It's the most wonderful time...of the year

I love Christmas. Love it.. love it.. love it. (aside from the flippin' freezing temperature!!!)

Every year around this time, KNBR, KLOVE and AIR-1 steps aside as I tune into 96.5 KOIT for 24/7 Christmas Carols. I love driving through Willow Glen, turn my headlights off and seeing every single house having a Christmas Tree on their front lawn. I love going to the malls seeing wreaths and lights hanging everywhere. I love the laughter of children and the grumblings of adults as they line up for a picture with Santa Claus.

Everybody is in a giddy mood because it's a good reason to spend money. And Americans love to spend money. We just need a reason to do it. And even if people may not admit it, I bet that people enjoy the gift of giving more than receiving.

Most importantly, I love Christmas because it marks the day that Jesus chose to humble himself to come down on earth to be with us sinners...so that we may have the chance to seek salvation and re-enter into God's glory.

Conversely... I hate Valentine's Day. But let's wait a couple of months before I rant on that (again...)

My highlights of the Thanksgiving Retreat

Joyce and I skipped the YA Summit this year and have been looking forward to the CS Retreat. So many things happened during the three days up in the Santa Cruz mountains. Here are just some of my personal highlights.

1. Pastor SARS - A year after HK PCS, he still remembers me. How cool...
2. TWA by Poon C-mo - Not a big fan of corporate TWA. But God opened my eyes to new ways of spending time with him.
3. Loving my wife UNCONDITIONALLY -

   中國的父老兄弟們﹐讓我們一齊錫太太﹗

4. Joseph candlelight sharing and confessions - You just had to be there.
5. Each and every individual public testimonies - Especially Michael and Ketty's
6. Moonchi and Christie - AMAZING brother and sister
7. Revivial of Joseph and SJCAC - The entire CS knelt before the cross and prayed for forgiveness and mercy. Tears of confession flowed but the end result is glory in God.
8. Hiking up the Sand Dunes with Joyce - WHAT?! JOYCE?! HIKING?!? UPHILL!??! NO WAY!!!!! 1 Peter 3:1
9. Poon C-mo's confession
10. Wilson and Tim-tim stopping by Andy's Bait and Tackle for clam chowder - They woulda won the race had they brought the judges a bowl also.
11. Cup o' Noodles and porridge - SHOUT OUT TO CANDY!!!
12. A new journey with Jesus - "Lead the way, Jesus... I will follow"

4th and inches...

It's 4th and inches!!!
WHY WOULDN'T YOU GO FOR IT?!?!?!?!?AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

49ers 17

Rams 20

A blessing in my life...

It's not by coincident that God places certain people into our lives. Be it to mentor us (pastors, parents) or to serve us (parents, friends) or to challenge us (teachers, peers). I've been blessed with a huge family of brothers and sisters who continue to show me by example how to live a faithful life in God. A particular dear brother of mine has been very influential in my life in the biggest of ways and the tiniest of avenues.

One instance, we were driving on Hwy 17 when we missed our exit. Having to make a U-turn on the Santa Cruz hills is like trying to find good service at Fry's. We were sitting there for about 5 minutes (more like 1...) and I got a little (very) antsy. When I saw "potential" spots to turn... I would put on my backseat driver hat and scream "GO!! GO!! GO!!"

Course...this brother, being the cool and composed character he is, doesn't want to scare the on coming traffic. Instead, he whispers a prayer to God.... and within seconds, traffic completely disappears from the on-coming side!! We were able to bust a "U" without any worries!! I may be able to run off Proverbs 3:5-6 like the multiplication table... but this brother actually lives it.

Thank you Lord... for giving me another lesson in life.

Just one of dem days....

Ever sit on a wet spot and have the cold cool feeling linger on all day long?? Happened to me yesterday... all day long, that area under the left rear pocket of my pants felt cold. I figure I must've spilled coffee on my chair and sat on it. Accidents happen...right??

So last night, I get out of the car and start walking to school. And that chilly feeling is still there!! Did I spill coffee in on my car seat also? I reach back to feel my...uh....lower butt.... and lo and behold... my finger was touching my leg!! Like a dog chasing it's tail...I tried to look around to see a HUGE GAPING HOLE!!! Geez Louise!!! I must've walked around the entire campus yesterday...showing off my beautiful "lower butt" to everyone... but people were just too shy to come up and tell me...

It's just one of dem days....

After Thanksgiving sale: I needa get me some new jeans...

This moment in time...

(highlight to read)

...I feel sad. One after another, they are leaving. For better or worse, this is God's plan and I should be joyful. But I'm not....

