Merry Christmas 2007

Merry Christmas to you all...

Is this my last Christmas here in the states??
hmmm.. i wonder, but i guess it IS (for now) :-)
But anyway, i'd like to share a song that speaks loudly to my heart in this particular festive season.

Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7gAkjaqO7s&feature=related

Mary Did You Know?

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy

Would someday walk on water?

Mary did you know

That your baby boy

Will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know

That your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This child that you've delivered

Will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know

That your baby boy

Will give sight to a blind man?

Mary did you know

That your baby boy

Will calm the storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has walked where angels trod?

When you kiss your little baby

You've kissed the face of God.

The blind will see

The deaf will hear

The dead will live again

The lame will leap

The dumb will speak

The praises of the Lamb

Mary did you know

That your baby boy

Is Lord of all creation?

Mary did you know

That your baby boy

Will one day rule the nations?

Did you know

That your baby boy

Is heaven's perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding

Is the Great I Am

May our knowledge and understanding of this Great I AM become the center of our Christmas celebration.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Mission Completed!

It feels surreal... but it's real: I'm finally done with my carreer as a student!


Last Friday (11/2) I passed my research document defense and 3 days ago I completed my final piano solo recital. Wow.. it felt great! The support I got during my recital was overwhelming... I can only thank God for all his kindness and goodness to me. Selain temen2 gereja yg memenuhi ruang recital, ternyata ada yg tamu2 'surprise' dari jauh... what a pleasant surprise. You-know-who-you-are.. Thanks for coming!





in action... eng ing eng... ting teng tong...






my anthusiastic fellow countrymen... love these pictures!



supporter from negeri jiran... thank you Jerry for the awesome poster! I will frame it.. :-)



My Hong Kong supporter.. hehehe... rame deh rameeee.... thanks for the support! (bottom: Jerry [M'sian kesasar], Tracy, KK, Coco, Mimi; top: Dr. Kao, Kelvin, Jethro, Curtis, Tiffany, Wallis, Janice, Mandy, Emily, Dr. Ngan).

Yup, my carreer as a student is practically over.. but I'm sure new challenge and task are awaiting. Yes, I'm ready!

God, my life and everything is yours... may Your hands continue to guide and hold me.

-SOLI DEO GLORIA-

Symphony of Colors

Despite the fact that I'm having my recital in 9 days, I decided to unlock myself from the practice room; instead, I went hiking at Ohiopyle State Park with my church. I stood in awe enjoying the beauty of His handiworks: the Symphony of Fall colors.

Presenting the captured moments..................

I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH! ~ I can tell.

for the beauty of the earth...

Let's work it out!!!

the beauties in action :-)

partners in crime :-P

we praise you for Your wonderful works!

THANK YOU LORD FOR YOUR WONDERFUL CREATION.

Your signature is deeply engraved through the beautiful symphony of colors.

Nothing i would rather do than to breath in all the goodness you have granted for all us.

Nothing is left to say: HOW GREAT THOU ART!

...Dancing on the Keys...

apdet apdet.. hehehe... :-)

1. Research document udah selesai dan udah dikumpul 10/19 yg lalu. Fiuhhh...


2. Research document defense: Jumat depan 11/2 (8-10am). Mohon dukungan doa..


3. Kalo defensenya lewat, then final solo piano recital Senin 11/5 (8.15pm). Mohon dukungan doa [kalo bisa sekalian puasa] :-)

YOU ARE INVITED!

Beauty of Math!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111= 12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...
101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint: What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:

If A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
is represented as 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

If: H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And: K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But: A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you: L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D 12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and attitude will get you there, it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

-cut and paste from a friend's mass mail-

Stuck

I can't get this lyric out of my mind:

Waktu tamasya ke Bina Ria
Pulang pulang ku berbadan dua
Mesti tanpa izin orang tua, sayang
Aku rela abang bawa pulang

Lai lai lai lai lai lai
Panggil aku si Jablai
Abang jarang pulang
Aku jarang dibelai....

Title: Si Jablai
OST: Mendadak Dangdut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqg_h738yqU&v3

Hehehe.. apakah ini artinya Apresiasi Film Indonesia? :-)

The Booster

"Oneness in Christ: The True Meaning of Fellowship"

Beulah Beach Camp, Vermilio, OH
Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 31 - Sept. 2, 2007)

Morgantown Chinese CMA Church & Pittsburgh Eastern Chinese Church

The Big Family

the Wild and Wonderful (hehee.. itu motto West Virginia)

Brunch-ing at the deck

Our famous 'cute' pose

Janice Chan, the new family member. Welcome to Morgantown, sister!

