Thank You Thursdays

I spent this past week cleaning and trying to organize my life. Out of this, I realize I've accepted some of my mess as "normal" and therefore didn't see the real urgent need for change. The other day, I put my laundry in the washing machine, then the dryer. But I had to run out to work and some meetings, so I completely forgot that I had left my laundry in the apartment complex's public dryer. Upon returning home later that night, lo and behold, I found all my laundry neatly folded and stacked by an anonymous, kind stranger. I was sorry for having left my laundry overnight and possibly making someone else wait for the dryer longer than they should have. But in that moment, I think that small act of kindness was exactly what I needed to be reminded of. That same night, our LIFE Group studied one of the passages on Jesus speaking to his disciples on servanthood: "...But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served bu to serve, and to give his life as a random for many." (Matthew 20:26b-28) This person's secret service really made me stop and be thankful for people who selflessly volunteer their time and energy to benefit others, without accepting or expecting anything in return. I highly doubt this mystery person would read my blog, but thanks! Appreciate people today!

The REAL DEAL

You know, authenticity is important. Today's society values authenticity a lot - perhaps misguided sometimes (more on that in a later post), but I think that points to our hunger for the truth and our frustration with being lied to all the time.

But sometimes, we just plain ign'ant.

For all y'all who been bumpin to that new, popular "Harlem Shake" song, y'all gotta get your facts straight! Disclaimer: The artist didn't actually claim that his music video/song is the real "Harlem Shake", but people sure conceived that it was - perception is dag'gone important too!

Here are real Harlem folk reacting to all those viral "Harlem Shake" videos:




Now here's the REAL Harlem Shake. It's a dance that represented the people living in Harlem, New York originating from the 80's. Just do your research.



And..... here's our Hong Kong shake from our Global Access Retreat.
Almost... but not quite.



"Are we done yet?"
"Yea, we're done. Thank you."

Top Ten Tuesdays

Top ten truths about timeliness:

10.  It's not about me

       I need to honor what I have because it was ultimately given to me, and it's not mine.

9. It's not only about me

    Others are depending on me to be reliable. If I am late, I make others late. If I'm on time, I help others to be on time.

8. It's not about doing everything I want

    When I try to do everything I want at once, nothing really gets done. 

Overwhelmed, unfocused Joe = unproductive, late Joe.

7. It's more than just me (and the here and now)

    Life is an interconnected series of non-linear actions and reactions. If I neglect one area of my life, I'll have

   to play catch up somewhere down the line.

6. It's not about how much I can do

   When I overestimate myself and assume I can do more than I actually can, things are half-finished and I

   feel justified in my bitter busy-ness.

5. It's not about how much I can't do

   When I underestimate myself and assume I can't do what I need to do, I stall and bury my head in the

   sand.

4. It's more than just my expectations

Good foresight and planning ahead takes reality into consideration - real life doesn't go the way we want or expect. Roll with the punches, because you will get punched.

3. It's not only about what I want
Desire and good intentions don't actually get me anywhere. Those things may be the diesel, but the engine required to move forward needs direction, destination, discipline, and dedicated hard work.

2. "Help me" - it's not all up to me
Even if I think I'm an island, an island is merely the exposed tip of a great underwater mountain. I'm not alone and need to ask for help - more of it and sooner!

1. It starts with me

Discipline. Humility.

I've been running late. One of the major reasons why? I'm full of myself. I think I am capable enough to do things last minute and cram everything in versus steadily, faithfully preparing with discipline.

Family influence? Maybe.
My dad is super-prepared, always ready, and early to everything and my mom is more last-minute, adrenaline-rush-scramble-do-everything-now fashionably late to everything - although she puts in a lot of thought and preparation into things. So, it's pretty crazy in the Yun household.

I'm kind of both. Sometimes I'm early and well-prepared, and other times I'm running behind. I need help!

It starts with me.

Thank You Thursdays

Today, I am thankful that God doesn't and hasn't stopped pursuing after me.

He started it. He's working on me now. And He'll complete the good work He's started in me with the work that He already finished on the cross.

"The man... hid (him)self from the presence of the LORD God...

But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?'"

