Happy thanksgiving :)

Thanksgiving Day

I really love this holiday and I wish we had it in singapore and all over the world. A day to give thanks? Why not. Everything about it is just so wonderful! And every year has been a different experience for me. From freshman year with sung ah, cartoon and faith's family in Indiana, to sophomore year with cartoon and her friends in Chicago, to junior year with hannah and katie in North Carolina (cooking our own turkey, sweet potatoes and stuffing), to senior year with faith and a bunch of strangers at a church member's house in Los Angeles :)

So we were a little apprehensive going to a stranger's house, having thanksgiving meal with a bunch of people we've never met before... but i'm so glad we went. it was a TON of fun, and it was like a breath of fresh air, so nice to be away from LAFSC and all the 'jesus-haters.' ok, so i was exaggerating, my classmates don't hate jesus, but sometimes it feels that way. how they act, the words (especially swear words) they say, the crap they feed into their minds... honestly, i don't see jesus in them. so it's been a little depressing, seeing them all claim to be jesus-followers and cursing as much as the next person.

Anyway, back to thanksgiving, everyone was SO AWESOME and so nice and friendly and welcoming, and i totally felt at home. the house was in Hollywood, and it was BEAUTIFUL, filled with comfy couches, a quaint fireplace, a gorgeous dining room... and they just moved in 2 weeks ago. it was insane. really thank God for such wonderful people that open up their house and their hearts for people like me with nowhere to go. there were a ton of people there too, about 30, and i loved meeting them and hearing their stories.

One girl came all the way from Texas about 2 months ago, she's 17, and she's here because she believes God wants her here to minister to the poor and the homeless. i was totally blown away. she doesn't even have a place to stay, and she was so passionate about God and on fire for her ministry. i definitely felt a prick of shame and a huge amount of respect for her courage and strength.
And another woman moved to LA to be a screenwriter... she's currently homeless as well, but she knows for sure this is where God wants her, and she's going to stick it out until her films get noticed. i was like... i can't imagine doing that.

But it was so awesome meeting new people and getting out of the LAFSC group. i mean, i like the people here and all, but it was a nice change.
And the food was WONDERFUL. i ate till i was stuffed. turkey, stuffing, broccoli casserole (sounds gross, but it's SO GOOD!), sweet potato casserole (my fav), salads, rolls, cheeses, tiramisu, cheesecake, pumpkin pie... oh so good :)

And we went around our table giving thanks for things in our lives, and i thanked God for family, friends and being at LA (instead of indiana). haha.

Talking about food, we tried Ethiopian food yesterday, and oh my gosh, it was delicious. it was kind of like indian, but BETTER! you eat with your hands, and there's this pancake thingy that you take and wrap around curry/meat/some kind of sauce, and you pop it into your mouth, and it's the best thing ever. haha. and we talked to our Resident Director and her husband... seriously, they are the NICEST people in the program. so sweet and wonderful, unlike most of the other professors here who come across as fake and insincere. i think they've all gotten sucked into the whole Hollywood culture, which is kinda sad, and i hope never to be as jaded and cynical about Jesus as they are.

BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING TOMORROW!!! DEALS GALORE!!!!