Prayer Meeting

A new high.

I was pulling up my jeans and putting on my belt when... I felt a koala bear wrap himself around my leg. 

"你真係要去?"

"係阿."

And he started crying and walks out of my room.  Walking after him... I saw drops of tears on our hardwood floor...

Sigh..... and what's worse.  I get to PM on time - 7:29PM sharp.  Sit around for 20 minutes waiting for people to show up.  It starts late.  Ends late.  I get home.  And the kids are asleep already.  I miss putting them to bed.

Something is NOT right here. 

薪火相傳

Earlier this evening, I officially handed my duties of Eden Shepherd / Coordinator to Royce.
It was anti-climatic.  Uneventful.  And not as I had envisioned.   But alas.... my 8 year term is over.

Looking back in time.... I still remember emailing PAL that I wanted to start a Young Couple's prayer group back in 2008/2009, before Nn was even born.

I still have that email... where 29 days (not even 1 month) after Nn was born, PAL asked me to set up breakfast with the 4 other couples.  Slowly and surely... Joyce and I felt it was time to move away from Joseph Fellowship into a Young Couple fellowship.  We officially got permission to and was added to Heart of Christ Fellowship.  We were even on their email alias!!

Was digging through my emails.  I found that on January 15, 2010, I emailed Pansy telling her that Joyce/myself/Nn will be attending fellowship since she was preparing dinner.  I also have the email from Stella saying it's wonderful we're moving to HoC together!!

Then came that fateful day on January 16th - the annual SJCAC Vision and Prayer Summit.  That morning... I arrived a little early. PAL pulled me aside and said, "I want to start a new Young Couple Fellowship.  And you're the coordinator."  I don't think I was given a chance to decide.  It was an assignment.  I still have that same email to Pansy saying, "Sorry... we will not be coming tonight afterall."  To which she replied.....

"Henry and Joyce... I was thinking and praying for you while I was preparing for dinner.  I remember the testimony you shared about conceiving Nn.  Freely you have received and freely you must give.  May you bring blessings to those in your new fellowship." 

Thus started this new fellowship.  From coming up with the name.. to our Vision.. to our Mission Statement.   We had our struggles.  The first year was fine.  Then we all got pregnant around the same time.... and baby talk took over.  Of the original four families, one family decided to not have children.  And they felt left out....to a point where they left our church.  So we went from 4 families to 3.

Over the years... we had bouts and bouts of flus and colds, where we cancelled more than we met.  Regardless of the challenge, we always came up with a CNY program.  And never once, did I think of folding the fellowship.  Slowly and surely, we started having new families join.  To my disappointment, the new families were essentially from our Young Adult fellowship "graduating" to be a Young Couple.  How I long to have new life, new believers, new members.  That never happened.

And so.... 8 years.  A US President, at most, serves only 2 terms (8 years).  So it was time to move on.  I felt like I could so much more.  The kids are getting older and the parents are much freer. But alas... it was time.  It was time for new ideas.  A new direction.  A new vision.

I had 2 families in mind to pass the baton.  But it wasn't ME choosing my successor... it was the Lord.  And as He would have it... the baton fell on Roy and Joyce's lap.   On the night I had to pass the baton.... it wasn't even at all emotional.  The most emotional part came two weeks earlier when I told my Core Group that our service was coming to an end.  To which I summarized it by saying, "能和大家一起事奉是我的榮幸和驕傲!"

At that moment in time... I suddenly realized... that by giving up my title as Shepherd, I no longer had the official authority to look after the sheep.  And I suddenly felt that I was much more separated and alienated from them.  But alas... all good (or bad) things must come to an end.  And it's time to turn a new page....And I am 100% confident, that Royce will write an exciting new page for us!!

More Random Observations

In a 5 day training session... despite the fact the recommended attire is Business Casual.  Day one, everyone comes in slacks.  Day 2, it downgrades to khaki's. Day 3 and 4...everyone's in jeans now. 

Random Observation

I'm in training this week... at a hotel with people from different companies from all over the country.  The training company booked a conference room at a hotel.  The room has 3 tables.  Halfway through the first day of training... I noticed that all the minorities (Asian, Black, Mexican, Filipino) somehow sat at the same table. The other two tables were Caucasian males.  

I think I made a similar observation at another training session.... where the minorities / women somehow sat together.

Interesting psychological experiment..... 

The Power of a Post-It

A couple of weeks ago.... I was signing Nn's Daily Planner, where the teacher wants us to initial it, to ensure parents are aware of her daily assignments.  One night, I decided to add a little post-in note to her planner saying, "Jesus loves you.  And Bah-B loves you too."  Just a simple message... hoping to bring a smile to my little princesses face.

