Airport, Work, & Futbol

Here's what I did today.

5am - drove AEK to the airport. She went home to LA for her grandfather's funeral. After I came back from the airport I went back to bed and slept a little while longer.

8am - made myself a delicious cup of coffee: San Agustin Colombian Estate, from Second Cup Coffee.

9:20am - arrived at work. Today was our second day on our upgraded version of PeopleSoft. The latest version (8.8) is so much better than the first generation internet based ERP system we had at 360networks.

12pm - lunch: beef stew with mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables.

12:20pm - back to work.

3pm - coffee break with AL. Had an iced-Americano.

3:15pm - back to work.

4:30pm - finished work. Today was actually a really busy work day. Got lots done, it felt good.

6pm - played futbol. We played against Integ, and won 5-1. I'm getting older and slower, but I'm still a fighter, and I never quit. And the odd time like tonight I even amaze myself by scoring a beautiful goal. :-D Our team is so ridiculously good it's almost unfair. We've won 13 out of 15 games. The other 2 games were a tie and a loss. We score an average of 4 goals per game, and we rarely give up more than one goal.

10pm - AEK called from LA. She seems to be holding up fine with her family.

Explosion De Grasa

Today was a lovely sunny day. Actually, the past 3 weeks have been lovely & sunny! But what made today special was that it was a holiday .. BC Day.

I was supposed to go hiking in Chilliwack with AJ&CL & AEK, but things didn't work out. AJ called me at 6:21am (yes, when someone calls me THAT early, I remember the exact time!!), to tell me that C was sick with a kidney infection. They'd spent the entire night at the hospital, and were not up to a hike. Sad news...

I decided to wait until 8am to call & tell AEK that we weren't going hiking. Upon calling her I found out that her grandfather had passed away last night. More sad news...

This had all the signs of a terrible day. I went back to sleep until 11:30.

In the afternoon I went to pick up AEK, and we went to Rocky Point Park in Port Moody. To be honest, I didn't really want to go. I wanted to hang out on my hammock at home and relax, but I knew that AEK needed extra care on this day, so I went along with her suggestion.

In retrospect, I'm glad we went, because we enjoyed ourselves there. We went for a 5km walk through the forest, and along the lake. Afterwards, we came back and bought some yummy ice-cream, and then we had some fish & chips for dinner.

Dinner was great .. but greasy. Afterwards, I felt so stuffed. I was ready to explode. It would have been an explosion de grasa (grease explosion). Thank goodness, no explosion occurred.

After arriving back at my apartment, we were both exhausted, and took a nap. She on my couch, and I on my hammock.

Eastside

Tonight I went to Grandview Calvary Baptist Church (GCBC) on 1st Ave, almost Commercial, to help out with Out of the Cold. It's the 2nd time I've gone. The first time I went was about 3 months ago.

I was really blessed by the evening. Fifteen of us, from various churches, prepared a meal for approximately 100 homeless people from the eastside of the city. GCBC does it year-round, every Thursday night. The last Thursday of each month our church sends a team to help out.

The evening progresses as follows:
1pm - Head cook goes grocery shopping.
4-6:30pm - Assistant cooks & setup crew arrive: meal is cooked, tables are set.
6:30-7pm - People start lining up outside the church.
7-8pm - Dinner is served.
8-10pm - Clean-up crew arrives: wash dishes, clean up.

Four things struck me as I observed (while working of course...) the environment around me:

1 - "Why do we call the poor 'downtrodden'?" Because they look it! They look, act, and smell like someone's been stepping on them. I'm not talking about someone stepping on their toe and then saying "Ooops, sorry," but more like someone continuously stepping on their head while saying "How does that feel, loser?"

2 - "If Jesus visited Vancouver today, where would he visit first?" I can't help but think that he'd avoid Stanly Park, Granville Island, Yaletown, or Pacific Centre. In these places people are much too settled, too comfortable, too cool. Jesus would make these people feel way too uncomfortable. Instead, he'd go to the east end. There, the locals would welcome him with open arms. They'd treat him as one of their own. Why? Because he'd treat them as one of his own.

3 - "Where does the gospel fit in here?" The gospel fits here like a glove. It has to. Otherwise it's not the gospel. Otherwise it's not the good news. Jesus said: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." (Luke 4:18-19).

4 - "Where is God calling me to minister?" Part of me wants to say 'Help the poor, help the poor', but I'm not sure it's genuine. It probably has more to do with self-righteousness than with genuine care. It's hard to care for someone who stinks, has dirty fingernails and leather-like skin, is missing most teeth, and walks funny.

Lord, forgive my shallow, self-centred self-righteousness.

You've welcomed me as your own.

Enable me to welcome others as your own also.

Interim Solution

Currently I'm reading Orthodoxy, and St. Francis of Assisi, Evelasting Man, & St. Thomas Aquinas, part of the Collected Works Collection (Volume II), both by G. K. Chesterton. A little more information about both of these books can be found on cubsseeds.

Of course, I'm still reading my beloved TinTin too.

Tech-Challenged

Over the past few days I've been doing a ton of research online, on how to add a 'currently reading' section to my online journal. I've seen it on other sites, and it's a pretty cool way of letting you know how I exercise my brain.

But so far, I've encountered several problems. 1- Blogger instructions on how to add this sort of link to one's blog are .. well, lame-ass weak. I sent them two emails asking them how to do it, and their reply was "go to our help section". Well .. your help section's great .. if you're a web-whiz! Thx for nothing. 2 - Besides looking on the blogger website, I also did a general search on the internet. I found some suggestions, but well, I didn't like them.

You see, most people suggest using Amazon as a link, but I don't want to do that, because then I'd direct everyone to their website. I'd rather send people directly to the publishing company website, or better yet, the small, forgotten bookstore around the corner.

Maybe I'm an anti-corporate snob, or better yet, an anti-American-corporate snob; or maybe I'm just a snob .. period! But I don't care, I'm standing my ground.

I'll continue researching the matter. In the long run though, I think I'll have to learn more about web-developing. It'll make my life much simpler. I have so many ideas I'd like to implement on my site here, but my technical knowledge just doesn't cut it.

The Higher Rock: A Prayer

Almighty and Everlasting Father,
Loving Son Jesus,
Guiding Holy Spirit:

We come to you on this Sunday evening,

each of us in our own unique situation:
some of us joyful, some of us burdened with sorrow.
We come to you as a community of believers,
for we know that you listen to our prayers,
you hear the cries of your people.

You, Oh God, lead us to the higher rock,
In you we take refuge, for you are a strong tower against evil.
We take shelter under your wings, we dwell in your love.
We praise you, and we sing glories to your name.
We repent for our wrongdoings, give thanks for forgiving us our sins,
and ask for your help in renewing our vows to serve you in truth each day.
_____

We are grateful for yesterday’s Envision Evening.
We are strengthened by the example of the early church:
Followers of Jesus devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and prayer.

Teach us to care for one another, and to love one another selflessly, sacrificially.
Teach us to fellowship, to be a community, having “all things in common.”
We pray that through genuine community, you would draw us to yourself,
adding to your numbers “day by day those who are being saved” into your kingdom.

Enable us to serve you by serving others.
May we devote ourselves to community, rather than follow our own individualistic desires.
Reveal to us which community you are calling us to serve in,
and help us to leave behind the consumerism of our culture.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
_____

We turn our attention to a hurting world:

We pray that you would restore to health the injured,
and comfort those who lost family members or loved ones in the recent bombings in England and Egypt.
We pray for restoration of peace and order in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We pray for reconciliation in Israel and Palestine.
We pray against government corruption in the Philippines and here in our own nation.

Lord Jesus, we know that you are the only source of Peace,
You are the only hope of reconciliation,
You are the way, the truth, and the life.

Holy Spirit, guide those who are in positions of influence away from lies, and towards salvation in Jesus Christ.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the Global Church:

We marvel at the growth of your church.
People are coming to know and serve you, the living God,
in China, south east Asia, and Africa.

In many places people suffer persecution:
they lose their families, they lose their jobs,
and yet they respond to the prompting of your Holy Spirit with joy and thanksgiving.

We praise you for the resilience and strength you give in these circumstances.
We ask for continued protection and courage.
Hear their cries, oh God. Spare them.

Continue to raise people who are willing to preach the gospel in these contexts.

Shake us – the church of the west - out of our own comfort and complacency.
May we be encouraged to rejoice in your “steadfast love and faithfulness”,
and turn our back on the cultural values of relativism.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
_____

We pray for St. John’s:

We are thankful for today’s visitors: bless them, Lord.
May they walk away encouraged,
may their hearts be gladdened by the realization that you love and care for them.

