Daniel was not in office for couple days, thought he went away on some business trip... it turned out, he had an bike accident!!! So he wasn't able to even to drive to work... he's okay now, but that's pretty scary... he say he almost got ran over by a car after he slipped!!! The new born baby could've been born without a father!!! OMG!!! How sad is that?!?!?
Okay, yeah, Dan can be a bit dramatic..., but still, today I end up having lunch with him... he's actually limping and having a hard time going up and down the stairs! Hope he recovers quickly. Alta surely doesn't want to have to end up taking care of the baby and then another big fat handicapped baby at home... ;)
Anyway, today, that song we sang during prayer meeting kept on getting stucked in my head... the very chinesey "Ye-he-hwa is love" song. Brother GD talked about how we should have a child-like heart... If we're truly born again, we're suppose to have a child-like heart... and looping... or doing things over and over again is one quality of being a child... so I suppose me hearing that song over and over again is good? ;)
Kids are honest, pure, forgiveful, compassionate, and passionate(that's probably why they like to do things over and over again!) Few things in this world can generate interests for me... only those few things I'm truly interested can give me to motivation to do it again and again... I wish I can be more like a child so that I may look at the whole world and can still be like a child and go WOW!!!
Of course God wanting us to be like children isn't the same as being childish. God also does want us to grow up and be mature too. Just that we should have the attitude of a child. It's just so easy to lose that attitude after the world continue to wear it down. After we have fallen off of a bike hard... will we ride bikes again? Or would we just give up on it completely?
May God help us continue on to try again with the child-like heart, but of course may our painful experiences give us wisdom to not to make the same mistake again...
1 Timothy 1 (NLV)
14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
(1 Timothy 1-3; Titus 2)
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Jason Upton - Into The Sky
Haven't visited Facebook for a while... partly due to my work browser acting weird at times... another part is my lack of 'friends'... so I can't unlock a bunch of stuffs in it... >:( Of course the main reason is my lack of time...
Anyway, there's this Dr Phil quiz that needs only 10 friends to unlock results... and I just happen to have 10 friends now... so I got all excited, but then the stupid quiz doesn't seem all that accurate... Lame!!! :p
However, this video George posted is just so cool. Thanks George! For helping me worship and pray and listen to an interesting story!
Wife probably doesn't like the part that goes 'round and around and around...', I personally can appreciate the opportunity to do over again and again to get better. Every lap around the track is an unique experience. How can we make it slightly better each time around?
Jason also sang about asking Jesus to come down to the ground to play with us! ;) Theology is indeed boring..., how can we make it interesting and come alive?
Only by the power of His Spirit. Only then can we fly up into the sky to meet our Lord! Yes Lord, help us receive your love, joy, peace... and all the goodies you have from up above even while we're down on the ground!
1 Peter 1 (NLT)
5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Audacity of Hope
I'm beginning to try to change my 'reading' habit, other than the Bible or the stuffs I'm real interested in, I rarely read. So as encouraged by the wife, I picked up a few books. I'm starting out with Obama's 'Audacity of Hope'.
Obama has lost focus in his life once. His wife thought he has lost his sense of priority so she didn't really want him in public office anymore. He has even been crushed badly by losing an election. After regrouping refocusing on what's important, he's still hopeful with his message of hope in the cynical world of politics. He asked his wife for one last chance to give his politcal career a shot...and afterwards, he'll just resume a 'normal' life.
His campaigne wasn't easy. He had numerous oppositions... and with popular incumbents and millionaire candidates with loads of money. Not sure where he found the 'hope'. Perhaps it was his last chance as promised to his wife? In the end, he won the US Senate office. Some see it as fluke, because lots of scandals caused many of the popular candidates to drop out. Obama thought it was his message of hope... and the fact that he's running for president now perhaps confirmed that he's right! How lucky can a person be? To be elected senator in 2004 and then to run for president in 2008?!?!? ;)
Mathematicians or anyone with some sort of a brain can figure out the risks involved in doing something. Low risk means high chance of success, but success is still not guaranteed. High risk means low chance of success, and again failure is not guaranteed. Should we live our lives by calculating risks... or should we live our lives by hoping?
It's difficult to conclude for certain which is right. We can't really blame people for not wanting to do high risk things. If it has a good chance to fail, why bother? We most definitely shouldn't just deny that reality and 'hope' for the best. But we can certainly slowly and hopefully move in that direction.
