I give you...

The Planet Earth Groupie

Anybody is welcomed to join.
The more, the merrier.
Come join the fun.

Everything's Right - Matt Wertz

This song I've been playing non-stop and definitely a car song. I don't think I'll ever get sick of it. It's so beautifully composed and all the instruments gel together. The electric guitar and drums are not too overpowering. The keys dance lightly in the background. The bass gives the deep richness. The background vocals fill in the gaps. The clapping keeps the groovy beat goin'. Indeed,

Everything's Right

Windows down as the night blows in
Tap the beat on the wheel as the tires spin
Until we're there crank the radio
We'll join in with the songs we know
Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Smiles light up as we walk in
Old conversations begin again
Nostalgia's thick as the August air
It takes us back to a time when we didn't care, we didn't care
Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Oh, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight
Everything's right...

Favorite Image

So I finally finished the whole series of Planet Earth and there were so many quality images and videos. But my favorite one is this:



This is a Great White Shark hunting for a seal and usually the attack only lasts for a second. I watched the diaries section how the camera man was able to delay the Great White Shark's one second attack. He used a special camera that would explode the one second attack into 40 seconds. I could see everything: the shark jumping out of the water, the water splashing, the shark widening its mouth, the seal flying in the air, the shark catching the hopeless seal with its jaws, the shark diving back into the water, the water splashing again. This was probably the best film footage of the whole series cause everything was slow-mo, which depicted every detail in one second. How cool is that!


Last Saturday I helped my Mom with her sale to the public. If you don't know, she's been in the silk flower business for about 20 years. (www.jennysilks.com) She's a trooper. I met one of her employees and his name is also Mike/Michael. So, my Mom doesn't call me Mikey, she calls me Michael. Since we both had the same names, she asks Michael (not me) if he has other nicknames. He said people call him Mickey, but only family. Then my Mom decides to call him Mickey out of the blue. I look at him, he has a smirk, then I start laughing. I guess my Mom decided for herself that she is family as well. So everytime my Mom would call for "Mickey," I would laugh. I forget that my Mom can be hilarious at times, especially when she doesn't mean to be funny. Those are the best.


I got to know Mike a little bit and I found out that he snowboards. So we talked about that for awhile and he goes to Big Bear for snowboarding. I shared with him about how I worked there part time for the past 2 seasons and mentioned he should do it. I hope to snowboard with him, that would be fun. But after talking with him about snowboarding, I've been longing for snow in the midst of this hot weather. I've been longing to go on the slopes and just shred the mountains. I told Mike, "Man, you make me wanna go snowboarding now."

Eagerly waiting....

Nature Boy At Heart

I've always loved nature. There's something about nature that connects you with the supernatural. Yet ever since I got back from Japan, I've been more in tuned with nature than ever before. I've been wanting to buy the dvd series of Planet Earth. So as I was waiting for my pictures to be developed at Costco, I started browsing around inside. And there she was:


I ended up buying the dvd series and I've been blown away of how beautiful and how rich the earth is. It's AMAZING. God is such a unique and talented Creator. He is SO creative. There are places that I'd never imagine existed and so many, I mean so many cool looking animals that make me say, "WOW, no way!" and "Yea, Evolutionists, try explaining this animal!"

Even though the dvd series cost me $51.99, it was worth every penny. If you're looking to invest in something, then invest in this dvd series. If you don't, then I guarantee you'll regret it. If you're a visual person like me, then without a doubt, you'll love this beautiful documentary of the earth. It's breath-taking.


Speaking of nature, I saw this beautiful sunset as I was driving back home from Costco. I had to take pictures of it cause sunsets like these don't happen everyday. (That's why I always take my camera with me cause I don't like missing opportunities of capturing/savoring the moment) So I parked my car on the side of the road with my hazards on and stood on the sidewalk watching the bright orange-yellow sun slowly disappear into the horizon until the sun was no more. Simply captivating...

Kids

Something that I'm starting to do is to writing down highlights of my day. It helps me remember the good memories.


I thought I'd share one highlight from last Friday.


