so who's on the spotlite® today?

 
| today's special: ivan huang |

family is always taken for granted. i didn't realize how much my family means to me till i left home last summer to study in school. my parents have always provided more than i needed and despite the disputes and arguements i still found ways to love them. ivan on the other hand was a different story. not that i didn't regard him as family but growing up, especially during my adolescent years i felt cruelty and poor treatment towards your sibling was "ok." according to social standards, it was an absolutely normal thing to hate your brother/sister. but i never hated my brother, just thought it was all right if i pushed his buttons and "beat around the bush" a little. heh. but lately i've realize how fortunate i am to have a brother like ivan. i've constantly doubted his motives, and questioned whether he even cared about me but deep down i know he has a good heart and a love for his sister like no other. when i first found out he was going to australia for missions, i figured his absence from loo and home wouldn't matter much to me. it would be just like high school years, when ivan was no longer in the picture and i more or less, felt like an only child. but after experiencing some trials last month, i finally heard the bottled-up ivan, voice out some of the feelings and emotions i never knew about. our family isn't a very affectionate family. heck, like what chinese family is? i don't expect my family to constantly give hugs and express of how much they love each other, but some times it's nice to be reminded that you're loved.

*so iv*
thanks for sticking up for me; for being the excellent brother you've been since i first came into this world. i know i'm quite the handfull and i admire your strengths and endurance to stay by my side regardless of what i say or do. god has been so good to me, giving me such an awesome family and a wonderful brother like you. take care while still livin' it up in aussie land. keep an eye open for those monkeys.
*love your sis*
spotlite shun by erics* ~ 12:59 PM

 
| today's special: andy yu |

just recently, i helped andy start his own blog and ever since i taught him his first html code he has done nothing but refreshed, drooled, and gloated over his own site. i never knew blogging could bring so much joy, nor was i aware how content and ecstatic one could be over their own blog. and now that i added a sitemeter, he gets stoked about having 50 hits in one day, and constantly reminds me when the hits get greater. ha, i love it. there's still a kid-at-heart in andy.

2 reasons why i feel andy is worth today's spotlite.
1.) he was dying for me to give him an honourable mention on my blog, seeing as how i average 65 hits a day, and he wanted to see how much the hits would increase on his blog.
2.) he's been an awesome friend these past two weeks.

it's funny how God works in people the way He does. how He pulls off the most unsuspected timing and brings two of the world's greatest oddballs together to form such a friendship. andy and i always remind ourselves how weird it is that we are the friends we've become today. had it been a month ago, he'd be just like any other guy i'd greet and briefly mingle with at ccf, being on my huge list of icq contacts, but never taking the time to have deep/good conversation.

my earliest memory of andy: teen's conference 1998, he was worship team's lead acoustic guitarist.
my impression of andy, before we became better friends: suave, the-cool-guy, every girl's dream. ha. but the untouchable. i thought it was hard getting to know him better. perhaps that was because i was intimidated by him.
andy's trademark: his eclectic selection of [underground] music.
true rarity: that i enjoy 96% of his mp3 files. i gotta give it to him, he does have good taste in music. =)
what sparked the friendship: uwccf's winter retreat. we did worship together.
3 things i enjoy about andy: 1. his spontaneity. 2. his charm, sincerity and love for people. 3. his company.
how chique is andy? he can sport aviator glasses w/ velcro blue runners from zellers and still be stylin' it up.
you wouldn't have thought: he's got a soft side; can be quite the romantique.
why should you check out andy's blog? because it was meticulously designed by yours truly and andy's got great words and images posted there.

*to da andyboy*
i feel like words won't suffice to how grateful i am, so know that i cherish our friendship and always take into consideration your advice and opinions. tis a shame you will be leaving the loo in a matter of months, but know that our path doesn't stop here. perhaps we were fated to be friends, but i still like to think it was by choice. *grin* so i'll still see you in germany, righ?
*your sis & 2-week friend*
spotlite shun by erics* ~ 11:05 PM

 
| today's special: raymond yu |

i had the priviledge of leading worship this week @ kwcac, and ray was on my team. i honestly thought ray was a guitarist, just cause i always thought he knew how to play, but infact he wanted to serve as a vocalist, and *interpretive dancer* hah. wouldn't that be cool if he broke into foot movements and freeze poses during praise and worship? haha. anyway, so after practice he mentions to me how he wants to take the music home so he can practice the lyrics. i was simply floored. i mean, no one ever says that. most would take home the music to review the chords or practice drumming but never does the vocalist take it to heart to practice the lyrics. i was just in awe of his eagerness to learn and sincerity for worship. anywho, so here's an email he sent me last night that had me laughing on the floor. you may not think it's as humourous but i couldn't get over it.

man I hope you get this right now...
anyways I was wondering where you breathe for "my Jesus I love thee"
obviously I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm trying to learn...
I just know my breathing is way off from yours and it makes it sounds real choppy....do you sing the first line with just one breath or 2?
sorry if I'm talking too amature for ya... =(

Ray

*way-mun*
note: i didn't laugh out of pure mockery when i read this. i laughed because no one has ever asked me that question and i found it rather funny having someone express their concerns for breathing alone, in their preparation for worship. i admire your passion for God, your willingness to serve and your humbleness. you've shown me what it's like to have a child-like faith and desire to learn, to do your best for christ. i think you sing very well and am so glad to have an awesome servant of god on my team. wayne pau once asked me when he was still deciding teams, if i prefered a worship team with talents OR passion. without hesitation i said 'passion'. talent isn't everything, if one doesn't humble themself and chooses to glorify their talent, as opposed to our God. it's no wonder he put you on the same team as i. but i'd beg to differ on the talent portion, 'cause surely you got it.
*your sis in christ*
spotlite shun by erics* ~ 10:03 PM

 
| today's special: jesse wong |

first time i saw jesse: joe chan's wedding. i remember looking at the congregation while playing piano, as i was singing the tribute i wrote for joe and betty. his face stuck out the most. face perched out, mouth a little open. maybe a couple eye brow raises. i thought it was funny yet encouraging to see that people were attentive.
first time i met jesse: megan wong introduced me to him during the dinner banquet.
first impression of jesse: "wow. what a peculiarly big grin." nah, but he was nice. very friendly and approachable.
common grounds: believer of Christ and is just as much of a photography nut as i am. =d
what took it up a notch: bernard lo's webpage link to jesse's blog.
do i really know jesse? no. actually i don't. it's strictly through blogs. i only know the "jesse-online" (how sad, eh?) *but god bless blogger* cuz i believe jesse to be one of the greatest teachers. everytime i read his entries, he introduces new aspects and life-lessons that are so applicable. he's a phenomenal child of God - has so much to give, so much wisdom to share. i have a deep and sincere respect for jesse.

his latest entry about his room decor arrangement touched me. guilt came over me, as i slowly read the lines cuz i knew that all i've been doing was worshiping myself, with the self-pride on the walls, only showing my art, my friends, my interest, and perhaps giving the impression that i have friends to brag about. but it shouldn't be like that. my room should be a temple for God. so i rearranged the wall closest to my bed, taking down all the pictures i had, selecting a hand-full of people i wish to keep in my prayers and randomly sticky-taked them on my wall with much space to include post-it's for prayer items.

*jesse*
i thank my God every time i remember you. in all my prayers for all of you, i always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. it is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since i have you in my heart; for whether i am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how i long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. and this is my prayer; that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.
*all these things in his name, amen*

spotlite shun by erics* ~ 11:20 PM