Q&A with Me

Since coming home to LA for the holidays, I have been asked many questions. Many of the questions are similar. Therefore, I thought it would be fun to do a Q&A session with myself. If this keeps people from asking me the same ol' questions in person, that would be great. But if I still get the same questions, I will not begrudge the questioner. I am honored that people even care about what's going on in my life and support me.

Q: Where did you go? Vancouver or Toronto? Is there a time difference?
A: Vancouver. It is in the same time zone as those in California.

Q: Which classes did you take this past semester/quarter?
A: Regent College is neither on a semester nor quarter system. Each term consists of 12 weeks (with final examinations in the last week) and 2 reading weeks. I took (1) Old Testament Foundations, (2) Perspectives on Biblical Languages (Greek & Hebrew), and (3) Christian Thought & Culture.

Q: Do you live in the dormitories? How far do you live from campus? How are your living conditions? How far are you from Richmond?
A: Regent College does not have dormitories; it is a Christian graduate school (no undergrads). I live approximately 3 miles from the school, which is on the same campus as the University of British Columbia (UBC). It takes me about 10 minutes via bus to get to school. I sometimes walk as well, if the weather is nice and I have time. I live in a tiny basement suite with really great landlords who make me yummy Chinese soup every Wednesday. I am a 1-hour bus ride (with one transfer) to Richmond. I usually only go down to Richmond if I have a ride.

Q: Isn't the food great in Vancouver? Do you eat out a lot?
A: The food is good in Vancouver, but there are far more varieties and better prices in LA. Since I'm a poor seminarian, I rarely eat out. I mostly cook my own food for all 3 meals. It's nice that Regent provides microwave ovens and a refrigerator for students' use.

Q: What has been the hardest thing about living away from home?
A: Loneliness. I have made some friends in Vancouver, but it's hard not having my immediate family and close friends around. And it's particularly hard being in a city with which I am not tremendously familiar. And there's definitely a sense of loneliness in knowing that my American Republican perspectives are in the minority. I am still shocked when evangelical Christians tell me they like Clinton (either one).

Q: Were you homesick? What did you miss the most?
A: I was homesick the entire time. I missed my family, my friends, work and my church... and having a car. Oh... I also missed the sunshine.

Q: What have you learned so far?
A: I have gained a lot of knowledge in school and it has been really hard work. But the biggest lesson God has been teaching me lately is about dependence on Him. In LA, I could always count on my familiar surroundings, work, and friends and family to feel security and success. But in the last 3 months, I have not had these things as readily available, if at all. So, in turn, I have been "forced" to acknowledge my need for God. He is the reason I am doing what I'm doing, even if it makes no sense to many other people. I have continued to wrestle with Him about various things, but my trust is in Him.

Q: What degree are you pursuing? How long will it take? What do you plan on doing afterwards?
A: I am enrolled to pursue a Master of Christian Studies (MCS), but I am still trying to figure out which concentration to pursue. I am interested in several of them, but am waiting for God to reveal to me which one to declare. I should be done with the program in 2-3 years. My future is in God's hands. I may go back to being an event planner or I may even end up in full-time traditional church ministry. In God, the possibilities are limitless.

Q: Have you met a potential husband in Vancouver?
A: No... but thanks for asking, Uncle Phil. =)

If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask me through the "comments" section.

Murky Water

Due to recent storms, the tap water in Vancouver is coming out murky. Therefore, I need to head to the market today to buy some bottled water... which won't be an easy task without a car. *Sigh* ...Can't wait to get back to LA where the air is murky, but the water is not. Haha.

American Thanksgiving Weekend

My cousin Terry drove up from Portland late Wednesday night.

On Thursday afternoon, we had some really good dim-sum down in Richmond, where Terry also took me around to run some errands. We even found some of the green peas I really like at the T&T Supermarket in Yaohan Centre... I bought all 6 bags in stock!

For Thanksgiving dinner, we met up with Auntie Susan, Uncle Paul, Lawrence and Kevin at Morton's Steakhouse for dinner. The dinner was really good. My ribeye was unbelievable! It practically melted in my mouth. There is nothing like a good steak.

On Friday night, Auntie Susan and Uncle Paul cooked a delicious roast beef and some Chinese dishes. It was so nice to eat a home-cooked Chinese meal amongst family. I also tried my hand at playing Wii with my cousins, but I have a terrible sense of video game movements and depth... I kept running into trees and fences in the cow-racing game.

