06/22: Church Exploration Journey Reflection Entry #6 - Moving Forward from Here

Eight weeks have flown by, and for these last couple weeks I have been back at FEC San Gabriel Valley, preparing to make the decision of whether or not to give the church my commitment. Throughout the exploration journey, I have followed their 40-day reading plan for "The Purpose-Driven Life" - a book that has changed my life in many ways before and continues to impact me each time I read it. I was reminded once again that the heart of worship is an attitude of surrender, and it encouraged me to surrender myself to God and allow Him to lead the way as I visited each church. I was overjoyed when, during the time that I was away from FECSGV, a few of the brothers there actually made the effort to check up on me and see how I was doing. The fact that they think of me even when I'm not physically present makes me more confident than ever before that they see me as part of their family.

And I really have no reason to disagree. I know that I am not biased, because when I first began attending their weekly small group meetings after Tiffany invited me to check it out, I had not yet realized my desire to be more than friends with her. And when we eventually made our relationship official after a few months of seeking God's will and getting to know each other better, the church embraced us and encouraged us in our growth both as individuals and as a couple. I remember one night before small group when a few of the leaders (who had known Tiffany for many years) pulled me aside to "grill" me and make sure I understood the purpose of dating. Sure, it was a little bit intimidating. But I told Tiffany later that night that I couldn't be any more thankful for what they did. First, it shows their hearts of genuine concern for their fellow brothers and sisters, especially those under their care. Also, I had never been able to receive so much good advice from people who are close to me in age but have gone a step ahead of me (they are a young couple married for a couple years) and are willing to use their experience to bless me. It may not always make me feel comfortable, but deep inside I know it's exactly what I've always wanted and needed.

At one of the churches I visited, I had the opportunity to witness a "membership ceremony", in which a couple dozen people who had decided to commit to the church and had gone through the steps necessary for doing so stood before the congregation and were blessed by the pastor. The idea of church membership was rather new to me, and I can see how it may give outsiders the impression that the church is some sort of exclusive club. But I'm really starting to embrace this idea more and more, knowing that while a church should always welcome visitors and allow them to experience the warmth of God's love, it is no less important that its members understand the importance of commitment to their brothers and sisters, regardless of whether or not things are going smoothly. It's fun to be able to visit different churches and interact with different people every Sunday, and I won't deny that a part of me really misses that. But having gone through this journey, I can see how dangerous it is to be tempted to lose that sense of commitment to a particular community, and unless God calls me to go on such a journey again in the future, it would be irresponsible of me to refuse to make a commitment.

Because FECSGV is similar to GCCI in many ways, I'm almost certain that as I spend more time there, many of the problems I encountered in the past - culture clashes, generation gaps, church politics, social drama, leadership conflicts, and much more - will come back to haunt me, even to a point where I begin to wonder if I'm really at the right place. But I must remember that it was not the problems at GCCI that made me ultimately decide to leave, but rather the lack of a solid community. And considering how most of the people in FECSGV's English ministry are either close to my age or older, I'm sure I will have plenty of opportunities to grow in ways that were previously not possible.

And just as I want to grow, I also want to help others grow. After all, every part of the body must do its part for the body as a whole to be considered healthy. I wish and pray that someday God will open doors for me to use my gifts in music to serve Him at my new church home. But for now, I must focus on building relationships with the people, getting to know the church better, and serving behind the spotlight. I don't know if FECSGV has any specific requirements or procedures for membership, but if so, it's definitely something I will start looking into.

Several people I know have expressed interest in going on a church exploration journey similar to mine, and I really wish and pray that my experiences can serve as an encouragement to them to exercise wisdom, stay focused, and surrender to God so that He can lead the way. I believe that, whether it's with FECSGV or with any other Christian group I'm involved with, the things I witnessed and learned on this journey can serve as a powerful testimony, helping people to see a bigger picture of what church is all about. And it is my prayer that God will open doors for me to share these things as He sees fit.

As for me personally, I believe that this journey is only the beginning of a much bigger story. Even though I have come to understand the Body of Christ from new perspectives, I will never fully grasp Christ's beautiful relationship with His church until the day I meet Him face to face. There is still much more for me to learn, whether it's through putting the things I've already learned to practice or participating in groups that will further expand my outlook on what church is all about. For now, I praise God for all that He has taught me on this journey, and I pray that the things I learned will continue to impact my personal growth, my attitude toward churches, and my relationships with other people. May His great and perfect will continue to be done.

06/21: The Power of Identity

It happens all the time - little things, whether it's a nagging parent, an annoying co-worker, or a slow driver, cause us to become so frustrated that we feel like our whole day has been ruined. During those times, we allow ourselves to focus entirely on our negative circumstances and forget that there is a bigger picture to see. That's why I love the idea of doing everything with a sense of purpose - If I remember the purpose behind what I do, then I won't allow the small problems along the way to completely blind me. And there's really no better way to realize that sense of purpose than by remembering my identity.

Earlier today I was presented with an amazing reminder of what my identity is in a recurring situation that often frustrates me. And through it, I remembered that there was once a time when similar circumstances would make me so thankful that I would sometimes cry uncontrollably, until my pride eventually took over and caused me to lose sight of that joy. My attitude has definitely changed over time, but my identity has not. The only problem is that it's a lot easier now for me to focus on the little problems in front of me and forget who I am and why I'm there. By once again realizing my identity, I suddenly felt much stronger, as if all those little problems, both past, present, and future, suddenly became much smaller.

It's like getting in a fight with a parent, friend, sibling, or spouse, then realizing at the end that you still love each other. Several people have told me that they are very encouraged by my relationship with Tiffany. Even though most people don't see it, the truth is that, as with all human interactions, we have conflicts and disagreements. Thinking about it now, I've come to see that what has kept us growing stronger through the hard times isn't that we're particularly good at handling conflicts, but rather that we remember our commitment to one another even while arguing. There may be times when we don't feel like talking to each other, but deep inside we always remember our identities as individuals committed to deeply loving one another, and that gives us strength to look back at our problems, make effort to work things out, and grow stronger in the process.

Of course, I can't forget my most important identity, one that can keep me standing even in the most difficult circumstances. I'm a child of God, and He intends to do only what's glorifying to Him and best for me in the long run. That's something I really need to think about a lot more often. God is in control of all things, and regardless of how people treat me or what they think about me, He has a good reason for it. The only problem is whether or not I let the people and circumstances He allows to cross paths with me to blind me from seeing what stands behind them. Rather than rushing ahead to fight them, I need to take a step back and see that they are but a small part of a much bigger picture, making them much less intimidating. And the more I pay attention to the big picture, the more I understand that God really does have a plan for everything. It's my wish and my prayer that I will keep that plan in mind, even if I don't always know exactly what it is, because I know that nothing in this world is powerful enough to take away the precious identity I have in Christ.

