Monday, November 28, 2005

You want some advice? Take your fancy clothes and your black silk underwear and go back to Disneyland.

- Alex, Double Impact

You know you've had an interesting childhood when the most memorable quotes often come from B-Movies. Let's talk about silk underwear... Random Fact #5: I have over 200 articles of clothing. As always, I'm trying to dig at a deeper reason for these silly random facts and I must confess that this last random fact is one of the most complicated. First off, I'm not sure if you consider ~200 articles of clothing as excessive... BUT I DO. I realized that I had too much clothing when I open my 'winter storage bins', and I had totally forgotten about my winter sweaters. Really, if you see me consistently throughout a single week, I tend to wear the same stuff (comfort clothes). So I would guess that I only wear 10-20% TOTAL of all my clothes in any given month. Let's unpack this for a sec. Whether you think this is excessive or not, I'll need to clarify a few things. 1) By '200 articles of clothing', I'm including every shirt, pairs of socks, underwear, pants, etc. as separate. (so maybe it 'really' isn't that much) 2) A lot of clothes are seasonal - ie. sweaters, polo T-shirts, etc. 3) I am the same size as my brother, so we share a lot of the clothing (except for the undergarments and t-shirts). So really, now that I have clarified a few things, I probably own about half of my initial estimate. And, I would guess that I would wear half of THAT in a given month. This means, I guess, using ~50 articles of clothing per month (high estimate). If you count the daily usage of the undergarments given any month, this is actually a very conservative wardrobe. But why do I still feel so bothered by this excess of clothing? I have been purposeful with my spending in this aspect of my life. In reality, I have not purchased a piece of clothing in over a year. Perhaps I've always had a notion that I have way more than enough. My parents being who they are, would still buy me clothes whenever they go shopping (esp my mom when she's at an outlet mall in the states). Recently after she purchased a black mandarin-collar dress shirt for me, I had to tell her that it's enough. I don't need any more clothes. Really. Thx. But we can use the money in other ways. My Aunt/Uncle went shopping recently (which is very rare for them) and they picked up for me a black sweatshirt. It was so nice of them, and yet I'm thinking - let's use this money for something else. I still can't completely articulate what I'm thinking/feeling. I know that I'm trying to be purposeful with how I spend money, and I'm even being purposeful in exploring the idea of voluntary poverty (more on that some other time). So I've made a conscious decision a while ago that I wouldn't normally spend money on clothes. So let's go deeper. What about my desire to spend money on eating out? Or my desire to spend money on books, movies, and other forms of media? What about my family/friends' desire to spend on things that I view as excess? What should I do? I've been thinking about this parable from Luke 12:35-48. The NET Bible version translates it as 'the call to faithful stewardship'. I think I'm taking active steps in being faithful with my mind (studying the scriptures, discerning the pomo worldview), with my heart/strength (discerning vocational calling, actively ministering throuhg AFC/TCBC). But a very practical, very real part of this idea of stewardship is how I can be faithful with my resources. v. 48 'From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.' I think I identify resources as anything I possess that I can use for the benefit of myself and others. Basically, this means the use of the following: - time - energy - car/fuel - media (books, movies, songs) - money I want to take active steps in giving more of my resources to others because I have been given so much. I think this is especially true with how I use money. And so, for this Christmas, I suggested to my parents that instead of buying one another typical Christmas presents, we can donate something through worldvision on behalf of one another. They liked the idea but we have yet to settle whether the whole family will do it. Regardless of whether my family goes for this idea, I think this will be a good for me in being purposeful with my money. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out WorldVision's website here. If you have any challenges on how I can be a more faithful steward of my resources, please let me know. In case you're wondering.. .YES I have 2 silk boxers. One of them has pictures of hot peppers and the other has pictures of beer mugs. Oh yes... I was supposed to TAG 5 people. Not sure if all the UW old foggies have been tagged yet so let's say I TAG Alexis, Mike, Ivan, Anita, and Clara. Tune in again after I spend some more time thinking about LOVE.


Yu-Ling posted at 11/28/2005 11:08:00 PM

Monday, November 21, 2005

Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words.

- Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring

I promised a friend I would keep this blog short and sweet :P. So here goes.

