BRING ON FEBRUARY!

January has felt like the longest month ever. I'm so sick of it already. Another rainy day, I can't recall having sunshine on my face. As the start of 2006, this month sucked big time. So, bring on the Lunar New Year! I get to start 2006 all over again!

Audio: Keep Singing by MercyMe.
Biblio: The Wind-up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami.
Cerebrio: C'mon February! Bring it on!

NEGLIGENCE

My memories of celebrating the Chinese New Year are very dusty. The image my mind conjures are memories - more accurately for me are the tastes - that trace as far back as my maternal grandmother from a long time ago.

These few years, I don't really remember the festivities. That, and mostly cause I haven't been home for those seasons of festive family reunion, Lunar New Year, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas; well let's just make that haven't been home for a long time. Any more of this forgetting and I might be accused of negligence.

This years grand Chinese New Year taste... is my very own Chili and Nachos! Mom would be so displeased with me. Heh.

Anyway, I guess if I didn't make right my resolutions the first time, this means I get a second chance again right?

Audio: Die Zeit Heilt Alle Wunder (Time Heals All) by Wir sind Helden.
Biblio: In The Pond by Ha Jin.
Cerebrio: I did succeed in the attempt to freeze my ass off watching a japanese-version of the CNY Dragon Dance in Kobe Nakinmachi (Chinatown). Nice, but japanese.

Achievement-In-Japan

This month's Achievement-In-Japan is for applying for a point card at the local one-stop-local mall for food, clothes, stationary etc. I go there twice a week at least for groceries; imagine the points I could have accumulated. Now, I know, this comes about one and a half-years too late, but this is not for the points or what I can buy with them. Nor was it about the japanese books that I will never borrow from my local library membership that I got last month.

This is about achieving that certain level of normalcy I was talking about previously. The one that, in a foreign-language speaking country, indicates a new level of aptitude.

Audio: You by Switchfoot.
Biblio: In The Pond by Ha Jin
Cerebrio: To be honest, I don't actually know what the points can do for me...

CAMERA PHONES ARE THE NEW AUTOGRAPHS

So says The O.C.

I was going through all my photos in my phone this evening and just looking through a handful of shots started me thinking how much I've gone through and how far I've come since first getting the phone, i.e., first moving to Japan. The photos from another life make it seems so long ago.

My phone battery life has finally begun to show signs of age and wear so that means something too.

Life in Japan has become so normal.

It's beginning to look likely that I will make a move from here in about 4 months. It's been on my mind since last weekend's church staff meeting for the year ahead. We're excited to go to Myanmar for another mission trip and we think we'll do it in the first week of May when all of Japan gets 7 days off work.

A lot of my mind should be on mentally prepping for things to come. There's a lot that will be going on and a lot that I will have to get through till then, but my mind wants to be distracted from what the real things at hand.

Audio: Take My Life by Jeremy Camp.
Biblio: The Road To Reality by K. P. Yohannan.
Cerebrio: I'm thinking about ... the move back home.

ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH?

I went to sleep at 9pm last night. Had to fight not to crash into bed at 8! OLD.

I've been taking some spiritual setbacks recently and under some spiritual attacks emotionally and mentally. Work, ministry, church is going fine, my life is cruising. But my heels keep getting nipped, "Do you think this enough?", "Are you enough?". The Devil is a sneaky one; he knows my standards want to reflect the worlds. Would I ever stop to rest then? Evil weevil.

Audio: Take My Life by Jeremy Camp.
Biblio: The Road to Reality K. P. Yohannan.
Cerebrio: Fightin' to stay chilled.

FOR GOD'S GLORY. ONE DAY AT A TIME.

I haven't quite got my head around all of it, but here's what it sounds like on the inside.

BENCHMARKS OF THE YEAR AHEAD
- I'm going to Singapore for a pitstop in march.
If you told me I would spend US$1000 to pitstop in Singapore of all places for 2 days, I would not have believed you.
- I will say goodbye to Japan after two and a half years.
If you told me I would've been here for this long, I wouldn't have believed you.
- I will move back to Singapore by the second quarter of the year.
If you told me I would want to move back, I wouldn't have believed you.
- If it's God's will, I will study in a Singapore institution.
If you told me I would ever choose to study in Singapore again, I would've laughed at your face.
- If it's God's will, I will be a teacher. In Singapore.
Oh My God. It Just Can't Be True.

As for goals, I actually don't have anything specific at the top of my mind (yet?) Maybe I've done everything I imagined I wanted and that's why I'm ready to go home. I do though, want to make this year count for fun! This year's theme is to live this year for God's glory. To search for God's glory and to strive for God's glory. One day at a time.

CHINA 2005/2006










Audio: Crumbs From Your Table by U2.
Biblio: Captivating : Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John Eldredge and Stasi Eldredge.
Cerebrio: Make it count.

2005 Goals & Resolutions

GOALS
- Finish Japanese For Busy People Vol.1 before July 2005. Only got half way. Failed!
- Take final exams for ED031 Understanding Students.
- Complete Moody Bible Institute Biblical Studies Curriculum - Biblical Basis of Missions 001
- Teaching with Results.
- Cert. TEFL.
- 2 week mission trip to China..
- Volunteer missions in Thailand. Mission to Myanmar instead.
- One photo a day. Untouched or altered. Experimental project as a visual practice. Failed!
- Move to Singapore by 2006. It will happen!

RESOLUTIONS
In bed by 11:30pm. YES
Out of bed by 7:30am on weekdays. NO
Eat more fruit. YES
Eat more veges. YES
Complain less about its orange varieties. NO
Run for at least 10 mins, 4x a week. NO
Not out-do and out-tire myself. One service per sunday. YES
Focus on long term goals. YES! Ah, but first I have to...
Set some long term goals. YES! Sort of... NIE!

