ALOHA2002's Xanga

Don't Delay!

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:28:34 GMT

I've got an announcement so important that I decided to update my Xanga blog too! For those of you who are planning on attending GYC this year. Let this be a gentle reminder to register by October 14 in order to take advantage of the early-bird discount! Don't wait until the last day, we experienced some issues with the heavy traffic that clogged our server on the last day of early-bird registration cutoff last year and would not want anyone to be inconvenienced in their registration process. Don't delay. Register today! Click here.

Apostasy!

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:49:36 GMT

What happened? Want to find out more? Check aloha2002.blogspot.com.

Snow!

Sun, 04 Feb 2007 16:43:58 GMT

Our campus got a special treat last week...check out the photos at aloha2002.blogspot.com.

Excellence!

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:00:12 GMT

Ever wonder what level of excellence is actually attainable for us, humans? Check out a quote I came across in my reading for Psychology (imagine that!) class: http://aloha2002.blogspot.com.

It's OVER!

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 18:37:12 GMT

GYC is over...at least GYC 2006 in Baltimore is over. Luke and I actually were in Minneapolis the week before GYC to get things rolling for next year. Well, GYC Baltimore was a huge blessing. I actually got to hear many of the sermons (only one seminar, though) and the preaching, in my opinion, was at an unprecedented level. For more highlights, check out my new blog at Blogger. aloha2002.blogspot.com.

Make plans to be at GYC 2007 at the Minneapolis Convention Center!

Pix from Down Under

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 23:10:55 GMT

Just thought I'd share a few photos from our family trip to Australia this summer. Enjoy!

Taken at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary near Brisbane. Mr. Koala, drunk on eucalyptus leaves...

Parrots from O'reilly's National State Park near Brisbane. They just land on you (anywhere, as you can see) and eat right out of your hands. We went through about two quart bags of sunflower seeds before someone told us that they heard sunflower seeds were poisonous for these parrots...we left shortly after that.

This parrot particularly admired my brother's stylish hat.

This is a picture of Melbourne City. The tall skyscraper to the left is the Eureka Tower, second tallest building in the southern hemisphere. This photograph was taken from the top of the Shrine of Remembrance...a memorial for the Aussie soldiers that died in WWII.

Of course we visited the famous Sydney Opera House!

Here's a pic of our family under the shadow of one of the domes of the opera house.

We also visited Avondale College. This is Sunnyside, Ellen White's home in Australia, on the outskirts of Avondale's campus.

Addison in a stare down with the big cannon. These were actual cannons used to protect the Aussie coast in the days of yore. This one was in Wollongong, Australia.

It was nice to be able to spend a couple weeks together with the entire family. A rare treat these past few years.

Two Great Facts

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:26:41 GMT

    The greatest fact in the universe is the existence of God. God is. Each individual is dealing with an invisible Person who controls the universe and has a plan for his life.
    The second greatest fact of the universe is the will of God. God has a will and all things are under control of that will. That will has marked out a plan for my life.
    Just to believe these two facts equips a man to live, equips him for success, equips him for achievement, equips him to accomplish the will of God. Get everything else you can, but with all your getting do not fail to get these fundamental truths.
    Joseph believed God; he knew God; he loved God; he followed God; he trusted God. That was Joseph's essential preparation for life, the sum total of his education. It was quite enough.
    An education without God is an incomplete and inadequate education, even for this life. Just to know God and believe Him, to love Him and to follow Him, is adequate for success similar to Joseph's.

~Carlyle B. Haynes in God Sent a Man

Wonder Women

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:24:15 GMT

No, I’m not talking about of the “wonder-where-they-learned-to-dress” variety of women. (Lest the cyber-rotten tomatoes are on rapidly sailing toward me, this is not one of those chauvinistic posts…) I am talking about ladies who defy the bounds of average human capabilities and talents; who possess endurance to push through trying obstacles; who have initiative to go the second mile, even at great discomfort and sacrifice to themselves; who is faithful in the faintest minutia of their responsibilities; who does not allow sickness to deter them from tackling demanding tasks; who accomplishes unbelievable amounts of work while juggling other weighty responsibilities such as spouse, mother, student, and even administrator; and who are converted enough to be calm, cheerful, and pleasant while doing all of this—then asks what else they can do to help! Amazing? Yes, I think so too. I am privileged to work with these exceptionally, superbly, illustriously, fantastic wonder women in the handling of the GYC registration this year. (You know who you are!)

GYC: Redefined

Thu, 23 Nov 2006 04:47:11 GMT

It’s like a love-hate relationship. I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s always on my mind. I lay awake at night with thoughts of it running through my mind. It’s demanding. It’s high maintenance. It’s always clamoring for more attention. It requires a whole lot of time and effort. It’s always requiring more communication. It always reminds me of my duty and my commitment. I get back after a long day of school or work and it’s sitting there—waiting for me. I even dedicate time between classes and during lunch for it. I adore it sometimes, I abhor it sometimes. I just keep telling myself, “Just accept it for what it is, you’re going to be better for having gone through this. It’s going to be better next year.” Problem is…that’s exactly what I said last year! What is this love-hate relationship that I’m going through? I’ve been told that this is a part of the process of “Growing Your Character.”

