Wee.

Getting readjusted.  Some days I find myself almost forgetting that I lived in Japan.  It's like the experience never existed.  Blotted out from memory.  But then, I look around my room, I see something, and I'm time warped into all the memories associated with Japan.  A tie I got as a gift, a photograph, my pocket translator.  Surprisingly, an old newsletter doesn't evoke the same response.  When I look at those pieces of paper, it feels like I'm looking in to another person's experience.  "Oh, that's nice. I hope he's doing well."  That is, until I remember that it's me.  I wrote that newsletter a few months ago.  And yet, it's so distant.

Congratulations to Alinna the winner of many awards.  Yes, the time has been both long and short.  What an incredible ride it's been so far.

Good day hanging with old friends.

A day of homerun derby, video games, two handed burritos, mahjong, and free stuff from Krispy Kreme with Steve, Kyle, Johnny, Ken, and Celia.  Oh my, it appears that Celia's the only one without a xanga.  What ever shall we do?

A few more details?  Homerun derby was fun but weak because the winner, Johnny, won with one homerun.  Fixed the hitch in my swing though.  Maybe next time.

Video games... well, when at Kyle's house, what else do we play than MVP Baseball?  I have now made it into the month of May in my dynasty.  Considering that the season starts in April, I think I still have a long long long way to go.  Manny Ramirez and Albert Pujols though are on a tear... at this pace, I think they'll have over 120 homeruns for me a piece.

Two handed burritos?  Where else but Sinaloa.  Crazy big burrito.  Finished it.  But didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day.  Some foods just sit in your stomach.  Burritos from Sinaloa set up camp.

Mahjong and Krispy Kreme... it was getting late and I was super tired.  The second consecutive time we had a draw at the mahjong table was clear indication that the night was over.  Note: The raspberry flavored frozen blend drink at Krispy Kreme tastes like the raspberry filling in their donuts.  Good in donuts.  Not so good going through a straw.

LA and the meetings

Went down to LA with Alinna to bring Kei back home and see a place in Alhambra.  Was "inspected" by the sister, although, I have to admit, it was very light.  If inspections regularly consist of eating good italian food, a little singing, laughing lots, and eating some Diddy cookies... I don't know what I was worried about.

Very cool going down to South Bay afterwards.  Went to the small group/LTG I heard so much about.  Finally got to put faces to the names I heard regularly.  And of course, had breakfast with the dad the following morning.  Again, I think I got off easy.  But hey, easy's cool.  I like easy.  No complaints.

She definitely got her share too.  What a blitz this weekend has been.  So glad that we're a team.

Good to see all the boys for free dinner.

Much love to all who showed at House of Prime Rib yesterday. Ben, Andy, Dean, Jason, Denny, Caleb, and Horace. Of course, for most who attended, a free dinner was attached... quite an incentive. After all these years, I finally paid out. I was like the last samurai... or something.

Much love and many prayers go out to Denny who is leaving for Bellevue tomorrow.

Weekend in Clovis.

Friday to Sunday in the Fresno/Clovis area for a camp training session. Highly unstructured but good fun hanging and getting to know the fellow workers. Kind of confused though. I mean, if training requires lots of eating, hanging out, worshipping, and laughing, I think I'm training most everyday.

Oh, and we found a Sonic Burger. All those years of Sonic Burger commercials with no Sonic restaurants in sight are over. Food... ehh. Drinks... so good. Onion rings... so good.

Crazy intense awesome week in the South Bay. I'm truly blessed.

Have we come to worship worship itself? Rather than seeking God himself, have we come to seeking that feeling of God?

When will we walk away from the "talent show"-ification of worship and come back to reverence? Since when do our talents dictate what we do in response to God?

In the exploration of the "heart of worship" and what it means to "have worship be beyond the music," I see us looking for other creative venues to express our worship. The message I hear is "Use your talents to worship God." What are you good at? Well, then, even though its not music you too, can worship God through your talents. Body worship. Art. Drama. The list can go on.

Why the emphasis on glorifying God through our strengths? What of our weaknesses? What happens in situations when we're not doing what we're good at? What happens when we're STUCK doing things we do not like to or can't do? Can we still worship God? Of course we can. In fact, the most beautiful worship comes from such circumstances because the praise and worship is so much more completely focused on the one who deserves it... God himself. When we do something we're good at, and praise God with those talents, it is inevitable... people will praise us as well.

Instead of the "talent show"-fication, can we come back to love? Can we come back to reverence? Can we come back to utter respect? Rather than exploring the different expressions of worship, can we explore the object of our worship and the attitude we bring to worship? Should the focus be on honing our skills in playing an instrument, singing, and speaking? Or instead should the focus be on growing in our awe and reverence when approaching the throne of grace?

1 Corinthians 13

Wow.

Oh-fer.

Twice I've gone fishing this week at the Dam Resevoir, and nothing. No fish. Not even a bite to get me going. If I had at least a bite, I wouldn't need the fish. I'd just go on and on about how big the battle against the "fish that got away" was. Then again, it is getting late in the season.

Tuesday with Kyle, Ben, and Brooke. And today with grandpa (sorry grandpa doesn't have a blog).

Oh, and crazy congrats to Ryan. You'z all grownz up and you'z all grownz up.