Random Fact #4: I was hit in the head with a bat when I was a kid. There once was a little boy who had several friends from church over at his house. They decided to play baseball in the local park. This little boy was playing catcher. At the end of the game, he and the rest of his friends began to walk towards his house. His friend who was holding the bat didn't notice him and swung the bat. It hit him in the forehead. The little boy remembers falling down and being hurt. He remembers his forehead swelling to incredible sizes and fantastic colors. He remembers his grandmother taking a hardboiled egg, wrapping it in a towel and rubbing his forehead for many days. And this boy grew up with the bump still there...

...And this little boy is Yu-Ling! Now you know the rest of the story.

Yu-Ling posted at 11/21/2005 10:23:00 PM

Monday, November 14, 2005

I hope to refine music, study it, try to find some area that I can unlock. I don't quite know how to explain it but it's there. These can't be the only notes in the world, there's got to be other notes some place, in some dimension, between the cracks on the piano keys.

- Marvin Gaye

First off, congrats to Tobes and Clara. It's awesome to see you guys take this new step in your journey together. I pray that everything about your relationship is filled with prophetic potential, with the capacity for discovering and revealing Christ's character. I hope your journey together is more than a sacred covenant with one another, but that it is also a spiritual discipline designed to help you know God better, trut him more fully, and love him more deeply. Oh yeah, and ditto about the love thing between the two of you ;) On to my original post. I've always grown up in a musical family. Although I would not claim that my immediate family is naturally gifted in music, nor are we naturally proficient, but I think we all have a love for music that runs strongly in our blood. There are little stories that I think contribute to this absolute joy of music. My mother came from Fujian where in spite of the relative poverty, supposedly every household had a piano. She grew up singing in choirs and had such a love for vocal and piano music that she went to pursue a music degree at Laurier. My dad on the other hand found a love for music in his teenage/college days playing the guitar, then joining the church choir, and later finding a passion for conducting. My parents had created a house filled with music since the very beginning and I attribute my musical upbringing to their tremendous influence. So what am I building up in this blog? Let's see.... Random fact 3: I think I may have the spiritual gift of music, and yet I am not actively exploring this gift. There's some debate as to whether music is a spiritual gift or a natural ability, but I believe using music to minister to someone (or to be equally sensitive to being ministered through music) is a spiritual gift. I have seen really talented musicians lead worship, and very honestly, it feels lacking. On the other hand, I have been in worship services where the worship leader is clearly musically challenged, and yet God uses this person very powerfully. Now for myself, on which end of the spectrum do I fall? haha, I think I bounce easily back and forth between using music to minister to people very well... and then the next week I can totally suck. I was talking to Nolan last week about vocation and calling and how spiritual gifts play a central part in the idea of personal calling. He interupted me and asked me what ever happened to my music as I am now fully removed from the worship ministry at church. This awkwardness is compounded by my history in serving on worship teams since the earliest movement in our english congregation towards contemporary worship. Having served in worship teams through high school, going to UW and finding like-minded (and gifted) people who enjoys ministering to people through music, and having a sheer awakening about the concept of worship... well it all seems kinda waste since I'm not involved with any of that type of ministry any more. I think about my mom, and everytime we get into a conversation about challenging musical tastes and perspctives I always end up challenging her and my dad to really strive for musical excellence in the choir (ie. work on the high soprano parts). She in turn would fire right back saying what have I done with my piano and violin training? touche... haha. I think about the times in waterloo, and I do believe that God has used me and my peers to minister to others through music. I'm even thinking that I should really broaden the category of music to all ART/CREATIVITY. I think of a time at LIFESONG (our once a term mega outreach event) where me and the guys performed everything by Lifehouse. I had spent all night (and the rest of the morning up til the first 10 mins INTO Lifesong) putting together a powerpoint to really help people see how great our God is. Man, I just think back rite now, and that one performance, I had to play violin, play piano, sing backup (eep), and do the powerpoint... no wonder Lifesong events were always insane... but oh so worth it. If you guys wanna know the inspiration for that time, check out the live DVD performance of Jars of Clay singing Worlds Apart. I've come to the point in my life where whenever I hear really good music, or see anything very creative, I am deeply moved. Of course, the flip side is that if I hear an off-key note in the choir or worship team, or I see un-inspiring/un-creative things, my stomach gets into knots. Now if I'm the main person responsible for the off-key notes or the uncreative things, you can imagine that I feel like I have to vomit aftewards. Well, here's wishing for days where I can have the time to explore more deeply this gift of creativity that God has placed in my heart. I would love to see the church become such a place, where the rest of the world will point to the church and say 'THAT's an inspiring place! We need to go THERE to be inspired!' In the meantime, in between studying, work, and church - I like to slip in a few minutes on the piano and fool around with a few songs. I know I'll never get there right away, but these are the top 3 songs that I will love to play WELL on the piano before I die. They have always touched me and I believe I would be absolutely worshipping God as I play them. The Classical piece - Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata - 3rd movement The Classic/Jazz piece - George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue The Jazz Fusion piece - Yoko Kanno piano solo (medley from Cowboy Bebop) Will talk more about music and art and all that jazz some other time. Who knows, maybe I will be disciplined enough to start practicing music again. Tune in again for my fourth random fact... I'm sure there will be pictures included.


