An inane blog- cos it's fun :)

Indiana Bing and the Last pair of Boxers
(I told you it was inane)

Ypu know life has been pretty hectic at the moment. Life is tough in the trenches. So I guess I was pretty delighted to be given something a little weird and stupid to write about.
This morning like any other Monday I struggled to get up, but did so. You know that kinda, grope for the weekend, but realise that you've missed the moment, and you're back in work mode. Groggily step in the shower, wash, dry, redress and go back to room to find some clothes. Start rifling through my top draw- socks and other underwear kinda bits-like polyprop and stuff. Just there's only hockey socks left, and one pair of boxers. Groan- gotta do some washing today. Look outside; definitely not hanging washing up today.

Squash all the clothes lying about the room into the basket- where did all these come from? Hey all my socks are here, man there's a lot. Begin the trek down the hall and up the stairs. Funny how easy it is to feel like a donkey sometimes. Mission up the steep bit of the stairs, duck the low hanging roof while skillfully (with all the grace of a rhino) trying not to lose balance or consciousness. Need coffee. Really need coffee. Preferably on a drip. Everything just fits into the machine- thank goodness polarfleece squashes. Add powder- hope no one else needs to use machine today. Go get coffee and breakfast. Washing leaves memory for several hours.

Walk in door at quarter to six- oh what a surprise, washing to hang up. Squirrel a clothes horse. (That is a very weird phrase, but better than "snake a clothes horse?"). Remember reason for doing washing. Sort socks and boxers and throw in the dryer. Mmmm, warm, but expensive. Feel guilty about using power. Only turn on for half an hour and resolve to leave rest to dry overnight.

Now it's 10:30pm. My socks are drying in my room. On it's basket. I now realise I have spent the past 20 minutes typing about my washing. I have successfully stolen 5-10 minutes of your life with my washing. I hope you will still talk to me tomorrow =)

And the washing dries on....

Told you it was inane....Have a great day

|

Des' Graduation

This is a tribute to Des- one of the guys who I met through cell group last year. While I don't know him that well, we have a lot of respect for each other, and I will always have time to hear what he says. He has a checkered past, but that's cool because while it has made him who he is, it is not who he is. Tonight was his graduation from Moana House, a place for people who have committed crimes to get themselves right in the community before they fully enter it. (As I understand it) Basically it's a halfway house- and it is a three year programme. It is hard- Des is only the 14th graduate after 17 years. So tonight was pretty special for him. I didn't know this, but went along because I'd never been to anything like it, and Des' story fascinates me.

I first came across Des in cell group, a big Maori (not Marri) fella who was a bit older than most of us. Dave and Sam had invited him up from church, and he seemed well... different.

For a start he celebrated his Maori heritage, and what that meant to him. I got to witness that in full flight tonight, with the concept of hui- a gathering and celebration, with a lot of honouring Des for his acheivement in te reo (the Maori language), taonga (special gifts) and waiata (songs). There was a lot of honouring of Des' Elim Whanau (family, ie Joe, Justin and myself), even if we didn't realise it. There was heaps of food/kai, another important (and much appreciated) part of the whole celebration. His 'lads' (fellow guys on the programme) honoured him with heaps of waiata, and a massive couple of hakas (war dances). Ok so it LOOKS cool when the All blacks do theirs, but its nothing compared to what this haka FELT like. It was so full of energy and passion, and a lot of very tired bodies at the end. You really could feel the aggression coming out of them. It was AWESOME. Des has really inspired me to look deeper into my own culture as a Chinese person, and find out where I'm coming from as a person.

He also has a heart for God and the Lord Jesus. As I mentioned, everybody keep honouring us for representing the Elim Whanau, even if we weren't really responsible for most of the work in Des' life with the church- that should really go to Sam and Dave (and others?). But I think they have all seen what a change Jesus has made in this guy's life, and really respect them. More than one guy said that he should keep up his church group. So big ups for that.

