Saturday, 11 July 2009
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MID SUMMER 2009 REPORT-OUT AND ABOUT
Well, I have updated my weblog quite infrequently this summer. I have been out and about. Finally, a lull for me this weekend when I'm not out and about. Some highlights of the summer thus far, were attending my friend John and Doris' wedding; traveling to Northern Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Poland, and Norway); spending time with friends; attending a retreat based on desiring God and following God's design in everything including in relationship and sex (unfortunately, I did not take photos here); attending a friend's housewarming party; spending a day at the Getty Center in Los Angeles with a couple of friends; and last weekend (the long 4th of July weekend) on Catalina Island here in Southern California camping, kayaking, hiking, exploring and much more.
One thing interesting was that last month, I was in charge of writing up devotions for this hiking/outdoors ministry I am involved with. Well, just before the 4th of July holidays (America's Independence day) I was inspired by several verses in the book of John- whether we choose to be slaves to sin or to righteousness. Only one will truly bear fruit and be true freedom. Well, funny thing is that when God's holy spirit wants to get a message across, the spirit will often echo something, repeat something. Well, last Sunday while visiting a church on Catalina Island, the pastor touched in the same message and same verse I had written about. Here is what I wrote:
Greetings Hikers,
I hope this e-mail finds everybody well. This week's verses to mediate on comes from John 8:31-38:
31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father. "
I find these verse apropo as we, here in America, get ready to celebrate Independence Day-4th of July. What do we typically think of? We think of freedom, independence. These are virtues held high, here in America. But, do you know what it means to be set free from Jesus? It means being set free from sin. That does not mean we will never sin again or that it is okay to sin. Rather, it means sin will longer take bondage over us and over our destiny. Take time this week to reflect on these verses and pray if there is any sin in your life that you can be set free by Christ from these.
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Anyhow, here are some photos from various things for me this summer thus far:
(Above) at John' and Doris' wedding in May 23, 2009. I am in the middle in the blue shirt and John is the third from the left.
(Above) from left to right: myself, Doris, John and Doris' sister Jeany (who just got engaged) at the reception at Blue Ocean Seafood in Alhambra, California on May 23, 2009.
(Above) of course you may already seen this. This was taken on May 25, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark with myself in front of the iconic little Mermaid.
(Above) myself in Stockholm, Sweden on May 28, 2009.
(Above) myself in Helsinki, Finland on May 29, 2009 (if this photo comes up).
(Above) myself in St. Petersburg, Russia on May 30, 2009 outside of the Hermitage Museum. A must visit. I am wearing headphones because I went on a guided English tour. I happened to be in St. Petersburg as they were celebrating the city's 306th birthday. St. Petersburg was once the capital of Russia before the Communists took over in 1917 and made Moscow the capital. Of all Russian cities, it is probably the city with the most European flare.
(Above) myself on May 31, 2009 in front of Catherine Palace just outside of St. Petersburg, Russia.
(Above) myself in the gardens of Peterhof which was Peter the Great's Palace- that great Russian tzar. This is in the town of Peterhof, Russia which is outside of St. Petersburg, Russia.
(Above) myself on the streets of Tallinn, Estonia on June 1, 2009. Estonia was once controlled by the former Soviet Union. It is an independent country. The people are related to the Finns and their language is also related to Finnish.
(Above) myself on the streets of Gdansk, Poland on June 2, 2009. Gdansk was the city the Germans attack to spark World War II. This is the home of the Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa who sparked a movement that led to free elections in 1989. I happened to be in the town for the 20th anniversary of that. That led to the end of Communism in Poland which caused a domino effect in Eastern Europe and led to other Eastern European countries to abandon communism.
(Above) myself on June 4, 2009 in the hills above Oslo, Norway overlooking some beautiful fjords. It was side that the viking Leif Ericson sailed through these fjords towards Iceland and Greenland.
(Above) myself in the front in the blue shirt with some friends and one new friend at the Daily Grill Restaurant back here in Irvine, California for a "power lunch" on June 11, 2009.
(Above) myself with some friends at a Sushi Restaurant in Tustin, California on the evening on June 11, 2009. We are saying farewell to our friend Derek who was leaving for Thailand and Taiwan for several months.
(Above) on June 27, 2009 at my friend Brian and Stephanie's housewarming party at their new home in Brea, California. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of them. I'm pictured on the left with friends Martha and David.
(Above) on June 27, 2009-later that day after the housewarming party, Martha, David and myself went to the Getty Center in Los Angeles. This is the tram that takes you up to the Getty Center. Getty Center is an art museum.
(Above) myself on June 27, 2009 in front a fountain at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California.
(Above) hiking with some friends on the Hermit Gulch trail in Catalina Island off of the coast of Southern California on July 4, 2009.
(Above) again, myself with a couple of friends taking time to pose for a photo on the hiking trail on Catalina Island on July 4, 2009.
(Above) going up the trail on Catalina Island on July 4, 2009.
(Above) myself on the center with friends David and Tanti on the Hermit Gulch Trail on Catalina Island on July 4, 2009.
(Above) myself on July 4, 2009 in front of the iconic Avalon Theater (used to have a casino) in town of Avalon in Catalina Island.
Okay, that's all for now. As the summer progresses, I may have more photos to share. Thanks for reading and view these. More planned to come...
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