The HORIZON
So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "SKY." And there was evening, and there was morning -- the second day.
(Genesis 1:7-8)

Uniting with His people and creation:
SOAKED WITH HIS GOODNESS, BATHED IN HIS LOVE

here's the deal

New resolution has been made...

• Finishing dissertation by mid September
• Defending dissertation by 1st week of October
• Playing final solo piano recital on November 6

Visible?? Yes...
Doable?? I think so...
Persuable?? Definitely...
Dr. Tamio? SOON!

-your support and encouragement is greatly appreciated-

dia akan kuraih...

Ketika mereka bertanya... aku mendekam
Ketika mereka meminta... aku membisu
Ketika mereka mendesak... aku membeku

Aku bertanya, inikah batasku?
Aku merenung, inikah semua yang kupunya?

Di mana kuatku?
Di mana senjataku?
Di mana bentengku?
Di mana hatiku?

Langkah ini terasa berat
Tangan ini terasa kaku
Hati ini terasa lelah

Ku tahu dia akan datang... haruskah aku lari?
Ku tahu dia akan menjelang... haruskah aku bersembunyi?

Tidak! Aku tidak mau...
Dia akan ku raih, dia akan ku gapai, dia kan ku gekap.

-Morgantown-

Aug.10, 2007

Imposing God's signature?

When unpleasant things happen in life we often hear Christians say:
"I am sure it is God's will/ It must be part of His master plan/ I am sure He has specific reasons for this." It sounds comforting and theologically unharming. We use these statements so casually, don't we? But have we ever questioned: Is that really true?

Please ask this question:
Do we "blur the lines between what we know God said in His Word and what we think He might have said through our inner awareness?" Do we use God's signature without His permission?

Read more in http://www.rbc.org/been_thinking_about/08/01/03.aspx

Happy Quarter Century!

Happy 25th Birthday roommie...

kado yg bikin dompet Yohan jebolll....

Yup, kemaren b'daynya roommate gw, KheSin Khoo...

Sebagai roommate tercinta, gw, akhirnya akhirnya mutusin buat bikin surprise dinner buat dia.. salah satu highlight menu kemaren adalah:

Sup sayur asin pake tahu, ciptaan Jerry..

Padahal gw masak 4 macem: sambal udang/telor, steam fish in ginger, garlic, green union sauce, grilled asparagus, zucchini, red pepper, sama goreng daging 'pok' ciptaan nyokap gw.. tapi sayang ngga ada bukti.. nyesel dehh!!!



Yaa... berhubung banyak orang2 kreatip di Morgantown lagi kurang kerjaan, terciptalah warung heboh dadakan di rumah gw... KARAOKE ... pake laptop!!! Saking desperate-nya kita, apa pun bisa jadii... pasang speaker, mic, download lagu2 dari internet... pas deh gilanya..
Thanks to Jerry and Victor :-) It was a blast...




Coba tebak kita lagi nyanyi lagu apa?? ..............


Apa lagi kalo buka soundtrack "Meteor Garden" :P





Juara penyanyi paling antusias....

JERRY, the energizer bunny!!!

It shows u how serious and attentive we are in things that we do!

kapan mau karaoke lagi??!!! :-)

that's how our friendship began...

[One day after Sunday service]

"Pink, could you give her a ride?"

"Sure! But i need to go to Walmart first. Is that ok with you?"

"No problem!"

That's how our friendship began....

Ai Ling:

• the fun-est gynecologist-tube-baby-specialist


• master bread maker


• humble, inquisitive, diligent, persistent


• easy going, helpful, cheerful


• slow in motion, slow in decision making


• marriage sceptic, but didn't loose faith


• my regular 'client' on Friday nite and Sunday morning


• my spicy-food partner


• my motivator, my supporter

It's amazing to recall what this 1-year-friendship has brought us.
Of course I lied when I said you won't be missed... I have nowhere else to ask trivial medical questions or eating lunch at WVU hospital after sunday service anymore :-)
But with a ring on your finger and egg-sperm lab to conquer, we all know that better things are waiting for you. Take heart and don't loose faith... His hands are powerful enough to protect and provide. Have a safe journey, sister... I MISS YOU ALREADY!

...'till we meet again in front of ChengDu hospital

Tutto Gelato

Trying out new ice cream place "Tutto Gelato" in town after Sunday service.. and here's the result: 9 gelato in 1 visit... hehehee... We tried strawberry, rasberry, blackberry, mango, lemon, coco, kiwi, mint, pishtaschio.. YUMM-OOO!!! Jadi inget cafe Pisa di Jakarta...

Thou Shall Not...

Kenapa 10 perintah Allah diberikan ke bangsa Israel ?
Konon, 10 Perintah Allah itu sebenernya bukan untuk orang Israel, melainkan untuk bangsa lain. Tapi justru bangsa lain yang ditawarkan malah menolak. Begini kisahnya ...

