Sunday 26 August 2012

Update Update Update

Ok, peeps.  I just studied my blog and decided that I MUST write a product review soon.

That'll be my next commitment.  I will write one next week during labor day weekend...  Which one?  Which one?  Make-up, skin care, etc.  You'll just have to wait and see.

I'm just simmering about what I should write about aside from my life, make-up, music, God...  How about more fashion?  Maybe I'll work on that.  I got some incredible deals from Esprit: $18 for a shirt- yes!

That's it!  But for now, I'll let you listen to some music that I am currently ga-ga over.  Couldn't sleep last night at all because of drinking coffee at 8:00 pm.  Ended up getting out of bed and uploading these on my personal Facebook page.  Enjoy!






Open Mic Cafe August 25, 2012

So, everyone!!  
Work week has officially started and finished off with a bang!
It's been nothing short of magical!

My classroom is so pretty.  My students are so cute and good.  We have a great working relationship.  I so hope, hope, hope that we remain this way.  Hehehe!  :P

This is me: whenever, the school year begins, my social life goes into a coma for the next nine months, only resuscitating during the long weekends and vacations.
Ugh!  I so need to have a better social life!  >.<

Thankfully, this year is starting at a gooooooood note.  *Sighs with deep satisfaction*  Well, as funny as it may sound, it's all because of God.  I think He cares about my social life, too.  Heehee!

Anyway, we put together an Open Mic Cafe to fundraise for next year's mission trip.  That meant music, smoothies, laughs, and friends, friends, friends!  Old friends, new friends packed together in one happy room.  And I was overflowing with gladness in my heart that a bunch of the ones I asked to come came to participate or simply to lounge around.  I'd love to show more photos but I gotta protect my homies and a bunch of my photos are of my homies.  So, I only have three.  Heehee!

It's me...  Nothing new but my sweater, scarf, and headband.
Oh ok, that's a bunch of new things.

Magic was happening in the room with the red window.

The sky was clear and the moon came out to play, too.

I was so blessed during the Open Mic Cafe. I wouldn't say that I am a musician-musician, but I was so joyful to hear and share with those who were overflowing with talent that they were able to bless others. My heart is made glad. My heart is made glad, O Lord. May the whole world be filled with Your glory!

"...And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Father, thank You that You keep on calling me for such times as these...

Sunday 19 August 2012

Poem: "A big fish in a small pond"



A big fish in a small pond
Dared to jump- to take a leap of faith
Now a little fish in a big pond
Amongst bigger ones
Where I do not belong
And you have kept me at arm's length
Never drawing me close to your heart
Not caring whether I drew you close to mine
But you put me through your hurdles and hoops- your circus
That I should be so lucky to be in the presence of greatness
That I should be so lucky that many were called but few were chosen

O clanging gong!
You preach to me
But neither do you see the wounds you cause
Because you have no real love for me

O the Saul to my David!
Amongst friends
Until a spear flies aiming at an already wounded heart
Because you have no real love for me

To make Him smile
To restore the joy of His salvation
If you only understood my heart
You'd have compassion for my passion.

~Written by Ruthee Cee- that is me! ^_^

Image:
Koi pond

Poem: "Your eyes that"


Your eyes that
Speculate
Intimidate
Captivate me
That look at me with affection and amusement
Your eyes where I am lost and have me feeling
So small
So young
So silly
And that maybe you only want someone
So beautiful
So mature
So perfect
And that you'll always only be my friend
And I can accept that:
Your eyes
No, the memories of them,
Are all I will ever have
And I can accept that!
BUT why did God make your eyes so beautiful?

Written by: Ruthee Cee- that is me! ^_^

It Was Not Enough


When God decided to save us, it was not enough that He paid the ultimate price with His life so that we will be saved from the hell that we deserved.  Rather, He also chose to crown us with abundant and eternal life that begins today.  It was not enough that He cleansed us of miry hearts but He also gave us hearts after His own.  It was not enough that He would have us feed from the crumbs that fell from His table but He invited us to feast richly in His presence.  It was not enough to accept His prodigal sons and daughters but He forgave us of all sins and dressed us with fine robes and jewels.  It was not enough that He healed the sick and brokenhearted but He raised us into a strong army already victorious in battle.

This is the saving grace of Christ in which we did not get what we deserved or were given only a taste of mercy but that we are blessed: pressed down, shaken together, and running over in order that we will be forever thankful.
"He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time" (2 Timothy 1:9).

Text:
Inspired by Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
Scripture taken from the New International Version (NIV) from biblegateway.com.

Thursday 16 August 2012

Real Life Sundays, ed. 14

If you asked me what I have been up to, I'll say I've been up to a bunch of things.

I thank God that He has made every day memorable.  Every day of this week has been embedded into my memory.  It's been so sweet and beautiful.  *Sigh*  I'm so happy...  ^_______^

I finished decorating my classroom today and it's ready for them kiddies :)


Hi beautiful sister ^___^

Great Daiso find!  I miss Daiso and Tokyo...