On Saturday, while looking for a Christmas craft and arts fair (which we never found), Terry and I came upon a Japanese knick-knack store. At first, we thought we'd just take a quick look because Japanese knick-knacks tend to be really expensive, but as it turned out, absolutely everything was only $1, $2 or $3, so we ended up being in there for nearly 2 hours! I came away with some random necessities, and Terry came away with some really nice Japanese bowls and sake set for only $2/piece. Afterwards, we had dinner at Parker Place and Terry left to drive back down to Portland that night.

On Sunday after church, Soo and I took the guest speakers out for dim-sum at Pink Pearl. It was fun watching them try dishes they had never had before, especially the chicken feet.
And that wraps up my American Thanksgiving weekend. How was yours?

In Search for Green Peas

I'm in search for these fried garlic green peas... a snack. Can anyone help me?

I've had them 4 times now, and would like to get my hands on them again. They're so yummy!

1. My brother brought them home.
2. I had them at Luke and Mandy's place in Calgary.
3. I found them at Asia Supermarket in Alhambra, but after buying all three bags in stock, they didn't restock.
4. I found them at T&T Supermarket in Richmond on Cambie St., but after buying all four bags in stock, they didn't restock.

Does anyone know a place that stocks this product regularly? Please let me know. Thanks.

Life's Lessons

Gossip & Rumors
SITUATION: I heard that there is some false information about me going around here in Vancouver. I don't know those who talked about me. And I only heard about the rumor when a good friend brought it out into the open in an effort to protect me. Needless to say, I was very angry and hurt when I heard about the rumor. I thought to myself, "How can people talk and make presumptions without even knowing me?" Yet, because I don't know these people, I cannot confront anyone. For two nights, I cried bitterly to God, begging for vindication. Very rarely do I ever feel so powerless... rarely do I ever feel so incapable of handling something. I know that these people do not have ill intentions towards me and probably have no idea the impact of their seemingly insignificant words. This is not the first time there have been false rumors about me. And in the scope of bad things to say about someone, this is not the worse. Yet, why am I so upset? I think it's because I'm trying to fit into a new place and such gossip makes it hard when I don't even have a clean slate on which to start.
LESSONS: (1) Being powerless is a reminder that without God, I have no deliverance. (2) Even words spoken with no ill intent can be hurtful. Therefore, (3) I ought to be extra careful how I speak about and speak to other people.

When Trust is Broken
SITUATION: In the past, my friend Dillon (name changed to protect identity) had hurt me. I am still friends with him and we're actually pretty good friends now. However, Dillon asked me recently, "Do you fully trust me?" It was then that I realized that I didn't actually trust him as much as I thought I did. In the back of my mind, I am always thinking, "Will I get hurt again?" I felt terrible that I was unable to answer in the affirmative. I usually trust people very easily at the beginning. But when they break that trust, it's hard for me to trust them again, no matter how much they try to prove themselves again. And it's even worse when I feel that the cause of hurt was intentional. So, after thinking and praying this through, I realized that if Dillon continues to be a good friend to me, the problem is no longer for him to fix. It is mine.
LESSONS: (1) It's normal and appropriate to not fully trust someone right away after the trust has been broken. (2) But as God entrusts me even after I've hurt Him so many times, I need to learn to trust others as well. (3) And as God has been willing to stick by my side even after I've hurt Him (often intentionally), I need to stick by my friends even after they've hurt me. (4) It's time for me to re-evaluate why I've been holding several friends at arm's length and pray for restoration.

Surprise Friendships
SITUATION: Since making the decision to come to Regent College and actually moving to Vancouver, I've faced many difficulties. But they don't surpass the blessings I've received. And one of those many blessings is that of friendship. I already have a handful of really, really good friends from LA with whom I have been close for several years. Therefore, I never made much effort in LA to make new friends. In fact, I don't think I even know how to make friends. And that was one of my greatest fears in moving to Vancouver. Yet God has provided. Even though she is in LA, I have actually found a new good friend in Betty. Her sincerity and brilliant humor have been a comfort and a joy to me. As for Vancouver, Soo has been a blessing to me. She's silly, pragmatic, principled and very passionate about God. Just being around her has been encouraging and inspirational. And there are several other people here in Vancouver with whom God is helping me to learn to develop friendships.
LESSONS: (1) I need friends. (2) Even in my pathetic inability to make friends, God provides. (3) There is nothing quite like getting to know and learning from Godly women.