Malaikat ke Italia.
Malaikat:"Hei kamu orang Italia, mau perintah Allah nggak?"
Orang Italia:"Apa isinya?"
Malaikat:"Jangan membunuh!"
Orang Italia:"Sori yach, kami ini mafia, membunuh adalah kegiatan kami"

Lalu malaikat itu terbang ke Rusia.
Malaikat:"Hei kamu orang Rusia, mau perintah Allah nggak?"
Orang Rusia:"Apa Isinya?"
Malaikat:"Sembahlah TUHAN, Allahmu!"
Orang Rusia:"Sori yach, kami ini atheis. Nggak percaya ama Tuhanmu!"

Lalu malaikat itu terbang ke Cina.
Malaikat:"Hei kamu orang Cina, mau perintah Allah nggak?"
Orang Cina:"Apa isinya?"
Malaikat:"Jangan berdusta!"
Orang Cina:"Sori yach, kami ini pedagang, jadi mesti menipu supaya dapet untung."

Dan malaikat singgah ke Indonesia .
Malaikat:"Hei kamu orang Indonesia , mau perintah Allah nggak?"
Orang Indonesia :"Apa isinya?"
Malaikat:"Jangan ingin milik harta sesamamu manusia!"
Orang Indonesia :"Sori yach, kami ini koruptor, jadi mesti merampas harta orang lain."

Malaikat tersebut menjadi frustrasi. Akhirnya sang malaikat terbang ke Israel yang umatnya terkenal bandel dan pelit! Siapa tahu mereka mau, gumam malaikat.
Malaikat:"Hei kamu orang Israel, mau perintah Allah nggak?"
Orang Israel :"Mmmh...bayar nggak?"
Malaikat:"Gratis!!!"
Orang Israel :"OK, kami minta SEPULUH!"

Snap shots of my summer

It's time to update my blog, don't u think?! ... hehehee.. Many great things happen within last month when I was 'missing in action.' Since people says that "a picture is worth a thousand words," i decided to share a glimpse of grace and fun in this edition through some of my favorite shots... :-) Enjoy!





Yup, mom and dad attending my 'early' commencement. It took me 9 years of college to be in that 3-strip gown! Dr. Tamio??!! hahaha.. wait till August :-P

A week after graduation....

7 days 6 nites East Coast and Canada Tour.. Here's the route: NYC, Phili, D.C., Niagara US/Canada, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Boston, NYC.



Graduates and the parents:
Christine Tan, Nancy, et moi in front of the White House, D.C.



The city hall of Toronto.. very uniquely designed, indeed..



the beautiful Montreal.. with the tulips



The Canadian Parliament building in Ottawa, the capital city. [I love this T-shirt!] :-)



lost in the crowd? hehe.. posing in the charming old town of Quebec City, a must-go city in East Coast Canada. Est-que tu parle le francaise? ehhee.. everybody speaks french there!!



reunited with my "partners in crime" (Maggie and Richard) in NYC. Miss you guys!

Yeah, as if the trip was not enough.. we flew to San Francisco!! GO WEST...



reunion with a small portion of my BIG family that I call "West Coast cousins and nephews."
Sister Rita and husband Edgar, Brother Hank and wife Judy (the host), and of course my Aunt Doris and uncle Joseph.



awesome picture taken by Hank during my 1st wine tasting in Perrichetti, SF.

Alright... enough about the trip!
Basically, the day after i flew back to Morgantown I moved to a new apartment. Craziness!!! But we survived... :-) Now that I'm back in town, i gotta get back on my feet and get real.. no more trips for me. That's more than enough, in fact rather overwhelming.. hahaa... God's grace is overflowing!

Now is the time to take care of my dissertation and preparing for my final solo recital, so that I can graduate in time. As you can see from the 1st picture, yupppp... that's just an early commencement; I haven't graduated yet!! Gotta work really hard from now on.

Oh yeah.. a sweet occasion happened last Friday (6/15). "SURPRISEEEE!!!" shouted my friends in the dark with the killer rasberry chocolate cake ... hahaa... i'm 27 now! but why do i look like 19? :P

Lord, I thank you for LIFE..

It is YOURS and YOURS alone!

Coopers Rock

INDO GANK.. Picnic at the beautiful Coopers Rock

How Great Thou Art!

Bersatu kita teguhhhh....

How big is He in you?

