tim liu's blog

You can learn anything from Wikipedia

2011-05-02T23:13:00.000-05:00

Y'all

Approximate distribution of ya'll land (source)

There are currently four generally recognized properties that "y'all" follows:

A replacement for the plural of you.
- Example: "Y'all can use the internet at the same time!"
An associative plural, including individuals associated but not present with the singular addressee.
- Example: "Y'all can come over at around 10:30," Stephanie says.
  - Stephanie explains to John that John and John's friends, who are not present at the time, can come over at around 10:30. Stephanie is speaking to John, but treats John as a representative for others.
An institutional plural addressed to one person representing a group.
- Example: "Y'all sell the best candies, Mrs. Johnson."
  - Y'all is received by Mrs. Johnson who is the representative of a small candy business.
A form used in direct address in certain contexts (e.g., partings, greetings, invitations, and vocatives)
- Example: "Hey, y'all!"
  - A greeting that addresses a multitude of people without referencing a singular identity comprising that multitude

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y'all
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_American_English

Happy Hippo

2011-01-07T00:23:00.004-05:00

This picture always makes me smile.

Minimalist Street Fighter

2011-01-07T00:21:00.000-05:00

via

Contact

2009-11-24T23:14:00.002-05:00

via

US Military spending unjustified

2009-11-24T21:10:00.007-05:00

Do this bother anyone else?

1. US Military spending has nearly doubled over the last 8 years.

2. We spend nearly 50% of taxes on military spending.

3. The US more than any other country and spends more than DOUBLE the total of the next 10 countries COMBINED.

Conclusion: We are spending too much money on defense that could be used for a lot of better things.

Can anyone explain why we need to be spending so much?

The Future of Forestry (C.S. Lewis)

2009-11-01T17:11:00.006-05:00

How will the legend of the age of trees
Feel, when the last tree falls in England?
When the concrete spreads and the town conquers
The country’s heart; when contraceptive
Tarmac’s laid where farm has faded,
Tramline flows where slept a hamlet,
And shop-fronts, blazing without a stop from
Dover to Wrath, have glazed us over?
Simplest tales will then bewilder
The questioning children, “What was a chestnut?
Say what it means to climb a Beanstalk,
Tell me, grandfather, what an elm is.
What was Autumn? They never taught us.”
Then, told by teachers how once from mould
Came growing creatures of lower nature
Able to live and die, though neither
Beast nor man, and around them wreathing
Excellent clothing, breathing sunlight –
Half understanding, their ill-acquainted
Fancy will tint their wonder-paintings
Trees as men walking, wood-romances
Of goblins stalking in silky green,
Of milk-sheen froth upon the lace of hawthorn’s
Collar, pallor in the face of birchgirl.
So shall a homeless time, though dimly
Catch from afar (for soul is watchfull)
A sight of tree-delighted Eden.

- C. S. Lewis

I came across this poem after hearing a band by the same name.

Closer to Love

2009-04-27T00:38:00.002-05:00

"And don't apologize for all the tears you've cried
You've been way too strong now for all your life" (full lyrics)

Stones

2009-04-27T00:31:00.007-05:00

Sound of Music Flash Mob

2009-04-07T09:24:00.002-05:00

There are a lot of these flash mob antics nowadays, but this one put a smile on my face. (I liked the remix part.)

New Little Liu

2009-04-02T22:09:00.004-05:00

Spending some time with my nephew.

Attack!

2009-02-26T15:35:00.004-05:00

This is a crazy awesome video of a school of sardines being attacked by sharks, seals, birds and dolphins. The music is perfect.

via kottke

Bad water kills more children than war

2009-01-29T17:18:00.007-05:00

1 in 5 people in the world lack access to clean drinking water
1 in 3 people people lack water for sanitation
88% of all disease occur from unsafe drinking water
A child dies from water related disease every 15 seconds

FCBC in the Pilot

2009-01-18T13:47:00.004-05:00

Our church was recently featured in the local paper for our late-nite worship service for restaurant workers. There are a lot of people who put a lot of hard work and late nights into this, so it was great to see the recognition and opportunity to spread the word.

Atheist: "Africa needs God"

2009-01-14T11:15:00.005-05:00

A thoughtful article supporting the work of Christians in Africa.

But travelling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I've been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I've been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.

Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.

The Closed Door church

2008-12-08T12:41:00.001-05:00

There is a true story of a church that had a problem with too many homeless people coming into the church during the week and asking for help. The solution to the problem? The church removed the handles of the doors to the church.

Now, the only people who could come in and out were those with keys and when people from the inside let them in.

It is understandable that this church had to find a solution to their problem, but it is reflective of the attitude of too many churches and Christian communities.

We only allow those in that we find "acceptable" or who are like us. Instead of welcoming all types of people just as they are, we shut the doors on those who are different or rub us the wrong way. We become the gatekeepers of the Gospel. Jesus was known not only for his moral authority and blameless life, but for the fact that he loved those who were considered "sinners." Too often Christians get caught up in trying to do what is "right" but forgetting to simply love as Jesus did.

Georgia Aquarium

2008-10-31T23:33:00.002-05:00

During my recent trip to Atlanta for Catalyst Conference, I had a chance to stop by the Georgia Aquarium which is the biggest aquarium in the world.

Incredible African cichlid tank video.

Amazon exhibits (note the fish swimming overhead)

Beluga whales.

This reef tank was my favorite exhibit. The pictures don't do it justice.

The centerpiece of the aquarium is their 6 million gallon aquarium, which houses four whale sharks and their new addition, a rare Manta Ray. They are breathtakingly amazing.

If you are ever in Atlanta, I recommend checking out the aquarium whether you're a fish nerd or not. It's definitely worth it.

Catalyst Conference

2008-10-31T22:40:00.001-05:00

Lots of welcome signs inviting us in.

Andy Stanley gives a great message - "Our moral authority comes from the integrity of our lives lived out."

Great message from Franklin Graham - Just preach the Gospel!

Worship time.

Video of Jon Foreman, lead singer of Switchfoot, singing his new solo work. A great song based off the book of Amos, "Instead of a Show."

Video of "From the Inside Out" with worship painters.

The entire conference was top notch and a great experience. I recommend it to anyone interested in developing Christian leadership.

Catalyst Conference website

My new job: Fish Wrangler

2008-10-30T16:00:00.006-05:00

Judy was recently helping out with a local film production called "The Bill Collector". It so happened that they had a few key scenes that involved some people interacting with an aquarium. Well, they had an aquarium set up on set, but were having problems with the fish not doing so well.

Knowing I am a big fish nerd, Judy asked me to go in help out. On film sets, the person who works with animals is known as the "wrangler," so I became quickly known as "The Fish Wrangler." "Who's that guy?" someone would say. "Oh, he's the Fish Wrangler." They might even give me a line in the credits when it's done. I was able to hook them up with some common goldfish and red shubunkins which all worked out pretty well.

