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?