Mosaic Blogs

Continuing our journey through Hebrews

Hey guys! First time posting an actual post by myself =o

So like about a few weeks ago or actually two-ish, I created two wallpaper that would represent what Solar Crash meant. And I posted it onto my deviantart page to kinda advertise it online and of course to show ppl all over the world (well not literally..I think) my artwork.

So yeah it’s spreading not only through the mouths of people but through the pictures. I mean maybe that’s why the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” make sense right? Haha.

Oh and also from last Sunday, if you all remember the first song: You Are God. Well the background that was used for that song’s slide was one of my background as well.

More artwork to come. For all of you who don’t know it’s here on my Deviantart Page

PS. If you click on the picture, it will direct you to the detailed page about the art.

PPS. Lately, I’ve been working on a new wallpaper. The theme is suppose to be musical and in a way it has an angelic feeling towards it. Plus there’s a restriction since I’m doing this for a client (not a big one of course…just for a frnd haha). It has to be pink, black and white.

PPS. Sorry about the umm side menu…I don’t know how I got it that big D:

So all summer I’ve been working with this program called “Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)”, which is designed to help freshman have a positive start in their first semester of college and to keep them on the right track until they’ve graduated. So I’ve been TA’ing them in Math and English because majority of them are struggling in both of those areas.

But yesterday, the ladies who were running the program decided to take a day off and have the kids go on a field trip to St. Bonaventure University and see what other colleges and universities were doing with their HEOP’s. It was to educate freshman about leadership, financial planning, relationships, and… this one other thing that I forgot what it was about. So they invited me to join along and have some fun with my students and with the other counsellors.

So I’ve been trying to upload a few pictures, but I was only able to upload two of them. But when I previewed them, they were WAY too big for the post. SO, I’ve linked some of the photos:

The Joker has been touted as “the greatest villain of all time” by Wizard Magazine. This has been something that has been awarded to him for many years. The Joker is the embodiment of chaos and madness, who desparately seeks to reflect his own viral mania into world. “The Joker’s a great villain because he represents anarchy,” says Brian Cunningham, executive editor of Wizard magazine. “He’s the ultimate incarnation of chaos. You can’t predict a villain like that. He’d just as soon kill a baby as he would a grown man. There’s no prejudice when it comes to Joker wanting to kill somebody. There really are no limits to him.” (http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=652535)

For many years now, I’ve viewed the Joker as the greatest villain of all time for another reason. The Joker and the Batman could not have existed without each other. The dependency of this arch-nemesis is what has always made this comic stand out in my mind. I used to like Batman as a kid, because well, he was cool… but as I got older, I understood how profound this story actually was.

Jack Napier, a small-time Gotham city thug, shot and killed Bruce Wayne’s parents in an alleyway in cold blood during a botched-mugging attempt. Bruce just a child, bore witnessed the event, and scarred him deeply. Bruce bound by the trauma of his parents’ murder, swore his life to upholding justice, while also bent on revenge to right the wrong committed. Jack Napier created Batman.

Jack Napier in a factory firefight with Batman was inadvertantly thrown by Batman into a vat of chemicals, thereby turning the henchman Jack Napier into the horribly disfigured and diabolical Joker. The Joker then became bent on revenge as well, and also became an agent of anarchy and lunacy in the process. Batman created the Joker.

You can see that this dynamic is what makes this story so compelling and powerful. I understand, that this telling of the story is only Tim Burton’s version from Batman, 1989. The original story actually doesn’t say that Jack Napier killed Bruce’s parents. The killer was not named until later in the Batman series, when reference was made to some lowly-henchman named “Joe Chill”. But I like Tim Burton’s version.

As you will have heard already, the latest Dark Knight movie had a huge opening weekend in theatres. Lots of great reviews are out there on this movie. Everyone is saying how the dichotomy of good vs evil (in all of us) theme, makes this movie so impactful and relevant for the viewer. Yes, it does strike a chord, doesn’t it?

Today, Pastor Ka’s message noted that a problem of today’s people is that there is no need to know Jesus. With nostalgic memories of Batman, and his war on the Joker - the battle of good vs evil is played out in pop-culture… what about the battle of good vs evil for our souls? The reason Batman vs the Joker is so compelling is because it is a representation of the longing we have to champion something deep within ourselves.

The greatest villain of all time is not the Joker. There’s no joking around here… I think we all know what the Joker represents… Did you really think it was just a stupid comic book?

