2014 Mixtape

So I meant to write this annual mix tape post last 12-13-14, but again, work and other things ate up my time. That has been my constant excuse in the latter half of the year, but I hope that that will change as the year turns. Since I do not want to break tradition, I told myself I’d write a post during the holiday break, so I wrote some songs in my notebook…

…and found that I actually had a hard time filling up the 14 slots for this year.

It’s not that I had so many songs. It’s really more that I didn’t really have a lot of songs to choose from because I realized that I didn’t listen to so many songs this year because I was so busy. Too busy.

So annoying.

But I still made it, anyway – much thanks to my last.fm account for keeping track of all my music. Then I realized how different this year’s mixtape will be from 2013 and 2012…but it’s okay. It’s the good kind of different. :) I’ve been thinking of putting one together for my father for his birthday. Last year I got him some cool gadgets and he was really happy, CLICK HERE to see where I got them. Still working on his mix tape though, but may post it later this week!

1. Delight by Robin Nievera

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Things could change or rearrange
But I will delight in Your song

I wanted to include this in my half-year soundtrack, but I realized this fits better at the end of the year because the title of the song is my word of the year. :) I heard this during the Jars of Clay concert last year and I liked it a lot, and I listened to it over and over again back then, especially during the hard moments. I realized that I didn’t really listen to this recently, so I played it again as I was writing this and I smiled because yeah, I will delight in Your song. :)

2. Sink My Feet by Jillian Edwards

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I wanna sink my feet down in security
Unmoved by changing tides and
Shadow shifting lines
Then I’d see the stars, see the sun
And I’d see all that has been done

This song, like Audrey Assad’s Good to Me, came at the right time this year. It was the time when I was experiencing several changes in my life, coming from the things that happened in the previous year. There were so many things at this time in this year that was hard that I knew all I had to do was to sink my feet in His grace, because of all that He has done. :) This song still calms me down whenever I hear it.

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All These Things (3): October Edition

Cliche, but let me say this: where did October go?

I realized today that the last time I blogged was when I released my book (ongoing blog tour this week, yay! Also, you can pre-order the print edition here if you’re not fond of ebooks :D), and a lot has happened from then until now that I should write about. I should, and I really want to, but work has been especially draining the past two weeks that I kinda just want to lie down and sleep when I get home.

That, and a lot of new things happened, like:

  • Last international trip for the year – Bangkok and Siem Reap! What a lovely, lovely vacation. I promise to blog about this one weekend this month. :)
  • My sister-in-law gave birth! I have a nephew! ♥ Most of my spare time goes to him (when he’s awake, anyway), so there. Isn’t he a cutie?
    apollorafael
  • Work. Oh wait, that’s not new.

October was a pretty fun month, though, and I’m not complaining. November, on the other hand, seems like it will be busy. Up until February. But…that’s not so new anyway. This kind of busy is good. :)

* * *

But look, it’s NOVEMBER. Last two months of the year! Last week, at our sisters’ household, the question was, What’s something you want to do (this year) that you haven’t done yet?

My short answer: cook a dish. I can bake fine, but I can’t cook. Or I just haven’t tried. Next goal: cook something for Christmas/New Year dinner.

Oh, but when I reviewed the goals I set for 2014, I realized that I have actually fulfilled most of them. Wow. And there’s still two months left! A lot can still happen. :)

My longer answer for that question, in one word: study. Let’s pray about this more.

* * *

To be perfectly honest, though, there’s a lot about the next two months that I feel a bit apprehensive about. Maybe it’s because I already saw a forecast of the first two months of 2015 for work, and the worrywart in me is glad there’s stuff to worry about again. Sigh, not good. But I don’t want to get lost in the busy-ness of the next two months. I don’t want to. I refuse to. Lord, give me the grace to take it slow and to breathe, and – in her words – count the thousand glittery things You’re giving me.

I felt God saying, “This is life, my girl. This is life. You don’t need to be somewhere. You don’t need to hustle. You don’t need to hurry. I just want you to suck this moment in good. You’ve come a long way. A long, long way. Be thankful and keep going. You’re so okay, my dear.”

That’s all God is asking of us at any given moment: To suck in what is what right before us– what He has placed there so intentionally– and then say thank you. Because it’s simple. And it’s true. And it’s a gift we forget to find the gratitude for. And it fills us so much more mightily than the fears and worries we stack inside ourselves when we think this day-to-day is about getting “stuff” done.

* * *

Yes, I’m also one of the many, many people caught up in the Taylor / 1989 mania. Couldn’t help it, really. Shake it Off helps in keeping me sane – shake off all the stress, I say!

Here, have an earworm. ;)

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