Thank you for the musicians, the greeters, the various committee and staff members and the many others who faithfully serve here,
and for the interns whom you are raising to do your work.

We pray for the parish that was recently planted in Richmond.
May many fruits grow from this small seed,
to the glory and honour of your name.

We pray for those who minister to children and young people,
for those who serve in Evangelism,
And for those who faithfully preach the word each week.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.
_____

Finally, in a moment of silence, we bring to you the things you have placed on our hearts:
personal struggles, stories of thanksgiving,
friends or family,
the sick, the grieving, the lonely, and the needy.
_____

We pray all of these things in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

_______________

Evening Service Prayer at St. John’s Anglican Church, based on Psalm 61, and Acts 2:42-47.

How Appropriate

My last post was about The Adventures of TinTin, my favourite comic character. I've been reading The Black Island periodically, in between my Greek studies. It's been a good way to relax while in the storm.

Today, as I was checking out the news online, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that in Brussels, Belgium, they're having the first ever TinTin Festival, "celebrating one of the world's most enduring comic book characters."

There's more information about the festival at this link.

Tim Und Struppi

With all the busyness of studying Greek, I've been looking for something to give my mind a break from all the memorizing of nouns, adjectives, verbal paradigms, and prepositions. Last week after my exam on Thursday I went for a walk at the UBC campus, and I discovered a neat little store not more than 100 metres away from Regent.

The name of the store is Damask, and they sell all kinds of goodies - cards, candles, soaps, journals, bags, etc. But most importantly, they sell officially licensed Tim Und Struppi (TinTin in English) stuff: books, keychains, bookmarks, t-shirts, figurines, and posters.

When I first saw all the paraphenelia they had, my heart jumped for joy, because as a child I read sooooooooooooo much Tin Tin - in fact, along with Fix Und Foxi, and Asterix, these were probably the comics I read most. It was such a nostalgic moment - bringing up all kinds of childhood memories from Paraguay.

I ended up buying one of the comics: Die Schwarze Insel (The Black Island). Unfortunately, they did not have them in German. It would have been good to brush up on my German. The store owner said that she might be able to order some for me in German, so maybe after I finish my course I will reward myself with a few German comic books.

I also found a website that has cool TinTin wallpapers for my laptop. :-D

Boys

Tonight I went out with a few of my buddies - PC, RS, and JW. Had a geat time .. I'm glad that even though I spend lots of time with AEK, I still find time to spend with the boys.

Women are so complicated. Spending an hour or two with a few guys is so relaxing. It's almost therapeutic, like drinking fresh water on a hot day.

Travelbug

The highlight of the day today was definitely when I invited a few of my friends over to my place for the afternoon. AJ&CL just recently returned from their trip to Russia, Mongolia, and China, and they had great stories to share - it made me want to travel again!!!

MB, JH, RS, and AEK also came, and we had a really good time together. I sense that we understand one another well, which is quite rare nowadays.

In addition to catching up, we also watched an F1 race using my dad's video projector. Who needs a tv when you can project an image 10 times the size of a tv screen to the wall!

God And Beauty

I went to the Greek Orthodox Church again today, with AEK and a few other friends from Regent College. We'd arranged for a tour of the church, and a brief introduction to Orthodox Theology.

We were a little disappointed upon our arrival, because we discovered that the priest of the church was not available to give us the tour, but one of the parishoners was kind enough to give us a tour, and he did his best to inform us of some of the Orthodox viewpoints.

The best way to summarize the Orthodox beliefs is by going to the Orthodox Research Institute.
I took some pictures inside the church:

Saints: Peter and Paul:


Saints: Nektarios, Anasdacia, and Athanasios:


Telling the Biblical stories in pictures:




Stained Windows:


Christ watching over his flock:


I'm realizing that worshipping God is not something we do with our minds only, but with all our being, all our senses: seeing the icons, smelling the insense. Entering the church felt like entering the very presence of God, because we were surrounded by so much beauty.

It leaves me wondering about my own faith heritage. I am thankful that I grew up attending churches that focused on preaching the word. However, I feel like I've only been told half of the story, the "mental" part. The "body" part is missing. It seems that we have allowed the Enlightenment - with its arrogant disregard for beauty and it's dismissal of the sacred - to infiltrate our places of worship. That's why churches in the western world look more like hospitals or gymnasiums - plain, white, practical, efficient, lacking any sort of creativity and beauty.

I yearn to worship God with all my being, not just with my head.

Gyros, Spanakopitas, and Loukomades

AEK and I went to the Greek Summer Festival this evening.

We were there for about three hours, and it was well worth it, because we had great fun. Upon our arrival, we immediately set out to go inside the Greek Orthodox Church of Saints Nicholas and Demetrius. Simply amazing! The beautiful icons inside were rich in meaning and colour. Candles lit the entrance, and quiet chants could be heard in the background.

Afterwards, we ate a simple but delicious Greek meal: gyros (pita with beef and lamb meat and tzatziki sauce), spanakopita (spinach pie), loukomades (greek mini-donuts), and a strong greek coffee.

Then we people-watched: men and women, boys and girls, danced to the tune of traditional Greek music. Families sat around tables and enjoyed each other. The smell of great food was everywhere. The music was loud. The atmosphere festive. Laughter was everywhere.

Somehow, it reminded me of what Jewish festivals must be like. I felt like we were witnessing genuine community.

On Saturday we plan to go there again, this time with some more friends. We've also arranged to get a tour of the church. Looking forward to it. Hopefully they'll allow us to take pictures inside the church.

Full Table

Studying Greek.



Tomorrow's my second exam. To date I've had 3 quizzes, and 1 exam. My quizzes have gone very well, but my test was difficult. Languages are meant to be learned over a long period of time, not 7 weeks!

Regardless, all's well.

Whistler - Part 2

So here are the details of our excursion to Whistler.

I picked up AEK at 9:30am, and we left immediately after, arriving in Whistler at around 11:45. We checked into her favourite restaurant in Whistler, Chef Bernard's Ciao-Thyme Bistro, for lunch. Our meal was so delicious!

AEK's Lunch: Wild Salmon Omelette:



Cub's Lunch: Chicken Salad Sandwich with Salad and Yam Fries



Afterwards, I had a coffee.



Then we went on a 2 hour hike. The view of the mountains, the valleys, the trees, and the wild flowers never cease to amaze me. They are evidence of a master designer-creator, and they remind me of the beauty and fragility of life. Oh, and yes, the woman in the picture is also quite a masterpiece!



Towards the end of our hike we were a little disappointed because we ran into the many construction sites for the Olympics of 2010. What a contrast .. the beauty of God's creation, marred by bulldozers, trucks, and concrete. On the other hand, I look forward to what this will look like 5 years from now when the Olypmics are held.

We left for home around 5:30pm. We arrived tired and cranky, but not before taking a good long last look at the Squamish Chief on our way home. What a rock!

Whistler - Part 1

I spent all day at Whistler today with AEK. I just got home a few minutes ago, and I'm too tired to write anything, so I'll just post some pictures for now. I'll write about the day later this week.

Flowers


Lunch


Hiking


AEK & Cub

O Canada!

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Her Birthday

Today was a really good day.

After class in the morning I took AEK out for a birthday lunch. We went to the Samosa Garden on Kingsway .. so yummy! I think that's one of my favourite restaurants in Vancouver!

Afterwards we we went to my apartment and had a nap. Napping after a huge meal is sooooo good!

She liked my birthday presents too, which is a good thing! I gave her a LA Dodgers t-shirt, a bar of aroma-soap (grape), and a birthday card. She seemed thrilled .. which is good. I like buying things for her, but I'm not always sure if she'll like what I pick.

In the evening I went to church, for the last night of Christianity Explored. I had a good six weeks, and made some good friends. We decided that after my Greek final exams on August 12th (still soooo far away), we'd go out and reconnect as a group, over a nice meal.

I came home and now I'm exahausted. I'm gonna go to bed now, and sleep until 3am. Then I'm gonna get up and study. Tomorrow's my first Greek exam. One week's almost done. Six more to go.

The Word

Classical Koine Greek:

ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 1:1-2
'Εν áρχη 'ην 'o λογος,
καί 'o λογος 'nς πpος τον Θεον,
καί Θεον 'ης 'o λογος.
Ο'υτος 'ην ‘ev áρχη πpος τον Θεον.

Literal English Translation:

JOHN 1:1-2
In beginning was the word,
and the word was with the God,
and the Word was a God.
This was in beginning with the God.

Modern English Translation (English Standard Version):

John 1:1-2
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
_____

Here is an example of the importance and difficulty of biblical translation and interpretation. The translation of John 1:1-2 from classical Greek to modern English has a few interesting points.

