Monday, June 26, 2006

Wedding

Here is a picture of the Bride and Groom (they are so adorable). :



This is a picture of the Tsu clan with Grandma and Grandpa:

(I think me and my dad are eyeing the wedding cake). Just joking. There were a lot of cameras that fateful day.

Here is a picture of some of the extended family from my mom's side:

(Thanks Christine for the wonderful pictures)!

Sunday, June 25, 2006

College

The weeks are getting busier and busier. Monday evening is small group. Tuesdays, frisbee. Wednesdays, prayer meeting. Thrusdays, large group. And Fridays, usually large groups. I hope that you summer is going rather splendidly, esspecially for those entering into college. I think that it's wonderful to see so many seniors so excited about going to college, finding independance, and finding fun. However, I think that many are naive to the whole cultural atmosphere that surrounds the campus life. College is a time where people are left to do whatever they want with little concern for accountability. What many people do not realize is that when left on their own, people will naturally sin. I can certainly attest to that. My heart breaks when I see kids decide to put God on hiatus for four years and eventually fall into a lost, and lifeless lifestyle. My heart rejoices when I see a kid join a community and becomes on fire for Christ. That is my prayer, to see people choose to run after God. So cool!

So here's a few things I've learned so far in college:

1) Join a Christian fellowship. There's nothing like community, accountability, and encouragement to spur on living life for Christ.

2) College is not about you. I find that college is much more fun when the decisions you make are not for you, but for God. The degree you're earning? The long nights studying? The friendships? The fun? Remember that everything you do is for a greater purpose than yourself. I find that making decisions for God and not for yourself makes things that much more purposeful (and let's face it, a little bit more exciting).

3) For the Asian engineer: Relax. Study hard and diligently, but remember friendships are more inportant than school. That's right. I said it. And don't freak out even after you have taken a test! The test is already turned in, you can't do anything about it anymore! Also, don't play too many computer games.

Tangent: playing too much computer games is similar to some mind-altering drug. Reality is not reality anymore. You eventually start dreaming about it, you eventually start believing that there is someone waiting around the corner to kill you. I once played through Halo 2 with my roommate in 2 days. My head felt like it was in a vice. My neck was strained and I was nauseated. When I closed my eyes, I saw the glow of the television screen.

4) Join a Christian fellowship. Be invested in a community of believers and influence the world around you.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Summer

Summer

Table of Contents:

Tuesday night frisbee
Witness 724
Dry cleaners
Wedding
Evangelism
Prayer
SLT
Struggling
Persevering
Lost and Found
Broken and Waiting
God at Work

So far this summer has been hard. What is summer to me? Summer is a time when you have to face up and deal with the past. You can't hide away at college. Summer is a time when you have to encounter places of brokeness and sin, places where you thought you had left long ago. Summer is a time when you are left isolated from the accountability of a community which was readily around you during college. Summer is a time between you and God. Just you and God. Summer is a time of realization. A realization of just how broken you still are, and a realization that God is still tenderly putting you back together one painful piece at a time. You realize just how sinful you are. However, you also realize just how gracious God is. Summer is a period of questioning. A time to question where you have come from, where you stand, and where God is leading you. For me, summer is a crucible for the coming semester.
I feel that you get to think a lot more during the summer. You also get a lot more alone time. Alone time is one of the best tests to see exactly what kind of person you are. What do you do when no one is watching and no one is there to keep you accountable? Do you watch TV instead of pray. Do you think about God or do you give into lustful desire? Do you crave earthly food instead of spiritual nourishment? Painfully, God has revealed to me who I actually am. Fortunately, God has also revealed to me who he actually is. Praised be to God for his grace of loving such a person as I.

Have a fun summer.