Birthdays and such

I suppose there is alot of content I could write about. I've heard a talk on prayer at ACF last Friday. Seminar on Growing in Purity on Saturday. Heard a few interesting things at P&R, as usual. There'll be a Science vs Theology thing on Tuesday that I'm planning on attending. I could pull quotes from Great Divorce (interesting book. fairly easy read, except for this one part. CS Lewis). Or I could post about spiritual defense, and the things I thought of Sunday afternoon (context: Asked PT about a good translation to pick up. Instead of giving me a straight answer, he gave me a bunch of links...and yeah. Some of them turned out to be a bit sketchy...)

But I think I'll write about some current happenings. All the other stuff I more or less have on paper anyway. Can't believe I negliected my notebook at Waterloo...oyy...

Today, Feb 12, is Michael Szeto's birthday. He's a second year student at UWO, pretty well known in ACF since he leads worship and has a very easy going nature. Now, I knew it was his birthday because I was talking to Michael Chan (of UW's Syde Engg) and apparently they were best friends in high school. Connections eh?

But anyways. I was asked if I wanted to play some DOTA, and I was like...why not? So I was over at Summit 16 after P&R. We seem to be waiting for someone, so I was sitting in a corner, reading a book (on Marvel superheros (y))...then suddenly, the door flung open, and the quiet house which held 4 or 5 of us, just doing our own things, came alive as 15-20 ACF people poured in. A random surprise party for Mike. The pure community-ness of it all. It was good to watch. Mike was taken totally by surprise. But it was good.

I think, what really stood out about last night's events isn't the random surprise party...or the 5 hours of DOTA that came after that...or the 5.30am breakfast at McD...or finally stumbling into work after 2 hours of sleep...

I think perhaps I was reminded a bit of CCF. It's not like this thing is unheard of there. Marianne got a surprise party too (where her bed collapsed, I heard. lol), but...

*shrug* I'm one of them people who didn't think much of birthday. Thoughout high school, birthday just meant I am forced to bake for myself. While others went clubbing, I ate cheesecake and hung with a handful of friends. Pretty good, I'd say. Last year, I escaped Waterloo just in time to avoid pieing, got sick at Stratford, but bought cake and celebrated myself anyway. I would laugh (and maybe cry) if I ended up with an exam on my 20th birthday, but I wouldn't be too surprised if that happened.

I don't need or want a party. *shrug* it really isn't that big of a deal. Just a simple email or phone call from people close to me to remind me I'm remembered is more then enough to make my day. I think...if any of a certain...three? people remember, I'll be happy. Last year, a handful of words was enough to level me. lol. I think, keeping it simple now will make it easy to keep it simple in the future. And really...it's not the number of people...or the cake...or whatever... it's really all about getting a line from the ones that are close to my heart.

Sometimes, even though I've taken to ACF favorablely and feel more or less integrated...I guess I still feel that isolation sometimes. But am I really? On my laptop, I have hundreds of CCF pictures. On my carrier case, a red ribbon from a friend at home. A short stick with some Chinese sketched into it, representing home. The sweater on my back, coming from a certain CCF-grad-led excursion to Winners. The Word that's somewhere at the bottom of my backpack, which came from another CCF grad. All these physical reminders of home. I told myself I shouldn't take on too much sentimentals while in University, but I can't help wanting little things I can carry with me that'll remind me of the people of ACF. Of CCF. Of the people I walked with. Ate with. Sang with. Prayed with. Studied with. Served with. Sat with. Lived with. Just like how a little Bible verse reminded me of someone from long ago...

Maybe I'm getting soft with age. lol.

Now. How would I avoid a pieing...oh well. UW is a big place. I'll just not study in SLC on that day or...something. (y) lol. oyy...

How did this whole birthday thing come up anyway? Connie was telling me how on Josh Lo's birthday, 9000 men in Japan get naked (okay. they wear a loincloth) and run down some street, as a traditional festival...or something. That's got to be...yeah I have nothing to say.

"Searching. Listening. Forgiving. Forgetting. Walking. Falling. Protecting. Defending. Hiding. Fighting. Losing. Examining. Refining. Standing. Readying...and one day, overcoming." - Summary of last time