Genesis 3:8-9


"...yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God"
Jonah 2:6b

"But while he (the son) was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him"

Luke 15:20

Story of my life.

Free Friday

I requested off work today and next Friday so I can get to work on other things.

I use my free time for work. Ha!

With time constraints, physical capability constraints, "brain wavelength" constraints I just needed a little break to catch up on life.

More than just being able to tick off all the items on my "to do" list, it's a chance for me to take a deep breath and get inspired for what's coming up ahead.

It's different from replacing my anxieties with more busy-ness. It's mental, emotional, and spiritual digestion.

Yesterday, I read about the woman in Scripture who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and hair, showering her Lord with kisses. The words hit me - is my heart that tender? Or have I allowed the busyness of life to harden my heart and am now looking for a quick, superficial fix?

I came across this little diddy, and I've been chewing on it for some time:

"People like to microwave everything, God loves to marinate"

I constantly try rushing into the next new thing, accumulating more and more stuff and responsibilities, then worry about getting fast results. Like microwave cooking, the end result is kind of sloppy, uneven and sometimes explodes all over the microwave ceiling.

A good marinade and some slow-cooking produces a tender meat that can be more fully enjoyed and appreciated.

It's a slow-cooking kind of day. Different pace, for sure, but God's still at work in me. I need to do my part and work it on out!

"... much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13)

top ten tuesdays: Halloween

We're having a Halloween shindig at work tomorrow and everyone's supposed to bring in a homemade dessert. Well, I didn't have time to go shopping and I don't have squat for baking ingredients at home...

So, here's what I can whip up with the things I do have:

Top Ten Dishes for An Office Halloween Get-together

10. Ten hard boiled eggs sprinkled with salt and store-brand hot sauce

9. Boatload of pasta

8. Leftover Cinnamon sugar donuts

7. Can of New England Clam Chowder

6. Steal my roommate's cake mix (just kidding Darma...)

5. Steak ... nah, this is just for me.

4. Buy some drinks at the convenience store on the way to work

3. Bake a cake from cake mix (Darma, please~!)

2. Popcorn (might be about 2 years old)

1. White rice with soy sauce and sesame oil plus egg on top (FTW!!!!)

See, also: Top Ten things to eat when Superstorm Sandy pwns your city

thank you thursdays - second chances

Hard work, persistence, discipline, determination and talent - surely, all important.

But if I had to choose one way God has manifested Himself in life?

Second chances. (A bit of a misnomer really....)

I used to think that people gave me second chances because they believed in me and my innate ability to make progress, to improve and succeed. But after receiving "countless second chances", I'm convinced that it's definitely not me worth believing in. That's quite foolish actually - because if I was indeed so solid and a sure thing to believe in, why would I still need to receive "second chances"?

It is not the one who receives the second chance who is trustworthy and reliable, but it is the "chance-giver" who is worthy of being trusted.

The one who extends the second chance, extends mercy. And the one who extends mercy has either experienced mercy herself/himself or has a great supply of mercy to give. Mercy begets mercy.

Thank you.

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5)

the day after

Another September 11th.

I'll be honest: This time, it caught me off guard. I missed it.

I barely had the awareness to realize that it was indeed 9/11. It was only after I checked my Facebook in the evening where I saw a flood of "never forget", "always remember" status updates that I "remembered" this day.

And how frustrating it was in that moment to observe people's desperate attempts to try to acheive something we simply cannot do. Because see, one can't "always remember". One can only just remember. The "always" takes the re- out of it.



Just today, as I was walking back from work, I was thinking to myself, how many significant moments have I missed this year? So many birthdays, weddings, farewells, opportunities to love... to advance. I've missed out on things and people that actually matter.

And today, I missed one of the most historically significant moments in modern American history.


Today. What was I doing today? Today was a normal day.

I was feeling kind of miserable so I lay in bed for a good part of the morning. Called in late to work. Worked. Had several meetings afterwards. Checked Facebook. And then, I remembered:

Today is not supposed to be normal.

See, without taking a moment to remember, life gets so monotonously busy that the days blend together and really don't seem very special at all. Without remembering, there is no gratitude, no inspiration, no motivation, no context for the present, no hope for the future. Without remembering, life becomes narrow and small - all about me.


