biggest loser

isaac's family is having a contest the next 12 weeks. there is a $500 buy in for a chance to win $2500 of the biggest weight loss. the weight loss will be calculated by the biggest percentage off your weight.

its going to be harder for the heavier people like isaac and i, but we are ready for our healthy challenge. we ran and walked 2.5 miles today, but we had three meals. we'll have to increase our mileage soon. i have to develop a system somehow. definitely eat less and excercise to get my metabolism up. let me know if you had a diet that worked.

that $2500 is mine!

our twins!

on isaac's b-day, we doubled our joy with new pups! we rescued them from the very sad pound of san bernadino, where they put dogs to sleep if they don't have a home. we weren't planning to have pets, but it was a spontaneous act of goodness that surprised our family.

the puppies are brother & sister. their names are mojo & coco. they are a mix of german shepherd & lab. they are about 3-4 months old. they were surrendered by their owner the same day we got them with two other sibilings that are still at the pound. mojo is the calmer and protective brother. coco is very expressive about her emotions and has tons of energy. our puppies will keep our hands full, but we're excited getting to know them!

we have been super busy our first day, preparing for their arrival. we cleaned our garage & back yard to make their home safe. we put together a metal fence kennel for them to play in the garage. we shopped for their supplies. we got their shots & neutered at the vet. that's why they have cones on their necks to prevent them from licking their sutures.

mojo & coco had many visitors today. their gracious godmother kange, brought them their crate, water bowl and toys to play with. other visitors included: david, amy, lillian, john, brian, brian's friends, soojin, darren, mika, jamie and jessica. they want to thank the many visitors for the welcome & love.

Glory of Easter

For the first time in my life, the glory of Easter has been dramatically emphasized in my environment. Growing up in an Adventist home and Korean church, there was no typical celebration either to the Pagan Easter bunny or to the Cross of Jesus. I don't know if its the coincidence of being a pastor's wife or being in a different church community, but this season is more to remember than a marshmallow bunny.

It all started out with Isaac deciding to introduce me to Lent. He wasn't going to eat red meat for 40 days and challenged me to give up something. Since, I'm trying to lose weight, I said I will not eat white rice. Its unusual for Adventists to celebrate the "Catholic Lent." However, I thought it was neat to derive something positive out of something outside my circle. Then, Isaac had a Sabbath School lesson on Lent: the origin, significance in the past and present, etc. In this process, I had my initial moments of thinking about Christ's suffering and sacrifice.

At our Calimesa Church, the congregation was challenged to create an artform of what the cross means to them. This was another opportunity for me to focus on the cross and evaluate its personal significance.

Last Sunday, the young adults made a trip to Crystal Cathedral in Anaheim to watch "The Glory of Easter." This particular season's musical production was on the Life of Jesus. It was quite interesting to observe scenes that included live animals, opera singers, flying angels and laser action. This portrayal of the death & resurrection of Jesus was someone else's (the authors, the directors) interpretation & presentation. The visual presentation challenged me in some ways and continued my thought process.

Tonight on Good Friday, we worshiped with songs & readings that focused on the Last Supper, the Cross, and the Resurrection. I appreciated the simplicity of reading Scripture that allowed my own imagination to be more active rather than seeing an interpretation. The overall worship was very calm and serene that concluded with a candle lighting ceremony in the garden. I also appreciated that this program didn't try to overwhelm my emotions and concentrated on the positive qualities of the cross.

After all this, what does the cross mean to me? The cross is a symbol of love and hope. Through Christ's love, I am a new creation where all the ugliness is at the feet of the cross. I am melancholy when I initially think about what does the cross carries. The cross nailed all my crap: impatience, greed, arrogance, etc. Therefore, the cross itself is very dirty and filthy, but its more than that. Its soooooooooooooo gracious that God allows me to come just as I am and through His Resurrection invites me to engage with God & His plan. It is at the wondrous cross & open tomb that hope renews the life I live with purpose and peace.

Montage

if you want complete solitutde, i recommend visiting Montage Resort & Spa for the day. its only 1 & 1/2 hr drive from loma linda, and you feel like you are in a different country. the crystal blue waters against the dramatic cliffs, lift you into an ocean of peace. its defintely a quiter beach compare to other laguna hot spots. you can go for a walk either on the beach or watch the water from a sidewalk view. in the springtime, many of the lovely flowers are vibrantly blooming.

i spent my whole day at the spa. it was convenient to sit on a comfortable lounge chair that gave me a panoramic view of the ocean, had access to great food, and constant access to fiji water! so i sat basking in the sun, reading my journals and my mind when to ultimate relaxation mode. the spa treatments are quite pricey there. i could only afford a 60 min. pedicure, but it was worth the oceanfront view where i saw dolphins during my pedicure. then, i got to enjoy the steam rooms & hot tubs that were surrounded by beautiful lush garden and waterfountain. the decor was modern, casual, and clean. it felt different enough where i found my getaway for a day.

Isaac's b-day bash

We celebrated Isaac's 30th b-day this past Saturday. I definitely had my share of fun decorating and planning from Party plus where I got an awesome banner & cowboy frills. Canton Bistro was very accomodating and the hip place turned into an Asian & Western fusion. Everyone looked really cute decked out in their cowboy hat and boots. We had two dress up winners: Scott & T chosen by the greatest amount of chopsticks raised by the cowboys. Also, it was very thoughtful to have people fly out for this special occasion all the way from Rochester, N. Dakota, and Florida. It made Isaac feel extra special to have his family & close friends there. After our dinner at Canton Bistro, we ran around town in our crazy outfits trying to win a photo scavenger hunt. We stayed up playing cards & giggling that we looked so silly still in our cowboy outfits. I had a great time and I think Isaac said it was the best b-day party he's ever had. So I guess my goal was accomplished!

the blue light

on a daily basis, i usually use a blue light to restore composite fills on pt's teeth. last wednesday, i was exposed to use it quite differently. i was at the dermotologist and they recommended the blue light peel. the peel begins with applying a thin layer of 20% salicyic acid on your face. the stuff stings so bad! after 30 sec, you wash it off with water. orange eyeglassess are worn to protect your eyes. then you place you face on a machine 4 x 2 ft that exposes blue light to your face for 20 min.

According to AcneNet this is what blue light is:

Blue-light therapy. The FDA approved narrow-band, high-intensity blue-light therapy for treating acne. Now widely advertised, this is probably the best-known light therapy for acne treatment. Blue light works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes, and is being used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne therapies. The blue-light products of today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light, which was a staple of former light therapy used to treat acne. UV light can damage skin and is no longer used to treat acne.
Patients receive blue-light therapy in increments. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness.

pretty cool huh?