Mungkin banyak temen2 yg tau kalo I'm finishing my degree right now. Yup, no more courses and classes to take anymore; I'm just concentrating on my research paper and final piano recital. But i can tell you that I love to learn, study, to be challenged intellectualy; I adore knowledge and wisdom.. Even though there's no more courses for me to take at school, there's still a class that never cease to excite me whenever i attend it: my Adult Sunday School. This semester I chose the Basic Christian Theology Class. In this class, we are taught to remanage and review our our knowledge and understanding about our faith. Yup, heavy stuff: the doctrine of Creation, Man, the Father, Jesus Christ, Trinity, Sin, Salvation, etc.

Today we learn about the Holy Spirit (HS). How much do we really know about HS? Is HS a 'force' like many ppl thought? I learnt so much today. In class we learn about biblical truth and facts about HS: HS as a Being, a Person, identity, character, function, and works among the believers.

No question that it is a mystery for us; it's a complicated subject matter. But the Bible tells us sooooo much about this 3rd Person Trinity. Beyond comprehension! Honestly, I've never really understood why the last line of the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy states, "God in three PERSONS, blessed Trinity." I think i get a glimpse of its meaning through today's Sunday School material.

During the class i pondered... We, believers, have the concept that "yes, i know Heavenly Father is watching from above" but we so often forget that Emmanuel.. He is IN us! How often do we recognize, realize, and acknowledge that?? As 1 Corinthians states, our body is the temple of God when the Holy Spirit resides... how much do we care about this Person?

This morning I realize how careless and wasteful I am with my life, the time that He granted me to have, and how unclean I am with the deeds and thoughts. Kyrie Eleison... May the LORD have mercy! The lesson has not only challenged me intellectually this morning, but also spiritually. I need to be more careful with my life and my spiritual pursuit. Yes, He is IN me. I need to be more sensitive.

May the LORD help me!

ganti kulit

3 hari belakangan ini kulit wajah gw jg ikut2an aneh. Tiba2 jadi super kering lalu ngelupas gitu.. udah hampir semuka sekarang.. wiu jeleknyaaa! Gw sih udah prasangka penyebabnya tuh 2in1 cleanser+toner baru merek Olay yg gw iseng2 coba beli dan pake PLUS cuaca yg gonta ganti melulu.. 4 seasons in a week! Tadi gw beli cleanser baru merek Aveeno yg konon super moisturizing. No more toner.. soalnya gw jg biasanya cuci muka langsung pake moisturizer. Semoga kejelekan ini cepat berlalu.. Oh Tuhan, kembalikan muka mulusku.. :-)

not delicious

pagi ini tenggorakan mulai terasa not delicious. Am i gonna get sick? Padahal gw udah cukup bangga soalnya temen2 di kampus pada sakit selama bln Maret dan gw masih tetep sehat... tapi pagi ini....... uhuk, uhuk.... hiks, i think it's coming! Arrrggghhhh...

The Power of the Cross

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day
Christ on the road to Calvary
Tried by sinful men
Torn and beaten then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

THIS, THE POWER OF THE CROSS
CHRIST BECAME SIN FOR US
TOOK THE BLAME, BORE THE WRATH
WE STAND FORGIVEN AT THE CROSS

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face
Bearing the awesome weigh of sin
Every bitter thought
Every evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees
Now the ground beneath
Quakesas its Maker bows His head
Curtain torn in two
Dead are raised to life
"Finished" the victory cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds
For through Your suffering I am free
Death is crushed to death
Life is mine to live
Won through Your selfless love.

THIS, THE POWER OF THE CROSS
SON OF GOD-- SLAIN FOR US
WHAT A LOVE! WHAT A COST!
WE STAND FORGIVEN AT THE CROSS.

by. Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

new hair cut

Hari ini jalan2 ke Pittsburgh bareng Khesin, Yohan, Yew Choong, and Jerry. We had a big feast celebrating the end of our 'fleeting' Spring Break di "Sun Penang" the most authentic Malaysian Resto that we found in Pittsburgh. Duh senengnyaa.. hehee, biasa.. dikasih makan [enak] udah seneng ;P

Anyway, waktu mau grocery di Lotus Asian Grocery di Strip District, tiba2 mata ini melihat a new hair saloon, owned by Asian a couple shops away from Lotus. Hasrat hati ini buat potong rambut tiba2 muncul dengan begitu kuat. Alhasil, gw buru2 grocery then kabur potong rambut. Hahhaa...

Definitely Asian style! Soalnya yg motong orang Malaysia; motongnya cepet, tapi teliti. I said, i wanted a new style, this particular length, trendy but easy to maintain, and, do whatever style you think is most suitable.

Dan inilah hasilnya... :-)

newly found: Calvin Symposium Picture

Just found this picture in my friend's blog.
Picture taken during the farewell reception for International guests.
In the pictures: Jimmy Setiawan (Calvin Seminary's student from Indonesia, my host during the symposium), myself, Shen Lang (the girl that i mentioned in my report "Of Divine Glory"), and Maureen (kontingen dari Malaysia, alumni of Singapore Bible College).