One of the first instances in the Bible where "remember" is given as a command from God to man is this:

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8)

Because even the God of the Universe who created all things specifically set aside a day to pause and rest. The God who 'gives and takes away' specifically created the time and space for people to pause and recognize. And He wanted people to remember: set a day apart and treat it more special than the other days... that from the beginning, there's a difference between the Creator and the created. To remember my existence, the very life that I have now was not my own doing, but God's.

Without remembering, I think I deserve life. But when I remember, I see what's endured - God's mercy. And it leads me to believe once again that all this is not in vain.


I'll be honest: I forgot 9/11 this year. It was just a normal day.

But 9/12 - remember.

at ease

Here's a little something I'm reminded of from the Marine Corps drill manual: Keeping the right form.

Marines are always finding themselves standing, marching or fighting in some kind of formation. Particularly in a standing formation, the actual "default" mode for a Marine is some sort of resting position. The three types of rest and the subsequent commands are "parade, rest", "rest", and "at ease". (On the flip side, Marines standing at attention for a prolonged period of time, though sometimes required, is not the norm)

In order to execute these resting positions, the Marine should be standing in her/his place and retaining the integrity of the group's formation as a whole, but at ease. The feet should be firmly planted, hands folded behind one's back, and at certain times he/she is allowed to talk a bit and interact with some buddies. At any given moment, however, the Marine should be able to snap to full attention, ready to obey the next command, aware of her/his surroundings. Relaxed, but always ready.

There are times and seasons where I'm allowed to rest. The normal, busy schedule of meetings and obligations are put on pause and I can "catch up on life". In recent years, my perfectionist, competitive tendencies actually led me to think of times of rest as bad and unproductive. I used to feel guilty about taking vacations and breaks, even abhorring the thought of sleeping more than 5 hours a day.

Alas, my "body is catching up to me" and I've softened over the years. I'm learning that taking a day off, resting, and just spending time recreating are essential. Times of rest are God-created avenues for me to reconnect with Him and re-realize God's purpose in my life.

Now I need to take responsibility and learn the difference between laziness and complacency, and getting a good rest. That, I think, will be important in learning to keep the right form. Just like Marines in a formation are given the privilege of resting but are expected to be fully ready to move at a moment's notice, retaining the integrity of the whole group - I must learn to purposefully take opportunities to rest, but always be ready to serve and live out my mission.

Relaxed, but always ready.

Working Wednesdays - "Off Days"

The other day at work, I was having an "off day". I kept making mistakes and had lots of brain farts, thereby reducing productivity and costing our company some money. My co-workers and boss called me out on it and thankfully, my actions slowed us down a bit but didn't result in ultra-detrimental losses.

I could have blamed my incoherence on lack of sleep, hunger, needing more experience and "time behind the wheel", but at the end of the day it's on me.

Been doing some reflecting and came to the conclusion that the whole "out of character" idea is often misused and misunderstood. If a person is acting "out of character", it simply means that he/she is acting in such a way that is unusual for her/his standard of normal behavior. But that moment of inconsistency does not and should not excuse a person from responsibility nor should we be stuck in a rigid judgment of ourselves and others.

If anything, our inconsistencies reveal another side to our selves - exposing a bit more of who we really are and what kind of lives we really lead on and off duty. Circumstances merely expose true character.

Back to work.

top ten tuesdays

Top 10 quotes from this week's readings and conversations
(note: text does not connote tone... e.g. sarcasm and some have double meanings)

10. "The holiest moment of the church service is the moment when God's people - strengthened by preaching and sacrament - go out of the church door into the world to be the Church. We don't go to church; we are the Church." - Ernest Southcott, from Being the Body by Chuck Colson

9. "It's the way of the donkey, the towel, and the cross. The way of humility, service, and suffering." - Brian Zahnd from his book, Unconditional? The Call of Jesus to Radical Forgiveness

8. "But this is the role of the prophet - to give a minority report based upon prophetic imagination. In their wild, impractical, impossible, God-breathed poems they mount a challenge to the brutal tyranny of pragmatism. And I say, God bless them... instead of surrendering to the assumption that the world, as is, is the way it must be, the prophets fly in the face of convention and insist there must be a better way." - Brian Zahnd

