The Gist

Date:	Saturday, June 9, 2007
Time:	8:00pm - 10:30pm
Location:	Richmond Hill Chinese Baptist Church
	9670 Bayview Ave,Richmond Hill, ON

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

I dunno why I'm excited about this, but I pass Grade 8 Science...

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

1 Down, 8 To Go

Congrats to Karen and Brian Fu on their wedding. Karen is the first in our high school group to go... man, we are late boomers. Well, I guess the flood gates has opened, just 8 more to go. Connie is next in July. Too bad I will not be in town for Connie and Greg's wedding. I'll be in Vancouver.

Jenny arrived in Xining

I was ecstatic to receive an email from Jenny and from the team leader this morning. They only have a hour of internet per week (a commitment they made during their orientation) so I have taken over of providing updates for Jenny. :p

> Jenny's official trip blog can be found here
http://jenny-chinagp07.blogspot.com/

Te team arrived in Beijing on Friday and before boarding the train on Saturday they went to the temple of heaven.

According to Jenny, the train ride was fun. They got to meet some really cool people and did sing alongs! They sang English songs and then in return the locals sang their Tibetan or their ethnic songs. Lily and Phoebe, cute white girls attracting a lot of attention and everyone wants to take pictures with them. It is good to hear that they drove right into the cross-culture experience with the locals.

Jenny Chu on the Chu Chu Train

Jenny and her China GP team are now on the 25hours train ride from Beijing to Xining in the province of Qinghai. They must be so tried from all the traveling and jetlag, only having arrived into China yesterday.

Do keep them in prayers.

The Summer is shaping up

I love God's plans... everything is beginning to fit together nicely. My Summer is slowly shaping up, and like a puzzle, every piece is falling into place.

Apr 29 - June 7 (Jenny away on missions in China)
May 16 - June 27 (Mondays and Wednesday Night): Summer school - Gospel Church & Culture
May 19 - May 2: Spring Camp
July 15 - Aug 8: Vancouver visit
Aug 9 - Aug 11: Willow Leadership Summit
Aug 13 - Aug 17: Arts and Sports Camp

The nice thing about the Leadership Summit being held on Aug 9 - 11 is that I can fly straight from Vancouver to Chicago and attend the conference live. There are Air Canada flights from YVR to ORD departing at 11:00p and arriving at 5:00a. That gives me 4 hours to travel to Willowcreek to attend the 9:00a conference. Nice. Now I can see my canceled Harmony Flights to be a blessing in disguise.

The Leadership Summit will be so cool!

Times Listed below are Central Time. (Schedule is subject to change.)
Thurs, August 9, 2007 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.	Fri, August 10, 2007 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.	Sat, August 11, 2007 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Session 1 Vision to Die For Bill Hybels Session 2 Tough Choices One-on-One with Carly Fiorina Session 3 The Heat of Responsibility Floyd Flake Session 4 The Sixth Sense of a Leader Warren Bennis	Session 5 Your Move Harvard Strategy Professor Michael Porter Session 6 Leading at the Highest Level A Personal Conversation with Colin Powell Session 7 A Leader’s Greatest Fear John Ortberg Session 8 Living for the Greater Good One-on-One with International Filmmaker Richard Curtis	Session 9 Building Humanity An Exclusive Interview with President Jimmy Carter Session 10 Whatever You Do, Inspire Me! Bill Hybels

Lunch with the big guys

Another jam packed day, another productive day. This week has been crazy! I never knew there so much to do during the summer "break". Monday was a nice Sabbath. Tuesday, dim sum lunch with grandma. Wednesday, worked all day, meeting after dinner and tutor. Today, graduation rehearsal, work at church, and tutor.

The highlight of the day was surely lunch. Lunch with Kaarina, the dean of student life, Nelly, admin of Hudson Taylor Centre, Doreen, executive assistant to the provost, and provost Dr. Earl Davey. Lunch with the provost was intense. I had to be on my best behaviour. :P But from him, I learn so much about how upper levels of Tyndale runs.

