Jump 2007

This is the fourth event that I have attended with the name Jump.
National Youth Worker's Convention of 2005 was Jump.
My winter retreat of 2005 was named Jump.
My winter retreat at my new church in 06 was jump.

Now this at the biggest Korean church in Hawaii.

Almost everything is in Korean so it's been a little bit difficult for me and some of the kids at church from my church.
But the amazing thing? I think the kids are still learning and feeling the presence of God, despite the language barrier.

I believe that God is going to do something amazing for our church and for the state of Hawaii.
The world is going to see how God is moving in this tiny island of ours.

New Office Space

Well, I complained about my office space. Problem solved, I guess.
I got moved out of the basement office and replaced at the upstairs office with everyone else. Good news? I'm no longer isolated and no longer in that messy, stuffy room. Bad news? My desk space is really small... and I have to come in more regularly, (haha.. i know that sounds horrible) and I have to look busy (that sounds worse).

It's like a bullpen as a friend said. We don't have cubicles, so everyone can see everyone. Like right now, I bet the secretary and the associate pastor think I'm doing something important, since I've been typing away. Little do they know I'm actually updating my blog!!! (-_____-)

But, I do prefer being up here than downstairs.
And the best part of it is that they FINALLY came to their senses and got a cable ISP and wireless internet.

And this is good for me because no one up here is that great with their English. It'll force me to speak more Korean and on top of that, it'll force me to be social once in a while and talk to them.

But for those of you who think I don't do anything productive... you're only half right.

Whatever that means.

Music

I love leading praise.
There's something just moving. And when we're doing really well, when i really feel the Spirit moving through us, i don't see anyone else around me. It's the most incredible feeling i have felt in my short years of ministry. I can't see anyone else nor can i hear them. I just feel the presence of God all around us.

I've always wanted to write praise songs.
never was a good writer... words hardly come to me.

But just lately, i've had all this melodies just floating around my head. and i decided, why not?

So i laid some stuff down on my computer.
It's been a stress reliever and it's been fun.

I was messing around today, and did this: click here.
It's just a rough draft of what was in my head today...

so that's that. i think i am keeping my wife awake. so i better stop all the typing and go to bed.

=)

Faith

Do you remember the story where Peter walks on water? (or attempts to?)
People often feel that "if Peter had enough faith, he would've been able to walk on water."
Perhaps we should look at it in a different light.
If Peter had enough faith, he would've never stepped out of the boat and onto the water.
He would've believed the statement Jesus made, which was similiar to the "I AM" statement that God made to Moses.

Faith isn't doing something miraculous, or just based on miraculous things happening.
Faith isn't about walking on water, because only God can do that, (Job 9:8; Isa 43:16; 51:9-10 Hab 3:5) for example. (from commentary)

Faith is the ability to believe in the face of all evidence that God is here with me.

So have faith.
Perhaps...
you're barely making ends meet
you're contemplating a future that doesn't seem so bright
you're lost in your life and can't seem to find your way
your family isn't what it should be
your family is falling apart
you have a medical problem

We all face storms that will rock the little boats that we are riding. Some of us are in the midst of a storm, and it doesn't seem like it's going to let up any time soon.

But have faith. As Jesus was with his disciples through both storms in the sea, God is with you. God is for you. And God loves you.



I wrote that a long time ago.
Today, I came across it again.
I needed to read that.
It's amazing of how quickly I can forget that God is with me.

Do not be anxious in anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

The Holy Spirit

Tomorrow sermon is the "I believe in the Holy Spirit" part of our Apostle's Creed sermon series.
I was trying to think back on what i was taught about the Holy Spirit when i was in Sunday school. I realized that i couldn't think of many times we really discussed the Spirit. We talked a lot about God and Jesus.
And i think churches still do that. I think the Spirit becomes the lesser of the Trinity. Like a really big celebrity's brother. i.e. Casey Affleck. Charlie Murphy. Haley Duff. Tito Jackson. and so forth.

Why do we spend so much time on God and Jesus, but not so much on the Holy Spirit?

Are You Worth 2 Billion?

I like sports. And as many sports fans, i have favorite teams too.
In the NFL, i root for my beloved Redskins. Though many disagree that you can have 2 teams you root for, i still am a Patriots fan. Every year i want the Skins and Pats at the superbowl with the Skins taking it all. Of course, that's just never going to happen. At least for a long time.

In the NBA, no one beats Agent 0 and his "HIBACHI!" with the Washington Wizards.
For MLB, i don't like to watch baseball much... but i just felt that i needed a team to root for. I didn't want to go along with the Nationals. I don't like the Yankees, and since i like Tom Brady and the Pats, I decided to root for the Red Sox.

And there's soccer. I've been watching a lot of soccer, because there's a soccer channel available. Outside of Korea, i root for England in the world cup. And the team i've taken a liking to is Chelsea FC. Wow, this was the longest and most pointless set up to my entry.

So the owner of Chelsea FC has been married for 15 years and has 5 kids. But lately, he has been seen with this woman:


So reports have it that the owner gave his wife 2 billion (yes, 2 BILLION) dollars to divorce her so that he can be with the woman pictured above. (Daria Zhukova).

