It's been 11 days already since I've arrived to Tokyo. It still seems surreal. Especially because I never pictured this day coming and I've waited 14 years for it.

As soon as I arrived, I got the honor to share in the 4:30PM JLH Tokyo service for 5 minutes of fire, and translated announcements. It's weird being the one translating announcements... it used to be someone else translating me with announcements. I get to do it again this week, so it'll be fun!

I started practicing a lot... because I need to learn all the songs for JLH Tokyo~ they are different from what we did in Hong Kong. Now the pressure is on. :D

I am thankful for everyone that I've met in Hong Kong. I love each and every one of you! I miss you all heaps!

It is also weird that I speak mostly Japanese now. I barely ever speak English. I guess it's a good thing for me And.... I bought the NDS game I wanted. HAHA. Hopefully my Japanese will get better!!!

Living with my grandparents have been a huge challenge. A bigger challenge than I thought. I decided that crying doesn't make things better for me. But a changed heart, a changed attitude and a changed perspective. I can't do it by my strength, but by the strength God gives me.

To be honest, since I've arrived, it's been really really really tough. To the point I've cried and broke down, wanted to give up. But I know that this obstacle is in front of me for a reason. To be able to love, even though it is soo hard to love. Being humble in everything I do. Putting others first. I think part of the reason why it's hard for me to adjust is that I got SOO independent. I got too used to it. To the point where it's hard for me to appreciate other people's effort in "babying" me and being soo overly concerned for me, like my grandparents. So now, it's a test for me to be more appreciative and love.

I have a job interview on Monday! Yeah!! I'm excited!

Thank you, especially you Jam. Thank you for your prayers and always encouraging me!

I woke up this morning, thinking it would be another normal day. But it's kind of cloudy, yet the birds are chirping away at some business. I did what I always do and check my facebook. As I checked my facebook, I always get excited when I get a message in my inbox. I've been writing to some of my friends back in MN. It's been really cool starting to write to some of my high school friends. One of them that I started to write to was a friend I've known since 7th grade. When I met her, I started praying for her. I started trying to be Jesus to her. I went to a few evangelism trainings and even wrote letters to her telling her about Jesus. But in the end, I couldn't get her to understand that God loved her so much and wants a relationship with her. As years passed, my friendship with her diminished, as our paths no longer passed.

Today, when I checked my inbox, I got a message from her. It blew my mind. I started crying. She started going to a Bible study and is praying that she could understand God more and more. She's praying for me and my family. Um.. WHAT! I was at a loss for words. I was amazed. But God has His planning. Although you may not know who you are impacting now, God will help it to bear fruit.

Keep praying for others. Keep planting seeds in others. It's not worthless. You might not see the result, but God sees your effort.

so after our leadership meeting and chillin with the Stokes (pastors) for a while, I went to meet with one of my Life Group girls that is leaving for England on Wednesday. We went to an upstairs cafe, which seems to be pretty popular among the young people. Except it's quite expensive.. every drink is at least 34HKD.

Anyway, as I was sitting, I was observing, as always. But when I sat down, I noticed a girl couple tables over in her secondary school (high school) uniform and doing homework. And, she was smoking. My heart sank. And I kept observing her. Then she would put her head down as though she was going to fall asleep on the table... then her friend joined her and started smoking too. Their faces were so emotionless and so hopeless. My heart broke. Why? Smoking isn't necessarily "SIN" but I think it is ruining God's temple, your body. ANYWAY, that's not my point. My point is, I was wondering what the root issue could be. Life without hope. Life without God. There's so much potential in everyone!

I've been thinking a lot lately and I feel like a huge brick hit my head. I can't ever plan part of my life. like. EVER. My life keeps changing right before my eyes and I can't stop it!

So I watched half of 紅白歌合戦 that my parents sent me today~ and I was tearing up several times during it. I'm not 100% sure why... I wonder if it is triggering parts of my heart that have been untouched in a while. Or perhaps it's triggering a part of my dream? It has always been one of my dreams to be on this show... since I was in primary school. haha.

Seriously. I cannot stop reading this book. I wish it was in Cantonese so many people here can read it. Or is it out in Cantonese as well? Anyway.. I was reading a section in the book about grace. 恵み。I think at times, I am too prideful to receive God's grace.. but what, are we going to try to work for it? That's a horrible idea! We can never be righteous enough to reach God. And trying to love the right things without God's help is impossible. Loving the darkness is easy, but loving the light is hard. Why? Because of our sinful nature. Why do stories always have conflict? Something about conflict, we feel we can relate to the character and draw out emotion... we wouldn't have conflict if there wasn't a power of choice, choosing good and evil.

Anyway.. I hope that made sense. :D

I'm learning how to write Chinese and Cantonese!! 我係美和 (I don't know how to type the written Chinese form with a Japanese input method..)

some random thoughts going through my mind.

- First of all.. LISA is PREGNANT!! awesome!! (JLH-HK Pastor's Wife)
- I'm still sad about my camera. I just want to know where I dropped it...
- Since it's the beginning of the new year and people make things called "new year's resolution" that they started asking me for lessons. I now have over 10 students now.
- I need to pray heaps more about my life. I tend not to pray for myself because I always pray for others.. I need to keep reminding myself that Jesus prayed for Himself too!!
- I think I need to start recording what I do day to day. Like.. as a photo project. I'll steal Kiwi's camera. I want my family to see my day to day life.. it's weird because they would know what I am talking about if I was talking about anything in Japan but when it comes to HK, they are pretty clueless. My brother DOES know where Langham Place in Mong Kok is though. HAHA.
- Gotta get ready for the baptism in late February!
- Cecilia is watching me type. I sit on her. It's fun.
- Is it a sin that I like Michael Jackson's music? haha
- I need to be more thankful with what I have and stop wanting what I don't have.
- I am reading "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. It's awesome. He brought out an interesting point.. we never want to be ourselves, we always want to be someone else. We say we want to be thinner, have different clothes, etc. hm...
- This entry is lacking a photo.. I'm getting sad again... NO NO NO!
- It's my first Chinese New Year this year. I don't know what to expect but I'm excited
- I've been in Hong Kong for 7 months already...

That's about it for now.