Photos of CDU ESL Center♥ With Our STudents (Aug. 6, 2012)

 Nate, ME and Steve, our new Japanese student

 With Nate (Insu Ahn)

 Chan..he doesn't like to take pictures of us because he hasn't had a shower

One Page At A Time

I have the bad habit of skipping to the last pages of a book to see how it ends while I am still in the middle of it. This habit annoyed first my cousins (because we have the same hobby, reading), then my friends, and finally even my own boyfriend. Often my impatience wouldn’t be confined just to the books I read but also to what they were reading as well. Finally one day my boyfriend told me in exasperation, "Shy please just read a book one page at a time like everyone else!"

At times I haven’t limited this bad habit to just books either. I have also tried to skip ahead in my own life and figure out what to do months and even years from now instead of embracing each day as God intended. I knew that the book of my life wasn’t done yet and that I had many pages left to go. Still, that didn’t stop me from trying to write the ending half-way through. Time and again, I would foolishly jump ahead and try to solve every conceivable problem before it happened so I could reach that storybook happily ever after ending. Life, however, doesn’t work like that. God loves to surprise us, and you never know what new problem, change, or opportunity each new day will bring.

God in His loving wisdom has often had to remind me to relax, slow down and find His love and joy in each day. Recently when I found myself returning to that bad habit of rushing ahead and living in the future again, I found His truth coming from the lips of a special soul who gently told me I needed to "live one day at a time." When I heard those words I smiled, turned the book of my life back to the right page, and thanked God for today.

There is no skipping ahead in the book of life. Each of us has to live it one page and one day at a time. Each of us has to have faith in God to help us to write it line by line and moment by moment. Each of us has to trust that our Heavenly Father will bring our story to its perfect end. 

America National Anthem

United States of America

The Star Spangled Banner

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In fully glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution!
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust":
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

With Justin (Min Woong Kim)

Thanks for the talk..I really appreciate sharing your time with me.

Bonding Time with Nate, Hensley and I♥

How To Stand Out In A Crowd

Ditch your wallflower tendencies and learn how to make a great impression

By Pierra Calasanz-Labrador for Yahoo! Southeast Asia
Ever wonder how some people just naturally stand out in a crowd and leave a great lasting impression wherever they go? Shed your own wallflower tendencies with these quick tips!
Please reply!
First things first. When invited to attend a party, event or job interview, make sure you get all the details, and RSVP (translation: please reply!). No matter how casual the get-together is, it's common courtesy to inform the host or the one organizing the gimik whether you'll be attending or not—don't just flake out! When appropriate, it's also nice to bring a little something, like chips for a slumber party, or flowers or dessert to a formal dinner at someone's home. Lovely manners go a long way.
Dress to impress
Catch people's attention from the get-go by making a fab style statement. For a party, find out what the dress code is, then kick it up a notch. For example, if everyone is planning to wear black cocktail dresses to a school dance, dare to wear the color of the season, or add an eye-catching accessory. Pick a style that tastefully highlights your assets (stress on the 'tastefully'—always be a class act).
Most importantly, you must feel comfortable in your attire to carry it off with a confident vibe. If you're constantly tugging at your super short skirt, pulling up your falling bra strap, or teetering like a malfunctioning robot in your too-high heels, it totally ruins the stylish effect. (About those heels: practice at home if you really want to wear them, so you can stride into the party with graceful confidence!)
Going to a job interview? Your intention is to make a good, professional impression, not look like a fashion plate (unless you're actually applying at a fashion magazine). Dress appropriately; don a smart, sophisticated outfit and make sure you're impeccably-groomed (neat hair, face not overly made up, no wrinkles on your clothes).
Meeting the parents? A simple and classic look is usually the best way to go, so replace those shorty-shorts with a sweet skirt that tells your boyfriend's folks that you're a keeper.
Look like your natural self
Most guys complain that their pet peeve is too much makeup. Your secret weapon? The 'no-makeup' look! The key is to have great skin to begin with; be religious about your cleanse-tone-moisturize beauty routine, and don't forget the SPF. Then, perfect the art of enhancing your features without looking like you piled on the products, so you still look like your natural self, only better.
Evening get-togethers are your chance to shine—literally. You could dust shimmering face powder in places that catch the light, like your collarbone—but be careful not to look like you bathed in glitter! Or you can pick a signature scent that's alluring but not overpowering, and will remind people of you whenever they catch a whiff of it.
Making conversation
Just graduated and going on a job interview, do your research and come prepared. Familiarize yourself with their company, what the job entails, and why you are a good fit. Be bright, courteous, and confident when answering questions; be articulate, but not overly chatty. (You should also be mindful of your actions, even in the waiting room—receptionists often double as the boss's spies!)
For social situations, keeping up-to-date in current events and pop culture always comes in handy. When you have a wide variety of interests, you'll find that conversation comes easily. Try to make a connection; see what you have in common (Schools? Courses? Clubs? Celebrity crushes?), and take it from there. Contribute to the conversation, but don't monopolize it; be interesting AND interested.
You know how some people have that magical ability of making you feel like you're the only person in the room, even if you only speak for minutes? Do the same by simply maintaining eye contact, focusing on your subject, instead of constantly scanning the room and looking like you want to be somewhere else. That being said, remember it's a party not a date, so remember to circulate!
Leaving a lasting impression
When we randomly interviewed people on what gets their attention, the consistent top answer was 'confidence.' If you believe you're special, it's easier for others to believe it, too. When you're self-assured and confident, you radiate effortless charm and positive energy, and people just naturally gravitate towards you. It's the law of attraction!
Aside from being confident, it's important to be genuine. People can spot a fake a mile away, so be genuinely interested and kind. More than dazzling them with your wit or talent or style, it's when you make people feel good around you that leaves a truly great impression.

Leighton Meester

She is really pretty inside and out. No wonder she is really stunning..