06/17: Father's Day

Recently, Tiffany asked me about my thoughts on Father's Day, knowing that my dad passed away when I was young. I'm always so thankful when she asks me questions like this - I believe that asking thought-provoking questions can help people get to know each other at a deeper level while encouraging each other to really think about important issues in life that are often overlooked. Even though I can't exactly do much to celebrate Father's Day without an earthly father to celebrate it with, I really believe it's a day that should be celebrated a lot more.

Sometimes it seems like people plan all kinds of elaborate activities and celebrations for Mother's Day, but allow Father's Day to slip by quietly. Maybe it's because they think men don't want to get too emotional, or because many fathers are too busy to give the impression that they want to enjoy a nice little celebration. Sadly, it may also be because so many families have been hurt or broken by the fathers that they would rather avoid thinking about them completely. I find myself frequently shocked at the number of broken families around me - even families that attend church regularly. Whether it's a divorce, abusive behavior, or a parent who is too busy to actually be there for the family, it seems like an overwhelming majority of these problems is caused by fathers.

We all like to feel loved, respected, and appreciated - It's human nature. Even men who seem as tough and indestructable as boulders need to be reminded that someone notices them, cares about them, and appreciates them for who they are. I really believe that husbands who feel appreciated are much less likely to cheat on their wives. And I really believe that fathers who feel loved by their kids are much more likely to patiently spend time with them. While fathers and mothers often play different roles in the family because of cultural standards and physical abilities, it is crucial to remember that no one parent is more important than the other. People may celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day differently, but ultimately, both are equally important, and neither should be neglected.

So for those who have fathers or husbands, take some time today to tell them you love them, appreciate them, and respect them. Even if it seems like they don't care, a little encouragement doesn't hurt. One day, when the road gets tough, they will remember what you said and did for them, and it will in turn be a great blessing for the whole family and an example for the world to follow.

06/16: Church Exploration Journey Reflection Entry #5 - Brokenness and Unity

During almost every one of my church visits, I had told at least one person at the church ahead of time that I would be there. And it was not surprising that, for the most part, they were very glad and excited to have me visit. However, there was one friend who, when I told him I wanted to visit his church, looked at me with confused eyes and told me with a sigh that there wasn't much worth checking out. In the past, he had told me about his frustration with many of the problems at his church, including disagreements between the congregations, a lack of enthusiasm among members, and most recently the absence of a head pastor for the English ministry, leaving things very disorganized as the remaining leaders struggle to recruit guest speakers and run the service week after week. By his response to my desire to visit, I could tell that he felt a little insecure about and almost afraid of having a visitor experience what things are like at his church.

However, I gave him an answer that surprised him - "That's exactly why I want to visit your church". In many ways, he reminded me of myself and my own attitude towards GCCI over the years. I was hesitant to invite friends to church, and even turned them down before when they wanted to visit, because I felt like they would have a bad experience because of how disorganized things were and how there were so few people in our age group. But on this church exploration journey, my goal was not to indulge in the luxuries of well-prepared, well-organized church services. I wanted to see a much bigger picture of God's intentions for His churches, and that meant that I had to go to not only churches in which everything seems to run smoothly, but also churches that are struggling, hurting, and broken.

It didn't take long after I arrived at the church to discover that my friend was right - Things were quite disorganized, and while people felt that things could improve, no one actually took action. The people in the English-speaking congregation were friendly, but I could tell that they were so comfortable with each other that they had settled with letting things stay the way they were rather than putting in effort to make change. It was almost a little scary to realize just how much being at that church reminded me of being at GCCI. But because I was in a new environment, I was less prone to become critical and more eager to make the most out of the little time I got to spend there. And in the hours that followed, I found myself amazed at what God had to say to that broken church.

I was greatly surprised to discover that the guest speaker that morning happened to be an old friend of mine who had been a great inspiration to me since I was in high school (since he is a passionate and talented keyboardist and worship leader). It didn't take long after he began to preach for me to realize that God was going to use him to bless the church, and me, in amazing ways. He had taken a little time before service started to talk to a few leaders and find out a little about the demographics of the church and its current situation. Then, with a sermon from the book of Nehemiah (keeping in line with the church's sermon series), he told the church exactly what it needed to hear.

In Nehemiah, there was a great task at hand - to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Chapter 3 lists the people who helped with the work - goldsmiths, perfume makers, rulers, and even the high priest. The pastor pointed out that most of these people were not trained or skilled in construction work, but still did their best to help. Too often we come up with seemingly good excuses to avoid things we don't want to do. "Someone else will take care of it sooner or later". "I'm not gifted to serve in this area". "Leave it to the church staff who get paid to do it". "I don't agree with the leader's decision". "The pastor will take care of it". "I don't want to look bad or embarass myself". "Let's just pray for a miracle". Yes, there are times when some of these things can be appropriate responses. But we must remember that the church is not made up of a building, a pastor, and a bunch of leaders. Instead, we, the people, are the church, and because we make up the Body of Christ, every member must be willing and eager to help others so that the body as a whole can be healthy.

The people in Nehemiah laid aside their dignity, their professions, and basically their entire lives as they knew it to help rebuild the wall. What are we willing to lay aside to help build up and strengthen the church? The congregation at my friend's church, which consisted largely of student-aged individuals, listened quietly and attentively. There were many broken "walls" to rebuild at their church, and they had finally come to the realization that they needed to rise up and start building with whatever they had to offer. After the sermon, the pastor invited everyone to stand up and hold hands as we sang the last praise song together, and as we sang, I was confident that as long as people were willing to do their part to apply what they learned from that message, their church would surely never be the same again.

This message was a huge blessing to me personally no less than it was to the rest of the congregation. One of the main goals of my church exploration journey was to gain a deeper understanding of the Body of Christ and realize through firsthand experience that no church is perfect. But in the end, I saw not only brokenness in churches, but also God's sovereignty over it. I am now more confident than ever before that the strength of a church is not measured by how organized the leadership is, how beautiful the building is, or how smoothly the services are, but rather by how united the people are and how eager they are to contribute to the good of the church as a whole while humbly allowing God to lead the way.

