My first time conducting a choir was when I was 16, it last about two years before I went to college in the States.  After so many years, without any formal training ever, I was invited to conduct the choir again.  What a privilege.

Today is the day.  First time after so many years.  I was asked by the church leader to conduct the choir at VCBC in San Francisco this morning, both at the English and Cantonese Sunday services.  It was another peaceful and joyful experience in serving the Lord.  It turns out pretty good with encouragement and confirmation.  Received few kind words and some good comments.  Some youth expressed that they like my style of conducting.

Have been busy spending time with family since parents were in town for a month, my dad even provided free clinic in traditional chinese medicine prescription at VCBC one thursday of last month.  Haven't been writing much on xanga lately.

Some exciting updates:
1. I started my practicum being MFT trainee at 2 different sites mid August, working 20 hours a week: AFI (Asian Family Institute) & NewLifeCenter in Santa Cruz.  Despite the weekly long drive, I thank God for providing the opportunities to be exposed to different group of populations in gaining working counseling experiences.  It has been 5 weeks now and is a great start for me.  The experience so far is manageable, not too overwhelmed but challenging enough to learn and grow step by step, which is an answering of prayer.
2. I am taking Theology I (Systematic Theology +) this semester.  I heard some scary things about this course, scary because it is quite a difficult course, to understand and to get good grades.  Also, requires lots of time to read and working on papers.  However, thank God for having mercy.  So far, I like the course, and I have been able to understand what the professor says, maybe 95% of the lecture, the other 5% I need to go back home and try to digest it. :)  I personally like the way he teaches, the professor is Jeff Louie, pastor of Sunset Church in San Francisco.
3. Parents are gone home safely, summer is over; work and school has started.  There are other important things on my mind lately and please pray for me: includes finding my own personal therapist (required by school), needing some income to get through school before graduating, discerning heart to see and choose my own spiritual helper, my future wife.

I invited couple of my friends to come, hang out and have barbecue at my home last nite, here is a picture to share; we had fun catching up between my 2 STM trips.  We gotta enjoy the food, drink and dessert.  It's another good time of fellowship.  My landlord is nice of letting me use his charcoal grill ... Thank God for providing me such a place to live while pursuing education in MFT.  Again, I am done with my 2nd year of school, one more year to go.  I started my 1st day at NLC and gotta enjoy the free circus and beach in Santa Cruz today (Tuesday).

My weekend was filled with activities as well.  Sunday service + HopeExpress practice + dinner and dessert.  I spent my whole Saturday to observe and participate in the Sat. ministry activities at VCBC; started out with food program: giving out food to the low income family; then small group leaders meeting, Solomon's fellowship outing, Sunday school teachers meeting, choir practice and evangelical team meeting.  I'd never knew that I like sports that much until these past 2 weekends: Solomon's outing: 30+ of us went out to play soccer, tennis then swimming; it was so much fun with the young ones: college and high schoolers ...

Now, I am very sleepy, share more next time ...