I'll Be Home for Christmas... earlier!

December 14th to January 12th.

I'll Be Home for Christmas!

December 18th to January 12th.

Don't-See Movie

I saw Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven last week for class... and it was terrible. Except for Orlando Bloom being rather good-looking, I saw few other redeeming aspects about the film. It is full of action, special effects and gore, but lacks in substance and plot. It's not believable and tries too hard to be politically correct (thus compromising the storyline).

If you've already seen this movie, I'm curious what you thought about it. If you haven't seen it, don't bother.

Poppies Are in Full Bloom

Since late October, I've been seeing poppies pinned to people's lapels. At first, I thought, "How cute. Someone must be making these poppies." Then, it dawned upon me that they must have some sort of significance.

Instead of quietly looking this up on the internet, I embarrassed myself by asking someone. I received a strange look as if the word "Ignorant" had suddenly been tattooed across my forehead. However, I was kindly (almost patronizingly) told that the poppies were symbolic of Canada's upcoming Remembrance Day (November 11).

But how did they come about? And why? That's when I decided that I better use the technology God so graciously gave me... Wikipedia! This is what Wikipedia has to say about the poppies:

The poppy of wartime remembrance is the red corn poppy, Papaver rhoeas. This poppy is a common weed in Europe and is found in many locations, including Flanders Fields. This is because the corn poppy was one of the only plants that grew on the battlefield. It thrives in disturbed soil, which was abundant on the battlefield due to intensive bombing. During the few weeks the plant blossomed, the battlefield was colored blood red, not just from the red flower that grew in great numbers but also from the actual blood of the dead soldiers and civilians that lay scattered and untended to on the otherwise barren battlegrounds. Thus the plant became a symbol for the dead World War I soldiers.

I also found a beautiful poem written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae for his friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, who died during World War I.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

It made me think about Veterans Day in America (primarily in Los Angeles). Yes, we claim to support our soldiers and to remember those who died on the battlefield protecting our freedom. Yet, do we really? Or do we merely celebrate the day because there is no work/school, there are sales at the mall or there is an opportunity to take a weekend vacation? Have we forgotten our armed forces? Have we forgotten the men and women who put their lives on the line everyday so that we can enjoy our liberty?

By no means am I saying that we ought to adopt the symbolism of the poppy flowers (since U.S. soldiers were not on Flanders Fields), but I think we definitely should be more supportive of our soldiers. Why do we cry out against their efforts? Why do we belittle their lives? God has blessed us immensely with these brave men and women, and we ought to lift them up in prayer instead of rallying against them.

I may be physically in Canada at the moment, but I am American at heart.

Will you join me (wherever you may be) on November 11 as I kneel down to pray for our soldiers?

Father-Child Moments

There's something about father-child moments

that always bring a smile and a tear.

During a study break this afternoon, I watched the movie A Walk to Remember. It is a love story of a young couple, and it is a touching storyline. But I was most emotional during moments between Jamie and her dad, and between Landon and his dad. The fathers were not perfect and were not always good at showing love, but when the father and child saw eye-to-eye on matters of the heart, I couldn't help but smile and shed a few tears at the same time.

Perhaps it's nostalgia. Perhaps it's knowing that I'll never get to live those moments.

I will always miss my dad. And I will always long for more memories... more father-daughter moments. Like a little girl, I will always dream of having my dad walk me down the aisle. But in my heart, I know that I am blessed because I had such a wonderful father. Our time together was a mere 15 years, but the simple memories are branded in my heart forever.

Although I want to say that God took my dad away too soon, I know that it is not true. God took him in His perfect timing. I was not left fatherless. God is my Father, and I know with full certainty that He will never forsake me (Joshua 1:5) and will be with me wherever I go (Joshua 1:9).

Thank you, Dad, for being such a great father.
Thanks for the memories.

Thank you, God, for being my Father. Amen.

Must-See Movie

I just saw an awesome film for class last night. I highly recommend it to everyone (except maybe little kids). It's an old movie, but it's so good. I won't dwell on the details, but you should definitely try to see it. It's so powerful.

Roland Joffé's The Mission.