06/11: Church Exploration Journey Reflection Entry #4 - The Gift of Music

Over the years, the majority of the ministry opportunities I participated in has more or less revolved around music. Whether it's through playing background music during an altar call, performing in concerts to share God's love, making arrangements for Christian recording artists, or teacing others to improvise on the keyboard, I have no doubt that God has given me gifts in music that I can use for His glory. Even though music was not one of the determining factors of how I selected the churches I visited on this journey, it was only natural for me as a musician to pay extra attention to the musical aspect of a worship service, and I'm glad to say that I have learned many things during these past eight weeks about the role of music in the church and what it means to be a musician for God's glory.

I had the opportunity to experience a very wide spectrum of music, from rock-style bands to gospel choirs, from a team of over a dozen musicians to a single singer on stage. Several of the churches I visited had "traditional" and "contemporary" services, and unsurprisingly, most young adults veered toward the contemporary services. I see this kind of division the same way I see divisions based on age or ethnicity - It's good to cater toward specific preferences or needs of individual groups, as long as those divisions serve to ultimately strengthen the church as a whole. The purpose of worship music should be to unify rather than segregate, and it's far more important to accomplish the goal of giving God glory than to let our own musical preferences prevent us from giving Him our best. Throughout this journey, I did my best to stay focused on worshipping God through whatever it would take, and as a result, I found every opportunity to sing praises to be both meaningful and enjoyable.

At one church I visited, the praise team was singing and playing a song when people were walking in before service, and I was surprised that, unlike most last-minute soundchecks, the leader kept on going until the whole song was done. What truly amazed me was the eventual realization that it wasn't a soundcheck at all - the praise team had already done their preparation a long time ago, and was actually playing and singing songs to help people prepare their hearts for worship before service actually started. One big role of music in the church is to set the tone for worship, to align our emotions and our thoughts with our souls so we can truly worship in spirit and in truth. Some churches opt for playing recorded music to set the mood rather than having a live band on stage, and it still has the same effect. Each I stepped into a room where praise music was present, I was reminded that I was there to worship a holy God, and whether I was sitting in my seat praying, singing along softly, reading the bulletin, or greeting the people around me, it was much easier for me to do so with the ultimate intent of getting ready for a time of organized corporate worship.

It was during those times that I once again came to the realization that worship is far more than what we often think of it as. Worship doesn't start and end when the band starts and stops. It doesn't even start and end when Sunday service starts and ends. Instead, it's a lifestyle that influences every aspect of our lives. Meeting at church on Sundays should be a public, outward expression of our worshipful attitudes throughout the week, and music is a gift from God to help us express that attitude.

We must remember, though, that no music or musician is ever worthy of worship, even though we live in a culture that often idolizes artists. And as a musician, I must remember that God cares about my heart far more than He does about my performance. My past church experiences over the years have taught me to be more critical than I should be about a lot of church technicalities, especially when it comes to musical worship, and I realized through these past eight weeks that when I allow those things to distract me from focusing on God, it ends up hurting myself, others, and the church as a whole. God gives and God takes away. He can bless the church with an amazing musical performance, or He can allow the band to sound disasterous even after countless hours of practice. My ability to knowledgeably critique music is something that must be used, out of love, to serve the church for God's glory rather than for my selfish contentment.

As I mentioned earlier, music in a church should unify rather than divide. And I can think of no better example during this eight-week journey than one glorious Sunday morning when I attended a worship service consisting of a gospel-style team of at least 15 musicians, including trumpet soloists and a choir. My friend was a part of this team, and having helped her previously to learn one of the songs in the set, I knew that they had put in lots of time and great effort to practice and prepare. And it definitely showed - As a musician I know it's impossible for a team this large to sound so unified without lots of preparation. What truly stood out to me, though, wasn't the number of musicians or the music itself, but rather the diversity of the team. Various age groups were represented on stage, as well as almost every skin color group. Despite their evident differences, they were united as one by their love for music and their desire to worship God.

Another thing that stood out to me was that the group of people standing on stage was an accurate representation of the congregation itself. People of different age groups and ethnicities gathered in the same room to sing praises to God together, and there were several times when I found myself wanting to stop singing and just dwell in the amazing atmosphere of praise. Surely the best musicians are those who can make people so lost in worship that they forget about the music itself! I later shared with several of the people I met at the church that what I had experienced was nothing short of a glimpse of heaven.

In all honesty, I was surprised over the past eight weeks at just how little of an effect music had in my overall impression of churches compared to the closeness of their communities. And I'm starting to see more and more that regardless of whether I attend a church with an amazing music ministry or one with a bunch of tone-deaf people, there are plenty of ways that I can use the gifts God has given me to bless the community. If I get to work with gifted musicians, then may we help each other to further develop our gifts as we serve the Lord together. And if I get to work with those who are less experienced, then may I help them discover and nurture their gifts to be used for God's glory. Most importantly, may I constantly check my heart and strive to serve, whether musically or in other ways, with a heart of worship, allowing God to open and close doors as He sees fit for the growth and strengthening of His kingdom.

06/09: At last, the ginormous long-overdue picture update is here! I've added about 400 pics from over 20 different events and activities. Of course, I've also (probably unsurprisingly) created a new category, "Dates & More". That's probably the most overdue part of this whole picture update - It really shouldn't have taken me over half a year to start putting up pics of me and my girlfriend. But now that I'm really trying my best to get my act together and not be behind on anything, I have no excuse to keep procrastinating.

By the way, the (very few & very special) people who actually check this site probably noticed that the updates on this site are not always consistent with the post dates of each journal entry. That's because the wireless internet on my computer has, for some mysterious reason, been dead for the past um... several months already? And hooking it up to the internet requires an epic rewiring from the downstairs computer room up the stairs into my room, with extra caution needed to make sure nobody trips over a cable and gets hurt. So while I still write regularly, I haven't been able to send everything online right away. I think I still haven't gotten over my age-old fear of facing computer-related problems, thanks to a very rough history that began back in high school, and that's why I simply learned to live without internet access in my room rather than finding a way to fix the problem. Hopefully someday that will change. For now, I will continue trying to be as consistent as possible with updating this site, at least on my own computer, because there are so many amazing things happening in life that I simply have to make time and put in effort to write them all down.

06/07: Church Exploration Journey Reflection Entry #3 - The Newcomer's Perspective

Having been a part of GCCI since childhood, I never knew what it felt like to be a Christian without a church home until I made the decision to leave. And when I left, I experienced for the first time what it felt like to be a first-time visitor in a church community. I've always learned at church that it was important to make newcomers feel welcome. Some churches work so hard to train their ushers and discipline their members to treat newcomes well that it almost seems like some kind of business strategy just to help the congregation grow in number. In GCCI's case, the problem was that we were all so comfortable with each other that it prevented us from thinking from the newcomers' perspective. And I'm glad to say that in these past eight weeks, that was exactly the perspective I got to experience the Body of Christ from.

