Hello Love @melodykawahara - Tumblr Blog

Happy Sunday!

This little work space has become a place where long hours meets personal growth and development. A place where I've felt lonely, inspired, tired, comforted, motivated and enlightened all at the same time. It's become a place I simultaneously dread and look forward to. It's the spot in which I start each day and come back to every night before I go to sleep.

In summation, my desk&loft fusion/study cave has become the place where I spend the majority of my time.

My first semester of grad school is finished...& it feels great.

This new chapter of my life has been both exhilarating and exhausting and God has taught me so many things. My social activity has declined significantly and my priorities have changed where I have to put my academic demands over my extroverted needs. In those moments, God brought along friends and roommates that I can study with. I've been blessed with an opportunity to work with preschool children who have special needs, that I initially thought I wouldn't enjoy. & yet I've fallen in love with each student I work with and I can wake up each morning knowing the work I do is meaningful, fulfilling, and making a difference. I'm in a program that is demanding and requires much of my time and energy, but I leave each day learning something new and in awe of my professors' knowledge and support. & throughout this entire process, I am reminded of how much I love to learn and that being a hard worker is rewarding.

It's so evident that God is at work in my life. & in moments like these, I am so humbled and grateful for a God who is faithful and loving to the point that He fully invests in the lives of His people.

Here's to finishing the first 16 weeks of my graduate career...80 more to go!

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. -Proverbs 16:3

#thingsivebeenlearning #gradschooledition #personal

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This song has been on repeat for the past couple weeks.

Something about the acoustics, harmony, and perfect lyrics that point to the gospel is so relaxing and comforting in the midst of all the changes, growing pains, and uncertainties I feel.

I am overwhelmed by Your affection The kindness and the greatness of Your love

#jesus #lovethissong #musicispowerful #repeat

21, you were great...let's do this 22!

So I've realized that I no longer post on Tumblr. Don't exactly know what it is...I used to love it! But I guess I've become a little more private &stopped writing down my thoughts to be publicly shared in the virtual world.

On a personal note, I figured it might be a nice time to jot down a compilation of random thoughts that can range anywhere from spirituality to my obsession with Hollywood and celebrities. Hopefully this will serve both as a reminder of how far I've come & an indicator of how much more growing I can do. (&I think farther down the line I can look back and think, "Hmph. That was what 22 me was like")

My parents are amazing. I'm so thankful for both of them & can't imagine life without them

My new revised top 5 Celebrity men: Ryan Gosling, Pharrell, Matt Bomer, Josh Duhamel, David Beckham

I really like French Bulldogs <3

Concentrate on what's important...&the rest will follow

It's a little scary how many TV shows I watch & keep up with...but at the same time I can't help but love the feeling of...falling in love with a new TV show.

Along with the above bulletpoint...people who post spoilers as FB statuses suck. (Especially people who post it about The Bachelor/Bachelorette)

How did I get so lucky with such amazing roommates? They're seriously the best.

Cooking is my love language = cook more often whenever I can.

It is better to give than to receive...I want to become more serious about serving children professionally.

Things to work on/do as a 22 yr. old:

Take more pictures (As my good friend, Naomi Chen, would put it, "You have an iPhone 5!! No excuses!")

Read more books

Exercise more...it can only go downhill from here unless I make it a habit

Learn how to be okay with being by myself & choosing to be alone for introspection, reflection, and self-care

Continue to strive to love more people and love people more

Journal

Jesus calls us to live in uncomfortable and unconventional ways...get used to being uncomfortable.

Go to a taping of the Ellen show (JESSIE!)

Remember to be compassionate

Go hiking more often...learn to appreciate being in nature instead of being a princess

Be more confident in sharing the gospel

&&at the end of it all...find a reason to be happy each day &just keep swimming.

Here's to a year full of joy, laughter, heartache, making the most of every moment, closing a HUGE chapter of my life and starting a new one, focusing on what matters, and most of all...truly experiencing and being reminded of God's faithfulness. Now onto the next. The beginning of my young adult life...22 please be good to me!

#22 #personal

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Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Savior

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -Romans 15:13

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If my heart is overwhelmed And I cannot hear Your voice I hold on to what is true Though I cannot see If the storms of life they come And the road ahead gets steep I will lift these hands in faith I will believe

Reflections

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. -Psalm 27:4

I was recently asked on two different occasions to share my favorite verse. I have a lot of different verses I like but over the past year I have come to love this verse. &I don't think I really realized it was my favorite verse until I was asked to share.

There are so many things that I want in this world. I want more clothes, more time, more of this and that. I want to be more hard working, more gentle, less materialistic, more patient and gracious. I want to be successful, become a mom, a good wife, adopt kids. I want to go on missions, do big things in life, make a difference...&the list is never ending.

Every time I read this verse I'm reminded that there is only one thing that I should desire and truly seek...and that is for that day where I get to come before the Father seated on His throne and be able to just marvel at his beauty. There is nothing in this world that can ever compare with the moment I can come face to face with God and know in my heart that because of His grace, I can spend eternity with Him. Whenever I think about this moment, I am overwhelmed with emotions and I can't help but thank and praise God for His love and mercy.

Missing Eunice Kim :( But nonetheless a fun day spent with Core! Blessed to be able to serve with these brothers and sisters! 😊 Thanks @negxalt ! @mavish498 @lilshortylee (Taken with Instagram)

Happy birthday Corey & Esther! :) @eggsterrr @coreygonzales @naomijchen @negxalt @christineeedarling @arielglee @khouala @jmastaskillz @kimikalani22 @mavish498 @b_hirata @thenewbreed (Taken with Instagram)

Hello Instagram world! :) First pic with these lovely girls <3 @keikiofchrist @jacqueline_ho (Taken with Instagram)

Things I've Been Learning # 5...