* and the word was a God (original) --> and the Word was God (modern)
* This was in the beginning with God (original) --> He was in the beginning with God (modern)

The implication of this slight difference in interpretation results in two views: one is that Christ is the Son of God, a created word of God, not divine; the other, that Christ is the Son of God, the uncreated Word, co-equal and co-divine with God the Father.

Orthodox historical Christianity teaches the second view.

Given this slight difference, I could get nervous and wonder whether Scripture as we have it is trustworthy. How do I know that the translation is correct? Were the translators trustworthy?

To me, this slight difference in interpretation from the ancient to the current is an example of how we cannot separate ourselves from our spiritual forefathers, at least as far as orthodoxy is concerned. In addition to my firm belief that the Holy Spirit is presently at work in illuminating our minds when we read Scripture, I also stand on the firm ground of church history and tradition, thanks to the apostles, the early church fathers, and the subsequent believers, who faithfully interpreted and passed on the faith from generation to generation.

I find this to be a beautiful display of God's sovereignty. His Holy Spirit has been present all the way, leading, guiding his church in truth. At the same time, God entrusted his people to pass on the faith, using teachers, parents, and preachers. As the people of God, we get the privilege of being a part of the story that God is unfolding in civilization.

We have been given Truth, and in addition to sharing it with the world, we faithfully pass it on to the next generation, ever vigilant, ever-guarding the integrity of its contents. In this way, we are connected to all generations past, and to all generations future, to all of God's people, at all times – creation to consummation, and in all places – from here to the ends of the earth.

Glory - δοχα - be to God!

Finally .. A Clean Place!!!

I should have friends over more often, because that's about the only time I'm motivated enough to clean up my apartment:

Couch:



Kitchen Table:

Greek Geek

Starting tomorrow at 7:30am, I will begin a new course: New Testament Greek.

My classes are Mon-Thur, 8am-12:30pm. There will be quizzes every single day (Mon-Wed), and an exam each week (Thur), for the next 7 weeks. In addition, I will be studying between 2 and 3 hours every day: 2 hours of grammar, and 1 hour of vocabulary.

I will learn one year's worth of Greek in 7 weeks. By the end of the 7 week-period, I will know 80% of the vocabulary of the New Testament.

Oh yeah, and before I forget, I'm still working part time, 12 hours a week: Monday afternoons, and all day Fridays.

Last year at this time, I went through the same process, learning Biblical Hebrew. In retrospect, I realize today that I was closer to a mental breakdown by the end of the course last year than I knew at the time.

Hmmmmmmm. Maybe I need to give my head a shake. Or maybe I'm just a geek.

The End Of An Era

Yesterday was the end of an era. Well, maybe I slightly overstated it, but it sounded powerful anyways..

But in a way, it was the end of an era, because we said goodbye to our fearless community group leader, SJ. For the past year, she has led our cross-cultural community group at Regent College. Throughout the year, we met every Tuesday after chapel, and ate lunch together, shared about our past joys and sorrows, our present struggles, and our future aspirations. It was such a blessing to get to know our group.

As I got to know SJ, I've noticed a real passion in her heart, to serve the poor in Latin America (Bolivia, to be specific). She has over the past few years learned Spanish, in preparation of her move down south.

Last month she was invited to go to El Salvador, to work with a church there doing community development. She will be there for approximately one year of training, after which she hopes to move on to Bolivia.

So yesterday we had a potluck, in celebration of God's faithfulness to SJ. We had great food, great conversation, and we invited her to share with us some thoughts one last time, before she leaves next week.

Below are some pictures of our community group members.

From Left to Right: CM (Bolivia), SJ (USA), & DN (Bolivia):


ML (USA), IYB (Korea), & ET (USA):


AEK (USA), TS (Canada), & RE (USA):


Missing from our group are: KH (USA), GC (Germany), & HH (Canada).

I look forward to next year's community group.

Plant Revival

Over the past few years I've noticed that I enjoy growing plants. I get a deep satisfaction - actually, joy - by watching plants grow.

I began with one plant, in early 2002:



To this day, it's my favourite plant (even though I have no idea what kind of a plant it is). Now I have a total of 4, all of which are doing very well.

Last week I took one of AEK's plants, and I'm going to try and revive it. AEK has many gifts, but apparently taking good care of plants is not one of them. She says it has nothing to do with her gifts, and everything to do with the lack of sunlight, and the cold temperature in her room. Yeah right .. I don't buy it. She just doesn't want to admit I'm better at taking care of plants than she is, that's all. :-)

Here's the plant I'm going to try and revive:

Things That Gave Me Joy Today

Here are the things I did today that gave me much joy!

* Woke up and didn't have to go to work!
* Made myself a wonderful French-press coffee
* Spinach salad, with almond nuts, raisins, and a honey/mustard dressing
* Transplanted a plant from one pot to another
* Discussed my research on Spirituality of Resting with my friend JE while lying on the hammock .. nice!
* Hiked the Grouse Grind in the pouring rain
* Drank a chai tea
* Ate pumpkin pie

I just noticed that much of what gave me joy has to do with food. Maybe the title for today's journal entry should be "Food That Gave Me Joy Today"

Cutting Vegetables

Today I learned that when cooking, it's always best to make sure that all the vegetables are cut in similar sizes. That way, they all take approximately the same amount of time to cook.

Makes so much sense. Never thought about that before.

A Wasted Day

Today was one of those days that sneaks up on you every now and then - the kind of day where all kinds of unexpected things come up. Sometimes these unexpected things are good, sometimes bad. Today they were good.

I'd taken the day off work to work on my research paper (due next week Friday), but these plans went down the drain very quickly.

For starters, I got up really late, around 10am, because I was really tired from being out late last night (AEK & I went to see a concert - Rilo Kylie). I set up a mate, and began doing research.

Shortly into my research, my friend SC called. I was so excited to hear from her. She just got back from a 5 week trip to Europe .. it's always such a delight to hear from her. She's such a positive person, it draws me in like a magnet. Talking to her always lifts my spirit .. she always brings a smile to my face.

Not a minute after getting off the phone with her, my friend SL called, and asked if I wanted to go to Al-Watan for a Pakistani lunch. How could I say no? After all, this little hole-in-the-wall on Fraser and 43rd serves the best Pak-food in the city!! Our good buddy JW also came along, and we had a blast together. The three of us go there about once a month, and we always have such a riot together.

Anyways, by the time I got home from lunch it was 3pm. I studied feverishly for 3 hours, before I got ready to go out for the evening.

Again, I didn't even plan to go out at all, but SL invited us out for dinner, and since I spend so little time with him and his wife P, and since they just bought a new place in Burnaby, I decided to accept their offer to go there for dinner and see their new place.

Dinner was excellent - steak bbq, roasted potatoes and vegetables. R and CG, and JW where also there, and we had an excellent time reminiscing about the good ol' times at TWU. We finished the evening with a cup of coffee. I remember when S and I were roommates, he'd always make great coffees. Tonight was no exception.

Upon my return home AEK called, and we spoke on the phone for a few minutes.

Now it's time to go to bed.

In one sense, today was a wasted day. I certainly feel wasted - tired. But if I had to live today over again, I wouldn't change a single thing. Sometimes the best thing that can happen is for all our plans to go wrong. I may not have 'achieved' much today in terms of getting schoolwork done, but I did something much more important: spend time with valued friends.

Money

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about money, and more specifically, how to handle it responsibly.

Almost two years ago I sold my house in New Westminster and reinvested the money in mutual funds and GIC’s. The money invested in mutual funds has done very well, whereas the GIC’s, well, I might as well have kept the money lying under my mattress. All in all, the money has grown, and I’m thankful for that.

For various reasons I’m thinking of changing the direction of my investments, and have begun looking at alternatives.

Interestingly, my friend JW called me today, and asked if I’d be interested in buying an apartment/townhouse together with him. We had a good meeting over lunch, and discussed various options and concerns.

Overall, I’m encouraged by this development. It addresses the concerns that I have about my present investments, and offers what seems to be a very positive alternative. Over the next few weeks and months I’ll be praying for direction, seeking which way is the best way forward.

Painting On The Wall

I went to a friend's place this morning. We get together every two or three weeks to have breakfast, drink mate, and pray. But more than that, getting together is also a way of keeping our friendship real. We lay our joys and sorrows out on the table, talk about them, laugh about them, complain about them, and pray about them.

One of the consistent themes we talk about when we get together is .. well .. women (where there's boys, there's talk about women).

He's been seeing a lot of his ex-girlfriend lately, and the thought has crossed his mind to get back together with her. He humms and haws about it .. weighing the pros and the cons, the goods and the bads, the pluses and the minuses, but in the end, there's one simple thing that settles the issue for him: she has a painting on her apartment wall that he detests.

