My birthday playlist

Songs for the year...songs i hope will convey my life... or i think will... or songs i really i like

1.     Lead me ~ Sanctus Real

2.     This is where the healing begins ~ Tenth Avenue North

3.     It’s out of my hands ~ Jars of Clay

4.     I’m not who I was ~ Brandon Heath

5.     Be Near~ Shane & Shane

6.     The Kingdom ~ Bethany Dillon

7.     Wait & See ~ Brandon Heath

8.     What do I know of Holy ~ Addison Road

9.     Arms Wide Open ~ Creed

10. Stand ~ Hillsong

11. Walking on the stars ~ Group one crew

12. Good Riddance ~ greenday

My favorite birthday memories

Well, it was a great birthday, my first in the states in years... and first where people weren't required to come to my party... 56 people posted birthday messages on my wall (After the first few wrote matt, almost everyone wrote mookie)... got to see a bunch of friends over the weekend... it was great.

Though, i kinda feel like people forgot it was my birthday... not much singing these days (sideways glance)... not many phone-calls this year... actually only my parents... still it was a great day and birthday calls are kind of hard, so the next few days- that would be great.

This may go in my top 5 birthday memories. There wasn't much flashy, but it was relaxing, fun and encouraging. And it was my first with Soo as my wife, my first as a married man that is - and she's great.

We had a bunch of people over Saturday morning and Soo & my mom made doughnuts and some other stuff for breakfast. Then we had dinner with a couple friends (Brack & Marc) at the Weber Grill tonight. So, that was good.
i got a bunch of free stuff, which makes me happy.
i didn't get to spend the huge chunk of time at starbucks like i wanted, but did watch some football, and now going to spend some time with God... and went to church this morning.

So, best birthday memories?

My best bday memories

1.     2008: Serving others, time of sharing & worship, fun with a group, good convos… (i wrote about it in yesterday's blog, so i won't repeat myself)

2.     2001? UofM: Will threw me a surprise party (always great, always special), 3 birthday cakes (mom got me one, I took to Bible study, the girls across the street made one too… and another?) – or at least 3 parties, a good day of ministry: surveys, Bible study, discipleship even, lots of love and birthday wishes

3.     many growing up as a kid: we played baseball, football and basketball… went mini-golfing, and had pizza & video games at celebration station, all my friends spent the night… and I think doughnuts in the morning. God wasn’t involved here, but it was fun

4.     my 30^th bday: maybe just b/c I was turning 30… got some encouragement from lots of people and some creative gifts and a big party…. And a cake in the face

There have been a lot of sad birthdays and a number of average ones. This was a good one.

Thankful for good friends, loving family and of course my amazing wife. God has blessed me. My life has been good. And the Lord is good to me.

Thanks all!

My perfect day

about ten years ago i first heard this question: Describe your perfect day.
The Turkey Stint team discussed it. The most fun & memorable answer was given by sheila Settle who mentioned riding 4-wheelers, then realizing they were late for the ball and having a big dance party.

The one thing i certainly would not want is a dance party. That ruins any day for me.

i like asking this question. A lot of people may mention specific restaurants, others would have a lot of time alone. There could be dance parties or games... i don't know.

What would your perfect day be?

I used to say the day would go like this

Wake up in the morning and play basketball with a bunch of my good friends (And some random people) for a good couple hours… (roughly 9-11ish

Then go eat lunch with those folks + have a lot of other good friends join me (girls could be at both of course- though maybe more guys at basketball). For lunch we’d have waffles and some other good eats (rougly 11ish-1ish)

Take a nice long shower, and maybe watch some sportscenter – it’d be 2:30

Then I’d meet my significant other- whoever that may be- and spend time with her and go spend time with God together. Read some Bilbe, journal, talk together, pray together, maybe read part of a book

Then around 6 meet up with a bunch of friends for a Cook-out I guess : grilled burgers- even better Bleu cheese on the burger… maybe some BBQ stuff too… and cake, brownies, cookies, all that good stuff…A lot more friends would be there too- all sorts of friends  and like lunch (which I forgot to mention) good conversation. Fun conversation, lots of laughs. And also a lot of DEEP conversation, a lot of talking about God, Jesus, Bible, deep theology, and life issues. Some small group convos, maybe some one-one type stuff too. A lot of smiles, a lot of laughs, a lot of encouragement, edfiication & challenge.

Then there would be a great time of worship & prayer and perhaps a talk from God’s Word… followed by discussion and more prayer and more singing.

(I’m think 6-8 for the dinner part 8-10 for Worship,prayer, talk part, then an extra hour for more prayer, worship, talking)

Then we’d finish the night with some tv shows (at the point I would have first said this: Seinfeld & Simpsons + friends, maybe Cosby – now, I’d add scrubs, maybe 30 Rock, that 70’s show, maybe Sportscenter)… with some pizza- deep dish pizza even better.

People would head home, I’d walk my girl home, I’d come back, spend a good chunk of time journaling, then fall asleep.

I’ve changed that a few times, but pretty similar most of the time.

I kinda realized that was pretty much every weekend for my last 2 years of college  minus the girlfriend part (which maybe why there is just a little time with her in there).

Or it could be like Christmas Conference or fall retreat I suppose.

My Saturdays certainly started that way. Sunday mornings were kinda like that with church. Friday night we did have some prayer & praise nights that were pretty good.

Yeah, I had a pretty good life in College.

Later I said: maybe the best I could get now- my best day in fact would be: My wedding day! All my friends together. With my wife. Worship, good conversation…

Well, the wedding day was pretty good: after all, we got married.

No time for basketball… we did take a lot of pictures + there were a bunch of people I wasn’t too close too, people we hired who didn’t fulfill their bargains and a lot of stress… but it was still pretty good, even if we didn’t get the food we wanted all day long and several friends didn’t show up.

We had a great worship set, a talk, edifying conversation & encouragement of some sort – though not a lot of deep conversations- a lot of friends, some good food- and most importantly: my wife!

The key components to my perfect day:

1.     Good friends (family too)

2.     Worship in singing

3.     Feeling intimacy with God: through song, through prayer

4.     Time alone with God

5.     My significant other

6.     Good food

7.     Fun

8.     Laughter

9.     Deep conversation

10. And usually sports.

I added one component later- when I planned my last birthday as a single: serving others, blessing others instead of myself.

I like that.

A couple years ago : birthday 32 I did that. I invited everyone over and threw a party. I think years of parties not going the way I hoped, influenced that. But also a going away party too… and really, yeah, even though saw how expensive it was, I saw it as a huge blessing to bless others.

So that bday, I invited people over for games like corhole and catch or whatever, but not many came. The evening was mostly just filled with conversation and some silly games over dinner- though not a whole lot. Mostly conversation- as I made pizza and pulled pork sandwhiches for everyone. Then we had a wrship time. A few songs… then I opened it up for sharing and asked people to bless me, by sharing things God had been doing. That was pretty cool. And I may have even asked for prayer requests. Then we sang some more and prayed together. That was what I wanted on my birthday. To come together and celebrate God, not me.

After that, a few people stuck around talked and watched some friends episodes and ate some more.

Oh and in the morning, I did spend some time with God… and since some ppl came over early, there was some good conversation going on too.

So, now… yeah, maybe I need a couple days since I’m older… and married… and my friends are all different places, so… whatever.

But yeah…

I would want some intimate moments with my wife

- and that would be after a good sleep, and before… and I guess during breakfast- waffles (or doughnuts)

A nice hour long massage

A good shower

Lunch out with a bunch of friends – maybe Skyline Chilli or a Bleu Cheese burger or Weber Grill- yeah Weber Grill sounds good. (12-2:30)

Then a good chunk of time alone at a bookstore – reading books and the Bible, but probably mostly journaling (with a nice refreshing drink). Then some time talking with Soo about stuff (2:30-6)

Then dinner with friends – maybe pizza (Deep dish, bbq chik, pepperoni) and cake… also cookies, brownies…

Again both lunch & dinner should be good conversation: about God, Jesus, the Word, etc + a lot of stories and jokes and laughter.

Then around 8-10+ have a worship time with prayer and maybe sharing, maybe a talk – but maybe more people sharing encouraging things from the Word and from stories God is doing… followed by more worship, prayer & discussion – til 11…. Yes then maybe a movie or tv shows til about 1….

Everyone would leave, I would talk with Soo, watch sportscenter, journal, thank everyone on twitter, and spend more time with Soo before bed.

Time with God, time with Soo, time with friends, time alone, time talking, good conversation, fun, laughter, maybe some sports, good food, worship & prayer... this makes a perfect day

My wish list

My birthday is coming up.
Soo keeps asking me what I want. I really don’t want anything.
What do I need? I have it.
What do I want? Nothing really...

Well, I want is this.

1. a healthy wife & kid

2. a long time to spend with God (a healthy relationship with God)

3. a long time to write… and maybe correlate some of my writing

4. food I like to eat

5. a healthy body- to lose like 20-30 lbs. And add some muscle mass

6. Purdue Men’s basketball to win the National Championship in March(April)

7. Fun time with friends

8. Support to all come in soon, so I can have my sabbatical

9. Opportunities to make friends with non-Christians here and to share the Gospel

10. Opportunities to disciple and challenge some people

11. Campus funds

12. People to read stuff I write

I guess there are a few actual things

1. Some photo frames and printed pictures

2. I guess some music
    Tenth Ave North
    Jars of Clay last CD and one coming out soon
    Sanctus Real
    Jon Foreman
    Mat Kearney

3. Tickets & time to go to some Purdue games (basketball and football)

4. A chord for our digital frame

5. Gift-cards for some resturants
    Weber Grill
    AppleBees (I guess)
    Skyline Chilli
    Outback
    Jamba juice

6. A massage - actually one of those massagers- a nice one... this may be #1

7. Some books (but I plan on buying them anyway)
     (Radical, The Me you want to be, It All goes back in the box, The hole in our Gospel, Shepherding a Child's heart, Grace-based Parenting, My wife thinks I'm an Idiot, His Needs Her Needs, A million miles in a thousand years, Coming Back Stronger)

8. Maybe the PS3 with the PS Move – but really? I don’t know

9. A King-size bed. (but we’re only here a few months and I can’t take that with me to Asia)

i used to want a ping-pong table or air hockey table, but not really anymore...

i have what i want. A wife, children on the way, a puppy, good friends, espn, a computer, books, music, dvds, games.

i guess i'm becoming like my parents who say they don't need anything. It's true what do i need?

Sure, it would be nice to own a Lexus. An i-phone, i-pad would be cool. A PS3 might be fun, but not necessary. And someday i would love to be a home-owner (but i don't know if i ever see the Lord having me in one place for a time in a place i could buy a home, so...
 You really don't need to get me something that nice or expensive. i probably don't need it, and might not use it. Some may want to get me something because they like it, but that's ok.


i guess i'd ask for more time.
i'm certainly asking for good health for my family.
And i want to know, enjoy & glorify God.
What else is there?

 
If you want to do something for my birthday... write me an encouraging note, comment on my blogs, pray for me.

And if you want to support me or buy me a massager... i guess that would be good too.

the thing about complaining

i complain a lot. i don't think that i do, but i do.

i hate complainers. It's the one thing i know i complain about and will complain often about and i don't feel bad about it either...

You can complain that i don't capitalize my "i" for instance. OR my use of ...

A lot of people complain about food or weather... and it is just annoying...


Complaining doesn't help much, though i will say, it is helpful to vent sometimes.

Americans complain a lot- A LOT!
And they don't seem embarrassed by it at all. We complain about how expensive things are, how bad our government is doing, our parents, etc etc.


Complaining is very unbecoming however. No one wants to be around a person who complains all the time (Conversely we don't like being around people who are cheerful all the time either).
If you're around a person who complains a lot, you usually try to find another conversation to join, and that person isn't the one you call up right away.


Not only that, but complaining is sin - it's SIN!
There's no excuse for it. It may be understandable and maybe reasonable - more than likely no one is going to condemn you - but it is still sin.
We need to repent of our sin.


i once went to Trinity to hear John Piper give a guest lecture and during a Q&A time someone asked - if all complaining is sin, but you don't really feel happy about it, what do you do (or something to that affect)?

He responded by saying "Well don't compound your sin by lying too. If you're gonna complain in your heart, that is sin. And then if you lie about it, you're sinning again."

We don't have to lie. We can be- and should be - honest with God. We can repent of our complaining spirit.

We can- i believe- even have difficulty with something, but in the end give thanks to God and choose to rejoice.

i'm not saying complain complain complain, then say something good to cover your butt. However, i don't think having difficulty with something is the same as complaining.

Sometimes we need to process, and sometimes we need to vent. We need to be careful and we need to be humble... and often we'll need to repent.

Being positive doesn't mean you need to be fake.
Complaining doesn't make you more authentic or real... but it does make you a sinner.

the one with things i don't like about living in East Asia

It is so freaking hot... and there is no cold water in the shower... i feel uncomfortable, and i've been a lil sick recently... so i haven't been in the best mood... so here comes an angry, frustrated post

i don't like living here b/c

1. The shower: today no cold water, so i was more sweaty after the shower than before... sometimes it is so hot it is scalding... of course other days there is no hot water - there were a couple days like that a couple weeks ago, which means no shower... and of course there is no water at all

2. Slow/intermittent internet: It takes a while to load page, watching youtube is frustrating... and phone calls cut out every 5 minutes...

3. being away from friends: and when the internet makes it hard to talk to people, it is all the worse.

4. people who cheat me: of course this is the worst of all - b/c it is all about the people isn't it? Landlords don't return deposits. Vendors charge more money b/c i'm a foreigner.

5. electricty going out: Yes this still happens. And if we need to pay for more electricty it always seems to go out on the weekends, which means we have to wait 2 days... then all the food goes bad in the fridge...

6. We miss food: Sure there are some western restaurants now, but i still miss food

7. Conversations: The Asians don't talk about sports... and don't really talk about themselves either. And when giving a talk, no one responds. There is no head-nodding, no smiles, no reactions at all...

8. Foreign language: i have been here 5 years, but i still can't follow things... and sometimes it is b/c my language is actually better than theirs... most of time it is just b/c i'm stupid though

9. Nowhere to go: Everything closes early... no place has A/C... and we don't have cars to get places anyway

10. people come & go: i'm ok with it most of the time, i enjoy people while they are here, but it does get tiring.


i have to remind myself that every place i'd live would have some problems. There are sinful, fallen people everywhere who try to take advantage of you. People walk in & out of our lives everywhere... we'll get bored... different problems in different places... and it'd be more expensive... and the little things wouldn't seem as great...

So what am i thankful for?

1. My wife. It's not always easy, but she loves mes and i love her

2. our baby on the way: i still call her baby, though we have a name picked out... pregnancy is hard, but she is worth it

3. our puppy: she sometimes ignores us, but she loves us and cuddles with us and runs to us... it's great

4. A baomu(maid): What is going to be like when we have to wash all the dishes and clean all the time?

5. Good friends back in the states who give good advice and encouragement: we need you guys. You don't know how much one small word, one small act can breathe life into us. And your prayers are powerful!

6. Friends here who are like family: What would we do without you?

7. books & my kindle: the Lord speaks to me and challenges me

8. The western restaurants & import stores: we probably eat better here than in the states

9. The internet: 10 years ago i was here, and there was no communication with people for a year. We had no idea what was going on in the world, a whole year of my life is missing. People talk about things and i have no idea what they're talking about. But now we can keep up with things

10. The Gospel: i need it every day! The Holy Spirit continues to work in my life. And God continues to pour out grace.

There are plenty more things i can be thankful for. God is good. And He has blessed us tremendously.

Thanks for all your prayers

Our Sunday Morning Service

Living overseas, Sunday mornings can look a bit different than if we lived in the states.

We gather with other American brothers & sisters on Sunday morning, which we call FT or Family Time.

It is structured similar to a typical church service. That is what church is, a family time.

We listen to talks from different pastors. Lately we've been going thru Mark Driscol's series on Proverbs.

Previously we listened to some Tim Keller.

After the talk we have some discussion based on the talk.
Sometimes we'll have some time share what is going on our lives as well and to pray with and for one another.

And we have time of worship, which includes singing and communion.

Today, the worship set included
1. Rain down by David Crowder band
2. Your Name is Holy by Skillet
3. You Never Let Go by Matt Redman
4. Mystery by Charlie Hall
5. Let us love and sing and wonder by Jars of clay
6. Prince of Peace

My church back home does communion every week, as it is proclaiming Christ. It is a Biblical act of worship. And it reminds us of Christ & the Gospel.

We really try to use that time of the communion to point us to Christ and fix our eyes on Him.



We also have food, and usually go out to eat together afterward.

i see the purpose of church to exalt Christ & develop the community of believers.
We accomplish these things.