Unmasking the Truth

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 94

Came across this ad-hoc experiment where {{someone}} decided to test out a series of face masks to check for their permeability.   Some water...food coloring...  some glasses... a bunch of masks and voila.... 

And the results are in!!!!  As expected... that one country that makes a lot of cheap and fake stuff.... FAILED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Right away... the floodgates were opened.  Wasn't even worth a sneeze.  (get it?) 

The next one to fail... surprisingly... is a neighbor of that country.  The result.... how shall I say it... crash landed on me!!! (heh... )

For more results... go run your own experiment.  Back to you regularly scheduled program.  

天使就在人間

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 93

I have a dear, dear sister who shall remain nameless.  But she is truly an angel.  The things she's done over the years... behind the scenes... out of love... is truly admirable.  She is one of the sweetest... nicest... *prettiest* and downright "I can't stand you for being so perfect!" kind of person.  She comes across as being very quiet... but she's one of the most outgoing person in the world.  She comes across as being shy... but she lights up any room and any party.  You think she's going to zig...and she'll probably zag.  It's not like she's solving poverty or finding the cure for cancer.  But it's her consistent selflessness and small acts of kindness.  And today... I was one of the many recipients of her act of love and kindness.  Ohhhhh CMC... can't you pass on some of yourself to the rest of the world??? We sorely need it right now. 

A simple ornament

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 92

Annual tradition of busting out and trim the 7 feet Costco tree. 

.  

Had the idea of reusing a bunch of toilet paper tubes to make little ornaments... or maybe create a garland. 

  

Then had the idea of decorating each one of them. One thing led to another... and BOOM.... 

We each created three.... and here's the final 12. 

A slew of animals...  

SW celebrated 2020 with Among Us

The flag of Greece...for the trip that never happened... 

Multiple Beyblade tournaments (Hot Salamander and Leopard) and NN's 10 minute mile

Joyce commemorated several of our trips to the beach....

And celebrated the many nights of homemade pizza...and air fried chicken wings... 

A pretty creative and touching gesture... I think.  Was pretty proud of the creative juices from the family... and when I shared it... someone said... "咁慳錢呀, 爸B."  To which I answered... "超！"

Legend of the 5 Kernels

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 91

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~1 Thes 5:16-18

大舅父

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 90

"舅父 stopped breathing..."

And text by text... scene by scene... we got updates from HK...

and shortly thereafter....

"我們父親已經上了天堂與阿嫲和母親一起..."

In my mind... I only have 4 uncles in this world. And he’s easily my favorite one. His determination in life.. his goal... his heart. I didn't know him well. But he was and forever will be my 大舅父. He's in a much better place...

God's Timing

 COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 89

PAL and Amy paid a visit to dad up in the city today... part of our Thanksgiving Gift Package ministry but also as a means of following up with dad after the past several months of bible study and evangelism class.  Dad... in his old self.. bought a chicken and some pastries for PAL.  And PAL, under my advisement, got some pineapple buns and cocktail buns for dad.  Old fashion visitation...but that's who dad is.

Guess who comes strolling by while they were chit-chatting on the streets???  

Mom.  HA!!! Huda thunk.... 

偶然遇上的驚喜

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 88

Part 2 of our church's Love Box distribution and I was headed up to the city for my two targets and mom and dad.  The night before... I call dad and ask him if he needs anything... toilet paper... meat... etc... And not surprisingly...he says "Nah... I'm good."  But surprisingly.. he says, "你只要帶比我愛." Dad is not the sentimental type... and in almost 40 years of my cognitive being... he's never said anything like that.

After our mission was done...and we were heading home... Get a text from Keno that Stella's mom also accepted Christ!! PTL!!  Years of prayer... and all it took was a simple question.  "易過食生菜" as Keno describes it.  I quickly congratulated Stella...who was Facetiming with Siu during the Repentance Prayer... and she was so emotional... tears of joy flooded her.  I know that feeling too well.  Too too well... 

Thank you Jesus!! 

一人信主，全家得救

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 87

What a day... the day started with TWA and FOTA with my brothers. And these words we uttered... prayers of the righteous... prayers of the patience... prayers of perseverance.... how timely.

Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Psalm 126:4

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:7-8

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. James 5:17-18

At around 11:30... while we were eating lunch. Joyce looked at her phone and screamed. We looked at her funny and she shoves the phone in my face. It was a text from PAL "Your dad accepted Christ today. I led him through the repentance prayer. He followed the prayer word for word!"  I started shaking... joy... tears... disbelief....  Ohhhhhhh Myyyyyyy God! ☝☝

性相近，習相遠

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 85

Parent Teacher Conference today for SW.  We got his report card last night and everything was as expected.  I mean...it is what it is with distance learning.  But when it came time to cite areas of improvement... the only thing the teacher can muster up was... you can improve on your punctuation and learn when not to use commas.  (That's it?!?!)  Our son isn't that good... I bet she just hasn't had enough time to observe SW.  

What rang like a gong though... was when she said has a lot of leadership skills.  <SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH>  My son??? Leadership skills??? No way.  Laid back... chill to the grill... Ultra-Minimalist...  瀟瀟灑灑.... 與世無爭... but never would I imagine "leadership skills."  I guess either she doesn't know him well... or I'm the one that's not observing.  

Today... as we were driving to the library together.  He starts contemplating how 家姐 will start driving soon when she turns 16.  "I can't imagine 家姐 being 16.  I still remember when she was 7 - 8.  Before there was Google Hangouts.  Those were the good old days."  I see him in the rear view mirror staring off into the distance.... while I wipe off the tear trickling down my cheek.  

小華...... 深不可測.

人之初，性本善

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 82

On a crisp, cool Monday evening when SW was done with all his homework, I gave him the greenlight, "Ok... you can watch some TV."  He was so happy.  The first thing he did... he ran into NN's room to announce the good news.   

Though they might get into it sometimes... and though they might fight over the TV (cooking show vs. Pokemon / Beyblade)... deep down, 小華好錫家姐。

If there's anything good.. he'll want to share it.  Just like yesterday, we drove to get him a strawberry smoothie because NN had an afternoon "Boba Tea Party."  小華immediately said... "I'll save it for 家姐。"

Ice Ice Baby

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 81

As far back as I remember... mom taught us that whenever we order a drink from McDonalds, ask for "No ice." Ice takes up space and you get more bang for your buck without it.  

Whenever I get a milk tea or whatever from one of those tea places.... it's always "half ice" or "no ice."  

Recently, there's been some viral videos showing that if you pour a Tall Starbucks drink into a Venti cup of ice, it's the same as a Venti drink - except you only pay the price of a Tall. 

There are two times where you want to ice it up.  

One... is when you for sure get free refills.  The other time... is when you're drinking at home.  Like Gatorade or recently... I got a jug of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha.  NOW.... this is where the rules change.  Since you've already paid for your drink... you want to make it last as long as possible and get the most bang for your buck.  Even if it's watered down juice... watered down, flat soda.... and dare I say it... watered down whiskey.  Hmmm mmm...  

I'm a firm believer in pinching my pennies.  Here is a case where you can pinch from both ends of the stick.  Ice it up baby.... or shall I say... "Ice Ice Baby...."

人之初，性本惡

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 80

I was legitimately ticked off at lunch today when I ran out of food... and I wasn't full. We bought.2 ramens and a katsu chicken curry. Joyce and the kids initially shared the 2 ramens... and I was left with the rice. But I "had" to save almost half of the rice for the kids. And before I knew it... all the food was gone.  Dang it... we're financially pretty stable.  Why can't we get another entree? Why are 4 people still sharing 3 entrees? 

Then at dinner... they barely touch their steak and taters cuz they're too full from lunch.  This gives me more than my fair share of beef (which is yummy).  And I was still hungry!  But geeeez... sometimes, it's tough being that ever giving dad who let's the family eat first and I get the scraps.  

Sigh... I'm such a horrible father.  And I only get to vent here in my own universe. 

苦肉計

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 79

Last night... NN and Joyce got into it again.  NN was on the verge of another breakdown cuz of Chinese school.  And I can't blame her.  She simply doesn't speak it... how can she possibly 造句 or 作文???

So I quickly sought for reinforcements in the form of Rebekah 姐姐.  She's in college now... and she is regretting the days she shunned mom and dad who tried to have her learn Chinese.  Now that she's past her prime of learning a language, she spends every day learning one new character.  

I set up a little conference for NN an Rebekah.  Hoping she can impart some life lessons on her.  And they went on for hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  To a point where I had to shut them down....  but at the very end... NN came to me and said, "I'll continue with Chinese school."

