New Year 2015

Still with one foot hanging onto Christmas and the other being dragged towards the New Year, it's time to reflect on this last year and look forward to what God will be doing in the next.

I've decided that I will go ahead with the focus of  "Telling of His Wonderful Deeds" reflecting Psalm 40:5 "O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them."   It will stretch me; but more importantly, it will hopefully bring glory to God for all that He has done.

So, what better way to start than to reflect on what He has done this year.  As I look back on the year, there are a few things that stand out:

• In some ways, my friendships have been shaken and put through the fire, and I have learned from the LORD what true friendship should look like.  What started as painful and feeding my fear of rejection, turned out to be life-changing growth and knowledge.   Praise God for the mysterious ways in which He works.  Best of all, I can appreciate "what a friend we have in Jesus"!
• I can't think of this past year and not have the work "remodel" pop into mind.   I was finally able to get started on what I have been planning for pretty much the last seven years.   The time was finally right; and I thank God for helping me through it all so far.   It didn't go perfectly; there were quite a few challenges, and I had to learn and grow a lot through this as well.  But, it's all part of life, and I'm pleased with the progress that has been made.   I thank God for His protection and His guidance.
• While things at work and church, and with family have not really changed in any dramatic ways; I will not take for granted what He is doing in those areas either.   He has blessed me, given me the privilege of serving Him; and I believe that He is using me.   
• I did try to live out my area of focus on "Loving Others".    My hope is that others were able to see God's reflection through my life, as I tried to love them as He has loved me.  Amen.

2-Jan:  For New Years, I once again watched "Facing the Giants".  It really is an inspirational and motivating movie.  This time, I made note of some of the stand out lines from the movie:

• We should "prepare the fields" to receive the rains that we are praying for God to send, whenever He may send them in His Time
• Our actions always follow our beliefs
• It's not about us, God put is here to honor Him with our actions and attitudes; so we are to give God our best and all we have and leave the results to Him
• Stay humble but confident
• God can do whatever He wants however He wants

I also watched a movie on Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  I respect him for his sacrifice and martyrdom; but, while I expected to be inspired by the story of his life and actions, his being the author of "The Cost of Discipleship", the movie may have recounted most of the facts, but it didn't seem to capture the heart.   Though, it was interesting that while I expected a strict and rigid theologian, it was nice to see the movie depict Bonhoeffer as a charismatic fun happy person.  Off hand, I probably wouldn't be able to quote anything he said; but, overall, to me, he would represent someone who stood firm in his convictions to the end.

That is something I would do well to follow.   I must admit that I ended the year badly in 2014; and I felt that in the New Year, I had to ask God to pull me out of the dark pit I had stumbled into.  I feel like I'm back on the right path, and have new resolution to not be knocked down and pulled off the path again; but, I was reminded in devotions last night from 1 Timothy 4:8, that it's not so much discipline that should be our focus, but rather godliness.   Laboring and striving are not end goals in themselves; it is for the purpose of being holy just has He is Holy.  That is my hope, goal, and desire - to be like Christ.

4-Jan:  The sermon today was so apropo.  We were reminded that David was not doing what he was supposed to be doing at the time he fell into sin with Bathsheba; and that in this story, it is Uriah who exemplifies what it means to be a "man after God's own heart" and who stands firm.  Pastor Rory encouraged us to repent of our past failures and to lay all our brokenness literally at the foot of the cross.  I do commit to walk in His Ways and to seek purity and holiness in my life.
My friend and her family came to visit today.   I must admit that she and her husband do much by way of helping me stay current on technology.   It was nice of her with her kids to pray for me right before she left.  That was special.   I also do see that with all her kids and the demands on her time, it is hard to have "quality" time with her.   I will just keep her in prayer and utilize what time we do have and to continue to share through whatever interactions we can.

5-Jan:  So, what are some changes planned for this year?   Well, I will get back into reading more Christian books.  And, I will make it a goal to play more piano and memorize at least one more piece of music.  I also plan to finish as much remodeling inside as possible, which would include kitchen, bathroom, painting, and carpet.  Hopefully, by the end of the year, the only thing left will be the backyard.  And then, I can use my home as a place to invite others over and to practice hospitality.

12-Jan:  Something that God seems to have been simmering in mind lately is starting to boil.  Various conversations I've had with the single women in my class have touched my heart with the idea that they may need a special ministering to.   As God has taught me so much and brought me so far in not only being content in my singleness, but actually being able to say that I can rejoice in the benefits of being single; it may be something that I can share with these other women or at least to be an example to them.  Most of my current areas of ministry are things that I have being serving in for awhile now; so, maybe it is time to "stretch" into new areas.   After I finish remodeling, I may be able to have these "singles" over more often, like near holidays (e.g. day after Thanksgiving, New Years, etc) or just for movie night or even just tea.  This is definitely something that I will be praying about.
Some additional thoughts are maybe to start a community group for singles.  We can get-together with a focus on fellowship with a lighter emphasis on teaching.   We could watch a movie with a Christian theme and discuss it afterwards; have a dinner with a topic for conversation (e.g. apologetics question); have a lesson on an interesting topic (e.g singleness, solitude); or go visit a place with a spiritual reference we can discuss afterwards (e.g. Reagan Library, Art Museum and then pull paintings from Bible from internet and discuss, etc)

John 4

The story of the Samaritan woman, or the woman at the well is a very familiar one.  She found the Living Water, never to thirst again.  Jesus "had" to go through Samaria because He had a divine appointment with her.

It was interesting that right after studying the passage in the previous chapter of Jesus's conversation with Nicodemus, we actually see some parallels with this conversation with the Samaritan woman.   Whether it was about being "born again" or the "living water", both did not fully understand the spiritual reference, thinking only about the physical "birth" or "water".   And both are examples of ways to evangelize.  There is a moment when confronted with her sin of having had five husbands and now living with someone who is not her husband, the woman tried to evade by turning to a controversial topic of where to worship.  But, even then, Jesus just pointed her to true worship of the Father in spirit and truth.

And then, He clearly tells her that He is the Messiah, using reference to "I AM".    While John clearly shows Jesus as GOD throughout his Gospel, but, in this passage, he also showed that Jesus was fully man "tired from the journey".  Jesus was fully God and fully Man.

31-Dec: The Samaritan woman effectively gives testimony to those in town, and they come out to see for themselves and believe that He is the "Savior of the World".  This is in contrast to Galilee where Jesus said "a prophet has no honor in his own country".
Jesus had used the analogy of birth and water for spiritual life, and now uses food as an analogy for doing the will and work of God.  In particular, the example given was sowing, reaping, and harvesting souls for eternal life.  In these analogies, we see that the essentials of our spiritual life are regeneration, worship, and doing the work of God.

Christmas'14

Christmas is here, and it's God's Hand at work that helps me to actually be ready for it.  With all that is going on in my life, I can see that it is God who enables me to handle everything that comes my way.   My Christmas decorations up, gifts are wrapped, my house is in as much order as it can be in light of upcoming remodel plans, I'm keeping up with work, church, etc, and I've still been able to put into practice "Loving Others".   Even a problem that I was facing with flies has now been explained by the farming at the nearby Base, which should now go away.  God is Good!

My theme this Christmas is JOY because of all that God has taught me this year about JOY.   Since it is directly related to our awareness of God's Presence in our lives, it makes sense that Christmas is a time of JOY because we celebrate Emmanuel, GOD WITH US!

9-Dec:  Went to the FISH Christmas concert last night.  I really enjoyed it; and it was even better than last year.  A theme that I heard through the sharing and songs was that of HOPE; that no matter what we are going through, we have HOPE that God will carry us through beyond it.