Yu-Ling posted at 11/14/2005 05:10:00 PM

Friday, November 11, 2005

I'll get you my pretty... and your little dog too!

- Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard of Oz

As far back as I can remember, there was always a movie floating around in the back of my mind. I seem to recall little snippets here and there. I definitely remember the musical numbers, the brilliant colors, as well as the unforgettable catch phrases. BUT, as a child, I most strongly remember a vivid reaction to the movie that makes me question my own emotionally development. Anyways, of course I'm talking about The Wizard of Oz, and this is my random fact #2 Random fact 2: I was afraid of the Wicked Witch of the West. More specifically, I was afraid of the scene where (spoiler warning) the Witch began to melt and utters 'oh what a world, what a world!' I think I can remember watching the Wizard of Oz in my basement, either with my mom or my aunt elizabeth, and just being completely terrified by that scene (and I think being scared by the flying monkeys as well). This was probably when I was around 4 and I just moved into my house as I don't recall having so much junk in the basement back then ;). Besides that, I really do question why I was afraid of the Witch (and the monkeys) and of that scene specifically. I think if I were to dig deeper, I'm really trying to understand what I am fearful of. I know sometimes in my life, fear drives me. Actually, many fears drive me - death, life, emotions, loneliness, community, intimacy, inability to fulfill God's calling in my life, facing up to God one day knowing full well how far I have fallen... and the list goes on. What's great about this term is that I have plenty of time to think about these things. I'm praying that one day I can clearly articulate how fear has shaped me and what current fears still shape my life. Oh yeah, I bought the DVD. Great stuff. I can spew about Dorothy being a pomo leader, but that's for another blog. Tune in again for the THIRD random fact of my life (notice how I may have a DVD representation for each one... haha).


Yu-Ling posted at 11/11/2005 11:25:00 AM

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Scully: Homer, we're going to ask you a few simple yes or no questions. Do you understand? Homer: Yes. (lie detector blows up)

- Episode: The Springfield Files, The Simpsons

Ok, along with this random quote from The Simpsons, I have to write 5 random things about me because my brother has 'tagged me'. Here I go. Random fact 1: I think I have a sleeping disorder. I can't sleep in total silence so I usually let a DVD play in the background. Most of the time, The DVDs will be episodes of FRIENDS or THE SIMPSONS. I gotta admit... often I find myself dreaming scenarios from certain episodes (let's not get into THAT conversation). Of course, there are usually only 2-3 hrs worth of episodes per DVD. That means, whenever the DVD stops playing, I literally wake up, go to my comp, press play, watch a few minutes of an episode, drift off to sleep... then repeat this cycle again. As I'm writing this blog, I'm thinking that I can't deal with complete silence very well. I need something in the background as I study, as I drive, as I commute, even as I read the bible, pray, meditate.... I will definitely need to explore this inability to deal with silence. Ok, I'll be doing 5 separate 'random facts' entries as I'm in the middle of crunchtime at tyndale. For anyone else who's studying, all the best!


Yu-Ling posted at 11/09/2005 09:27:00 PM