enlightments

since i havent been writing for a long time. I am just gonna jump to what happens pretty recent. and my telling will be kinda dry i guess, since it's been a while anyways.
so ...my three enlightments.
During my roadtrip to Texas, we visited Lakewood Church, which is a mega church in Texas. what awesome is that tho it's a huge church, it was all packed with people during services. In this church, you can find Christians, non-believers, Muslims, Buddhism etc. almost any type of people. How cool it is! Joel Osteen, the pastor, absolutely did a good job in preaching to those people.Joel Osteen's teaching is very different, their worship is very ....rock.lol. the day we went to was the first service after New Years. the Pastor was talking about wear your blessings well. and he even burst in to tears when preaching. and I am very glad to hear the teaching. Later after the service, i purchased the book: It's your time written by this guy, and started reading immediately on our way heading back to Iowa. and IT'S A BOOK THAT CAME RIGHT ON TIME. hmmmmm...the first night in Houston, Kumudan was telling me about the three month living in Houston. He said he initially wanted to find a job around Ames so he could be closer to us, but things werent turning out very well. " I have been here for 5 years, i cant just drop everything like that." He had made so many friends here that he was afraid he wouldn't be able to do it again. BUT that night, he told me, if he was given a chance, he would do all this over again. It was such a curvy winding path, that you never see what each choice leads to. But, he made it through, and is already making new friends. I am very happy for him. In the book, it says, keep pushing, keep praying, dont fall back. You are closer than you think you are.Enemies fight the hardest, when you are about to win. You should believe your time is coming. I guess, Kumudan will be an example that made through the battle. Compare to me, I am looking for an internship, but no good news yet. I believe god gave me this book tell me to keep working, keep pushing, keep making myself better. 
I knew I always wanted to sponsor kids. The fact that the amount of money my parents spent on me can probably raise 20 normal kids in Shanghai, or hundreds in rural areas really makes me wanting to do something for kids in true poverty. I believe that it is a seed that God put in my heart. However, for a while, i had been wondering a way. Helping out in orphanages and shelters is a way, adopting is away(oh for sure, i want to adopt after i have my own family).I thought of waiting till i have job then to sponsor kids, but then I realized maybe i should just save money for them, instead of waiting. The Seed that god put in my heart should prosper. So yeah, now i have a 9 year old girl from Philippine. Her name is Odie. She is a very good kid, and likes drawing. She wants to be a nurse later. That's so far all I know about her, and will try writing letters and send some stuff to her later.
The third enlightenment is about David Block, the professor that is going to retire after this semester. I always had the view that no building is  really sustainable. Build Architecture that is worth existing is probably more sustainable than...common ideas of " sustainability". I think there's so many details you can design to make a building sustainable ..like...recycling, recycled materials, shading, light shelf etc. Some times, the high technology that got put in the building..is almost design for the sake of "sustainability". oh well...and the first day class in David Block class. He said, architecture should be beautiful. you guys will be graded on how beautiful your design is rather than how sustainable it is! wooohooo!!! That's what i am talking about!! Besides, he gave some good points on what architects should be doing: changing people's life: change their life when they touch it. we should help client realize their dream, and thru which we realize ours. And design should be a happy thing, dont make it too hard. Really good points!