• The AFTERS - They were the ones most focused on getting the audience involved in singing in worship.   "Lift Me Up" and "Broken Hallelujahs" stood out
• Danny Gokey - He was very impressive, both with his singing in his very strong raspy voice, and his powerful delivery of songs.  His pianist was also really good.  I really enjoyed his heartfelt story-telling style, especially on "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again" which brought me to tears.  And his rendition of "Mary Did You Know" was really great.  He shared about losing his first wife, and the touching power of his music shows how pain and loss can really help us to grow and be used of God
• Aaron Shust - He seemed like "thinker" of the group.   He shared some of his thoughts and analysis, read from associated Scripture, etc.   And, I could tell that he was a classically trained pianist, not just playing chords.   Some of his piano arrangements were really beautiful and impressive, especially with "Unto Us", especially where he interspersed some other themes like from Handel's "For Unto Us a Child is Born".  I like how he shared that he started piano lessons at age seven and wanted to quit by eight; but his mom said "no" and look at what he is doing now.

11-Dec:  My message this Christmas is that our joy comes through the presence of Christ, Emmanuel - God with Us.

15-Dec:  My small group Christmas get-together last night was nice.  It was a little more subdued than in previous years, and it may be because of the different mix of people.  I brought a "grey elephant" but it didn't get picked till the end, maybe because people are afraid of large wrapped packages.  Oh well, at least it went to my small group leaders.  I picked up a candle holder and soap dish - at least it's better than glitter tattoo or the aflac duck and monkey stuffed animals.  For the potluck, I made a fruit green salad with spinach, arugala, kiwi, raspberries, blackberries, red onion, walnuts, and dried cranberries, served with a raspberry vinagrette.   The arugala may have been a little too bitter; and the vinagrette with the fruit may have been a little to acidic.  But, the walnuts and cranberries were good.
It was a really busy day yesterday with church, class, and then made lunch for a friend I gave a ride to.  I made a marinated chicken with asian marinade and green onions, which turned out pretty well, served with coucous which soaked up the flavors well, corn, and a mandarin orange spinach salad which was really good with ponzu sauce.
I also picked up our church Bluegrass Gospel concert CD.   It was okay; but probably would've been more fun and had a bigger effect in person.

18-Dec:  I sent my last eCards today, and all my regular cards are done, I think.  Gifts are all done also, except that there are a couple of AV guys that I want to get some small gifts as a token of my appreciation for what they do throughout the year.  So, I have a week to really ponder on and appreciate the true reason for the season.

22-Dec:  I was able to get some Paris Baguette bakery items for the AV guys along with cards.  They actually ate it right away that evening we were running AV, so it worked out well.   For the person who doesn't like sweets, he seemed to like the Garlic Frenchtoast.  Next year, with more time, I think I can give more gifts  to the rest of the worship ministry team; and I can gear it towards the area they serve in (e.g. I have a drum ornament I can give to the drummer)
A person at church I don't know very well gave me a gift box with some individually wrapped cookies.  It was unexpected, which made it even more appreciated.  And a couple people in class gave me gift certificates/cards which made me feel appreciated.  So, I can see how gifts can be special.
And our family was able to take my mom out for her birthday.  We went to the Cantonese noodle place we saw last time.   The food was a little bland, and it was funny that the best dish was a vietnamese vermicelli with grilled pork, which we don't usually order.

27-Dec:  Christmas has come and gone.  We spend so much time and energy preparing for it and looking forward to it; and it seemed to fly by so quickly.  I may not have spent as much time reflecting quietly as maybe I should have; but, from my class study of John, I was instilled clearly with the true meaning of Christmas,  that Christ came as our Savior, to give us the gift of salvation.
Overall, I'm glad that I was able to put up decorations.   I even hooked up some of my lights outside.  I went to my small group get-together, "worked" on AV Team pretty much all day Christmas Eve for services, after working about half day at my actual workplace, and spent Christmas with family.   This year for Christmas dinner, the menu consisted of:

•  Lamb Stew - it turned out well with the radish, carrot, rosemary, garlic, ginger, and lemon
• Breaded Coconut Shrimp - I only baked it and it was actually quite popular, the first dish to be finished
• Marinated Chicken - It was pretty tasty but probably would've been better served together with a vegetable
• Kale w/Fried Onions - I think it was a healthy dish and the buttery taste came out
• Broccolli and Cauliflower - Did a simple roast vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper
• Mashed Broccoli and Califlower - It was actually not a bad substitute for mashed potatoes
• CousCous - This was not very popular though I thought it would go better with the lamb than rice
• Bread - Just baked a La Brea Bakery multigrain loaf
• Yams - Just used up leftovers from Thanksgiving; seems like an easy go-to holiday dish that everyone likes

Served with Hot Apple Cider, and then a raspberry creamcheese coffee cake for dessert.

After Christmas, did a little shopping, but didn't really find a lot sales.

28-Dec:  Had my class Christmas-New Years get-together today.  It almost feels like it marks the end of Christmas; but, I do have to still get together with a couple of friends before the end of the year.
My pastor said something today that stood out.... He said that we often don't know how strong our anchor is until we are in the midst of the storm.   My anchor in Christ is the strongest!

Life

LIFE - that's a philosophical topic if ever there was one.  A couple of incidents this week reminded me of the fragility of life.

The wife of a person at church passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.  They had only been married for a few years.  I can only imagine what her daughter is going through, however, I can see how God is watching over her by having provided a step-father to take care of her.

Last night, I once again accidentally locked myself out when I took out the trash.  I was even trying to be careful not to lock myself out; but, it happened anyway.  And to top it off, it was cold and rainy.  It pointed out to me, that sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can still fail; and so, we always need God in our lives.  I also had to once again remind myself not to "beat myself up too much", and hope that incidents like this just help me to be more compassionate towards others when they "make mistakes".   Also, I wonder if I was meant to go through this to learn about my neighbor's stroke.  When I went over to my other neighbor to make a phone call, they told me our other neighbor had a stroke over Thanksgiving.   Having learned this puts her on my heart to be praying for her.

Solvang

Spent the weekend with my family in Solvang.   It's always nice to visit since it is such a cute town.   I just regret having to miss the Bluegrass concert at my church.  However, on Sunday, we did visit TRC - The Ranch Church in Los Olivos.  It is one of the Calvary Chapels, the closest to Solvang.  The music was pretty good - the worship leader and band led well; though, it seemed like the key they sang in made it a little difficult to sing along with.  The message had good depth.  It was on "King David at his Best".  The key points were:

• What was God looking for?  A man after His own heart (1 Sam 13:14); and at David's anointing, we are reminded that the LORD looks at the heart and the Spirit came upon him in power (1 Sam 16:7 & 13).  So, God looks for those who seek Him with all their being.  Just as we cannot give ourselves a heart transplant, so too it is God who changes our hearts spiritually.   Every person no matter the culture has a "discontent" that is a constant reminder that this is not our home
• What did Samuel find?  A man who knew how to trust God (e.g. 1 Sam 17:37 against Goliath).  David knew God would never fail him and was a man who knew how to conquer his fears
• What did Goliath encounter?  A man who knew how to fight.  God equips us for spiritual battle.
• How did David respond?  He believed that God forgave and called him, and he was willing to pay any price to have both.

Over the weekend, we also had a chance to visit Old Mission Santa Barbara.  I was most impressed with the statues in the church depicting Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the post-resurrection encounter.  There were also some nice paintings.  The gardens were also nice to walk around.