I really have low expectations for her.  She doesn't have to score 100% every time.  My expectation is for her to understand 50% when someone speaks.  When reading 10 words... she recognizes half.  And realistically... be able to spread the gospel in Chinese.  That's really the whole reason why we want her to learn Chinese....will she do it??

Maybe Rebekah 姐姐 can answer that for us. She did text me later... saying “NN is the type of kid that’ll get things done. If not now, she’ll do it later. Just chill, dad.”

Executive Presence

 COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 78

Finished a training course on Executive Presence. Honestly... there was nothing I picked up from this. If anything... I can teach this class or at least write a book. On the 2nd day...they recorded us making a sales pitch and had everyone comment on us.  When I rewatched my video... I saw so many flaws.  Good!! Room for improvement.  But when everyone else commented... their comments were: “Flawless."  The only thing they can squeeze out was... maybe you can tone down on the content.  OMG... that's it??? 

What really floats my boat is...  when I am able to teach, coach, mentor someone and bring them to the next level.

As was the case this afternoon when KT gave a Brown Bag session on MBE.  Here was a guy who... 6 months ago... could only read off the charts and stutter while doing it.  6 months later... he owned the material.  He wasn't "flawless" by any stretch of the imagination.  But being where he is now...coming from where he was...that's teaching! that's coaching! that's managing!

That’s where I would want any accolades or compliments -Hank’s Legacy.

All of Jesus For all the World

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 77

Once again... my turn to lead Prayer Meeting.  I already skimped out last week due to the uncertainty of the election, to which Amy C-mo gracefully swapped with me.  And the timing was divine.  Had I led on the day after the election... I would've been a mess.  But given that extra week allowed me to refocus on what really matters, "All of Jesus, for all the world."  

Heaven and earth will fade... but his Kingdom is everlasting.  Yes - Biden/Harris were declared the winner on Saturday.  But it was really Mission Conference Sunday that solidified where my heart ought to lie and where my eyes need to focus, Jesus. 

Tonight's Prayer Meeting was ground breaking.  I don't think the other Prayer Meeting leaders would dare to dance like I did and make a fool of themselves.  Not only that... I was able to convince SW and NN to dance with me... live... over Zoom.  And what I really tried to cement and drive home... that in the midst of this tumult, this storm, this nightmare... there is one thing that we need to do.... and that is turn our eyes upon Jesus. 

【當轉眼仰望耶穌】 

當轉眼仰望耶穌，

定睛在祂奇妙慈容，

在救主榮耀恩典大光中,

世俗事必要顯為虛空。

"We did it, Joe"

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 73

Woke up Saturday morning to a bunch of texts.... "Biden Won."  Kids were jumping up and down.  They started singing songs from "Hamilton." 

It wasn't a surprise... it was just a matter of time.  Were all the states conspiring to announce together? Were the TV networks on a group chat? Where they playing chicken? 

Yesterday and the day before was surreal.  Watching GA flip... then PA... and NV and AZ widen their gaps.  Even got a call from a direct report at 10PM saying, "Dude..... 2000 votes."  Who calls their boss at 10PM at night??!?!?! 

Taking in the moment... letting it sink in....  what does this mean as an American?

Democracy wins.  Record turnout.  Every vote counts.

Joe Biden.  Lost 3 other presidential bids. Topped it off as Veep 4 years ago. Was into retirement in the midst of a family crisis. Battling his way out of Scanton making mountains of mistakes on the way. Ripe age of 77.  

Kamala Harris.  A minority.  A woman.  Black and Asian roots. Representing California.  Coming out of San Francisco. A child of Oakland.  Our very own.

Was texting Nita... "I'd love to hear your thoughts on a woman... a minority... securing this spot."  She wasn't crying... I started crying. 

The fate of the nation will actually fall on how the Senate will be decided come January 5th.  It can be 2 years of sweeping policy change.  Or 2 years of stalemate, compromises, government shutdowns and eventually... in 2022... GOP takes over the House.  1994 all over again.  (Ugh....)

Is it time to look ahead... or just enjoy this moment?  

A nation torn apart...

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 71

Last night was anything short of horrible.  Nothing was newsworthy throughout the day which allowed me to concentrate.  As 5PM PT rolled around and polls on the East Coast started to close, I started to follow NBC (the one channel I get with my dinky little antennae).  It started with Biden leading the count 11-3 when Vermont and Indiana were "done."  Then as the night wore on.. emotions went high and low.  Florida was spotlighted over and over again... and at about 6PM... with so many counties showing up RED and the infamous Miami-Dade still up in the air... you kinda knew.  