So, if I ever need another line of work, "fish wrangler" might just be it. We'll see about that.

Check out the film blog post about me.
photo courtesy of pbo31

Movies I like

2008-10-27T15:14:00.007-05:00

Here are three great movies I've watched recently that you may or may not have already seen:

Once is a low budget indie film filmed in Ireland that beautifully illustrates the power of music to bring people together. It's been called a modern musical, and I have to say that the music is outstanding. One of the songs won the Oscar for "Song of the Year".

Namesake follows the journey of an Indian American family and the challenges of transitioning to a new culture, including the struggles of the children to understand their roots and grow up in different culture. Even though the movie is sad, it left me with a much greater appreciation for what people like my parents have done. (And, yes, that's Kumar.)

The King of Kong is an offbeat documentary about video games, but it's about a lot more than that. In following the ongoing rivalry between two men to achieve the world record for Donkey Kong, the film goes on to show the importance of character in the face of the many choices people make for recognition.

Books by color

2008-10-20T16:03:00.004-05:00

San Francisco artist Chris Cobb rearranged all the books in his local bookstore according to color as an art project. Makes me want to try that with my book collection one day.

Practice

2008-10-20T15:47:00.002-05:00

This Nike commercial with Steve Nash playing soccer reminds me that a lot of what it takes to be good at what you do happens by yourself when no one is watching.

Dinosaurs and Theodicy

2008-10-20T15:09:00.000-05:00

This hilarious and irreverent comic somehow sheds light on the timeless question of the power God and human free will. If God knows the future and also fully capable of changing it, is he therefore automatically held responsible for all the tragedies and evils in this world?

Olympic Inspiration

2008-08-14T14:34:00.006-05:00

Like a lot of people, I've been keeping up with the Olympics religiously. There have been a lot of amazing performances, but this is a video from a previous Olympics has been one of the most inspiring for me. Even though it's titled "World's worst Olympic Swimming trial", this video left me with a profound respect for this athlete. Partly because I'm trying to pick up swimming myself and finding it harder than I remember, but also because he he was taking on a challenge he knew he wouldn't be able to do as well as everyone else, but still had the courage to do it anyway. Good stuff.

The Reverse Graffiti Project

2008-08-14T14:20:00.001-05:00

This documentary clip focuses on an artist in San Francisco who uses pollution to create art. It reminds me how God often takes the dirt and filth of our lives and turns it into something beautiful.

God alone is enough

2008-07-24T21:05:00.002-05:00

Let nothing upset you,
let nothing startle you.
All things pass;
God does not change.
Patience wins
all it seeks.
Whoever has God
lacks nothing:
God alone is enough.

-St Teresa Avila

I'm an uncle!

2008-07-22T14:41:00.001-05:00

Oliver Albert Liu, 5 lbs, 10 oz.

San Francisco Trip

2008-06-27T17:28:00.000-05:00

Here are some video highlights from our most recent trip to SF.

This was actually my first trip on the cable car. Ding, ding!

There's this pretty awesome fish store in SF, known for their aquascaping inspired by Japanese master Takashi Amano. Their website has a gallery of other similarly inspired tank designs. They are amazing.

What could the church do with a million dollars?

2008-05-06T16:38:00.002-05:00

A few years back, when Francis Chan's church was booming in membership and budget, they were planning on a new $20 million dollar building project for a new sanctuary. However, one of the church's core values was modeling Christ's love for the poor. They came to the conclusion that it would be dishonoring to God to spend so much on a building when people around the world were in need.

They finally decided to build an outdoor amphitheater for much less than a huge worship facility. The reasoning was that in Southern California, the weather is beautiful most of the year, and on days with bad weather, people would be reminded of the suffering of those around the world. Today the church gives upwards of 50% of it's multi-million dollar income to the needy through organizations such as Children's Hunger Fund.

This video was made to explain their decision to the church. I've never been a big fan of mega-churches, but something about this reminds me that this is how church is supposed to be.

More about the building project.

More of my thoughts about Francis Chan at timliu.org.

Robots!

2008-05-06T16:36:00.001-05:00

This guy makes cool robots out of junk and spare parts.

Link

Youtube in my 'hood

2008-04-30T21:27:00.004-05:00

Take a drive from Downtown Norfolk to a Virginia Beach neighborhood. Can you recognize the landmarks?

Land into ORF, the international airport that isn't. Hey, there's my house!

Some not-so-bad local rappers rap about VA and locations around Hampton Roads. (Two up two down! Actually pretty catchy.)

Nanking at the Naro

2008-03-25T16:28:00.004-05:00

Nanking, a feature film about the atrocities that occurred in China during WWII is showing this Wednesday at the Naro and this weekend. Judy was able to work briefly on this film and it covers a subject that is very close to her heart. I haven't seen it yet, but have heard all good things. Also, it scored a 97% on the Tomatometer.

Nanking is a testament to the courage and conviction of individuals who were determined to act in the face of evil and a powerful tribute to the resilience of the Chinese people – a gripping account of light in the darkest of times. A powerful, emotional and relevant reminder of the heartbreaking toll war takes on the innocent, Nanking tells the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China, in the early days of World War II. At the heart of Nanking is a filmed stage reading of the Westerners' letters and diaries, featuring Woody Harrelson, Mariel
Hemingway and Jurgen Prochnow. Through its interweave of archival images, testimonies of survivors, and readings of first hand accounts, the film puts the viewer on the streets of Nanking and brings the forgotten past to startling life.

Congrats Pira!

2008-03-20T10:19:00.007-05:00

Our friend Pira from Judy's home church recently made his way onto Wheel of Fortune. Pira is in seminary studying to be a pastor and recently married to another of Judy's close friends, so it was great to see him take home a good chunk of change. He played a tight game representing the "yellow contestant" (ha ha), just getting squeezed out in the fifth and final round, ending up with $11,650 (a detailed recap here). You can also read Pira's official contestant diary.

Smooth Criminal Walrus

2008-03-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

Some people may have objections to the captivity and training of animals to do things like this but ... THAT WALRUS CAN DANCE!

Ni Hao, Kai-lan, the Chinese Dora, is super cute

2008-02-08T11:43:00.000-05:00

"Ni hao, Kai-lan" is a new kid's show on Nick Jr. featuring the adventures of Kai-lan, a Chinese American girl and her band of animal friends. It's easy to see the comparisons to Dora the Explorer as Kai-lan interacts with the viewer, even teaching words and phrases in Mandarin Chinese. The mere existence of the show reflects the undeniable growth of Chinese influence on the world and American culture.

After watching the first episode, I can't deny that the show is super super cute, down to the talking koala who wears panda slippers. The art is stunning, the animation is great, and the voices are charming. The only thing that irked me was that the continual pychoanalysis seemed a little over the top. ("Rintoo is emotionally disturbed, we have to help him!!!") The creators say that the show addresses "issues common to preschoolers such as taking turns, disappointment and jealousy and supports an emotional intelligence curriculum highlighting cause and effect thinking in the social/emotional world." Maybe its just me, but it strikes me as a little ironic, since discussing one's personal feelings is not something Chinese people as a whole necessarily embrace as a cultural value.

