I must say, I'm almost halfway listening to Tong's John series and I recall Rev. Lin's statement to me once about not wanting to use this series because Tong had criticized too many people. So far, I have heard none of that sort. The only criticisms he made were against the Charismatics mostly, and some testimonies of here and there, but they all were on point, nor were any of them personal despite sharing his personal experience. So I must conclude, Rev. Lin either secretly sympathize with the Charismatics or she is as Tong said in #68: @1:18:20: love to escape from reality.
So far I am pretty satisfied with finding Grace Community Church in Bridgewater. The pastor is young, younger, but thus far, shows more zeal for the community, for the church for any older pastors I've encountered in America. And more important, his zeal for God's word also exceeds the others. We are now vigorously doing Hebrews (Sunday services), did James and now doing Gospel of John (Bible study) and Revelation (morning Sunday School), all by the same pastor. It does make one wonder if he would ever have others teaching along side him, but it really is not a big deal for me. Pak Tong took years before he even considered elders in spite of oppositions from within. So we have a doctrinally reformed church here. The chief lack is the same as any American churches that's of the reformed persuasion: Evangelism. They usually replace that with mission trips or financial support for missionary organizations.
It looks like this will be a good church for both of us. So I am beginning to look into evangelical opportunity. Exploring the area of Bridgewater. There are several campuses but the main one is Rutgers (13 mins drive from the church). The others being: Raritan Valley Community College (9 mins), Pillar College (13 mins), Strayer College (17 mins). Student ministry is a good one to start. Other than that, I am not sure. Area is new to me. This will take time for me to survey first. My ministry will not completely depend on this church of course, in fact it's not really at all. The chief idea is that those who are preached to, can at least have a church that I know is good to go to. I cannot recommend other churches I have not truly known, nor the ones I knew no good. And that you will need a real pastor for things like baptism, etc.
Of all my experience in churches, I hope that I have learned enough to judge rightly. There are churches like CCCNY, which is good for gathering and getting care, but is an obstacle when it comes to TRUE evangelism.
top rating culinary in latin world (in Central & Maido)
Food: Lomo Saltado, Arroz con pato, Anticuchos, Rocoto Relleno, Aji de Gallina, Llama meat, Lucuma & Camucamu, Papas a la huancaina. Ceviche & Cuy-Roasted guinea pig (national dishes)
had Japanese as president: Alberto Fujimori
10-20% could have East Asian root.
Language: Spanish. Quechua + Aymara (modern descendants of Incans) = slower heart rate, 1/3 larger lung capacity, more blood volume, due to thin air and cold.
Atlas Obscura: Incans never had wheel, no iron, mainly built on fiber.
Incans: Quipus = knotted fiber for communication
Incans: Married women wear woven hats, single women wear knitted hats.
Catholicism but fusion with Pachamama (mother earth), 2nd largest of shamans in the world after India.
Music: Charango (like ukulele), Pan flute, Creole music, El Condor Pasta (famous song) - Simon & Garfunkel played it too (I noticed that the melody is similar also to their The Sound of Silence)
Leave a bit of beer to pour on soil to give back to mother Earth.
Paracas Skulls (Aliens conspiracy theories) - pushed and elongated over time = symbolizes nobility
Hates Senorita Laura, she's Mexico's problem now.
Guano (exported guano) Era under Ramon Castilla (also abolishes slavery)
Military dictatorship vs. democracy again and again
Falklands/Malvinas war = deported to Argentina
Cenepa War (War with Ecuador)
Soccer (Teofilo Cubillas)
War of the Pacific (with Frenemy Chile). All best restaurants in Chile are Peruvian; best stores in Peru are Chilean. Dispute on national drink = Pisco Sour
With Brazil = business relationship
Chinese & Japan. Lots of cheap Chinese labors when slavery was abolished. Largest Chinese community in Latin America. Longer history with Japan.