Initial signs of Ohio... Pennsylvania... North Carolina trending blue... made dinner much more enjoyable.  After dinner... those states flipped.  Now it was Texas' turn and like 2016... like 2012... like all my recollection... that state continued to ooze crimson.  Latino voters in the south east were attributed to the surprise turn of events.  "No landslide" was immediately declared. 

As the night wore on... and everyone was doing the math... nothing added up.  Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia... states that Obama and Biden kept hitting... did not flip.  The state maps were ridden with red with small spots of blue.  For some reason, the left leaning analyst on NBC kept on holding out - saying the urban, college educated early mail-in ballots could be the deciding factor.

The kids didn't know what was going on... they were cheering for the numbers.  They saw 270... and were jumping on the couch when Biden won NY.  And they sulked when the fly-overs turned red, one by one.  

The math still didn't add up.  Even when Fox News declared Zona flipping -- pissing off the world, specifically the White House.  But the math still didn't add up.... those margins in the battleground states were too large to pull in.  

I went to bed at 1AM.... hopeless.  Dejected.  That lonely... fearful... devastated feeling crept in again.  Like it did in 2016.  Like the Super Bowl.  Like the NBA Championship.  Like the World Series.  Walking that Green Mile prior to ultimate execution.

Then at 5:30AM... my alarm went off.  Immediately checked Twitter and Google News.  Lo' and behold... those margins have narrowed.  In fact... Wisconsin swung all the way around.  And all the news outlets are saying that the mail-in ballots are heavy in Biden's favor.  The math started to come together after Michigan was won.  

At this point... we didn't even need Pennsylvania or Georgia.  We needed 6 more votes from Nevada to hit 270.  

As the clock strikes midnight on marking the end of the 2nd night... we're still 6 votes, 1 state away.  A legal battle is inevitable.  Lawyers already started petitioning in all those states demanding a recount.  

All the while... Congress remains a stalemate between the House and Senate.  

"Why do you vote for Biden?" Anderson asked....

"I vote, not for the person, but the policy.  It helps...that the Donald is a prick."  

As big of a prick and a-hole that he is... half the nation is still with him.  My parents voted for him.  If not for the mishandling of COVID, big-bro would've voted for him.  

"What happened to you? Why are you red-hair step child in your family?" Joyce asks.

"Cuz the Holy Spirit dwells in me...." I sarcastically answer.

For the record... she also voted Biden/Harris.  

And now.... we wait. 

Let it rip!!!

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157  School Reopens - Day 69

Neither of the kids grew up liking toys.  Not Barbies.  Not hotwheels.  Not transformers.  They're just not made that way.  Both of them love books.  NN loves arts and crafts.  SW loves sports.  They both are enamored with minecraft... to some extent.  But SW.... he has one toy that he loves... and coincidentally... I love - Beyblades.

I originally thought it was a stupid toy.  A spinning top that crashes into another in a stadium.  Plain and simple.  There's no skill to it.  It's just spinning it...and watching it go.

Boy was I wrong.  These are mechanical engineering marvels.  I still don't know how they're actually made and how a simple change in design can cause such a big difference.  You can customize your top... swap parts with other Beyblades.  Perfect your launch.  Learn your enemies' weaknesses and expose them.

For the past two weeks... I've been playing this childish game with SW.  And I can't stop playing with him.  Is it the toy? the game? the competition? Maybe... or is it the fact I have a "thing" with my son.  Where we can talk trash... sing... dance... tease... 

Mom went to HK and the one thing I wanted her to buy... was a Hong Kong beyblade.  When SW opened it... he loved it so much, he slept with it under his pillow.

SW bought a beyblade for his best friend's birthday.  He just so happens bought one for himself and bah-B.  *ahem* For "Bah-B."  But we wouldn't let him open it... unless he scored above 90 on his History test.  He was so excited... he emailed his teacher to get his score.  

We got enough Beyblades... I thought we can have a Beyblade tournament to declare the champion.  Days later... SW still can't stop talking about it.  

Tournament of Champions

Quarter Finals

 

Semi-Finals

For all the marbles....

Attack mode.  Defense mode.  Stamina mode.

Survival.  Knock-out. Burst finish.

Dads have many things with their sons.  Catching a ball.  Fixing a car. Collecting baseball cards.  Well... somehow, this is now our thing.  And I love every, single, moment, of it.