2011 Cypress Creek Prom!

Man, it has been quite some time since I've ACTUALLY picked up my camera. Don't get me wrong, I've taken pictures here and there over the past month or so, but between school and other priorities, I haven't had the chance to REALLY pick up my camera and shoot. So before I go into what needs to be said, I just felt like I should give a small update on my life....

This past month has been both stressful and relaxing. At the beginning of May, I was swarmed with testing from AP Chemistry to IB Chemistry to AP English, I was "studying" for my exams. While all of my exams are done, this calls for movie marathons/ periods of doing nothing for the rest of the year in three of my classes. In other news, I'm proud to say that I'm getting ready to go back to Ecuador from August 1-6 and I am DEFINITELY excited (stay tuned for more info). To save you from the boredom, here we go!

If you remember, back in September of 2010, I took homecoming photographs for many of my senior friends. This time around, it was prom! I had the AWESOME opportunity of getting close with many of the seniors and I can honestly and proudly admit that I will miss many of them next year. NOT TO SINGLE ANYONE OUT, but if I can, give a small shout out to a couple of the seniors that helped make my junior year a little less hostile.

• Tina Thomas: I don't even know what to say. I can't imagine walking past Hennigan's room without seeing you!!!!! I'm DEFINITELY going to miss you....
• Narmeen Mandani: My jerkk.... who's going hug me everyday next year?! Enjoy FSU and come visit OFTEN!!!!!!!!
• Nisha Desei: The over-achieiving, event planning, beast, I don't even know what to say except for the fact that you still owe me a plate of samosas!!!!
• Rafael Mai: My man.. hahaha. Have fun up at UF and lets ball up there huh?
• Elisabeth Longo: I've known you since my freshman year and while we've been close then far then close again, you made my freshman, sophomore, and junior year worth it. I'm going to miss you so much.
• Joseph Kim: "My cousin," I love you man! Take care up in Illinois and come visit often man. Cypress would have definitely sucked without you!!!

Although I'm leaving out A LOT of people, since many people are looking for the pictures not the notes, I must stop there. Seniors, I may not have been super close with you or "cool" enough for you guys, but as corny as this is, I will miss many of you. Enjoy college, have fun, do your thing, and be sure to visit often!!!! Best of luck to you guys!!!!

P.S

I know I'll be seeing you guys at graduation and what not but I figured, why not give a shout out now when I have the chance. Hope I'm not sounding too.... "yearbook-ish."

***For those of you wanting the photos for Facebook, before you ask, they will be up Tuesday.***

80 lbs of Chicken

This past Sunday, April 24, 2011, members of Harvest witnessed a miracle. Two to three times a year, we at Harvest get to witness believers publicly professing their faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. For those who have been following for the past couple months, you may remember the day back in October when I publicly professed my faith in Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior. This past Sunday, we witnessed the baptism of Min "Mimi" Jang and the confirmation of Daniel J. Kim. Following the baptism and confirmation, adults of Harvest headed out to Dr. Philips Park to have an easter picnic. The kids had an easter egg hunt and the adults, well we managed to eat 80 lbs of chicken along with grilled vegetables, corn, and other delicious foods. Sunday was definitely a true day of blessings and fellowship. Enjoy the photographs!

At the bottom, we have, from left to right, 

Pastor DL, Daniel J. Kim (Confirmation), Min "Mimi" Jang (Baptism), and Pastor Albert Young.

CCHS Baseball Senior Banquet

Not so much a banquet, but a small ceremony meant to honor the baseball players on the CCHS baseball players. Much like the girl's lacrosse team's senior night, the seniors were to walk on the field with their parents, take a picture, and line up for some photos. Despite the rumors of CCHS's horrible athletic talent, our boy's baseball team is one sport that we can take pride in. The boy this year have done extremely, beating some of the top teams in Orange County. Props to the team and to the seniors! So without further ado, enjoy...

CCHS Lacrosse Senior Night

Last Friday, April 15, 2011, was our girls' lacrosse team's last home game and senior night. While the meaning of "last home game" is pretty self explanatory, the point of senior night is to honor the seniors on the team who would be leaving for college in a matter of months. It was definitely fun watching our CCHS ladies playing the sport that they love along with honoring the teammates that they love. It truly was an awesome game for me to decide to go to. I had yet to go to a lacrosse game so after a couple of my friends consistently asked me to attend, I decided to skip my National Honor Society Induction Ceremony and go to their game; I made the right decision. While I don't have much more to say, before I bore you to death beyond the extent that I already have, enjoy!

Here are the seniors (left to right)

Top Row: Ana Stolic, Amanda Horne, Lauren Zuromski

Middle Row: Priscilla Londono, Murphy Donohue, Elisabeth Longo

Bottom Row: Leila Aoun, Lacrosse team w/coaches

Take Your Vitamins!!!

A couple years back, members of Harvest decided to organize a youth rally called the Vitamin Jesus Rally (VJ Rally). VJ Rally was created to bring together youth students and adults from various churches around Orlando regardless of their ethnicity, religious background, church, etc. The last time we had a VJ Rally was back in 2007 I believe and after years of not having one, our Student Leadership Team decided to organize one for the year of 2011.

From a personal standpoint, I personally didn't know what to expect. It had been a while since we did something like this, I felt like I was incompetent in planning an event such as this, and planning the event itself was relatively easy. Being the OCD person that I tend to be in situations such as these, I felt that because it was so easy to plan, something vital was missing; God proved me wrong.

As the day got near, I urged our SLT to pray for the following things...

• God's provision and manifestation throughout the rally
• For God to humble our hearts and everyone else's hearts that we may realize how much we need Him
• That we would focus not on how epic this year's VJ Rally is, but that we would focus on leading those who are attending into worship
• That God would speak to Pastor Chung and really place in P. Chung's heart a message that we need to hear. If you remember, Pastor Sam from this past retreat believed that if his sermon wasn't for everyone in the room, his sermon was AT LEAST one person. The first night, I felt like I was one of those people that his sermon was for and Pastor Sam told me that that means God really loves me. To take up 40 min and to place a SPECIFIC sermon in P. Sam's heart that was meant JUST FOR ME... make sense? Good. So let's pray that P. Chung would be nothing else but a mouthpiece for what God has to say FOR US.
• God's provision and use of the Drama Gators to minister to us and the other attendees
• Open hearts in the attendees that they would let down their guard and really let God work in their lives.

And of course, just as He promises us, God was and is faithful. I was expecting around 80 attendees but by God's grace and provision, we had 120 attendees. The night was an amazing night of never-ending blessings and witnessing of God's unconditional love, grace, and mercy upon HIS children. 

Thanks you to the mothers who helped prepare food, Drama Gators for acting out AWESOME skits and dances, Albert Kang for leading us in sweet, sweet times of praise, P. Chung for delivering an AWESOME message, SLT for planning and helping out in all the numerous ways that you did, and God, for being the God that You promised us. A God characterized by love, compassion, comfort, grace, mercy, awesomeness, patience, kindness, etc. I cannot wait for next years VJ Rally. Until then, enjoy the pictures and the slideshow at the end which includes some footage of the Drama Gators.