But in the end, it's good to see Asian American culture being more widely supported and represented in a positive way. The well-intentioned lessons and super cuteness of it all makes me want to watch more of the adventures of Kai-lan and her crazy friends. That, and to buy my own Nick Jr. Ni Hao Kai-lan Tollee Koala plush doll as soon as possible.

"Making of" Video here at Nick Jr. after the commercial.
(First episode also available on iTunes.)

Inspire Me

2008-02-05T23:34:00.000-05:00

As I'm anxiously watching the news tickers unfold the events of Super Tuesday, I'm thinking about what has made this is one of the most exciting election years in decades. Yes, there are the issues, the politics, and the dollars, but I believe that this campaign will boil down to one thing - inspiration.

What I think has surprised everyone is the spontaneous passion and creative energy of common citizens to to stand up, to sing, to shout, and even to make ridiculous youtube videos when people find something they believe in something with their hearts and minds. The energy and excitement that comes from true hope is powerful.

Everywhere I go around town, I see handmade Ron Paul signs on trees, fences or being held up on busy street corners. This video gives me goosebumps.

Obama's "Yes We Can" is simply amazing.

Will.i.am of "Black Eyed Peas" explains how he produced this video in two days, saying "words and ideas are powerful." - Why I Recorded Yes We Can"

Drumming is life

2008-02-05T23:24:00.000-05:00

People in Order's Age is part of a series of short films that assembles the people of Britain in a given order. In just 3 minutes, we meet 100 different people who are arranged according to their age, starting from age 1.

This creative video poignantly illustrates the inevitable passage of time, the journey of aging and the brevity of life with a simple universal truth - everyone loves banging on a drum!

Fly with me

2008-02-05T23:19:00.000-05:00

Photos by Jan Von Holleben. More here.

No Excuses

2008-01-01T10:29:00.001-05:00

Like a lot of people, I was watching TV with friends on New Years eve when this commercial came on. Within a few seconds the commercial had caught everyone's attention. After the final reveal, there were a lot of acknowledging nods and hmm's.

Excuses are something we can all relate to, especially this time of year when we ponder new goals and priorities for the new year. We think about how much more we could have done, how much fuller our lives would be if we didn't let excuses get in the way.

Going into 2008, I resolve to focus on the things that are really important. One area especially that I want to work on is making relationships a priority. I want to invest more deeply in my time into the lives of people around me. I resolve to not let excuses like "I'm too busy", "I've got stuff to do", or "I just don't feel like it" get in the way of growing with others, helping people and simply just being there. How about you? What excuses are you overcoming in 2008?

(More back story on the commercial here.)

MTV My Block: VA

2007-11-27T16:32:00.001-05:00

Check out these clips from MTV from VA and Hampton Roads featuring Princess Anne High, Kempsville High, Newton Rd/Norfolk, Jefferson Ave/Bad News, and even Suffolk!

First Place!

2007-11-22T15:31:00.001-05:00

"Congratulations Tim Liu on finishing the Cape Henry Run-Fest 10M/5K &Duathlon on November 18, 2007. For your records, the weather that day was mostly sunny, 43 degrees F, SSW wind 4 mph.

There were 1 finishers in the Male 25 to 29 age group and 87 finishers in the 5K Run. Your overall finish place was 58, your age group finish place was 1 and your gender finish place was 33. Your time of 34:41.05 gave you a 11:11 pace per mile."

Sometimes it pays just to show up.

Baby Dolphin

2007-10-16T23:41:00.001-05:00

A bunch of great pictures of a baby bottlenose dolphin born in Italy.

Austin's 'emergent' Christians finding a new path

2007-09-30T22:17:00.000-05:00

I was surprised and encouraged to see this article featuring Vox Veniae Church in Austin, TX about how they are breaking from traditional church expressions and innovating to bring the Gospel to the community. Even more interesting is that the church originally began as a church plant off of a traditional Chinese Baptist church in Austin. It's even more interesting because I started listening to Gideon Tsang on podcast about a year ago, he's a really good preacher, one of my favorites to hear.

The son of a Chinese missionary, Tsang, 33, grew up in Canada, attended an evangelical seminary in Illinois and eventually landed at Austin Chinese Church — a North Austin congregation made up mostly of immigrants from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan — where he led a ministry for college students called Liquid. That grew into Vox Veniae, which formed last year with a core of middle-class students and young professionals who, like Tsang, longed "to be the hands and feet of Christ in Austin."

Vox members have now bought or are renting six homes in the predominantly black and Hispanic neighborhood, driven by a desire to share their resources by living among people who have less. Vox members hope to set up computer training classes, teach kids to build bikes and work as mentors in nearby public schools.

"It's all grace," Tsang said. "What we receive, we now have to give back."

Beijing Olympic Mascots

2007-09-26T14:17:00.000-05:00

The new mascots for the Beijing Olympics are pretty cute. Meet "Jingjing" the panda, who apparently is pretty strong.

Quiet Strength

2007-09-04T13:46:00.000-05:00

Tony Dungy's bio, Quiet Strength has become a runaway hit, going into its 8th printing and staying in the New York Times bestsellers list for over 7 weeks. I got this book for my birthday and finished it two days. Its a great read with lots of insights about the unique life of a pro football coach. But the book has a lot more to talk about than football - it details the values, principles and spiritual insights of a great man who has been through all the highs and lows of a full life. Definitely check it out if you are interested at all in football and seeing into the character of a truly remarkable man.

Salmon Dance

2007-08-23T21:03:00.000-05:00

I can't get enough of this video by The Chemical Brothers. I don't know anything about them or their music, but I think this is a pretty cool song.

Side note: Not that it matters, but that's not a salmon, it is a Squirrelfish.

Ratatouille

2007-07-24T15:39:00.001-05:00

Ratatouille now ranks as one of my favorite Pixar films (just behind Finding Nemo). Though the plot meandered a bit and and took on too many villains (food critics, fast food marketers, overbearing parents, pushy siblings, even subtly those who "believe in heaven") the heart of the film won me over.

I am a sucker for underdog films, where people who normally get overlooked get a chance and eventually find their place to shine. Maybe this is because I have never seen myself as someone who looked like much in the eyes of the world, but have always had people that supported me and gave me a chance. Ratatoille's mantra that "Anyone can be a chef" moved me and reminded me to never judge people just on how they look on the outside, but to always give others a chance. Go, Remy!

Life updates

2007-07-16T17:51:00.001-05:00

I haven't written much about the last few months of life and all, so here are some highlights:

Waay back in April, we had our annual youth group camping trip. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate and we got snowed out after the first night (first snow of the year in early April!) It was a good time still and everyone still had a great attitude, despite the freezing temps.