On the way and back, Camarillo is a nice halfway point to stop for a rest break.   There's a mall with Target and other stores; as well as the Factory outlets.  We also stopped for dinner at Wing's in Santa Barbara.  While the flavor was okay; but, for the crispy noodles, they use Chung King, which was definitely not what was expected.  Food in Santa Barbara and Solvang is quite a bit more expensive also.  I did want to note that I had a nice fortune in my fortune cookie:  "AN ADMIRER IS CONCEALING THEIR AFFECTION FOR YOU."   If that is the case, I hope he works up the courage to reveal soon....

25-Nov:  Because I was away, I missed my Pastor's sermon on Sunday; but, I just watched it online.  Interestingly, it is very much related to what I have learned about joyful living.   Pastor was talking about thankfulness, and he preached from Philippians, the book of JOY.  This is just further confirmation that a grateful spirit is very much related to the awareness of God's presence in our lives which leads to JOY.  Even in the painful times, so we can give thanks in all things because God is greater than our deepest pain.

This is My Wish

I don't think I had even heard of Kevin Ross prior to listening to the Glade commercial where he sang "This is My Wish".  I only know that he graduated from the Berklee College of Music; but, other than that, don't know anything about him as a person.  Although, in one interview that I read the transcript of, he did mention God a few times.

Nevertheless, I was so impressed with his singing and song-writing skills, based on the commercial alone; that I thought it was worth noting.  His voice is really beautiful, and he has a strong falsetto.  With so many singers out there, it is hard to stand out, yet he does.  I really liked the song and the way he performed it.

I guess I wanted to write about this because there is something about excellence that really catches my attention.  It's something I strive for, though I personally have not reached any of those levels.   Yet, I can certainly appreciate it when I see excellence in others.

Hallways of Life

Came across an interesting and thought-provoking article on crosswalk.com "3 Lessons to Learn When You’re Stuck in the Hallways of Life". The hallways of life are analogies for our transitions when one door closes and before another one opens.  The article says:

• Embrace the Hallways - hallways can be a respite or place of rest before entering the next stage
• Your Worth is Found in Christ - since our worth is not found in whatever "room" the door has closed on, we are "whole" no matter what, even when we are in the hallway waiting for what's next
• What Happens in the Hallway Changes You Forever - the hallway may take patience as we wait for God in His Timing, but the lessons learned during the waiting period can be the life-changing 

While this analogy is interesting, when I considered how this might apply to my life, I actually found that I am not often in the "hallways" of life.  In general, I have just traveled from one room to another without much of a transition.  The article mentioned how not having hallways could result in burnout jumping from one thing to another without rest in between.  So, maybe I need to intentionally insert transitional periods into my life?  The other interesting thought is that most people might consider time in between relationships as a "hallway"; but, for me, it seems that the relationships are more like the transitions between periods of singleness.

Nevertheless, whether or not I have spent much time in the "hallways of life", I have already learned the lessons pointed out in the article - I do intentionally find times of respite or rest, I know my worth is in Christ, and I have certainly grown through times of waiting.

John 3

The John 3 passage with the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus contains what may be the most well-known verse in all of Scripture - John 3:16.    Right after Nicodemus's greeting, Jesus directly started to talk about being "born again", demonstrating that He knew what was in his heart as stated at the end of the last chapter.   This is what Nicodemus, coming to Jesus secretly at night, needed to hear - his need for regeneration and eternal life.  To summarize the conversation would be to give the message of salvation - the barrier to seeing, hearing, and understanding the evidence and testimony is UNBELIEF; eternal life is through BELIEF or faith in Christ only; those who BELIEVE will be regenerated (born again) spiritually, will walk in the light, and have salvation and eternal life.  Amen.

It's interesting and apropo that I will have three weeks to prepare and meditate on this passage.  While it is familiar, there is much theological truth in it, which will be good to take time to ponder and understand.

8-Dec:  This really was such an important passage to study on the doctrine of Salvation.  It helps answer questions like what it means to be "born again" (regeneration, new birth, Spiritual birth and cleansing apart from the physical and sinful nature of the Flesh, something that is fully the work of God); what it means to believe (entrust, have conviction => actions follow knowing); or what it means that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son ("monogenes" => one and only or unique, same essence and nature as God, and beloved or with intimate relationship with the Father).   This passage clearly demonstrates God's LOVE.  It also shows the barriers to salvation - unbelief, sin, etc  (for Nicodemus, salvation by faith alone went against the incorrect notion he was brought up with as a Pharisee of "works")

11-Dec:  After recording the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, John the author calls John the Baptist back on the "witness stand" one last time in his Gospel.  Once again, we see that the person whom Jesus said that of those born of women there was no one greater is full of humility, faithfully fulfilled his calling, knew his role, and not only does not bear any jealousy over Jesus's growing ministry but even rejoices in that.  John the Baptist likened his role to the "best man" to the Bridegroom who is Jesus.  He summarized his perspective with "He must increase, but I must decrease"  Wow!  This is because John knew that Jesus was God and testified to the same truth highlighted in the conversation with Nicodemus, that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; and those who don't has God's wrath remain on them.

We should all have the same attitude in our ministries, that Christ is to be exalted and glorified; but we are to humbly serve, rejoicing in HIM.  And we as believers are witnesses to the Truth, for those who reject the testimony are believing the lies of the Enemy.

Psalm 51

This week, an experience I went through helped me to understand more of what David was saying in Psalm 51 as he asked God to restore the joy of His salvation.   When we sin, it affects our fellowship with HIM.  This year, I have walked closely with the LORD; but, I slipped a little this week related to my thorn, and the resulting disruption to my intimate fellowship with my LORD is not something I want to go through again. It is certainly motivation to stay on the Path and walk in His Ways.  Fortunately, I have been tuned in enough to the Spirit that when I wandered, I clearly knew that I needed to turn back; and I'm grateful for time at communion today to remember the pain and suffering Christ went through in order to save me from my sins, further motivation to seek to be holy as He is Holy.  Amen.

John 2

In this chapter, John presents evidence of signs & miracles and the fulfillment of prophecy.   The first miracle is Jesus turning water into wine.  Mary, out of concern for the wedding hosts, knew Jesus could help but left it to Him.  Jesus displayed his divine creative power by not only creating wine but really good wine.   This brings to mind in Genesis how "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good".  And it also demonstrated His power over time, not requiring the usual amount of time to age wine.  After Cana, Jesus takes time out to spend with family and friends in Capernaum, giving the example of experiencing the joy in living.  Then, in Jerusalem, Jesus cleanses the Temple, fulfilling Psalm 69:9, and when asked for a sign of His authority, cited His coming death and resurrection.  There were people who believed because of the signs; but, Jesus knows our hearts and desires true faith in HIM.

This passage mentions a couple of times how the disciples realized after the fact in hindsight what they did not fully understand at the time it was happening.  This reminds us that there are times we may not understand what we are going through; but, we can trust that God has a Plan.  It may help to be looking out for "signs through which He revealed His glory".

And in the cleansing of the Temple, we are reminded to keep the Temple of the our bodies Holy.  Otherwise, we may need to go through cleansing, such as through fire.

16-Nov:  It was neat how this lesson tied it so well with the sermon message on Psalm 150; that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and that we were made to worship God.
While the use of the "purification" pots may foreshadow the wine in communion representing the blood of Christ which purifies and cleanses us from sin; the "creation" of the wine and later the bread during the feeding of the 5,000 miracle may also point to the remembrance of Christ's body and blood broken and shed for us

WNO Fall'14

Friday was The Fish's Fall Women's Night Out event.  It was a nice chance to "get out" and spend some time with a couple of friends; and also to listen to some music and hear a message from the speaker.