As I mentioned previously, I received many different kinds of welcome at the various churches I visited, from greetings to gifts to invitations to check out other church events. For the most part, people noticed me and said hi to me. But while some immediately left to proceed with hanging out with their own friends, others took the time to get to know me, and when more people came to talk to them, they introduced me to them so that I wouldn't feel out of place. I know I'm not exactly gifted when it comes to social skills, and that's why I felt especially blessed when people put in effort to make me feel like I was a part of their community. On several occasions, that sense of genuine acceptance helped me make the decision of whether to slip out quietly after service ended or stick around to get to know the church better.

One of the sermons I heard at a church I visited was on a rather unexpected topic - the role of tradition in the church. Through several humorous but meaningful examples, the pastor illustrated how pointless it can be to follow age-old traditions Sunday after Sunday without understanding the purposes behind them. Sadly, many church members, even those who serve actively in various ministries, forget the purposes behind what they do, and as a result Sunday service gets reduced to simply fulfilling another item on people's weekly to-do lists. Sometimes, little problems in the church exist for so long that all the regular members don't even notice them anymore. But I've come to see that there is one group of people that notices these things more than anyone else does - newcomers.

Some churches have a tendency to be too easy-going and undisciplined while others have a tendency to be too legalstic and detail-oriented. I'm not in favor of either extreme, but I do believe it's crucial for a church to find a healthy balance of the two extremes, using the benefits of each for the glory of God. I found it interesting that on several instances, the people who invited me to their churches ended up showing up much later than I did. Newcomers tend to be the most punctual, and they are quick to notice people coming in late or being disruptive, as well as ushers not paying attention to the door or blatant mistakes in the bulletins. On the other extreme, newcomers are also quick to feel out of place when a church is overly structured or judgemental, and many times a strong community within a church can cause them to feel left out of the various cliques. In either case, traditions that have been kept week after week and appear harmless can end up greatly hindering a vistor's first-time experience with the church.

I remember calling a friend on a Saturday night to let him know, to his surprise, that I would be visiting his church the following morning. I simply wanted to know what time their service started so I wouldn't be late. But he not only gave me the information I needed, but also asked his family, which he usually attends the earlier service with, to let him leave them one time so he could join me in the later service, which he felt would be more suitable for my visit since it's the one most young adults attend. He offered to give me a ride, but I said I could drive myself, knowing my house wouldn't be on his way. Then he asked me to call him when I was about to leave home so we would arrive at around the same time and be able to meet up first, since the church is very large. Despite the large size, not once did I feel like the experience was impersonal. In fact, given how my friend went far beyond what was necessary to help make my experience as good as possible, I was quite confident before I even arrived at the church that I was going to enjoy the visit. I really believe that God has blessed the church with tremendous growth because its people have not lost sight of the importance of reaching out to indivuals and genuinely welcoming them into the community.

It's interesting how many churches pray so eagerly for revival, yet fail to welcome a visitor that wants to join the family. Having been a first-time visitor for eight weeks, I can now say more confidently than ever before that a lot of small things or habits that are often overlooked in a church service can really make a big difference. Sure, it's not all about the little details. But worshipping a holy God is not something to be taken lightly, and even the smallest acts of ministry must be done wholeheartedly. And whether I'm a member or visitor at a church, I want to learn to keep the newcomer's perspective in mind and let it impact what I do, whether it's picking up trash, lining up the chairs, praying quietly in my seat, playing piano on stage, greeting people next to me, or simply making an effort to leave home early enough to arrive on time. Revival isn't just the church's dream; most importantly, it's God's dream, and He wants to use the church to change the world, even if it's by reaching one person at a time.

06/05: I got to bring home this baby today-

06/03: It's good to be back! After eight weeks of being absent, I returned to FECSGV today, just in time to catch their special 26th anniversary celebration. If all goes as planned, I'll be staying and committing to serving there. But after taking a lot of time to pray yesterday, I decided that I will give myself a couple more weeks before officially making my decision, simply because I haven't had any free time since last Sunday to actually reflect on my eight-week journey and organize all my thoughts.

I've always enjoyed keeping myself busy, not because I want to avoid having to stop and face anything, but rather because I want to make the most out of the time God gives me. And right now, I can't be any more content for all the amazing things He has allowed me to occupy my time with. I won't deny, though, that it's a great challenge for me to learn to manage my time and energy in order to accomodate all these things. And when I received an email from a good friend a few days ago about a Bible study she is organizing over the summer and found myself more intimidated than excited, I knew it's time for me to slow down and take a little break.

BSF just ended not too long ago, and so did my once-a-week tutoring commitment (since it's summer), and normally I would be very quick to fill those time slots by jumping at every opportunity to hang out with friends, or even organize some get-togethers myself. But I've come to see more and more over the past few months or so that I'm slowly reaching the point where I'm losing sight of the purposes behind the activites I do, whether it's attending Bible studies or hanging out with friends. With work from morning till evening, basically any plans at night beyond a simple dinner will mean that I will return home late at night with no energy left to do anything else. Then the next morning when I wake up, it's the same thing all over again. And I've come to see that this busyness has been preventing me from maintaining a stable prayer life and healthy personal walk with God, and as a result, the things I do become more of an obgliation than an opportunity to give God glory. I know that when my life loses its focus, it really affects the way I treat other people and the way I view different situations in my life. And because of that, I really need to do something quickly to solve this problem.

Unfortunately, that means I have to say "no" to a lot of the invitations I receive for various activities. But I really need to use these next few weeks to get my act together and "catch up with life". That means I must seize the free time I have after work to pray, write journals, do musc projects, take care of things around the house, catch up with friends that I've been intending to call/email, maintain a healthy devotional life, and further seek God's will regarding my commitment to FECSGV. As far as I can see, a few weeks will be long enough to get "caught up", as long as I stay focused and disciplined. And I really pray that God will grant me the wisdom, energy, and determination needed, because the last thing I want is to go on living life knowing that I'm not doing my best.

06/01: Church Exploration Journey Reflection Entry #2 - The Importance of Community

The main reason I ended up deciding to leave GCCI was that there wasn't a healthy family of believers in my age group, and because of that I've always learned to place a high value on community in a church. After all, the Bible makes it so clear that we can't fulfill our purposes as Christians without interacting with others. But even so, throughout this church exploration journey I was amazed at just how big of a difference the people in a church can make.