He describes it as a painting in which two people are quite intimate; not a rude kind of intimacy, but it's explicit enough to make him uncomfortable. He's thought about asking her to take it down, but hasn't done it because he feels that this might be asking a little too much. Oh and yeah, the fact that she painted it, would just add insult to injury.

He likes many things about her, but he can't accept her artistic taste. That's what it comes down to. That's the clincher that makes it clear to him that he does not want to be with her.

This sparked quite the conversation, because I've been thinking lots too over the past few weeks about relationships: How do they work? What attracts men and women? What turns us off? What about compatibility: Is there such thing as compatibility, or is it just social-scientific nonsensical talk?

Here's my story:

I've had the privilege of getting to know AEK over the past few months. She's been so good to and for me. She's kind, thoughtful, and caring. She's gracious, accepting me as I am, and she constantly compliments me. We spend a lot of time together, we talk on the phone, we email, and we chat online. We get along, we have a lot in common, we have a similar sense of humour, and my gosh, we're both tri-cultural! She's attractive, smart, slim, and godly.

Yet somehow, I can't accept the paintings on her wall. For whatever reason, I hesitate, doubt, and waffle. A part of me rejects her.

I don't know what to do. We've been together for over four months now, and we said to each other when we met that we'd give it a go for six months. After that, we get serious or go our own way.

My soul is burdened, because I have to come to grips with the same issue my friend's dealing with.

On the one hand, I feel like a complete idiot for having doubts. I have never met anyone so committed to me. By all accounts I'd be a fool to let her go. Are the paintings on her wall an excuse for me to let another chance go by? Am I so self-sufficient that I have decided I'd rather be alone than deal with someone's imperfections? Am I so self-consumed?

Or, on the other hand, am I just prolonging a relationship that is eternally doomed. Perhaps the writing on the wall is clear, but I'm just refusing to read it. Maybe the painting's like a big sign that reads "Do not Enter", and I just can't read it.

At this point, I don't know.

Lord Jesus Christ, have Mercy!

Stella

Had a great discussion with my friend DL tonight over a beer. I don't like beer that much, but if I do, I always drink Stella. It's a fine Belgian beer.

It's light, crisp, and goes down smooth.

Incidentally, 'Stella' means star in Latin.

Schedule

* For Week of 6.6 – 6.12 '05

Monday
Work
Haircut
Grocery Shopping / Dinner
Read: Dawn (Sabbath Keeping)

Tuesday
Work
(Mom comes over?)
Grouse Grind
Dinner
AEK?

Wednesday
Off Work?
Read: Dawn (Sabbath Keeping)
Lunch: Samosa Garden w/ AEK?
Prepare for Christianity Explored (CE)
CE

Thursday
Work
Dinner
Beer w/ DL

Friday
Work AM?
Read: Dawn (Sabbath Keeping)
OPEN

Saturday
Take Notes: Marva Dawn (Sabbath Keeping), Abraham Heschel (Sabbath), Thomas Merton (Contemplative Prayer), Henri Nouwen (Clowning in Rome)
Grouse Grind
AEK?

Sunday
Rest
Church

_____

* Anything that appears on this schedule is subject to change at a moment's notice, without any warning whatsoever. Only the following things are etched 'in stone': sleep, eat, work, & schoolwork.

Shadowlands

“Pain and suffering is God’s megaphone to us, letting us know that all is not well.”

That was one of the opening lines of Shadowlands, a play about the life of C.S. Lewis, arguably the greatest mind of the 20th century.

The dialog continues (paraphrased): ‘We like to live life as though we are self-sufficient and independent; as though we don’t need God. To live life like that is to live in a world of shadows: a non-existent, unreal world, a world of dreams and illusions. Pain and suffering serve to remind us that we are absolutely dependent on God for our very breath, our very being. It reminds us that there is something, no, someone bigger than us, from whom all good things flow. It reminds us that we are helpless in this world, and we are in need of God’s salvation’.

I saw the movie Shadowlands a few years ago, and now having seen the play, it struck me how intense and passionate Lewis was as an intellectual. It also struck me how he struggled with intimacy.

He was so involved in the intellectual world as a professor, lecturer, writer, and speaker, that he had no opportunity to meet women (in the 1950's there were few women in the world of intellectualism for him to interact and get to know). In fact, according to the play, he didn’t really know how to interact with women at all. He was a klotz (block).

AEK mentioned that the religious imagery he draws of us living in the shadowlands, was certainly applicable to him in terms of his interaction with women. He lived in an unreal world of academics, where intimate friendship and intimacy with women was difficult, almost impossible.

He desired intimacy. He wanted to love and be loved. Yet, he didn't think he needed help.

It took a very special woman, under amazing circumstances, to draw him out of the shadows and into reality. After developing a friendship for over a year, she became extremely sick. In fact, doctors only gave her a few weeks to live. It was under these extremely difficult circumstances that she drew Lewis out of the shadows of academics, and into the real world of love, pain, and suffering.

He married her on her deathbed. Shortly thereafter she passed on.

A Grief Observed is perhaps his shortest book, but it’s the most passionate, the most gut-wrenching, and the most gripping. In it, he deals with the hurt and grief he is drawn into, when he loses the person dearest to him, the person he loves.

Indeed, we are helpless without the love of God. Only if we acknowledge and embrace God’s love for us, can we acknowledge and embrace one another. Only then can we step out of the shadows and into the real world.

Pessimism

I can't stand pessimism.

Spending time with pessimists drives me crazy. It stresses me out.

They always notice the few clouds in an otherwise perfectly clear sky. Even on a warm sunny day they dread tomorrow, because it could be cloudy, or worse yet, rainy.

It seems so much more 'productive' to smile and look at the positives in life. I find that the more I smile, the more others smile. The more others smile, the more I smile.

Granted. We can't always be smiling. Sometimes life doesn't permit genuine smiles. But pessimism just seems like such a backward approach to life.

Running On Empty

Lately I feel distant from God. I'm not completely sure why, but spiritually I feel like I'm in a desert, not a fountain of fresh water. I've been feeling like this for a few weeks, if not months. There is not just one reason for this feeling of emptiness. There are a few, and I need to start sorting these things out. Perhaps I'm not listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit talking to me. My prayer time is struggling; and my devotions are almost non-existent.

At the same time, I'm reading lots about resting, and what it means to rest in God. "In meditation", says Thomas Merton, "we should not look for a 'method' or 'system', but cultivate an 'attitude', an 'outlook': faith, openness, attention, reverence, expectation, supplication, trust, joy. All of these finally permeate our being with love in so far as our living faith tells us we are in the presence of God, that we live in Chirst, that in the Spirit of God we 'see' God our Father without 'seeing'. We know him in 'unknowing'. Faith is the bond that unites us to him in the Spirit who gives us light and love."

I must say that Merton's words strike a chord with me. Even though I feel like I'm in a desert right now, it's faith that's pulling me through. I know that God is working in me, transforming, purifying, sanctifying me. I'm not looking for a method of getting closer to God. It's God's continued gift of 'attitude', or faith, that sustains me.

I feel empty. Yet, I know that this is a good thing, because God's Spirit can only fill us if we're empty. If we're full (of ourselves), there's no room for the Spirit.

Feeling Disconnected

Yesterday AEK & I went to a bbq put on by my boss from work. He invited our department along with our significant others/spouses to his beautiful house in Port Moody, for an afternoon of food and conversation. He picked a good day, because it was gloriously sunny, probably close to 30C.

The event went fine. Everyone brought some food and drinks. Conversations went well. No complaints.

But it struck me again, as it has so many times before, how disconnected and out of place I feel with the "unchurched." We speak differently about the world, we have different values, different priorities, a different worldview. Actually, when I think about it, we speak a totally different language!!!

While it's normal to meet people from different walks of life everyday, it strikes me as odd that it would make me feel out of place. I claim that my faith frees me to love others, binding hatred, and loosening the chains of distrust and prejudice, yet I often catch myself, deep, very deep within, judging and mistrusting others. This is nothing other than self-righteous egotism.

If I'm honest with myself, I'm no better than anyone else is. In some areas I might be better, in others I may be worse. Yes, my coworkers live lives of preoccupation: money, career, status, popularity, and power. But often times I'm equally preoccupied: 'right living', 'morality', 'goodness', and 'holiness'. Yes, they do not give God glory for all the blessings he bestows upon them. But when I give God "glory" it's often times an act - an exercise of self-affirmation, not true piety. Yes, my coworkers live lives of idolatry. But I have my own idols to cast out.

In the end, I'm wretched and sinful, like all of us are. I need God just as much as they do.

