Grace

Wow. It's been awhile since I've written in this blog. This update might be long and heavy...you ready? Here goes:

1. Caleb will be done with AIOC next week. He'll be visiting me in San Diego on the 19th for 2 whole weeks! I'll be taking a couple days off work here and there while he's here so we can enjoy the time we have together before he moves to his duty station in North Carolina. I'm SO excited.
1a. Update on the relationship: It's been HARD. I can't lie and say long distance is easy, but it's worth it. He has long days...sometimes 14-15 hour days, and I can't talk to him because no cell phones are allowed in the building. Since I'm busy after work, we can only talk for 20-30 minutes on most nights. We see some issues differently, and have talked a lot of them out. Long distance has really forced us to communicate and be honest with each other. It's grown us and stretched us. Something that I need to work on is to stop being so negative. He's always trying to find the silver lining in every situation, and I always, for some reason, have to bring up the negative. So, I need to stop being "negative Nancy," which he calls me so often, and start being a positive Patty.
1b. Our engagement part is coming up! It's on May 1st and we still have SO much planning to do. I already bought the main things for the party favors, which I need to start ASAP. I can't wait for him to come here so he can help me with everything! Ready to help babe?! =) My cousins from San Francisco might be coming and some of my cousins from Irvine will come as well! His sister and her fam will be coming down from Fullerton too. It's going to be one big party and I can't wait! I'm just waiting for people's RSVP...and THAT i think, is the most stressful part! We still have to wait on the headcount so we know just how much food to order, drinks to buy, etc...

2. God has shown me once again, that He is awesome. I'm just so undeserving of His grace and forgiveness, yet it's always there. No matter how many times I fail, He's there for me. Romans 6. Everybody needs to read Romans 6. I need to always read Romans 6. Even though there's grace, that doesn't mean that I should abuse it. It doesn't matter if I'm tempted or tested, I need to always do the right thing. I used to think, "How do I know if this is a temptation from the devil, or a test from God?" It honestly doesn't matter anymore. There's spiritual warfare all around, and I need to fight it and I need to stand strong with God's word. That is why it is so important to read the Word...it IS the sword that will fight off the evil one, and it IS the sword that I need to protect me. I need to memorize His word, and carry around my heart. God always provides a way out of temptation, and He will always help me get through the tests and tribulations in life. I can choose to live a victorious life...I can choose to sin or not to sin, it's the freedom He has given us, and I'm choosing Him.

"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be!...Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts...for sin shall not be master over you...but thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans 6.

3. My 25th birthday just passed! I'm a quarter of a century old. HMPH. I told Caleb I feel a lot older than him now. I celebrated with the worship team and my Melodies Ladies + my sister and brandon. We went downtown to a restaurant called Tabule, and then went to extraordinary desserts afterward! Fun times!!! i loved seeing everybody so pretty and dolled up! My actual birthday was on Easter! Family party after church, interrupted by an earthquake! my oh my. God? are you coming soon?!! There was another one in Indonesia yesterday, and another one today in Baja, CA....5.5 mag! Oh boy. Am I ready to see Jesus?! YES! I want to see Him and be with him!!! (it's so funny, when I think about that, I always ask God...God, I want to be with you, but can I get married first?! hehehe)....Are YOU ready to see Jesus?!

Well, this update is not that long actually, but I need to go and take care of a few things here at work. Just when I thought I'm done, there's another project to do! If I could ask for prayer, it would be for the following things:

1. to look at things from a positive point of view, instead of a negative point of view all the time
2. to always be open and honest with Caleb about my feelings
3. to read the Word more and to reconnect with the Lord
4. to turn to Him for all my needs
5. to be a better friend, a better daughter, a better sister, and a better fiance from this moment
6. to agape everybody!

Okay. that's all for now.

Adios!
tfm.