myself) forgot that he was even in the class—until he’d always chip in like thee most WISEST words in the world to end every single discussion. It was so weird cause we’d all turn to see this fashionable guy preaching these wise words all alone in a row of seats.

<3 In search of a great TOMCHERRY.