As a visitor, I received many different kinds of welcome. Some people said hello, then proceeded with finding their own friends to talk to. Some completely ignored me when I walked by. Others started conversations and gave me their full attention. I initiated many conversations too, knowing that because I was visiting each church only once, it may be my only opportunity to share my heart with the people I met. One Sunday, I was blessed to not only be able to enjoy lunch with a huge group of young adults from the church I visited, but also go out for some dessert with them afterwards, followed by a walk to the park across the street where we sat down and continued to enjoy each other's company. Some of them invited me to check out their small group during the week, and I won't deny I was very tempted. I knew that I couldn't say yes right away, because I had made it a goal since the beginning of this journey to not let social and emotional pleasure distract me from my ultimate goals. But since then I've kept an open mind, believing that if I were to eventually feel called to start visiting small groups and getting to know church communities at a deeper level, this one would definitely be among my first choices. As the weeks progressed, I began to see more and more that the way the people at a church interacted with me can truly make an incredible difference in the way I experience the church as a whole.

Throughout this journey, I have been able to visit several multicultural churches. It was a new experience to me, since I grew up in a church whose ministry was focused almost entirely on Chinese-Americans. I believe that both churches catered toward specific ethnic groups and churches focused on cultural diversity have important and unique roles in the expansion of God's kingdom, so on this journey I purposely chose to get a good balance of both types in order to help me get a more clear glimpse of the big picture. One thing I've come to really love about multicultural churches is that people of different age groups and generations tend to more easily view each other as brothers and sisters in Christ without allowing a lot of cultural traditions to cause division. At one church I visited, I was very surprised to discover that, other than their children's programs, they don't have any age-specific small groups. In other words, young adults, married couples with children, and grandparents alike all come together to fellowship without feeling like they belong in different groups.

I admit I felt a little uncomfortable at first upon realizing that the church didn't have any kind of ministry catered specifically toward my age group. But I soon realized that my thinking was very selfish and narrow-minded. Every culture has its strengths and weaknesses, and while the Chinese culture's heavy emphasis on respect for elders is Biblical in many ways, it can also create tension between different generations in the same church. Growing up in such an environment, it seemed very logical to me that a healthy church must have separate ministries geared toward every individual age group from high school through senior citizenship. But what a great blessing it is that people of diverse backgrounds, with different levels of life experiences, can all come together in the same group and strengthen one another through the God that unites them all! After all, the gospel is the same regardless of age, generation, race, or culture. And after so many years of wanting to direct attention to people that are most like myself, I've finally come to realize that God has a much bigger picture in mind.

Of course, I also need to remember that while my age group is still considered relatively young among adults, there are those who are younger that I must learn to treat in a God-pleasing way. After one church visit, I was invited to go have lunch with a group of people I had just met. They not only welcomed me, but also offered persistently to give me a ride even though the place we were going was nearby and I said I could drive too. I was surprised to eventually discover that they are all college students. Yet despite the clear age difference, not once did I feel out of place because I was older. In the past, I've seen many instances of age differences causing people to be guilted into leadership positions they weren't called to, and it made me not only place a big emphasis on age, but also struggle to build relationships with those who are younger. But the way these college students kindly served me, introduced me to others, and included me in their conversations left me with no doubt that they truly saw me as a fellow brother in Christ.

When I left GCCI, most of the people left in the English ministry were about five to ten years younger than me, and I admit that there were times when I felt bitter toward them because I thought it was unfair that God surrounded them with so many people their age but allowed everyone in my age group to leave over the years. I still believe that I made the right decision in leaving, because the church's focus had shifted away from my needs, and even if I stayed to serve, I would eventually end up burnt out. But through my interactions with people both younger than me and older than me in these past eight weeks, I've come to see that there's so much more to the Body of Christ than my own needs and the needs of those who are most similar to me.

I can never forget one worship service I attended in which I got to witness the presence of a sign language interpreter while everyone was singing. I happen to have known this interpreter prior to visiting her church, and when I had a chance to ask her more about her ministry a few days later, she confirmed my assumption that there would be, at most, only a few people every Sunday that needed the interpretation. On some weeks, there would be no need for her interpretation at all, yet she values this ministry so much that she is in the process of training several new interpreters, with the hope of being able to make the church a welcoming community for the deaf. What a blessing it is that God has given her such an eagerness to make a minority group feel so welcome in their church! Even though I don't understand sign language, just seeing her genuine heart of servanthood alone was a glimpse of the great love that God demonstrated through Jesus Christ.

The Body of Christ ultimately shouldn't be about age, race, generation, social status, language, or any other categorization that we often identify ourselves with. Yes, it's very important that I find church communities that can cater to my specific needs. But I must remember that I should be no less loving and welcoming to those who are different from me than I am to those who are like me. In order for ministries and fellowships that are catered toward specific groups to prosper, they must realize that they are a part of the Body of Christ, working toward the good of the Body as a whole by reaching out to the needs of individuals. Regardless of our differences, every interaction with another person is an opportunity to bless and be blessed, and I must not let my own selfishness get in the way of what God wants to accomplish through the church community as a whole.

05/27: Church Exploration Journey Reflection Entry #1 - Facing the Past

As hard as it is to believe, the eight-week period of time I dedicated to visit different churches has come to an end. The eight churches I chose to visit were those that I had received invitations to visit during the time I asked people to pray for me about my decision to leave GCCI. It just happened to be that the campaign at FECSFV that helped facilitate this journey was also eight weeks long. Also, the churches I chose to visit represented a very diverse spectrum, from predominantly Chinese churches to multi-ethnic congregations, from large "megachurches" to small struggling communities. I purposely planned the order of my church visits in such a way that there would be a healthy balance within that spectrum, whether it's the church's style or its location. Today marked the last of my church visits, and looking back at the journey as a whole, I'm glad to say that I've not only witnessed and learned the things that I had originally hoped to witness and learn, but also grew in several unexpected ways.

One such unexpected way is my attitude toward GCCI, the church I had attended since childhood but eventually decided to leave in search of a new church home. As I had previously written about, there were many ways in which that church had scarred me, and many of those scars still affect my attitude toward churches today. When I left GCCI at the beginning of the year, I did my best to make sure I held no grudges against the church or anyone in it. After the former English ministry leadership team disbanded, I witnessed the birth of a new era of leadership with great potential, and I strongly believed that God was preparing people's hearts to use them to do amazing things as one body for His glory. But as for the many people (including myself) that had been hurt or neglected in the past, some even to a point where they refused to return to churches in general ever again, I was very skeptical that anything could be done to heal our wounds. That skepticism brought to light my lack of faith, but through this eight-week journey I've received great encouragement and confirmation that God is indeed sovereign and almighty, and that even circumstances that seem completely hopeless can be used for His glory and the good of His people.

