Snapshots from El, Inc.

Update!!

WOW. It has been awhile. My last post was on March 16th? *shakes head and bows in apology*

Here are some updates in point form:

• I did NOT get wasted with drunk girls over Spring Break. I went for tour with the Ozarks Chorale, Chamber Singers, and Handbells Choir during Spring Break. I thoroughly enjoyed the thrill of performing, and the company of my fellow musicians over the course of 5 days. Between performances, we had lots of time to sightsee and enjoy Texas, so I had the chance to snap a LIBRARY of pictures. Good times.. ;) Here are some pictures:

WAH. That's a lot of pictures! Phew.

• I have been working like a horse in Clinical Experience Class. Averaging 10-12 hours of work a week for 1 hour of college credit. o_0 Good experience tho.
• I went home with James Wesson to witness his baptism, and got the chance to watch a St Louis Cardinals' baseball game (against the Cleveland Indians) in Memphis. Good times..

• Erm. For criminal psych, I had to read and review a book about a serial killer - Donald "Pee Wee" Gaskins. SICK, SICK man who killed 110 people, mostly girls, mostly involving sadistic sex. God have mercy on his soul..
• I have a "B" in Business Stat, an "A" in American National Government, and I'm passing the rest of my classes (cos my professors are either unable or unwilling to post my midterm grades).
• I think I now function best with 6-7 hours of sleep.
  
• I have discovered that I am a morning person.
• I planned my first service for First Baptist Clarksville. I now appreciate the enormous amount of work that goes into a worship service (e.g., putting up songs on Worshipplanning for people to listen to and practice, finding and uploading lead sheets and chord charts), and feel a small sense of delight for being given the privilege of giving up time for my Daddy. =)
• The end of the semester is coming!!
• Huy (my excellent roommate) is moving out next semester to take care of his sister who's coming over from Vietnam for an exchange program.
• Huy is taking us (me, Anna, Kathy, and Sam) to his host family's home today for some grilled chicken, fun, food, and fellowship.
• God is seriously SUPER KENG!! He is a really amazing Daddy who takes care of His kids. Had the chance to be used by God during a recent prayer walk organized by FBC. Anna and I had the rare privilege of being an answer to a woman's prayers. I lazy to type up the story again (=p), so here's Anna's bloggy about that cool moment:

"It was a hot Saturday afternoon, and me and Joel were almost done with our route for our church’s Prayer Walk.

We spent 1 1/2 hours before that praying for the families and hanging door-hangers on the doors of different homes along College Avenue. That was our church’s way to show Clarksville how much we really love and care for them..

We only had two more houses down our road, but we had a little more than two door-hangers with us. We saw some apartment houses to our left, which was also off our route. We stopped to decide whether or not to pray for those apartments as well.

Well, there’s always no harm praying. So we decided to go ahead and hang the extra door-hangers there. We stopped after the 5th apartment. There wasn’t enough for the two more houses on our original route. Joel decided to continue hanging whatever extra door-hangers we had, and I called up the rest of the people on our team for more door-hangers.

Joel passed by an open door while he was hanging the last of our door-hangers, and he decided to pop in and give it to the lady in there personally.

“Hi! This is for you, and so that you know, we just prayed for you and your family. Have a good day!”

Not long after we left, a lady came running up to us..

“Hey, I was thinking.. Could you pray for me now? I’m from Texas, and I’m here in Clarksville to visit my sister. All our money just got stolen, and I don’t know how we are going to get back home. Things have been tough on me. My husband left my and my three kids about 5 months ago.. We were married 11 years..”

Her name was Delisa. Joel prayed for her.

She thanked us after the prayer. And it was then I found myself reaching into my wallet to give her my last $10. She started crying..

“I don’t know how to thank the two of you.. I was not brought up in a very religious family. I did attend a Pentecostal church before I married my husband, after that, I hardly ever went to church anymore. You know, right before you two came up to our door, I was praying to God, asking Him to send someone to help us. And then you came..”

Joel gave her another $20; we hugged her, mentioned that our church would be there if she needed any extra help, and then continued on our way.

God is so cool.

It was not us who touched Delisa’s life that day. It was God. We were merely used by Him to bless her life.." (Anna Yong, Exaggerated Tales, 2007)

God also takes care of us by protecting our lives - one of my friends on campus was attacked by his roommate with a knife, but survived fairly admirably (needless to say, his roommate is no longer here - was expelled). He also cancels classes when His kids are drowning in work and crying out for relief, and plays nice songs on media player shuffles to bring comfort and healing to his hurting children. God is SO COOL.

Here's a cool hymn to chew on (part of my time with God this morning - He is SUPER KENG!!

O FOR A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE

William Cowper

1 O for a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame; A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb!

2 Where is the blessedness I knew, When first I saw the Lord? Where is the soul refreshing view Of Jesus and his word?

3 What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still! But they have left and aching void The world can never fill.

4 Return, O holy Dove, return, Sweet messenger of rest! I hate the sins that made thee mourn, And drove thee from my breast.

5 The dearest idol I have known, Whateer that idol be, Help me to tear it from thy throne, And worship only thee.

6 So shall my walk be close with God, Calm and serene my frame; So purer light shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb.

This is my prayer, and I hope it is yours too. Taste and see that God is GOOD. =)

Chao.

Labels: For the spirit, Musings, News, Photography, Snapshots

posted by Joel Chan @ 8:10 AM