• Aside from being nice to look at,  David Dunn actually has some pretty good songs that he has written, particularly "Today is Beautiful".   I like the story behind the song that he told, how we can sometimes get so focused on a "problem" that we forget to lift our eyes and see the beauty around us.   His drummer actually stood out, and seemed like he was really good.   David has a nice voice; but, in concert, his voice seemed like it was a little too soft and some of the lyrics were hard to make out.  They said he was on "The Voice" but I don't remember seeing him.
• Johnny Diaz seems like a nice person and has a sense of humor.   However, he just doesn't seem to have "It".   His songs are okay and some of funny; but, they don't stand out.   And he has even said about himself, that his voice sounds like Kermit the Frog.   But, he did remind us that God often uses those who feel inadequate are able to use them for His purposes.
• I hadn't realized the Kim Meeder was the author of "Hope Rising" until I saw the book on the speaker's table.  I remember it being a book full of touching stories from the experiences on her horse ranch.   She shared her life story of her painful childhood.   It's great that she has found healing and has been able to help so many others find healing and hope as well

As for the food afterwards, the pasta was just okay, but the dessert Congo bar was quite good.  It was interesting that we kind of had like a "progressive dinner", getting the dish, dessert, and hot cocoa from three different lines.  It was an enjoyable way to spend a Friday evening.   I even talked to Reborn Cabinets and entered a drawing.   It would be nice to win a kitchen remodel.

I had actually taken all of Friday off, though I did have to check email a couple of times.  It was nice to have some time off to take care of things like going to the bank, post office, grocery shopping, etc.    That freed up my Saturday to just go jogging and then yardwork.  I was able to finish mulching.   I also worked AV this weekend, taught class, caught the Cup of China Figure Skating, and did some shopping.  It was a fairly full but blessed weekend.

Thanksgiving'14

There is much to be THANKFUL for.  Today, I received a newsletter from my missionary friend, and it reminded me to count my blessings as she talked about all that she was thankful for.

• I thank God for teaching me the keys to joyful living, part of which is related to having a grateful spirit
• I thank God for helping me to "juggle" so much in my life without too many balls falling
• I thank God for helping me to "love others" more this year
• I thank God for allowing me to start my remodeling projects this year and for the changes that have been completed

25-Nov:  In planning and shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, I've decided on the following:

• Turkey - my brother will be smoking the turkey (Yum! :-) ) and making Cranberry Relish
• Lamb Stew
• Yams with Marshmallows
• Roasted and Mashed Potatoes to be served with gravy or lamb mushroom red wine reduction
• Green Bean Casserole
• Kale and Corn
• Stuffing
• Rolls

My brothers will be bringing desserts, my parents pumpkin pie, and I have ice cream.

I thank God for His provision.

3-Dec:  Thanksgiving Dinner was good.   I, of course, planned more dishes than I was able to actually cook:

• Smoked Turkey - was good; but much of it was not quite done; so afterwards, I ended up boiling most of it for soup base and porridge
• Cranberry Relish - was okay; but, I ended up using it in a salad
• Cranberry Sauce - was good, but I thought it was a little too sweet
• Lamb Stew - took a lot of work; marinated, braised, boiled, de-boned, fat removed after solidification, pan-fried carrots, potatoes, pan-fried lamb meat with tomato sauce and other flavoring, and then put together with the broth and simmered till done.   Served over a parsley rice. (NOTE:  Actually the pan-fried lamb meat tasted best by itself, before combining with other ingredients and broth which caused it to lose some of its flavor)  
• Yams - pureed, seasoned, and broiled with topped marshmallows.  This turned out well.
• Green Bean Casserole - Just poured cream of mushroom with milk, soy sauce, cooked green beans and French's Fried Onion; baked, and then sprinkled with more French's Onion and browned.  This was fairly simple.   I just never really liked the creamy sauce as much.
• Stuffing - used a honey oat bread and baked cubes; mixed with celery cooked in butter with herbs; then baked.  It didn't seem to be "soft" enough.   I kept adding broth.   It was okay.
• Mashed Potatoes - steamed peeled and cubed pototoes; mashed; and added butter, roasted garlic, and herbs
• Gravy - heated store-bought turkey gravy, but also make a red wine reduction with some lamb broth.  Both were pretty good
• Rolls - had Hawaiian rolls and a Onion Jalapeno bread which was quite popular
• Apple Cider - made in the slow cooker; used two bottles which were almost all gone
• Dessert - family brought pumpkin pie, baklava, and finger desserts

I ran out of time, and did do the corn and kale until later in the weekend.  Boiled the corn, de-husked, and then pan-fried with butter and cayenne pepper.   Really good!  Also sauteeed kale with onion and herbs.  Used the rest of the celery and mushroom in a vermicelli which was also good.

Overall, it was quite a lot of food.   But, my main leftovers are just the soup base from the turkey bones.

I did get to share, just with my brothers, what I learned about finding joy.   Hope they will benefit from what I had learned also.

Food

Lately, I haven't really spent a lot of time cooking; and it's been awhile since I've hosted because of all the remodeling.  But, there have been a few dishes worth noting:

• A couple of weeks ago, I made a vermicelli dish with tofu, a bitter green, and an unknown Vietnamese herb.  The greens were quite bitter, and the herb had a pretty strong uncommon taste.  But, I mixed in a lot of different sauces - sweet & hot, ginger shitake soy, oyster, etc and the outcome was a dish that actually made me want more as I continued eating.  I would definitely consider making it again, and maybe with a less bitter green
• Yesterday, I made a turkey vegetable stew, which smelled great.  The turkey broth was made from turkey legs that were roasted with lemon and herbs.  After skimming the fat, used the broth for the base of the stew which consisted of red potatoes, carrots, celery, kale stems, green onion, and garlic.  It is quite satisfying and the added pieces of turkey meat make quite a difference.
• I also pan fried chipotle sausages with celery mixed with salsa.  It was flavorful, and will be served over rice or pasta

Weekend Wedding

This weekend, a couple from my class got married.  It was actually quite a contrast from the last wedding I attended.  This one was more "casual", in my church, surrounded mostly by relatives and people from church and class, but with only the bride and groom in the wedding party; as opposed to my cousin's son's wedding which was quite formal and extravagant, lakeside at a resort, surrounded by young friends of the couple I didn't know with a large wedding party with many bridesmaids and groomsmen.  

Needless to say, I enjoyed being at this one more, mainly because God was "invited".   We were in "God's House", we talked to Him in prayer, He was mentioned in the message by the pastor marrying the couple, and even the reception napkins had verses or praises/thanksgivings to God.  While this wedding most likely cost less, I thought is was more special.

If I were to find one word that best describes the wedding, it was "personal".  The bride's brother officiated, and he infused several remarks that expressed love, affection, protection, and humor.   And at the dessert reception were home-baked cookies using the bride's mom's and friend's recipes.  They also had some icees that were so good!