7. "...but Moses stood up and saved them..." - Exodus 2:17

6. "It's OK if you don't know." - Kadie

5. "She said that my life was too easy and blessed. So I prayed, 'God, do your worst'. And He did..." - Nick

4. "Oh? You mean you're not perfect?" - Mack

3. "Don't be trippin'. He [God] ain't through with me yet." - Steve

2. "I don't believe in the impossible." - Mitch

1. "You need identification before you can work. People need to know who you are before you do anything. Get that figured out first. It's better that way." - Coleen, my landlady



These are the "Aha!" moments of inspiration, furiously working themselves into my mind and striving to be applied through my life. More than just "quotable quotes".

Never stop learning. Stay moto.

created

A lesson I won't soon forget is when I was about 10-11 years old, my Sunday School teacher took our class out when we were supposed to be going through our Bible study lesson packet. Instead of doing our usual thing, she (I think she was barely a high school/college student?) took us to a nearby wooded area and picked out a large maple leaf. She had us look closely at the intricate veins, capillaries and complex design of the leaf for a few minutes. She was wide-eyed, with a child-like wonder and gasped at this simple yet marvelous leaf we often take for granted. Even as children we were able to conclude that only a higher being was capable of creating something so perfect and beautiful. That leaf was no accident. Creation is not an accident. The life we live is not an accident.

As creative as man can get, he ultimately ends up emulating nature and ceaselessly expresses natural beauty via "man-made" media. No matter how "advanced", even artificial media is a mere representation of what's already created - man's attempt at replicating what's already made perfect by God.

The most creative one I know? God - the only one who can create something out of nothing, beauty from brokenness, make the foolish confound the wise, whose weakness is stronger than man's strength.

About a week or so into the Lenten season, that's the major take-away for me: Jesus is enough. Part of the purpose of fasting and abstaining is to refocus. Refocus and realize that my devotion should not be to created things or to my own imagination/self-realization, but to the Creator God who gave life. And not just "life as we know it" but eternal, true, everlasting, fullness of life that births new life in others that only comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, as we repent of our sins. There is no adequate substitute.

I've been trying to fast from certain media outlets that take up a lot of time. But during this past week (spring break), I realized I had conditioned myself to zone out in front of a computer screen - a created thing - rather than enjoy and being terrified in the presence of the glorious Adonai. This whole fasting, repentance, Lent thing? It's more than modifying my habits - it's gonna take some serious heart work. Jesus, help me.

"Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things... exchang(ing) the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen." (Romans 1:22-23,25b)

Therefore, I fast from created things that I may know my Creator and do what I was created to do - worshiping Him.

top ten tuesdays

top ten reasons why i'm holding off on buying a smart phone... for now:

10. I don't want to be a slave to email/texting. It took me a while to stop religiously and obsessively checking email on my laptop. Big time-waster. I don't need to increase the temptation by putting email/internet in my pocket.

9. Politeness fail. I see people constantly glued to their phones. Head down, eyes squinted and glazed, both thumbs scrolling... completely distracted. No thanks. How about saying. "Hi" and staying engaged in the conversation the whole time?

8. "I can Google anything, anytime." Great, now we think we're experts on everything (not even close). I like putting my senses to work and exploring the world to get some answers. Might not get an answer in .0023 seconds, but my brain = superior search engine. Try asking a human expert and traveling more - works pretty well and you'll remember it better.

7. Battery fail. If used to its full capability, most smart phones don't last very long (maybe 1 day). Good luck traveling or trying to enjoy nature. My "stupid phone" battery lasts like 3 days no problem. "Stupid phones" FTW.

6. Read/note fail. When reading books, most notably the Bible, via smart phone, you're just limited. You can only view a couple of verses at a time, it's difficult to gain a greater scope of the passage and you can't read and take notes on your phone at the same time. Somebody please figure out a better way. Thanks.

5. Patience fail. In the world of BBM, IM, texting - people expect instant replies. If not? Instant memory loss and instant flare ups. Instant gratification much?

