Airports and airplanes

January 21

It is 5:42 am as I am writing this and I am waiting to board my plane to Guwahati which goes via Delhi. It will be another long day of traveling but I am thankful that I don’t have to do any teaching till tomorrow.

As we’ve always mentioned, India is a fascinating country in so many ways. The economy is growing so rapidly with a fast-expanding middle-class. With the amount of traveling done by Indians, there has been a lot of demand (and of course, supply) of domestic flights. A sample of the home-grown lot of airlines include Jet Airways, Paramount Airways, Kingfisher, Jetlite, Spice Jet, etc. So far, I’ve flown Jet Airways and Paramount Airways and this morning I’ll be experiencing JetLite.

Indian domestic flights are in direct and complete contrast to American domestic flights. First, the service (at least the ones I know) is exemplary. Jet Airways’s service is comparable to Singapore Airlines! I was immediately impressed when I flew them last September. Second, the food is mostly excellent. They give you a broad range of choices from vegetarian to non-vegetarian, regular to low fat, etc.

Last evening, we flew Paramount Airways from Kochi to Chennai. There is no economy class on Paramount flights. They are either First or Business. They were great. Despite the 45-minute delay due to air-traffic congestion, I was thoroughly pleased with the service. When they serve the meals, they serve them with cotton/fabric napkin! Though the food wasn’t as good as Jet’s, the service and the final touches were classy.

However, there is also a downside to this explosive growth of air travel here. First, when in line for either check-in or baggage screening, Indians have no qualms about cutting in front of you. Either they will slowly inch their way in front of you or they will appear like they are ignorant that they are cutting into your line! Then, there is the line confusion where sometimes a few lines would converge into one and cause all kinds of shoving around. Very frustrating when you’re trying to do it the proper way and the person in front of you gives way and lets some guy cut in.

Second, most of the airports here are still trying to cope with the increased traffic. Some have undergone renovation and expansion but the volume of travelers still seem to exceed the capacity of the airports of most cities. Also, in some cases, the service level of the airport ground staff has not caught up with the sophistication of their high-flying colleague. Hence, often there is a great customer service gap you’d experience between ground and air. India, if she hopes to truly catch up with nations around her like Singapore, Malaysia and even Thailand, will have to really buck up some of these aspects that are essential to development.

January 25

I am presently waiting to board my flight home to Singapore – yay! I can’t believe it’s already been 11 days since I left home. Since I left for Guwahati four days ago, I’ve been incommunicado. Whenever I’m in the Northeast of India, my Blackberry does not work. I discovered that the government blocks foreign phone lines from roaming in those areas to prevent foreigners from aiding the all-too-often insurgences there.

Unfortunately, this time, Brian was not even able to call me at the hotel I was staying for some reason. So, we were out of touch for a couple of days. Was so glad to be able to talk to him briefly as soon as I got into Kolkata on transit earlier today.

The two-day training seminar in Guwahati went really well, I thought. More than 20 people from all over the Northeast attended – some had to travel more than 12 hours by bus or train to be there! Mind you, these were not like villagers tucked away in the hills and hence the travel time but really highly qualified people. We had a few university professors, a few medical doctors, a few PhD candidate students and a few pastors. I always learn so much when I’m here even though I’m supposed to be the teacher. Always a humbling experience.

Oh, by the way, JetLite quite suck. First, my flight was delayed big time. And then, the “food” (or whatever it was they were serving!) sucked! The service was poor as well! When I went to use the lavatory, it was unflushed and there were “liquid excretory product” in the toilet! Gross! Then, when the plane was in transit in Delhi, we had to sit in the plane for almost two hours as the British Prime Minister, Brown, was visiting and hence the airport had to be closed for his arrival! If the flight was not delayed in the first place, we would not have been caught in the closure…

The saving grace was the wonderfully chilly weather in Guwahati. A very nice change. Anyhow, gotta stop here as I’ll be boarding soon…

Bad news in "God's own country"

My time here in India is going well so far. I’m presently in Kochi – a small city in the west-coast state of Kerala. This evening I return to Chennai before departing to Guwahati very early tomorrow morning (6:30 am flight!!!).

My colleague, Neil, and I flew into Kochi early yesterday and we dived right into work as soon as we got in. But the schedule hasn’t been too bad for me in that I’ve had enough time to rest. Today, I only had to teach one session. What has been a highlight here is the food. Keraili food is so tasty! When Brian and I were in Chennai (Madras) last year, a friend of ours who’s from Kerala, took us to eat at a Keraili restaurant and we thoroughly enjoyed the food. So, you can imagine the feast I’m having here in the state itself.