For me to recommend a movie is a HUGE deal. I'm not a movie buff. In fact, I have a tendency to fall asleep during movies, but I stayed wide awake for this entire movie (even though I was exhausted). If anyone sees it or has already seen it, I would love to hear your comments on it.

The Strike is Over!

Follow-up to "I Miss Trash Day!" on October 3, 2007.

Despite last week's speculation that the Vancouver civic strike would last into 2008, the two sides actually came to terms yesterday. Trash pick-up will be reinstated! Yippee! Check out article for details.

Home

This past weekend, I went back to Los Angeles. As the plane descended into LAX, I started getting teary-eyed and sniffly. I think I worried the Australian guy sitting next to me. Then the conversation went something like this:

• Aussie: Are you okay?
• Me (in between sniffles): I just love LA.
• Aussie: But it's so smoggy and polluted.
• Me: Yah, but it's home. (sniffle, sniffle)

It was a wonderful trip back home. I didn't tell most people that I was heading back home because I knew that my time was limited and I had to reserve most of it for family, errands and studying. However, I did get to spend some quality time with Ricky, Tammy, Jimmy, Grace, Danette, Grandma Martha, Karen, and Debbie. It was great! And I enjoyed many people telling me that I looked thinner... feeds the female ego.

I was also able to attend Delta Fellowship on Friday night (photo safari in Alhambra) and CEFC on Sunday morning. As much as I like the church I'm currently attending in Vancouver, CEFC will always be my home church, especially because I was attending before I was even born. It was so nice walking into church, understanding the architectural layout and knowing most of the people there.


For those who I did not get to see and/or who did not even know I was in town, I'm very sorry. I hope to see more people when I return to LA in December.

I arrived back in Vancouver very late last night (nearly midnight). And I woke up this morning at 7:00AM with a fever and nausea. I'm feeling a little better now, but I'm worried about being sick. Please pray for me.

For a good laugh, check out the video below of two Deltans dancing in Alhambra. (Should I post it on YouTube?)

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving! This weekend was the first time I ever celebrated this holiday. On both Saturday and Sunday, I was privileged to share Thanksgiving dinners with some of my extended family. Although I am not Canadian, I still found the weekend to be very meaningful. Here are a few things for which I'm thankful today:

• The opportunity to learn more about God at Regent College.
• Extended family... especially my cousins (and their significant others) here in Vancouver who have made my move easier, and my aunt and uncle from Victoria who have made me feel so welcomed here.
• Friends and family from California (and other parts) who have kept me in their prayers and thoughts during this new stage in life.
• New friends whom I have met during my brief time here so far.
• Health. Even though my health is not as I wish it to be, I have been feeling better here than I was while working in California.
• God's love and faithfulness. During moments of loneliness, anxiety and frustration, He has shown me, in little and big ways, that He has not forgotten about me. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged., for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

So, altogether now... let's sing... "O Canada..." Too bad I (as well as many Canadians) don't know the lyrics. But I promise to learn them before I move back to LA.

What are you thankful for today?

I Miss Trash Day!

In LA, trash day was a weekly welcomed inconvenience. It required dragging out full garbage cans every Wednesday night and dragging empty ones back on Thursday afternoon/evening. It was never a fun task, but there was always a bit a pleasure in getting rid of the trash. Trash Day was always a reliable weekly event. Even when there were holidays, we knew that our trash would eventually be picked up each week.

But this is not so in Vancouver. Since July, the city's civic workers have been on strike. This means that there is no one to come pick up trash... at all!!! Residents in Vancouver have taken to several options:

• Line up for hours at the city dump site,
• Sneakily throw trash into public or business receptacles,
• Bring trash to nearby cities like Burnaby or Richmond,
• Hire a private sanitation company,
• Or give trash to friends who live in condominiums or apartments with privatized trash collection.

As for me, I have taken to various options. First of all, I freeze my perishable trash to avoid a stink. When I'm ready to dump, I bag up my trash into small unassuming grocery bags. Then, I take them to the nearby park or even to school. And when my good friends from out of town were here, we took my trash to nearby cities and even across the border into Washington. (Special thanks to Richard, Danette and Isaac!)

I can't wait for this city strike to be over! Apparently, Vancouver is notorious for strikes. Can't we all just get along? I merely want to dump my trash like a civilized person. Sigh... another reason to miss LA.