What a memorable trip!

Lord of the Dance

He was the Word, a wild and dancing Word,
before the world began; he danced in flame,
and galaxies were born, and songs became
the sinew of our bones, and he was Lord.

He danced in bread and wine, and in the bright
blue fountains of the Water of our birth,
and all the bells rang, and along the earth
the incense of a prayer rose, fresh and light.

He danced in speech, in names that had a power.
in dreams with symbols vibrant and unknown,
and all that was and is and is to come
was whole in grace and worship in that hour.

But we have fenced him in and tied him down;
we think he comes as words and not as Word,
as only what we prove, what we have heard--
not seen, not tasted, and therefore not found.

We preach a thousand sermons, and we lift
a thousand prayers in notions memorized,
and stumble home and have not realized:
the dance is mind and heart-- the dance is gift.

He seeks us in the bread we fear to break,
the banners that we lift with trembling hand,
the images we fail to understand,
the steps in God's strange dance we fear to take.

He is the Word, a wild and dancing Word;
he sings; his joy is fierce, his longing deep.
He calls us from ourselves and bids us weep
and dance and worship him, for he is Lord.

Jennifer Lynn Woodruff

Weavings, XVI no. 2, March/April 2002, p.20-21.

Passionate Audience

Baru pulang nih dari nonton cello concert 2 bersaudara kelahiran Italy, Alberto and Fabio Parrini. Abang di piano, adik di cello. Magnificent performance! Solid program with lots of 'meat'.. yup, great music. So glad i attended coz it's held in W&J College where I teach. My total of 90 mins driving was totally worth it.

The playing was totally wonderful. Beberapa kali waktu ada not2 penting on the climactic points the cellist was making sure that we all got it: his facial expression, gesture, body languange, the tone, intonation, intensity.. wiuw, as if that's the most important note in the entire universe. Not to mention the transitional figurations that were tastefully executed. My heart leaps! That is what i call passion in playing. Ngomong2 ttg passion, tiba2 gw teringat akan ajang yg totally beda.

Gw jadi inget waktu taon 2000. Waktu itu gw masih kuliah di Kuala Lumpur dan pas taon itu Thomas Cup diselenggarakan di Malaysia, tepatnya di Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil, KL. Gw dengan antusias ngantri beli tiket 2 minggu sebelon pertandingan. hehehe.. Lu tau laa.. M'sia musuh bebuyutan Indonesia di ajang ini, jadi antrean tiket panjang jg soalnya mereka (M'sian) jg support badminton abis2an. Anyway, pada hari H, gw naik bis IntraKota #32 sampe ke stasiun LRT terdekat, dari sana meluncur sampe ke Complex Bukit Jalil yg super megah dengan berbagai indoor facility buat berbagai cabang olahraga [Senayan-nya KL], yg dibangun khusus buat jadi penyelenggara/tuan rumah Commonwealth Games (2nd largest sport event in the world after the Olympics). Turun dari sana, langsung deh gw jalan menuju Stadium Putra, stadion khusus badminton. Yup, malam itu Indonesia melawan Korea, semifinal Thomas Cup. Gw sengaja beli tiket di kawasan supporter Indo. Btw, yup.. gw pergi sendiri.. soalnya ngga ada yg mau ikutan! That was a fantastic experience duduk bareng supporter Indo yg berisikkkkkkkkk banget.. dari gendang, terompet, tari2an, topeng, bendera, sampe yel2 yg seru abis.

Back to passion, gw masih inget ikutan teriak2 bareng supporter yg laen buat kasih semangat buat pemain Indo. Waktu itu ada Heryanto Arby, Taufik Hidayat, dan Hendrawan. Same thing, every time they had the jumping smash, kita semua tau kalo that hit meant the universe for them; waktu Hendrawan yg cerdik mempertontonkan permainan net yg menawan; waktu Taufik dengan liciknya meluncurkan drop shot silang.. Wiuuuu.... we all went crazy!

Well, nonton classical concert sama nonton Thomas cup cukup berbeda kali yaahhh.. tapi sebenernya menurut gw tuh banyak bedanya, tapi banyak samanya jg. Bedanya udah jelas, kalo classical concert dilarang bikin bunyi2 selama pertunjukan. People will give you 'dirty look' if you talk! So disrespectful.. Meanwhile, nonton badminton di stadion.. gileeee, kalo ngga teriak2 ikutan supporter yg laen ngapainnnn nonton di stadion?! Persamaannya: dua2nya tuh wadah tempat pertunjukan passion yg paling nyata. Bukan cuman itu. Menurut gw, music and sport are the two media that could bring the world together. Who cares about our social, political, and religious differences when it comes to music and sport? Nonton aza Van Claibun Piano competition sama Piala Dunia! Who cares?! I definitely don't.

