"Busy" does not mean productive.

"Busy" is distracting.

Upon reading the classic passage of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42, it hit me hard to read this:

"But Martha was distracted with much serving .." 

Serving and doing things is great but it goes to show that even when the Saviour of the world, the Prince of peace, King of kings, Counsellor, Son of God, is in your house; you can miss Him. Although Martha was serving, be aware to not mistaken it for productiveness and fruitfulness. Although Mary was not helping her, be aware to not mistaken it for laziness and selfishness. 

There is a time and place to serve Jesus  and there is a time and place to sit at His feet. 

Sometimes we miss that. In the midst of our jam packed schedule and how fast paced our world is, it doesn't matter how much we are doing, what matters is HOW we are doing what we're doing. 

We hear it a lot that it's quality over quantity, why? Think about it this way, what lasts longer, what has a lasting effect .. quality or quantity? If you're at work, does the amount of work you do last longer than the quality you do it at? If you're purchasing a kitchen appliance, does the amount of appliances you have last longer than the quality of your cooking? What matters more? 

In your own life, I encourage you to take at least a good 15 minutes to reflect on your schedule. If you have to, write it out. Ask yourself: how many hours of my day am I dedicating to myself? How many of those hours am I using to serve others? Am I sitting at the feet of Jesus more than I am serving Him? 

Philippines: Part One

If there’s one thing that could summarise my trip to the Philippines it would be: 

‘never doubt your faith.’ 

Out of all the things besides picking up a little bit of the language and dialects, noticing the change in morales by just strolling through the shops, even enduring through both the wet and dry seasons, that is the one thing that had stuck out to me the most. 

I am more than fortunate and incredibly privileged to have grown up and been raised by amazing, God-fearing individuals. These are not just my parents, but it is my grandparents as well. The most I’ve learnt have been from them. They have elevated the standard of what it means to be a follower of Christ, elevated what is looks like to replicate Jesus in their lives, through their testimonies it unveiled just how much they really mean to me and how much I love them. 

For the first two weeks of our trip, we stayed in Pangasinan. It is up north in the Luzon region of the Philippines, province. If you’ve ever visited the province you get a real taste of what the Philippines is like and the struggling lifestyle that many have to endure. It is not the cleanest of places, neither is it that safe. However in these places you find the most joyful people. The little they have does not waver them, they are grateful for simply being able to breathe. Amongst these people are my Lolo and Lola (grandpa and grandma- dad’s parents). They don’t live to the extreme level of poverty that we encountered during our stay but they are incredibly rich.

Rich in joy, love, faithfulness. Not in finances but I bet you if you looked at their bank account in the heavenlies, they have a whole lot packed away! After the several visits to their house, simply talking to them, hearing their stories, being in their presence, I felt more security in who I am and who I am becoming. I was challenged and convicted, that although they have experienced more years here on earth full of wisdom and knowledge, they have caused me push forward and not look back. They are an embodiment of lives in it for the long run with Jesus. And that is reflected through their marriage as well (Golden Anniversary!). 

Lola Carmelita has set a new standard for me personally of what it means to be a Godly woman. As I have coincidently followed in her foot steps, she is also a teacher. A master teacher in fact. Her faithfulness to her career even moved her to use her retirement money to build a school in their community, a Christian school. Through her lifetime so far, she has read through six different versions of the Bible, cover-to-cover, with markings on each verse and chapter to show her study of it. She raised up seven children, including my father, who are all in excellent fields of work and have astounding faith in God. For the new generation, myself included, she continues to meditate on the Word and to pray for us each day. She embodies what it means to really pray for your family. And boy, I can pinpoint the numerous times in my life that God has pulled through for me and see that it was covered in prayer by her. How do I know this? Check out the pages below.

 These are a few photos from her ‘Grandmother’s Bible.’ The more I flipped through, the fuller my eyes became with tears. I was astounded, blown-away, in absolute awe of the love and faithfulness my Lola has. She was and has always been thinking of us, loving us even though we are literally countries apart. She covered topics such as salvation, talents, courage, character, self-image, even future spouse! What an amazing individual of Christ. I can only hope to attain to a standard like that, even more so like Christ. Besides my mother, I now have a new found respect and love for my grandmother. 

