It is finished!
This site is 'almost' finished. People with Internet Explorer might see things a bit differently. If you haven't switched to Firefox, now is the time. No more popup windows! No more spyware! IMO, it is a much more secure browswer than IE and conforms more strictly to the current standards. I also added subscription option to this site. You can simply submit your email addres to either subscribe or unsubscribe to the stories that are posted on this page.
September 30, 2004 | Comments (1)
American Idol
Yes, it's true. We went to the American Idol concert last night. We bought the tickets as soon as they went on sale a few months ago. Since there are not much cultural activities in San Jose area, this was something that we had been looking forward to. We dropped off our two girls at our friend’s house, and headed to HP Pavilion.
For me, the best part of the concert was sitting with Sandy and eating nachos. I was happy to see Sandy taking a little break from her mommy duties and enjoying the occasion. Well, as for the concert... music was less than inspiring for the most part, my ear drums were hurting after two hours of sitting in front of loud speakers. Maybe it is true that I am getting old.
One thing I was able to admire, though, was the kind of sacrifice they were willing to make for what they love to do. Most of them in their teens, and some who are mothers of little ones like Abigail and Isabel, have given up their normal life and rights for a chance at making their dreams come true. For some, it may be the fame. For others, maybe, their passion for music. Yet, they all have endured many months of criticism, hardship and alienation from their loved ones to get to where they are now. Sandy and I were trying to imagine what it would be like to leave our family and friends behind and travel for months singing the same songs every night to the audience that will soon forget their nanmes. I couldn't find any glamour in it. Yet, they all seemed very dedicated. I find it very rare these days to see people who are willing to suffer for what they love. Maybe that's the reason for all mediocrity.
One of the biggest surprises of the evening came when they ended the concert with a song about “Jesus”. Sandy and I didn’t expect at all to hear that name at a concert like this. But, there on the stage was the name of Jesus being praised. “His eyes are on the sparrow… Jesus, He’s my portion, He watches over me…” When the song started, people began to cheer and scream. I am not sure if they got excited for Jesus or for their idols, but my heart was strangely warmed. Sandy and I looked at each other and just smiled. In the most unexpected place, from the most unexpected people, we were hearing the praise of the name that was so special to us. That made the whole night a little more memorable.
September 27, 2004 | Comments (2)
Food For Thought: Now Or Later?
God is going to invade this earth in force. But what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream, and something else -- something it never entered your head to conceive -- comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us, and so terrible to others, that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we have really chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back, to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it.
C. S. Lewis in Mere Chrisianity
September 23, 2004
Lava Lava Island
Finally, here's the movie from our 2004 VBS. This is a tribute to all the workers who have poured out their hearts into the little ones. Enjoy. If you want to see more photos, click on the photo gallery and find VBS gallery. Blessings!
September 18, 2004
Vacation 2004
We were so brave to go on a vacation with our two little girls. My ideal vacation would've been Alaska or Gulf of Mexico, maybe New Zealand... Instead we decided on some place local. Monterey Bay! And the lesson of the day was? The best way to vacation with two babies is to stay home. Although we will laugh about it in the future, it was so hard to move around as a family that we had to cut our vacation short and return a day early. It sure was a blast for Abigail, but until Isabel can walk, our vacation will be camping out at home, chilling with popcorn and diet coke. Monterey Aquarium was a real treat though. As I was looking at all the Tuna, I reminisced on our last vacation in Mexico, where I was catching them in stead of just watching. I am sure such season will come again in the future, but for now, I was happy to see my little girls admire these beautiful underwater creatures.
September 18, 2004
Site Redesigned
After a few months of inactivity, this site is back online again, with a facelift. Please feel free to share your thoughts and news with us.
September 16, 2004 | Comments (4)
