mondays... hmph...

i'm getting to dislike mondays. despite the beautiful day outside, i'm stuck in an office building, filling TPS reports, and wondering what reaction my boss would have if i suddenly showed up in shorts and a t-shirt... *sigh*...

life ain't all that bad, and i don't really mean all that! ahahahaha... given that it IS a great day, and i DO have a job, and that it's IDEAL in the sense that i'm not here 15 hours a day 7 days a week... what do i have to complain about?

this has been such a hectic month. i never thought 2 consectutive weekends of travel would wear me down like that. but man - it was good to get away for a bit and have some fun in other countries. check it HERE!

in indonesia, i visited some old friends from the old church... was really fun to see the city, and eat at this awesome bread place. hehe.. we fly like 8000 miles (total) just for some #@($@)#$( bread!!!! anyway - it was good, and if you want to find out how good, you gotta go to jakarta and bread story at Plaza Indonesia!

then the following w/end was off to shanghai! that was so productive and fun. i mean- spending 3 hours at the cloth market and then another 2 hrs or so being fitted for the clothes to come... all at a cost of less than an IPOD photo??? we must have made about 30 pieces of clothing!! hehe :) i have to say tho - one of linnet's friends mentioned that if i were to stay/live in shanghai for a long period of time, i'd get as big as he is (he's pretty big!! ehhe).... and i think it's so true!! linnet likes to eat these squiggly squid on a satay sticks that actually look really gross but i'm sure tastes real good. a lot of the food is so oily, but b/c it's so cheap, you buy it by the dozen! case in point: sunday morning breakfast - 2 pork & veggie "bao"s, some 'fried' bread thing (not deep fried tho), some chinese "naan" thing w/egg... some fried (this time deep fried) really yummy chicken... that's a pretty gross breakfast. eating everyday like that definitely would add the poundage

buuuuuuttttt - at the end of the day, hk IS my home. and i had missed being here. being at 180. being at church. and being w/friends. and just hanging at home, watching csi, being w/my fiancee (awwwwwwwww....).

i can't help but wonder what it is God has planned for li'l ol' me. is it filing my TPS reports for the next 20 years? (PLEASE GOD! I PRAY YOU DELIVER ME FROM THAT!!!)... is it moving on and up in the biz world? what really matters? it's a long long process, but w/each time that passes where i actually think about it - i find that it's not about focusing on the where am i question. it's more about what am i doing about it that motivates me. this one sermon i heard one time puts it like this:

right place + right attitude = best of both worlds and where God can use u best
right place + wrong attitude = not so good a place, as not open to God's calling
wrong place + right attitude = God can use you despite this "wrong place", b/c you are willing
wrong place + wrong attitude = worst case - and you need to take a step back!

i think the hardest part is really determining which place you are in. for me - i feel that i was in the right place for a time, but now it's slowly turning. whichever way, my attitude is wat will determine my effectiveness. there are times when it just seems like it be so much better to do something "good" like charity work/church work/mission fields - you know, the altruistic endeavors. i'd love to just be able to spend my days purely thinking about helping others or planning 'stuff' to help others - but, i just know that God has not called me there (despite the thought that i probably could have an infinitely better attitude in that place).

there's a little story in the bible about using one's talents (matt. 25:14-30). in the application of that story - the parable talks about using the 'talents' God has given and multiplying it. the guy that just 'buried it', and was worried about losing it, had it taken away. in the same way - i don't even wanna think about what kinda report i would have to give God in that day when i have to tell HIM why i didn't use all that he had given me, and allow Him to multiply the fruit that will inevitably bare. not that i have to worry about that... just gotta go out and make it happen. but u know - u'll never make it if u never put yourself out there!

well - there's no doubt in my mind... changes are in store. fresh and new opportunities are coming. i know it. i believe it.

it's pretty slow this fine monday morning...