From this experience, I have learnt to never doubt the impact of your faith in God. Never doubt and dare to think that nothing is working because God is. Who I am today, the experiences that I've learnt from, the hard times I've endured, have been covered because of not just my faith but because of my Lola's as well (and parents too, thank you!). The faith she has, has had a ripple effect in my life and I never knew that until our trip to the Philippines. I gained something eternally fulfilling, there's nothing more that I could ask for from trip like this. 

This time last year ..

.. I never thought I would've met someone like this guy. Alright, just let me have this moment to be a little cheesy but express more of my gratitude. No, we're not official- but we have jumped into an adventure together. A journey that I never thought I'd anticipate on having any time soon. 

A lot can happen within a year and yeah, this is definitely a highlight. I thank God for him being that someone I can rely on and who I look up to as well. Even more so, I'm so thankful to have the big Man in the centre of this- we probably wouldn't have even met sooner if it wasn't for Him. Just goes to show that God is at work, especially when we don't see it. Maybe, just maybe I'll update more on this journey later. For now, this is all I'll say about it. 

Welcome 2015!

It's already past half way through January and I have not posted yet. Honestly its a mix of busyness and laziness however better late than never right. Already a lot has happened and quite frankly .. I am terrified and excited to see how it'll all span out for the rest of this year. Second year of uni will be crazy(ier), actually taking a leadership role in youth, hoping to get my green Ps (and get better with parking). Seem small but it's been claimed over this year as a year of harvest. So best be getting to sowing for greater reaping!

It's not quite Christmas yet and it's not the end of the year BUT I'm already making a list of my must haves. I'm not fussed about brands, as long as whatever I get fulfils a need that I have, I'm content af (as frank). So here's my personal list of 'must haves' for 2015:

1. Neutral clothing- I'm starting to feel the basics and neutral coloured scheme for clothes. Specifically more dresses because it is so difficult to find a decent pair of shorts that don't show your butt. At least with dresses you can wear any pair of shoes with them- sandals, flats, converse shoes. Super comfy and casual, perfect for Uni!

2. Laptop stand- I never thought I'd event think about purchasing something like this but it can add to my organisation and help with my posture when I use my laptop. From Ikea, reasonable price. Might as well get it.

3. Toms- Yes. Comfy shoes. Flat. Various designs. What more do you need from shoes?

4. Satchels- I have one satchel, it would be nice to get another one but at an affordable price. Looks like I'll have to either go for a shoulder bag or hit up the op shops to find one of these babies.

5. A5 2015 journal- It's time for me to get back to actually using this diary for the WHOLE year not just for the first six months of Uni and life. Kikki K are reasonable with their price for this .. sort of. But quality, it's the quality that counts. Plus it's not that bulky/heavy. Quality I say! 

So dear friend, what are your must haves for the upcoming new year? 

Lovely one, this goes out to you. We all strive to be the best that we can be, especially when it's all for the glory of God. We all strive to become that 'Proverbs 31 woman' in life, however did you know there you are more than just Proverbs 31. Yes, you are worth #FarAboveRubies (verse 10). Hardwork  and provision is more than just for yourself (verse 13-16). And fearing the Lord is much greater than external beauty (verse 30). But you are not limited to only pursue these traits to become a woman of God. There is more!  To say that there is more is not meaning to say that you have 'more' to do to become the woman of God you are potentially to be. It's saying that as a follower of Christ, specifically a lady, you're more than that. Here are some examples:

• You are an extension of Christ, clothed by the garments of salvation (Isaiah 61:10)
  Just as you can adorn yourself with strength and honour (verse 25),  as a follower of Christ you are clothed with salvation. And with such salvation, you carry the image of Christ as Christ is living in you. Share it to the world!
  
  
• You are an athlete, running the race (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
  Proverbs 31 doesn't say much about you being athlete although it does say that the 'virtuous wife' clothes herself with strength, you are not only to be strong but you are to be perseverant. We are running without uncertainty, we are fighting with a purpose. It is not just to obtain an imperishable crown but it is to please an imperishable God.
  
