NeedlethoughtsinmyHaystackWorld.

Life has been exciting and full of goodness here in my little world. The world may not be perfect but I see many glimpses of joy that let me know God wants us to experience life as it should be.  And by seeing these glimpses through a world full of pain and worry, we may be drawn in to a world filled with strength and light.  And in a certain matter of Truth, we can have life as should be in Jesus.  

I had the greatest of Thanksgivings.  Mon and I had a full week off from work.  We made a list of things we wanted to do and a little schedule for a week full of goodness, including: festive prepping, alot of biking, climbing, longboarding parking garages,  beach fires, roller coasters, IMAX,  family, and of course FOOD! Man I couldn't have been more blessed! Thanksgiving day was spectacular.  Father-in-Law Bob, Sister-in-law Jessica, Husband of Sister-in-law Austin, and I went biking in the morning to work up the appetite.  We had some epic wrecks,  from me flying over the handle bars several times, Austin falling down small cliffs, to Bob taking a corner too fast and flying off the side of a short wooden bridge into the creek below, completely emerging himself in the murky water.  Epic times!  We laughed, we bled, we sweated, and later, we ate food till i could've cried from discomfort if I tried.

Work is teaching me critical thinking, prioritizing, organization, communication, compassion, and a whole lot about the body's complexities in design actually (which i learned in school at many points, but really working with it gets me excited to learn about it in full).  All very important things in life.  Though work can be stressful, I'm finding myself content and fulfilled at the end of the day.  Attitude can really drive the day good or bad.

AND.  Friends and Family.  All of you know me, so therefore know I've never done any street drugs or been a drinker or smoker.  In my philosophy of life that I've developed over the years and am still developing, I wouldn't necessarily say that these things specifically are strictly not permissible or say they are always permissible either.  But in my experience growing up, and from what I feel the SDA church's standpoint is, I've understood that people who choose to do these things are putting barriers between themselves and essentially God, and simply are living lifestyles that are different from my own and out of my comfort zone.  And biblically, I do believe it says in a few ways that drunkenness leads to foolishness.  But nonetheless, I have good friends that do these things that I love and don't feel the need to preach any sort of message for them to quit at this instant, and want to understand why they feel the need for it. But I am figuring out that for many reasons, I would choose to be alcohol, smoking, and drug habit free.  Lifestyle choice, Health Choice, Spiritual Focus choice I guess you could say, I'm still pinning it down.

All this being said,  the other week I drank alcohol. I didn't get drunk.  I drank a couple glasses of Sangria, which has some wine, some soda, some juice, and a couple douses of other alcohols, at a Spanish restaurant with some friends.  I was so very curious, and truthfully it was too easy of an environment to have it ordered and for me to indulge.  Anyways, I drank a little it didn't taste real good or real bad for that matter.  But I wanted to drink it and see if how I felt would change some... I was awful curious, (I know it's different, but I've always liked the feeling from laughing gas at the dentist).   Turns out my face got really warm and red and felt swollen,  my Asian eyes felt smaller, people said my eyes were a little bloodshot.  Anyways, I didn't get to feel that funny, I stopped drinking after I felt alittle woozy.  I do remember everything.  But I let the disappointed Monica drive me home though.  My stomach felt alittle wierd.  I just wanted to go to sleep when I got home.  Monica made me brush my teeth (because according to her I was "really stinky") though I could've just went straight to bed, I felt nice and sleepy.  Upon brushing my teeth, I felt it.  The nausea kickin in, Toothbrush in hand, I projectile vomited in the toilet, makin a real mess.  Rookie, yep.  I couldn't handle it... Also, would you call that a Christian Rookie mistake too? hehe... talk to me.    I don't know why I was curious about alcohol, I'm not bored, depressed, I can party and socialize without it,  I love life without it.  I've also been intrigued about smoking cigars, seems artistic or something, I've smoked one, oh I'll tell ya.  But I do know those are terrible for your health, I know not to make that habitual.  hehe.

Anyways... share with me your thoughts.  As I'm growing and developing my philosophy, I want insights from those I love and respect, and value their wisdom.

I love you friends.