When I was young, I hoped to achieve 4.0 GPA. I hoped to win drawing competitions. I hoped to win swimming competitions. I hoped to win scholarship to Art Center! I hoped to be the first Chinese world champion F-1 driver!!! ;)
Well, I did win some swimming competitions against high schools that don't have very good swimmers. ;) Other than that, all of my hopes above were crushed.
However, some of my hopes came true. I remembered that I hoped I could come and live in America so I can goto Disneyland and stuffs... that was back in elementry... and some of my classmates were planning to immigrate there... and the process takes years. I knew chances of me ever moving to America is slim, but I hoped for it nonetheless.
After I'm in America, when I'm in high school, getting ready for a license, I hoped to be able to have a brown VW Rabbit convertible. Of course it's not affordable for my parents, we only owned a Corolla back then..., but then eventually I did get a gold Civic... in all honesty, I think it's much better and reliable than VW. And who thought I'd actually end up getting an S2000? For sure that's a much better convertible than the Rabbit! ;)
Seeing that most of my relatives and friends live in their own home. I also hoped I could live in a nice house with mom and dad... instead of just renting at lame pathetic places or just apartments..., but knowing my parent's income level, I know that's an impossibility. But I hoped for that nonetheless. And amazingly, we were able to afford a home when the market is rock bottom!!!
I didn't even know God back then. But to me, it's so absolutely true that God prepares for me things that's better than I've seen, heard or thought of. In instances where God say 'no' to my hopes, I can see that it's probably good for me. If I had good grades all the time, I'd probably end up too proud. If I actually end up as an design artist, how will that alter my lifestyle? If I actually became an F-1 driver, I'd probably be dead by now! ;)
If God is willing to even give His Son for us, why else would He hold things back from us that's good for us?
Today's scripture reading is about Paul's talk of spiritual growth. In it, Paul talked about rejoicing always... about putting away non-holy living practices... about shining as stars in this dark world:
Philippians 2
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.(NIV)
Unfortunately, the chinese translation doesn't have 'stars', otherwise it'd be a good fit with Howards new song! ;)
Obama has lost focus in his life once. His wife thought he has lost his sense of priority so she didn't really want him in public office anymore. He has even been crushed badly by losing an election. After regrouping refocusing on what's important, he's still hopeful with his message of hope in the cynical world of politics. He asked his wife for one last chance to give his politcal career a shot...and afterwards, he'll just resume a 'normal' life.
His campaigne wasn't easy. He had numerous oppositions... and with popular incumbents and millionaire candidates with loads of money. Not sure where he found the 'hope'. Perhaps it was his last chance as promised to his wife? In the end, he won the US Senate office. Some see it as fluke, because lots of scandals caused many of the popular candidates to drop out. Obama thought it was his message of hope... and the fact that he's running for president now perhaps confirmed that he's right! How lucky can a person be? To be elected senator in 2004 and then to run for president in 2008?!?!? ;)
Mathematicians or anyone with some sort of a brain can figure out the risks involved in doing something. Low risk means high chance of success, but success is still not guaranteed. High risk means low chance of success, and again failure is not guaranteed. Should we live our lives by calculating risks... or should we live our lives by hoping?
It's difficult to conclude for certain which is right. We can't really blame people for not wanting to do high risk things. If it has a good chance to fail, why bother? We most definitely shouldn't just deny that reality and 'hope' for the best. But we can certainly slowly and hopefully move in that direction.
When I was young, I hoped to achieve 4.0 GPA. I hoped to win drawing competitions. I hoped to win swimming competitions. I hoped to win scholarship to Art Center! I hoped to be the first Chinese world champion F-1 driver!!! ;)
Well, I did win some swimming competitions against high schools that don't have very good swimmers. ;) Other than that, all of my hopes above were crushed.
However, some of my hopes came true. I remembered that I hoped I could come and live in America so I can goto Disneyland and stuffs... that was back in elementry... and some of my classmates were planning to immigrate there... and the process takes years. I knew chances of me ever moving to America is slim, but I hoped for it nonetheless.