  

• You are gifted for such a time as this (Esther 4:14)
  Now when it comes to scripture, do not limit yourself to sticking by Proverbs 31. There are women in the Bible who are amazing examples of what is means to be a woman of God, who are people that became all that God wanted them to be. Esther took the time to find her calling, so should you. Wherever you are you in life, you are called for such a time as this. It may be as simple as to love, to serve, to invest, to pray.
  
  

• You are a spiritual warrior (Ephesians 6:12)
  We all know it, we do not fight against flesh and blood. Do not cease to fight the good fight.
  

There are probably even more verses but hopefully you got my point. Strive to not only be a 'Proverbs 31' woman, strive to be more than that. Strive to be more Christ-like. To reassure again, in no way am I disregarding Proverbs 31. I am however reminding you, dear friend, that there is more than that because God definitely believes in you so much and I do too. I am on this journey to strive for more to give back- more for His kingdom's cause, join me? 

PAPER PLANE CAFE

Kudos to Uni friends who eat out a lot because they suggest some nifty, quiant places to eat at. This Cafe right here is just in Parramatta, on George St, not too much of a walk from Westfield. Expect to spend about $20 in total if you're in for a meal and a drink, otherwise you're more likely to spend less than $20 if you just drink table water as well. They have ALL DAY breakfast and their drinks are divine! So give it a try, I guess it's a 'hipster' type of cafe. I felt the need to ask if I could have one of their pot plants. 

Also to update, I have found that the 'qualities' that I have on my resume are perfectly suited to volunteer work. Especially my availabilities. That's probably why I haven't had any responses yet, maybe I need to learn how to serve selflessly and love what I do without getting anything back. The amount of opportunities that have opened up for volunteer work is amazing! 

On that note, it was at this cafe I had met up with Operation Christmas Child, Regional Manager, to talk about outreach to schools and youth groups. Great meeting and one out of the many fabulous volunteer opportunities that I've taken. Check it out, this is the impact of giving a shoe box to a child (here). I encourage you to not be discouraged if you don't get a 'job' straight away, just serve with what you have, offer what you have now. You could be making a difference in someone's life in the mean time.

THREE MONTHS LEFT

We're almost done with 2014! Only a countdown left of three months and I. AM. EXCITED.

Not because of the cliché, 'new year, new me' but because it means I'm getting closer to half way through my degree, I would've already done half of my first degree (early childhood) I'll be in YD Life (young adults ministry), my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary, I get can my green Ps, maybe by then I'll already have a part time job. So much to look forward to!

However, it is still 2014 so #yolo. Jokes. Gotta make the most of it these last three months. So I've set a few goals that I want/need to reach by the end of this year. Here are my main goals:

- Get more than one Distinction for my subjects

- Get through a blogilates ab workout without stopping

- Meet the parents of the children I'm working with at prac

- Finish reading the Hobbit and A Million Little Ways

- Finish reading David

- Clean out my closet

- Finish my journal

It's not the end of the year yet and it is also not too late to do something new. We have three months to make the most of what is left for this year! Trust me, so much can happen in a matter of months. Imagine looking back on this whole year. Crazy how time flies but, my friend, you just better get your cape on and keep up with it too. 

I've been asked the question/s, how do you wake up so early? How can you be an earlybird? And honestly the best answer I can give you is this: my mindset and purpose to wake up early is to make the most out of my day.  Is that it? Yeah, pretty much. It's understandable, everyone needs to have their lazy days where you'd sleep in and literally do nothing. That's all well and good, but far too many times we have let these days just pass us by. Ephesians 5:16, make the most of every opportunity, is what I live by. It's not necessarily being #yolo but its being purposeful and meaningful with what you make of your day. Here are a few things that I did to keep consistent and alive with this mindset:

1. Set an agenda

There has to be at least ONE thing you can do that requires you to get out of bed early. This could be to go for a jog, to read, to EAT BREAKFAST, to start a few tasks in order to work on more later. Whatever this may be, set something that will make you wake up early. 

2. Get sleep

If you're the type of person that needs to sleep early to wake up early but you find yourself staying up late instead, give yourself a set time to sleep. Figure out what time you need to wake up, example 7am, so make yourself go to bed before 1am. Sometimes you just need to force yourself to sleep. You are in control of your body and you CAN do it.