Was the cop crazy or caring - could be trying to protect us from some kind of tornado as we come back from the Delaware Water Gap missing the supposedly fun fall foliage hike due to rain. On I-80 coming near the Interstate 80 East Scenic Lookout. The cop swerve left and right slowing us down at one point, maybe there's some animal crossing?
One thing about Stephen Tong is that he is able to JUSTLY discern and attack on the answers to his questions. Something many, including his own son, is not capable of.
Now I have to delve into Revelation, James (with Tong's video series), and John's Gospel (with Tong's both Chinese and Indonesian series), and actually Hebrews too. For that's what our church at Grace PCA is doing now. We're done with James, but I'm only at chapter 2 with Tong's series. I need to draw a better picture on Revelation for my own sake. I have enough great resources to do all these. I also really hope for an opportunity to talk to certain church folks, but had not gotten the chance, either that, or I lack courage.
Lots of ecclesiastical events led me to reflect upon the past. Yes, I would still make Chinese churches my priority place of worship. Unless, that these churches have failed miserably in the tenets of the Gospel, which is very much the case in the United States. The chief reason I believe, is they are immigrants and therefore they make America their heaven, their ultimate paradise, which they have achieved. Everything else is superficial: The talk of God's Kingdom, the end times, holiness, righteousness, the Gospel, they are only for the academics or those who want to be "monks"...oops, excuse me, I meant those who want to be preachers. And if someone loves God's word more than others, their solution is - send him to seminary and become pastor. Can a regular Christian not love the Lord and grows in theology without being bothered to go become a pastor? especially when he's not called? 谁说对上帝有追求的一定要上神学？相反的，谁说念神学的一定要去当传道牧师？The foolishness of these really renders me speechless at times. My only conclusion - Materialism. Selfishness. And Christianity (not Jesus) is their mask to cover these.
Thus, my first of such was in Stony Brook, lots of drama, CCF's like childish social club with a religion title, the main pastor did try, but cabut in the end when the trouble hits home (having to lose the house to the Ex).
Then I briefly looked at some charismatic oriented ones: i.e. Flushing's Faith Bible Church. They love to preach the Gospel, I'll give them that, the only condition I allow myself to join any prayer meetings. But with Charismatics and the songs they sing, one easily falls into materialism, no surprise there, but I supposed this is a necessary but negative tool of God which I would be wise to keep a certain distance from.
Then it was CCCNY, seemed reformed, but actually not, because it's not even Gospel centered. When the pastor justified white lies, I had put on my guard. During Stephen Tong's Rally, I've realized that the pastor doesn't really care about the Gospel, but only to show "support" for a famous ministry. When she tried to promote Alex over Michael for Tong, out of knowing Alex longer than Michael, she failed miserably when Alex left the preaching ministry to live in ivory tower and her jealous against Michael grew as he advanced to becoming a preacher. She had to kick him out, probably because she was trying to promote me over Michael in the church or in whatever, among other childish reasons, I told her that the year after my wedding with Nadia at the church, we'll leave this church for good. Instead of asking why or show any care, the word seemed to spread in the church that we left because Nadia didn't understand the language in the church, even though she did attend it for 4 years. For not TRULY loving (the Gospel), making false accusation, justifying white lies, though none of which were done directly against me, would I ever want to pick up the pastor's torch? No, I would spit on it first, then I would clarify and confirm I wasn't even called for this. And even if I was called to such ministry, there is nothing they can do to stop me (much less to promote me), for they would only face the might of God against their feeble attempt.
Then There was the Chinese American Bible church in Monmouth. Charismatic oriented, but I noticed at least one who led the fellowship was really enthusiastic about the Word. Because of the type of prom-night-with-Jesus music and Self-Help topic type of sermons, I put this church as a backup church when we stumbled upon Bridgewater's PCA Grace Community Church.
I did visit Rutger's famous and biggest Chinese church, RCCC. Sermon was not biblical, not impressed. If they have small groups or other leaders who are sola scriptura, I will find them at later times. I'm done looking for now.