Because of the parties present during lunch, at one point I felt that pulled in many directions. When they asked me what was my plans for the coming year, whether or not I'll be serving at the student council, I replied no and Kaarina gave me a frown. Then I suddenly felt the tension with when Nelly's eyes when with the prospect to recruit me to the Chinese student council. LOL. Oh, the fun of ministry. In the end I made my point clear that I wanted to focus on my congregation. But I'll still lend my helping hand to both council occasionally.

The most encouraging part of lunch was when Doreen asked about my trip to Vancouver in July, she asked me if I have family there. I said no but Kaarina jumped in and said "Not yet". Then Earl started sharing his experience when he was a missionary in Indonesia that the culture always uses the phrase "not yet". So much hope, I like it.

It turns out that Earl also have a passion for photography. Oh, we will have so much to talk about. :)

Leaving on a Jet Plane (Jenny's China edition)

Flight:	CA 992 (Air China)
Depart:	Vancouver International Apt			3 May	13:00
Arrive:	Beijing Capital Apt			4 May	15:00
Aircraft:	767		Stops:	Non-Stop
		Travel Time:		11hrs

Jenny is on the plane on the way to China as we speak. In another 10 hours, her team will arrive in Beijing, China. To be honest, I do not know exactly how I feel right now. Don't get me wrong, I am SO proud of her and SO excited for what God has to teach her. But bottom line, I do miss her. I have sent her off last Sunday and she had a 4 days long orientation with her team, so we only had minimal email contact over the past few days.

I believe this time alone is very good. You may think I sound ridiculous because I only see her twice a year anyways, and more time "apart" is good? LOL. To be honest, yeah! This gives me the time to think, reflect and pray about our relationship. Meanwhile it gives me the time to focus on my task here at home.

It is funny that exactly 11 months ago, the roles were reversed. Jenny and I were in Hong Kong, and I left Hong Kong for Bangkok and not knowing when I'll see her again. Oh, and look at how our relationship grow during our time apart. I was able to do when God planned for my on my mission trip, and Jenny was able to witness to her family in Hong Kong and China. We kept in contact through letters and blogs.

I am so proud of her. I know God is shaping her into the beautiful, young lady He had in His mind. And I cannot wait to meet this masterpiece of God when she returns. And the best part is that I'll get to see her in July. What else can I ask for? I am so blessed. God has already spoken to me in volumes over the past days, I am waiting with high expectations on what God has in store.http://jenny-chinagp07.blogspot.com/

Pray for the safety of their flight, and for rest and jet lag recovery. Also pray for strength in the Lord, and for the spiritual attacks. Susie Colby (the wife of one of the staff leader) has already fallen ill and had to miss the 4 days orientation.

God speed, Jenny, and serve him well.

The Final Soiree

David Crowder the Power Ranger

A dream came true...

Seriously, I have dream of this in my dreams when I was in university. I should have developed it but now someone beat me to it.

Camera in a bag to make it waterproof.

Men, Prepare for battle...

The weather is getting warmer, the snow is melting away. It is that time of the year I remind my boys again, to prepare for battle...

Driving to school this morning, before turning onto Garnier St. that leads to Tyndale, I had to drive by St. Joseph's. This is the time of the year when all the catholic school girls dig out their skirts. It is ridiculous how they hike up their skirts, it sickens me. I ask myself why do they bother to put one on if the skirt does not cover anything at all!?!

My heart aches for all men who wants to be righteous. This is the time of the year where it seems like the world is out to get them. Bounce your eyes, men!

My Back...

My back gave in on me again last night... I woke up in the middle of the night and I could not fall back to sleep for two hour. The pain was excruciating. It was a pain I've never felt before, it is just above the lumber region.

Over the past month, I've been hindered by the back problems.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
~2 Cor. 4:7-9 TNIV

But with the all-surpassing power from god, I can be struck down, but not destroyed.

is it in you?

