Two Special Someones

I just wanted to give a special shout out to two very special little ones in my life, my nieces Serena and Kaitlyn Lo! I'm so happy to finally be in the same country with them and able to see them via a two hour drive rather than a 20 hour journey from Hong Kong to San Diego. They are two of the most adorable and lovable little girls in my life. I love you kids and I can't wait to see you again! (Check out the cute picture below of the three of us together.)

The Two Special Someones

Serena, Brian, and Kaitlyn Lo. My lovable nieces! 30 December 2004 

Mid-term Time

I've just finished my fifth week of classes and I'm still going. It's been quite a ride thus far. My Ethics class is turning out to my favorite class. I have it on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8 am. I was really afraid that I'd be really sleepy and nonattentive because of it's early time but because my professor is turning out to be so great to listen to I'm finding myself totally geared up for class and joyfully expectant to hear what she has to say. I sit front and centre (as I do in two out of three of my classes) nowadays. I figure I want to be able to hear what they have to say and I'm kind of pass trying to be anonymous in school. I'm there to learn, right? So I might as well get the most out of each class I go to.

My faith and my knowledge of the Bible, God, and theology are really being turned upside down. Things that I've never thought about or ventured into exploring more are showing so much to me. It's been totally stretching but good at the same time. Yes, it is difficult having to put all of these things together but I know at least, that God is God and that I belong to Him and that my theology is being refined day after day. It really is in the midst of challenge and hard times that we must really face into ourselves and understand from which we came from and to try and figure to where to continue onto. I continue to remember that the Lord is with me and that He lies beyond the horizon as well.

My commute isn't turning out to be so bad. I carpool with my friend in the morning and I get dropped off at Union Station where I take the light rail up into Pasadena and I walk only eight minutes to campus. At the end of the day, I just take the train back down to Union Station, get picked up from by friend and then we carpool home. It's totally great being able to use the carpool lane during peak traffic hours because we just fly by the rest of the notoriously backed up LA traffic. The Lord's really blessed me by giving me the classes and schedule that I desired and my friend with whom I carpool. Overall, the commute ain't so bad.

Outside of school, I've started taking a basic sailing class at Long Beach. It's pretty fun! We had our first class last Saturday where we learned how to tie a few different knots (everything requires knots), rig the boat and sail it. I even skippered the boat! Granted, I did make a "wrong" turn but it was fine. We didn't sink or lose anyone overboard, so that's always a plus. This Saturday we'll most likely be on the water the whole class time.

I still haven't been able to settle on a church. I've gone to a different church each Sunday that I've been here in LA. I've been to multi-cultural and Chinese churches so far. Overall, my LA church experience can be summed as "it's just alright". I seriously miss ECC and being on staff with a great bunch of people. I wonder if I'll ever be back on a church staff again? Oh, I miss those times. Those were great times.

So that's me, kinda plugging along. Reading a whole bunch, trying to write papers, oh, and getting to know some very cool people at Fuller. It's a good place to be. I still can't really believe I'm a full time student again. But hey, the Lord's called me here and I'm privileged to be here. As Ralph Watkins preached this past Wednesday in chapel, "You gonna make it!"

The Unbeknownst Transition

I've made it through my first week of class at Fuller and I have to say it went pretty well. Praise the Lord, I got all of the classes that I wanted! Before, I was enrolled in two classes and waitlisted for two other classes, the latter being the classes that I so desperately wanted. By the middle of the week I had found out that I got into my waitlisted classes. I was so happy! The Lord really heard my prayer and answered them. The classes I'm taking are: Grief, Loss, Death, and Dying, Christian Ethics, and (Old Testament) Writings.

This last week, I realize that I completely ignored my transition from Palo Alto down to Los Angeles. In the span of a six hour drive, I went from my hometown to a completely new city, school rather than working, making a long distance driving commute rather than taking a bus, and having to find and build a new community, and much more. I didn't think that moving down to LA would be such a big deal. I think one of the ways I've been dealing with this change is how I've become more and more introverted and have found it taking quite a lot energy to be with people. Some of my friends are really confused at my behavior. Honestly, so am I. I like to think it's because I'm dealing with lots of transition and am needing more down time. But I'm happy and am enjoying time to myself studying, reading, and getting acquainted with my new home and city.

That's the short of my week. Back to studying for me!