I need to learn to love others regardless of their worldview. I need to continue sowing "kingdom values". I need to love all that is good, and hate all that is evil. Furthermore, hating evil does not imply hating the person who commits evil. Persons are not evil - all of us bear resemblance to our loving creator. But persons commit evil acts, and these acts are what we reject. But regardless of what my coworkers believe, whether they're right or wrong about this or that, I ought to always act ouf of love.

God loves every last one of us, and so must I. If I don't, I'm proved a crook. A fake. Ungenuine. A liar.

I can't love others out of my own strength. This sort of strength comes from outside me. It comes from God.

Burning Questions

Last night was the first night of our Christianity Explored course at church. We had over 30 visitors. After a wonderful teriyaki chicken, rice, & salad meal, and watching the introductory video session, we went into our small group discussions, and asked participants to share their burning questions. Here are the responses we received:

* What is my purpose here on earth? Why do I exist? How should I live my life?
* If God is love, why do I feel so unloved? Why am I so lonely? Why doesn't God communicate?
* If Jesus Christ is God, and if he's relational, how do I get to know him?
* Jesus Christ lived a good moral life. Why does that make him God?
* How/why is Jesus Christ relevant to my life today?
* How does faith work? Is it up to me to get it, or is it something that comes from God?

I was humbled and encouraged by these excellent questions. Over the next six weeks we will be studying the gospel of Mark together. Lord, open our hearts and minds to receive you.

Feeling Helpless?

Poor guy.

The power went out at work today. Computers went down, the place went dark, emergency lights came on. Everyone got up and out of their office/cubicle and congregated, wondering what happened.

I took the opportunity to go to the washroom and relieve myself. Lo and behold, there was a guy there, sitting on the throne, in the dark. Well, it wasn't entirely dark, because the emergency lights were on in the washroom too.

He asked: "What's happening out there? Why all this darkness? Why all the noise?" I say: "Power's out." He goes on, "I can't believe this! This is the second time I've been stuck on the can during a power outage! The last time was about 10 years ago, when an earthquake hit, and the entire washroom went dark. Well, at least today the emergency lights came on. Last time, I was completely in the dark!"

A Few Changes

I've decided to make a few changes and expand my weblog a little. Here are the details of the changes:

First of all, I've made a cosmetic change by changing the 'saying of the month' to 'seeds of growth'. The reason for this is that the original heading was inaccurate, since I don't update it every month!! Secondly, 'seeds of growth' seems more accurate in terms of describing what I'm trying to accomplish. Essentially, these postings are designed to foster thought, contemplation, prayer, and spiritual growth. Most of the sayings I post are direct quotes from speeches or writings of some of the 'spiritual giants' of the Christian faith: men and women who devoted themselves to serve God. There is amazing wisdom in history, and tragically, the church has largely disregarded and forgotten this. The result of this is a sort of amnesia, a forgetfulness of the rich heritage of the Christian faith, and a subsequent shallowness to the way we apply our faith presently. 'Seeds of growth' is my small effort to enourage us to recover a lost tradition. May it serve to honour and glorify God.

I've also created a separate weblog, called cubsseeds, to capture past seeds of growth. This link is placed at the top of the list of options in the 'links' section of cubscorner. Similarly, from cubsseeds you can return to cubscorner by clicking on the cubscorner link.

Finally, I'm thinking of creating a space to place other seeds of growth: book reviews, theological tidbits I pick up here or there, movie reviews, class notes, and so on. To achieve this, I may create yet another weblog, or I may just use cubsseeds as the forum. More details on this yet to come....

As always, your thoughts, opinions, and comments are welcome.

Peace,
cub

Haarspangen

Two weeks ago yesterday she left our city to go and visit her family. Before she left, I stole a few Haarspangen, so that I would have something of hers while she's away. I'm so clever.



Every now and then I took them and inhaled the lingering smell of her hair. At first the smell was quite rich. Then it faded away gradually. Now, it's gone, completely.

As it escaped, my desire for her increased. The desire to see, hear, smell, and talk to her; the desire to see her smile, and hear her laugh; the desire to hold her hand; the desire to be with her.

This afternoon she arrives back home. I can't wait to pick her up from the airport.

Just Another Day

Today I was reminded how blessed we are, living in a nation like Canada.

Yesterday we had Provincial Elections, and over the past 5 weeks we've heard all the candidates tooting their own horn, criticizing and vilifying others. We've heard how good the 'abc' party is, and how bad 'xyz' is.

This morning, after all was said and done and a new government was voted in (well, in our case, not really), we go on with our lives as though nothing happened yesterday. We go to work, go to lunch, buy groceries, play sports, as though it's just another day.

How lucky we are to be able to live in a place where people's opinions matter. People are respected. In many ways I hate democracy, especially the way it's practised in Canada: the minority rule the majority, laws are lax, and the word "tolerance" nowadays has the same meaning as "acceptance". Give me a benevolent dictator over democracy .. anyday.

But still, I'm amazed that on a day like today we can all just get out of bed and continue life as though nothing imortant happened yesterday. In many countries, people would die on election nights. Tempers flare. Anger spills out into the streets. Military "preserves" the peace. Buildings are bombed. People die.

We? We get up the next day, shower, and go to work. Today's a day like any other day.

Exhibit A

Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by my absent-mindedness:

8:15am - Go out to my car, to go to work. As I approach my car, I realize that my car insurance ran out yesterday. Problem: No insurance, no transportation to work. Damn!

8:25 - Walk to the nearest insurance agent to renew my insurance. Problem: they don't open until 9.

8:30 - Since I can't do anything until I get my insurance renewed, I go buy a coffee and wait for the office to open.

9 - Insurance agent opens. I go inside.

9:05 - Realize that I have to go through AirCare. Problem: I can't go through AirCare because I have no car insurance. Insurance agent assures me that it's ok, because I can buy a 1 day insurance. Cost: $32.

9:30 - Purchase a temporary insurance.

9:45 - Go through AirCare. Cost: $48.

10:30 - Arrive at work.

12:30pm - Go to mall to renew insurance. Cost: $1274.

2 - Regular day resumes.

Result: In the end, I lost three hours of work ($90), plus I had to buy a one day insurance which I otherwise would not have needed ($32). Therefore, the cost of absent-mindedness this morning: $122.

Solution: be ahead-minded. think. plan. use the numerous day planners lying around my apartment. sell the car!

Oh no...

...I saw a woman today. She took my breath away. Stunningly beautiful .. and she had the voice of an angel.

Will I ever be content?

Evangelism Re-Explored

Today I attended a conference on Evangelism – sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with a lost world. The conference was sponsored by our church, and led by the creators of the Christianity Explored course.

Here are some highlights of the conference:

Our application of Evangelism depends on our view of the following three points:
God’s Sovereignty – God is in charge of results, not us (thank God!) – II. Corinthians 4:1, 4, 6.
Gospel Integrity – we preach Christ as Lord – II Corinthians 4:5.
Our Creativity – we set forth the truth plainly - II Corinthians 4:1-2.

The course consists of a 10 week study of the gospel of Mark. According to Rico Tice, by studying the gospel, rather than us speaking for Jesus, “we let Jesus’ words speak for themselves.” Essentially, the gospel of Mark is summarized in Mark 8:30-37.

It addresses the following three questions:
Who is Jesus? (Identity) – Mark 8:27-30. Jesus is the Christ; the Holy One predicted by the prophets, sent by the Father.
Why did he come? (Mission) – Mark 8:31-33. Jesus came to suffer, be rejected, be killed, and rise again. This, in order to bridge the separation caused by our sin against God. This, in order to reconcile the created order to the creator.
What does this mean for us? (Call) – Mark 8:34-38. Deny ourselves and take up our cross, so that when we stand in the Father’s glory, Christ will not be ashamed of us.

Overall I was impressed with the conference. Often times we get quite preoccupied with the finer details of our faith, and while that is good and necessary, it ought not to happen at the expense of Evangelism. Our raison d’etre is Evangelism: God the Father was the first Evangelist, by sending his Son. Godliness, therefore, implies Evangelism.

My favourite quote of the day: “God’s wrath is proof of his love.” This was quoted in reference to someone who doubts God’s goodness. We know that God will one day judge all evil, and that, is a good thing. To do otherwise would be evil.

-------------------

PS - I did encounter the pitbull again. She was a very good speaker, and I did not encounter any more personality battles.

Finally ..

.. a few hours of rest!!! I worked 40+ hours in four days this week, and today I finally got a day to rest. Well .. sort of.

In the morning I went to church to help setup for tomorrow's conference. Everything went as planned until this girl (one of the conference speakers no less!) with the personality of a pitbull appeared and decided she didn't like the way we set things up, and decided to take matters into her own hands. She totally changed the layout: Chairs, tables, everything had to be shuffled around to her exact liking. The conference organizer, my dear friend JE and I looked at each other in a combination of disbelief, frustration, bewilderment, and anger.