I personally don't think the new lady is worth 2 billion dollars.
Is anyone? Perhaps..

But it's almost funny (or rather, sad) of the state that we live in. I'm sure there are many out there who may now feel, "man if i had that much money, i'd buy out of my marriage too."

It's sad that marriage doesn't have the same meaning as it once did.

Just in case you're wondering,
2 billion may be just enough for me to get interested in your offer.
I'm priceless, baby, priceless.

=)

Monday, Monday, MONDAY

I got up early today so that i could get down to Kailua, meet my mentor and take my first psychological assessment test.
I had to answer many weird questions, but it only took me an hour to do both the booklet and the "Finish the Sentence" questions. I hope they don't think i'm crazy. At least not more than i really am.
But the drive to and back from Kailua was what i enjoyed the most.
It was just marvelous.
I know in my heart that i will not be in Hawaii forever. I'll probably leave when i get ordained... and that has at times, caused some mild island fever. But days like today tell me that Hawaii is forever my home and why i like it so much.
It wasn't a beautiful sunny day. it was cloudy and about to rain. but how the clouds just lingered right below the mountain tops.. i just loved it. Where else in the world can you see beautiful green mountains on your left and look on to your right and see a bright blue and clear ocean waters?
It's amazing.



In other news, i went to see 300 today.
It was really really good and i enjoyed it thoroughly. The visuals were fascinating and i was absorbed into the story. I didn't think the Wife would enjoy it, but she loved it, which made it even better.
(out of 5).

Good day off.
I'm ready to start my week.

Growing Up

Today I found out that my friend got engaged to her long time boyfriend. In December, another friend got engaged to her long time boyfriend. Three of my friends are married now. We're growing up. And fast, it seems like.
It's was like yesterday (and i can't believe i'm using that phrase...) that i just moved to Mililani and i was trying my best to make good friends that'll last a long time. And i have. We were silly and goofy high school kids doing high school stuff. Now we no longer live in the safety cushion of high school. We don't have college over our heads. It's finally the real world.

My best friend is heading out to Seattle to pursue a full-time career in nursing, and maybe traveling around the world in that field.
I have a friend who started his own local business in the music industry. And from what i've seen, he's successful. He got to hang out at Jack Johnson's house(!!!!).
It's only a matter of time before my other friends get engaged. One's living in New York and seems likely to head to a career in the military.

Life does come at you fast, doesn't?
Yesterday we were worrying about what to wear to school, to look cool, to be cool, to trying to see if the girl you like liked you back.
Today, we are worrying about bills, making sure we don't fail, getting jobs that will be our careers.

And for me? I want kids. I know it's not a competition or anything, but i would to be the first of my friends to have a kid. That way my kid can bully all the rest of em. (heh).

Times sure have changed.
I remember how i wanted to be so much older when i was young. I wanted to be an adult, and quick.
Now that i am an adult, sometimes i wish i was a kid again.

Time is funny.

They said that there is no better teacher then Time. Time is the greatest teacher. But Time kills all of her students.

Leave 99...

In the Bible, Jesus tells a parable of how the shepherd would leave 99 sheep behind to find the one that wandered away.

And i feel that thought should be applied into ministry. But how much easier said than done it is. We have a group of college boys that have all the potential in the world. They would apply themselves more in church and into our ministry, but they don't want to seem weak (or whatever) in front of the others. They're waiting for one of them to make the move into becoming a serious Christian, then the rest will follow suit. But it's not going to happen. When they're alone, it'll be easier for them to open up, but when they're together, they just front.

So i decided it's time to go and actively "pursue" these guys, meaning, just hang out on a one-on-one basis and get to know them more and encourage them to come to the young adult service instead of the youth and to attend young adult bible studies.

When i saw the need to do this, i was surprised of how... inconvenient it all was. I honestly don't want to do it. I feel like i have too much other things that i need to do, like find a retreat site for our young adult summer retreat... (which is now getting more impossible) or like trying to figure out what to do for a mission trip this summer (and i'm running out of time). Not to mention the regular hustle and flow of church work. It just seems like i have million other things to do then try to reach out to a bunch of college boys.
How wrong is that?

In thinking like that, i forgot one of the most important part of being a pastor (at least for me): tending souls. Who cares if we don't get a site for the summer retreat? We'll improvise. If i don't get a mission trip planned, the church isn't going to fire me. But if i get one, just one of these boys to open up their hearts for Christ... that i feel is what God would want me to do...

On top of that, i can't help but think of times when i strayed away...

The image of the shepherd leaving the 99 to find the one has become more powerful to me, only because i realize how hard it really is... and how "inconvenient" in can seem to be. And it shows how much we are loved by our Creator.

It's Been a While

Hello everyone.
Well, i don't think anyone reads this.

But, i finally got internet capabilities at the new house.
YAY!

This past week was just ... not good.

I had to go to the ER last Saturday. The 3rd time in like 7 months.
I got a wrong diagnosis from the ER doctor.
I ended up having gout. Yea, gout. And i'm only 26. People over 40s get gout. So that made me a little concern.

It was very painful, and now i have all this work i need to do that i couldn't because of the pain.


This entry is short, but i will be updating again.

=)