This blog can be called The Friendtervention or Being Iris…
08 Dec 2010 1 Comment
What happens now…
15 Nov 2010 1 Comment
I quit my job a month ago. The whole way I came to the decision to do that, is a whole other blog post for a whole other day.
The control freak in me wants to say the process if over. Wants to tell you that its the end and tell you how I got there.
The competitive side of me, wishes I could say that I passed every test with flying colors.
Wives and Girlfriends
05 Sep 2010 1 Comment
Recently, a friend and I were talking about how a mutual friend of ours was learning how to play an instrument to get girls.
When my friend said, “Girls, that’s easy. Its finding a wife, that’s the hard part.“
Random thoughts from a single girl
22 Aug 2010 1 Comment
I am single. I am happy. I am whole. I want for nothing- not even a husband.
The most beautiful adventure
16 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
- To tell you this story, I would need to start with the girl I was 8 years ago.
She seems like a stranger to me now, with her just-so JLo highlights, and caked on makeup. Her chain smoking, swearing, and party all the time, yet don’t mess with me attitude. Some days, I think back on who I was then, and I feel like I am telling stories of a mythical version of myself. A me I used to play. Which is, in fact, kind of true.
It was summer of 2002. I was in what I lovingly refer to as my wild child state. After the fall of the towers, I was convinced that the world was ending and I might as well get all of the debauchery in while I could. Newly single, and completely and utterly willing to try anything that was legal (and unfortunately, some things that were not), I entered a season of excess.
Then one day LIFE happens
06 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
Me and Auntie at Kuya's wedding. Yes my hair is navy blue.
Late breaking news…
21 Jul 2010 2 Comments
Recently, I wrote a what’s up with you email to a girlfriend I haven’t talked to much in 2 years. I often hate what’s up with you conversations, because I think not much has changed with me. I feel like my station in life has not changed much, so the updates aren’t huge. But sometimes its the subtle changes that are the big changes. Below is what I wrote to her- and I really felt like for once, I answered honestly, completely, and authentically. Read on …
As for what’s new with me? I would say the biggest difference is one you can’t really see. And that is that I have kind of gotten this sweet peace about where my life is. I know this place is not forever, but its right now, so I either choose to rejoice or lose the moment to complaining.
So I am enjoying:
renting a room out of my cousins’ house
living with a potty training 3 year old who has peed in my room more than once, but is the sweetest little boy around. We have a dog that looks like Scooby Doo, and my cousin, cousin in law, grandma and aunt are so cool to live with. Thank God, I was turning weird living by myself. And saving the money is pretty freakin stellar.
that for as long as they let me I have a great job
My responsibility is to show them God without a word, and I love that.
that ministry is not my life but I sure love doing it
I mean, to pray for and disciple people- and see lives and families change- COME ON! That’s amazing
that someday my prince will come, but today is not that day
well as far as I can tell anyway, I mean, its already 3:26PM, so today may be out of the question. But I am sure of many things, and one of them is, someday, not far from now, I will meet my amazing ribcage and get to touch his face. Until then, life is about me, and that’s okay. As soon as marriage and babies happen, there will be a lot of me time I won’t get.
xoxo,
If you had to…
16 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
Listen to only one CD compilation of worship songs for the rest of your life, and you could pick the 16 tracks- what would they be?
Here are mine:
Mighty To Save- Reuben Morgan
Heart of Worship- Matt Redman
Amazing Grace- by pretty much anyone
At the Cross- Hillsong
Your Love Oh Lord- sung by D’Andre Guirand
I Will Always- Matha Munizzi
When I Think About the Lord- Rita Springer
Hosanna- Hillsong
Beautiful- Kari Jobe
Your Love is Extravagant- Darrell Evans
Alabaster Box- CeCe Winans
You Won’t Relent- Misty Edwards
Hungry – Kathryn Scott
Favorite One- Misty Edwards
Revelation Song- Jesus Culture
How He Loves- Jesus Culture
Life- Its a lot like riding a bike
13 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
I never learned how to ride a bike.
My uncle tried to teach me when I was 7 by throwing me down a hill. Let me just say, I didn’t like that much.
So I never really learned. But I always secretly wanted to.
Last year, I really wanted to learn before I turned 30. 30 came and went and I was still cycle-y challenged. But on Sunday while talking to my friend Rochelle, we decided. We are just going to do it.
So off I went. Yesterday was my first biking lesson. I learned a lot more about myself than I thought I would. Biking is like therapy and an encounter- all rolled into one.
In life, like riding a bike:
- where you are focusing your energy will be where you end up.
- Even when you’re wobbling, keep peddling, you will find momentum eventually
- Looking down, causes falling.
- Sometimes you need to fall down, to understand how to get up
- Leave room for your legs to move
- Trust the right people to help you. They will not let you get hurt. They will laugh with you when you fall, and be just as excited when you peddle all on your own.
- It is never too late, to do what you always wanted to do.
Peddle fast, peddle hard. And feel the wind in your hair.
xoxo,
Chasing Beautiful
10 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
The other night I was at dinner with my family. I was minding my own business, eating my adobo and rice, when my Grandma (Lola) said something really mean to me.
She didn’t mean it to be mean. As a matter of fact, if you asked her, she would say, that she was trying to help me, and would rather harsh criticism come from her rather than a stranger. (I would rather, any type of correction come from love and be said to build up- but I digress).
The next morning, on my way to work, this guy in a truck, rolled down his window to try and try to throw his mack hand down. On the freeway. In traffic. In a beat up vehicle. With expired tags. (cue No Scrubs by TLC).
In general, I act like I don’t see that kind of stuff, because, its so silly. Any man worth my salt, should come up to me proper.
Not on the freeway.
Not yelling shallow compliments over the wind.
But on this day, I smiled back and invited the compliment.
Halfway through, I stopped myself and remembered, “This is not you girl. Roll up your window, and roll on.” But I had to ask, what just happened? Why was today different than any other day?
I felt something uprooting happen. Something so foundation shifting, it rocked my world. I felt like I got a key to unlock the girl I was 8 years ago. The girl who would do anything for a compliment and would settle 10 times lower than herself for someone to tell her she is somebody. I realized all of those years, I wasn’t just chasing a good time, or a fine guy. I was chasing beautiful.
Growing up with harsh things being said all of the time chipped away at my soul. And slowly, my beautiful began to leak out. In sheer survival I would grout myself together with false compliments, anyone’s attention or affection or relationships. Any of it. All of it.
And I realized, after years of being without the harsh criticism and now all of a sudden living with it. I reverted to that old girl. Thank God for the Holy Spirit who reminded me that 8 years ago I became a new girl.
A new woman.
Who has been called by name.
Who with no make up on. With my hair out of place. At my biggest. At my smallest. Is still the most gorgeous girl to Him.
And that, my friends, is not grout to fill cracks. That’s wholeness so big, so deep, so wide, so all encompassing that makes old things, new again and reverts them back to their original form to their original purpose. And defines beauty.
This is what He says,
15 How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves. – Song of Solomon 1:15
xoxo,