What is it with people who just come in and think they know best? They act like God gave them a revelation in their sleep overnight, and any idea contrary to their own must surely be of the devil. I was so pissed off .. que barbaro!

Oh yeah .. I was going to talk about resting.

After the setup was finished at around 1:30pm, I went home. I was supposed to meet with GO who is visiting from Edmonton for coffee, but that didn't work out. So instead, I took a nap. A good nap. An excellent nap. The kind of nap that defines resting, or siesta.

At 5:30pm I got up and prepared a newly learned recipe - yes, it's hers - for a black bean soup. So yummy. Maybe I'll post the recipe sometime. Anyways, after putting all the ingredients in the saucepan, I let it simmer while going to the breadstore to pick up some bread.

Yummy bread...


Right now it's just after dinner time. For the next hour or so I will sit back and relax.

Later on this evening I will do some reading. I will go to bed early though, because tomorrow's a long day, and I have to be at the church by 8am. It's going to be a long day not only because of the conference, but because I have a feeling I'll have to deal with the pitbull again, and I'll need all the energy available for that.

Those Were The Days

Over the past few days I've worked a lot, not the school kind of work .. but the regular kind of work. You know .. the kind that pays money!

It's brought back a lot of memories of my days at Glenayre and 360networks. My gosh .. that seems like such a long time ago!

SW, RG, KC, Cub, DC, & AL


My fondest memories of work are at Glenayre. The HR department there was so much fun: lunch discussions (gossip!) were the greatest, our team chemistry was superb, and we stuck together like glue - through thick and through thin. I am still in touch with three people, and they are still very dear to my heart: LS, FM, MB, and GO.

Cub opening his going-away present:


I dug through some old pics tonight, and I found some that I'm going to post here. They were taken at Earl's, at my going-away dinner. Looking at them made me feel quite nostalgic .. it was a time of blessing indeed.

Lord, thank you for the many blessings you bestow upon us. Thank you for meaningful tasks and friends that we can explore and enjoy through work. They both add to the richness of life. I pray for a special blessing upon my co-workers: present and past. May your grace shine upon them.

Cub eating Chocolate Mousse for dessert:

Lost And Found: A Prayer

Loving Father,

We thank you for speaking to us tonight through the parable of the prodigal son, and for opening our hearts and minds to the reality that like the son(s), we turn away from your embracing love.

We choose instead to fulfill our own desires. We neglect your goodness, we take for granted your blessings, and we misuse the many things you have entrusted to us. We are captivated by the temporary pleasures of this world, lured by wealth and comfort. We live preoccupied lives, distant and isolated from one another and you.

We praise you loving Father, for even though we walk away from you in selfishness and pride, you await us, your children, with open arms. You do not distance yourself from us, but you reach out to us and to all of your creation through Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose again, so that we might be reconciled to you. We were once dead, but are now alive; we were once lost, but are now found.

Holy Spirit,

Guide our hearts, our minds, and our entire beings towards your message of love and reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Comfort and heal our brokenness and loneliness. Turn us away from our selfish and preoccupied lives, and towards joy and fulfillment. Lift us out of darkness and confusion, into your clear, warm, and beautiful light. Counsel us away from deception; straighten our paths. Open our hearts, and give us faith to entrust control of our lives to Jesus.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the events at our parish this upcoming week. Father, strengthen and sustain the speakers, the organizers, and those who have offered time and service. Enable us to love one another, show genuine hospitality to our visitors, and provide a safe space for everyone to encounter your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Finally, on this Mother’s Day we give thanks for all the mothers who diligently, faithfully, and lovingly serve their families. Bless them, encourage them, and grant them peace of heart and mind in all their tasks, whether in the marketplace or at home.

We pray these things in a spirit of thanksgiving; worshipping, praising, and adoring you, loving Father, precious Son, and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

_____

Evening Service Prayer at St. John’s Church, based on a sermon by Rico Tice: Lost and Found: Where are You? (Luke 15:11-32).

Mother's Day Weekend

Plans for the weekend:

Friday Night
* nuthin' .. worked until almost 9pm

Saturday
* Haircut
* Breakfast, yerba mate, and prayer with RS
* Hike the Grind
* Read / Clean up / Rest

Sunday
* Devotions
* Church with mom & dad
* Mother's Day Lunch
* Prepare for Evening Service Prayer
* Church

Tired And Undecided

I'm feeling so tired lately .. it's no fun.

Classes finished almost 3 weeks ago, and I really thought I'd have time to slow down a little and recover from 4 hard months of school, but it seems the opposite has happened. I'm so busy at work I can't keep up with it all.

Haha .. I'm supposed to be doing research on the theology of Sabbath-keeping, yet I sepnd all day working.

The past few weeks have been stressful too because I'm feeling pressure to make a decision regarding her. I'm torn. She's so good to/for me, yet, I'm still undecided as to if/how to go forward. Poor girl. She cried yesterday after we started talking things through. I've only seen her crying one other time, I think it was the second or third time we went out. She's such a strong person. Sometimes I'm actually intimidated by her inner strength.

Why am I so hesitant?

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy.

The Grouse Grind

After a few weeks of warm, sunny weather, today was uncharacteristically cool and cloudy. In the morning it rained a little too.

My main accomplishment today was to hike the Grouse Grind. It opened last week, after seasonal winter-closure. My hike to the top took 55 minutes. My goal for this summer is to cut my time down to under 50 minutes.

After the hike I came home and made myself the simplest dinner I know of: pasta (penne), with ricotta cheese, and pesto and basil sause. It takes all of 8 minutes to prepare.

Uno, Dos, Tres, Catorce

That is how the song Vertigo begins.

It has been fun posting the lyrics of some of my favourite U2 songs this week. Last night was the concert, and it was simply amazing. It was the 5th time I've seen them, and they have yet to disappoint me. Bono has a charisma that is unrivalled. He captivated and mesmerized the crowd for 2+ hours. Of course, the rest of the band members - the Edge, Larry Mullen Jr, and Adam Clayton - are no pushovers either. It is no surprise they are called the biggest rock band on earth.

During Vertigo


My favourite songs of the night were Bad, All Because Of You, and New Year's Day. The music set was brilliant, ranging from the old raw (Gloria, Sunday Bloody Sunday) passion-driven (Pride, New Year's Day) sounds of the 80's and the 90's techno sounds (Zoo Station, The Fly), to the latest back-to-the-roots fervour (Vertigo, All Because of You). Interspersed in this mix were ballads (Bad, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own), and of course, the spiritual laments (40).

Cub during Where The Streets Have No Name

By the end of the concert, we'd pondered themes relating to birth, death, peace, war, joy, and sorrow. The depth of the lyrics is astonishing: there is not an ounce of shallowness to be found. In fact, it is virtually impossible to pin this band down theologically. The most obvious example of this happened during Sunday Bloody Sunday: "Jesus was a Jew, Muham*ad, it's true." What is one to make of this? How to interpret this?

There is no doubt Bono believes in a loving creator God. Themes of love, forgiveness, and grace permeate many songs. He is not shy to inject Jesus in his songs either, and he challenges our comfort zones. Yet, he does not come out and declare himself a "follower of Jesus" or a "Christian". Maybe this is a good thing: it makes him and his band more compelling, and it drives us to study the lyrics in his songs. Yet, vague, blanket statements such as the one above are confusing, if not downright misleading.

During New Year's Day


Politically too, the band is without rival. Bono kept his promise to be a pain in the arse of Paul Martin, should he not come through on his pledge to dedicate .7% of the national GDP towards the eradication of poverty in Africa: "I thought it might be a good idea if we made a call to Paul Martin" suggested Bono, as the band played behind him and the Prime Minister's phone number was flashed on the giant screens. "Take your phones out, I think I've got Paul Martin's number. These are dangerous little devices, these cell phones."

After listening to 23 songs, including two encores, in a stadium packed with 18,000+ screaming, sweating, dancing, adoring and delerious fans, there were only three minor disappointments to the evening: They didn't play Yahweh, With Or Without You, or Even Better Than The Real Thing. But given the plethora of songs they had to choose from, one cannot complain. It was a night to remember.

Before the show: Cub and DL.


Below is the Set List of the concert:

City of Blinding Lights
Beautiful Day
Vertigo
Elevation
Gloria
The Ocean / New Year’s Day
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet The Blue Sky
Running to Stand Still
Human Rights
Bad
Pride
Where The Streets Have No Name
One

Zoo Station
The Fly
Mysterious Ways

All Because Of You
Original Of The Species
40

During All Because of You

40 (U2 - War, 1983)

I waited patiently for the Lord.
He inclined and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay.