Kerala is touted as “God’s own country” as it’s apparently a very green and beautiful state. I’ve yet to see much of this place though. What is evident is the ubiquitous coconut tree. Lots of them! In fact, what is unique about Keraili cuisine is the use of coconut oil in the cooking. Also, Keraili food is spicy-hotter than most of the Indian cuisine I’ve had so far. I love it. I wish Brian is here as I know he’d love the food!

A few days ago we received some bad news from our landlord – he’s selling the apartment we’re in. This means we have to look for a place to move to before May. We greeted this news with much sadness and anxiety. We’re sad as this is our first home together and the sentimental attachment is strong. Then, we’re anxious as we’re concerned about our ability to find another place at a reasonable rent. Real estate prices in Singapore are sky-rocketing and with our current commitments, it’ll be very difficult for us to find another place that is even close to our present apartment in terms of space and location. Nonetheless, I’ve to keep my hopes high knowing that God WILL provide according to what we need.

Our last resort is to move to the dormitory flat of Brian’s seminary. However, that would be challenging for us as those flats are too small. These flats are basic and small as they are intended for students who are in Singapore temporarily for a few years for their education and most of them have a home back in their home-country where they store the rest of their stuff. The case is different for us as whatever we have with us now (books, furniture, etc) are all we own and have. Hence, we need a real apartment and not a basic dorm quarters. Sigh…

We’ve been rather depressed since we received the news but we know we have to believe that things will work out eventually. I’ve seen how God has provided for us without fail, so I’m hopeful but being an imperfect human, I do have my times of despair. As of right now, I’m feeling more despair. Please pray for us…

Presently in Chennai

As you would have noticed from our itinerary on the right-side of this blog, I'm presently in India now. I arrived here on Sunday night and will be here till next Thursday (Jan. 24). Just like my last trip, I will be in Chennai (Madras) for a week and then head to Cochin (on the west coast) for the weekend and then to Guwahati (northeast) on Monday before making my way back to Singapore.

The weather in Chennai at this time of the year is wonderful compared to the scorching hot months of May and June. In fact, I look forward to some chilly weather in the northeast where the winter is more pronounced. Getting reacquainted with the Indian traffic is always interesting but I think I'm so used to it now that I no longer squint my eyes when I see a car coming real close next to the vehicle I'm in.

The classes at the RZIM Academy here have been going well. Today, especially, I felt like I really connected with the participants and we had a very lively discussion on Buddhism. I'm also thankful that my sinus (allergic rhinitis, my doctor calls the problem) hasn't bothered me too much since I got here.

One of the blessings on our lives in the past few months has been the opportunity to travel and minister together as a couple. As I was leaving on Sunday, I realized it would be the first time in three months that I'd be away from Brian - and for almost two weeks! So, as much as I love visiting India and seeing friends here, I hope the next week will pass quickly.

Of course by the time I return to Singapore it would be a week from Chinese New Year and we would be getting ready to travel to Ipoh, Malaysia to see my parents. We're really looking forward to that as it's been a whole year since we saw them. Last year had been exceptionally busy for us and it was almost impossible to carve out time to travel to Ipoh. Besides, as I travel so much for work, when I do get a weekend when I don't have to be out of town, I'd rather stay home to catch up on chores, etc.

Another excitement we're looking forward to on our trip to Ipoh is meeting my niece, Xing Ru. She would be three months old by the time we see her in February and I can't wait to baby-talk to her! She has grown to be soooo cute!

Brian is, meanwhile, busy with his doctoral research. He discovered from a fellow students that he can do some of his work at home and don't have to be in college everyday. That's good news! Nonetheless, he still tries to be on campus a few days a week to use the library and all. He has also been busy with his new role of overseeing the Christian Education of our church as a board member.

New phase

We started a new phase of life this mid-week (since 1 Jan. was a Tuesday). This newness especially pertains to Brian (of course, without not affecting me!). He started his first day at Trinity Theological College as a full-time Doctoral student. As the school is an hour bus ride away from our home, he's been leaving the house early armed with his coffee thermos for his after-lunch caffeine boost. At first we thought he needn't be at school everyday and will be spending significant time at home for his research but we realized that he needs to be at school every day for one kind of college community activity or another! We'll see if he can get out of some of them...