Also in April got to catch a Matt Kearney concert @ the Norva

Early May was Dave's wedding! Congrats guys!

Late May was Lynchburg Conference 2007! My first time coordinating a retreat of that size, stressful, but a privilege. Everything was amazing, and it was great to see so many youth convicted and excited to seek God. Check out the MySpace and Facebook for more pics and thoughts.

Here is the slideshow including pics from the Photo Scavenger Hunt, which had some really awesome shots (great job guys!)

After Lynchburg Conference, Judy and I had a chance to take a much needed vacation. We had received a vacation package as a gift as well as round trip airfare, so it was nearly a free vacation overall! It was also like the honeymoon we never really had aside from the roadtrip.

So here we are in beautiful St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

Coki Beach, St. Thomas

This is Trunk Bay Beach, St. John, which is consistently voted as one of the top 10 most beaches in the world.

One of the highlights was taking a private chartered boat cruise (with good food!) that stopped at two different islands for snorkeling. It's always been a dream of mine to snorkel in the Carribean and see all the reef fish. It was amazing seeing with schools of Sergeant Majors, a Queen Angelfish and a stingray.

St. Thomas was amazing and really does feel like paradise, but its also sad to see such poverty just across the street from the fancy restaurants. It made us rethink how we vacation and reminded us how we take for granted our prosperity here in the US.

July 4th was fun with my brother and sister in law visiting, we took a trip to Busch Gardens.

The Griffin is probably one of the scariest coasters I've ever ridden.

Teenage Affluenza is spreading fast

2007-07-16T16:20:00.001-05:00

A well made video from World Vision Australia that effectively joins humor with a powerful message. I first saw this video featured on the youtube front page with over 500,000 page views!

A Mother's Journey

2007-05-30T20:45:00.001-05:00

A touching series of photos about a mother's experience of her son's losing battle with cancer. This photographer won the 2007 Pulitzer prize in photography.

Link

Another reason fish are awesome

2007-05-30T18:58:00.001-05:00

Fish are being drafted in San Francisco's war against possible terrorist threats to its water supply.

Akin to hospital gadgets that chart a patient's heart rate and breathing, a new water-quality monitoring system automatically analyzes the behavior of eight to 12 bluegill fish in a tank at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's water-treatment plant in Millbrae.
If the computers sense that the fish are upset by something in the water, "the system immediately triggers water samples to be taken, and the staff are alerted by pager and e-mail," said commission spokesman Tony Winnicker.

this is rock and roll

2007-04-24T13:28:00.001-05:00

i finally caved in and got a youtube account so i can share what kind of stupid videos i spend my time watching. Check out all my favorite youtube videos right here.

This is probably my all time favorite youtube video it makes me laugh EVERY time ... ha-ku-na-ma-ta-ta?

Stranger than Fiction

2007-03-07T00:05:00.001-05:00

Just unexpectedly watched Stranger than Fiction and loved it. It's a story about a man who stragely begins to hear a voice that narrates his every action, and then reveals to him that he is going to die.

A first it seems that the moral is a typical "seize the day, live each day for all its worth" message, but in the end, it reaches a deeper question of the bigger picture of what we are really living for. If we could foresee and choose how our life would end, what would we ultimately seek, self-fulfillment or sacrifice?

Virginia Beach Spotting

2007-02-14T01:13:00.001-05:00

Me and Judy don't watch a lot of tv, but we're pretty hooked on Heroes. So, this past episode, Dr. Mohinder Suresh finds a guy who can melt kitchen applicances with his fingers. Hmmm, not the best hero superpower, but he's from Virginia Beach, so he's a hero to me! Are you on the list??

mat kearney

2006-12-21T15:51:00.000-05:00

it looks like the very talented Mat Kearney is getting big, he's on tour with John Mayer and featured on MSN Music right now. Check out his nice NYC freestyle on "Undeniable".

The Fall of a Pastor

2006-11-08T15:23:00.000-05:00

As a pastor, it's been painful to hear the story of the fall of Pastor Ted Haggard. I've read his books, seen the fruit of his ministry, and even attended a class taught by the worship leader at his church. I believe that he was a good man who served God, but is now facing the consequences of his sin. One of the saddest things is to hear people reveling in his failures and ridiculing him for being one who fell to the same sins he spoke against.

One of the best responses that I have heard is from this Discipleship Journal newsletter:

"Everything in your life is public. There are no secrets. Everything you say, everything you do, every place you go, every thought you think is going to be known by all. So if you don't want to do something that you'll have to keep secret, don't do it. Don't believe the lie that you can ever say something, do something, go somewhere, or think things that others won't know about. People who believe in secrets are people who ultimately fail."

Those straightforward words of exhortation come from Ted Haggard's 2002 book, Letters from Home...Everything You Need to Know to be Successful in Life.

It may be tempting to condemn Pastor Ted for his sins, but before any of us begins throwing stones at our brother in Christ, consider this: If each of us had to openly admit our deepest, darkest secrets to the whole world today, how would we fare?

The answer is pretty obvious, I don't think any of us would be too happy if all of our secrets were brought to light. Not to excuse Haggard's failures or to pronounce a hasty forgiveness, but I think this is exactly what Jesus meant when he confronted the woman caught in adultery and asked the one who is sinless to cast the first stone.

I am sorry for Haggard and his church and his family. Its not easy to be live in the spotlight. He didn't make it. But knowing the darkness of my own heart, I can't honestly confess that I am any less a sinner. Thankfully, the place of failure is where God's grace begins.

-
Another great commentary ("When Leaders Implode") comes from one of my favorite pastors, Gordon MacDonald who recovered from a great failure in his life.

spiritual reflections

2006-11-01T21:26:00.000-05:00

i just got back from a couple days in northern virginia visiting a couple friends and having something of a personal retreat. these last few months of ministry have been wearing on me and i really just needed some time away. so it was great to just hang out with old friends, talk, and catch up. i've never been good at keeping in touch with people, but its great to have people you can drop in on with no notice and have them welcome you with open arms, and give you just the encouragement you need.

aside from time with friends, i also camped out at panera for a morning and had some time to read, write, and reflect on some things.

first, i was reminded that God really cares about me. not just when i'm doing good in ministry, or being very productive spiritually, but all the time. even in my failures and apathy. we hear and talk about grace all the time and we could preach this a million times, but it still has to become real in our lives. we always have to hear God tell us that personally that he cares about us.

secondly, i was reminded that ministry is really fun. serving God full time, or part time, is probably one of the most fun things in the world, but its easy for it to become so difficult and full of frustration that we miss out. its such a simple pleasure to speak to people about God, hang out and play with kids, and be a part of people's lives changing for the good. so i was reminded to just have fun doing ministry.

having said all that, if you find yourself in a place of spiritual struggle like i did, i encourage you to call up some friends, get away for a while and come back with a whole new perspective. thanks bobby, mitch, suwei, and geo for being there.

sunshine

2006-10-04T12:38:00.000-05:00

the scene in this movie when olive hugs her older brother has got to be one of my favorite movie scenes of all time. sometimes you don't need a lot of words to say a whole lot.

prayer

2006-09-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

sweeet.