When the big "exodus" at GCCI took place, much of the congregation left along with the leaders and eventually found new churches to settle down in. I've never been one to follow crowds, so as people around me left, I decided to stay and wait until the hype was gone so I could feel certain that if I were to leave, I would be doing so for the right reasons. When I eventually left, I even intentionally avoided the idea of going to a church with any former GCCI members as a way of moving forward from the past. But looking back now, I've come to see that it was because there were issues in my heart regarding my former church that I was still unwilling to deal with. Half of the churches I visited on this journey fell into that category, since I figured that there wouldn't be any harm in visiting just once. And I'm so glad the Holy Spirit prompted me to let down that wall in my heart, because by doing so I've received not only healing from many of my past wounds, but also a greater understanding of God's sovereignty over all things.

On the surface, what happened at GCCI may seem like a tragic story - God's people hurt by His own church, scattered in the desert. But through this story many new stories have evolved - stories of those lost people finding new homes in which they can fully be themselves, just as God created them to be. One former GCCI leader shared with me his joy of being able to serve in areas he feels called to serve in without an ungodly sense of guilt and obligation. Another was able to continue pursuing his plan to become a pastor, but with the help of older and wiser leaders who are willing to help him grow and fulfill his calling. Many former GCCI members who, like me, struggled with finding a community of believers in a similar age range got exactly what they needed. Furthermore, many were plugged into communities with very solid gender-specific ministries, allowing them to share openly and grow in ways that were not possible before.

Sure, much of what happened at GCCI was wrong in many ways, but even though I won't point any fingers, I am certain that it broke God's heart more than it broke anyone else's. Still, He didn't give up loving His people, broken, selfish, and sinful as we were. In fact, I believe all the people who left GCCI and have found new church homes can now rejoice over the great story that He has written (and is still writing) in their lives. Many flames that had been put out have now been lit again. Many callings that were once neglected are now closer than ever before to being fulfilled. Many people who were once homeless and starving are now living in abundance by God's grace. What a great demonstration of the unrelenting love of our sovereign Lord!

In addition to witnessing God's work in the people who left GCCI, I have also been able to keep in contact with some people who are still at GCCI and get a glimpse of what God is doing there. Right now, a new generation of young leaders have stepped up with an eagerness to serve that the church had not seen in a very long time. In the past when our leadership team was solid, the other members felt no need to step up and help, without realizing how much the leaders needed their help, since there was no system to get new members plugged into any ministries. But now that the former system has collapsed, people not only see a need to help, but are blessed to have a few leaders who are willing to do whatever it takes to train them up to their full potentials. They may be young right now, but if they are willing to live their lives for God at such a young age, imagine all the great things God can accomplish through them in the years to come, not to mention through the church as a whole!

Upon realizing all these things, it was as if my eyes were suddenly opened to a new reality that I never knew existed. And it makes me more confident than ever before that I have absolutely no reason to question God's ability to use past struggles and hurts to accomplish great things. Also, it makes me confident that just as God helped so many people discover the community that they so desperately needed, He is also doing the same in my life.

05/23: I can't believe it's already over - an incredible journey through the book of Acts, along with several New Testament letters. This has been my second "year" at Bible Study Fellowship, and I knew not long after joining last year's study on Isaiah that I would be back again after summer to study Acts. Even though things were different in many ways, this year was definitely no less amazing and exciting than last year.

I can still remember pulling into the parking lot of Hope Chrisitan Fellowship for the very first time, completely clueless about what to expect. I didn't know a single person at BSF, and all I could do was pray to God from the bottom of my heart that whatever I learned and whoever I met, it would all be for His glory. Little did I know just how amazing His answer to that prayer would be! It was through BSF that I eventually crossed paths with my girlfriend. Not only so, but the intertwining of our individual friendship circles, which revolved largely around BSF, gave birth to an incredible network of close friends, fulfilling my age-old dream of finding a group of brothers and sisters who can fulfill my God-given need for healthy fellowship outside of church walls.

Needless to say, I seldom felt alone this year at BSF. In fact, I usually stuck around afterwards a lot later than necessary, simply because being able to fellowship and exchange life stories with others is a blessing too good to pass. Sometimes I would feel so tired after a long day of work that I simply wanted to go home right after the lecture and sleep the night away. But there were always people to talk to, and not once did I regret sacrificing a little of my physical energy for the much greater social and spiritual blessings that resulted from fellowship.

As for the Scripture we studied and all the notes, lectures, questions, and class discussions that helped us in the process, I felt like in many ways they hit me right where I needed it most. Much of the book of Acts demonstrated God's original intentions for His church, much of which is easily forgotten in churches today. I was very eager to learn about the Body of Christ, because I knew at the beginning that during the course of this study I would be making some very important and life-changing decisions regarding my role in the church body, including the possibility of finding a new church home - a decision I'm currently still praying for wisdom about. Through this BSF study, I've learned to refocus my priorities on finding not only a healthy community but also a place in which I can serve and actually contribute to the good of the church, using the gifts, experiences, and opportunities God has given me to bless other people.

In addition, I've learned many practical lessons that I try very hard to apply to situations in my daily life. We spent several weeks learning about what it means to obey earthly authorities from a Christian perspective, and during a time when I often felt oppressed and unfairly treated by some of the authority figures around me, it gave me great hope to know that obedience can be an act of worship to God, and that He is sovereign over even the most powerful people in the world. Not only so, but true contentment can only come from obedience to God and submission to His instruction. I also learned much about finding joy in times of hardship and suffering just like Paul did, as well as doing things for others' benefit without any impure motives. These are all lessons that may take a lifetime to learn, but thanks to BSF, I now see more than ever before the importance of doing my best to keep on learning and growing.

Of course, I can't forget to thank Albert, my group leader this year, and all the brothers in our group. Our discussions have been both fun and meaningful, both exciting and insightful, thanks to everyone's willingness to show up week after week and contribute through sharing what God had placed on our hearts. We have all grown tremendously through learning from each other, and I wish and pray that the brotherhood that formed among us will continue to be a blessing to all of us, even though this year's BSF study has ended.

I've always believed that when I am truly blessed by something or someone, it's a natural response to want to give back. So when the opportunity arose in September to sign up for the musical worship team, I gladly volunteered. One reason I tend to be hesitant to share my musical gifts when I'm still new to a group is that it can be a distraction to the forming of quality relationships, both to me and to others. But after having participated in BSF for a year and formed friendships with genuine motives, I no longer had a reason to hold back. And as I learned more and more about serving the Body of Christ as the year progressed, I began to follow the examples of the faithful servants around me and offer myself to help wherever there's a need, so that my attitude of serving could remain pure and not be tainted by wanting to show off or fulfill my title. God has blessed me with strength and energy to remain faithful to my service in this past year. Not only so, but He has opened the doors for me to play a more active role in the music ministry next year.

