other things I've wanted to blog about

some more random stuff and links in no real order:

• My tribute to Michael Jackson: a clip from a made-for-internet movie that we watched in my Chinese media class: "007 vs. the Man in Black"
  

• World Vision's report on human trafficking
  

• "Pastor Dad" - an e-booklet by Mark Driscoll
  

• A quote from AC's If: "If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love.  For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even a drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted."
  

• I went skydiving with my dad!  You can tell from the pictures that I had fun!
  

Thoughts on the pictures (expressing my vanity): I look really good in these pictures, in my opinion.  Which is weird because I haven't showered, my hair is a mess, I'm sweaty, and obviously windblown after I land, still they're great pictures of me.  I had wondered if it was just the photographer...that's a sad way to look at things though.  I think, part of me needs to admit that when I am as happy and confident as I was in these pictures, I'm...beautiful.

The reason for my happiness/confidence: I had seen my dad skydive throughout my childhood.  Of course there was some fear and adrenaline, but if I'd just stop and remember that I've seen skydiving be successful many times before, and put trust in my tandem jumper, I'd be just fine.  So I just had to sit back and enjoy!

-->hear the spiritual implications?

Skydiving is not nearly as scary as moving to a foreign country.  But I'm doing that too, and hope that by remembering what my Father has done for me already and how He protects and shields me and "surrounds me with shouts of deliverance" I'll be okay.  So I hope I look just as good in all my pictures from Turkey :P

• My roommate Erin is getting married soon!  Woohoo!  Congrats Erin!
  

• Facebook again is crazy.  Appropriate behavior is difficult for me.  The balance between misuse and avoiding community is hard for me to find.  But my accountability partner Christina has internet access again, and she has been really good helping me.  And I really appreciate the support I've gotten from CESL friends (especially all you gila Indonesians!) and the encouragement from Villagers ^_^.  And even better~ Romans 6:1-2 "What shall I say then?  Shall I go on misusing time via Facebook so that grace may abound?  By no means!  I died to misusing time via Facebook; how can I live misusing time via Facebook any longer?"
  

• I had a great time in Irvine last month with my friends and I'm really looking forward to Seattle next week with Natsuko!
  

• I will leave for Turkey on August 20th and will arrive on August 21st.  The 21st is the night the month of Ramadan starts.  I'm excited to get to experience Ramadan in an Islamic country, especially Eid! (the celebration at the end of the fast)
  

• So this is somewhat old news but it made me happy.  The kid actors of Slumdog Millionaire Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Rubina Ali who have still been living in slums are being taken care of.
  

they're adorable!

some articles:

'Slumdog Millionaire' child star moves from slum shanty into new apartment

Slumdog Millionaire's Rubina Ali to release autobiography

Azhar has a new home and Rubina will have one soon, after both of their places had been demolished earlier this year.  Pray for the millions of kids in India and around the world who live in poverty and didn't get picked for a movie to get all this stuff.

• Satan hates me.  But he's defeated.  Thank You, Jesus.
  

• 2 things I'm really not good at: saying goodbye, and knowing what to do/say when my friends' relationships break up. :(  I've tried to blog about goodbyes many many times and still can't express everything.  I hate it.
  

• The Book of Acts is fascinating.
  

that's about it for now.