Hello, friend!
I know. We just embraced a new year, and again, we are in that season when billions of people around the world think of new ways to better themselves over the next 365 days.
As you can see, getting back to writing blogs is definitely on my list. It’s been a while.
What’s frustrating about this routine is how many of us would be so fired up at the beginning of a year-long commitment, but due to the undisputed cycle of human forgetfulness, busyness of life, and loss of dedication, we would end up putting down the hammer and chisel and not finishing the goal we diligently sculpted for the first half of the year. It’s a busted reality.
“What are your personal goals for 2023?”
“What are you looking forward to doing?”
I asked my nieces, who arrived from Montreal to spend Christmas and New Year with my brother and me. They were caught off guard by the question’s spontaneity. They tried to ponder for answers, but they struggled to say a word.
It was New Year’s Eve, and we were on our way to Downtown LA to visit the Last Bookstore. The rain was pouring hard, but I kind of liked it. I loved the fire it ignited in my artistry. It’s my conducive weather.
Still trying to keep the conversation going, I asked them again to describe, in one word, what they wanted to do. The older one began talking about her upcoming wedding, while the other shared her plan to start a small business. Marriage and business both sounded positively risky and life-changing to me. And I could not have imagined them saying those words when we were playing as kids back in the Philippines.
Time has flown. They have grown.
As their uncle, with a relatively short age gap, I was reminded of the bold decisions I made at their age. I left the comfort of my home, started traveling and living abroad at twenty-one. But behind all those adventures, God was there the whole time, guiding my direction, protecting me, and leading me to the people who impacted my life.
It’s hard to sum up my desire for the next twelve months in one word, but the one sure thing I want to do is to create. To be more productive than I have ever been.
God has been gracious to me over the past years. He faithfully provided for my needs and expanded my resources. But I feel like I haven’t done justice to His provision. I don’t want my days to pass and be less productive. I’m sure God doesn’t want that either.
I’m motivated to write this down as a personal note and a friendly reminder to many of us who need more encouragement to use our skills and talents for the Lord.
“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)
On that New Year’s Eve, I found no better way to kick-start this plan than to soak up creative inspiration at an art exhibit in a historic library.
When the owner, Josh Spencer, founded the bookstore in 2005, he thought the business would fail because of the declining interest and popularity in the book industry—hence the name “The Last Bookstore.” But years passed, and what was once a tiny loft grew bigger than he imagined.
It became a haven for creative souls and exploring minds.
It’s always inspiring to see people who discovered their voice through art and spoke candidly about the world around them.
Some seemed strange, and some even stranger.
As a child of the Creator, creating should not come as a mere option but an opportunity to grow. As this year progresses, may we learn to use the time, blessings, and gifts God has given us.
It doesn’t matter if you feel like you started the year with a bad stroke. Life is a masterpiece in its own right. Every color and element in our painting, good or bad, completes the symphony of our existence.
Keep creating while you can. Because we never know; today may be our last.
The Last Bookstore is located at 453 S Spring St – Ground Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013.
They are open every day from 11AM to 8PM except Christmas and Thanksgiving.