Today as I was spending time with the Lord and journaling, I remembered Allison Lee at Beracah and Rachel's wedding. After the ceremony, everyone was hanging around. I was sitting in the front row talking with my friend, Janet, about Japan and out of my peripheral vision, I see Allison on the stage. She grabs the communion cup on the mantle, but she doesn't realize there's white grape juice in it. So she totally spills white grape juice all over her white dress. I immediately go over and look around for a towel. Good thing there was a small white towel on the mantle. As I was helping her dry off I said to her, "Yea Allison, you didn't know there was grape juice inside huh?" She looked at me and said slowly with a smile, "I like grape juice." I chuckled a little. That just made my day. I don't know if she said that cause she knew she might have been in trouble or if I was going to correct her. Regardless, it was cute.


I think I'm coming to like kids between the ages of 3-5 more cause they say the funniest things at the right times or when most needed. Though kids can be annoying or irritating at times, they are so precious. Kids make me remember how Jesus loves little children and I wonder why? Why does Jesus say little children will inherit the kingdom of heaven? Why does Jesus say that whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all? I have some thoughts, but I'm curious to know what others think about this. I'm all ears.

One Wedding Down....One More to Go...

Congratulations to Rachel and Beracah!!!

Alright, so I arrived back in America August 7 and I knew I was playing music in Beracah and Rachel's Wedding on August 10. I was told that I was playing with Beracah's friend, Jesse Davy, but I never met him or practiced with him before. So, with that said, I was feeling a little eerie if the music was going to flow well on the wedding day.

I met Jesse, a fellow Nebraskan, on Thursday (August 9) for the wedding rehearsal and I remember saying, "Well, shall we practice a little?" And the moment we began to play guitar and sing together, it was bliss. Man, Jesse was a gift from God. I never felt so refreshed musically in a long, long time. It was just fun jamming with him. We had this groove connection that words can't really describe or explain. Only the music can. I almost thought of asking him to quit his job and we should pair up and perform in weddings. Ha, it's crazy that I even thought of it. For meeting Jesse this first time on Thursday and performing music with him the next day, I was very impressed. Thanks Jesse for being a refreshment to my soul. You were very much needed.


Then how can I forget my good friend Justin Wong, the violinst. It was good playing with him again; it reminded me of the good ole times playing together at Sunland Navigator Conferences. I've learned to appreciate the violin cause it adds this soothing aroma to music. I regret not continuing with the violin cause I thought it wasn't cool.


The songs Jesse, Justin, and I played were: For the Love of God (we had some sweet harmony,) I Will Not Take My Love Away, Your Love Is Deep, and In Christ Alone.

It was my first time in awhile seeing the Lee kiddos. When I saw Abby, I couldn't believe my eyes. She grew up FAST. I looked at her and thought, wow, I'm getting old cause Abby's all grown up. But, Abby Lee reminded me of Abbie Rood. I miss the Rood kiddos. I hope Abby and Abbie will meet one day face to face.

I like this picture of Allison aka Allie. She looks like she just took a bunch of Dramamine.

The reception took place in Balboa Park at the Japanese Friendship Tea Garden. I thought it was ironic that I came back from Japan and now I'm in some Japanese Tea Garden. It didn't look like Japan though, that's for sure. It could never capture the beauty of Japan. But I'll give an E for effort to whoever designed this garden. I saw some water and thought there was an onsen. Turns out it was a pond full of fat Koi fish. I still wanted to jump in though.









As I was leaving the reception, I took this picture and for some reason, I think it captures where I am at the moment. Since being back, I feel like this white linen-clothed table. I feel like not spending the energy to initiate with people. I just want to be alone some times. Everything around me seems so black, so foreign, so different. I find myself so quick to judge the American culture or people around me cause I've been used to the Japanese culture and people. Right now I'm not feeling excited to go back to LA. Right now I'm not feeling excited about UCLA ministry. Right now I'm not feeling excited about fundraising. I hope my attitude will change soon, Lord willing. I wish my excitement for UCLA and fundraising would change right now as I type, but that's not most likely going to happen. If you remember, please pray that I will adjust to life here in California smoothly and quickly. If you have been praying, then thanks. I appreciate them a lot.

I'm back in California...

but it feels so weird. I feel like I'm visiting LA, then going back to Japan in a couple of days. I miss my Japanese friends, my team, the staff. I miss everyone right now.