I haven't posted in a really long time...life has been extremely stable and God is constant and continues to be so good to me. I even started journaling...it's not consistent but I've never kept a journal that contains the thoughts, feelings, verses, reflections etc. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I haven't been posting those kinds of things here on tumblr. For some reason the following things that I'm about to write are the thoughts that I felt I wanted to share.

For the past three years of my life, I've worked to better improve my walk with God and different aspects of myself. I feel as if I'm finally at a point in my life where I don't feel insecure and I am confident in the woman I've become. & I think it's safe to say that I like who I am right now. I know what I believe in and I try my best to be a reflection of Christ through my strengths and gifts that God has given me. I also know and believe that God has created me and has matured me to be the way that I am. That despite all the things of my past and mistakes, He has molded me and continues to break me and shape me to be the person that I am called to be.

With all of that being said...I'm also feeling a sense of disappointment and defeat. That no matter how hard I strive to be a person who lives and acts in a way that is glorifying to God, I still fall short every single time. I'm experiencing one of those moments where I realize my own sinful nature and how quickly I am to fall into the patterns of being extremely selfish and egocentric. I am reminded of how human I am and how much I hate being this self-absorbed girl.

"For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." -James 3:16-17

I look at this verse and I can't help but think that I am so far from being considerate, submissive, merciful and sincere. I have so much to continue to strive for in becoming the Godly woman that the Bible presents. A woman who is strong and caring, God-fearing and wise. A woman whose virtues and heart reflect the things that God considers to be pleasing and beautiful...a woman who is worth far more than rubies.

Father God, I am so sinful, selfish, and undeserving of your grace. I still can't comprehend how you see me as someone who is worthy and you still choose to call me your Beloved. Tonight I pray for forgiveness. I pray that you forgive me of my selfish ways. I ask that you change my stubborn heart and you help me to constantly pursue you in every situation. I also pray for this wisdom that comes from heaven. It is only by your power and your grace that I can become a woman of who is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, and sincere. I hope that one day I can become a woman and a servant that is pleasing in your sight.

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Study music...I can listen to her for days.

Au Cinéma - Lianne La Havas

I've posted this before...but it deserves another one.

“My feelings are not God. God is God. My feelings do not define truth. God’s word defines truth. My feelings are echoes and responses to what my mind perceives. And sometimes - many times - my feelings are out of sync with the truth. When that happens - and it happens every day in some measure - I try not to bend the truth to justify my imperfect feelings, but rather, I plead with God: Purify my perceptions of your truth and transform my feelings so that they are in sync with the truth.” ― John Piper, Finally Alive

My Dad is the best

So I know I always talk about my parents and how wonderful they are...but my dad is really the best! Love him sososo much!

The other day I sent him an e-mail with information about all the money I have to take from him to pay for school and other retreats, conferences, etc....and I was feeling bad because everything cost so much and so I wrote him a little sentence saying how sorry I am for spending so much money and he replies with this:

Dear Melody: I've got the information. You don't need to be sorry, we will support you as much as we could. Just concentrate on studying hard. We are very proud of you for you are doing very good.

Nobuo Kawahara

Not gonna lie...I read this e-mail on my break at work and I got a little teary! Best part of my day for sure<3

Happy birthday to my amazing Dad :)

Hahaha looking at these throwback pictures makes me laugh. Excuse my inability to smile when I was younger! My dad was a stuuuud.

arielglee

Tuesday, April 24:

I’m finally in! celebratory tacos before class and celebratory Tebo Tebo (for the first time) after class.

melodykawahara

CONGRATULATIONS MAMA ON GETTING INTO THE NURSING PROGRAM!!!

Love hanging out with these girls<3 Always a blessing to be around them and to share life/memories :)

Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. 1 Chronicles 29:13

Things I've Been Learning #4...

This semester has been really good for me academically. I'm currently taking a Child Abuse and Prevention class and it is by far the best class I've taken in my college career. As I'm working on my project this weekend, I feel overwhelmed by the seriousness and complexities of this issue. Whenever I'm in this class or when I get out of lecture, I find myself in deep thought as I try and understand why such horrendous and evil things can happen. I want to learn so much more about child abuse and more importantly about the prevention of child abuse. As I'm reading through multiple articles and looking at case studies my eyes get teary and my heart breaks over and over again. &then I think...what am I supposed to do about all of this?

Being a child development major and all, I'm constantly learning about the family and how crucial a person's childhood is linked with a healthy development of a whole person. I'm reminded everyday in my studies that the family is the fundamental foundation in which the physical, emotional, psychological and cognitive aspects of a person stem from. A dysfunctional family influences a lot of the social problems we see in society today. With that being said, not all people with dysfunctional families become victims of abuse, mental illnesses, poverty, etc. but the link between the issues and the immediate family environment is undeniable.

After learning all of this I am once again reminded of how fortunate and blessed I am. I think about how supportive my parents are of me and how they have given me such a stable lifestyle that is grounded upon Christ. They live their lives with such reverence for the Lord and an amazing servant's heart and have inspired me to do the same...for that I am forever grateful. I cannot thank God enough for being the foundation of my life and for having such wonderful plans for me.

As I continue to educate myself and pursue graduate school and all that good stuff, I am really excited to see where this career is going to take me. I feel as though God is slowly revealing His calling in my life and I am excited to follow and carry out the works He has prepared for me to do :)

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

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