3. Prepare the night before

This is more related to if you have uni or school or work. If you're like me, I tend to pack my bag in the morning before I leave home. This isn't good because it makes me rush and I know I forget something, usually my glasses. Instead I pack my bag the night before, packing my bag assures me that I have things to do the next day. Knowing I have things to do the next day forces me to make the most out of it. 

4. Don't miss the sunrise

There will be a few rainy and foggy days but most of the time these days are promising of clear blue skies and sunshine. Trust me, waking up early to see the sunrise is so beautiful and worth it. It may just be the thing to get you going for the day. 

There you have it! Hope this helps with those who do struggle with getting up early. Trust me, it's in your mindset. Have a purpose set, have a reason to wake up in the morning. You're alive and breathing, you're reading this post for goodness sake! Do not let the days pass by because in a blink of an eye, you'll realise you may not have the time to do the things you've always wanted to do, you may loose what you're working for and why you're working for it. You're alive, remember, you're alive!

Most don't know but both my parents were at health risk, both having high blood pressure due to stress, lack of exercise and eating habits so to reduce this we as a family changed our lifestyle to become healthy. No one was left behind on this, we were all in together on a journey to enhance our bodies to function better and to fight off sickness/disease. Our meals consisted of more vegetables and carbs, our snacking was substituted from cookies to nuts and fruit, we also developed individual daily exercise routines. However this winter season came and we fell back, #sozzybodies. But now we're coming back! So here are my reasons of 'why I want abs:'

1. To develop my bodily function for a greater purpose:

As great it is to be able to run for a certain amount of kilometres, to endure through that last set of reps .. that is just temporal value to exercise and good eating. I want to be able to wake up each morning feeling both physically and spiritually able to conquer the day. If my body functions well, I am physically more able to serve God better. Gotta do it for that eternal value bruh.

2. To enhance my immune system:

It's common sense, eat well and exercise daily. This will help to fight off sickness and disease, increases the strength of your immune system and helps you feel stronger! 

3. To inspire others with eternal motives rather than earthly:

If there's one way I'd like to inspire others besides my blog and ministry, it's through the way I look after myself. Although I'm focusing more on the physical aspect right now, I desire to be a living example of being healthy for eternal motives. To show that being healthy mustn't be initiated because of what the world finds appealing. Being healthy should be done as a means of allowing your body to function to its greatest potential (this one is similar to the first reason).

These are more of 'why I want to be healthy' reasons rather than 'why I want abs.' This redirection is an example of my motives. Your motives have an incredible impact on what you do and why you do it. You can workout and eat clean as best you can but if you do it for the reasons of #summerbody #ootd or whatever, you won't be truly satisfied. Look at it, people don't loose weight to look good, they loose weight to function better. When you shift your focus of 'being healthy' for the purpose of functioning better, you'll see that you won't be so caught up on how you look. Looking good is just a bonus, being able to physically serve to your full potential ..well that's even better! Let this sink in, 'why do you want abs?' Let's give true meaning to #HealthIsWealth

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Now that I can drive ...

... I have another way in which I can serve more

Finally, after two years of having my learner's licence, I have my provisional licence! Praise God, literally. So much prayer has gone towards me passing this test and thankfully I got it the first time. 

For those who are yet to get their red P's, here's a little food for thought. Why do you want to drive? Besides the convenience and 'freedom' to do anything at anytime, is there more that you can do through your driving? 

For me and my family, the only driver was my dad .. who works night shifts working from 6 (or 8)pm til 4-5am in the morning. He then has to pick up my mum at 7:30am from her night shift and occasionally takes my brother to school by 9:15am. Then in the afternoon he picks up my brother from school at 3:25pm This routine doesn't give much allowance of a full, undisturbed rest. That's what really motivated me to get my Ps. The fact that I do something so simple as driving, can make a huge impact on my dad's health and wellbeing. That's enough for me to be happy! 