After I'm in America, when I'm in high school, getting ready for a license, I hoped to be able to have a brown VW Rabbit convertible. Of course it's not affordable for my parents, we only owned a Corolla back then..., but then eventually I did get a gold Civic... in all honesty, I think it's much better and reliable than VW. And who thought I'd actually end up getting an S2000? For sure that's a much better convertible than the Rabbit! ;)
Seeing that most of my relatives and friends live in their own home. I also hoped I could live in a nice house with mom and dad... instead of just renting at lame pathetic places or just apartments..., but knowing my parent's income level, I know that's an impossibility. But I hoped for that nonetheless. And amazingly, we were able to afford a home when the market is rock bottom!!!
I didn't even know God back then. But to me, it's so absolutely true that God prepares for me things that's better than I've seen, heard or thought of. In instances where God say 'no' to my hopes, I can see that it's probably good for me. If I had good grades all the time, I'd probably end up too proud. If I actually end up as an design artist, how will that alter my lifestyle? If I actually became an F-1 driver, I'd probably be dead by now! ;)
If God is willing to even give His Son for us, why else would He hold things back from us that's good for us?
Today's scripture reading is about Paul's talk of spiritual growth. In it, Paul talked about rejoicing always... about putting away non-holy living practices... about shining as stars in this dark world:
Philippians 2
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.(NIV)
Unfortunately, the chinese translation doesn't have 'stars', otherwise it'd be a good fit with Howards new song! ;)
Monday, April 7, 2008
Early trick or treat... ;)
Over the past few days, wife and I talked a lot about various things... from the differences between virus and bacteria... to our day to day life... and even about how certain can we be regarding Bible's truthfulness!
Friday's scripture reading was Paul talking about Christian doctrines and its practices, today's reading was about further practical Christian living. Paul sure answered a lot of questions... and what Paul has done for Christ in his life certainly still has a lot of influence around the world too!
Yeah, there's no way to know for certain, we can only take these things by faith. Of course our faith can only grow with experience. If we've never experienced the amazing grace of God, singing the song amazing grace a zillion times still won't help people understand what God's grace is about... How can we experience it? When we have no more faith, hope and love... what are we to do? Just sit there and wait for death?
Anyway, the conversation we had about bacteria and virus is kinda interesting in retrospect. Virus, in latin is basically just poison or toxin. It cannot grow... and it cannot reproduce itself. Kinda like Satan. It cannot create anything like God. When it enters a host, it only causes damage. Causing the living host to get sick. When the host dies, virus won't really 'die' because it's not really 'living' to begin with. It'll simply remain that way... until someday another host somehow get a hold of this virus...
Viral attack is very much like what Bible describes as spiritual attack. We cannot really 'see' the virus. Nor can we really 'see' spiritual attacks. What we know for sure is when we get sick... can no longer stand firm...
God gave all of us immune systems to defend against viral attacks. God also gave us armor of God to defend against spiritual attacks. There are just so many real life principles that matches biblical principles... God helped me see this truth, and this is why I have faith. I don't just have blind faith.
Pastor Jim over the weekend also talked more about the beattitudes. Blessed are those who mourn. Why? Because God will draw close to those who mourn, those with broken heart... to comfort them. Average folks will be more humble and be more willing to accept help from God when they've lost all or when they just can't get things to work out..., but of course some folks will remain stubborn. Some of the weird kings of Israel did this... they were so godly earlier on, but for whatever reasons, ended up so anti-god in the end. Even when he's sick and he still refused to seek God for help...
This is most likely some sort of spiritual sickness.
Pastor Jim also talked about being meek... which means we should cooperate as much as we can without compromising. Means we have self-controlling strength... we could've done it this way, but we choose not to do that and do things God's way! If I can beat you up but chose not to, that's being meek. If I can't beat you up anyway and choose not to fight, that's just weak. So there's a difference between meek and weak. As long as God is with us, it's okay to be weak I guess. But point is God also want us to be meek. We ought to just do what's right.
Which leads us to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Are we really hungry and thirsty for God? If not, is it because we're filled with the junk food of this world... or perhaps we're 'sick', that's why we lost our appetite?
What in this world can really fill us up? What can really satisfy?
When things are good, for sure we need to thank and praise God. When times are bad, all the more reason why we need to seek God and His help! God can certainly prescribe a treatment that instantly heals us, but God also could prescribe some sort of longer term treatment.
Only thing I do know is that God will give all of us the best possible treatment.
For example, God gave me my wife and gave me to my wife so that we can 'treat' each other right! Satan's task... or the purpose of the virus is to 'trick' us.