4. ADD fail. With hundreds and thousands of applications available for use on smart phones, people are way too distracted. We're fickle and forgetful as is and are terrible multi-taskers. Currently, smart phones don't help us get more focused, just more distracted.

3. Memory fail. When was the last time you memorized anything? Birthday, phone number, email address... I used to have everything memorized. Now my brain is mush and I need to rely on things like Facebook, GoogleCalendar to remind me. No WiFi access + Battery fail + Power outage = memory blackout.

2. Awareness fail. Ear phones plugged into ears, hoodie over head, eyes averted, thumbs on smart phone screen = isolated hermit. Lots happening in life, but we miss out behind our technology/social media walls. Not to mention, pesky unaware pedestrians who almost get hit by car drivers who are texting. Sigh.

1. All your eggs in one basket. If you lose your smart phone, you are screwed. For example: Banks and credit companies are trying to make it so that you can pay for things with a swipe of your smart phone. If you steal someone's smart phone, you'd have access to... everything. No thanks. Go ahead and take my cellphone, identity thieves, you won't get squat... Sucker!

All joking aside, I don't really have anything against smart phones and "technology". They're fast, can do tons of things "regular" cell phones can't, and can make life easier and more efficient. And they're awesome in helping people stay connected.

In most cases, it's not the technology itself that is the "issue" - it's undisciplined, inconsiderate people that give technology a bad rap. Myself included. We the people have the responsibility and choice of how we use our resources.

"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?" - Ariel

Yup.

Fast forward a year from now... and I'll be a smart phone slave too. Sigh.

Oh the irony... end blog post.

thank you thursdays: true bread

This week, I'm thankful for this reminder from Jesus in the book of Matthew, chapter 4:

"Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"

Church folk - we're fasting together this week. While breaking fast one evening, I got a little too excited about food and bought a few too many sandwiches for myself. I conveniently forgot that while fasting, your stomach tends to shrink and your appetite for food diminishes (and I've been doing this how long...?)

Needless to say, I didn't finish and was left with a full stomach and leftover food. Fail.

I can relate to the Israelites who grew tired of the bread God provided from heaven and "craved meat". Wait a tic, rewind: God gave His people BREAD FROM HEAVEN. Every. Day.

*PKKKEEWWWWWWWAWAWAAAAAA~* (mind. blown.)

But then came the real bread:

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day."

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

- John 6:26-35 (New Living Translation)


And here I am still trying to fill myself with Wendy's Jr.Cheeseburger Deluxes. 99 cents each. Cheap substitutes for the real deal.

Jesus is enough.

One Desire Fast 2012. Out.

thank you thursdays

Top Ten Tuesdays, Working Wednesdays, and now Thank You Thursdays.

Why? Because at least once a week, I want to reflect back and give thanks. I need to do that more. Regain perspective and hope.


This week:
Thankful for family. We're figuring it out.

Family takes real work = understatement of the year.

We wanted to book a professional photographer for our family picture this past week because it's the first time our whole family has been together in the same place for more than 10 hours since.... a couple of years now? But it was Christmas weekend and every photographer was booked so we pulled something together on our own in the living room, last minute. True Yun family-style. Wouldn't have it any other way. We figure things out as we go.

Everyone. Christmas Eve 2011

Mom and the kids (homygosh i'm a giant. seriously.)

Just the guys: me, Dad, John at Princeton Battlefield. Where men stand and fight.

and... i just noticed my hair...

my sister's reaction to my new haircut:
"Ermmm......so where did you get your hair cut again?"

... i'm figuring that out too.

that game

I play that game all the time. And whenever I do, the end result is the same. Imagine for a minute: a game where you can know the outcome every single time because it's the same every time. What would that be like?

You know that game.... The Blame Game. Blame - not to be confused with Credit.

It's the one game where I usually start it, and I am the one who can end it any time I choose. It's really up to me.

How to start The Blame Game:
Think: If only ______
Ask: What is wrong with her/him?
Dwell on: Why me?

How to keep the game going:
Claim: He/she/they/you should have _______
Defend: You don't know me.
Explain: You don't understand...

How to end the game:
Take: Full responsibility. No matter what.