I will sing, sing a new song.
I will sing, sing a new song.
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song?

You set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm.
Many will see, many will see and hear.

I will sing, sing a new song.
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song.
I will sing, sing a new song.
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?

How long to sing this song?

Yahweh (U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, 2004)

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I’m waiting for the dawn

Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don’t make a fist
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahewh, Yahweh
Still I’m waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?

Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart

And make it break

Gloria (U2 - October, 1981)

I try to sing this song
I, I try to stand up
But I can't find my feet.
I, I try to speak up
But only in you I'm complete.

Gloria
In te domine
Gloria
Exultate
Gloria
Gloria

Oh, Lord, loosen my lips.
I try to sing this song
I, I try to get in
But I can't find the door
The door is open
You're standing there, you let me in.

Gloria
In te domine
Gloria
Exultate
Oh, Lord, if I had anything, anything at all
I'd give it to you.

Gloria
In te domine
Gloria

Gloria

U2!!!

My favourite band, the world's biggest band, U2, is coming to town this Thursday 28th, and Friday 29th. I've been sad over the past few weeks, as both shows - 40,000 tickets - were sold out in the span of 15 minutes, and I was unable to get any tickets.

Yesterday I was complaining pretty much all day to my friends, how badly I wanted to go to the concert. On the way home from Abbotsford we listened to their new cd, "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb", and again, I was reminded how great it would be to see them again.

When we arrived at church, we ran into a buddy of mine, who shared that he was going to the concert. Then he said he had an extra ticket and offered it to me. WOW!!!! Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity, and said "Yessssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!"

So there it is: I'm going to see the worlds finest band .. again .. for the 5th time!

Spring's Definitely Here!

Today was a marvellously sunny day. I was in Abbotsford for the afternoon, and there it hit 29C. We went to C&AJ's place to have a (very) late brunch, and afterwards watch the F1 race.

What a race it was too! Alonso beat out Schumacher by .2 of a second, after Schumacher had an amazing race, starting all the way at P13. Alonso's a confident, fast, and mentally strong driver. He has the lead in the championship right now, but it's still early in the season, and Ferrari seems to be getting their act together so we'll see how things progress. Villeneuve also had a fine drive, finishing in P6.

The evening was interesting. Went to church with AEK, and as usual, was very blessed by it. NM spoke on Philippians 2:12-18, and talked about what it means to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." Essentially, we work out our salvation by living it out, always seeking to further the Kingdom, and doing so without grumbling.

Afterwards AEK and I had a craving for pizza, so we went to Zacchary's on Oak Street. Yummy!

Caught

I have a confession to make. Yesterday (actually, early this morning) after an evening of dinner and film we got caught making out in front of her place. We were sitting in my car at the time, when her roommate and two of her friends pulled up out of seemingly nowhere in another car.

It didn't matter much to me. Actually, I didn't care at all. I thought it was rather funny, but she was quite embarrassed.

Healthy Lifestyle

Ever since the fútbol season ended in early March, I've been struggling to find a way to stay fit. Playing on a team this past year was good for so many reasons, like social interaction or tension release, for example. But one of the main benefits was that it was a committed way of staying relatively fit.

I was able to play a full game, without needing oxygen masks at the end of the game .. and that's a good thing!

In the past 1.5 months, however, I've noticed that I'm "putting on the pounds", as they say. I feel heavier, my cheeks seem massively round, almost swollen, and my stomach, well, that's a whole 'nother story. I've had to "loosen" my belt a notch, otherwise I feel like I'm gonna fart every step I take!

So .. over the summer months I'm going to do the following to "regain" my form. I'm going to do some form of exercise at least three days per week, including a combinatoin of the following:

* exercise in the gym
* play fútbol (summer team);
* hike the Grouse Grind and/or other miscellaneous hikes.

Note: Ideal workout each week consists of one fútbol game and two hikes (at least one must be the Grind), totalling at least 3 hours.

In addition, here is my new eating "regiment"; a system that worked well over the past 3 years, but which has over the past 2 months mysteriously fallen by the wayside. Generally speaking, I'll still follow the "all things in moderation" motto. I refuse to give up the "good" things in life, such as chocolate, coffee, pastries, bread, and the odd beer and pizza. They just need to be enjoyed in moderation. So, here goes:

* Breakfast, everyday. It needs to include a bowl of fruits at least every other day. One tablespoon of yogurt mixed in with fruits is acceptable.
* Eat home cooked meals at least 4 days a week. Take leftovers to work for lunch, to avoid grease pit at work.
* A bowl of salad at least every other day.
* Less sweets, including dulce de leche, honey, jam, and nutella.
* No more than two cups of coffee per day. Only on very special occasions are three cups allowed, and never after 9pm.
* Six cups of water per day. This means, less mango juice.
* No more than three mates per week. NOTE: watch honey intake!
* No meal after 9pm, and no snack after 10pm.

Spring Cleaning

I have an amazing mother. She came over today, and helped me clean up my place. Since the last semester began in January, I've done very little cleaning. School and work just take up way too much time!

But finally .. now that the semester is done, I can devote some serious time to giving my place an overhaul. It needs it badly.

Not only did mom help me clean it, but she also brought me a whole bunch of goodies & treats: choclolate biscuits, yerba mate (herbs), a chicken casserole, fruits, and salad. I basically have enough food for the next week! Oh and yes, I forgot, she also gave me a beach towel, why I'm not sure, because I have plenty of towels already, plus this towel is so big that if I ever take it to the beach I'll have to get a separate backpack just for the towel!! What is it with mothers?

Having said that, I think I have the best mother on earth. What strikes me most about her is that she is so selfless and caring towards her children. She always thinks of the wellbeing of her children before her own, it's really quite amazing.

Vanity

Oh dear .. I'm so vain. Over the past few years I've talked a lot about "getting rid of things" & "living a simpler life." I even made some feeble attempts to practise what I preach: I cut off cable vision, in fact, I got rid of my tv altogether (after all, there's nothing decent showing, except for biweekly F1 races, soccer saturdays, and the BBC News), the odd time I gave away old clothing items I haven't worn in years, and I stopped visiting IKEA to satisfy my desires for "cool furniture", but other than that .. I really haven't done much.

In fact, the opposite has been the case. I've been accumulating all kinds of toys: an iPod, a digital voice recorder, soccer boots, the odd cd, and (admittedly) new clothes and shoes continue to find their way into my closet. This, in addition to the plethora of books I buy!!

Today, for example, I went downtown. Goal: to buy one or maybe two cds. Expected expenditure: $35, maximum.

When I came home, I'd spent in the vicinity of $200. Breakdown: 2 polo shirts (Zara navy blue, CM red, $100), a button shirt (CM orange, $60), and one cd (JS Bach, 2 & 3 Part Inventions, $12). Justification (or rather .. rationalization)? "I need summer clothing."

I'm realizing just how much this culture of utilitarianism (do whatever brings pleasure) and materialism (acquisition of material things) is a part of me. I cannot separate myself from it.

It seems that the Christian life is a life lived in paradox. I cannot withdraw from society in order to avoid evil. After all, culture has many good things to offer. There is no place where God's grace and goodness is absent. All that is good is of God.

On the other hand, I cannot accept what the world offers cart-blanche, assuming that everything it offers is good and profitable for this life and the life to come.

Somehow, I have to engage, interact, embrace, and immerse myself in the world, while at the same time distance myself from it, reject it, and push it away. I have to love it and hate it concurrently: creative tension.

This is what God in Jesus did. He loved his creation, the world: the incarnation shows that. But he hated what had happened to it: he died in order to restore it.

It's his resurrection, ascension, and promise to come back in glory, to wash away all tears and sadness, to end all suffering, to rejoice with his people, that gives me the impetus to love this world, while resisting its attempt to determine my values.

Heavenly Father, Loving Son, Comforting Spirit .. give me the wisdom to recognize what's good and right in this world, and the strength to pursue it.

Working

Classes finished a few days ago, so this week's schedule's a little unusual for me. The last time I worked 4 days a week was last summer I think.

But it's been good working this week. Things are really busy. It's so strange .. it hasn't been that busy at all over the past few months while being in school, but all of the sudden over the past few weeks things just exploded.

It's really been such a blessing to have worked at PMC over the past few years. They've been so good, and so understanding and flexible. I thank God for that provision.

We'll see what happens in September, when I return to school full-time. I have a feeling that's when my time at PMC will end. I want to devote more time to studies and ministry, and they are keen on hiring someone full-time.

Pike's Place Market

Had a great day yesterday. Went to Seattle for the day, to drop off a friend who is returning to her home country to visit family for a few weeks, after spending 1.5 years here studying theology. Below is a picture of us, in front of Pike's Place Market.