Gw personally bersyukur banget bisa duduk anteng nonton classical recital dan savoring every moment of it, dan jg bisa ikut jantungan sambil teriak2 kalo nonton sport event. Hehhee.. i guess i'm a passionate audience and spectator. After all, ini ajang pelampasian passion yg paling nyata sedunia, kenapa kita yg menikmati nggak bisa ikut merasakan?

Anyway, that's just my thought. By the way, are you a passionate audience/spectator?

May He grant your wish

Orang Cina kalo lagi Imlek suka mengucapkan kata2 berkat kepada sesama, wejangan dari orang tua buat anak2nya, atau encouragement yg bersifat nasehat. Salah satu ungkapan berkat yg sering dilontarkan adalah: "Sin Siang She Chen", yg kalau diterjemahkan artinya kira2 seperti ini: semoga pikiran yg ada di hati akan terwujud. (sin=hati, siang=berpikir, she=hal, chen=terjadi). Hmm.. how nice kalo semua impian kita akan tercapai tahun ini. Tapi atas dasar apa semua impian yg ada di hati kita akan terwujud?

We know too well that we can only plan, but God has the final say. Ini mengingatkan ku akan Mazmur yg ditulis oleh raju teragung bangsa Israel ribuan tahun yg silam. Raja Daud; Raja yg punya segala sesuatu.. tahta, kuasa, kemakmuran, kemasyuran. Kepada siapa bersandar? Kepada siapa dia minta bantuan?

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the GOD of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.

May he give you the desire of our heart and make all you plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our GOD. May the LORD grant all your request.

Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our GOD!

They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
O Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call!

Psalm 20,
king David

May this be your prayer too in this Chinese New Year..
Continue to trust in Him and may He grant your wish...

Happy "Piggy" Chinese New Year everyone!

LHAJW

Currently I'm reading a book entitled Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would by Chad W. Thompson. You might wonder why I'm reading such a topic. Well.. this issue has been tagging my heart for many reasons for the past years. I was caught off-guard with facts revealed by some of my close friends. Honestly speaking, I was so unprepared and unequiped while confronted with such contemporary issue in relation to my conviction and belief.

I bought this book at the Book Exhibition during the Calvin Worship Symposium that I attended in the end of January. For some reasons, this book attracted me instantly; I only read the title and the content, and that's enough for me deal with the book keeper. I made the right decision. The author, Chad Thompson identifies himself as an ex-gay. I know in an instance that I would learn many new things "first hand" from the author. Indeed, in this book I learn about homophobia, the struggle, the cause, scientific/social/psychological reasoning, the hope of change as God's image bearer, and how we, as Christians should act and respond to the matter. Even though I can't fully comprehend the issue yet, but at least I could learn to identify with them. This is definitely an eye-opening book for me.

May the Lord grant us a sensitive heart to care for His image bearer.

If you are interested:
Thompson, Chad. Loving Homosexuals As Jesus Would. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2006.
ISBN: 1-58743-121-1

Extra (BIG) Blessing

Sekitar bulan October 2006 yg lalu, sehabis gw ngajar anak2 class Piano level 0, Dr. Sturm sang koordinator class piano (my superior) hampiri gw dengan secarik kertas dan nanya: "Pink, i got an e-mail from an old classmate of mine.. See if you're interested in it." Gw dengan bingung baca e-mail itu.. Ternyata Dr. Woodard, classmatenya itu head of the music department in Washing and Jefferson (W&J) College in Washington, PA mau sabbatical semester ini dan mau cari guru pengganti. I was like... YES, I'M INTERESTED IN IT! Basically the college is looking for an adjuct faculty that could cover 6 applied piano students of Dr. Woodard. The offer to have an invitation for an interiew caught me by surprise. I've never even thought about it before..

Pas Thanksgiving break yg lalu, gw diundang buat interview, sekalian teaching demonstration, dan perform dihadapan faculty members yg laen dan murid2 yg ada disana.. Fiuhhh... what a gruesome and rigorous day! Everything went really well.. and at the end of the process, Dr. Woodard udah kasih tau kalo gw yg bakal gantiin posisi dia.. Agak2 ngga percaya.. hehe... I was thinking: are there no other candidates?