Apologize and forgive if necessary.
... it's usually necessary


It's kind of like yelling at the curb after tripping over it. It was already there.


"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?" - Luke 6:41

full

A friend was sharing with me earlier that he was just tired. Not your everyday, "I could've slept a bit earlier" tired, but... tired. You know, tired.

Tired from working. Tired from worrying. Tired from over-thinking things. Tired from smiling on the outside when you're gasping for breath on the inside. Tired from trying to steer the reins of life and taking control. Tired from trying to prove yourself. That tired.

I'm starting to understand Jesus more and more:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep good company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.
- Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message translation)

I'm thankful that despite my tired condition, I am filled with this unexplainable peace from God.

My heart is full. My soul, at rest.

Working Wednesdays: Co-Workers

A bit of a misnomer, since for now, I have most Wednesdays off from work... but I digress....

Co-workers: Besides my roommates, the people I see most throughout the week.

Usually the first people I see every morning, my co-workers are usually the ones to ask, "How's it going today?" and often the first ones we get to debrief with about what we did last night. "So, what did you last night? What did you do over the weekend?" and bouncing off ideas of what to do next: "What are you up to this weekend?"

I don't think I know anybody who exclusively talks about work-related things at the workplace. Topics of conversation with co-workers include relationship talk, why other co-workers behave(d) a certain way, dreams about our future, explaining how our families are like, why you studied that major in school, describing our hometowns, etc.

The truth is that for most of us we consider life outside of work "real life". So work then becomes this bubble that we desperately try not to mix in with everything else. Work often becomes a departure from "everything else", so it oddly becomes the space in which we can reminisce, reflect and reference our "real lives".

Our relationships with our co-workers may start off as strictly professional, but they usually morph into sounding boards for other aspects of our lives so we can get refocused and re-inspired after work.

The actual work itself can be enjoyable. But even the most enjoyable work - even if it's your "passionate interest" can get old = human nature. That whole, "I love my job! I wake up every morning excited to see what's in store!" .... true - but c'mon now, only on some days.

I had this conversation the other day about the difference between college life and working life (I still live in a college town). Why are college students so fickle and emotional rollercoasters? They're all over the place. It's because their environments are not designed for stability and consistency. That's not necessarily bad - because that makes for the perfect breeding ground for idealism, exploration and creativity.

Something that people get tripped up over in the working life? How structured and mundane and "same old same old" it can get. And one of the key things to getting through the work week? Solid co-workers that you can connect with on a human-level and just be yourself around - especially when your work can make you feel like you're a small gear in a big unrelenting impersonal machine.

What's more important when I'm on a road trip? The actual destination? The weather? Road conditions? Rest stop availabilities? Type of car I'm driving? More than those, it's the passengers I'm with. If life is more about the journey than the destination itself, then what makes for a good journey is good company.

Why do I do what I do? I can say "for God". True. But how did my idea, expression and understanding of God even come into being? Rubbing lots of shoulders with lots of people. Because there were people in my life who got me to where I am today to even allow me to do what I do. Others. It's what keeps me going.

Enjoy and appreciate your co-workers. The reciprocation makes work worth it.

listen

Talk is cheap. Listening is expensive.

Ever hear that joke? "Conversation: a vocal competition in which the one who is catching his breath is called the listener"

Recently, I was warned by somebody to avoid stepping on a gift bag, which was laying close to my feet at the time. I heard the warning but didn't pay close attention. Eventually, I ended up crushing the gift bag with my feet - not because I forgot that it was there but because I did not pay attention to the fact that it was someone else's gift bag.

"Oops! Is this a gift bag?"

"Yea, I told you. You don't listen to me..."

Paying attention is central in loving. To be clear, I'm not talking about being an attention-hog and people-pleaser. I'm talking about active listening. ;)

Technology and certain responsibilities have revealed my selfishness - I feel the great need to express myself (Tweet, Facebook status, blog, counsel) but don't care to put in the hard work of listening.

Courageous Christ-follower, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "The first service one owes to others in the community involves listening to them. Just as our love for God begins with listening to God's Word, the beginning of love for other Christians is learning to listen to them. God's love for us is shown by the fact that God not only gives us God's Word, but also lends us God's ear.... so often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is always to have to 'offer' something when they are together with people. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking."

