I continued the weekly soccer on Thursday (1st). It was Labor Day weekend, so I did the paper route with my workplace on Friday (3rd). I then went home (St. Paul) the next day for the weekend, which I spent family quality time-including my annual time with family (only my mom) at the Minnesota State Fair.
Above is a stuff animal I won after hitting a plate after three throws in this carnival like-game.
I decided to go back to the cities the weekend after as I wanted to check out the Minnesota Renaissance Festival
I never been to this annual festival as I really didn't have interest when I was growing up until I got older (e.g. culturally appreciative). I invited a couple of friends of mine, which was their first time too.
Fall was coming soon, so I did some house projects (e.g. exterior window boundaries screws got tighten). Also got an oil change.
...I ended the month by going to dance my friend (Mark) personally invited me, which I brought Luciano along. We watched a preview of this adoption documentary video (e.g. He Came to Me) he's currently working on. Learning more about my friend's adoption story make me more appreciative of my own blessings (e.g. family). Hope you can check the video out and pray fully consider supporting him with prayer and a financial donation.
I started the month by accepting an invitation to check out the local Jehovah Witness service, which was actually "better" and "more interesting" than I expected. I still believe their philosophy (see notes) isn't "Christ" focus, but marveled about their presentation.
I felt led writing a "death" metal song that needed some drums, so I recorded various drum beats and spliced some of it this song I wrote..
On Monday (7th), I had my every other year physical exam, which I made my appointment before my bus license was about to expire. Well, I unfortunately didn't pass the "eye exam" part, which my personal doctor scheduled a last minute appointment to get an eye exam the next day. He was worried about my license about to expire soon. I learned not to do my physical exam to close to the expiration day next time. Well, I was worried and continued to fast more so I can improve my eye sight within 12 hours. I prayed and ask friends to pray while I researched online on what foods (e.g. high carbs or processed sugars->cereal, which I didn't eat and would later decrease my buying of this breakfast food) affect bad eye sight. Thank God for answering this prayer and concern, which my eye sight actually "improved" (went from 20/50 to 20/30!). Thus, I passed my eye exam the following morning.
After my physical exam on Monday, I rode my bike home quickly as my younger brother was making a stop-visit before going further northwest to Fargo. We ended-up going to Mi-Mexico..
It was Marcelo's first visit to Morris since he graduated back in 2001. The next day, one of my ESL students from China invited me and a friend of hers for supper. I didn't realize it was her birthday until that day, so I gave her a "last-minute" b-day card. She cooked some great authentic Chinese food and others!
I went to the cities on my birthday (18th) to spend time with family-friends during my monthly weekend visit. I would visit a high school buddy (Sean) as he hosted a birthday celebration part at his "crib". It was good to see "old" former high school friends there too. The next day, I attended the annual "Philippine Day" celebration, which was held at a new venue (Aldrich Arena) in Maplewood. It was great time hanging out with the family.
I was blessed by a "gift" on March 22nd (after my birthday) by a "resident" of Morris showing her appreciation of what I've been doing in the community. I'll just say, it was definitely a provision from God and I thank Him for it. Just like the story last month of reaping what one sows. :)
So-called "Easter" weekend came early this year (last weekend of the month), but learned the actual Passover-Resurrection weekend is in April. I took advantage of the "holiday" (Monday 28th) by working on my photo-video project for Gary and went outside to play tennis to enjoy the "Spring" weather.
I'm just thankful that my relatives are "alive" and "safe" with the recent deadly typhoon ("Ondoy") this past weekend in the Philippines. I didn't know how serious ("deadly" and "catastrophic") it was until I read the headline while checking my e-mail this afternoon when I got home from work. When my mom told me that her relatives (dad side unknown yet) are "alive" and "safe", I was very grateful. My mom told me that a couple of our relatives had some "water issues", but I'm just thankful and "bless" (see CNN article down below) they are "ok" as "things can always be replaced, but lives cannot"!
140 die in Philippine storm, toll expected to rise, from news.yahoo.com Monday, September 28th of 2009 Philippines flood survivors count blessings, from cnn.com Monday, September 28th of 2009 "...Still, Lim, 28, is counting her blessings. Her power is back on and she believes she can salvage most of her furniture. In addition, people she knows are still searching for missing friends and relatives in the flooding.... The floodwaters were beginning to subside in some areas Monday after a weekend that saw Manila hit with torrential rainfall caused by Typhoon Ketsana, which has since strengthened into a typhoon. Officials said the Philippine capital saw its heaviest rain in more than four decades. The water swallowed whole houses and buses. At least 140 people are dead, officials say... "Right now the challenge is to find out how many people have actually died and how many people we have to take care of in terms of people who've been displaced," said Richard Gordon, the chairman of the Philippines National Red Cross. He estimated up to 300,000 people have been displaced on the island of Luzon alone...
Philippine Flood Typhoon Ondoy UERMMC footage, September 26, 2009
Please keep the Filipino people in prayer as they are expecting some more rain with the latest forecast.
Any similar stories, prayer requests, etc.. from this typhoon or related "natural disasters" out there?
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