Hehehe... No batteries yet... I always forget ^^;;

After my decorating spree, I had a little shopping spree to congratulate my hard work and celebrate the good things of life ^_____^

Spend $35 and get lotsa freebies from Lancome at Macy's, which was so
opportune because I needed a purple eyeshadow palette ^___^

My new skin care routine ^_^  Including the Genefique eye cream.
♥♥♥
Dear Readers,
  Some of you may have been missing the devotionals that I like to write and has in place been showing you a bunch of superficial things.  I miss writing those devotionals, too, but have been waiting long for proper inspiration and the words to put it all together. 
  But, let me tell you, I think what is so beautiful about my life in Christ is that I don't only get to think about and write inspirational thoughts but I get to live it!  This summer has been so life-changing for me, and believe it or not, I'm experiencing who God is in ways that I've only used to yearn for and His goodness, faithfulness, grace, and love are becoming so real and tangible in my life that all I can be is to be in awestruck thanksgiving to Him.  It is true... so true... that the God who is involved with the workings of the universe and of this world, is the God who is also so involved at a personal level in our lives.
  Because of His love, I can experience the juxtaposition of beauty inside and out!  He makes plans unfold, hearts renewed, and dreams come true!
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Taylor Swift Inspired Look

Ah... summer has gone...

The autumn(?) rains have come...

And classes, which means work for me, will be starting way sooner than I actually want it to.  This summer was very, very good for me...  But alas!  I've got to let it go and bid it adieu forevermore~

Goodbye, beautiful summer 2012, goodbye!
TT___TT

You'll always have a place in my heart!

You'll never be completely gone because my memory holds you!



OK!  Enough with my melodrama.  :D  Let's get down to business.

As the blog title already mentions, this post is actually to showcase my last make-up inspiration project for this summer.  Then... I'm done with it... until the next break, which is Christmas, but I don't want to guarantee anything because I don't want to disappoint.  Hehehe!  ^_^

And since this is my last and most favorite, I will be gabby about it.  Please be patient with me, because I do so love to talk when I do get the itch.  ^^;;



I want to own the look but will keep these staples of Taylor Swift:
Light brows,
Cat eyes,
Fully lined eyes,
Fluffy, dark lashes,
Rosebud-shaped lips

And a favorite of mine, which she has been sporting a lot recently, 
Red, red lips


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I had to reshape my lips because hers are so small
and shapely.  I used MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian
Red and a bit of a gloss because matte lipstick is so
drying.



No, I cannot play guitar
Yes, wet gravel hurt my feet a lot


I'll be corny and caption this with her song:
"And any snide remark from my father about your tattoos will be ignored/
'Cause my heart is yours." ♥♥♥
Photo credits of body shots: my little sister
Photo editing: yours truly

If I could meet a famous living soul, my list includes Taylor Swift.
We'll have lunch, go bowling (I hope she's not way better than me or else I'll feel bad :P), sing songs, and talk about music, movies, unicorns, rainbows, the world, and love, and giggle about how silly boys are and how she'd like to copy how I do my make-up.  Haha!  ^0^

I've used and abused the replay button...  It's so cute!
(And I'm having a problem admitting that I think I am, you know, *blush*, that... never mind...)

And oh yeah!  Just when you think photo shoots are so romantic...  The shoot for this look was quite miserable: the ground was sopping wet and thick with mud, and the gravel hurt my feet.  I had to walk on wooden beams to avoid stepping into the mud but I eventually did.  Hahaha!


That's it!  Until next time! ^____^

Image:

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Twiggy-Gyaru Inspired Look


I think the heavens opened and just kept on pouring out on this side of the world.  I'm just hoping that it would not turn into a typhoon.  Then, that would be scary and dreary.  ☂☂☂  Keep crossing your fingers with me, please. ^_^

It's no fun to go out on such a rainy weather because the roads are flooded.  :(  Guam needs better drainage systems.  But staying in wasn't so bad...  I thought that I wanted to watercolor because I bought a new watercolor pad.  But instead I painted on my face.  Hehehe!

I researched some actresses to inspire me and got stuck on Twiggy!  And further found that she is the predecessor of the Gyaru look.  She deserves plenty of respect for that, I think! 



She has beautifully shaped lips.

Here is my take on the look:  (Brace yourself for a flood of my face.  If you'd rather not, scroll down really fast for the best photo at the end!  Haha!  :D)





My little sis took this.  Heehee!

Dye my hair red and cast me as a model for the
Anne of Green Gables books.  Just joking, ok???

Last but not least!!!!  Where the magic starts!

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MY CANVAS FACE!


Haha!
That's all.
Bye-Bye!

PS: If you are in Manila, please know that so many people are praying for you here.  I hope these rainy days would stop soon...

Image:

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Success!

Yes!

Yes!

YES!!!

I made my first ever Deco!  And boy, I think it turned out well!  I wanted to put a diminutive in front of "well," but no!  I cannot be modest about it because I am totally stoked!
 *Sigh*
I'm so happy I could faint.

Enough with my immodesty.  Just see for yourself my handicraft.  ^_^


Cupcakes for extra かわいい-ness

And Effie nails to boot to make Madame Trinket proud.