Meanwhile, Brian will be on our church's Board for the next two years overseeing the area of Spiritual Formation. He begins his weekend by having to attend an almost whole-day Board meeting today. Speaking of our church, we are extremely thankful for this supportive community. Realizing our need, they have stepped up to help us some with Brian's school fees. This act of love has alleviated a lot of anxiety and fear on our part. This is also a further affirmation of God's calling upon Brian's life as he is being prepared to be a Christian scholar and teacher.

The weekend will see me working on my computer as I prepare for my various talks next week and for my trip to India next Sunday. Have a good weekend, ya'll!

Brave men are all vertebrates; they have their softness on the surface and their toughness in the middle.
~ GK Chesterton

More pixs from Cambodia

Last night, we got more pixs of our Cambodian trip from our good friend, Alvin. I hope you'll enjoy them. Here's my commentary on the pixs: 1) Having lunch at the famous Foreign Correspondent Club (FCC) 2) On the second day we were in Phnom Penh, it was my birthday, so we had a small cake. 3) Foreign men, especially white men, who visit will be asked if they'd like some "Boom-boom" as they are many "Boom-boom Girls" available for cheap (if you know what I mean!). Since I'm Asian (can pass as a Khmer girl, maybe?) and with an Angmor man, Alvin asked if we could pose as a "Boom-boom couple" in front of a nightclub!!! Humor aside, it is quite sad to see the flesh-trade so prevalent and explicit in this part of the world. 4) This last pix you see is of us and Celia, Alvin's wife, getting ready for our massage. It is so cheap to get a body massage here - US$5 an hour! Good times!

Another year

It is hard to believe that it's already the last day of 2007. I still remember vividly how I told Brian last year that I love the months of October, November and December but hate January. For me, January marks the end of the holiday season (read: vacation, feast, gifts, etc) and the beginning of another year (read: deadlines, work, etc). I remember feeling exactly the same way about the start of a year when I was a child as that meant that it's time to go back to school (January is the beginning of the school year in Malaysia).

However, this year-end has been so busy for us that there was hardly any "holiday season." So, I'm not as depressed about New Year's day this time round. New Year's eve will see us shopping for groceries (food prices are slated to increase by at least 10% by January 1) and in the evening, we'll be going to our church for Watchnite Service where we contemplate God's goodness over the past year as we herald in the new one in faith. Before the service starts, there will be supper - teochew porridge (it's a rice congee meal - Chinese comfort-food - see pix below).

Brian begins a new phase of his life on January 2. He will be a full-time student again. I salute his academic stamina!

Anyhow, here's wishing everyone of you as great new start to another year! I'll leave you with a quote from GK Chesterton:

“The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year.

It is that we should have a new soul”

Low-key Christmas

Christmas was especially low-key for us this year. As we're still recovering from our travels and Brian is still battling his Cambodian-stomach, we decided we'll just veg at home and watch tv. Unlike last year when my mom and sister visited and I cooked up a traditional (American) Xmas feast (ham, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, etc), this year we had instant ramen and salad. There weren't many boxes under the tree either as we decided to keep it simple (read: frugal) since Brian is going back to school as a full-time student next year.

What was fun was how we were able to do web-cam conferencing with Brian's family in Maryland via Skype. It was really nice to be able to see everyone and be a part of the festivities there vicariously.

While many are winding down at work at this time of the year, I've got one more conference to teach at tomorrow. Last few days saw me busy putting my presentation together.

For those of you who do not know, Brian is a bibliographer. He keeps a comprehensive database of all the books we own (in the thousands) and the books we'd love to have. He has an incredible memory, too, when it comes to authors and titles of books. I remember how I used to call him when I'm at a bookstore and we'd play this game where I'll name him the title of a book and he'd give me the name of the author. He gets it correct 99% of the time!

Anyhow, on this database that he has, he'd list the title, author/contributors, publisher, etc of the book. This week, he informed me, I've made it onto his list! I contributed a chapter to a book published by Thomas Nelson and we got our copy yesterday. Since I'm one of the writers, my name would be on the "Brian Thomas List"! I'm thrilled to see my chapter in print and it feels so unreal to be contributing to a book alongside giants like Alister McGrath, Ravi Zacharias and John Lennox!

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with a pix of my bibliographer!

Cambodian Reflections

We just came back exhausted from our Cambodian trip. It was quite an experience. Our church sent about 19 people, divided up into three teams. One team went to an orphanage, about 1 ½ hour outside of Phnom Penh. Our church has been ministering to this orphanage for some years. Another team of teachers went to help train some Cambodian school teachers. I’Ching and I constituted the third team, and our purpose was to speak to university students and teach some classes at a bible college there.