Since the wedding was at my church, it gave me a chance to think about some of the elements I would or wouldn't like, if I were ever to get married in my church.   This is like the fourth wedding I've attended at my church, and they were all quite different:

• I definitely would not want mine to be too casual
• I would have at least a maid of honor (especially to hold the flowers and straighten the dress) and best man (to carry the rings) in the wedding party
• Music is very important, especially to clearly indicate entrances and exits, so it would be clear to the guests; and because music can really convey emotion and make the ceremony more special
• It is nice to have other elements in the ceremony besides just the vows and ring exchange - I would like a special couple to maybe read Scripture and offer a prayer
• Communion is nice; but, seems strange to leave the guests out
• Quite a bit of decorations are needed, otherwise the platform looks quite empty
• At the reception, it is nice to introduce family members and relatives so that other guests would know
• I would probably fill the multi-purpose room, since the area by the "fireplace" is too small
• For the reception, it would be nice to offer more than just desserts, like to have other hors d'oeuvre or even enough food for a meal
• Invitations are important - at this one, many didn't even know the exact time and were unclear about RSVP
• Programs are nice, or at least some take-home momento of the occasion

Stradivari

I'm watching the Stradivari movie inspired by the real-life motivating story of Antonio Stradivari.  While much of his childhood is unclear, the movie depicted him as orphaned with nothing to call his own, Stradivari was able to rise above mainly because of his passion for violins after he first heard one being played.   The movie does a good job of showing his single-minded focus on learning to make a violin, and all the creative ways he was able to get around challenges and obstacles.  I really liked the story my Pastor told of the sound being so good because of supposedly not so good wood that came from the swamps and rivers.  It is just a picture of how God can take what is considered lowly and raise it up.  The movie also showed how Stradivari was fortunate in having strong understanding wives.  I also liked the depiction in the movie of how music transcended the war when the Austrians invaded.

APU Chorale

The Azusa Pacific Men's Chorale concert last night was a nice way to cap off a very busy weekend.  It was clear that while the Director Harold Clousing was probably somewhat of a perfectionist with very exacting standards, he is respected and has invested in the lives of his students.  As several of them shared, he fosters an environment where the technicality was not of primary importance, but rather their hearts for worship.  As a result, the concert was a special time of worship and makes us wonder whether this was a glimpse into some of what it will be like in heaven with beautiful music in worship of our LORD.  Two of my favorite pieces sung last night were "The Majesty and Glory of Your Name" and "Holy, Holy, Holy".   In fact, "Holy, Holy, Holy" may now have surpassed "O Sacred Head" as my favorite hymn.  That is saying a lot, considering that Bach is my favorite composer.

The weekend also started well, in that I was able to take care of some things that have been on my To Do List - like property taxes and voting.  Unfortunately, I was not able to go with my class on their trip to the USS Iowa since the painters needed to finish up on Saturday morning.   But, it did give me a chance to do errands - grocery shopping, stop by Lowe's, etc.

Then, Sunday was pretty non-stop busy-ness.   After church and class, I caught some of the Skate America programs, then got to hear an update on my friend's ministry at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.   And then to the concert afterwards.

It's interesting that lately, God has brought me in contact with many things related to missions or ministry, particularly in Africa - the church missionaries to Uganda, the Ugandan Lambs ministry, the message on Sunday morning from the President of Children of the Nations, and my friend's presentation on her work in Tanzania.

The Gospel of John and John 1

My class is about to embark on a relatively "long" journey through the Gospel of John.  I anticipate an exciting and instructional journey as we seek to Know Christ more through this study series.  According to the apostle Paul in Phil 3:7-8, everything is considered rubbish in comparison with the "surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord"!  So, hopefully, we will be doing just that on this next journey.

I have structured the series with each lesson focusing on the particular Name or description of Jesus in that particular passage (e.g. Word, Light of the Word, Way, Truth, & Life, etc)  It really should be interesting, and I am pleased with how well the outline has turned out.

We will be studying this Book for almost a year, about 11 months.  May God teach us and reveal Himself more to us through this study.  Amen.

21-Oct:  When God broke His 400 year silence between the Old and New Testaments, He sent us the Living WORD.   John starts his Gospel, not with the earthly birth of Christ like Matthew or Luke, but by pointing us back to Genesis, "In the beginning...".   He tells us that Christ is the CREATOR.   He is God in essence (the Word was God) but also distinct from the Father in person (the Word was with God).  Using "life" and "light" like in Creation, John tells us that in Christ is not only physical life, but also spiritual; and that not only does He shine in physical darkness but He sheds light on the darkness of sin.
However, despite John the Baptist's testimony and witness, the world did not recognize nor believe.  Though, to those who do believe, we are given the right to become part of His family!  How astounding that Jesus the Creator God became man and allowed us to see His Glory and provided us a way to have eternal life!  Jesus is the Final WORD.

25-Oct:  Since John focused on giving evidence for Christ as God, it's neat what Chuck Swindoll said, that it's almost as if we need to take our shoes off when reading this Gospel because it is like standing on Holy Ground in the presence of God.

28-Oct:  Christ's glory is full of grace and truth in contrast to the Law which only reveals our unrighteousness and need for a Savior, but through Christ we have grace and the full truth that the Savior is Jesus.  It is clear that John the Baptist was humble and continually pointed to the Messiah, even when his authority to teach and baptize were challenged.  John the Baptist clearly testified that Jesus is the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" and that He is the "Son of God".  [NOTE:  This is what "greatness" looks like, for in Matt 11:11, Jesus had said that of those born of women there is none greater than John the Baptist.]  So, John the Author presented his case for Christ as God in vs 1:14 and called John the Baptist as his first witness in vs 6-8, 15-34.   John the Baptist is a credible witness because he is of the priestly line, his father Zacharias was a priest, they all heard of the events surrounding his birth (Zacharias not being able to talk, the prophecies about John, his miraculous conception, living as a Nazirite, etc)

4-Nov:  John the Baptist pointed even his own disciples, one of whom was Andrew, to follow Jesus.   Andrew in turn brings his brother Simon declaring Jesus to be the Messiah.   When Jesus gave Simon the new name Peter, it showed that He saw what Simon Peter was able to become, a "ROCK" and leader in the Church.  Jesus then called Philip to follow Him, who in turn called Nathanael by declaring Him to be the One who fulfills the Law and Prophets (i.e. OT Scripture).   Though Nathanael was skeptical at first, he came to believe Jesus as the Son of God and King.   And Jesus promises that he will see even greater things to come.

9-Nov:  We had good discussions in class.  As application for the lesson, the passage illustrates how we sometimes don't know a person's background or the seeds that have already been sown in their lives.  We are just called to be witnesses and invite them to "come and see" for themselves.  Those witnessing and being witnessed to can consist of a variety of personality types - emotional, analytical, skeptical, etc.   Also, just as Jesus gave Simon a new name to represent what he would eventually be called to do, we can ask ourselves what new name we might be called?  What are we being prepared for and stretched to do?

Pain

Recently, a few people talked to me about the sadness and depression that they are going through.  Aside from praying for them and trying to point them to Scripture and what I have learned about Joy through trials, I am at a loss as to what else I could be doing for them.   I just place them in my Father's Hands.

I did come across an RTB article today that had a topic related to one of the conversations I had.   The article said that researchers have found that in the animal kingdom, it's been found that animals that have experienced pain increase their ability to survive.  They are able to better react to and handle new dangers and challenges.   I imagine that we can make a similar analogy to humans; that those who have experienced pain are better equipped to handle whatever life throws our way, having already dealt with pain.

Malachi 4 and Conclusion

Malachi concludes the book with a message of the Messiah's Coming.  On the Day of the LORD, wickedness will be burnt up, destroyed, and overcome.

In light of His Coming, the People are reminded to keep the covenant and live in obedience.  There is a promise of reconciliation for those who fear Him, but destruction to those who do not.  

The reference to Elijah may refer to John the Baptist for Christ's First Coming; but, possibly to one of the Witnesses in Revelation for His Second Coming.  This is because Elijah was an OT prophet during a time of crisis and right before judgment.

