The random musings of a vagabond

Sunday, November 29, 2009

"The Blind Side"

It's a movie based on a true story starring Sandra Bullock and other characters. It's about a woman who takes in an African-American homeless teenager into her home/family.

Can I just say that the movie was AWESOME?!?!? Julia Y and Fred recommended it to me on separate occasions saying that they thought I would like it and I totally DID!!! I hardly ever cry but I teared on several occasions in this movie. The characters were simply awesome and so was the story. It was even better because it's TRUE.

I would rate this movie 4 out of 5. Hands down.

I highly recommend this movie. I rarely tell people that they HAVE to watch this or that movie but I'm telling you now-- go watch it. S e r i o u s l y.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

I'm thankful for...

1. the awesome summer experience I had in China. (asdfjlkerjgaasdfasdf!!!)

2. harlem (I really love it-- gunshots and all!)

3. my awesome roommate Priscilla (who would've known we would get along so well? thanks again, nina!)

4. KIPP (my job), where I am challenged to reach my potential every day and where i learn soo much

5. JACKPOT! (my small group) -- such a blessing and so refreshing to end my week with 'em and to share life w/ 'em!

6. my freakin' amazing friends (y'all know who you are :D). i feel so well-cushioned and supported/cared for. :)

7. my fam!

8. God. without Him, my life would have no meaning. all the more, i love the journey He's placed me on and as i entrust myself into His hands, He has proven to be so trustworthy. i absolutely love the ride that He's put me on, in the highs and the lows! :)

Monday, November 23, 2009

Sponsor an orphan

I recently got an email from Julia Y. about this. There's an orphanage in southeast Asia that takes in orphans with AIDS. Currently, there are 56 abandoned orphans ranging from new born to 3 years of age at this orphanage. But unfortunately, most of them are currently not sponsored.

Pray about sponsoring any one of them. Yeah? :)
---

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

1. Vinh Tam

2. Hoa Tam

3. Cam Tam

4. Luong Vinh

Sponsor Me!

5. Rak Vinh

Sponsor Me!

6. Phu Tam

Sponsor Me!

7. Phu Vinh

Sponsor Me!

8. Dien Vinh

Sponsor Me!

9. Dien Tam

Sponsor Me!

10. Song Vinh

Sponsor Me!

11. Toan Tam

12. Ninh Vinh

Sponsor Me!

13. Lam Vinh

Sponsor Me!

14. Xuan Vinh

Sponsor Me!

15. Dak Vinh

Sponsor Me!

16. Khanh Vinh

Sponsor Me!

17. Phuc Vinh

Sponsor Me!

18. Phuoc Vinh

19. Truong Vinh

Sponsor Me!

20. Thao Tam

Sponsor Me!

21. Gia Tam

Sponsor Me!

22. Ninh Tam

23. Thai Vinh

Sponsor Me!

24. Nguyen Vinh

Sponsor Me!

25. Tho Tam

Sponsor Me!

26. Tuy Vinh

Sponsor Me!

27. Quang Vinh

Sponsor Me!

28. Phuoc Tam

Sponsor Me!

29. Dang Vinh

30. Thuy Tam

31. Dong Tam

Sponsor Me!

32. Yen Tam

Sponsor Me!

33. An Vinh

Sponsor Me!

34. Son Vinh

Sponsor Me!

35. An Tam

Sponsor Me!

36. Minh Vinh

Sponsor Me!

37. Quyen Tam

Sponsor Me!

38. Thuy Anh

39. Tho Vinh

Sponsor Me!

40. Dinh Vinh

Sponsor Me!

41. Thuy Tam

Sponsor Me!

42. Truong Tam

Sponsor Me!

43. Giang Vinh

Sponsor Me!

44. Loc Tam

Sponsor Me!

45. Phuong Tam

Sponsor Me!

46. Khanh Tam

Sponsor Me!

47. Thang Vinh

Sponsor Me!

48. Cat Tam

Sponsor Me!

49. Hai Vinh

Sponsor Me!

50. New Born

Sponsor Me!

51. New Born

Sponsor Me!

52. New Born

53. New Born

Sponsor Me!

54. New Born

Sponsor Me!

55. New Born

Sponsor Me!

56. New Born

Sponsor Me!

Read these stories

Was blessed just reading through these entries just now.

(Ok, I've been blog-happy, with my 3rd entry in 2 days, because I got no work!! Holler.)

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Some awesome KIPP photos

Minnow came to KIPP Infinity's Latino Cultural Show and graciously took photos of the event. He capture the students and the night SO well!! Here are some of my fave ones. And check out the rest of the photos here. He is a part of the "KIPP family" now, haha.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

"Precious"

Got to watch the movie "Precious" with my soul sista Karen P. tonight. (Happy birthday tomorrow!) It'd been like half a year since I last watched a movie in the theater. Crazy, huh?

We both agreed that we would give the movie a 3.75ish/5.

The movie was about a teenage girl who was impregnanted by her father twice and has an abusive mother. I have to say that some of the stuff in the movie was pretty realistic, its setting being in Harlem and all. Some of the characters reminded me of some students that I know. And as sad as the story is, I feel like I've heard stories like this before from my students. Broken reality.. :( As portrayed in this movie, in the end, we humans just need love.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Reaching your greatest potential

So I think that we all have amazing potential that we were created with in the ways that we are wired by God, whether in our talents, giftings, natural interests, personality type, etc.

One thing that I've been thinking about is how awesome it would be for people to reach their greatest potential. (Was thinking about this specifically in the context of my small group Jackpot but generally as well.) I mean, I think that the end goal of all potential should lead to loving God and loving people. But I think that the way that may look like for each person may be different because we're created differently. For example for myself, I think it MAY look something like just loving people, connecting people together, instilling vision in people and running with it, and some other stuff that I'm figuring out as I'm living life and stuff. I dunno. asdfasdfkjaler.

Anyways. So what does that look like for y'all? :) (No need to be modest, just honest! =p)