Photos from Danette & Richard's Visit

Photos courtesy of Richard and Danette.
(Click on entry title to see additional photos.)

Post-Retreat Reflections

This past weekend (September 21-23) was Regent College's annual retreat in Stanwood, WA at the Warm Beach Conference Center, which is neither warm nor a beach. Before attending, I had mixed feelings. I was worried about all the studying I still needed to do, but wouldn't be able to do during the retreat. I was worried that I would feel lonely in the midst of people whom I didn't know. But I also wanted to go to get to know people and experience the retreat. And it was definitely a plus to be back on American soil.

All in all, I had a pretty good time. With the theme of "Surprised by God: from Fear to Longing," Phil and Polly Long talked about Moses' life as well as their own lives. I met a ton of people, most of whom I cannot remember names nor faces. Bek and I shared a long walk and conversation early Saturday morning. I enjoyed a long trail run in solitude during the afternoon. I was "wowed" by the talents of individuals at Saturday night's Talent Show... especially tickled into fits of laughter by John Stackhouse and his band. And let's not forget about cheering on the kids while they played "newspaper hockey" -- Go Team 2! We're twice as good as Team 1!!

However, my favorite part of this weekend was actually the ride down and back up with Samuel, Rebecca and Dave. It was so much fun talking with them about everything from Canadian and American politics to childhood experiences.

I am very glad to be back home in Vancouver, but also feel blessed to have attended the retreat. Now... I guess it's time to get back to studying again!

I was too lazy to take photos, so I only have one to show... the sunset on Saturday evening. I got to enjoy it thanks to Bek who pointed it out to me.

Two Great Friends. One New Desk.

Yesterday, Danette and Richard came to hang out with me for the weekend. On the way up, they stopped at the Ikea in Seattle to buy me a desk. If I had purchased the same desk up here in Vancouver, it would have been $100 more. Despite the difficulties of lugging furniture, they graciously volunteered to do it for me. They even helped me assemble it (taking us over 2 hours!). I feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

I was anticipating Danette and Richard's visit and was so excited to see them at the front door. Last night, we enjoyed a delicious Greek dinner, assembled my desk and had dessert with my landlords. (Speaking of my landlords, they are sooooooo cool!)

Anyway, Danette and Richard will be at my front door at any minute now. They'll be here until Monday.

It's All Greek to Me!

Tuesday, September 11th was my first day of classes. Here's what it looked like:

• 7:30AM - Woke up. Got ready for day. Skipped devotions.
• 9:00AM - Left for school.
• 9:15AM - Arrived at school. Sat in the wrong class.
• 9:30AM - Realized my mistake and ran to the right class.
• 9:30-11:00AM - Class: "Perspectives on Biblical Languages"
• 11:00AM-12:00PM - Chapel
• 12:00-1:30PM - Community Groups (and lunch)
• 1:30-3:00PM - Class: "Christian Thought & Culture I"
• 3:00-4:00PM - TRIED to figure out Greek homework (with no success)
• 4:00-5:00PM - Section: "Christian Thought & Culture I"
• 5:15PM - Left school. Bought groceries.
• 6:45PM - Got home. Dropped groceries on the floor. Cimbed into shower.
• 7:45PM - Fell into bed.
• 11:45PM -- Woke up. Put away groceries. Cried. Cried and prayed. Cried and prayed. Prayed.

As an event planner in LA, it was not uncommon for me to work up to 14 hours in a day. So, I felt absolutely discouraged when I was so mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted after my first day of classes. During my late-night praying, I cried out "God, what am I doing here? What are you trying to teach me? If it's in Your will, please let me go back to LA." I was homesick. I was missing my friends, my brother and my mom. And why couldn't I figure out my Greek homework? I had a major breakdown.

I finally fell back asleep at 4:00AM after unsuccessfully tackling my Greek homework again.

BUT, the Lord is gracious. When I arrived at school the next morning (Wednesday), I realized that my classmates were just as confused as I was about Greek. We struggled together in the afternoon and were partially successful.

It is now Saturday. My lessons from the first day of classes are (1) don't skip my quiet time with God, (2) God is gracious and (3) the saying "It's all Greek to me" probably started with theology students.

