04/21: This year's BSF study of Genesis has brought me back to the story of Joseph that most Christians are very familiar with. We all know that Joseph's life was characterized by injustice, mistreatment, and other challenging situations. But this year's study added a new perspective to what I was familiar with by describing Joseph's life in terms of false hope and unmet expectations. He should have found security in the protection and love of his older brothers, but was instead betrayed by them. He earned the trust of his boss, but was imprisoned as a result of his boss' wife's sin and his choice to do what was right. He helped a fellow prisoner in a difficult and puzzling situation and asked only to be remembered and mentioned, but was forgotten and deprived of a tiny favor that should have been a desperately-needed glimmer of hope after years of unjust imprisonment. I may not be able to directly relate to Joseph in terms of facing harsh injustice and mistreatment - and thankfully so. But when it comes to prolonged periods of false hope and repeatedly unmet expectations, things suddenly get very personal.

There are two particular areas in my life that come to mind. The first is music. God has blessed me tremendously with not only a passion for music and the ability to create music, but also a clear calling to pursue the subject, a college degree, and more recently a solid set of equipment to work with. However, over the years much of my experience has been rather difficult. People have gotten my hopes up with opportunities, then walked away from them. Most who are interested in working with me don't come anywhere close to understanding the time, effort, and heartfelt dedication that an artist puts into his craft. Aside from a few precious engagements, both as repeated collaborations and as one-time gigs or projects, things have been harshly quiet. I find myself constantly unable to meet and connect with people who are not only passionate about music, but committed to it and eager to grow in it. Being an introvert who is often socially awkward and lacks interest in popular culture certainly doesn't help, either. I once focused on turning music into a side job that generates a reasonable amount of income and helps me build a name for myself. Now, I no longer care about the money (even though sometimes it seems like money is the only way for people to take me seriously) or the recognition. All I want is to use what God has given me to bless those who also understand and appreciate music, even if no one knows who's behind it. Yet even that is apparently too much to hope for. And the older I get, the more clearly I see that my already few opportunities to use my God-given gift to bless others are dwindling, and that the prolonged lack of opportunity to perform at growth-inspiring levels has caused my skills to noticeably deteriorate. Where is God in all this? Was it really Him that so clearly guided me in this direction many years ago? If He doesn't waste time and gifts, why does it seem like so much of what I've been given has been, and still is, going to waste?

The second area in my life that Joseph's story relates to is ministry. Much of this is similar and related to music, which I already mentioned above. But beyond repeatedly feeling unappreciated and misunderstood in music-related ministry, my desire to worship and serve God with excellence has led to what can essentially be summed up as repeated disappointment. I know that no church family or ministry is perfect, and I'm certainly far from perfect myself. But throughout my life, many of the people who have hurt me in the most surprising ways are those who should have been there to point me toward God. I've been told that I'm gifted in particular areas and given opportunities to develop them, only to be suddenly left on my own to be embarassed and discouraged by having to carry burdens I'm not strong enough to carry. People are quick to ask me for help, but slow to reach out and care for me as an individual. And more often than not, voluntary participation in ministry has left me frustrated, empty, and even weakened in faith. As a result, I've become hesitant and even embittered whenever I'm asked to participate in most forms of volunteer work. Just like with music, I really don't care for any compensation. But it really seems like without some sort of worldy incentive, people simply can't treat my service with the most basic respect. More importantly, people simply aren't treating the God we're serving with a desire to offer Him our best in thankful response to all that He is and all that He has given us. Why does God repeatedly allow me to experience disrespect, misunderstanding, and frustration in serving alongside other believers when these issues rarely occur in my secular workplace? Why do I often feel like my friends who don't believe in God care more about me as an individual than those who do? If being connected to a healthy body of believers and contributing to that community is so clearly stated in the Bible as an essential part of a Christian's life and growth, why am I still unable to find one after decades of struggling? Why is it that my desire to serve God with excellence almost always leaves me feeling hopeless, disappointed, and alone?

