February 2016

The first week of February was busy with my new photo-video project for a local resident in Morris. I would work on this almost daily after work on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the entire month. I saw it a blessing. On the 4th (Thursday), I would have to then quickly go to my local church for our monthly (every first Thursday) worship team practice (learning new songs for the month). I started the first weekend by getting "pumped" at Body Pump (fitness class) at the local gym. I then went to get my first fishing license in years to go ice fishing for the first time in my life...

...with a friend/co-worker (Paul J.) as another friend/co-worker couldn't make it. I brought various sporting equipment to make it more enjoyable as we waited for a bite (never got one-probably we made too much noise). It was fun to be out as it wasn't too cold (notice I was wearing my "fall" jacket only). It was like our pre-Super Bowl party!

On Thursday (11th), I went to the local elementary school to watch my first high school basketball game this season. I mainly went to give my support for the 2nd annual "Morris Special Olympic Fundraiser" (see pics). The game was actually fun to watch as the Tigers lost a "nail-biter" at the end.

The next day, my workplace would go to Clinton for the annual Valentine Dance. This was the first time I can remember we had above zero temps :)

We had President's Day (15th) off, so I took advantage of it to visit a friend (Cory) in a group home he was staying up north. I ended-up blessing him with some "healthy" grocery foods to promote "healthier" eating. I would be later blessed by winning a $30 dollar gift certificate from my pt-teaching job during a teacher's training meeting on the 22nd to a grocery store in Alexandria (where I bought the groceries from). Praise the Lord! On my way back to Morris, I stopped at Andes Tower Hills to do more snowboarding as they had a "holiday" discount :)

One of the parody songs that came to my mind earlier was the Ghostbusters and thought of "Bug" busters..

Music: Parody-“Bug Busters” (originally Ghost busters) by Crazy lil’ Sal

I went to the cities (St. Paul) for my monthly family-friend visit the 3rd weekend. I would spend some quality time with parents and my sister (e.g. went grocery shopping in our neighborhood) by sharing some pics I took from the past year.

I started a food blog recently and did one on French Toast..

Breakfast Starters: French Toast of Different Flavors

We have been having some newer students (e.g. Mexico, Brazil, etc..) for our weekly Wednesday ESL classes, which many of us happen to be at the monthly Community Meal the same time on Monday (29th).

July 2015

I started the first weekend of July by taking my housemate/renter (Jin) to the Twin Cities (Friday, July 3rd). We took advantage of the various restaurants to choose from by going to my favorite Chinese restaurant (in UofM-TC Dinkytown). When we got to my parents' house in St. Paul, he wanted to go for a walk around the neighborhood, so I decided to go biking. I biked to Target with the little traffic along Suburban Avenue. The following day, I took Jin to the MSP Airport and then came back home to do some biking. I would later help my dad trim an apple tree in the front yard, which he was brave enough to stand on top of a high ladder...again! The next day (Sunday 5th), I went biking around Battle Creek Park and then later took my parents to their favorite hangout spot in the Twin Cities. I had the whole 2nd week of July off from my work (ft-job), but I had to work my pt overnight job. However, I asked a co-worker to work my Sunday overnight job, so I didn't have to get back to Morris till Monday afternoon.

When I arrived in Morris on Monday, I went biking more after biking in St. Paul earlier this morning. I'm trying to get as many miles in this national competition. I continued my project of hauling that "extra-dirt" around the front of my house project. i decided to finish this project I started last Fall after a good report from the local plumbers that my "sewer" pipe should be good after it was cleaned. It was a good week of workout removing dirt from my front yard to around the garage...

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I did an average of 2 hours per day during the week vacation, so I can do other fun activities, such as going to Alexandria with a friend (Chris) to Alexandria to swing some pitches in the batting cage at Casey's Amusement Park..

We then went to Menards to pick-up more materials for my landscaping project. I put mulch along the side of my house. Since I didn't work at all this past week, I decided to help out at the local group homes (pt-job) since they were very "short". I ended up pulling in 54 hours (past over-time) for the next week. It was Prairie Pioneer Days this weekend (10th-12th), which I was able to check the fireworks, parade, and attend one of my favs-Pancake Feed!

ON Monday (13th), I biked again to the WCROC gardens, which has been my nightly bike destination to increase my miles. When I logged in online, I was able to record one of my best ranks (298 place "Locally"-state and 7,400 something "Nationally"-national bike challenge)!

It was a "sad" day at work (ft-job) on Tuesday (14th) as we had to say goodbye to one of the longest co-workers (Lu T.) :(.. We did a farewell party for her as she was my "trainer" back in Avocation since I started back in 2005. The next day (15th), we had an answer to prayer for much needed rain. It was a blessing for the new seeded grass in my front yard after hauling all that dirt.

It was that time of the month for my once a month worship practice for my local church on Thursday (16th), which I would later upload one of my "newest" written songs..