We'll miss you crocodile hunter

2006-09-05T21:58:00.000-05:00

I was sad to hear of Steve Irwin's passing. I've always loved nature shows and at some point dreamed of being a zoologist. Steve brought a freshness and passion to nature education and was simply a really cool, exciting guy. Its amazing to see how many people were fans of his, as you look at the thousands of people posting condolences and rememberances of him.

Again and again, it shows that true passion touches people and changes lives.

UK Missions Trip

2006-08-17T22:16:00.000-05:00

Judy and I just got back from a 2 week missions trip to the UK. We were working with a COCM youth camp just outside of London for about six Chinese churches around the UK.

As you can see, the retreat is called PHAT Camp (stands for "Praise Him All Together"). I think the "H" is missing in action.

We joined up with a missions team from Vancouver, Canada and some local leaders to form one big huge missions team.

Here's me with Tim, Tim, and Tim.

Judy and Holly

Kevin (in green) and Terrence (drummer) taught me about the fine art of Rugby, and even showed me how to "scrum", which involves about 8 guys wrapping their arms and legs around each other and pushing really hard. It was pretty cool.

One of the really weird and funny things that happened at camp was that we got involved in the annual "football" tournament known as PHAT Cup, where the youth from each different city compete against each other. Its a pretty serious thing. The winning team is crowned the champion and gets to keep the trophy until the following year. Somehow, I ended up playing keeper for our team which was a mix of North Americans and Uk'ers who didn't have enough to form their own team. Anyways, it went pretty well until the game went into shootout. I only managed to stop one goal, and we only scored one, so we lost. It was pretty fun though. Here are some shots Sarah took of me getting burned.

One of the best parts of camp was meeting these two ~~weird~~ cool guys. Both are from the US but serving in youth ministries in Chinese churches in the UK. Chee is in London and Bert is in Birmingham. It was really good to share the different challenges that we face in our respective churches and hear about the good things that are happening as well. I have a lot of respect for what those guys have gone through and learned, and am really challenged by their examples. It was a lot of fun to hang out and a much needed encouragement.

One highlight of the trip was that we were able to make a quick trip to Tesco, which is the equivalent of our Walmart, and the only place where you can say "Wow! This stuff is cheap!" Everything else costs about twice as much as you would pay in the US, of course after the exchange rate.

They have some interesting chips ("crisps") in the UK. These are "Thai Sweet Chili", "Creamy Chicken Pasada", and "Japanese Beef Teriyaki". They taste exactly like they sound. (the Thai one is the best!)

After camp, we hung out in the city of Reading, where we got to talk more with some of the local youths and chill with them. The best part was playing some really weird games and going to the mall!

We had a brief break in the schedule to visit the city of London and see the sites. If you've ever tried to visit a huge city like that in one day, you realize how crazy it is. Nevertheless, we got to see a lot of good stuff.

Big Ben in the distance.

Closer up.

Tate Modern Museum.

Around Leicester Square.

National Gallery

Out of all the citites I've been able to visit in the past year, London is definitely at the top of the list. Its just an amazing blend of the old and the new, and history just oozes all around you. Really have to visit again to fully experience the city.

Anyways, it was great meeting everyone and hanging out with you! Thanks for taking care of us weird Americans for a while and making us feel at home. You guys are so cool! See you again soon!

glorious

2006-07-25T17:50:00.000-05:00

imagination

2006-07-24T13:31:00.000-05:00

I really like this Jack Johnson video where he sings and dances with Curious George and the other animals of the forest.

Is it a given that when we get older we lose our capacity for imagination?

Who's to say
What's impossible
Well they forgot
This world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread its wings
There's no stopping curiosity

move to virginia beach right now!

2006-07-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

Apparently, Money Magazine has voted Virginia Beach, Virginia in the top 10 best places to live in the US (#6 of cities over 300,000 people)! People always ask me why i'm staying here instead of moving to the 'real' big cities. i always tell them that this is a great place to live, not too big, not too small. just enough things to do and see.

One of the best things about living in virginia beach is, of course, the beach! there's nothing like enjoying the peace of just listening to the wind and the waves on a quiet summer afternoon. normally us locals don't enjoy the beach as much as they should, but this year, i've already had two good trips and working on a third. unfortunately, the last time, my pasty white winter skin turned into a bright pink and is proceeding to peel off in never-ending flakes and shreds, blowing in the wind with every step (gross). gotta use more sunscreen next time.

we're married!

2006-06-26T18:26:00.000-05:00

hi everyone! finally posting some pics from our wedding! we had such a great time! getting married is pretty fun! hopefully i can post some from the virginia reception soon.

the first thing people say when they see these pictures are "you have a huge wedding party!" even though i didn't want to have so many people initially, in the end, it was a lot of fun having so many friends to hang out with and support us through everything. from left to right, the bridesmaids are melinda, ginger, sandi (judy's sister), lisa (judy's other sister), jeannie, laurie and lori.

these cool looking guys are my groomsmen, shih-wei, mitch, david, bobby, layne, ken (my brother) and ricky (judy's brother).

we got to take some pictures around town, this one is in front of the Bay Bridge.

by the oceanfront, there's this huge sculpture of a bow and arrow donated by the Gap which is headquarted in SF.

The ceremony

The parents

Judy's big family

VA friends

Flower girl and ring bearer

At the banquet ... Alex, Claire, Christine and John

Jeannie and Laurie

Cheers!

Cake cutting

The head table

thanks to everyone for being a part of our wedding in SF and reception in virginia! it wouldn't have been the same without you to celebrate with us. for those far away friends - come visit us soon!

our road-trip honeymoon adventure

2006-06-26T17:00:00.000-05:00

Judy and i decided to take and cross country drive after the wedding rather than taking a conventional honeymoon, lounging on a beach on some lonely tropical isle. It was mostly for practical reasons like moving judy's car from the west coast to VA, but we thought it would be a fun adventure. Even though judy's done the cross country drive before, we weren't sure what to expect. Being in the car together for 8 days? Would we kill each other before it was over?

Here's our route (approximately). most people don't realize that SF and Virginia Beach are almost perfectly aligned from east-west.

Our first stop was an evening in Lake Tahoe, CA. despite a short detour getting lost, the place was really beautiful. we even had a gorgeous view of the whole lake from out hotel room window. (this is at a scenic overlook though.)

After a day's driving we arrived in Salt Lake City, UT. The salt flats in UT are really amazing, from a distance they look like lakes, but close up they are miles and miles of dried salt.

Through the valley

Moving eastward, our next destination was denver, colorado, where we stayed for a day of sightseeing. the mountains really rise up out of nowhere as you move eastward over the rockies.