One of our contacts in Phnom Penh was a missionary and his family. They have been in Cambodia for 11 years, and worked with Cambodian refugees in the US before that. He speaks Khmer and gave us a lot of insight into what is going on in Cambodia. He and his wife are really warm and hospitable. They invited us to dinner a couple of times, and were really pleasant to get to know. His 16-year-old son who prefers the nickname “Peter” from The Chronicles of Narnia (!) is a great Dutch Blitz player, and we had a great time introducing I’Ching to the game.

Universities in Phnom Penh do not have dorms on campus for their students—they have to find their own housing. This can be a great difficulty for them, especially those who come from the provinces. Many male students stay at some of the Buddhist temples for free, but it is not a great environment for study. So our friend runs a male dorm and a female dorm, each with a resident director. They look out for students who are bright and poor as potential dorm residents. The goal is to have 70% Christian students and 30% non-Christian. All of the students are ministered to and cared for.

I’Ching and I each gave a one-hour talk to the dorm students over two nights. I also was able to attend the Khmer church service on Sunday. The really encouraging thing about these experiences is that the Khmer students are so hungry for the gospel and to follow Christ. They ask good questions, and we were able to have some engaging conversations with the ones that spoke English. Some people from the other teams were able to come with us one night, and they all helped to engage the students afterward.

We also taught at a bible college for three days. Each day starts with a devotional in chapel. We also taught an afternoon class for a few hours on two days. These were also wonderful students who were really hungry for the Word of God.

For all of our meetings, we had to use a translator. This is one difficulty in Cambodia. All of our meetings cover only about half of what one would expect because of translation. Furthermore, the Khmer language lacks words for some biblical, theological, and philosophical concepts, so it is quite difficult to communicate certain ideas to them. One need for Cambodian bible students is to enhance their theological vocabulary, perhaps by taking words from English and having the meanings explained in Khmer. There is a lot of work to be done in this area.

The good news is that the Church is growing in Cambodia, and the young people are really open to the Gospel. Buddhism is just a piece of the cultural identity and furniture there—it doesn’t really meet the needs of the soul. So many are open to Christianity, and thus both the Buddhist priests and the authorities are concerned with the growth of the Christianity. Officially, the percentage of Christians in Cambodia is up to 4%, but it is estimated to be much higher. Many Christians meet in house churches because the government (specifically the Ministry of Cults and Religions) often seek to suppress the churches by what you might call “bureaucratic persecution”: endless red tape, exorbitant bribes and fees, and intrusive demands for personal information. But the gospel is advancing.

On the other hand, Cambodia is a bit of a depressing place. It is so poor, and with so many needs. Corruption and passivity are a way of life there. There are more NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) there than in most countries, trying to help out, and tons of foreign aid money. But it passes through many hands, and a little is skimmed off into people’s pockets at each step along the way. Cambodia needs a revolution of values before it experiences progress beyond third-world status. I’Ching estimates that it is about 20 years or so behind Malaysia in terms of development.

Ironically, Phnom Penh used to be referred to as “The Paris of the East.” Our friend Alvin informed us that Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew visited Prince Sihanouk in the ‘60s and told him that he hoped that one day Singapore would catch up with Phnom Penh! Looking at the two countries now, it is hard to believe that such a switch in fortunes could have happened. Cambodia is a shattered country, picking itself up from the wreckage caused by decades of warfare, civil war, and the Communist rule of the Khmer Rouge. It is estimated that 1/3 of the country’s population died under the rule of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge. There is a missing generation in Cambodia today as a result of Pol Pot.

The last day of our trip we toured Tuol Sleng, the Genocide Museum. This used to be a high school, but was turned into Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge. Out of about 17,000 people imprisoned at S-21 from 1975 to 1979, there were only 12 survivors. The wickedness of this regime is beyond belief. Every prisoner had a photo taken upon arrival. Thousands of these photographs are on display in room after room at the museum. Ordinary people from all ages, men and women, all stations of life, stare back at you from the past. Many were tortured until they admitted to fictitious crimes, for which they were then executed. Also on display were many of the implements of torture used. There are some photographs from the Killing Fields, filled with mass graves and uncountable multitudes of skulls arranged in stacks. The last room of the museum contains many skulls of the victims.

It was a sobering end to our trip, but a necessary reminder of the fact of evil in our world, a fact that is often denied or trivialized.

More on our trip next time.

