Anni Adventures

Sometimes, it doesn't take much to find inspiration. This just has to be shared. Whether you're religious or not, please understand this is just something that is part of my life. I'm not going to lie when I say I haven't been to church in a while. Although for the past little bit, I have been busy with my weekend job, it really wasn't justifiable to miss as much as I had. I am glad to that this past weekend, even with my take down the previous night, Drew knew to see if I was still at home just before he left the house. It was my fastest waking in the morning. From rising to out the door was probably less than 3 minutes! No Joke! 

For some reason, this Sunday service felt different for me. It was my re-connection with God and I really wanted to show my sincerity. Who cared who else was there or what was going on with others. It was my time with God who has given me so many opportunities and LOVE along the way. It was the first time I really sat through the sermon and listened intently without falling asleep, or getting sidetracked or not taking it to heart. And it really spoke to me! I felt like it was meant for me and me alone!

The sermon focused on James 1:19 - 26 which focuses on Listening and Doing. The main points were to Listen to God's Words, then Practice God's Words followed by Living God's Words. These words were especially meaningful to me because it was the exact opposite of what I've been doing for the past while. While the pastor tells us to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger, I have been doing the perfect opposite. I have been jumping to conclusions and getting angry at the smallest and meaningless things without really listening to others. I couldn't believe how much I really needed to hear that from someone else. It made me truly think about what I am doing with my life. 

At the end of service when we were given our moment of prayer. I really stopped and prayed. I told God of my insignificance to his greater plan and that everything I've been blessed with to date was his to take and give. I praised Him for all he gave me and the days we're given. It was truly a moment with God. It's also amazing to see how quickly he answers prayers. After service, I ran into an auntie who was looking for me and told me about a job opportunity at, none other than, Nordstrom. While I still don't know whether I'm fully getting this job until I actually start working, which would be December, after my trip, but I know that if God wants me here, no one will be able to take it away. 

I just want to share this passage before I end off. 

James 1:19-27

The other day I watched Life of Pi. It was an interesting movie that had a lot of funny moments and cute moments, but it touched home on a lot of points too.

But first, a shout out because the movie was filmed offshore of Taiwan, where I was born.

Warning. If you have not watched and would not like the movie spoiled please stop here.

The movie is revolved around Pi Patel, he is visited by a writer that is in search of the perfect story to write. Pi shares with him a story that he claimed would make him believe in God. Young Pi was happy with his life in India. He didn't believe in one God but in multiple Gods. Vishnu, Christ, and Allah. He felt each religion had truth to them. One day, his father decided that business was not great and wanted to move to Canada and sell their zoo animals abroad. His father took reference of Columbus on his journey to Canada, but Pi remarked that Columbia's original intent was to find India. On the freight ship, that was taking the family to Canada, one night, a storm hit that sank the ship. Pi was the sole human survivor along with a orangutan, a hyena, an injured zebra and a tiger. The hyena first kills the zebra and the orangutans out of hunger before being killed itself by the tiger. Together with the tiger, Pi remains shipwrecked on the pacific. They slowly learn to co-exist, helping each other survive.


They eventually come ashore on the coast of Mexico. However, as the tiger enters the jungle, it chose not to look back, as if the time spent together meant nothing to him. When asked by investigators what had happened. The story he told was unbelievable. At this point he offered them another story of four people surviving the shipwreck. The greedy cook, the injured sailor, the mother and himself. He told of how the cook killed the sailor and then the mother before he had to kill the cook because the cook had gone too far. Back to present where he asked the writer which story he believed, the writer chose to believe the first story claiming it was far more interesting.

As he finished off his story he left the writer, and myself in all honesty, an important lesson, which was that it is important to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never said and your heart is heavy with remorse. This applies to so many things in my life. I keep wanting to hang on, which gets me emotional entangled. Even now, I can think of several instances where this is the case. Now there's nothing but to deal with the regrets and the what ifs.

What I liked the most and will keep in mind is when they were talking about religion. This hits home quite more than I think.

Pi Patel: religion is a house with many rooms.
Writer: but with no room for doubt?
Pi: Oh yes, a room on every floor.

It reminds me of the life I've had and how much I've believed but doubted too. It's natural for humans to doubt because we have sinned. That is why Adam and Eve sinned in the first place. Anyways, I felt the movie was a really touching movie to watch. Richard Parker was an adorable tiger and the graphics in the film was amazing. They made the ocean a very beautiful place. It's definitely a movie worth watching.

That's it for now. Until next time.

PS. Pictures in this post is not my own.