Denver is a great town, full of history and culture. Being a good husband, I took Judy to do one of her favorite things. We found this fancy old hotel that served afternoon tea.

Judy loved the tea. I loved the sandwiches. They even gave us a free plate of extra ones after we consumed all the ones here.

There is a lot of art around Denver. Here's a funny sculpture outside of the Denver Public Library.

If you click on the photo, you can see on the words "One mile above sea level" etched in the steps of the Denver City Captiol.

We enjoyed our stay in two B&B's in Denver. At one, the owner gave us a free room upgrade, saying he "heard a voice from above" telling him to give us a bigger room. Sweet!

Judy's ready for breakfast.

The sun setting somewhere over a farm outside of Chicago.

Traveling on the interstates, you don't see much of the small town charm. And nowadays, everywhere you go you see the same Starbucks, Barnes and Nobles, and Walmarts. But one day, we did take one small detour to fill our nearly empty gas tank. This gas station didn't have digital gas pumps, but they did have ... free high speed internet.

After stopping through in Omaha, we stayed a day in Chicago. It was sweltering that day and we were craving some bubble tea, so of course we had to make our first stop in Chinatown.

After circling around a couple times, we didn't see any shops, until we saw a guy walking down the street holding the tell-tale dome topped cup. Judy says, "Ask him where he got it!" Tim, being a good husband, shouts out the window, "Hey! Where'd you get that bubble tea!" The guy points us to the general direction and we find a shop with people lined up outside.

At last, we found some delicious bubble tea!

Enjoying bbtea on the streets of Chicago.

Our main stop for the day was the Art Institute of Chicago.

Judy's getting ready to do some laundry.

A knight in shining armor.

In Chicago's Millennium Park is a big sculpture that looks like a shiny metal jelly bean.

Everything gets reflected and also stretched.

Judy stretches herself.

That night, we caught a showing of Blue Man Group, which was a lot of fun, and we even got to meet one of the Blue Men in person. He didn't smile for the picture.

An evening stroll on the Chicago river.

Back on the road. Hi!

We had both brought a lot of things to do, including books, cds, even movies to watch on the laptop. In the end, we spent most of the time just talking and goofing off. Good thing we happen to enjoy each other's company.

After making a stop to visit my uncle's family in Ohio, our final stop was in DC after 8 days on the road. Of course, we had to make a pilgrimage to the local IKEA to buy stuff to fill our empty new house. Somehow we managed to stuff everything the car.

All in all, we had an amazing time! A little bit tiring, but we saw so many cool places and things, we were really glad we did it. it was a great way to start off our life together. After all, what is marriage but a long journey together? Maybe we'll do it again ... but not til after we hit the beach.

the roof is on fire ...

2006-05-02T17:17:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I almost burned the church down.

In the continuing saga of the learning to be a new pastor, I had a close brush with disaster the other week. Usually our youth group meetings end up past 10pm on Friday nights, so we're in a big rush to clean up and get out of the building asap. Well, I guess in the hurry I forgot to check the bathrooms that night before I left the building. It turns out that someone left the light and fan on in the bathroom. Some time around 9 am Saturday morning, the thing burned out and caught fire, burning the ceiling of the bathroom and the insulation in the roof.

FORTUNATELY, the fan happened to burn and fall DIRECTLY into the toilet and pretty much extinguish itself. There was minimal damage and the security system alerted the fire dept, who after breaking down the door, put out the rest of the fire. All in all, the damage was minimal and easily repaired. And on top of it all, I don't think too many people really blamed me, even though I'm supposed to check the building before I leave. It definitely could have been a lot worse. Now I check and double check everything before leaving. Thanks God for not letting the church burn down!

skylines

2006-05-02T17:12:00.000-05:00

After our wedding, Judy and I will be driving across country for our "honeymoon". We're planning to stop and spend a day in Denver and in Chicago. I'm excited to check out some great skylines!

from Top 15 Skylines in the World

shark!

2006-05-02T17:10:00.000-05:00

Thought this was a really cool photo. I get a little tingly just looking at it.

hmmm ...

2006-05-02T17:00:00.000-05:00

I happened to see this Business Week Magazine the other day.

Is it just me, or does that really look like ... nevermind. :)

chinese restaurant sign generator

2006-04-04T13:42:00.000-05:00

sweet.

Chinese adoptees searching for identity

2006-03-23T14:51:00.000-05:00

There are over 55,000 adopted Chinese children in the US, many of whom are now hitting their teenage years and searching for identity. it will be interesting to see how they relate and understand themselves in such a unique situation. i've had the chance to meet many families, asian and non-asian, with adopted Chinese children and am always fascinated by their different stories and experiences.

"College was when I really began trying to understand what other people saw in my face," she said. "Before then I didn't really understand what it meant to be Asian."

camping trip

2006-03-23T14:05:00.000-05:00

i know it's real cheezy when churches and christian groups do these 'knock off' ads (christian t-shirts are the WORST), but i had a lot of fun putting this together for our youth group camping trip.

on-the-job-training

2006-02-23T21:35:00.000-05:00

since i've been a pastor for nearly half a year, people are always asking me what it's like to be a pastor (and what do pastors do all day anyways?). so i thought i'd share.

starting off as a young pastor has really been a journey. right now, i oversee our whole english ministry which includes adults, young adults, youth, and children, including preaching at weekly worship services. most of my days are spent in preparation for teaching, as well as a heavy dose of organization and administration. the rest of the time is filled with meetings, fellowships groups, ministry events and of course personal ministry.

the one challenge i really struggle with at this point is balancing everything. it's always a juggling act trying to stay on top of different commitments to various ministries while keeping everything flowing in the right direction. there is constantly a limitless list of things to be done at all hours of the day and night, and you never really get home from work. also, i've learned and shared over and over that when you really stop to look, there are an incredible amount of needs all around you. its easy to become a ministry machine and dry up or fizzle out. also, in some of these areas, i have little to no experience, which means making a lot of mistakes and learning from them. i'm reminded that i know a lot less than i think i know. there are some rough times, but a lot of good times. in these past six months, if nothing else, this verse has become more and more real to me.