Des is also a great artist. He is really creative, and people often mentioned what wonders he could do with Oamaru limestone, and wood carving. He's also pretty mean with the guitar. People often mentioned how much his passion for creating was a major factor in his life, and how he should channel that.

So there it is. Thanks Des for the invite, to view where you've come from and where you are going. Like that guy(for once names are failing me :P) said, there are many challenges in the wider community, but as the german guy said "practice makes the master", both of which are really good bits of advice. I just honour Des for what he has achieved, what he has taught me, and who he is. Big ups bro.

|

Blessing (with Gus over shoulder)

So that was a cool response. I wish that I knew where it came from. (well i know, but I mean from what events etc derived the result)-Arggh now I'm talking Maths.

But today was cool- I inadvertently started a bit of a lab conflict, but the details shall remain sealed, because peace has been made. (Unlike Henri Nouwen, I don't feel that every thought should go published). I also got to meet up with Andrew, Nicola and my Uncle Michael and Aunty Margaret. They were such a cool couple- one of those ones that you know are just right for each other. As my uncle said "I took me 13 years to know that I had made the right decision to go to Australia", whixch was about the time he met my aunt. Everybody "AWWWWWW". but seriously, they were so romantic, and it was cool to see a couple of people really in love. I hope my relationship with my wife is something like that. They were also such a team in prayer, and it was a real honour in having them pray for us. I'm also glad that God turned the weather on, so at least they weren't freezing like last night. (Wasn't it cold!?) They also gave me a small FM radio, which will be useful for the kitchen, and a John Maxwell annotated Leadership Bible that my aunt got from her work. Ok, so its a reject cos it misses a bit of the commentary from Amos 5:18, but I'm sure I'll get over it. (hmm, like now.)

Also my experiment finally worked. I think I was worrying too much about one thing and not another, so it was nice to get that balance : ).
Leader's cell was as always cool.

Sweet dreams people

|

A proper blog

You know its funny when you're really busy how much you appreciate the little things in life. Like praying with "the boys", having lunch with Abbey on the seats under the clocktower, talking to Greg for an hour and a half about stuff, picking Andrew up from aquinas, beating each other up in Starcraft (big ups to Gus and Sam for that), doing stuff for Mum, discussing with Dad Upper Hutt shop politics, seeing Thida almost die on the Carrington steps after our run, hanging washing up with Lyds (The list goes on). These are all incredibly simple things, and what are they all related to?

RELATIONSHIP.

I don't think I will go into Guys prayer, kinda "four walls" apply. But yeah, afterwards I had a bit of a diatribe, just kinda let the tongue wander while Sam listened. I was really challenged with relationship, with others and God. I dunno if it was due to God or ourselves just sparking off each other, but I've noticed Sam become a lot more productive, and myself more shall we say relationship appreciative. I know so many great people that I don't think I could ever get the best out of all of them, and just because I haven't mentioned you above doesn't mean that I don't reckon you've got something special in you, I probably haven't seen you in a while. (/communicated etc)

So while I probably get to spend about 5 minutes on each person on average, I still reckon they're pretty precious moments. I'm not sure what happens with the rest of my time, but I know that it's hard, and long. I've failed two experiments in the past two days, but I'm not sure what's gone on in the second one. It is kinda exciting to have that challenge.

I don't think I've blogged in the past week because it seems to shot by, from Tuesday I woke up and it was Saturday morning. I've been aware of what's going on, but just taking it as it comes. This is crazy, but very cool to come home knowing that you've achieved something. Today I failed the experiment, read 2 papers and demonstrated a lab. I also called Scott which was pretty cool.

I'm listening to Felt at the moment. I heard them at Church with this guy my Grnadad knows Daniel- I took him along to Church cos he was interested in coming along (He is christian). Little did I know that he was flatting with two of my friends, Caroline and Kevin, so that was a nice shock. He's really friendly and outgoing, but it does remind me of what it was like to be first year- i guess it grows you up really fast. It's so cool to hear about him from Gon gon- I've heard about him for the past 7 or 8 years, but never met him. So do you reckon it was chance that put him down the road from me? I just hope I can serve Andrew as I want to serve him.