WHAT DID I DO IN 2005?

JANUARY: An inkling of a huge things to come. Go skiing with the Binfords and hemorragh my knee before I even begin the slopes. End the month with options for a new church plant.

FEBUARY: Work in progress! We move in and redecorate the venue for the new Hope Chapel Namba. Everything from scratch. Make plans to move to Thailand.

MARCH: While work remains in progress, I begin my correspondence course for my Cert. TEFL. and Moody Bible Institute for Cross-cultural Missions.

APRIL: Spring is here! Hope Chapel Namba opens! Take a 10 day break to the southernest tip of Japan, Kagoshima for a hike in primeval forests and beaches. LURVELY! Start organizing worship in Hope Chapel Namba.

MAY: I buy my ticket. 4 weeks till I leave for Thailand! Laura professes my affections! "We have nothing to lose, we're leaving!" Start something else with a member of the worship band.

JUNE: I start something else new and change my plans. Decided, I'm not leaving. I'm going stay in Japan for ANOTHER year! Mom comes for a visit. Two weeks later, my whole summer plans change.

JULY: Leave Japan and a crazy 1st half for a sabbatical. Thailand, Ko Samui for a beach-bum holiday, Myanmar for a mission trip.

AUGUST: Along the way throw in a visit to Sydney for the heck of it and spend the rest of it in Singapore. Meet someone special while playing tennis with Janine.

SEPTEMBER: Back to Japan. Bummed. Laura is here no more. I cope.

OCTOBER: I want to learn more about teaching. Start the new Ashiya mini-church at my place.

NOVEMBER: Am treated by a visit from someone special. Another project! The band will plan to record in 2006. We have a lot to do!

DECEMBER: Can't believe I made it through the second half. Wait in anticipation for the Christmas spirit. Spend the holidays with someone special!

A CAPITALIST ECONOMY? A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP?

I'm back. China was an awesome trip. Christmas and New Year were in themselves nothing spectacular; as is my custom, I went to bed at 11:30pm on New Years Eve.

Buicks, Saabs, Audis on the road and Volkswagon Passats and Santana's for taxis; laptios and palm tops used on the buses and trains and DVD players for rent on the trunk train lines that I took between those cities. Waiters discussing how much the latest gadget costs and billboards touting Gucci, Bvlgari, Fendi and LV on the highways. Skyscrapers sprouting out in all those "small", "rural" (no more!) prefectures and towns worthy to challenge Singapore and Sydney. Can this really be China? Communist? It's a capitalist economy run by a military dictatorship! It's very hard to understand China! Though at least I can understand and express my needs with my basic mandarin! I'm glad I finally made this China visit. It's worthwhile, especially for the mindblowing concept of it!

Now, if you don't mind me, here are somethings I have to say...

TAKING STOCK OF 2005

What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Some firsts in my life; help plant a church in Japan - Hope Chapel Namba; took a no-guilt beach-bum vacation on a resort in Thailand (It's usually been a backpacking type trip); went on a mission to Myanmar.

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for 2006r?
Not all of them, but some goals were achieved! (See later post).

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yup, Reuben and Esther have a little girl Rebecca.

Did anyone close to you die?
No.

What countries did you visit?
Thailand, Myanmar, Australia, Singapore, China, Japan. Whoot!

What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
I don't lack anything I need. But there are too many thinks that I'd like! :-)

What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Probably one of the last days in June; I was going to move to Thailand and then later an option that could've easily moved me to Florida but on that fateful day, both equations were cancelled out and for good reason too.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I didn't plan for it but probably being involved in planting Hope Chapel Namba and taking various roles in it including the mission trip to Myanmar.

What was your biggest failure?
Maybe my not moving to Thailand. Or ruining a friendship. But, God has a way of turning those things around - already.

Did you suffer from illness or injury?
Nothing to major, thankfully!

What was the best thing you bought?
Maybe my airtickets around summertime.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
No one exceptional comes to mind.. :-(

Where did most of your money go?
That would be travelling!

What did you get really excited about?
I was really looking forward to seeing Gaijin-wannabe at Christmas.

Which song will always remind you of 2005?
This Is Your Life from Switchfoot's "The Beautiful Letdown".

Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Happier
Thinner or fatter? Thinner!
Richer or poorer? Richer, in experience only.

What do you wish you'd done more of?
Played more tennis!

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinate!

How did you spend Christmas?
With Gaijin-wannabe in China! :-D

Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Gaijin-wannabe.

Did you fall in love in 2005?
Yes I did. :-)

How many one-night stands?
Zilch. Never.

What was your favorite TV program?
None, I don't watch TV.

What was your favourite movie?
Notting Hill is always a favourite.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word but there was someone whom my affections completely turned around.

What was the best fiction book you read?
A hard fight between War Trash by Ha Jin and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Switchfoot and Sanctus Real.

What did you want and get?
New friends!

What did you want and not get?
I wanted to make it to Europe this year.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 26, did nothing special. As usual in Japan, my plans were rained out.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being closer in location to my friends.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?


What kept you sane?
Not what but who - G.O.D. Then, music.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
This year I really enjoyed John Cusack.

Who did you miss?
One Laura Godfrey in England. One April Roberts in Australia. And, one Janine Boon (soon to be Lum) in Singapore.

Who was the best new person you met?
Gaijin-wannabe...

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
Fear is not from God but from the Devil. God is not a God of wrath but of Love, and love does not fear.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead
Yesterday is a promise that you’ve broken
This is your life and today is all you’ve got now
Yeah, and today is all you’ll ever have...

This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose.

Audio: Soundtrack from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.
Biblio: Beijing Doll by Chun Sue.
Cerebrio: MOE's called me for an interview for the PGDE (Secondary).