on random acts of kindness.

Isn't it amazing how sometimes seemingly inconsequential, random acts of kindness can leave everlasting impressions to the people who receive them? (Of course, just as disturbing, are the anti-thesis of these kindnesses that can scar people for life - some of which we are oblivious till the end.) Admittedly, it does no good to dwell on the shortcomings of others, intentional or not, and it is a far better thing to acknowledge the kindnesses that are done on your behalf.

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Last Saturday, I was TIRED. Not just tired, mind you, but WEARY. I was stressed to the core for all of last week - my calendar looked more like a checkerboard than a schedule. Meeting after meeting, drive after drive. Take Wednesday, for example. Oh-so-proud of arriving early for a meeting with our new ad agency, my joy was yanked from beneath with the revelation that the meeting was indeed set for THE NEXT DAY. Forget the embarrassment of trudging back to the office and admitting your temporary loss of sanity. It seemed as if I were a zombie moving about unfamiliar territory, plowing through everything that came my way.

Of course, my busy schedule was not just about work. I had committed to a lot of things, all of them VERY WILLINGLY. It was just that all these commitments had collided into one another, leaving me with little room to breathe. The consolation is that God does not test your endurance without equipping you for it, whether it means bringing people into your life unexpectedly to provide you company or offering words encouragement from those you least expect it.

That being said, I would like to share my utmost appreciation of the following people who have touched my heart through their random acts of kindness:

The AC Chorale (past and present)
- For teaching me the very meaning of The Human Heart.

"The ones who came before you,
  The others yet to come,
  And those who you will teach it to,
  And those you learn them from.."

 
- It is wonderful to see the fruit of Tina's passion and dedication to Chorale. That's 19 years going on 20, mind you. Seated in my former high school, staring at one another through rows of desks, it really doesn't matter how long you've been gone or how long you've stayed. The point is that we all still "blend together" quite well.

Marj
- Marj is slowly turning into my Saturday afternoon buddy! Two weeks in a row we've been bonding at ENLI. We're now even in the same Kids Church team. She is an unexpected blessing, a friend who can empathize on the complexity of "crushes," and a refreshing companion during a rainy afternoon.

Team 3
- Special mention goes to Kathy, Richard, Vivian and Alfred. It's always a blessing to be around "big kids" who love "little kids." Plus, they also showed me that dancing can be far more effective than caffeine. ;)

Jose
- My favorite worship leader. :) I felt a little guilty about being so.. "zombie-like" during practice and was kind of hoping he wouldn't be so disappointed. Instead, he was super nice to me, even asked if I was okay, and gave words of encouragement that stayed with me throughout the day. I desperately needed to be reminded "That's what God's grace is for. You'll be okay." He probably didn't think much of it, but I will be forever grateful for that. It was like an adrenaline shot to the heart.

Binky and Nica
- When you and your girlfriends have been through thick and thin, and life makes being with them a little inaccessible, it's easy to forget the comfort of being in their presence. Sure, we're all quite different - Binky being in med school, Nica pursuing theater full-time and me the corporate-slave - but those things don't really matter because at the end of the day you will always find solace in each other.

So you see it didn't really matter that I slept at 1:30am, woke up at 2:30, tossed and turned inexplicably until 4:30, woke up again at 6:15, went to work at 7am, practice at 10am, meeting at 4pm, 5pm orientation and dinner at 7pm. Because you know what? Those encounters made everything worth it. Sometimes, it's really not about the things you do. It's the people you are with that make everything worthwhile.

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Adding to the list of people I am thankful for..

Is my Reg. :)

Reg helped answer a question I’ve been asking for nearly a week now. The question was, of course, “God, how do I know I’m beautiful.. I know You think I’m beautiful but how do I know I’m beautiful?”

Sometimes, even when we’re so secure that God thinks the world of us, the superficiality of our nature gets the best of us. The past week I’ve been feeling awkward, like I wasn’t pretty enough, not worthy of being admired, not beautiful.. But in retrospect, God’s been speaking out to me through other people. Four of them, to be exact.

from someone I used to have a tiny crush on:

"You are inspiring. I am so happy and proud of you. And if you need a goatee, you know who to call. Hehehe. Goodnight."

from someone who I've been running into a lot it's quite strange:

"Sexy!" (which of course I find slightly offensive, but hey it’s a compliment too!)

from someone I truly admire:

(after hearing me say "But I feel ugly!") No. You’re not.

And my favorite..

from Reg: YOU ARE ONE BEAUTIFUL PERSON and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I'm so blessed to be part of your life. You are one friend who has shown me what love and forgiveness means and because of that, I am a better person.

Question answered. I can stop now.