西雅圖西仔

 

 

 

 

 

你好嗎？

A time to reflect...

 

As many of you know, I have recently moved to a new desk space in my office.  It's my first cubicle-move since we arrived at our current office space 4 years ago.  While I was packing up my things for this move in my office about a month ago, a reflection came to my mind.  Well... not many of you know this... but the last time I packed for our office move from the WaMu Tower to the Westlake Tower, was also the very same day I first returned to His arms... my very first step into Chinese Baptist Church here in Seattle after finding it via an internet search with my sister's help and encouragement... it was 7.26.2002... the last Friday of July, 2002.... Tomorrow, will be the last Friday of July, 2006... 4 years... came and gone....

 

7.26.2002... the day... is still very vivid in my mind.  (I can still remember what I wore that day... but that's just me.)  Not knowing what to expect, not having been to church for over 12 years, I began driving to Beacon Hill following the direction from the internet.  I have never been to this neighborhood... nervous in my heart.  But at the same time... I knew I needed Him... I could hear His voice in my heart calling my name... He knew it was time for me to go back to Him.  I walked in by myself, and many were surprised to see a total stranger coming to fellowship on his own. 

 

Singspiration led by a very upbeat friendly girl that kept fanning herself standing next to the projector and keeps saying she's feeling very hot.  I didn't know any of the songs, but I read every word carefully!  Introduced my self, I had to repeat my name many many times... not the easiest name to remember.  Instantly, due to my "luk-cuk" Chinese, my nickname, yes, 西仔 was born.  The program that night - Bible Study.  I did not have much clue of what was discussed, as my heart was very heavy that night.  I just remember, as I sat there, I could hear God telling me to stay. I listened... and bowed my head to pray.  That night, first meal with Fellowship - Red Robin.

 

Lord, it's been four years since that evening. 

 

I have repented my sins, I have accepted You as my savior, and the Lord of my life.  I have been baptised.  I have served You.  I have praised You.  I have prayed to You.  I have cried out for You.

 

Lord... four years... what has changed?   Have I grown closer to You?  Have I met your expectations?

 

I probably have failed and disappointed You as I have many others many times.  Sorry, Lord, forgive me.

 

Broken Heart then, broken heart now.

 

But there must be a Difference... I know You are holding on to my hands forever, as long as I believe.  You will always give my Hope, and Love... and You will always be the only One that will never ever change, and will never forsake me.  Thank You for accepting me unconditionally... Forgive me as I have failed You.

 

Though I am still often sad now... but I do know... I know I have Hope in You.

 

4 years.  西仔, Have you grown?  Please grow up and grow closer to Him.  Please.

 

Tomorrow's Program - Golden Garden Outing

 

Dear family, brothers and sisters, and friends, thanks for reading.

 

I shall end with the following song... the first Christian song that touched my heart, comforted me, gave me hope and drew a tear from my face.  It's also the very first song I shared during fellowship singspiration.  It may not seem very special to you... but it will always be a special song in my heart.   The lyrics tells all... His Sacrifice offered us precious Love and care.  Our Life is only meaningful because of Him.  His Love will always help us to conquer our sorrow, and to face tomorrow.  And most importantly, His Love gives us never failing Hope!

 

I hope tonight, it will touch your heart as well.

 

And Lord, please help this 西仔 to always always remember Your Love.

 

 

 

With World Cup 2006 beginning in just a few hours in Germany... wanted to share something with you all.

 

If you have noticed, there's a new Album in my MSN Space named "紙足球".  Hopefully, you may have time to browse through a few of the photos in it.  Seeing the photos will help you understand my story.

 

This game of 紙足球... the history and the meaning of it all to my childhood... suddenly, it's all coming back to me tonight.