These questions are probably very similar to questions that Joseph may have asked. The Bible doesn't say if he ever faltered in faith, but it's fair to say that he probably felt at least a little lonely, confused, frustrated, or hesitant to trust others. There are a few things that the Bible makes very clear though. Joseph never gave up. He continued offering to help and serve those around him and doing so in ways that glorified God rather than himself. He faithfully served his boss, fellow prisoners, and even his own brothers who betrayed him. His strong character, integrity, and good work ethics earned trust of those around him, even those of very high positions. While God doesn't always promise worldly success, Joseph's surprising rise in wisdom and power was a clear reminder that, despite the many challenges he faced, God was always with him. Looking back, he could have blamed God for wasting so many years of his precious youth. But instead he clearly knew and proclaimed that even in the midst of evil, God was sovereignly working for good. All the disappointment, injustice, evil, and hopelessness he experienced, along with all the power, influence, and wisdom he was blessed with, all served to prepare him for God's great plan - drawing attention to God's faithfulness, sovereignty, wisdom, and power, and in doing so giving Him glory.

The fact is, God has truly blessed me in many ways as well over the years. Each day I see my family, wake up in my home, and go to work, I'm reminded that God's blessings are far greater than I could have asked for, and that throughout the years He has never left me. He was, is, and always will be faithful. I must remain faithful to Him as well. As I've said many times since I was in college, life is a collection of stories, and you can't have a good story without a good plot. If God is truly good in every way, and if God truly doesn't intend to let any time, gifts, or experiences go to waste, then perhaps the areas of my life that I've experienced the greatest struggles in are those that I'll also experience the greatest blessings in. I may not know exactly what those blessings are or when they will come, but I do know that I should strive to live each day with the same attitude as that of Joseph.

While it's important to learn from past hurts and mistakes, I must strive to not let those things stop me from serving God and others faithfully, willingly, and joyfully. I must continue working hard to develop my God-given gifts for Him to use in His timing. I must focus on His character rather than my disppointments and put my hope in Him rather than my circumstances. Can God not multiply talents, provide life-changing opportunities, and add or take away one's breath with the blink of an eye? All of my disappointments, all of my failures, all the times when I felt hopeless, alone, confused, or in need in any way... these are no less part of God's great and sovereign plan than the times of great joy and success. I must embrace the challenges of the past, present, and future as opportunities to grow and be better equipped for God's work. Greater things will certainly come and I must commit to doing my part, knowing that God will certainly do His.

03/11: Crystal Cove Cars and Coffee

About a year ago, almost all of the well-known weekly or monthly local automotive gatherings were either cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic, and to this day most of them have not yet resumed. Organized events are now held either on a one-time basis or on a much smaller scale, and often require registration to avoid overcrowding. But the beauty of car meets is that in the end, they really don't have to be officially organized or publicized. In fact, it's often at the "unofficial" gatherings that you meet the most genuine people or see the most extraordinary vehicles. A perfect example? The gathering of car enthusiasts at Crystal Cove Shopping Center in Newport Beach every Saturday morning.

Several regular attendees of this meet affectionately refer to it as "Ground Zero". After all, this was literally where it all began. Crystal Cove was the birthplace of the original "Cars and Coffee". That phrase is now widely used across the country and even across the world to refer to morning car meets, and this was the very spot where it started. Back in 2003, a small group of car enthusiasts began what would become a weekly gathering attracting over a hundred high-end cars that were otherwise rarely seen on the streets, including a very rare McLaren F1 prototype. Eventually, the gathering became too big for the shopping center, and it was officially shut down in 2006. That's what led to the birth of Cars & Coffee Irvine, which was held every Saturday morning with permission outside the Mazda/Ford and Taco Bell buildings, a large parking lot far from any residential areas or business that operated early Saturday mornings. It quickly became a globally-known sensation, attracting not only car enthusiasts and owners, but also manufacturers who used the event to debut their latest concept and production vehicles. I first went to the event in August 2007 for a special gathering of around 100 Ford GT's, and since then I'd attended almost two dozen more times, during which I witnessed debuts of the Lexus LFA, the McLaren MP4-12C, and the Porsche 918 Spyder, and had the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with concept cars such as the turbine-powered Jaguar C-X75. What made this gathering most unique was its incredible diversity of cars. Modern exotics aside, there were also muscle cars, hot rods, antiques, Japanese imports, and just about anything else that belongs in the realm of enthusiast cars. On one particular morning, there were four Bugatti Veyrons, a Stanley Steamer, and an R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R all parked within a few feet of each other. That pretty much summed up the heart of Cars & Coffee Irvine.