Orientation Highlights

I attended New Student Orientations at Regent College last week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Since I missed orientations at UCLA years ago, I was really excited about this. Here are some of the highlights from my perspective:

OPENING PRAYER. The opening prayer consisted of a petition for God to help us adjust to a new life in Vancouver and for solace as we grieve the people/things we left behind. The part that brought me to tears was "God is comfortable with grief."

FLAG PROCESSIONAL. Since Regent is such an international school, they had a processional of various countries' flags. When the flag for the United States of America was brought in, I was moved to tears... I'm very patriotic!

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL. This introduction of Regent's history was done by the president of the school. It was very interesting. It was comforting to know that the school's beginnings were not easy. Because of that, community is a core value of the school. If anyone is interested in knowing why the school is called Regent College, please be sure to ask me. I love the simplicity of the story, but will leave it out of the blog for fear that I may not be totally accurate in my retelling. To read the less humorous version of the school's history, please click here.

NEW PEOPLE. I met some pretty cool people so far. Since I'm not tremendously extroverted, I'm very glad people have taken the initiative to talk with me. I met a guy with whom we have a mutual friend. I met a girl with my same name. I met several people from LA. I met a couple who reminds me so much of Jason and Debbie. I hope to make and develop more friendships. Please pray that God will help me to find people with whom I can share openly and be accountable.

WELCOME TO CANADA. A professor shared about the history of Canada and what makes it special as a country. It was a very humorous and interesting talk. I realize, that as an American, I know very little about our northern neighbor. It seems that they know a lot more about us than we know about them. They actually have a year of American history in high school, but our history books cover very little about Canada. But then again, they never had to fight for their independence... but was "released" by the British because they became too financially high maintenance. Haha.

Well, classes start this week. If I have time and energy, I'll blog about classes later on. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement.

Contact Information

I would rather not post my contact information online, but If you want my new mailing address here in Vancouver, please email me or leave me a comment with your name and email address. I will send it to you.

My cell phone number has remained the same.

Shopping in Vancouver

I was just reminded by Dorcas that I forgot to post that I'm in Vancouver now. I flew here on Tuesday with my mom and 4 huge boxes. The boxes are still here, but my mom is now back in sunny California.

Everyday, so far, has been spent shopping for furniture and daily essentials. As I maneuver through numerous aisles at Home Depot, Ikea, Linens 'n Things, Superstore, The Future Shop and London Drugs, I am again reminded how much I dislike shopping... especially "forced" shopping. The only place I've truly enjoyed visiting is Costco, which is also true back in LA where I love wandering through the aisles buying absolutely nothing or more than I need. (Those little ladies who hand out free samples can be rather pursuasive sometimes.) So far, I've resisting getting a Costco hot dog, which are CDN$1.99 here and not USD$1.50, by the way.

Speaking of inflated prices, almost everything is significantly more expensive here in Canada, especially in British Columbia where the general and provincial sales taxes total 13%. With the Canadian dollar almost at par with the US dollar, the prices are ridiculous. A desk I wanted at Ikea is CDN$249 here, but only USD$149 in the States. It's crazy. However, I'm blessed with friends like Danette and Richard who are willing to lug some Ikea furniture up to me from Seattle.

As I continue to make Vancouver my home for the next 2-3 years, I will have to do much more shopping. Please pray for my sanity, but also please praise God that I even have the means to shop.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)

I was Humbled in Hawaii

Before going on the cruise of the Hawaiian islands, many people asked me if I was excited about the "family reunion." I promptly answered, "No. Not at all." This was for 3 reasons: (1) I've been to Hawaii a number of times before and it just did not interest me anymore, (2) I don't usually enjoy tropical places and (3) I didn't know most of the extended family who were going.

My prediction of having a lousy time seemed to come true when I initially met up with my cousins, my cousins' cousins and my cousins' cousins' cousins. Upon greeting them with a smile and hearty "hello," I received apparently blank stares in return. Inside, I groaned to myself, "Oh great. This is going to be a very, very long week," fully expecting to finish reading the Harry Potter book within a day or two.

And when Hurricane Flossie hit Hawaii and we had to skip the port at Hilo, I felt with even more certainty that this trip would be terrible, especially because I'm prone to motion sickness.

But God had better plans for me.

Little things started happening to change my attitude and my perspective. I didn't get seasick at all. The aunts and uncles were all so kind and friendly. On the day we were stuck on ship, I shared a lunch of bad service, mediocre food and great company with the cousins. Little by little, I got to know the different cousins and saw how each of them is special in his/her own way. I enjoyed their quick humor and laughs.

