Week of 12/1/2015

"December" by Collective Soul, off of their 1995 self-titled album

December clouds are now covering me
December songs no longer I sing~ 💙

Week of 12/6/2015

"Do What U Want" by Lady Gaga feat. Christina Aguilera, released as a single in 2013

I would fall apart if you break my heart
So just take my body and don't stop the party~ 💙

I haven't been addicted to a Gaga song since "LoveGame". This song is my new obsession. That beat is INFECTIOUS.

Retrospective Note 2022: Just wait til Chromatica comes out and you end up addicted to the ENTIRETY of that record. Past Jason ain't READY.

Week of 12/13/2015

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon & Yoko Ono, released as a single in 1971

And so Happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight...

Retrospective Note 2019: I remember my Dad really hating this song for what it represents, and I never understood why. I knew he despised the hippy movement. I knew he despised John Lennon. But this? A song about uniting and choosing to love instead of hate? The very thing that Jesus represents? I used to skip over this song with his thoughts of it looming over my head. For some reason I felt “guilty” for listening to it (even Celine Dion’s take of the song). I’m so glad I can finally listen to this with no regrets~ 💙

Week of 12/27/2015

"A New Day Has Come" [Radio Remix] by Céline Dion, off of her 2002 album, "A New Day Has Come"

Where it was dark now there's light
Where there was pain now there's joy~ 💙

Welcoming the new year with a smile, 2015 was heavy for so many. There were countless wars, devastation of homes, & loss of loved ones, but 2016 is the year of love after all, and love can conquer all the pain. Let the rain wash away your tears, and shatter the walls for a new sun, for a new day has come! Happy new year dear friends! Have peace, keep the faith, and let love in.

Retrospective Note 2019: What a dark, yet enlightening year this was, and it wouldn’t be the last. 2015 in biblical numerology (as cool as it is, take it with a grain of salt) means perfect (20) rest (15). At a first glance, especially while I was in it, it was hard to understand why the word “rest” makes sense for all that we had gone through, but alas, it’s not that hard to decipher. My father was in constant pain, and now he’s home. He’s at rest. Me and my family suffered along side him, and suffered further more after his passing, but God blessed us with so many moments within that year that showered us with His peace and love, and so, we found rest. For me, I was in an insecure place in terms of what I wanted to do with my life, and also too, feeling immense pressure from the jobs I was working at.

I don’t think I mentioned this in any previous entries, but after leaving the Netflix job, a month later I learned that my church was needing someone to help clean the building. I had been praying for an opportunity to work at the church months prior, and so without hesitation, I took the job. At the time at least, it was perfect. I had the whole building to myself at night. I’d clean the building through the night, and had so much time to just focus on God. It was like a home away from home, and through all the stuff I dealt with at jobs prior, I finally felt peace at work. I never knew what that was like. I found rest. At work no less!

Rest. It was almost like God was telling me to stop, slow down, and focus on what was really important in life. To look inward, and rediscover my gifts. I rekindled my passions for art and anime. I finally joined a dance group, which was something I always wanted to do, for in the past, I was worried I’d be judged by friends and family alike. I found a job I loved doing, and most importantly, I grew closer to my family.