If you missed last sunday our own Phil created some live art on the spot during our gathering.

continuing the journey through Hebrews

- high priests have weaknesses

- those weaknesses can help them engage in the weaknesses of others

- priests need atoning for their sins as well

- what does it mean to be called by God?

- What does it mean for Jesus to have reduced himself to having to ‘learn’ certain things?

- If milk is for infants and solid food is for the mature - what do you feel you need to be feeding on these days?

Mosaic Baptist this week:

• Pray for Henry Chow as he begins a missions trip to Chibougaumau (July 17 to 28).
• A refined version of last Sunday’s sermon is posted under R.E.A.L. food.
• If you would like to volunteer for this Sunday’s worship at the Tendercare, please contact Po Man. We do need people to help with one-on-one interpretations (from Cantonese to English) as needed.
• Check out some of the new postings at the Mosaic Baptist Bookstore.

Perks of being older (not necessary wiser):

Growing old / aging is a frightening process. Unable to keep up with the latest technology is not the worst nightmare but the emotions of feeling unwanted, useless and obsolete. Then there is the bright side: 

1. Free to let other’s make mistakes. (When you are in control, you are to blame for failures. When you are getting older, the younger generation will push you over and take control.)
2. Free to discover new paths, new relationships, new journeys. (When you are getting older, you are less wanted by those who has known you for a long time. i.e. children.)
3. Free to go home. (The destiny of Jesus is getting closer.)
4. Free to create. (Your advice is deemed old fashioned and hence not needed. Therefore, save your breath for more contemplation and reflection. The result: re-invent yourself.)
5. Free to be taking care of. (From caregiver to care-benefactor.)

“Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound.” Proverbs 25:20

“sometimes, when we see loved ones that are depressed, we feel obligated to cheer them up by being cheerful & asking them what’s wrong. But sometimes it hurts the person more because the other person does not want to talk about it, eventhough your intentions were good. We should love others & help others whenever we can but in a way where we are respecting their needs.”

Anonymous

Jon & I went to the fundraising luncheon for the Cambodia mission trip led by Lisa Cheong (Toronto Rep for Ratanak Foundation).  Some thoughts had gone through my mind:

1)      The Cambodian/Thai food was really enjoyable, and our Cambodian servers were very friendly. 

2)      I was really impressed that all the team members, other than Lisa are 1^st timer to mission trip.  In fact, most of them shared that missions were never on their personal radar before.  Lisa has previously shared with us that she felt God is leading her in the direction to mobilize people in Toronto/N. America to care for Cambodia and human trafficking.  And indeed, as Lisa faithfully responds to God’s call, God works miracle to transform people’s hearts and mobilize people Himself.  I am once again at awe of God’s way of working through those who listen and respond to His voice.

3)      Amongst the many helps the team got from their home church – Rexdale Alliance Church, one help was particularly recognized by the team - 4 elderly ladies (I mean, they really have a lot of grey hair) had made more than thirty hand-knitted teddy bear for the team to give to the kids in Cambodia.  What an ample exemplification of the fact that anyone can contribute to missions and the kingdom of God in however small and yet creative ways!  It’s truly not a matter of whether you have the skills/talents, but rather where your heart is - “where your treasure is, there your heart will be” (Lk 12:34).

4)      On a church community level, even though Lisa and her team got Rexdale Alliance Church as their (relative big) home-base support, I think both Lisa and ourselves appreciate how God somehow brings our churches closer to her ministry.  I think partnership among churches/Christian communities should really be encouraged, instead of the traditional approach that each church tends to confine ministries within one’s own church context.  Partnership among Christian communities will be such a beautiful reflection of how body of Christ can work together in a larger context, using God-given gifts and resources for the sake of the kingdom of God and humanity.  

Anyway, here are some links you can get updates and pray for Lisa’s mission team

http://www.cambodiamission2008.blogspot.com/. 

http://www.lisachildofgod.blogspot.com/

A note on the side, as I shared before, if you want to follow along relief effort around the globe, this is a good link

http://reliefweb.int

So much for my 1^st blog on Mosaic website…

Reflections on Hebrews 4 for those of you still following along

- What does it mean to combine what we hear with faith and action?  is it of any use if we simple hear, or absorb it?

- What does it mean to join ‘the rest of god’?

- How often do we act as if God isn’t actually watching?  Why does it seem even more important when another human being is watching the way we act than God Himself?

- Jesus is the great sympathizer of all of our sins.  Ever wonder if Jesus can’t quite relate to you because He never had to deal with the guilt as a result of committing sin?

- How confident are you as you approach ‘the throne of grace’?  What does that mean to you?