Life

My Creative Beginning

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

I didn’t discover my gift of painting until my early 40’s. As a child, I didn’t enjoy drawing. Reading was my choice of pass time. Art classes at school always stressed me out because I was pretty bad at it compared to my classmates. I didn’t have an aesthetic sense about color either. Let’s just say that my high school friends often commented on my interesting choice of wardrobe. Yet, in spite of these negative experiences, I’ve developed into a painter in the last few years. This past Christmas season, I finally felt confident enough to give away a few paintings as Christmas gifts. My families were pleasantly surprised when they received these presents. However, no one was more surprised than me about my hidden artistic gift.

and the day came quote centered

Continue reading →

Podcast #101 – What I Learned From My Burnout

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

Pod-logo-aqua-square-3000x3000-medium-qtyI burned out at the tender age of 27. Check out some of the invaluable life lessons I learned from that experience.

The 15 Minutes Secret of My Success

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

It’s one of those evenings again. I have some free time, and was excited about catching up with chores around the house. As I glanced around at my surroundings, that familiar sinking feeling came back. Just looking at the piles of dirty dishes in the sink had sucked all of the energy out of me. “What’s the use? The clutter is never going away.” I felt defeated even before I began.

kitchen-322719_1280-pixabay

Continue reading →

Trust & Rest

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

I had a pretty hectic schedule these last few weeks. We patched up an unexpected leaky roof, filed taxes, and celebrated Chinese New Year (which is kind of like Christmas for Chinese families except kids get “lucky money” from relatives instead of gifts from Santa.) Only now can I get back to my normal routine. Feeling drained, I made sure to take things easy the week after the festivities to rest up. Usually, a few free afternoons are all I need to recover and feel rested. However, last night, when our internet had a slight hiccup, I went into full-on panic mode again. The sudden wave of anxiety shocked me. The week of rest I had before didn’t seem to matter much. Emotionally, I felt like I had not rested at all.

StoneStatute-pixabay

Continue reading →

My Journey With Anxiety

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

I wrestle with anxiety often. I’m not sure if it’s an Asian thing, but many of my girlfriends also have similar struggles.  When I was young, when my mom came home late from work, I would jump to the worst scenario possible and couldn’t shake it off.  It’s weird.  I remember having a rather carefree childhood.  Somewhere along the way, this fearful mindset snuck in.

worried-girl-413690_1920-pixabay Continue reading →

Thoughts about 2017

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

The clock just struck midnight, and it is now officially the last day of 2017.  In the past, I took the last days of the year to meditate and think about the future directions.  This year, however, I’m doing something different.  I’ve been thinking about what I’ve learned and how I’ve changed in the last twelve months.

2017B

Continue reading →

Agreeing with God

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

Do you struggle with knowing what and how to pray in the midst of differing cultural values and world views? Sometimes, the shortest prayer is the most effective prayer.

I admit, I have a love / hate relationship with social media.  I refresh my FB feeds constantly. I’m drawn to the latest top search items, the latest “trending” topics.  Boy, it is not good for my emotional well being.

This morning, I found myself at that place again – feeling emotionally overwhelmed, and confused with so many conflicting thoughts shouting through my head.  I wanted to… needed to pray and release some of that inner tension.  In the midst of the chaos, all I could say was “Yes, Lord.”

Yes, Lord. We say yes.

Yes, Lord. We agree with You.

Yes, Lord. You alone are good and just.

Yes, Lord. You alone are righteous and kind.

We agree with You.

I agree with You.

Yes, Lord.

Amen.

Lessons From a Love Story

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

I went to a wedding banquet recently.  The invitation came as a surprise. Our friend, the bride, has been single for over fifteen years.  She was very content with her life. Being a caretaker of an elderly parent and working a fulltime job, dating and marriage was not on the top of her priority list.  Imagine my surprise when she told me she was engaged. They decided to have a private ceremony, and we were introduced to the groom for the first time at the banquet. Knowing my friend, I was very curious to learn more about this man who swept her off her feet in a matter of months. As we all got seated at the banquet, the couple got up to address everyone, and the groom began to tell their story.

coffee-in-heart-cups-and-sweet-yummy-macarons-picjumbo-com Continue reading →

The Changing of Seasons

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

Last week was the fall equinox, which marked the beginning of the fall season. The afternoon sun already started to take on an orange glow. I lived in the Pacific Northwest for a few years, and the seasonal changes there are especially prominent. As soon as October hits, all of the leaves turned into shades of red and started to fall.  There and then I understood why the fall season was aptly named “fall.” The aroma of apple cider and cinnamon filled the air. Pumpkins appeared on every porch. I loved how the seasons were so clearly defined. It gave me a clear message that summer was over. It’s time to enjoy the apple harvest and get ready for winter.

Similarly, we also have seasons in our spiritual lives. There are “spring” seasons where new relationships and opportunities blossom.  There are “winter” seasons where all outward growths seem to stop. However, even though we are very familiar with seasonal changes in the natural, most of us are not aware of how to adapt to the seasonal changes in the spiritual.

Leaves.Victor.Hanacek

Photo by picjumbo.com

Continue reading →

Thoughts on Grief & Loss

/ Mzchele / Leave a comment

Recently, a relative passed away. He lived a long life, over 100 years old. Yet, when I went to his service, it still felt bittersweet. He wasn’t a close relative. Nevertheless, there’s something about a person’s passing that is sobering since it heightens one’s sense of mortality. Perhaps I knew the family too well, I ended up paying very close attention to my grieving friends more than the service itself.  The dead was at peace, but the living was not.

flower-1792576_1920

Continue reading →