Issues with Koonlung K1S car dual dash cam (not recording sometimes), made me think the 128GB micro SD card is expiring. Made me look into getting the memory card (apparently max is 64GB class 6+ according to manual) and battery (the K1S uses a standard gopro battery used in the HERO 1 or 2 with the model number AHDBT-001 or AHDBT-002):
A couple of clips from dad, on Erhu 二胡. Played by 高韶青, 《戰馬奔騰》Enjoying Strings of East and West.
And a short documentary of Cicada蟬: Apparently it takes them 17 years to grow out of the ground to full adult, but this seems to be a special species of Cicada.
Water consumption requirement: many things contain water, depending on your need - based on your urine color - aim for pale straw yellow. Per Doctor Mike:
A good intro to Rhode Island by couple of Taiwanese:
I realized that to get Zoom Meeting recording to work with ShareX, I need to switch from Headphones (Crusher Wireless Stereo) to Headset (Crusher Wireless Hands-Free AG Audio), or else audio will not be recorded. Despite having audio set in ShareX > Task settings > Capture > Screen Recorder > Screen recording options... > audio source: virtual-audio-capturer.
After much learning from my marine tank, I've tried to take it slow. Started water changes, to even 50%+ a week. After about 5 weeks or so, I think I got the NO3 down from 50+ to <20.
Also after placing the first group of frags I got closer to the Fluval light (before my AI Prime 16HD came), the zoas began to resurrect and bloom again!!! So I glue one to the lower rocks when the Prime light came. Build a rack myself to hold the light, can't trust the tank glass to hold it.
This Wednesday (10/20), finally went to visit the Staten Island local fish store, Frag Farm. Small, but cheap, just as google reviews said it. The only catch is that $16 toll Willy has to pay every time I drive over the Outerbridge Crossing.
On Last week's Thursday Bible Study, on discussion of difficult passage, the pastor brought up Matthew 7's "Judge not". His point was, in what I believe to be an error, that here Jesus is distinguishing God's JUDGMENT and our "discernment". Thus, we do not judge as God judges. We merely discerns. Why I think this to be a grave error, not to mention influenced by fundamentalists' hermeneutics, is that first of all, a judgment is the result of discernment. Therefore, he felt a bit challenged when I asked about "presidential elections", is that not judgment involved. His response was "of course we could never escape judging"....What I would have said, if I could have such authority, is that "It is GOOD to Judge!!!", "it is the blessed gift from God to us when He made us in His image!", "It is what differentiates us from animals!", "It is not something to ESCAPE from!" But I think enough point was made. I'm not sure if this interpretation of "discernment" vs. "judgment" is popular in American Christianity/fundamentalists. But even any secular logic will show that it is not only a bad interpretation of the verse, but making such distinction is futile. Perhaps they really can't accept judging contestants in various activities...that it is not biblical or something. But that's me judging. I maybe wrong, I maybe right. So I just have to patiently watch and learn, although one thing for sure is not to be, that is such interpretation. Secondly, I already have plenty of entries on this, even a few of Pak Tong's Sunday sermon series on Matthew 7. Also, James 2:13 is also a good reference point to reflect upon.
This week's Bible Study, learned that the pastor is Young Earth creationist. Although, when he tried to answer my question, which wasn't about what are Young/Old Earth creationists, he gave pretty neutral credits to both sides, until I insisted he reveal his stand when he asked if he answered my question. I would have not bothered if he hadn't asked me if that answered my question, and let the mystery of his position go on. He mentioned aliens a few times, calling some demonic, brought up StarTrek original pilot episode once in his sermon, I am beginning to think that he's a trek fan or something. Young Earthers are usually under fundamentalist influence. But it also appears that he's coming away from that group. So I can only pray. Not even sure if his version of Young Earth is a 6000 year old universe or not.