The best part of the trip was going kayaking with the 14 other cousins in Kauai. We "ditched" the parents and grandparents for a kayaking and hiking trip up and down the Wailua River. I was so impressed by everyone. Even though some of them encountered difficulty in maintaining control of their kayaks, they persevered and eventually became pros. Everyone seemed to watch out for someone else so that everyone pretty much stayed together. Despite sore muscles, blisters and sunburn for most people, we all agreed that it was the best day of the trip.

By the end of the cruise, I was sad that it was over. I wished that I could stay longer in Hawaii with the rest of the family.

I'm so glad I was wrong. I built new friendships within my extended family.... which is an awesome thing because so many of them live in Canada where I will be moving to next week. God, thank you for being bigger than my plans. Thank you for humbling me. Thank you for a great time in Hawaii.

And I didn't even get halfway through with the Harry Potter book by the end of the trip.

"He must become greater, I must become less." (Matthew 7:17)

Soul2Soul Concert

On Saturday, August 11th, I had the privilege of attending the last leg of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's Soul2Soul Concert at the Honda Center with 3 fellow country gals.

The night started out with a great seafood dinner at Market Broiler, one of my favorite not-too-expensive seafood restaurants. The server was not exactly on top of things, but as Hui put it, "He's nice to look at." The food was good, but we were all stuffed without even finishing our entrees. And since we were going to the concert afterwards, we couldn't pack up our leftovers.

Getting into the arena was a lengthy process. There was traffic on the exit ramp off the 57 freeway. Parking was rather chaotic and expensive. And we all got checked with metal detectors at the entrance. Even though outside beverages were not allowed, I snuck in my water bottle because I was too cheap to buy a $3.00 bottle of water. I was very sneaky about hiding it under my denim jacket. (Bad girl!)

Anyway, about the concert... I LOVED IT!!!! Faith Hill is great with the audience, but her songs are too mainstream for me. Tim McGraw is not as good with the audience, but his songs are much better. However, if you ask the ladies with whom I went, they will disagree with me. They all enjoyed Faith more than Tim. I guess I like Tim more because his songs are more "country" with a stronger southern drawl. My favorite song was "Last Dollar" when some little kids went up to sing the last part with him. So cute! But, I was disappointed when he used the word "bullsh-t" on stage, especially when there were so many children in the audience.

Even though we all loved the concert, we left before the it was fully over. We left shortly after midnight, but from what I understand the concert went on until about 1:00AM. Since we were so close to the stage, we didn't even stand up like most of the audience. So, why were we so tired? It is yet another reminder of my age. =) Haha.

Random sidenote: I don't like that many concert-goers tend to glorify the performers. It's sad... and wrong.

"And God spoke these words: ... 'You shall have no other gods before me.'" (Exodus 20:1,3)

Vacation Bible School 2007

The first time I taught VBS, I was 14-years-old. I'd rather not mention my current age, but I'm significantly older now. This becomes more and more obvious each year. This year, I knew I was old (1) when I had a very tough time singing AND doing the hand motions at the same time, and (2) when the other teachers looked to me for advice.

Like in past years, I taught the Bible stories to the youngest children (kindergarten to 2nd grade) on August 6-10, 2007. This system requires me to teach the same Bible story three times each day. After only 3 hours of VBS each day, I was truly exhausted. Again, this showed my age. =(

Each year, teaching VBS tires me out. But, I still continue. The reason is because of the kids. It's amazing to watch them comprehend Bible stories and theological concepts. When that little light in their heads flicker on, it's actually possible to see it through their expressions. This is something you rarely see in adult students who have a tendency to appear bored. Also, it's such a joy to Iisten to the kids memorize Scripture... if only I could memorize Scripture with the same enthusiasm.

The youth are great at being teachers and helpers at VBS every year, but it is my hope that more of the older adults will join in. It's physically tiring, but it's a way to really affect the spiritual lives of children in our community. Many of these children are from non-believing families and they may actually be the ones to minister to the older generations in their families. So, if it's possible for you to take mornings off of work for one week during the summer, I believe you will find it very rewarding to teach VBS... and try to see if you can sing and do hand motions at the same time!

Lesson 1 was Trust: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him." Jeremiah 17:7

The other lessons were Unite, Train, Follow and Lead.