16-Oct:  To summarize the whole study series in Malachi, when we as God's People listen for His message of:

• LOVE - we can remember His Love and Goodness to us no matter our circumstances, we would respond in love by giving Him our best and honor His Name that we may be a witness to the world, and we would offer pure sacrifices (e.g. our lives)
• REBUKE - we would seek to keep the covenant and be His People in obedience; and we are to know HIM, remembering that He does not change and not to deny His goodness and justice
• JUDGMENT - we would be prepared and ready for the coming judgment, endure fire and purification in our lives, give God what He is due, and to fear Him and walk in His ways
• HIS COMING - would would look forward to His Return, and live according to that perspective

Roses

It may be my change in perspective, but, it seems that I'm able to start "smelling the roses" more than being "pricked by the thorns".  His grace truly is sufficient for me.  Amen.

Rather than making me sad, I am glad that there are guys out there that have godly characteristics I am looking for - the Ugandan missionary; or the South African dad - it was neat to see him and his wife raising their hands in worship, and then their kids following their example.  That was special.

Then, I was able to just enjoy the hug with the band guy and to hold hands during prayer, without regret that I am alone.  And I'm able to appreciate the moment of connection we had, without wishing for more.

Maybe I am at peace, content, and even rejoicing now in my circumstances.  I do trust that this is God's plan for me at this time, and I will just continue to walk in His Ways, serving Him with undistracted devotion.

Remodel - Exterior Paint, Door, Gate, and Carpet

Now that the front hardscape is done, it does reveal that the house definitely needs painting.  So, that's my next project; but, in parallel, I'm also trying to install a new garage side door, gate, and carpet in the bedrooms.  I've talked to so many different contractors, and have had such varied responses.  I find that it is rare to encounter one who is friendly and really wants to do the work.

So far, the friendliest is this one company for vinyl gates, for which I have an estimate scheduled next week.  For the carpet, I went in person to their store, and they were pretty friendly.  Both painting contractors that I ended up getting estimates from were not bad either.

For the exterior house paint colors, I'm leaning towards Cocoa for the walls (which goes along with what I had intended for awhile), White for the trim and garage door, and Burnt Crimson for the accent (doors, shutters).  I hope it will look good and not be too dark.  It's really hard to tell from small swatches.   I decided not to go with the lighter browns, because they were too close to grey; and I needed a contrast against the pavers and concrete.  With the darker brown, I am able to contrast more with the trim; and I think the white is better than a cream.   The accent should provide the pop of color that I need.

12-Oct:  The estimates I received for the painting was definitely higher than the ones from a few years back; but, still close to what I had budgeted.  I will likely go with the lower priced one, though there is a longer delay to the start of the project.
The carpet estimates are higher than I had hoped for; but, the one I got was close to the one from Home Depot.  So, I will probably go with it, since the colors were closer to what I wanted.
I also paid for the door measure, which started the door installation process.
The second gate estimate is scheduled for this week.

14-Oct:  It's kind of disconcerting how decisions can change fairly radically within the course of one week:

• For the painting, I ended up not going with the lower priced quote.  Even though it was about 10% less, I decided to go with the company that had more experience (30 yrs vs 8 yrs), and was more established (with employees as opposed to just the owner who didn't even have worker's comp).  They say they'll be able to start next week, and had even offered to start at the end of this week, which will be better than waiting until next month.  Overall, it'll end up being slightly higher than budgeted
• For the carpet company, I found that their license has been suspended due to a worker's comp issue; so, I think it is best if I avoid that.  So, I am going to visit a couple of other companies
• The door has been measured, and I should be able to order it this week, and hopefully be able to get the current 20% off promotion

18-Oct:  I visited another carpet company, this one more local.  The person in the store was very nice and walked me through the different types of carpets with really good explanations.   I have scheduled an estimate this week; and I hope they will be able to come within the price range I'm looking for.  I've picked out new samples:  Shaw Floors Shingle Creek 100% ANSO BCF Nylon in "Wooden Box" color (with 20 yr warranty) and Stainmaster Vernanburg (7 yr warranty) "Mellow Bean" color.

20-Oct:  Exterior painting started today.  On colors, I decided to drop the accent color since I didn't really like the Crimson when looking at the sample painted on the shutters.   I'll just use the white for all the trim and door and shutters.   As for the Cocoa brown, I will stay with it since I liked the darker color better than the one with white added.
As for the gate, the estimate was even higher than the last one; though this was likely closer to the actual.   While I thought the person who answered the phone was extremely friendly, I was not so impressed with the estimator who came out.   I'm considering getting an estimate through Lowe's for the gate.

22-Oct:  The first coat of the brown paint went on today, and my first impression is that it is dark.  And when it dries, it'll be even darker.   I just hope that when the white trim goes on, it will "lighten" it with the contrast.   Hopefully when all is done, it'll look nice.

24-Oct:  Now that the trim and garage door has been painted, I'm really liking how it has turned out.  The contrast between the whites and the dark brown is nice.  And comparing before and after pics, I would have to say that it is an improvement.   The paint is doing what I intended, drawing more attention to the architectural elements of the house (e.g. the nice wrought iron designs) and less on the hardscape.
I do think that the decisions we make during remodeling does reveal some of who we are, especially for exterior projects.   So, I think what the hardscape and painting show about me are that I don't just try to fit in and be like everyone else (e.g. I am the only one with full hardscape in the front yard, the only one with dark colors, etc), and that I try to be practical (i.e. no more watering and mowing the lawn or trimming trees needed).

25-Oct:  However, it still seems that the pictures look better than the actual.   With the actual, there is a really sharp contrast between the brown and the white; and in the areas where there is a lot of brown on the sides of the house, it really does look very dark and almost looming.    And, at night, it is even darker.   With the front entry iron gate, it is now painted white.   There are many pros and cons.  When it was brown, it was less noticeable; but, with the walls painted brown also, it was quite dark in the entry way.   With it white, it is quite prominent, but also highlights the other elements of white on the door and window trims.   Also, the white is consistent with the other wrought iron structures around the house.   I still think that I needed a bold strong color to contrast all the grey concrete and stone.  And, it is undeniable that the concrete and stone is now more in the background; and the colors draw one's eyes to the house itself.
Some of the comments I've gotten so far on the house colors:  the owner of the painting company said it was unique and made the house look very different; the lead painter said from the very beginning that he liked dark colors and that the house stands out; a lady walking by said that she thought it really looked nice; an older man walked by and really encouraged me by saying that he knew it was a risk going with darker colors but congratulated me on how well it turned out and even complimented me on being smart when it comes to water conservation.

27-Oct:  Now that I've been looking at the Before and After, I conclude that the deep-tone does provide the contrast I was looking for against the stone/pavers and white trims.   Also, I like the uncluttered clean lines; and am leaning toward not putting anything in the front to detract or clutter, not even pots, garden flags, and such.  I did buy some cedar bark to cover the dirt areas, though.   I chose cedar over the colored bark, hoping that these will less likely attract additional bugs.
For the carpet, I decided to go with this last company, and it's nice that they turned out to be the least expensive.  However, they informed me that the carpet likely will not arrive prior to mid-November.
I stopped by Lowe's to ask about Gate Installation Estimate - they put in a lead and I should be called about scheduling a consultation.
And, I'm still waiting for the Home Depot Door Installer to call me.

28-Oct:  One of my neighbors drove by and said that she loved what I did with the place.  That makes me happy that at least one of my neighbors like the changes.