God said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
-2 Corinthians 12:9

when i start to think things are about me, i realize that its all about God. whatever i'm doing, it doesn't matter if i'm successful, recognized, effective, or efficient, but how i have been faithful to God and done what He has called me to do. when i think i'm failing, i'm reminded it's about God. when i think it can't be done, i'm reminded it's about God. who knows how many years i have ahead of me and what challenges there are ahead, but i hope that's one lesson i'll never forget.

random thoughts

2006-02-23T20:16:00.000-05:00

i saw something really strange today. i was watching a bunch of birds on the street fighting over a piece of pizza. the thought occurred to me, "how do birds know to eat pizza? pizza is probably the most foreign, unnatural thing to a bird. baked bread crust, tomato sauce, pepperoni topping? how can they differentiate between that and say, a rock, as far as being edible? somehow they know."

another totally unrelated but random thought. from raymond's xanga:

I was walking back home earlier and I had my keys ready to open the door, but instead I was pressing the remote key for my car, expecting my house to do something. I was like pressing and pressing it and I was like is there something wrong with my key. Then I realised that I was too far away to unlock my car door, and I wasn't trying to unlock my car anyway, but to expecting the house to do something...

hahaha ... too funny.

timliu.org

2006-01-30T00:46:00.000-05:00

i've been working on a little blog for people doing ministry and on the lookout for more ideas and resources.

sleepy

2006-01-11T20:39:00.000-05:00

this is too cute.

a new year ahead

2006-01-04T18:01:00.001-05:00

the beginning of the year is always an exciting time personally and in ministry. i'm looking forward to how we are going to grow this year as a church.

changing frequencies

2005-12-16T13:17:00.000-05:00

Dr. Irwin Moon of the Moody Institute of Science was talking to a very famous scientist who said to him, "Dr. Moon, I don't understand how you as an intelligent scientist can say you believe in heaven. According to the Bible, the first man to die was Abel when Cain killed him. If Abel had traveled at the speed of light for six thousand years he wouldn't have reached the edge of the universe, which we can see with our telescope. He'd have thousands of years to go before he could get to heaven."

Dr. Moon replied, "Am I not correct? Are you not the scientist who has put forward the notion that matter is really porous and that it's possible to have a solid wall which really is mostly space?" The scientist said, "Of course that's true. I believe that."

Then Dr. Moon said, "Would it not be possible to have two different worlds occupying the same space provided they were synchronized so they were on different frequencies?" After a moment, the scientist said, "Of course it would. You could have thousands of worlds." Then Dr. Moon said, "Sir, to go to heaven, I may not have to move an inch. All I'll have to do is change frequencies."

This past week I was able to attend the funeral of Rev. Ken Brackney who pastored at our church for many years. Even though I was not particularly close to him and I didn't always agree with him, I was touched at the funeral just remembering all the contributions he's made to my life and the lives of many others. I can remember as a kid sitting in church hearing him preach and teach from the Bible with passion and conviction. He never failed to challenge people to live up to the standard of God's word. He dedicated his life to serving others and loving them. Seeing those present at the funeral reminded me of the power that one life can have to touch others. I hope when I pass on people will be able to say the same of me.

i want it that way

2005-11-11T01:06:00.000-05:00

wow. i am glad we didn't have the internet when i was in fifth grade because i probably would have been in this video. i know there are a lot of these around but this one hit a little too close to home. also, i'm glad i wasn't drinking anything when i watched it because it definitely would have been shooting out of my nose. via tom ho

fuel for the human machine

2005-11-09T16:27:00.000-05:00

A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on himself. He himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion [faith]. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.

- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

narnia is coming!

2005-11-07T00:16:00.000-05:00

One of my few memories of fourth grade is sitting on the classroom floor listening to my teacher read to us from the Narnia series. Can't remember much of the story, but as I started reading articles about the movie, the names and personalities came back to me like hearing about old friends. Despite the hype and inevitable debates, i'm really looking forward to seeing the film.

In case you're not familiar with the story, its a tale of four children who stumble upon a mystical world a become caught in an epic battle between a kingly lion and the evil witch of the land. after a heroic struggle, the king, with the children's help finally emerges victorious, but with a great cost. One of the notable messages of the books is that it provides a brilliant allegory for the sacrifice, the death and resurrection of Christ.

"But what does it all mean?" asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer. — "It means," said Aslan, "that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of Time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards."

Check out the trailer here - it looks great!

virginia beach sunset

2005-10-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

Some nice local photos from a photographer seen at the Neptune Festival Art Show.

Stihl Timbersports

2005-09-26T11:56:00.000-05:00

last weekend a couple of us headed down to the beach to check out the Stihl Timbersports World Championship. they set up a really cool venue right down on the oceanfront. we didn't know what to expect, but we were all excited after seeing these on tv. it turned out pretty awesome. these guys had crazy wood chopping skills. most impressive was the "hot saw" competitions, where the competitors bring in these custom made chainsaws made out of modified snowmobile and motorcycle engines. they put 3 cuts through a log in just over 5 seconds. sweet. So just in case you're watching timbersports on espn, keep an eye out for us.

its cool to see what kind of interesting things are around town if you know where to look.

pictures from the stihl website.

hurricane katrina disaster relief

2005-09-12T16:05:00.001-05:00

in case you haven't given yet, there are many wonderful charities supporting the cause to choose from. here's one of my favorites. they've been one of the most highly respected faith-based organizations helping the poor and providing relief efforts since 1878.

21,000 miles and back: part 2: summer ministry

2005-09-11T19:47:00.000-05:00

This has been an unforgettable summer, packed full of memories, from all across the globe. Too many stories to possibly tell here. Without a doubt, some of the best experiences of my life doing ministry, making friends, and seeing lives changed!

Starting it off, Mid Atlantic Chinese Christian Conference in Lynchburg, VA with the youth group. A great way to kick off the summer! Go Koren!

July brought our summer missions team to Europe, working with an organization called Chinese Overseas Christian Mission (COCM).

Welcome to Glasgow, Scotland!

Meeting Pastor Pan and Pastor Gordon.

Our home away from home ...

Genuine Scottish delicacy ... haggis! Not bad... just don't ask what's in it.

Obligatory picture of guys in kilts.

Refiner's Fire Youth Summer Camp. An amazing bunch!

Mel cleans up.

Farewell Glasgow!

Hello Stockholm, Sweden!

Cici and the gang.

The one and only Joseph "Duck" Pan.

Scandinavia Chinese Christian Church Summer Camp!

Hi Phil.

Good seeing you William!

Bye Wendy!

Thanks to everyone who welcomed us and served us more than we could ever have served you. Hope to see you soon!

For a lot more photos, click here.

21,000 miles and back again : part 1: the ring

2005-08-12T09:20:00.000-05:00

Its been a long and eventful summer full of ministry, travel, and exciting adventures. I've been to 4 countries, travelled thousands of miles, met hundreds of people and sealed the biggest decision of my adult life. I'm hoping to gradually post about everything over the next few weeks before the summer comes to a close. But of course, the number 1 event...

Because my brother and sister in law are currently living in Switzerland, they invited us to come out and visit. In addition to visiting Switzerland, we decided to head over to Paris together to see the city. We would meet up later with Judy's three siblings in Paris.

Ah, Paris, so many things to see ...

The Arc de Triomphe ...

The Eiffel ...

The Champs-Élysées ...

The Museums (D'Orsay) ...

On Saturday night, we "decided" to split up from my brother for dinner, and Judy and I found a charming streetside cafe, where we had a lovely fondue dinner. Funny thing was the menu was all in French, so we accidentally ordered the meat fondue rather than the cheese fondue. Oops. Still good, though.