Which is an interesting thing really- I want to be a good older brother, but I'm not sure how to start, and second we are really different. I want to kinda get that balance out of growing up yourself, but being able to help when it's required/needed. That really is a horrible sentence. I guess I don't know.

Hmm, so many things I don't know.

God is good, and that's probably enough to know. John Burns said at Parachute that every relationship we have is just a reflection of our relationship with God. So all those wee slips of relationships I have with people mentioned above (and the many more I don't), are just reflections of what I have with God. And oh so very precious.

|

Hey sweet, a Kiwi cricket victory

Ok, so that hasn't been the most exciting thing in my week, but I am proud of it, and would like to say how good the kiwi team is going at the moment. I would blog more butI've just spent the past hour and a half talking to Greg so I better go.
Maybe tomorrow

|

Bing’s blog- the offline/online version.

Well, y’know, this might make mores sense than usual cause the Net’s down so I have nothing else to distract me. Which is a good thing because I’m already listening to music and by definition (being a guy) I don’t multitask too well. This may be a short-long blog if get what I’m saying.

SO about that problem. I was praying on Sunday morning and heard “give up cell group” which totally made me freak out, and ask what was going on, I think it was an attack, but I wasn’t entirely sure. Anyway, went to church (its what I do on Sundays) and totally needed the message that Pastor Mike preached about God caring when we were under attack, and that because we live in a spiritual world as well as a physical one, the victory in the spiritual can lead to the victory in the natural. How do we win the war that has already been won,? As Brooke Fraser so eloquently puts it, we “reacquaint our knees with the carpet”

So Sunday night, I skipped Church and did that. Also had the blessing of other people praying for me too. What I learned: This whole demonstrating thing was rather selfish, and I am quite ashamed of it. It took all of God’s perfect love to make me see that, and accept it. So with that “sorted”, peaceful, but not necessarily happy- I got with my life. You know how people ask if you’re happy with something? Well, I don’t think I was happy with the decision, even though I knew that everything would be over, having won the spiritual battle, the physical would surely follow. But I guess it was more of a grieving thing, because I still felt miserable, but in a non-worrying sort of way.

Which is ok, because God doesn’t necessarily have to make me feel good. He just has to be good, and He’s not half bad at it. What he did promise though was that there would be a time of refreshing. Roll on Monday.

Monday: Everything sorted itself out- I’m demonstrating 3 more labs, then moving onto my project. God’s happy cos I’m going to be submitting to the authorities I’m under, and also I’m going to be less stressed. So what have I learned (and subsequently forgotten, except for the faithfulness of my friends).
1) God will challenge us whenever he feels like
2) I should consult God on everything I do before I do it- at least on life affecting stuff- I’m not sure whether he cares whether I wear jeans or chinos as a general rule
3) I can be very cocky and stubborn- and do need to have God’s grace and protection over that area of my life.
4) He’s a flippin’ great God

I should also quickly blog about cell group last night: Cell started at 7:30, I had a promise from 4 guys to come along at 7:30, to try out this cell thing- 7:30 came and went. Um, yeah, God- what was going on? Started to ring people at 7:45, gave up in frustration at 7:50 because no one wanted to come-Prayed for even 1 guy, just 1. Then in walked Scott, and then Josh. These two guys totally made my night, not only for showing up, but also being really keen and really on fire for God, Yes Scott, even you are on fire for God. So I was oh so blessed and had the most awesome time. J J J

Is that a good reason to think I was under attack on Sunday. I think so!

|

Midnight Blog

What an interesting Saturday, but alas the weekend goes way too quickly, and it's back to Sunday already. I think I'll give the whole research-is-a-real-killer thing a rest at the moment. Not that it's entirely resolved, but I wanna talk about something else today.

I've done three 21sts today, and they've been really different, although all for really cool girls/women/chicks that I know.