13-Nov:  Well, I did order the Gate through Home Depot, and they were less expensive than the other estimate I had gotten, so I'm happy about that.  The subcontractor is Finyl Vinyl and they order the gate from Active Yards.   I decided to go with Juniper (semi-private with picket top), and ended up with the high-end Haven series, probably to meet the minimum cost the company is willing to do an installation for.  I chose white to match with my windows and trim.
I did get comments from two other neighbors who said they liked how the exterior now looks.  A friend of one neighbor even said that we should all do the same in light of the drought.

26-Nov:  Carpets in the bedrooms got installed today.  They look good and the colors go well.  I am pleased and glad.  The exercise room low pile carpet will definitely be better for the exercise machines; and with the padding, still feels better than the original carpet even.   And, the carpet in the other rooms really feel cushion-y and has that nice new smell.  I'm happy with the outcome and just hope that I can get things put back together before Thanksgiving tomorrow.  So, the only major let down were the delays in scheduling.  I also have to decide whether I will shave the doors, since two currently scrapes the carpet.

12-Dec:  It was nice that the Exterior Paint company called me yesterday to see whether all was well with the paint; so, I took the opportunity to ask once more for some touch-up paint, which they did not leave any previously.
Also, my side garage door was installed Wed.  It looks nice, and I even finish painting the trim and brick molding.
My gate install was scheduled for today; but, it's raining hard, so will likely be postponed.

19-Dec:  My white vinyl gate with picket top was installed today.  It looks nice; and the white vinyl fits in well with the rest of the white on the exterior of my house (trims, windows, doors, iron gates, etc).  I can now finally say that I'm done for this year (with only 11 days to spare).
It really has been a busy year of remodeling.   I'm pleased with all the interior transformations in the bedrooms.  The door and gate may be nicer than I really need; but, they look good.   I really like not having a lawn; but, it is definitely unusual for my area.   I like the exterior paint, though it is probably darker than I should've gone; though, I don't know whether I would've liked a lighter shade.  Well, it's done; and it all looks fine.

Malachi 2 & 3

In chapter 2, God continues speaking to the priests with a Rebuke.  Their blessings will be cursed and they will be despised and humuliated.  God reminded them of the covenants made with the tribe of Levi, how priests should teach with truth, walk in peace and uprightness, and turn many away from sin.  The people of Judah and Israel have also broken their covenant by intermarrying and worshipping foreign gods; and through divorce.

They have also wearied God by doubting His Justice, saying that God appears to be pleased with those who do evil.   They did not have the right view of God; and were not listening to His message of Rebuke.

6-Oct:  In chapter 3, God responded to the people's questioning of His Justice by first telling them that the Messiah will come first to re-establish the covenant (vs 1 is quoted in Matthew and Mark referencing John the Baptist) and then will return in His Second Coming as a Judge, refining and purifying like Fire and Soap.  God reminds them that He was, is, and always will be Good and Just.  That's why He has not destroyed them despite their sins, and offers them blessings if they would Return to Him in obedience.  God also offers encouraging promises to the faithful Remnant - the He will listen, and that they will be in a scroll of remembrance, be His treasured posession, and will be spared Judgment.  Even though this chapter was a message of Judgment to the People, yet we see the heart of God in the chapter, desiring that they return to Him to re-establish their covenant relationship; and, if they return to Him, God promises to bless them abundantly.

Psalm 121

God has been pointing me to the Psalm 121 passage so often recently that I cannot help but notice, and thought it would be good to note it.  For the longest time, I've had the verse on my computer background wallpaper.  And then, it is also the verse for my calendar this month.  And then, it was brought up in class during one of the studies.  And then, I realized it was part of the lyrics in "Praise You in the Storm" by Casting Crowns.

I don't know what God is trying to tell me, but He certainly has my attention.   I do know that my help comes form the LORD.  At the moment, that's a truth that I've been able to joyfully recognize.   I just hope that this is not preparation for something coming that will require me to lift my eyes from the depths in order to cry for help....   But, no matter what, I know that He is with me.  Amen.

Thrive

I had a chance to go to the Casting Crowns Thrive concert over the weekend.  It was one of the best concerts I've been to recently.  I enjoyed the songs from all of the artists.

Sidewalk Prophets were nice to listen to.  They have a lot of songs that I often hear on the radio and like.

Mandisa was full of energy and seems like she must get a work-out during her concert performances.  Naturally, her most popular and well-known song was Overcomer.

And Casting Crowns is of course my favorite current Christian group; so, I enjoyed their music the most.  I think one of the things that make them so good is that their songs are Scriptually-based, written from their experiences serving with their church youth group(s).  Some things that stuck out from their sharing:

• The picture of the tree for Thrive is one in which the roots go deep so that there is just as much going on below the surface as there is above.  In the same way, our internal depth should be as well established as anything externally
• The reference to the fishing showed that Christ helped the disciples catch a miraculous amount of fish in the beginning of His ministry when He called them, and they chose to follow.  However, after they went back to fishing dejected by the events leading to and following the crucifixion, Christ again helped them catch a miraculous amount of fish to remind them of their calling.  Peter responded by jumping into the water to swim to Jesus

It really was an enjoyable evening of worship at the concert.  I was blessed.

Before the concert, we had dinner at Izakaya Wasa at the Spectrum.  It may have been a little pricier, but the decor was nice and the California Rolls were really good.  The sushi pieces were fine; and it was nice that the combo had green salad, potato salad, and miso soup.  Another nice thing was that because we ate so early, we were only charged the lunch price for the combo ($14.50).

More Life Principles

In April, my small group continued with a few more videos on the "Life Principles" from Charles Stanley:

3-Apr:  #3 "God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm" - Isaiah 40:8 says that His Word stands forever.   The storms in our lives are originated from ourselves, others, Satan, or even ignited by God for a definite purpose.  We can remember that nothing can touch us except thru His permissive Will.   As for why God uses storms?  To get our attention or to get to the sin in our lives.  Storms can either destroy or strengthen us, depending upon how we respond determined by how we view God.  Because His Word is our anchor, when we stop being in His Word, we will DRIFT.  Storms are inevitable, our anchor is immovable.   The Bible is an anchor b/c it is the written record of the revelation of God to us.  God can quiet the storms in our lives like He calmed the storm in the Gospels.  Whatever storm we are going thru, God is at work and we just need to trust.  Without an anchor, the ship will one day shipwreck for one cannot just drift with the current.


8-May:  #25 "God blesses us so that we might bless others" - Eph 4:25-28 and 1 Tim 6:17 were used as reference.  Asking God to bless someone is for God to intervene in their lives for something on their behalf.  When you ask God to bless you, you're asking Him to intervene in a need in your life.  And, unbelief does not changd the eternal truths of God.

29-May:  #29 "We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops" - Adversity can either be a weighty Burden or a Bridge to a deeper relationship with God.  2 Corinth 12:7-10 (thorn), Psalm 103:19 (He is in control), and Rom 8:28 (all things work together for good) were used as references.  Through our trials we can learn:

• Contentment in midst of adversity (Phil 4:10-11 and 2 Corinth 12:10)

• To experience God's strength in our weakness during adversity (the Lord is my strength)

• That He is the source for all our needs (sufficiency in Christ)

• To trust in the Faithfulness of God  (God can't be anything other than Faithful b/c that is Who He is) 1 Corinth 10:13

• That God values our service more than our desires.  So, rather than take away the adversity for Paul (e.g. shipwreck, beatings, stonings, etc), the Lord chose to equip Paul for service

NOTE:  Jesus knows how I feel as a single for He went thru it HimselfIf I choose the bridge route, I will come out better; but if I choose to soak in self pity, I will miss out.  God strengthens our message (Phil 1:13-15).  See everything as coming from God.  Learn the ways of God (when I think I can't, He gives me the strength and is at work).  He uses adversity to grow us; for you really learn how good God is when the bottom drops out and He shows up.  When others reject us, that's when intimacy w/God is strongest b/c He is always there for us.  Adversity makes us better comforters.  God has a specific purpose for our adversity, so when we go thru it, ask God to reveal His Purpose.  Remember that all God's purposes are good.  God seeks intimacy with use to get to our insides and to allow us to know Him.  For Paul, God had to crush IT (all that he was passionate about before) so the he would love GOD.  We can rejoice in adversity (Phil 4:4).  He created us for relationship mainly with HIM.