After a long French dinner, it was getting late, but I convinced her to trek together to the top of the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur (a little scary looking), located high on a hill where you can see the entire city of Paris by night. She was getting suspicious as to why we were go so far out of the way late at night, but she played along ...

After sitting and talking on the steps for a bit overlooking the city, I finally gave my little "speech" and popped the question. With only a brief pause, she said "yes" with a smile and a laugh, like only she can.

Check out the ring.

the happy couple...

We're looking at around the middle of 2006 for the date, in San Francisco. Save up your vacation time!

sushi dinner

2005-05-22T15:51:00.000-05:00

we have some amazing sushi chefs in our bible study group. my favorite concoction- the grilled shrimp with the egg things. more pics here.

Chess is like life

2005-05-01T21:48:00.000-05:00

College chess club takes on local prison. I think this will be made into an inspirational tv movie some day.

The prisoners find elaborate metaphors for life in the classic game.
"See, if you make one bad move, you can always come back later on and make a good move," said 29-year-old inmate Robert Roebuck, who has until 2016 to play chess because of a voluntary manslaughter conviction almost 10 years ago.

"In checkers, you make one bad move and that's pretty much the game. But in chess ... ," he trails off, narrowing his eyes and drumming his fingers on the table to plan his next move.

Then later in the article...

Prison officials say the elaborate strategy and slow pace of chess makes it popular among inmates.

"Most things in prison you don't have to think about, you just have to do it. This is a totally different kind of thinking, in a deliberate way," said deputy warden Bruce Lee.

That's one tough warden ... Bruce!

mat kearney concert

2005-04-21T13:18:00.000-05:00

great concert! awesome small venue. kearney is growing on me more and more. at first he comes off as just another wannabe rapper, but then find yourself lost in his mesmerizing flow. i think he has a bright future ahead.

2005-04-10T15:36:00.000-05:00

a favorite pic of judy in a sf coffeeshop, check out my nasty scowl

been listening to

2005-04-01T00:28:00.000-05:00

Mat Kearney - a recommendation from Fred.

I like his song "bullet", its got a nice groove to it. Kind of interesting, he has 4 full songs on a myspace site. I noticed he was playing at the Norva (coolest venue around these parts), but got bumped to Kelly's by the Backstreet Boys who apparently had to reschedule. Bummer for him, but cheaper tickets! Who wants to go?

"you are here for a reason"

2005-03-15T17:26:00.000-05:00

While being held hostage at gunpoint by Atlanta courtroom murder suspect Brian Nichols, Ashley Smith overwhelms Nichols with compassion. She talks with him shares her faith with him, cooks pancakes for him, reads to him from the Bible and from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven life. They spend hours talking about life and God. Even though she is trying to save her own life, it's obvious that she genuinely cares for and wants to help Nichols. In the end, Nichols willingly turns himself in, offers her money, and he asks her if she will visit him in jail so they can talk more.

Its also wonderful to read her story because it brings people to real life. Nichols is not just some heartless murderer, but a real person with a family, worries, and a search for meaning in life also. Its a reminder to me that we are surrounded by real people with real needs in every situation in life, whether walking down the street, in the supermarket line, or in a life threatening situation.

I said, "Do you believe in miracles? Because if you don't believe in miracles -- you are here for a reason. You're here in my apartment for some reason. You got out of that courthouse with police everywhere, and you don't think that's a miracle? You don't think you're supposed to be sitting here right in front of me listening to me tell you, you know, your reason here?"

I said, "You know, your miracle could be that you need to -- you need to be caught for this. You need to go to prison and you need to share the word of God with them, with all the prisoners there."

counterfeit christian faiths

2005-03-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

Church-ianity - a faith that is known by one's activity or business within the church. attending services, joining groups, even participating in "fellowship" are marks of this faith-style. believers in churchianity are often known by everyone in the church as hard workers and busy for God, but fail to cultivate an authentic relationship with God. often practiced by pastors and other church leaders.

Politic-anity - a faith that equates true religion with being a right wing, conservative, fundamentalist, republican. followers of this counterfeit faith limit religion to how you vote, personal morality, and civic duties rather than a life lived out in the example and the power of Christ. passion for fighting for the right cause often replaces passion for knowing God.

Oat Bran-ianity (i know these title suck)- a faith practiced by those who know what is "good for you". It may taste bland and goes down mushy, but its the right thing to do. followers of this counterfeit faith can be recognized for their dull, expressionless stare when in a place of worship. they might not be changing the world, but at least they showed up. often practiced by those who have tasted something better, but settled with what was safe.

think big

2005-02-02T13:48:00.000-05:00

"Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Gil Bailie

random links

2005-01-27T16:54:00.000-05:00

Chinese risking surgery for height - but will I be able to dunk?
Have gun, will travel - meet the #1 Halo player in the world
Voting from space - Leroy Chao makes history
Bugmenot - read news articles without registration
Earthquake effects - quake changes earth's rotation
Aerial camera systems - how they get those cool shots at NFL games

thanksgiving pics

2005-01-11T02:40:00.000-05:00

turkey dinner San Francisco style

tim, judy, and todai (sushi buffet!)

merry christmas!

2004-12-25T23:19:00.000-05:00

"May the humility of the shepherds, the perseverance of the wise men, the joy of the angels, and the peace of the Christ Child be God's gifts to you and yours this Christmastime and always."
- Traditional Moravian blessing

2004-12-04T01:02:00.000-05:00

virginia beach, by judy on b&w film

david brooks on john stott

2004-12-02T18:36:00.000-05:00

Was extremely suprised this morning to read an editorial from New York Times columnist David Brooks defending evangelical Christianity by looking at the life of John Stott, a noted British writer. I've only read one book by Stott (which was excellent), but constantly hear many overwhelmingly positive reviews of his writing and his life.

To read Stott is to see someone practicing "thoughtful allegiance" to scripture. For him, Christianity means probing the mysteries of Christ. He is always exploring paradoxes. Jesus teaches humility, so why does he talk about himself so much? What does it mean to gain power through weakness, or freedom through obedience? In many cases the truth is not found in the middle of apparent opposites, but on both extremes simultaneously. ... [Stott] does not believe truth is plural. He does not believe in relativizing good and evil or that all faiths are independently valid, or that truth is something humans are working toward. Instead, Truth has been revealed. As he writes:

"It is not because we are ultra-conservative, or obscurantist, or reactionary or the other horrid things which we are sometimes said to be. It is rather because we love Jesus Christ, and because we are determined, God helping us, to bear witness to his unique glory and absolute sufficiency. In Christ and in the biblical witness to Christ God's revelation is complete; to add any words of our own to his finished work is derogatory to Christ."

(free nyt reg. required)

pharrell sighting

2004-11-30T22:36:00.000-05:00

me and ken lu spotted va beach local pharrell at b&n the other night, but we were too slow to get a pic. i guess even super hip-hop megastars need to just chill with a coffee and a book sometimes too.