We didn't leave Vancouver until noon, which meant that our stay there was quite short because we didn't stay there for the night, but still, we managed to take in a short stroll through the market, Pioneer Square, and the Waterfront. We ate dinner at Ivar's Seafood Restaurant, and afterwards went for some good Greek coffee and dessert in the university district.

The drive home was good, because there was not much traffic, and yes, I drove very fast. I think I shoulda been a racecar driver. I love to drive. I love to drive fast.

4:28pm

That's when I turned in my paper today. The deadline was 4:30pm. I beat it by 2 minutes. Very impressive!

Writing turned out to be a good exercise. It never ceases to amaze me how fulfilling the experience of doing research and putting my thoughts down on paper is.

Now I have a few weeks break, although I need to begin reading for a guided study I'm doing with CR on "Sabbath Keeping".

In the meantime, I will work 3-4 days per week, to fill up the emptiness in my bank account.

Zizioulas, Gunton, Moltmann

Ever heard of them? I hadn't either .. until this semester.



I'm using them as my main sources for my paper: "On the Trinity and Personhood." It's been so interesting reading them. Here's a bit of info about each of them:

Zizioulas - comes from the Greek Orthodox tradition: "The being of God is a relational being: without the concept of communion it would not be possible to speak of the being of God." Although it's a hard read, it's profound indeed. Definitely my favourite of the three.

Gunton - has great insight on the intertwining of theology and philosophy. He also has an amazing grasp of the history of philosophy and its influence - positive and negative - on the Christian faith. Unfortunately he passed away in 2002.

Moltmann - his books are dense .. what else can you expect from a Kraut (German). Stems from the Reform tradition and sympathizes with Liberation Theology. Focuses largely on the relational nature of God.



None of these reads are "weekenders." (If you're going on vacation to Cuba .. don't bring these books with you.) It's taken me about three weeks to get through each of them.

Rain

I was indoors all day today doing research for my paper, and periodically I looked outside to see what the weather was doing.

It rained most of the day, alternating between typical Vancouver drizzle and shower - but at one time it hailed for about 30 minutes.

I love the sound of rain .. it lulls me to sleep.
I love the smell of rain .. refreshing, providing nourishment to the earth.
I love the feel of rain .. drops of life rolling down my face.
I love the rain.

My Day

8:35am - woke up, and got totally pissed off at myself, because I'd planned to get up at 6am in order to do research for my paper. What's worse, I didn't have time for my morning mate (pronounced mah-teh), because I had to go to work. Damn...

10:35am - arrived at work. Had a solid workday; brought my own lunch for a change. Cafeteria food's so greasy! Also, the coffee machine at work broke down, so I had to make due with instant coffee. Result: heartburn.

5pm - took skytrain home with Armin. What a good man .. honest, caring, and good-humoured. He's leaving for the Dominican Republic on an 8-day vacation with his wife on Wednesday night, lucky bum..!

6:15pm - leave for Evening Service Committee (ESC) meeting. On my way there, I stop by grocery store to buy a dessert, cherry "strudel". Realized that the meeting doesn't start until 7:30pm, so I walked around the isles some more, basically "looking for stuff to buy." End up buying gnocchis and cous cous.

7pm - Quizno's for dinner: Roast turkey and swiss cheese sandwich. Good choice.

7:30pm - ESC meeting. Meeting was good, but coffee was bitter. There ought to be a law against bad coffee.

10:30pm - arrived back at home.

10:45pm - spoke with her on the phone. She told me she likes how I dress. She always compliments me .. is she for real? There's never a shortage of things for us to talk about. I like that. I feel accepted.

11pm - blog.

12am - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

One More Paper!

Just five more days until the end of the semester. Unlike many of my friends who are busy finishing several papers and/or exams throughout this week, all I have left to complete is one paper, for my History of Philosophy class.

I've been doing lots of research ove the past few days. I'm planning to explore the historical influence of western philosophy on either "Personhood", or "the Doctrine of the Trinity" (perhaps with special emphasis on differences between Western and Eastern approaches to the Trinity).

Should be a busy week .. but if I'm disciplined and focused I'll get through it without too much stress.

Community Group Night

Tonight was a super fun night. Had dinner with my community group from RC, at Prof. CR's place. So much fun!!

It was "Cross-cultural - cross-dressing" night, meaning, we had to mix and match clothing from at least two cultures. I went half-Filipino (Maguindanaon malong), half Canadian (short-sleeve button dresshirt).

Below are a few pics of me and my friends.

The boys:


Community Group (minus a few people):


The evening went like this: we arrived at 6:30, and enjoyed some nice appetizers: wines, nuts, and juices. At 7:30 we had an amazing Indian curry dinner. It was probably the most amazing curry I've had. Mmmmmmmm ..... the lamb meat was so soft and tender!

It was also CM's birthday tonight, so we celebrated it with some lovely deserts afterwards: Blitz Torte (German / Norwegian [?]), chocolate brownies, and ice cream.

Happy Birthday CM!


More Community Group:


Then we all settled in for a nice evening of story-telling and life-sharing. Someone suggested that we do some singing, but no one brought a guitar .. too bad! Regardless, I'm so lucky. I have the privilege of being a part of some wonderful people's lives, evidenced by stories from many places: Netherlands, Australia, Haiti, Bolivia, and the Philippines, to name just a few.

There were funny dentist stories from Haiti (TS) and the Philippines (RR), serious crime stories from Australia (CR) and the Philippines (CR and Cub), but the story of the night was a true story from Bolivia (CM). It was both tragic and funny: a robber gets a heart attack and dies when he is confronted by the woman-houseowner who is wearing green skin-cleaner cream on her face. Who's scaring who now?!?!

The evening ended with goodbyes, handshakes, and hugs. There is one week left until the Winter semester is over. Looking forward to Springtime....

Could It Be?

I think I'm falling for her. But it's not happening the way I anticipated.

It's happening gradually .. bit by bit .. day by day.

I never thought it would work like that for me. I expected an explosion. Immediate. Resounding.

It's almost anti-climactic. Yet, I can't escape it.

Summer Reading List

Here are the books I want to read over the summer:

* Memory and Identity (JPII)
* Crossing the Threshold of Hope (JPII)
* A Pilgrim Pope. Messages for the World. (JPII)
* Ut Unum Sint - On Church Unity (JPII)
* Witness to Hope. Biography of Pope John Paul II - George Weigel
* The Idiot (Fyodor Dostoevsky)
* Demons (Fyodor Dostoevsky)
* War & Peace (Leo Tolstoy)
* Clowning in Rome (Henri Nouwen)
* Contemplative Prayer (Thomas Merton)
* Letters to Malcolm (C. S. Lewis)
* Gods that Fail (Vinoth Ramashandra)

Oh dear .. this is only a fraction of what I want to read! There are so many good books to read ....

I Don't Get It

Went to a family dinner tonight - great food, great conversation, great pics (family returned from South America), and great company.

Towards the end of the evening it happened .. twice. I had something (important) to say, and both times I said it in such a way that other people were like "What's your shtick?"

So what's the deal with family arguments? Why is it that in familial disputes opinions are held more strongly, and harsher words are said? Why does rage engulf us to an extent few other situations do?

I don't get it.

The Bells Have Rung

Thank you Father, for bringing home your Servant, Pope John Paul II.

Thank you that he followed your dear Son Jesus Christ's example, embracing suffering, dying at peace with you and himself.

Thank you for the resrurrection, so that as Christ resurrected and sits by your side, so also JPII now is in your presence. Thank you for the resurrection of the body which is to come.

Thank you for the Church, Christ's holy bride, and for the gospel she proclaims in the name of Christ. Particularly, I thank you for the Catholic Church, lead by your Holy Spirit.

In the coming days, I pray for healing, unity, and vision, and an ever-strong desire to serve you in humility, truth, and love.

Amen. Let it be so.

Bells Are Not Ringing .. Yet

I've been moved throughout the day by the devotion Catholics have to their beloved Pope. As an Evangelical Protestant, I have no ONE spiritual leader to look to for exemplary, godly living. I have no authority figure who inspires the flock.

Something is wrong with the EP view of authority. Something is wrong with our warped view of church unity. In a deep sense, I yearn to be catholic.

Yes, I know: Christ is that ONE I can look to. But there ought to be a spiritual leader on earth who rallies the faithful around the name of Christ. Someone who helps make the invisible unity Christians have in Christ visible to the world.

Lord, spare the suffering of your servant Pope John Paul II. Bring him home.

May the bells ring soon.

Airplanes

A noteworthy quote from our History of Philosphy class today:

"As much as I dislike modernism, I'd rather fly an airplane designed by a modernist than a post-modernist." True indeed .. paper airplanes can't carry passengers!