Yesterday: I guess whenever I skip posting for a day, that's probably because I gave in to temptation and sinned against God greatly, and I was too depressed to write anything. And that was the case yesterday. What's a bit shocking to me is how easy it was...there was not even a fight. In any case, it was a terrible day of unwilling shopping with traffic jams (which I got used to, quite frankly), and then it was the love feast and evangelical meeting. I was stuck in the techno booth again, and it wasn't that bad with Chen Jie around, I guess. The message was good, but didn't make an impact in my life, unfortunately. Today: Early morning start to get to cfc at 8:45 (late) and kwcac at 10 (late). I was too tired, and still some leftover disappointment from yesterday. It got a lot better in the afternoon, though, after having a lunch and beverage with Samuel and Jackson. They were visibly more tired than I was, actually, being at a bachelor party until 4am this day... It was probably the best time I had in a while (even with the minute of awkward silence). Evening banquet for the 30th anniversary of kwcac...my mom and I really didn't want to go, but after finding no one else willing to take our tickets, we went anyway (while still in sleep, apparently). The dinner was not too bad, I guess, and I was too full. We skipped the rest of the program, and I rushed to the mccf prayer meeting...with only Wilfred and I again...that's, kind of sad, really. Anyway, we were along the meeting, but Wilfred started packing before we shared personal prayer requests, so I could only followed, and that was that... After a "mom's talk" and sending her home, the day is done.

Random notes...

• Ah...Jackson got a Camry hybrid...nice.
• Boy, there were more emails exchanged just this week regarding the first assignment for my TA course than possibly what I've ever done in an entire semester...it's kind of fun, though, in a weird way.
• I find that a lot of things I just do without thinking why I do it, which is sometimes good, I guess. But after some shallow soul searching, I do find that I like to go out of my way just to spend some time with friends, things such as taking Kai and Sophie to church (or Ikea), or getting Li Zhen out for lunch. Of course often there's a glorified reason that I'm serving God that way, but really, I probably do it just because I like thse people and I want to spend more time with them. I wonder if God is pleased when I do that... Or maybe I'm just lonely...I don't know.

I'm grateful to God for...

• connecting with Chen Jie yesterday;
• the wonderful time spent with Samuel and Jackson today;
• His presence in the prayer meeting, even if there were just the two of us;
• helping me face my fears through many prayers today; and
• Hir promise, love, faithfulness, and mercy that converge together to forgive my sins, as I embarrassingly confess them to Him again.