 

World Cup Mexico 1986... can you all believe it, it's 20 years ago!  I guess some of you who may be reading this were merely just 5,6, or 7 years old.   That world cup was my very first World Cup that I was old enough to truly enjoy this game of my love with my friends.  I knew almost all of the players name, I collected newspaper cutouts and articles of my favorite players, I even used my little savings to buy a magazine that previewed all the team.  And do you folks remember those "sticker" books where you buy packets of stickers to collect all the stickers to fill the whole book... I even had one of those and traded with my classmates too!  (I never completed, of course, there were just some I couldn't get!)  And i even got to sleep over at my best friend's house to watch some of the matches where we would go to 7-Eleven during half time to buy Ka-Lok-B and other snacks!  Memories, memories... who knew it would have been my last World Cup in Hong Kong.  Watching the World Cup just haven't been the same ever since.....

 

Now... the creation and birth of this game of 紙足球.

 

If you know me, you should know by now that Soccer was my life in my childhood.  There probably wasn't a single day that gone by that my feet didn't touch a soccer ball, whether it was on the concerete basketball court downstair, at school, or at home.  With this love of the game, and knowing that I can't actually play a real "soccer" game in the tiny space of our HK home (and grandma afraid of me breaking stuff with the ball!)... I created this 紙足球 game to be played with my buddies on a table!

 

It started with a mere folding of a card paper one day... and I press it from the top... the paper soccer player kicked the ball, which was made with Aluminum Foil (that's also when my obsession of collecting Alumninum foil started)... that's it... the birth of the great game of 紙足球.

 

With the Engineer and a bit of the Artist in me... I started to create entire teams, along with an official card board football pitch, and goals made of LEGO!  I standardized the sizes of the players, and started creating teams, and encouraged my buddies to do so.  I started with one... then another... then another... night after night.  From Brazil, to England, to Hong Kong, to Frienship Team (made up with all my friends real name), to even a team based on the cartoon characters of  足球小將.  Each team contained from 20-25 players including their reserve players.  Each player is carefully crafted and colored with their official jersey colors and names and numbers, all based on actual World Cup 1986 Rosters, if applicable.  I ended up creating 18 teams as you can see in that box.  If I remember correctly, the creation of each team probably required anywhere from 3-6 hours per team, from layouts, to coloring, to fonts, to cut-outs.  You can use the full-view of the album to see the details of the players.   Hmm....  Was I crazy... what drove me with such persistence and passion... all for a simple creation of a paper game???  Hmm... You see... creating your own toys when you can't afford or don't want to buy is great... it saves your parents money... and allows the opportunity for creativities!  So if you want to play, you must create!

 

Then my friends and I would have official matches with timer at my home when they could come over to play either during weeknights or weekends.  Lots of fun, excitement, shouts, arguments and... joy joy joy.  We would play the real game downstair... then play the paper game when we are tired or if it rains! 

 

Anyway, tonight... for some reason... I took this box out, and for the first time probably since I left Hong Kong... I actually spread out the players to kick the ball around by myself on my little coffee table at home.  Then, of course, a lot of thoughts came across my mind... I decided to capture the pictures you see in the Album.  The creation of this game meant so much to me in my childhood... probably more than any of you can understand.  Oh 20 years... am i still the same?   and to my childhood best best friends... 林大川, 朱錦華, 朱錦榮... though we have lost touch... but no matter where you are... I pray that each of you are well and God's love and blessings be with you all.  (And if by God's miracle and grace you find this blog... contact me.)

 

Hopefully, by viewing the album, it gives you some ideas of what I am talking about... notice the unifrom, the numbers, the names...

 

Friends, if you have made it this far... thank you so much for caring enough to take the time to read along.  I know it's a long blog... but this game truly meant a lot to me, it's more than a game... may be some symbolism that no one would ever undersatnd but me...  a big part of my childhood... soccer and 紙足球... hmm... if life could only be still as simple as those days... thanks for allowing me to have a chance to share my life...  or may be it's just my cry out to the World...

 

Enjoy the World Cup, my love ones...

 

Lord... thank you for letting me finding a glimpse of my young childhood tonight alone here in Magnolia, Seattle.