Asia Travel Log - Entry 3

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 03:53:58 GMT

20 June 2006
Aenon Health Farm, Melaka, Malaysia

I am here at the lovely Aenon Health Farm in Melaka...for those of you who have been here, they have wireless broadband Internet now! This is quite an improvement from their slower-then-dialup connection that they used to have here. I have a little time now and also a good Internet connection, so be prepared for a monster post! I promise that if you stick with it to the end, it will be worth it.

I was in Bangkok Thailand all of last week, and I suppose it is time to give a brief report on what happened there. I spoke at the Ekamai Thai High school & Elementary school, at the Ekamai International Church, and also at the Bangkok Chinese SDA Church, but my main purpose for going to Thailand is to speak for the Week of Prayer for our nursing school. (Located on the campus of our Bangkok Adventist Hospital.)

This is the front entrance to the hospital where I stayed and held the meetings.

This is the front entrance to the hospital church where the meetings were held, and this is located on the back of the hospital campus.

Prior to my arrival in Bangkok, I didn’t know a soul in Thailand. My trip there was largely done through friends I have in Malaysia. So needless to say I wasn’t fully informed about the audience that I would be addressing at the nursing school. As it turns out, 90% of the 200+ students were Buddhists who were required to come to the meetings (read: they didn’t care to be there). I must confess it was the most difficult series of meetings I have had to preach. I am not well acquainted with the Buddhist mind, I didn’t speak the language, and I didn’t know anybody! The response from the audience was blank and there was little indication that the message was getting even to one person. Needless to say I was rather discouraged and disappointed. On Thursday afternoon, I knelt and I claimed God’s promise that “My word shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please.” [Isaiah 55:11] I had to exercise faith to believe that somehow, somewhere, someone is being affected by God’s Word. I then asked if the Lord saw fit to show me some evidence that He was working. So that night I preached on the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den…all the while with a sinking feeling in my stomach that I am totally not connecting with the audience. Later that night, my translator pulled me aside and told me that a Buddhist student came to her relating to her that she had seen God answer her prayers, and she had read the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den before, and through the message that night, now she wanted to prepare for baptism. She had a friend with her who wanted to be prepare for baptism also! Isn’t God good? At the conclusion of the week of prayer, over 60 students had made decisions to follow Jesus, to begin Bible studies, or to prepare for baptism. One of the best responses ever, I am told, from the Week of Prayer there. It is true that God works in spite of us!

The nursing students (and some hospital staff) in the morning meeting.

Some of the students at a gathering at my translator's house. I believe one of these girls are the one who was the one who talked with the translator about wanting to be baptized. (Don't ask me which one!)

We had a prayer together before we separated that evening.

In addition to preaching, I did get a chance to do some a little bit of tourist-type stuff. Here are some pictures to prove it.

I got to visit our SDA College in Muak Lek. I've heard so much about this place, and I'm glad that I was able to visit. It's a very nice campus!

This is a night shot of Wat Phra Keo, the Grand Palace. This was the evening when I was coming back from Muak Lek. The entire country was in celebration for the 60th Anniversary of the inauguration of the current king in Thailand, so they had many streets blocked off for parades and other celebrations. We got stuck in traffic in Bangkok for about 4 hours that night!

Here is a close up of one of the buildings inside Wat Phra Keo. Ornate doesn't begin to describe it! Every inch is covered with careful craftsmanship...amazing!

Also inside the Wat Pho, a gigantic reclining Buddha. I don't know if it's one of the largest in the world. I decided against mimicing this one by laying down in the picture.

Okay, let me end with short story from my time in Thailand. I entitle it, “Smitten!” (Note: The facts of the story may have been gently altered to increase comic value of this account of a true story. You MUST read the story to its conclusion or else!!!)

“I think I noticed something special the moment our eyes met for the first time. She had a carefree spirit about her that made everybody love her. In her bubbly, cheerful, and outgoing demeanor it was obvious that she had a zest for life and a love for people. Did I mention that she is really cute? She definitely stood out from the rest of the crowd. She brushed past me several times in the sanctuary before and after meetings, usually with a flutter of her eyes and a tug at the corner of her lips. She even sat next to me and tapped me on the shoulder a few times during the services! I didn’t think much it because after all, she was the pastor’s daughter. But one night near the end of the week of prayer at the nursing school, I was caught completely by surprise. I was sitting on a stairway with the pastor discussing the decision cards that we will be using for the appeal the following evening. As we were deeply engrossed in our discussion, I hadn’t noticed that she slipped into the hallway with us. She careened her way over to me, and leaned up against me. I didn’t expect anything and glanced over quickly at her. As I turned my face back toward her father…it happened. She laid it on me… It was one of those big, juicy, noisy, slobbery kisses right on my face! All I could muster in a half-mutter was a surprised, “Oh my!” The pastor stopped mid-speech and had to gather his composure before excusing his daughter to go find her mother. It was late, and the pastor realized that it was bedtime for the little four year-old.”

Hope you guys enjoyed that one as much as I did. Didn't I tell you that it would be worth it if you stuck with me till the end of this post? Here’s a parting shot of the pastor and his family and me. He’s an American who is currently volunteering as the Senior Pastor for the Mission Hospital church in Bangkok. The smitten young lady is Michaela, the little girl in the front (and she is cute!)

Congratulations to those of you who made it through this monstrosity of a post! You guys are faithful!