As people stood up one by one during last night's final meeting to share how God has worked in their lives, I felt more blessed than ever before to have become a part of the BSF community. Who would have guessed that a seemingly casual decision to check out the group almost two years ago would end up changing my life in so many amazing ways? I wish and pray that even though many of us will part paths for the summer, we will continue to let the things we learned impact our lives and put in effort to strengthen our friendships, encouraging each other put on the full armor of God. I look forward to being back in September to hear what God has done in our lives over the summer and participate in next year's study on Genesis.

05/20: Haven't done an SNU in a while... to start things off, yesterday my car got rear-ended while Tiffany and I were on the way to an exciting adventure in the LA area. I did what I felt was an appropriate response - first I checked to make sure everybody was alright, then I got out of the car and took pictures of the scene. Considering the force of the impact, I was surprised that the damage to my bumper was so minimal that even I, an extreme car freak who almost always keeps his car clean, consider it barely noticeable. What really bothered me was when the person who hit me became impatient, and that led me to honestly tell her that considering she just hit my car, she really had no right to complain and tell me what to do, then proceed to call the police and do everything the proper way, just because I could. After all, it's about time I get to use the cops for something that's actually beneficial to me.

Even though Tiffany and I were a bit in shock, we didn't let it stop us from looking forward to the day ahead of us. There were two reasons for our trip to LA. First, I had always wanted to take her to visit UCLA. Also, Sophia has come back from Nor-Cal to visit. What better opportunity for everyone to meet up and hang out together! Of course, because of the unexpected delay, Tiffany and I ended up deciding to meet with Sophia after she returned from Santa Monica for the sake of time. In the mean time, we took a walk around Westwood and got some ice cream sandwiches at you-know-where. On the way to LA, we had stopped by Half & Half to buy some drinks (upon discovering the heartbreaking truth that Sophia had never tried it before), and when we carried the ginormous cups around Westwood, they attracted some very curious stares from people around us, most of whom had no idea what they were. Next time, we should bring a camera crew and do some kind of YouTube documentary to capture all those priceless looks.

We met with Sophia and her friends Peter and Aaron just in time fo catch up a little, enjoy our partyful beverages, then go inside Royce Hall for the Lotus Steps 2012 performance. It's quite sad that I can now go to events like this and not unexpectedly run into a single familiar face. As hard as it is to admit, even the friends I met who were freshmen during my fifth year have already graduated. But things have now moved on to a new chapter, and having been able to enjoy spending time with a good friend from college who has put in effort to come back and arrange to meet up, not to mention take my girlfriend to my old college for the very first time, I really can't ask for anything more.

But there was definitely more in store for us. After an incredible performance, the five of us decided to go for some all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ at Moodaepo II in K-Town, because filling your stomach with meat until almost midnight is totally the healthiest thing to do. (Where the heck is "Moodaepo I" anyway!?) We arrived just in time to catch the rather anticlimactic ending of the Laker game, then enjoyed getting our money's worth of meat until the restaurant had stopped serving food and almost everyone was gone already. And somehow, Sophia still had the desire to go hang out at a bar. Oh, to be young again...

The drive back to Tiffany's house then to my house was definitely not easy. But I truly appreciate her helping to keep me awake until we got to her house, then giving me a soda to keep me awake on the way home, then calling me to make sure I made it home safely. After a good night's sleep, it seemed like everything that happened yesterday was just a dream. And in all honesty, I'm very surprised at how little I feel bothered by the fact that my car was innocently rammed by someone who clearly wasn't watching the road while driving. "Accidents" like this happen all the time, but depending on the speed, the size of vehicles involved, and the surrounding circumstances, things could have easily become a disaster. It was truly a blessing that nobody was hurt, and that after a brief delay we were able to go on with our days as planned.

As for today, I continued on with the most recent of my series of church visits. So far, this journey has taken me from Pasadena to Orange County, from big "megachurches" to small struggling congregations. And I can't even begin to describe how much I've learned through firsthand experience about God, about churches, and about myself. If everything goes as planned, next Sunday will be the last of my eight church visits. That means it's especially crucial now that I stay focused and seek God's will. Thanks everyone for keeping me in your prayers. I will write much more about these adventures at the end of the journey. For now, it's time to wrap things up and get ready for a new week!

05/14: I really should have written about this a lot sooner, but because of my insanely (and often overwhelmingly) busy schedule in these past few weeks, I felt that it was better to focus on seizing all the memorable moments and making the most out of them and save the reflecting for later. Last Monday was my six-month anniversary with Tiffany, and we celebrated the occasion with a fancy dinner at Orange Hill, complete with the beautiful sunset view. It's truly amazing to look back and see how far God has brought us in this past half a year, and I think this is a good chance to push pause and reflect on what we've learned and how we've grown.

As much as I don't like to admit it sometimes, things haven't always been happy-go-lucky. In fact, it's safe to say that the frequency at which we encounter conflicts has increased quite dramatically in this past month or two. Sometimes I found myself surprised at how she responded to things I said or did, and it left me both frustrated and confused. There have been times, even very recently, when I really wondered about the direction of our relationship and whether or not we would be able to rise up against the hurdles that came our way. But at the end, each hurdle has served to help us grow stronger.

Much of our conflicts or disagreements stem from the simple fact that we're two different people with different preferences and opinions. And that serves as a great reminder to me that, during those times when I'm tempted to point fingers, I should point to myself first and consider my own mistakes and flaws, because chances are I will ultimately realize that they way I feel about her is not much different from the way she feels about me, whether it's a positive feeling or a negative one.

I admit I've never been very good at facing problems. In fact, sometimes I'm the kind of guy that runs away from them and pretends nothing happened. Throughout my college years, I would have arguments with my mom when I came home on weekends, and they would end with me eventually going back to school on Sunday evening assuming that time and distance would automatically solve the problem. Thankfully, I eventually came to see that it's not true. But it's still difficult for me to stand up and stare a problem in the face with the goal of working things out and growing through doing so. Now that I'm in a dating relationship, many of my character flaws have been brought to light, and I'm forced to seek God's wisdom in dealing with them.