Akhirnya setelah semua paper work di finalize akhir semester lalu, gw ditugaskan mulai 'ngantor' alias ngajar hari ini.. hehehe... What a day! W&J is a charming little Liberal Arts college in the heart of Washington, PA. Since ini private school, fasilitas lengkap dan bagus.. Lokasinya sekitar 48miles from Morgantown. It took me 40-50 mins on I-79N to get there. (tadi pagi gw rada ngebut sih.. around 75-80miles/hr hehehe.. soalnya takut telat).

Gw kebagian 6 murid yg level permainannya jauh banget satu dengan yg laen. Ada yg boleh masuk ke class piano level 0 (no piano experience at all in the past) sampe yg udah bisa maen Brahms Rhapsodie in Gm. Six students in a row.. No break from 9am-3pm soalnya gw mesti balik ke WVU, my own school, for my other duty. What an experience! Enam jam non-stop menghadapi murid2 dengan kebutuhan, kepribadian, pengalaman, latar belakang yg beda2.. Very interesting. Btw, 4 dari 6 murid gw tuh pre-med students.. 1 biophysics, 1 bio major.. ada 2 yg double major! Gile benerrrr... kok bisa yah??!!

Anyway, it started really well today.. Hope that it will be a fun and wonderful semester for me and them as well.. Diharapkan dukungan doanya.. Semoga selasa depan ngga saljuan, biar jalan pergi dan pulang bisa aman terkendali.. hehehe.. ;-)

Of Divine Glory

Itu lah tema dari Calvin Worship Symposium yg gw hadiri Jan. 25-27 yg lalu di Grand Rapids, Michigan. Trip ini udah gw nanti2kan sejak dikasih tau sama temen.. since ngajak temen2, walaupun sangat berminat, tapi akhirnya ngga ada yg mau ikutan [initial Z and Z hehehe..] akhirnya gw pergi sendiri dehh.. I took 3 days off from school, melarikan diri gitu ceritanya buat winter vacation di Michigan.. hehehe.. Hasilnya: more than i ever imagined! Thank you God for answering my prayer..

Disana gw baru tau kalo Symposium ini dihadiri oleh peserta dari 30 negara, dari Asia sampe Afrika, Eropa sampe Amerika Latin.. We are one big family in Christ! Yg sebenernya paling bikin gw excited is the fact that I get to meet ppl from all around the world who share the same passion and burden in worship and music ministry. Those 4 days were so full of worship, knowledge, fellowship, and friendship. Not to mention the opportunity to network with many music ministers around the world; reunion with some friends that I met in church music camp in the past; and of course making new friends.

The location.. very nice and suitable for this kind of major symposium. Calvin College is known as 1 of the top 10 Christian Colleges in US. The environment is very friendly, buildings are well kept, facilities are great, housing is well maintained, and most importantly they have a great Fine Arts Center (FAC).


A praying snow sclupture outside Calvin's housing

Tahun ini Indonesia menerbangkan 7 kontingen ke Calvin Worship Symposium. Salah satunya Christina Mandang, one of the presenters of the workshop. So proud to have a fellow contry(wo)man to be 1 of the honored presenters. Dosen STT Jakarta, lulusan M.Mus dari Rotterdam Conservatory in Organ Performance ini membawakan kelas "Creative Accompaniments to Enliven Congregational Singing." What a great and fun class.. We get to learn songs from different parts of the world and learn how to accompany those songs creatively.

Yg pasti kelas2 yg dioffer semuanya bermutu banget. Kita semua pilih kelas sesuai dengan kebutuhan dan keingintahuan kita terhadap topik yg disediakan. I was exposed to gospel piano playing and choral literature. Sooo much fun! Great teachers.. God bless African American! I wish i had some of their 'blood and soul' in me... ;-)

Sebenernya yg paling mengesankan tuh bisa melihat dan menyaksikan dedikasi dari begitu banyak pastors, theologs, professors, musicians yg begitu setia meningkatkan mutu dan kepedulian gereja2 terhadap ibadah, which is the center of Christian life. Ada yg masih muda, ada yg udah super senior.. begitu banyak pengarang2 buku, pencipta lagu, guru2 besar, semuanyaa... dengan penuh kerendahan hati membagikan ilmu dan pengalaman mereka buat kita2 ini.

New friends... yeah, new friends!
I get to know 7 kontingen dari Indo... 2 pastors, 2 anak remaja, Christina, George, Pak Indra Lazuardi (ketua komisi musik PPGII), dan ngga lupa anak2 Indo yg lagi kuliah di Calvin Seminary: ada Ci Mega (red. ibu Pdt. Benny Solihin), Jimmy Setiawan -- Jakarta, Amos dan Yuso -- Surabaya. Selama disana diajakin makan Chinese buffet 2x!! hehehe... biasa...