Trick or treat? The choice is ours! ;)
Friday's scripture reading was Paul talking about Christian doctrines and its practices, today's reading was about further practical Christian living. Paul sure answered a lot of questions... and what Paul has done for Christ in his life certainly still has a lot of influence around the world too!
Yeah, there's no way to know for certain, we can only take these things by faith. Of course our faith can only grow with experience. If we've never experienced the amazing grace of God, singing the song amazing grace a zillion times still won't help people understand what God's grace is about... How can we experience it? When we have no more faith, hope and love... what are we to do? Just sit there and wait for death?
Anyway, the conversation we had about bacteria and virus is kinda interesting in retrospect. Virus, in latin is basically just poison or toxin. It cannot grow... and it cannot reproduce itself. Kinda like Satan. It cannot create anything like God. When it enters a host, it only causes damage. Causing the living host to get sick. When the host dies, virus won't really 'die' because it's not really 'living' to begin with. It'll simply remain that way... until someday another host somehow get a hold of this virus...
Viral attack is very much like what Bible describes as spiritual attack. We cannot really 'see' the virus. Nor can we really 'see' spiritual attacks. What we know for sure is when we get sick... can no longer stand firm...
God gave all of us immune systems to defend against viral attacks. God also gave us armor of God to defend against spiritual attacks. There are just so many real life principles that matches biblical principles... God helped me see this truth, and this is why I have faith. I don't just have blind faith.
Pastor Jim over the weekend also talked more about the beattitudes. Blessed are those who mourn. Why? Because God will draw close to those who mourn, those with broken heart... to comfort them. Average folks will be more humble and be more willing to accept help from God when they've lost all or when they just can't get things to work out..., but of course some folks will remain stubborn. Some of the weird kings of Israel did this... they were so godly earlier on, but for whatever reasons, ended up so anti-god in the end. Even when he's sick and he still refused to seek God for help...
This is most likely some sort of spiritual sickness.
Pastor Jim also talked about being meek... which means we should cooperate as much as we can without compromising. Means we have self-controlling strength... we could've done it this way, but we choose not to do that and do things God's way! If I can beat you up but chose not to, that's being meek. If I can't beat you up anyway and choose not to fight, that's just weak. So there's a difference between meek and weak. As long as God is with us, it's okay to be weak I guess. But point is God also want us to be meek. We ought to just do what's right.
Which leads us to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Are we really hungry and thirsty for God? If not, is it because we're filled with the junk food of this world... or perhaps we're 'sick', that's why we lost our appetite?
What in this world can really fill us up? What can really satisfy?
When things are good, for sure we need to thank and praise God. When times are bad, all the more reason why we need to seek God and His help! God can certainly prescribe a treatment that instantly heals us, but God also could prescribe some sort of longer term treatment.
Only thing I do know is that God will give all of us the best possible treatment.
For example, God gave me my wife and gave me to my wife so that we can 'treat' each other right! Satan's task... or the purpose of the virus is to 'trick' us.
Trick or treat? The choice is ours! ;)
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Jars of clay...
Last night, wife and I talked a lot during the wee hours of the night again. Yes, it's tiring, my body wants to sleep, but of course it was well worth every moment of it. Surprisingly, I'm not as sleepy as I thought I would while at work! ;)
Perhaps this is what Paul was talking about... the 'treasure' in the jars of clay. Treasure meaning His Spirit... this all-surpassing power from God... and jars of clay being us. It is because of that that our little jar of clay can be pressed but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; perssecuted, but not abandoned; strucked down, but not destroyed!!! I know that this jar of clay is weak, but the treasure that is in me is STRONG!!! :) Wife has often accuse me of be lacking confidence at times, but seriously, I have very little confidence in my little jar... I can only find confidence in God. Prior to my conversion, yeah, for sure I'm not a man who's super confident about myself... and I'm not that confident at faking confidence either! ;)
Just as I was typing this, a gal from Bible League called me up... asking me how I'm doing... can she pray for me... she didn't ask for money actually. Pretty cool. I promised them money earlier, but still haven't send it in... Money's real tight lately. Not a very good steward of money I guess..., if I can't be trusted with little, how can God trust me with a LOT?
Sometimes, this jar of clay screws up..., then what?
Repent and try again and do better next time!
Paul also talked about being a generous giver, we ought to sow generously and cheerfully.
Lord, you know I'm capable of giving generously and cheerfully, but certainly not at the expense of my own wife's happiness!!! Help me do better at loving my wife and loving my neighbors Lord! Help me become a better husband... and help us become generous and cheerful sowers of Your kingdom! I pray in Christ's name!