The first was Penny's at Brunch. It was cool to meet her family, and I'm glad she seemed to like the bracelet that Sam and I got her. Good time with the usual crowd. Sorry, I don't think there's really much to comment on here, partly cos its already been done better else where, and the other two provide a better contrast for what's on my heart. But it was cool none the least.

The first of my two 21sts tonight was Yasmin's (not Jasmine or any other variation.) I don't know her that well, in fact, I only really met her last year, even after going to the same church for 3 years. She's cool, quite a caring person, but that's about all I really know about her. Ok- so maybe a bit more, but more of an acquaintance than a good friend. There were heaps of people there, all paying the highest compliments to Yasmin, and just having a good time, meeting a whole heap of new people, and catching up with old and familiar faces.

Then i went to Tracy's 21st, which was a total opposite. Tracy was my ex-flatmate, and I get on with her really well. She probably kept me sane several times last year during "flat incidences". Tracy's not a Christian, and it was intersesting going to a non-christian 21st- I don't think I've been to that many, maybe a few, but no more than 1 hand. There were a lot of people drinking, and carousing, having a good time. I found Brent, Gus and Renee- meet some of her friends and that was about it. It just seemed that people stuck to their own groups a lot more, unlike at Yasmin's where everybody was well, more open to saying "Hi, I'm so and so. How do you know Yasmin?". Not that I'm begrudging people getting drunk, and dancing, doing other pub stuff. I freely confess that I've been to church far more times than I've been on the town, and perhaps that if I went out long enough, I'd meet a great bunch of people/move into the circle of friends that I have that tend to go out more. But somehow I'd doubt it. I still had a good time, but it did strike me how we did seem to sit around a lot more, [perhaps with a bit of alcohol, and perhaps make passing comment/jokes, or watch the girls dance. I don't think getting up and dancing would have helped, although I didn't try.

So what did I find- I enjoyed both parties, Yasmin's for the general atmosphere and the love. Tracy's was cool because it meant heaps to Tracy, got to see some people who I haven't seen in ages. However if I was to extrapolate the parties into communities, I think I would prefer the Christian one. Not because it's safer or anything else, but people are just more of a community rather than a group of people. I seem to be attracted to this great ideal of community, and I do seek it quite a lot. I think many people do. I just wonder how many people find it at the bottom of a bottle.

|

“Stop the presses” Or “How to lose jobs and infuriate people”

Ok, so I have nothing important to say that really does require presses to be stopped, but I do feel like blogging- for the second day in a row. I know- what’s going on with the world- watch out for that flying pig.

Today had it’s good points and bad points.

Good point everything I wanted to do or at least start was achieved.

Bad Point: Some of this stuff was really hard.
I have to ask the anatomy department to take down my hours again. This time things are a lot more set in concrete, and contracts have been issued etc, I haven’t signed yet, but it does make things more difficult for them. This sucks because I hate being a nuisance to people and I hate disappointing people. I also hate having to give up demonstrating, because it really is the one of my weekly highlights- Yes ok I know its sad to get excited about the brain, but what can YOU do? I feel like I haven’t really faced up to the facts of reality, and kinda wussed out of giving this up. Which is poor form, I won’t deny it, and it affects heaps of people. I wish I’d done it sooner, and didn’t really want to go up and see the organiser- but I did, and she was slightly mad- and told me to go see someone else- who I was chasing around all day, and eventually left a note asking if I could see her tomorrow.

I think I’m learning a big lesson in honesty and communication here. I didn’t really bring it to my supervisors attention because I didn’t want him to say no, which he did, and didn’t want to let the anatomy people down, because I consider teaching people one of the highest privileges. My mate Julius told me that I seem to light up when I’m in the anatomy labs. And the money isn’t bad either, but I’d do it for minimum wage if I had to. But it must be given up for the sake of the project, and the fact that it must come first. I also didn’t realize how much work it would take out of my day. They’re only two hours, but seem so much longer cos they take out a whole morning of work.