Attention denotes significance. You want to love somebody? Pay attention.

In his book, Nudge, Leonard Sweet writes, "To pay attention requires availability... the capacity of being available, or being willing to interrupt your work and your agenda for generous acts. [It] involves noticing and nudging people by giving them more than a name tag or even a name... it is interrupting your personal agenda to enter into the reality of who they are..."

I wait for those spectacular moments of sudden inspiration and grandiose supernatural visions that leave me with incredible highs - but how many times have I ignored the whispers from God? How many times have I completely bypassed the nudges of love in the everyday moments with the people that I take for granted?

In this season of Thanksgiving, I'm reminded that thankfulness is not a passive emotion, but one that requires a resolute response. To be thankful implies humility. And what is humility - the recognition of who I really am in light of who God is, and that He is greater. The essence of John 3:30. I'm thankful for my God who listens to me, and for placing people in my life who have listened. I resolve to be available. I resolve to listen.

Top Ten Tuesdays

I love breakfast foods. They're pretty much the best.

Top 10 places to get breakfast in Ann Arbor (that I've personally visited)

10. Denny's
I'm from New Jersey, where we have a family-owned diner every few blocks. Denny's is NOT a real diner. But it does have ridiculous deals and they're open 24/7 AND can seat a lot of people at once. Accessibility puts Denny's in the top 10.

9. Panera
I always thought Panera was just too fancy to be a bagel store - they sell soup, salads, sandwiches, pasta... doesn't quite fit in as a true breakfast place. But the free WiFi and the cozy places to sit in and contemplate life while munching on one of those crazy Cinammon Sugar-coated bagels can be nice in the morning.

8. Breugger's Bagels
This was the standard for me all throughout undergrad. Especially on Sunday mornings when we used to wake up a lot earlier to set up for church, everyone was munching on these bagels. It's been there before Panera. It's open early and closes early, just like a bagel shop should. And they primarily serve bagels, which is appropriate and simple. I like that.

7. Mr.Greek's
A bit lower on the list because their portion size went down and prices went up over the years. Still decent though. Go for the Hercules breakfast, it's got everything you want in a breakfast.

6. McDonald's
I have a special place in my heart for "Mickey D's" breakfasts. I travel(ed) a lot and a McDonald's Big Breakfast was comfort food for the road. Good memories associated with this one. And McGriddles are pure awesomeness. Seriously.

5. Fleetwood Mac
Kind of a dirty, dingy place with greasy borderline-questionable breakfast food. Now THAT's a DINER! First time there was during my freshman year. My Jersey friend and I hiked over in the bitter cold because we were having diner-withdrawal. Waitress comes up, "Can I take your order? ACHOOO!!" Snot and boogers EVERYWHERE. We promptly ordered and devoured the hippie hash. Glorious.

4. Selma Cafe
Although I haven't been here yet from what I hear, it's exactly my kind of deal. A family opens up their Ann Arbor home on Friday mornings where guest chefs cook breakfasts for guests. Run by the family and a small army of volunteers, you get to rub shoulders with Ann Arborites, eat a home-cooked meal in... a home... and support local farms (all fresh, locally grown ingredients) and local businesses. It's the "real deal". This place is on my To Visit list for sure.

3. Angelo's
Mainstay of Ann Arbor. Classic. Good service, just the right amount of hustle-bustle - just the right kind of breakfast atmosphere. Get an omelet and their freshly baked raisin bread. Hugely satisfying.

2. Afternoon Delight
Discovered this little guy while working security across the street at the public library. Wandered over for lunch one day and had a milkshake. Brought ALL the boys to the yard. Get the meat boule. Four different kinds of meat scrambled into eggs, dripping with cheese all jammed into a cantaloupe-sized bread bowl. It'll put some hair on your chest.

1. My apartment
I always have my fridge stocked with eggs, sausage, cheese, milk, bread for toast, and cereal. I can have breakfast whenever I want in whatever attire I choose. And I can even choose to pass out on a full stomach afterwards on my comfortable couch. There's no place like home.

What's your favorite breakfast place?

Follow-up on previous post coming in next post!