Well.... as luck would have it... a week later, SW found out about the note and kept asking where his note was.  I didn't write one for him, so I kept saying, "You haven't found it yet."  He looked EVERWHERE for it... until one morning, when I was packing his lunch, I left a note for him.

He found the note during lunch and he was so excited.

The past two days..... both kids have started leaving me notes.  SW told me he hid a note in my room.... to which I couldn't find.  And this morning, I found a post-It on m closet with the words, "Jesus loves you.  And so do I. XOXO -Nui nui".

How wonderful...and powerful... a simple Post-It note can be.

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus...

Today… a sister gave a testimony of her on-going battle with terminal cancer. It was already emotional and spirit-filled, until the end, when she specifically called out her husband and said, “XXXX, I truly believe that God will prepare for you someone who can cook for you.”  

I tried keeping the tears back the entire time, but that’s when the waterworks turned on.  I couldn’t hold it back anymore.   

After service, a brother mentioned he had another kind of waterworks.  That instead of tears of sadness or empathy… he was sweating bullets wondering why she would say such a thing.  C’mon bro…… this woman loves her husband SOOOOOO much, that as she’s this close to returning to heaven, at her most desperate and perhaps lonely times, she’s still thinking of her husband’s future.  How romantic and unselfish is that????  Maybe half the room got it… half the room didn’t.  

An amazing, supernatural memory...

For the past year...year and a half... I've been telling the kids a bedtime story that I made up.  The characters are "Josh-chel" and "Ra-shua."  Obviously, a play on their names.  The stories are mostly made up... with inspiration from Star Wars, Marvel Universe, DC Comics, 金庸, and other stories/movies I've seen over the years.  The kids don't know any better... so they think it's all original.   If not for copy right reasons, I literally can publish a children story and it might actually be pretty good!! 

In an earlier post, I mentioned there are times I'm so tired of telling this story, I find ways to stall.  And of course, there are nights where I'm just too tired and I say, "It's too late, we'll continue tomorrow." 

On and off.... the story has definitely evolved.  To a point where I don't even remember how the story got to where it is.  But last night... the kids amazingly recited the story, down to every last frightful detail, from it's inception.  Details that I don't even remember coming up with, let alone say. 

I'm so impressed...and touched... that they take this father/son/daughter time so seriously.  That among all the Netflix videos, all the books they read, all the movies they watch... they cherish my half-assed story telling. 

Here's the flip side to the coin.  If they remember these "happy" thoughts... what do you think are the chances they remember the "unhappy" thoughts?  Really makes you think twice about how to raise this next generation. 

Prayer Meeting

Had the most difficult time going to Prayer Meeting tonight....

Me: 爸B去祈禱會啦.

SW: 點解成日都要去啊？

NN: 今晚可唔可以唔去啊？

I really struggled.... it's so hard.  So so hard.....

Overdue Library Books

For the second time in one week, I have overdue library books. Now I owe San Jose $1.50. So pissed... I don’t care if it’s $15 or $0.15... I hate “breaking the law” and get fined!! 

What happened to those “Warming” emails they use to send??

15 year anniversary

Just celebrated my 15 year anniversary working at my current company.  Wow..... 15 years is not a short amount of time.  Rarely do you see people working at a tech company for that long.

On top of that.... my VP came by today.  He told me that at the Quarter Business Review (with the Exec VP and the other VPs), my picture was flashed on the screen.  How many people achieve a 15 year milestone at my company... but my VP chose to flash my picture up there.... if only for a split second.

On top of that.... Yesterday, I called two Directors.  And they picked up their phones and said, "Hey Hank.. how's it going?!?" Like we are peers.  I remember back when I was a salary grade 2-3.... I didn't even dare look at my Director.  And here I am.... calling Directors up and they know who I am. 

15 years of legacy......  of relationship building.... and I'm thinking of leaving?!?!??! What am I thinking?????????????????????// 

萬事皆互相效力

Skipped Sunday Service today to observe Kids’ Church and noticed one of our dear sister is there the entire time watching over a child with aspergers....or hyper activity.  This sister is NOT the child’s mom. After some chit chat, it turns out this small group takes turn watching this kid... while they miss the adult service. This gives the parents a chance to attend service as a married couple.  How long has this been going on? Dunno. Did anyone tell them or ask them?  I’m guessing this small group volunteered. It’s a simple act of love and kindness.

I was so touched by this simple act of selflessness. I wanna run to the top of hill and shout out to everyone what a wonderful deed this is! And hope others can be encouraged like I was....