2008 - Year of the Onion

I wish I can say 2008 was awesome for me...well, in a way it was. It's good to look back and see what I've gone through and what prayers been answered. Looking back, I've seen received blessings, missed opportunities, painful lessons (too many of those), and finally doing what the Lord has been telling me to do: resting. It's been the Year of the Onion. I'm the onion, and God has been peeling my layers back. It doesn't tickle. No wonder when you cut through an onion tears are bound that follow. It not only stinks, it also hurts.

2008 has been my transitional year. After traveling for a year and a half, going from to city every 3 months, and then to stop in one place "permanently" has not been an easy task. In November, last year, I took a permanent staff position in Austin, but my mind wanted to gear up for the next city, and had a problem listening to God speaking to my heart to stay in Austin, and it's been a tug-of-war between mind and heart to stay in one place for the Lord. With that, I lost sight of why I was to stop. It wasn't to serve, but to rest. He whispered it to me to rest since I returned to Austin last August ('07), but I didn't really listen very well until in May when I went to my church's Women's Retreat, He made it very clear to me to rest, and how to do that. Since then, I've stepped down from ministries I've been involved with, but still available to volunteer for little things around the church office, when asked. Since then, the Lord has been peeling away LAYERS of barriers, obstacles, and other issues of my life that I've apparently been hiding behind for years, to reveal the real Leona that He sees (work still in progress).

It goes to shows that no matter how "strong" you think you are in Christ, you're not. I'm not perfect. 2008 has been refreshing and revealing that I wouldn't change my experiences if I had a choice to go back. Maybe start resting earlier in the year....like August '07. Can't wait to see what's in stored for in 2009.

The best blessings I received in 2008 are my amazing Austin friends that started popping up in my life since May. Laughter is the best medicine, and they've kept me laughing since I met them. Thank you, ladies (and gentlemen). You know who you are, and I praise God for you in my life.

"I have refined you,
though not as silver;
I have tested you in the
furnace of affliction."
Isaiah 48:10

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while
you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that your faith
-- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire --
may be proved genuine and may result
in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
1 Peter 1:6-7

All-American Holiday Feasts.

This holiday season has been interesting and revealing for me. Where do I start? I'm a Filipino-American born in the US. I have eaten plenty of American food, and my mom has done a pretty good job learning to cook my dad's favorite American dishes when she married my dad and came to the US. However, after 38 years of my life, this is the first holiday I had a COMPLETE American Holiday spread of food. That's right. FIRST!

Every holiday with my family we would have a turkey, ham, and even hamhocks and beans. Maybe occasional american fixin's like canned cranberry sauce and stuffing. But, the rest of the food on the table was Filipino food. No complaints here. My mom is an excellent cook. Filipinos are biased to their own mom's cooking, but even my friends would say that my mom cooks better their moms (maybe a little pride there ;))

This year is my 3rd year away from that family tradition, but my first year to enjoy a sit down home cook American dinner/lunch for the holidays. My friends Dan and Jess invited me to their place for Thanksgiving, and made a full Thanksgiving spread for 4 people. A lot of food, and awesome to feast on. First time I had REAL cranberry chutney and candied yams (my mom's was canned.) It was amazing altogether.

On Christmas, my friend Kari invited me to celebrate Christmas with her family. They had the usual Ham, but they also had Green Bean Casserole and a Broccoli/Rice Casserole. That's when it dawned on me that I really haven't had an all-american holiday meal until this year. Restaurants don't count. I never had a Green Bean casserole or Broccoli and Rice Casserole until that day at Kari's uncle's house. It was good, and I went back for seconds. There was also a salad with yogurt (?), walnuts, fruit, and mini marshmellows. I don't know what it's called, but that was GOOOD too.

You'd never know what you've been missing unless you go outside your secure little box. This has been an interesting year....more to come on that later.

Wow, 2 years....

It's been 2 years since I first came to Austin, TX (well, 2 years in Jan 5), and so much has happened since then. I came to Austin just for a 3 month travel assignment, and then leave and not return. The Lord's plan is so much more than my own. I thought that after St Louis, I would move on to the new england coast, make my way south to Savannah, GA, then back to St Louis for Summer '08 to watch my niece's graduation, and then make my way back to San Diego. No where in my plan did I consider going back to Austin, TX. That was MY plan.

God's plan: Return to Austin after St Louis, and stay...why? I still don't know, and it's been over a year since I've returned. I've heard Him say "rest" and "learn," but learn what? It only took me 10 months to learn how to rest, and then to actually do it.

I still get antsy staying in one place still, but it hasn't been as bad as last year in Nov. If I continued on as a Travel nurse, I would have left in Nov '07. But, since the Lord wants me to stay in Austin, He didn't give me another city to request for.

A Texas Christmas Carol.

That's right..I went to a play called, "A Texas Christmas Carol." I heard this play being called, "ridiculously hilarious," "awesome,", "priceless," and even "cracked up Christmas Carol." However, this play is not a comical play. One of my friends here in Austin works as a Theater Coordinator for a museum here. (can't give TOO much info..don't want to get her into trouble) The museum was going to produce "The Christmas Carol" story, but in a black version. A lot of things occurred in the background almost the entire cast quitting to unable to find nun costumes. Yes, nun costumes. And some costumes made last minute.