The next day (17th), I took advantage of our Fridays off by doing more (endless) house projects. I pretty much tightened the exterior window frames around my house...

Then I continued my "old bike" (e.g. ridding of rust) project later in the day. On Saturday (18th), I attended the monthly Real Ministries, which was hosted by my local church. On (21st) Tuesday, I attended a concert in the newest music venue ("Platform"), which a couple friends in different bands performed, which I brought a couple of friends from my workplace.

On Friday (24th), I did my regular 1 1/2 mile run around the local college track. I ran around noonish since the sun was finally out, which is my opportunity to get a more "upper-body" tan. On Sunday (26th), I went to one of my favorite summer events in west-central Minnesota, which was Glenwood's Waterama. My friend Chris and I would later go to Alexandria to drop off a China-set "like" at New Life Church, which a friend shared on facebook the need of donated items for missions and local ministry. I would later find out it was sold to a senior citizen place. Awesome...praise the Lord! Later in the week, I would bike to the WRCROC Gardens for the annual "Horticulture Night".

September 2014

I spent my Labor Day (holiday) doing some house project as it showered a little in the afternoon. I put in the pipes and "bird seed" gravel over it in the right side (south eastern) of the month plus long trench project. I'm just glad I finish digging! I filled it in by hand using my neighbor's (Craig M, who is moving :( ) borrowed wheel barrel..a great workout! I continue to do this on Thursday (4th) as I did little by little like the month long digging project. I would do a little more of filling this 6-8 foot deep trench during the first weekend of the month between the workshops of this conference (Storm the Planet-see notes by joining Good News Ministry). This was such an inspiring motivational conference that I'm still "trying" to apply as I write this, which I'll be sharing more through this month's and future blogs.

Through the 2nd week, weeks after, and currently-God laid a "new song" in my heart, which was planted during the Storm of the Planet. I never ever thought I'll be doing this. Many years ago, there was a "prophetic" encouraging word that I'll be doing this, but my friend and I joked about this. Here is one song I wrote recently that took a month as I had to get a new piano to help me..

"Don't Be Afraid to Step in Faith" (October 6th 2014)

I don't spend too much time to "edit" the music as I usually just do one recording and then add my piano playing (still in the works too). Stay tuned for more as the "new songs" are to encourage people.

On Thursday, we had another anniversary of 9-11 , which I will always find "new" findings of what "really" happened in this unfortunate event.

The 2nd weekend, I went to Moose Lake for my once every other month visit. I took pics of the "early-stage" of Fall colors at Moose Lake State Park in Carlton County. The next day (Sunday), our local church had a share by missionaries from India. Then we went to our pastor's house for more shares of this country and the mission experience overall, which prayer was the theme message that was heavily encouraged.

I finally found the "sewer pipe" by the foundation where I dug the trench on the 18th. It was by the water line that was marked, so that helped! The following day, my workplace was another challenging day as we were short-stuff, but thankful to God to get me through one of many more! What helps me to get through long hard workdays like this is looking at the future, I was looking forward to my once a month visit to the Twin Cities. I was planning to attend some events, such as..

Harding Senior High School's 1st Spirit Walk/ Run (Fundraiser)

Also, the same weekend was my nephew's birthday, which we celebrated at my younger brother's house.

When I got back to Morris, I would attend a special guest speaker at a church my friend invited me to. He shared a message that was a theme (e.g. social identity, gifts, etc..) from the conference earlier this month.

I started a new house project on the 23rd (1st day of Fall), which I put special rubber pavers in my garage driveway. I just did a little as I want to test how it work with the coming winter season. The next day, I bought pies from the the annual Faith Lutheran Church Bazaar. I shared one of them with my students at my weekly ESL-GED classes. I noticed my students didn't like it as it was too sweet, which I've noticed from the past that many international students feel the same way. America's "unnatural" desserts are really too sweet with fake sugar! On Thursday, I went to my local church worship practice, which I always look forward too with a "new song" perspective after the latest conference. On the 26th, I treated a new UMM student (Jackie from Idaho) to the famous Don's Cafe. I met Jackie online through one of my facebook group's (Good News Morris, which she joined almost a year ago when she first applied at the local college and wanted to learn more about our college-community. We've been in dialogue since and it was great to meet her in person (face to face) the first time.

During the last "Fall" weekend of the month, it was the 2nd day in a row with 80 degree (Farenheit) weather, so I had to take advantage of it since I wasn't able to do everything that I wanted to do during the summer. I invited a friend (Chris) to a game of tennis, which I would later go with him to celebrate his early birthday with his family at Pizza Ranch.

After making a long list to the "new songs" that the Lord laid in my heart since the conference earlier this month, I tried to come up with the lyrics to the titles and recorded my first song...

"Lord's My Healer"

It would be the first of more to come....