As much as I am looking forward to road trips, spontaneous hangouts and starbucks runs, I'm more excited because I get to serve my family first and foremost in another way that isn't just kept at home. I can finally attend Wednesday prayer meetings and rekindle, refine my prayer life by praying for my church family rather than myself. I can create more bonding time with my brother by taking him out and encouraging him to explore and discover places. I get to share the load and responsibility with my dad. 

So I ask again, why do you want to drive? What can you do when you drive?

One month away from spring

Oh joy! We are one month away from spring and I'm already saying goodbye to winter. Although the oversized jumpers, knits, scarves, beanies and hot drinks are lovely .. time to give them legs some air because shorts, skirts and dresses are coming in! 

Gonna keep this post short and sweet, there's always something in good in each day. These recent photos are on my insta (@kf_ith) and are snapshots of things that I've found good these past few days. Even when you may have a full day or a nothing day, find the good in it. It doesn't have to come to you with balloons and confetti and a massive sign to tell you 'THIS IS GOOD!' You find it for yourself.

Whether it's a nice cup of tea, clear blue skies, fresh socks, putting on a nice scent, writing with a new pen, being in the presence of good company, playing your music without skipping any songs. Whatever it is, big or small, trust .. there's always something good in each day. 

#sweatypic

You can't really see my 'sweat' but you can tell by the slight blurriness that I was shaking. My arms were shaky after doing a blogilates arms video. It was great! And I actually got through without stopping. Yay for strength! Realistically, I can't exercise every single day although I do aim to do it at least 3-4 times a week. I'm too broke to have a gym membership and I'm too self-concious to go outside and run. My routine consists of doing zumba, blogilates and a hula-hoop. This works for me because I'm only aiming to tone-up and strengthen my body, not necessarily to lose weight but to keep it off. 

Zumba

I use zumba as the cardio portion of my workout, usually doing the 20 minute express. Easy to do, heaps of fun plus you're guaranteed to sweat by the 10th minute! 

Blogilates
This is a youtube fitness channel by Cassey Ho, who is awesome I must say, and I do about 2-3 of her videos depending on their length. This is my strength portion of my workout- arms, legs, thighs, butt and abs. So much fun, she's super encouraging as well! 'Train like a beast, look like a beauty.'

Hula Hoop
Simple, just hula hooping to burn off those extra calories and to strengthen the core. Every minute you burn 7 calories so it's effective for sure. I spend about 10-15 minutes using a weighted  hula hoop. A weighted hula hoop is different from a regular one, it is much heavier and has small bumps on the inside. Hurts the first few go's but you feel a great burn afterwards.

This is how I 'workout' and exercise, it is different for everyone. Most people use the gym or run but what ever you do, as long as you feel good doing it, are having fun and it works for your body then do it! These days the 'fitness' expectations is that you go to the gym or do sets everyday to strengthen your core, all are effective however aren't for everyone. Take me for example. I love my routine and it works best for me, it's fun and not too 'serious' and it does what I want for my body. Explore different ways and outlets of how you can exercise, it's about keeping active and healthy.

We're Back

It's only the second day of Uni and I'm already tired as, overwhelmed and anxious. However, I'm determined more than ever to actually work for good results rather than to 'just pass.' In doing so, there's a few changes I have been willing to make to change my work ethic:

Research textbooks before buying them straight from the Co-Op Bookstore

Last semester I had spent over $400 on my textbooks (including literature books) which totally wasn't worth it as I hardly read through all of them. This semester I spent almost $200 thanks to researching for cheaper alternatives. Sites like StudentVip, Jekkle and Zookal = praise! They sell your textbooks at minimum $8-$10 cheaper than the retail price.

Reading the Unit Outlines

Now that I have all of my unit outlines, instead of just reading the assessment tasks and study schedule, I've learnt to read the learning outcomes for that unit as that is how I am being marked for it. My advice: read EVERYTHING in your unit outline, it'll give you a big slap in the face showing you what your tutors/lecturers are looking for.

Completing tasks as soon as they've been handed out

As a part of my practical, there is theory and this theory I hadn't done til the day it was due. This semester I am actually going to complete everything I need for my professional experience folder. Evidence of this, I'm already half way through the on-campus week one task! Listen to Nike and just do it. 