Perhaps this is what Paul was talking about... the 'treasure' in the jars of clay. Treasure meaning His Spirit... this all-surpassing power from God... and jars of clay being us. It is because of that that our little jar of clay can be pressed but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; perssecuted, but not abandoned; strucked down, but not destroyed!!! I know that this jar of clay is weak, but the treasure that is in me is STRONG!!! :) Wife has often accuse me of be lacking confidence at times, but seriously, I have very little confidence in my little jar... I can only find confidence in God. Prior to my conversion, yeah, for sure I'm not a man who's super confident about myself... and I'm not that confident at faking confidence either! ;)
Just as I was typing this, a gal from Bible League called me up... asking me how I'm doing... can she pray for me... she didn't ask for money actually. Pretty cool. I promised them money earlier, but still haven't send it in... Money's real tight lately. Not a very good steward of money I guess..., if I can't be trusted with little, how can God trust me with a LOT?
Sometimes, this jar of clay screws up..., then what?
Repent and try again and do better next time!
Paul also talked about being a generous giver, we ought to sow generously and cheerfully.
Lord, you know I'm capable of giving generously and cheerfully, but certainly not at the expense of my own wife's happiness!!! Help me do better at loving my wife and loving my neighbors Lord! Help me become a better husband... and help us become generous and cheerful sowers of Your kingdom! I pray in Christ's name!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Burdens...
Last nite wife and I talked further about strategies to help mom save more money! Besides renting out a room to increase income, we also discoverred that dad's income last year should've been able to cover most of their expenses... unless there are any expenses that I don't know about... Anyway, we'll take some more time to talk about this and finish their tax returns tomorrow..., hopefully we can find ways to reduce most of our financial burden... so that we can afford our own home!
Yes, these financial burdens can cause strains on our marriage relationship. May God help me by giving me wisdom and ability to reduce these burdens so that it won't cause irreversible damage to my own marriage! Mom also need to learn how to manage money better too. May God also help my parents to become more mature with money... and spiritually over time too...
Today's reading of Corinthians talked about how God prepares for those who love Him in ways that no eyes have seen, no ears have heard, and no mind has conceived... I wonder what God has prepared for me in the future! Whatever it is, I just ought to keep faith, hope and love until God show it to me that day! ;)
Yes, these financial burdens can cause strains on our marriage relationship. May God help me by giving me wisdom and ability to reduce these burdens so that it won't cause irreversible damage to my own marriage! Mom also need to learn how to manage money better too. May God also help my parents to become more mature with money... and spiritually over time too...
Today's reading of Corinthians talked about how God prepares for those who love Him in ways that no eyes have seen, no ears have heard, and no mind has conceived... I wonder what God has prepared for me in the future! Whatever it is, I just ought to keep faith, hope and love until God show it to me that day! ;)
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Slow day...
Yesterday was kind of a slow day... wife told me that she didn't have to teach any students yesterday. Traffic was also amazingly smooth on the freeways for me compared to other typical days!
We also had dinner with Howard trying to further brainstorm on the chinese lyrics..., yes, even that was slow in coming! ;)
But whether if we live our lives in the fast lane, or living as if we're driving Miss Daisy, we ought to live our lives pleasing to God as Paul taught the Thessalonians to. We also should continue to be faithful and hopeful... coming of the Lord may seem slow (2000+ years already), but rest assure God will never be late and it is an inevitability that we'll be with him someday! :)
In the meantime, we gotta do what we gotta do while we patiently wait... the eagles had to wait and seek the thermals so that they can soar to great heights just riding along that rising hot air! We, too, ought to learn to wait and seek God if we want to soar...
We also had dinner with Howard trying to further brainstorm on the chinese lyrics..., yes, even that was slow in coming! ;)
But whether if we live our lives in the fast lane, or living as if we're driving Miss Daisy, we ought to live our lives pleasing to God as Paul taught the Thessalonians to. We also should continue to be faithful and hopeful... coming of the Lord may seem slow (2000+ years already), but rest assure God will never be late and it is an inevitability that we'll be with him someday! :)
In the meantime, we gotta do what we gotta do while we patiently wait... the eagles had to wait and seek the thermals so that they can soar to great heights just riding along that rising hot air! We, too, ought to learn to wait and seek God if we want to soar...
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