When I mentioned earlier that I sometimes feel surprised at how Tiffany would respond to small things I say or do, it's largely because I've always said or done things like that at home, and my family never really complained. That's one big thing I've learned about being in a relationship - when two people who didn't grow up under the same roof commit to loving each other, we must come to terms with the fact that we have many differences, and that while those differences may cause us frustration or unhappiness, we must grow from them and not let them blind us and cause us to question each other's hearts. A dating relationship is, frankly, much more fragile than a blood relationship, and that means I must put in extra effort to work out problems. I'm blessed to have family members who are willing to put up with me often being so unreasonable and throwing my burdens at them without considering how they feel. But through dating, I've come to realize that I'm truly spoiled. And that means that I must do something about it.

Just a few days ago, I found myself so disturbed by some recent conflicts that I decided to take Tiffany to a quiet place and have an honest conversation with her. I must admit I was quite scared. What if she didn't agree with how I felt? What if I ended up speaking out of frustration rather than love? What if, instead of solving the problems, our conversation would make things even worse? I spent a lot of time praying and checking my heart before engaging in this conversation, and I'm glad to say that it really worked.

Tiffany and I have always valued the importance of honesty and communication. And just as I was able to share about some of the ways I felt hurt by her, she also shared about how she has been hurt by me. But before all that, I started the conversation by affirming that my commitment to her has not changed and expressing my desire to learn to love her more through understanding her better. And in the end, we were able to not only share our feelings honestly, but also refocus our relationship on the God that has allowed our paths to cross. We both came to understand each other's feelings a lot more, and while we saw many of our own flaws, we also felt greatly encouraged by each other to grow from them.

Sometimes it's easy to be too caught up in the here and now to see the big picture. Whether it's a relationship, a friendship, or any human interaction in general, it's always a struggle to not let small things distract us and cause us to lose focus. In the past I've seen far too many relationships end because people let their problems overshadow their purpose. Then they find themselves hopping from one relationship to another, wondering why each one fails to fulfill their desire to live an unrealistically trouble-free life. Tiffany and I knew from the very beginning that there would be many hurdles to overcome, and even so we still often found ourselves caught off guard when those hurdles came. But I'm thankful beyond description at our willingness to learn from our mistakes, put in effort to overcome hardships, and refocus over and over again on the things that matter most. No relationship between two imperfect humans can ever be perfect, but I really believe we have what it takes to make it work - a willingness to grow and a faith in the God who is perfect and all-powerful.

It truly blows my mind to realize that, just one year ago, Tiffany and I were merely acquaintances who knew each other because we attended Bible Study Fellowship every week along with about a hundred other people. At that point, I was so focused on my desire to find a healthy, God-centered community that I strenuously checked my heart for any possible ulterior motives, one of them being to meet new friends (including girls), and prayed that I wouldn't meet a single person there unless it was God who wanted us to meet. And God not only allowed Tiffany and I to meet, but gave us one opportunity after another to nurture our friendship and eventually realize our desire to be more than friends.

On the night that we met up for dinner to discuss the way we felt about each other and how we wanted to respond to those feelings, I shared with her my belief that life is a series of stories written by God, and that because He is a God full of excitement, our stories too can always be exciting if we continue to trust Him. That's exactly what we did, and over half a year later, that's what we're still doing. This past half a year has been truly amazing, and it makes me even more eager to see the amazing things God will continue to do in us, with us, and through us.

05/06: Concorso Ferrari

Just about every good thing in life requires some sort of sacrifice, whether it's time, money, energy, or whatever else it takes to obtain what you really want. One of my favorite things to do by myself is go car spotting, and I must admit that when life gets really busy, even the glorious thought of seeing some of the world's most amazing cars doesn't always provide enough motivation for me. That's why, when there's a truly amazing automotive event that I know is worth going to, I must do whatever it takes to convince myself that it's gonna be worth it, so that even if I end up feeling lazy or tired, I will not end up bailing on myself and regretting it.

This was my third consecutive year going to the Concorso Ferrari in Pasadena, after I first found out about it when Jeff(Yen) invited me to go. For those who haven't heard, basically about three of four blocks of Colorado Boulevard in Old Town Pasadena get shut down and coned off for a Ferrari-themed car show that is free to spectators. And this definitely ain't any ordinary car show - we're talking about at least a quarter of a billion dollars worth of Ferraris, both modern and classic. With almost 150 cars on display, just walking through the show once can leave me pretty tired already. But with so many amazing cars to enjoy, tiredness is the last thing I need to worry about.

This year's turnout was definitely no less exciting than that of previous years. For modern cars, there were two Enzos, plus a matte black and chrome 458 Italia, wrapped and ready for the upcoming Gumball rally. As for the classics, I don't even know where to begin - tons of 250's, including a rare California Spider and a Bertone prototype, plus a classic Superamerica, an F40, and much more. Oh, and there were two Formula 1 cars. And even though I (unfortunately) missed it, I heard afterwards that the owner of one of them actually started it up and drove it out of the show. You know you're awesome when you get to drive a friggin' Formula 1 race car on Colorado Boulevard.

The only problem with this show is that when it's about to end, the police try to save time by letting the cars in every block leave simultaneously. By the way, for those who don't know, that's probably the best part of the show - seeing and hearing a hundred Ferraris start up and drive away at the same time, merging into everyday traffic and going their separate ways. And that's where I must make my sacrifice for what I love - running back and forth from block to block catching good footage can end up leaving me feeling sore for several days. But come on, am I really going to complain?

By the time I was fimling the last few cars being loaded into their transporters, the streets were already reopened to traffic, and aside from the few Ferraris that decided to claim a parking spot right on Coloardo Blvd so the owners could enjoy a nice Sunday evening snack, it felt just like any ordinary day in Old Town Pasadena. A few people saw me peering into one of the Ferrari-laden transporters and curiously asked, "is there some kind of car show going on?" If only they had come just one hour earler...

I have to say that there's something special about Ferraris that no other cars can really match. Sure, you can find cars that are faster, more expensive, more rare, or (arguably) better looking. But when it comes to finding a mix of exclusivity, heritage, and world-class performance technology that comes from decades of experience in both street cars and race cars, there really isn't a single brand that can line up against Ferrari. And with the new F12 Berlinetta just about to hit the market and the successor to the legendary Enzo due before the end of the year, this appear to only be getting better.

Special thanks to FCA for organizing such an amazing event and keeping it up year after year. And special thanks to all who brought their cars out on display. One owner I met had his three classic Ferraris transported all the way from Santa Barbara. Several owners were there since before sunrise to set up and prepare things. Sure, it may seem like they're living the dream. But even so, waking up at ungodly hours and standing in the sun for eight or nine hours definitely isn't easy. I guess I really have no right to rant about feeling sore from walking and running around for a few hours. In fact, when next year's Concorso comes around, I'll be more than happy to go again!