HOPEful girl

The Covid pandemic has left this once bustling tourist resort that I live in into a quiet oasis.  I enjoy running  along the lagoon pathways that are now less crowded.  The peaceful beaches and ocean views serve me well as a remote break to my busy work days.     I get to enjoy beautiful sunrises and sunsets.    Doesn’t sound too bad you think? Lucky to live in Hawaii in the pandemic!  Yet, in all this splendor,  I’m left with a feeling that’s something missing.  My sister was supposed to visit this time with her family, but those plans were wiped out by covid.  Oh how I would have loved to spend some time with my sis sharing in all this splendor, hiking, beaching and just catching up.  Guess we’ll have to wait a little longer.  A piece of my heart is still with my family in the mainland and this pandemic makes me feel even more distant.  How can one truly enjoy paradise if they don’t have their loved ones to sha...

It is now time for our Hawaiian word of the day!   Today’s Hawaiian word of the day: Kokua  Kokua is not only and important word, but an important concept in the Hawaiian culture. It is the desire to help, mutual assistance (or pitching in wherever you can), and acts of kindness that don’t require any goodness in return.  It is a concept of selflessness, and mutual interdependence. It is very important for the Hawaiian community to thrive and relate generously to one another.  It is a word I’ve  heard and seen around my work and schools here. I would see a sign that says ‘please Kokua and pick up your trash' or  ‘mahalo for your kokua’ ( thank you for your help and consideration).  In a way, its like being a blessing to others.  Another word, that I hear often, that’s closely related is Kuleana. Kuleana takes it another step further in that it loosely translates to responsibility.   The word kuleana refers to a reciprocal relationship...

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ.  It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-the Jew first, and also the Gentile.   Romans 1:16.  This will mark my 100th blog entry. 100th post!  I can’t believe it! This has caused me to take a pause and reflect on the life of this blog so far.  I was in a very different place when I first started this, 99 posts ago.  I just moved to Hawaii , and wanted to share my  journey and this new chapter in my life. Or to simply share what God is teaching me.  In a way, it was my therapy and it still is.  At that time, I was early in my recovery, just quit drinking, made that conscious decision to turn my life over to the will of God, particularly in my struggles with alcohol.  God used the tools of Celebrate Recovery, the biblical 12 step program to begin the healing.  I learned at the root of my addiction are past hurts, hang ups and characte...

Five years ago, we moved from California to our new home here in Hawaii.  One of the attractions of living here was a slower pace of life.  One of the challenges, though was  being away from our extended family.  I think this is why we’ve adapted to this home isolation/quarantine life pretty well.  It's as if our life has slowed down just a bit more.   The Brunken theater movie marathons continues.  I love how movies can take us anywhere and anything can happen.  So we accomplished our mission of watching all six of the Mission Impossible movies (and trying to forget about that 2nd one).  Our minds were freed watching the Matrix series. We had some close encounters with the Men In Black,  had some fun with the Lego movies.  We just finished time traveling in Back to the Future parts 1-3.  All of these movies not only have their heroes, but their unlikely heroes as well.  I wonder where we will travel to next? ...

I’ve seen this movie before, but my heart still races and my palms get sweaty as I see Tom Cruise scaling the side of high rise building or attempting to board a plane from the outside during take off while barely holding on.  Despite all the planning of their ‘impossible’ mission, the characters find themselves in unforeseen near death predicaments.  Yet, they still have to achieve their mission.   And just when you think all is lost, Ethan Hunt and his team saves the day. Mission accomplished.  This year really isn’t turning out the way I had planned. I was looking forward to a couple of trips this year especially my Christian medical conferences.   Although not officially cancelled,  I think travel is out of the question for most of the year. I was hoping these conferences  would be a time to really connect with God and his purpose for my life, especially as a doctor.   At least, that was the mission.  I’m finding that per...

I hear it often in my profession.  ‘It was a wake up call, doc’.   This usually refers to a dramatic event or change in someone’s health status such as a stroke, heart attack, cancer, or diabetes diagnosis. Something that happens to a person that makes them aware of their own mortality like never before.   Some may call it a cross roads moment causing one to evaluate their life choices. It is at this particular time, a person can panic or they can call it a ‘wake up call’.   In their attempt to make sense of this scary, near death experience, they emerge awakened and ready to change their behavior. They use it to their advantage and start making healthier choices to live a better life.  There are a lot of events that are happening in this world today that some people try to make sense of.   The death of a loved one, death of a celebrity, the corona virus.   Most people panic and run to the grocery store to stock up on toilet paper.  S...

  Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our inequities; the punishment that brought us peace was him, and by his wounds we are healed.  Isaiah 53: 4-5  It was a Tuesday morning that started out like no other, routine for me, up at 5  am.  I venture out half a mile into my run, into the dark abyss of the world still asleep.   The cool air was on my back this Hawaiian winter morning.  I was now just getting  warmed up and my stride became light.  I was feeling hopeful, electronic playlist blasting in my ears, feeling fantastic, thinking, ’Maybe I can run that half marathon after all’. Then suddenly, I see a light flashing out in the horizon,  coming from one of the windows of the high rise ocean side resorts in the distance.  It looked peculiar, I thought as it stood out so muc...