Unfortunately, the widespread attention the event received began to attract those who, while interested in cars, were even more interested in attention. More and more people began showing up in cars that were not particularly unique or interesting, often arriving in large groups and taking up significant amounts of space in the main display lot rather than utilizing the spectator parking lot. Despite having over 300 parking spaces in the main display lot, Cars & Coffee Irvine eventually became so crowded that the organizers had to establish regulations govering what types of cars were eligible to park in the display lot - a move that, while beneficial in weeding out cars that clearly belonged in the spectator lot, also drew much controversy for unintentially excluding some truly show-worthy vehicles and ultimately going against the Cars and Coffee spirit. Unfortunately, there really wasn't a better solution, and even with the regulations in place, things were still largely out of control, requiring regular intervention of police to direct traffic, control crowds, and enforce traffic laws. In December 2014, the event was officially shut down.

That's the biggest problem with these car meets - Because they aren't officially organized events that have gone through permitting and other legal processes, most organizers really can't force anyone to not park in a lot that technically isn't their own to begin with. Yes, police enforcement can help control crowds and reduce dangerous driving. But ultimately, pretty much anyone can show up and express varying opions of their own cars and other people's cars. So if a meet is successful, the crowds will naturally grow, and more attention-seekers will be attracted. Eventually, either enough idiots will cause the gathering to be labeled a public nuisance, or enough neighbors or nearby businesses will complain about traffic or noise, resulting in a similar outcome. Car meets are sort of like balloons; either they'll slowly deflate as attendance dwindles, or they'll get so big that they eventually pop.

Since the demise of Cars & Coffee Irvine, things were never the same. Several new weekly meets sprang up claiming to be affiliated with the event, but none came anywhere close to the same level of success, and most ended up dissolving over the years. As more kids began getting access to smartphones and social media began to grow in popularity, attention gravitated toward whatever was newest, fastest, and most popular, and many dealers and enthusiasts began organizing weekly or monthly meets focused almost exclusively on modern supercars and "hypercars". While I undoubtedly enjoyed those events, I couldn't help but realize that the large-scale diversity that once characterized Cars & Coffee Irvine (and its Crystal Cove predecessor) had nearly gone extinct. With social media being the source of information for pretty much every event, whatever wasn't trending was pretty much non-existent.

And to an extent, that's a good thing. Personally, I've always had a soft spot for older cars. It's not just because I prefer things that are timeless rather than trendy, but also because people who own these cars tend to be well-established individuals who see their cars as fine works of art rather than toys for showing off. These owners are mature enough to not crave having their cars posted by others on Instagram, and frankly would probably prefer not attracting attention from a few dozen kids running around with smartphones. The spirit of Cars & Coffee is a love for cars, not a love for attention. And with more and more people unable to tell the difference between the two, sometimes the best place for like-minded car enthusiasts to gather is under the radar.

Fast forward to July of 2019. Aston Martin Newport Beach opened a new dealership at none other than Crystal Cove Shopping Center, and it celebrated its grand opening by hosting a Saturday morning Cars and Coffee. I arrived much earlier than the advertised start time, as I do with pretty much all car events, in hopes of catching more cars rolling in. While I had (unfortunately) never been to the original Crystal Cove Cars & Coffee, I knew enough about it to know that I was standing on sacred ground for car enthusiasts. I stumbled upon a casual gathering of around a couple dozen noteworthy classic cars a little farther down the parking lot - a Ferrari 250 and a few 1950's Jaguars, to name a few - and wandered over for a quick look and a few photos before returning to the Aston Martins. That morning left me with more questions than answers. How did the shopping center that once banned one of the world's most influential car meets now welcome an exotic car dealership as a tenant? Who were the classic car owners gathering down the lot, and what were they doing there? Did they all decide to check out the Aston Martin event and arrive an hour early for coffee? Were they part of a club, and was it some sort of organized event that I was unaware of despite religiously following event updates? Was it purely a coincidence that they were there that morning, or could it be possible that they were meeting on a regular basis?

Last year, with the pandemic in full swing and pretty much all automotive gatherings cancelled, social media became much quieter, and photographers began looking for new destinations to shoot content. As summer approached and things slowly began to reopen, I began seeing occasional pictures of interesting cars at Crystal Cove Shopping Center on Saturday mornings. Nobody spoke of an actual organized gathering there or confirmed any dates or times, especially because in-person gatherings were still largely frowned upon. But my suspicion that something was happening there on more than a one-time basis had definitely been confirmed. In June, when I had gone almost half a year without attending any car events and felt ready (and safe) enough to go out for some fresh air, I decided to check it out myself. So at 5:00 AM on a Saturday, I dragged myself out of bed and drove for nearly an hour to attend a car meet that I really wasn't sure even existed.