Disana jg kenalan sama orang2 yg ternyata punya banyak common friends sama gw.. waktu cerita2 nanya "... jadi kamu kenal si x,y,z jg yah?" yah... ternyataa... what a small world! Ada jg cerita lucu aneh tapi nyata, Jimmy yg accidentally ketemu sama long lost cousinnya di Calvin. I'm serious: real cousin, same blood, from father's side. Baru sadar waktu masing2 tulis nama Chinese di tissue dan 1 temen bacain in Cantonese. hehehe.. ternyataaaa... Dua2nya jg kaget kok bisa2nya ketemu di event seperti ini. hahaha..

Tapi mungkin yg paling impressive adalah experiencing Divine Glory selama Symposium, not from the elaborate well planned morning/evening worship or the classes, tapi dari kesaksian 2 temen: a pastor from Iraq that shared how God protected his life, and from my new dear friend Shen Lang from China. An attractive, intelligent, and passionate girl that within a couple minutes of casual chat during the farewell party for International guest shared her personal testimony of her life on how she became a Christian and how miraculous God is through out the process!

Just like the message we heard at the opening worship, "Divine Glory" happens every day in our lifes.. It is God's power and divine glory that enables us to love, to forgive, to accept, to change, to repent.. and to enjoy the assurance of His salvation, knowing that He will raise us up on the last day. Let's worship Him as we wait for the coming of that glorious day!

Strolling on the snow

Hari ini jadi hari bersejarah... soalnya gw pertama kali bawa mobil di tengah derasnya salju dan tumpukan salju yg udah nempel di jalan setinggi 4 inches. Gilaaa... it's the most stressful driving experience I've had so far. Lebih bikin jantungan lagi, hari ini ada 3 penumpang tambahan di mobil (1 regular, 2 bukan regular customer) ^-^ Semuanya ngga terlalu jauh dari apt gw sih, tapi tetep aza under this kind of weather. Oh, 1 more thing.. setelah nyampe di gereja gw baru sadar ternyata gw ngga bawa dompet!!! (tapi tetep persembahan lho soalnya udah siapin cek yg diselipin di Alkitab) hehehe... Karena ngga bawa dompet, itu artinya gw drive illegally jg soalnya SIM ada di dompet..

Gw cuma bisa doa.. Tuhan, don't let anything bad happen to the 4 of us. Serem jg sih soalnya no matter what ini pertama kali bawa mobil di salju (yg udah kira2 12cm), bawa 3 orang penumpang, ngga bawa SIM lagi! God is good... tadi cuma slide sekaliiii doang.. hehehe :P serem banget.. out of control.. break pun ngga ada guna.. untung masih ada sisa beberapa inches sebelon nabrak trotoar. Pheww.. gw sampe deg2an!!

Anyway, I'm just so thankful that everybody's home safely..
What an experience. Di luar beberapa tetangga yg udah mulai maen snowball nih.. finally it looks like winter outside ;-)

Even When It's Free...

All time is valuable.

• To understand the value of 1 year:
  ask a student who has failed a final exam
• To understand the value of 1 month:
  ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby
• To understand the value of 1 week:
  ask the editor of a weekly newspaper
• To understand the value of 1 day:
  ask a daily wage laborer who has 10 kids to feed
• To understand the value of 1 hour:
  ask the lovers who are waiting to meet
• To understand the value of 1 minute:
  ask the person who has missed the train, bus, or plane
• To understand the value of 1 second:
  ask the person who has survived an accident
• To understand the value of 1 millisecond:
  ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special

-unknown-

Russian Tea Cake

Tahun baru ini mau bagi2 resep ahh... :-)
Namanya sih Russian Tea Cake, tapi sebenernya tuh kue kering yg mirip kue kacang atau kue bangkit yg sering kita makan waktu Imlek. I had it on Thanksgiving dinner in my pastor's house brought by a church member and i felt in love with it right now.

Here's the tag line: these powdered sugared pecan (or walnut) filled cookies melt in your mouth!

Bahan:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup good quality butter (kualitas makin bagus, kue makin wangi)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar

Cara buat:
Heat oven to 325F. Combine all ingredients except powdered sugar in large bowl. Beat at low speed, scrapping bowl occasionaly, until well mixed (sebenernya pake tangan aza lebih gampang!) ehhehe..

Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls (kira2 ajeee!). Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 18-25mins or until very lightly browned. Cool 5 mins; roll in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.

YUMMY!!! Yvonne tamu gw aza tergila-gila sama kue ini dan bikin 2 resep bawa pulang Ohio buat makan sendiri.. hahaha.. try it out if u like baking or if u like to treat yourself to good snack.

Psalming 2007

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue YOU know it completely, O Lord.

You hem me in-- behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
Even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

For You created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumbers the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

[Author: King David]