...I feel betrayed. My 49ers are under the rule of a nasty owner who has gone to far extremes to get his way while undermining the city of San Francisco and the millions of fans who have supported this organization throughout the years.

...I feel numb. The Oakland A's are going through the exact same ordeal as my Niners and I don't give a rats' nest about it.

...I feel cold. My hot cup of coffee has been set down too long and is now at room temperature. Room temperature at the Leung Residence is very cold and I now I think I'm drinking iced coffee.

...I feel distanced. Hebrews 10:26 has left an empty feeling inside me.

...I feel hungry. I ate dinner at 6:30 last night and it's been nearly 14 hours since I've eaten.

...I feel burdened and frustrated. When can I exit from hibernation?

...I feel torn. Democrats have overtaken Congress...first time since 1994. This means America can finally concentrate more on domestic problems and downgrade foreign policies to a lower priority. But that means I might be looking for a job in about 6 months.

...I feel like a loser. All the propositions I supported, especially the education bonds, lost in the polls. What country am I living in? We barely pass the cigarettes law. And education is overwhelmingly shot down? Socialism has it's perks too... Kudos to Marx and Mao. If only humans were not selfish beasts.

...I feel like I'm done venting and it's time to start thinking about what I'm gonna have for lunch.

DEMOCRATS IN DA HOUSE!!!

OH YEAH!! The Democrats retake control of House!!

Just down to Virginia to see has control of the Senate -- and CONGRESS!!

So much for Dubya's legacy years... He's gonna be busy the next two years avoiding impeachment while rallying the GOP for the 2008 Presidential Election...

Election Day - Eve

So much is riding on this year's election!! Will the Democrats retake the House? Will we have a woman, Speaker of the House? And what if Hillary wins in 2008 and appoints Diane Feinstein as Vice President?!?!?! The top 3 highest ranking government officials will be WOMEN!!! How cool will that be?!?!?!

So long ESPN

It's shows like The World Cup-Stacking Championships that make me make want to cancel ESPN and save $30 a month. Until Giants baseball starts up again...so long ESPN....

LOST

This Sunday's message, Law C-mo spoke of "The Three Losts." Actually, I think she spun off into many more different types of LOST - but they more or less centered around the three major ones:

1. The Lost Sheep
2. The Lost Coin
3. The Prodigal Son

Ironically, that was the subject of my weekend - LOST. To be more specific LOST - Season 2.

Starting Thursday night and ending Sunday afternoon, Joyce and I polished all 22 episodes of Season 2 of the ABC TV Show - LOST. I would almost equate it to people watching Korean Soap Operas...a masochistic pleasurable pain. But this was the first weekend in a long time where we decided to completely put off homework, studying, yardwork, etc....

Unfortunately, Season 3 is on-going on ABC right now... so we won't be getting Season 3 on DVD until, earliest, summer of 2007. Oh well... back to yardwork I guess...

Fogo de Chao's

In Portugese, Fogo de Chao's means "Fire from the Ground." And what's the fire for???

FOR COOKING MEAT!!!!!

On Tuesday night, a bunch of co-workers and I went to Fogo de Chao's in Beverly Hills for some fine dining. And ohhhh was the food eXquisite!!! You start out with a buffet style gourmet salad bar that makes Sweet Tomato look like David to Goliath. Then you have the all-you-can-eat side dishes of mashed garlic potatoes, fried polenta, fried banana, and their world renowned Parmesan Cheese Bread. It's like eating a Lotus Bun from a Tea House, except it's cheese that oozes out. Then the main course.....the MEAT.

OHHHHH THE MEAT!!!! 15 different kinds of meat, cooked by an open flame on a 2 foot skewer. Then brought to you fresh off the blaze, sizzling and oozing with juice. The gaucho (waiter) sees that you've flipped your coaster to green - meaning you want more meat! And he runs to you cutting up as small or AS BIG a portion of meat as you want. You think you're full?? Flip the coaster to red. Think you're back in the game, flip it back to green!! Panacha, filet mignon, top sirlon, bottom sirlonn, lamb chops, linguicia, pork tenderloin, chicken wrapped with bacon, the list goes on and on.....

Normally, at buffets, the steak is cooked medium to accomodate for the general public. Not this place!! This place knows how to cook their steak --- to a medium rare (more rare than medium). I landed a chunk of filet that oozed either juice or blood. I wasn't sure. At times like these, I wonder why I wasn't born with a bigger stomach......?

The bill came out to be $500 for 6 people. But hey... it's allllllllllllllllllll goooooooooooooooooooood.