And wow, what an amazing morning it was! In fact, so amazing it was that I returned the following Saturday, and another half a dozen times throughout the rest of the year. There really weren't many other events to attend anyway, and the long drive to and from Newport Beach wasn't nearly as bad with noticeably less traffic. I don't know how or when it happened, but the famous Crystal Cove Cars & Coffee was definitely back. In fact, with some businesses closed due to the pandemic and many people choosing to stay at home, there was even more room in the parking lot than before for car enthusiasts to enjoy. Security guards were present, usually patrolling in golf carts, but they were unbelievably friendly, and would often stop to let me shoot pictures and videos before proceeding in front of me. An important chapter of history that I never got to experience in person was now repeating itself, and I made sure to be there enough times to soak it all in.

As for the cars, I don't know where to begin other than by saying that this was as close as I'd been to reexperiencing the best of the diversity of Cars & Coffee Irvine. The majority of cars present were a combination of European classics and modern exotics, along with a healthy presence of American muscle, luxury cars, hot rods, and modified imports. Several regular attendees have incredible collections from which they selected cars to bring out each Saturday. One had brought an Aston Martin DB5, a Ferrari 250, a Ferrari 275, and a vintage Bugatti. One had brought two BMW M1's, over 10 Ferraris, and a Countach. Another had brought a Porsche 356, a Mercedes 300SL, a '48 Tucker, and an award-winning Duesenberg. The first production Polestar 1 in America made an appearance, as did almost every car in the modern lineups of Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, and Porsche. When's the last time you saw (or even heard of) a Simca, a Deutch-Bonnet, an Intermecannica, a Matra, or an ASA (Autocostruzioni Società per Azioni)? Family members of the late Dan Gurney also made occasional appearances with cars from the racing legend's collection. To top it all off, the view of the ocean, especially on a clear day or during the sunrise hours, was breathtaking, and on several occasions I couldn't help but look away from the cars to gaze at nature's beauty. With the incredible ocean view and dozens of noteworthy cars, it was easy even for an amateur photographer to snap shots that look like they'd come straight out of a Pebble Beach gallery.

03/02: A neat little trick I figured out to maximize savings at Target, which I thought I'd share and let others enjoy as well-

The shopping list: 1) A set of four Irish coffee mugs to enjoy some delicious (and sometimes intoxicating) warm beverages. 2) Several packs of diapers for the baby so he can sleep happy and dry while I enjoy using those mugs.

The fine print: Target's website sells the set of mugs for $9.99 - only about half the price of same/similar mugs from other retailers. But the item is only available online (no in-store delivery or pick-up) and will only ship (with free shipping) with a minimum purchase price of $35. The diapers qualify for Target's recurring special offers - usually a free $15 gift card with a $75 purchase of baby supplies (believe me, if you have young kids you'll know that diapers are a huge recurring expense, so these gift cards certainly make a difference!) But these offers are only valid for online orders with same-day services such as in-store pickup - a free service I frequently use since the nearest Target store is only less than a mile away. And in-store pickup is not an option for the mugs, which are only sold online.

The solution: 1) I ordered the mugs online, plus a $30 gift card sent via mail rather than email. This met the $35 minimum to qualify for free shipping, letting me take full advantage of the low price of the mugs. I chose a "Happy Birthday" gift card, just because it's totally not my birthday and I totally don't care. 2) Now that the gift card has arrived in the mail, I'll apply the full amount to an online order of diapers with the in-store pickup option. Within a couple hours (and sometimes only a few minutes!), I can grab those diapers, and my free $15 gift card will be emailed to me. The baby can sleep happily, and I can happily sip hot cocoa from one of my new mugs knowing that my Asian frugality has paid off. Maybe with the saved money I'll pick up a bottle of Irish Creme to make that cocoa even better.

On a side note, it turns out the Irish Coffee Mugs arrived at my door in a package from FedEx, while the gift card arrived in my mailbox a few days later via USPS. So if the two items were shipped separately with different carriers, what the heck was the point of the $35 minimum purchase price to ship!?