Malachi 1

Starting a new Bible Study series in my class feels like embarking on a new journey and looking forward to what is going to be encountered.  We're starting the last book in the OT, both by order and chronologically.   I'm calling the series "Listening for God's Message", in line with strengthening our spiritual senses as we did with the last series, "Looking for God's Hand at Work".   It is important for us to listen for God's message, especially in light of what happens after Malachi... that when God's People refuse to listen, God may stop speaking until they are once again ready to hear, as evidenced by the 400 years of silence after Malachi and before the NT.

Malachi's name means "my messenger", and he was God's prophet about the time towards the end of Nehemiah.   The temple and the wall have been built, BUT the people have backslidden and fallen into disobedience a mere 15 years after the completion of the wall (~430 BC).  So, Malachi is given an "oracle" or heavy message which includes judgment.

However, Malachi 1 begins with God reminding His People that He LOVES them and chose them above Esau/Edom.  He reminds them of the covenant and how He has given them their land as their inheritance.   Yet, they do not give Him the honor and respect that He is due.  They offer defiled sacrifices with attitudes of contempt.   God said He would rather the doors of the temple be closed so that these vain sacrifices would no longer be offered, for they are unacceptable.

The People needed to listen to God's message of LOVE, for if they had recognized how much God loved them, they would in return love Him, obey Him, and want to offer Him their best.   They would honor His Name and worship Him.   In the same way, if we truly see how that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins, we should love Him and seek to obey Him and give of our best to Him.

22-Sept:  There was a very important insight that came out of my class study.   The offering of the blemished (blind, lame, sick) sacrifice is no sacrifice at all; because the sacrifice is to symbolize the real sacrifice which is Christ Jesus who died on the cross for our sins.  He was sinless and perfect, so likewise the sacrifice offerings, as stated in the Law, also needed to be unblemished.  This helps show why God took such a strong stand against the defiled offerings.

Hallmark and Other Movies

I've always liked Hallmark movies and others like them, and recently I had a chance to watch quite a few:

• Chance at Romance - This was a sweet romantic movie where the two main characters developed their relationship despite initially unknowingly being set up by the photographer's son.  I liked that the photographer was able to notice Samantha's good qualities.
• Fixing Pete - It was nice to see Pete's transformation and the ensuing relationship that developed with Ashley who was also able to learn to "loosen up" and have fun.
• Christmas Magic - Lindy Booth is a likeable actress, and it was a nice story of how she was able to help a single dad and his daughter.  It just seems like the casting of characters for the dad may have been more effective if they had found someone who would've been a better match for Lindy's character Carrie.
• Lucky in Love - It was nice that the main character was able to find what truly brings happiness and to learn from her mistakes
• June in January - The main character was not very likeable as she turned into bridezilla.  The groom-to-be was very supportive, understanding, and kind but he seemed a bit "stiff". Wes Brown seemed to fit better with Love's Everlasting Courage and Love Begins.
• The Good Witch - I had a chance to watch three of the movies from the series (i.e. the first one, Family, and Destiny); and I really liked them.  I like the main characters; and Chris Potter really comes across as a loving caring person.  It's nice that the family sticks together, even through the challenges.
• Shadow on the Mesa - This was a bit slow moving but Wes Brown is nice to watch in this one.  The Western genre seems to suit him.

3-Oct:

•  Perfect on Paper was such a cute story, it got me wishing I could meet someone like the Coop character.  He had "made it" but gave it all up because he wanted more depth in his life.  He contributed to the life of a local young boy, helped out the community, etc.   And, it did not hurt that this movie had a pretty good looking cast also
• Santa Suit - This was like a revised Christmas Carol where the main character changes his perspective and his company after his learning experience as "Santa".   It was a nice feel-good movie with a happy ending

12-Nov:

• Recipe for Love was a sweetly romantic movie.  It held some extra interest for me, since it also involved some cooking.   I liked how the female lead was able to look beyond the "character" the male lead played and learned the real person underneath; and it was neat how they developed mutual interest for one another.   It was nice to see everything work out at the end for them both.
• My Boyfriend's Dogs - The main character in this movie seemed to just be able to attract guys everywhere she went - work cafeteria, art show, pet store, yoga class....   That's not something I can relate to; but, what I found interesting was to see the interactions.   It was also the age-old tale of the right one just being right in front of her but she never noticed till the end.   It was an enjoyable movie.

12-Dec:  

• A Royal Christmas had a very familiar and predictable plot; but, it was still a very romantic and feel-good movie.  Jane Seymour fits the role of the Queen well, since she does have a very regal air.  The Prince and his "Princess" were a cute couple - they convincingly played characters who truly loved it eachother
• Christmas Under Wraps was also very sweetly romantic.  It made the small town friendly atmosphere very appealing.  Sometimes I do wonder if I would enjoy quaint and simple more than fast-paced and complex.

15-Dec:

• The Christmas Shepherd was a cute story of two people who get together based on a turn of events related to their German Shepherd.  There were touching moments and it was nice how things worked out for them at the end
• The Nine Lives of Christmas - The casting of the main character Zachary worked well, and was convincing.  He was good looking, likeable, and the transition from confirmed bachelor to his being in a relationship was believeable.   I liked how he transitioned from dating vapous model types to a more substantial kind unassuming person.

16-Dec:

• The Best Christmas Party Ever - The casting was good and the main characters were likeable and attractive.  It highlighted caring about people over corporate pressures.

17-Dec:  

• The Christmas Secret revealed itself so beautifully.  It was a great story tying together a really special group of people into a very happy outcome.  The characters were well cast, and I thought the little girl Haley was especially adorable.

23-Dec:

• Northpole - I didn't know I would enjoy this movie so much.  It had all the normal elements of happy ending, growth, sweet romance; but, it also had some witty humor also.  A nice Christmas movie.
• Christmas Comes Home to Canaan was another pleasant surprise.   It really was a feel-good movie; and was even really touching at the end when Bob was able to walk without his crutches.  I liked how the movie showed the benefits of helping others.  And there was even a bit of romance thrown in.  A nice family-oriented movie where they weren't even afraid to show a scene of saying grace before a meal.

30-Dec:

• Angels and Ornaments - I really liked this movie.  It was neat that the "angel" turned out to be the main character's grandfather whose love story with her grandmother was woven throughout the movie.  I liked how the main character's best friend decided to step up and "fight for her"; and how well suited they were with one another.   It really was a nice story.
• The Christmas Ornament - This was another surprise.  The cast of characters were likeable enough; but, what caught me are some really touching lines in the movie, like when Tim says to Cathy about the Christmas tree - to water it, because "even though it's cut down it's still alive" and she says "I can relate to that".   Or, when he says to her that love is not like a bus or a train that comes on a schedule; sometimes you wait all your life for it, and when it comes around, you grab hold of it.