Efficiently reading

Readings take up so much time but I have realised that in most textbooks, at the beginning of each chapter, there's learning outcomes and subtopics covered in the chapter. Reading according to the learning outcomes actually makes you read what you need to take in and note-taking according to the subtopics makes summaries that much easier.

Start assignments as early as possible

Even if its just a rough plan of how you're going to complete the assignment, it's better than nothing and certainly much better than leaving it to the last minute. I know I can't do that since most of mine are group assignments. 

Well that's pretty much all I have to say, it's great to be back at Uni because I'm not alone on it and I finally understand the flow of it all. It's going to be hard to bounce back from holidays but hey, yolo. Jokes. More like y.g.w.h.f.t.d = You Gotta Work Hard For The Distinction. Let's hope that I can keep a Credit-Distinction average this semester. Work hard, play hard! 

Take me back to year 11 English, change is inevitable. It really is. And what sucks with change, is that sometimes our past comes back to haunt us, tantalise us and lure us back into it. How you respond to such a thing will determine whether you will move forward or will take a step back.

I've had my fair share of attempts to change certain things in my life that have hindered personal growth and it just hits you right in the face as soon as you've made that decision, your past seems to want to squeeze in to say 'hello.' It can get frustrating and annoying where you try and try again to get better but somehow it comes back. Despite of however the past is brought back up, it's time that we change our perspectives on it. The past is an instrument that is used to refine your character and to motivate you to keep moving forward. Ask yourself this, how do you respond to your past? Are you full of regret, torment, conflict? Or do see your past in a way that motivates you to never go back to that state again?

Everyone has their own experiences, we all go through different situations and events that contribute to how we are today yet we all have this in common: we're in a journey through life. Instead of looking at our end result, look at the process and the progress. You cannot remain stagnant and stationary in your past. You will get no where. Even if it gets brought back up, fight back at it and say NO, I am not going back. The past is to be a reminder for you as to why you must move ahead.

It's okay to fall back sometimes but how you get back up and walk again, that's where it counts.
(Philippians 3:12-14)

New name. New purpose

If you've been keeping up to date with this blog, I have failed miserably to be consistent in posting up daily or every two days ..and I apologise for that. Admittedly, I don't know how to run a blog effectively. I had to google it and I did find some great tips which I correlated to a few of my favourite blogs to see if those of my liking did meet those standards. They did. *snaps to my favourite blogs/websites*

The month of May was tough for me, I was really in the driest season I had been in this year. Flipping through my journal, I had come to my last journal entry dated on the 27th of APRIL 2014. It had been a month since I had written anything in that journal, did my devotions and vented out through writing. This was evident that there was more happening in my heart than I thought. I was missing and lacking so much spiritual development that that month went past by me in a blink of an eye. 

So, this month of June I am making my way back on the paths of renewal and recovery. As I had flipped through my journal, I had a look at my blog. The title did not make connection to what I was posting about. It did not resonate a meaning for me anymore, it never did. This changed my purpose for this blog and eventually the title.

pellucid

pɪˈluːsɪd,pɛ-,-ˈljuːsɪd/

adjective

literary

1. translucently clear.

   "mountains reflected in the pellucid waters"

   synonyms:

   translucent, transparent, clear, crystal clear, crystalline, bright, glassy,limpid, unclouded More

   • easily understood; lucid.

     "he writes, as always, in pellucid prose"

     synonyms:

     easily understood, easily grasped, comprehensible, understandable,intelligible, articulate, coherent, lucid, clear, crystal clear, crystalline;More

   • (of music or other sound) clear and pure in tone.

     "his pellucid singing tone"

   
   

Pellucid living is about recognising clearly what you're living for and how you are living. This will be through my life of course however I want to be transparent about it; to be real and honest. Because as much as I can be on a roll with particular things, I have struggles too. I fall short of a few things however will counteract it with resolution. (e.g. people struggle with being neat and organised, I will be posting up a series on some tips of how to be organised/better organised since I am a 'neat freak', I struggle with self image sometimes so I will post about women whom I admire that I believe define beauty). You get where I'm coming from? 

Yet again, perhaps fourth times the charm!