Chasing after the second person was really like drawing a hot poker over my arm for a lot of the time. Remember going to see the principal? Heaps like that. Really claiming a lot of verses- especially “love never fails” And it doesn’t. God has this funny way of sending his angels to be a comfort. This is something else I’ve noticed over the past couple of days. Whenever I’ve been feeling really down about the issue- especially when I’m in the middle of it- ref Ps 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; I just seem to bump into female friends and I seem to walk away feeling a bit bigger and bolder and not so much down- it’s happened twice this week, today and Monday. I have no idea why my chick friends are being used in this way, but big ups to you guys- a smile from a friend is currently worth so much to me. But Guys can smile at me too. And I’ll try smile back.

So I want to finish on a good point (cos bad negatives are so downtrodden): Yesterday at Prayer, Abbey said that this would be a time of repentance then refreshing (Acts 3:19?). today, I feel I am going through some of that, and learning that I should really ask God harder before I sign up to something. But ist shall be resolved, and I shall get his refreshing because GOD (not stone cold) said so.

Oh, and Sam- you said I would blog on the 9th, not the 10th. King to me eh?

|

The blog spot ate my homework
So as I was saying...

I'll be found there. I sat and I prayed, spewed my guts out to God, repented for a lot of stuff, especially putting myself first before my cell group. OK so I enjoyed my docs BBQ, but was it worth it? Dunno- Just called some of the guys, and they weren't so keen after going to Vision. Oh well, I hope that they find a church real soon, and get themselves established. That would be cool, better than them being in my cell group and not being anywhere else.

You might end up calling me Jerry Macguire, with my one "client", whom I serve wholeheartedly. Now that would be very different. I dunno. I know that even though I'm busy, this is what God wants me to do. And commit to whole heartedly. This is definitiely proving that he is God and I am not. Its just odd how easy last year was with CF compared to now. But I guess that's the way aye?

But in saying that, God wasn't a total spoilsport. I called my family last night, and had a really AWESOME chat with Greg (youngest Bro) about God, Jesus and where they can be found, what they do on their weekends etc... But seriously, it was really cool, and i'm glad that he's keen to search further. Greg, if you're reading, I'm praying that you find what you dream of.

Ok, so I did doze off at prayer today, but i'm real glad that I could pray with others, cos I have done a lot of it by myself at the moment, and apparently it only gets worse. Which is sad, but makes me really appreciate the times that I do get to pray with others- like Today and Sunday night. God isn't any realer, but there is something cool about being together as one people.

If this is not too busy, how on earth does anybody manage a relationship??? I mean I barely see my friends as it is! I dunno- but I'm sure that something silly will be said.

Sweet, (Oh so please work!!)

|

This is like revisiting an old friend...

I haven't been here since Saturday. I know that it seems like longer (bout 10 days at last count), but I did try on Saturday, but there was phone issues, people getting confused and it all just fell over in a big heap actually. Which i'm kinda glad about cos there was some stuff that I may have regretted blogging- nah, mistakes are cool.

So, Ifinished my first draft of my introduction. There was more I could have done to make it better, but I was getting pretty sick of it. It was 7653 words or 22 pages at 1.5 line spacing. It was quiet large, and I hope I'm just being picky. However I feel that I don't know enough about chemokines, (hormones which tell your inflammatory cells to go to the problem, rather than normal areas.) So I think that'll be rewritten. : (

Went to a physiology seminar the other day on one of the proteins used in muscle development. Ok so it was very intellectual and , but it was interesting to see the scientific process in action, and it was very interesting to see one of the associate Profs get a griling from a colleague. It's something that I'm not particularly looking forward to, but iron sharpens iron, and I know that it makes you a better scientist. (not sure about a better person though!) (No, of course it does- and what other challenges are there than other people?)

SO, I had an interesting experience at cell group last night. Like no body turning up. A few guys apologised, others forgot- I had to change it myself because I'd double booked. I felt pretty gutted- even the encouraging "Remember how Steph's cell group started." didn't really help. SO I went and wandered down to Prospect Park for a bit. I guess if I'm in that sort of mood, I be able to found there

|