Spring Camp 2007, registration begins tomorrow!

Caffeine Intake

I usually avoid taking in a large amount of caffeine - just a medium double double here, a glass of coke there and the occasion vanilla bean latte . But as a students, during this time of the year, sometime it is necessary to get a boost from these black sludge. This website will have you calculate your daily caffeine intake. (This one is for you, Bernard.)



BTW, I just found out that if I drink 85.31 cups of Starbucks Grande Caffe Mocha, it will kill me... but then, that will also cost me $415.38 after taxes. So why would I do that? I could spend it on the 2,474.06 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that will do the same thing.

My IQ

CBC Canadian IQ Test

I'm still kicking myself for missing one of the easy math question...

False Doctrines

Following up my past Sunday's sermon from Colossians 2 on how the media is feeding our next generation in regards to beauty and image, I found this website the proves what you see is not what is true.

http://detouch.org/de-touch/med.php?set=fluideffect&img=22

Alicia Keys:
Before Touchups ____________ After Touchups

Take care of your...

"The pulpit is a lonely place..."
~Dr. Victor Shepherd

These words of Dr. Shepherd regularly echoes through my mind to serve as a reminder to be on guard. As His servant we are called to fight by the side of our Lord Jesus Christ. But serving as one of His officers, you become a prime target of Satan's attacks.

Ho! Get your hands down. Do not salute me. There are goddamned snipers all around this area who would love to grease an officer. I'm Lieutenant Dan Taylor. Welcome to Fourth Platoon.
~Lt. Dan, Forrest Gump

The devil and his army would love to take aim and take down a church leader. They salivate at the opportunity to create such chaos in the Christian camp. Just look at what happened to Ted Haggard or Paul Melnichuk.

Learning from one of my favorite movie, "All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)", while at times is might seem quiet on the battle front, don't go around chasing butterflies for snipers are hiding in ambush and ready to take aim.

Be alert.

Take care of your eyes...
Take care of your thoughts...
Take care of your actions...

Lust. Greed. Pride. These feelings are normal for we are human, but sin creeps in on how we act on these feelings. Come to the alter and laid these thoughts and feelings at Jesus feet.

In ministry there is this moral code, and if you break it you are done.
~Dr. Fred Penny

The Storehouse of His Bounty

The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.
~Deut 28:12

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/187986

After reading this Toronto Star article, I was really upset. The story of Ananias and Sapphira from Acts 5:1-11 came into mind. No, I do not wish the individuals in the above article to drop dead for that judgment ultimately belongs to God. But in the mist of the followers sharing the things they have for body of Christ, how shall we handle the leaders who are misusing God's resources for their own benefits. Yes, in Deut. 28:12 it did say that The LORD will open the heavens to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. But I guess these leaders forgot the second part of this passage, that they will lend to many nations and advance God's mission.

But I'll first remove the plank from eye. Lord, let me be responsible for the resources you have graciously provided for my. My I be diligent in how I use these resources and be of good steward.

The Paradoxical Life

Let [the person] who cannot be alone beware of comminuty. Let [the person] who is not in community beware of alone.
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Of one of the many paradoxes in life, we need both community and solitude. "Human beings were made for relationships: without a rich and nourishing network of connections, we wither and die... At the same time, we were made for solitude. Our lives may be rich in relationships, but the human self remains a mystery of enfolded inwardness that no other person can possibly enter or know. If we fail to embrace our ultimate aloneness and seek meaning only in communion with others, we wither and die." ~Parker J. Palmer

In light of what I've been experiencing recently, I have realized that is the essence of "connecting". With my headache and bad back, I have withdrew into solitude. When Rev. Lau challenged me today why I did not seek support from the church and community, I realized one of my weakness have surface. The temptation to solve problems on my own. But the idea of sharing each other's burdens and pains in the process of connecting with others and with ourselves.

Lord, thank you for helping me see my weaknesses.