Lastly, I'll leave you with this:


This video contains my dream of jamming like this with my friends (who STILL haven't replied to my suggestions!)  Woe to me because I cannot decently play any instruments!  I am at the mercy of uber-talented friends and whether they'd give me the time of day.  TT_TT

Chuuk Mission 2012

The vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean is scattered with many islands.  Although these islands don't immediately catch your attention on a map, we should not overlook them simply because they have people living in them. :)  

I think because of our media culture, we are more familiar with Polynesian islands like Samoa and Tahiti, but not so much with Micronesia.  Unless, you are a diver, then you may have heard about the cool WWII wrecks in the Chuuk lagoon.  So, it's great that you are reading this blog so you can at least have an idea of this side of the world of Oceania.  :)  

There are three main island groups in Oceania: Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia.  Guam is the largest island in the group Micronesia, and about an hour and a half south is Chuuk- one of the four island groups that make up the nation of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).  And that's where I've been for a mission trip!


Every year, the church that I went with goes to Chuuk and we bring along a medical team and children's ministry team (like a Vacation Bible School program) from Bucheon, South Korea.  And last year, we also had a construction team that helped put together a building for one the churches.  

However, this year was slightly different.  At the last minute, the Bucheon team changed their plans and became bound for China instead for their mission.  At first, I felt a little panicked because the team from Bucheon prepare everything: activities for the children, prizes, school supplies, and medicine.  "What are we gonna do without them?????" I thought.  And that's when it struck me!  A little voice in my heart telling me, "Where is your faith?  Is your faith in the Bucheon team or in God?"  Oh!  Tests do reveal what is in the heart!

You never really know miracles until you are involved in mission, even for short-term.  Well, this was the case for me, anyway.  And I saw God at a different level- truths about Him that I've known before became more tangible and practical such as His faithfulness, His sovereignty, His provision, His grace, and how God does work out everything for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Hence, by the grace of God, we had health education seminars, pastors' seminars, and ministries for prayer, cooking (to feed the congregations), and the children.

Here are some photos that I would like to share with you about trip:

The sunrise lighting up the sea and the islands.

The setting sun coming in to paint the sky and sea with its magnificent colors.

Boat rides were necessary to travel from island to island.  Here I am with my
sweet, lovely sister.

The last church we went to, and here I am
cleaning up.

On our last night, my sisters and I had a
face-painting party!  My older sister was our
artist.

Hello, crab!  Come up to play?

God's creation, breathtaking and at its best.  His promises enduring
throughout the entire event.

Chuuk is a beautiful place, where the ocean and the skies are forever meeting.  But the people!  I didn't really want to put pictures of them because I wanted to respect their privacy.  But the people were so kind and accommodating.  Although, we thought we were there to serve and teach them, they instead taught me how valuable it is to have a humble and teachable heart.  And oh their voices!  When they sing, I think even angels would stop and listen.

But although the natural beauty of Chuuk makes you imagine a paradise, please pray for these things for them:
  1. Rampant alcoholism in the islands especially for young adults*
  2. Suicide rates are the highest in FSM*
  3. Poverty and poor sanitation that entails sicknesses and infections
  4. The rise of drug use
  5. The rise of cult religions
  6. The need for long-term missionaries who will help in church growth
I still have so many thoughts about Chuuk, my experiences, and my hopes to go back next year.  I was thoroughly blessed with passionate and dedicated team members whom, although came from different churches, united together to see God glorified in the islands.  To end this blog post that has more text than photos (Hehe!), I would like to quote my friend who is just crazy talented in making impromptu speeches: "God's will was done in Chuuk, whether it was in feeding the people, the message, or painting nails." :)

"Praise be to His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory.  Amen and amen." Psalm 72:19

Text:
*Hezel, Francis. "Alcohol and Drug Use in FSM." Micronesian Seminar. 1997. Web journal. http://www.micsem.org/pubs/articles/alcodrug/alcfsm/frames/alcfsmfr.htm.  
All Scripture taken from the New International Version (NIV) from biblegateway.com.

Image:

Friday 3 August 2012

Real Life Sunday, ed. 13

I was off-island during the weekend.  I want to talk about that briefly but will just do so tomorrow.  I am quite tired now.  I have been on the computer for the whole day already, uploading and editing photos. Although I am ecstatic about everything, summer is finally dwindling quickly and I am realizing it more and more like smacks on the face.  "Smack!"  "Smack!"  And finally, a smack on the heart...


So, please enjoy the following photos that I so diligently edited on my phone when I returned home!  ^_^

James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting
shadows." 


I love taking photos of the dawn.  The lights and the sky dance passionately
during such times.


Esprit shirt on sale is happyness, too, by the way.

Captioned with one of my favorite emo songs, Billy
Joel's "And So It Goes."

This was a sneak peek if you're my Facebook friend.

Lastly, a word of wisdom: there is a big, fat line between friendship and the other threshold.  Don't muddy it up!  Such a weird mess when you do and thus, making you want to play such beautiful, melancholy music like the one below.  Go ahead, enjoy it, too: