Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!
Here's wishing you all an awe-filled 2008!

Goodbye!

We bid farewell to "Silver" last Sunday. Silver was Mom's 240 station wagon. It was finally retired, at least by us. It is now in the possession of Purple Heart, and will hopefully get a second life after some repairs. It will now at least bring some money for a worthy cause, benefiting war veterans.

We sure had some fond memories in that car. We drove it down to Florida in 1991, to Pittsburgh and Chicago in 1993 (I was not on that trip... was interning in NYC that summer), to Cape Cod in 1999. It brought me back and forth from college and home. It moved me to West Philadelphia in 1997 and home again in 1999. M rear ended another car on the way to the airport picking up Dad. Among other trips in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, it served us well. It was sad to say goodbye to it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday is Thanksgiving! Being in academia, I got Wednesday through Friday off... a marvelous 5-day vacation! The semester is quickly coming to a close. Two more weeks after this break before the week of final exams. Then, it'll be Christmas break!

Thanksgiving is traditionally time to gather with family and friends and offer thanks to God for His many blessings. Although in the post-modern world, it's just gathering with family and friends and feasting on turkey. I will be spending my Thanksgiving with my family and friends and fitting in there giving Doggie a bath and raking leaves. I am thankful for my MANY blessings: family, friends (old and new), my job, my health, joy and contentment that could only have come from God above!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Fall

We're in the thick of fall. It is finally getting seasonably cold. For most of October, the temperature had been relatively warm. So, just this week, the leaves have finally begun to turn the beautiful gold, yellow, and red colors. It is pretty! I, for one, don't like the fall as much as I love spring. With the leaves falling, animals disappearing, birds not singing as much, and no more crickets chirping, it's kind of depressing. It's also hard not to think about the deadness of winter that is right around the corner. Yes, snow is pretty but it is few and far in between. Now, spring is what I live for when the birds sings again, the leaves burst out in majesty, and the everything is green again. There's life! Everything is seemingly new again!

Chagrin

Chagrin [she grin'] n. embrarrassment and annoyance due to failure, diasppointment, etc -vt. -grined', -grining to cause to feel chagrin (Webster's Dictionery)

This is Chagrin Falls. It is also the name of a little town outside of Cleveland, OH. I assume the town was named after the falls. The falls were chagrin because this is it. A couple of friends and I were in Chargin Falls for the weekend attending the Truth for Life Conference at Parkside Church. The conference was most definitely NOT chagrin. It was a mountaintop experience to be fed from God's word via a pastor who isn't afraid to speak the truth even though it is very difficult to hear.

As for the little town of Chagrin Falls, it has a fabulous popcorn/ice cream shop. Yum!!

Sigh...

The Phillies road to the World Series has ended. The Rockies swept them to continue on to the National League championships; they will play the AZ Diamondbacks, who swept the Chicago Cubs. I'm not sure who I will root for now. I always root for the underdogs. In this case, I'm not sure who that is.

I am glad I was at the last game of the Phillies regular season to see them win the Division title. That excitement will stay with me for a long time!

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to going to Cleveland at the end of the week for a weekend trip to the church of my favorite radio preacher, Alistair Begg. He has invited his radio listeners to a "Truth for Life" weekend. I will be traveling with a couple of friends from church. It will be exciting! The Cleveland Indians are also in the playoff's, but they are in the American League. So, there's also lots of baseball excitement in that city!

They did it!

The Phillies won the National League East Divison! They actually made it into the playoff's! I am still so excited that I was at that last game of the season to witness this clinch! All the players celebrated along with the entire stadium of fans! For the first time in 14 years, they get to play more baseball and perhaps even compete for the World Series title. Of course, those New York Mets imploding helped out the Phillies a lot! The playoff's started today, for the National League championships. The Rockies are in town and they won the first game this afternoon. I think it's best out of 5. Keep your fingers crossed!

Baseball

This is the final week of the regular baseball season. Of course, living in Philadelphia, one automatically roots for the Phillies. This is also the team that is the most heart-wrenching to watch and follow. The Phillies are known for being "almost" there or "almost making it. Three or 4 seasons in a row now, they "almost" make it to the playoff's. They always seem to miss it by a game or two. Very frustrating.... This year is no different. So, in order not to get our hopes up and to have them shattered to tiny little pieces, it's best just to be indifferent. Maybe they'll pull out surprise. I'm not counting on it!

Winter Melons Galore!

These winter mellons popped out from nowhere in our veggie garden. They weren't planted, and were probably from the compost. They are quite huge, bigger than an average person's head and very heavy. Tasty!

Back to work!

With vacation well over, it is back to work! The students have mostly returned to campus. The university is coming to life once again. The freshmen class has orientation on Sunday. That's when we'll meet them for the very first time. Many of these students enter their freshmen year with all good intentions, but only about 1/3 to 1/2 will graduate with the major they had originally declared. How many 18-year olds really know what they want to do for the rest of their lives anyway? Classes will start on Monday!!

Sun!

Sunflowers abloom at the homestead! These are Russian Mammoths. They are so tall, about 10 feet! Third picture is sun setting from the perspective of a restaurant bench.

Vacation has been just grand! Today is the best day of all. I started the day with prayer meeting, than a 2-hour nap. I decided to get my hair cut since the long hair was starting to look unkempt and scary in the reflection. By the way, I only recently realized that I needed a full length mirror. I figured I should not only look more professional, but at least my outfits needed to match and the collars turned out correctly. So, off the IKEA where I found a really pretty mirror. Back to vacation, I took a second nap in the afternoon, on the sofa, dozed off with the TV on! Ahh... this is just perfect! Maybe I'll go meander through the woods tomorrow!

VACATION!!

I am officially on vacation!! It feels wonderful! I have even begun to prep the living room for a fresh coat of paint. It will be hot and humid for the first half of the week and suppose to cool down a little the second with lots of rain. We sure can use lots of rain here. At least, it won't be as hot as when I was on vacation last year during this same week in August. It was so dreadfully hot that I had to go to a friend's house to bake cookies; she has central air conditioning at her house.

Counting down to vacation!

5 more days! It's going to be the best kind of vacation, going to stay right at home... sleep in late, watch lots of bad TV plus some better movies, eat lots of ice cream, go to bed even later...

I might even finish painting the living room and start the dining room. The paint job really started in 2003! No flashy colors. Just plain white... at least the paint manufacturer creatively named it Vienna Coffee/egg shell finish.

Guitar

I bought a guitar as a birthday present to myself several years ago, but haven't played it for many months. I was very recently reminded of the song, "As the Deer Pants for the Water," from Psalm 42 and decided to dust off the guitar to play it...


As the Deer Panteth for the Water

As the deer panteth for the water so my soul thirsteth after You
You alone are my hearts desire and I long to worship You

You’re my friend and You are my brother, even though You are a King
I love You more than any other even more than anything

You alone are my strength and shield, to You alone does my spirit yield,
You alone are my hearts desire and I long to worship You


The lyrics and the music are so beautiful. As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for Jesus! Lord God, consume my thoughts with You alone!

Quote of the Day

What's worth living for is also worth dying for!
-Elisabeth Elliot

Dog days of summer!

I am counting down the days until vacation... three more weeks! This has been a frustratingly discouraging summer! I had intended and counted on the summer months to get some work done in the lab. But, set-backs and failed experiments have thrown kinks left and right. God is teaching me patience this summer, that's for sure!

Not quite certain where vacation will lead me. I was really hoping to get away. But, right now, sitting at home, watching TV, and taking afternoon naps sound real good, too!

Sigh... I do not mean to sound depressing. I just need to remember to keep my eyes on what's important... Jesus!

Here are verses to a new song that has really touched me of late...

Captivate Us (Watermark)

Your face is beautiful
And Your eyes are like the stars
Your gentle hands have healing
There inside the scars
Your loving arms they draw me near
And Your smile it brings me peace
Draw me closer oh my Lord
Draw me closer Lord to Thee

Captivate us, Lord Jesus
Set our eyes on You
Devastate us with Your presence
Falling down
And rushing river, draw us nearer
Holy fountain consume us with You
Captivate us Lord Jesus, with You

Your voice is powerful
And Your words are radiant bright
In Your breath and shadow
I will come close and abide
You whisper love and life divine
And Your fellowship is free
Draw me closer O my Lord
Draw me closer Lord to Thee

Let everything be lost in the shadows
Of the light of Your face
Let every chain be broken from me
As I’m bound in Your grace
For Your yoke is easy, Your burden is light
You’re full of wisdom, power and might
And every eye will see You

Gift

Mom and I were on our way to #1 Chinese grocery store on Saturday when her 1989 wagon stalled on I-95. It was scary at first to be stranded on the side of a major interstate highway. I quickly called AAA to request a tow truck. In God's providence, we pulled over to the side underneath a ramp to be able to wait in the shade, even though it wasn't really hot. The tow truck finally came after a good 45-minute wait. But the best part of this story was really the story of the truck driver he shared when he towed the car and us home. He had a friend who won a medical law suit for 14 million dollars. Out of the blue, this friend decided to use the money, pay off his house, and sell it to this tow truck driver friend for $1. What a nice friend! We could all use a little break every now and then. But it seems like our tow truck driver was desparate for one and seemed to deserve it more than anyone.

As for the wagon, Mom is finally letting it go. We'll probably donate it. It was having the same problem a couple of weeks ago. Mechanics thought they had fixed it. Apparently not...

Summer!

It's been just lovely weather-wise the past few days. I'm savoring every moment of these breezy, lazy summer days. The weathermen have promised hot, hazy, and humid days this week. Doggie loves to look outside to watch the neighborhood kids play and other neighborhood dogs walk by. She secretly wishes that a squirrel might come by for a visit, maybe even a chipmunk or two (she smells a family of them living underneath the deck). This is one of her favorite shady trees. The squirrels know better to scamper up this tree at the sight of Miss Doggie. Doggie would love to get her paws at one of these stinky squirrels, preferrably one that is height-challenged. What would she do if she actually catches one? Last summer, she managed to catch and kill 4 or 5 mice that got into the house. Doggie's definitely got the prey-predator instinct in her. Maybe she just likes the challenge of catching something small and furry.

Thunder and lightening

Doggie is scared to death of loud noises and sudden flashes of light. She runs away from clanging pots and pans and gets startled when dishes are being washed. She is terrified of thunder and lightening. It's kind of cute and all, except when she disturbs my slumber and jumps on my bed in the middle of the night. That's when it's not so cute. If she's by herself during the day when everyone's at work, at the sound of thunder, she'll clear a 4-foot gate and scampers around for help that she will not find. With her keen sense of hearing, she'll hear thunder coming from Pittsburgh (OK... maybe Harrisburg). Fourth of July and New Year's Eve are not on her list of favorite holidays. Firecrakers sound too much like thunder.

Chestnuts

This is our chestnut tree in the back yard (left). These are pictures from last year. Soon, we will see these funny pipe-cleaner-looking blossoms that smell horrible (middle). But, after that, little pods of chestnut fruits will begin to develop (right). Around late September-early October, these pods will have gotten to be about the size of a tennis ball. Inside each of them contains 2-3 big fat chestnuts. When the nuts fully ripen, the pods will crack and fall to the ground. If we beat the squirrels to them, it's delicious chestnut and chicken for dinner! Doggie's hair has detered the stupid squirrels from coming near the bottom of the tree. But, these pesty rodents are smart enough to jump from other trees nearby. If I had my wish, I'd wish for squirrels who are afraid of heights and who hate chestnuts! Can you tell that squirrels and I are not on friendly terms?

Hip replacement

Last Friday, I took a day off and went for a hike through a park. It was just lovely! I was so sore afterwards, felt like I needed a hip replacement. It was nice and relaxing nonetheless, and I love that woodsy smell. These pictures are not of the park I went to last Friday. These were pictures taken almost 2 years ago in Colorado, notice the aspen trees with the white trunks. There are no such aspen trees like these in Pennsylvania, nor huge tall mountains like the Rockies of Colorado.

DONE!

I have graded all my exams and lab reports and submitted all my grades for the semester. I am D-O-N-E!!! I am suprised to be this happy. It has been a long, hard academic year. I am glad it is finished and have already learned SO much, perhaps even more than my students, even more than what they have all learned combined! I look forward to making improvements and build up on the little bit of foundation I had laid.

Summer vacation... yes and no

I have no classes to teach this summer. I can't stay home all summer either. However, I call laboratory research work my play time, which is what this summer will be for me. So, it really will be summer vacation for me!

I am looking forward to taking a couple of days off here and there and spend at least one of them on a personal retreat. It'll just be me and Jesus!

Exhausted!

This is about how I feel this week! It is the last week of the semester. Next week is final exams. I feel like I've been caught in a whirl-wind. It wasn't this bad last semester, nearing Christmas break. To add insult to injury, I now have to deal with an incident of academic dishonesty.

Sigh...

Almost there!

On a much happier note, our manuscript is in the final stages of publication... editor's proofs, etc. This encompasses FIVE years of work!

Innocence

Have you ever wondered if animals are capable to lying? Are they capable of being devious and manipulative just for the sake of pride and selfishness? Right before bed time, I let Doggie out to pee. She always runs right back home because she knows she will be given a doggie treat. I know she checks back to see if I see her. She would squat and empty her little bladder. But, I wonder if she is devious enough to "pretend squat", making me think that she has done what is expected of her so she can get her treat.

Flashback...

Every now and then, my mind draws me back to a place, a time where I had been. For a flash of a few seconds, I'm back in Taiwan, an island on which I was born or on the Rockie Mountains of Colorado or the red beaches of Prince Edward Island or the bike trails of Cape Cod... They are all pleasant memories, times of pure contentment. I'm looking forward to collecting more of them!

Easter!

This weekend is the celebration of Jesus Christ and the power of the Cross. It has always been my favorite time of the year, even more so than Christmas. It reminds me of what Christ had done for me, redeeming me from my sins, myself. He has set me free! I am reminded this particular year of something He said to the Roman guards on the night He was arrested.

"I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." (John 18:8)

The same way that God told the Pharaoh to, "Let My people go," He has said the same thing to my captives, the sins that have bound me.

"Let her go, she's Mine." I can imagine Jesus say.

Nap

There's nothing quite like a nap in the afternoon. The best are those in the warm Sunday afternoon with a baseball game in the background!

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