Pixs from Cambodia

Brian sharing at the bible school's chapel.
















You think they are bottles of sodas? No! They are actually petrol for cars!









Walls of shoes at the Central Market

Mulled cider: Hot or Cold?

One of the things about living right on the Equator is that there are only two seasons to a year - dry or rainy season. No fall, winter, summer or spring. This means that we are often in our shorts as we open our Christmas presents and sipping cold instead of hot cider in the evening as a nightcap.

Apple cider is not easily found in this part of the world but last year, when we visited the US, we bought a small carton of Aspen Mulling Spices. I had forgotten about it until two days ago when I found it sitting at the far end of our fridge compartment and decided that it is time we realize its full potential. According to instructions, we added 3 teaspoons to regular store-bought apple juice and, voila, we got some cinnamon-laced cider - so comforting to the tummy (and soul) after a long day. As it has been raining ceaselessly here in Singapore, the weather is actually quite cool (around low-80's F. or 24/5 C.). So, we've actually been enjoying some hot mulled cider as we pretend to await the first snowfall.

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with a pix from our Thanksgiving dinner with family in Maryland last month.

Back from Manila

We got back from our teaching trip to the Philippines on Tuesday and are mighty glad that we have a few days break before we're on the road again for 2 weeks - first to Malaysia and then to Cambodia. Our time in Manila was fruitful. We had our friend, Dave Geisler, to teach alongside us. Jun Diverte, a local apologist there, was also with us.

It was the first time for both Dave and Brian to be in the Philippines and from their reaction and feedback, I am guessing that they loved it. In fact, Brian says that he prefers Manila over Jakarta. Oh, and on the second day we were there, there was an attempted coup. Apparently it took place at the Peninsula Hotel in Manila. As we were working all day in our hotel room, we had no idea of that until we turned on the tv in the early evening. By that time, all the action was over.

With Christmas approaching and the Philippines a predominantly Catholic country, the city of Manila was all adorned in twinkling lights and other familiar seasonal ornaments. It is understandable that both Dave and Brian enjoy Manila as so much there reminds me of So. Cal. For one, we drive on the right-side of the road. Then, there's the unambiguous reminder of the country's Spanish past - street names, buildings, names of Philippinos, Tagalog (official language of the country), etc - all bear semblance to the Hispanic imprint in So. Cal. We wished there were similarities in the food but alas, rice takes precedence. In fact, KFC here serves rice instead of mash potatoes as the default side dish. Go figure!

Here are some pixs from the teaching trip...

Therapeutic "potting"

I am lagging way behind in keeping ya'll posted on what's been happening with us. I shall do so in my next entry next week - I promise! Meanwhile, I want to quickly log this in before I forget.

As I am writing this, my body is exhausted from both travel and battle - against a sinus infection. The infection started a day before Thanksgiving (last Thursday). I'm on antibiotics now and hopefully it'll clear up soon.

We travel to Manila today for a few days to teach at a training conference. It has been crazy arriving home from the US late Monday night and then leaving again today. C'est la vie! Would you please pray for us?

Anyway, getting to the point of this log - the plants on our balcony have flourished much since last month. Some are overgrowing their pots. So, despite my lethargic body, I decided to re-pot some of them onto larger pots. To my surprise, I found the chore quite relaxing. I've hardly considered myself one with the green thumb but the little gardening, well, okay, "potting," that I did this morning was really soothing to my soul. I experienced one of those "transcendent" moments where words are not enough to describe the delightful but fleeting joy. What mirth! I guess such were the moments that CS Lewis and GK Chesterton frequently referred to in their writings.

In view of the nature of the experience, I have no doubt but to recognize that God is the source of all such pleasures...

Turkey overdose

We are back in Hampstead MD. now after spending a week in Virginia where Brian's father and his family is. It was nice to see them again and be able to spend some time with them. The first breakfast we had in Yorktown was at McDonald's! Yes, though we hardly frequent Mickey D's at home, when I am here in the US, I like their breakfast - their Sausage McGriddle is unparalleled! It's sausage pattie in a pancake-like sandwich that is filled with maple syrup! So absolutely yummy!

The McDonald's we would go to is right by Brian's dad's place and it always has a vintage car on display there. This time it was a Ford Thunderbird. (See pix below)

We also drove to Richmond to see Brian's grandmother who lives with her son, Mike, and his family. She's such a sweetheart! Though 91, her mind (and her humor) is as sharp as ever. Every time we see her, she'd tell us, "I always hope that ya'll come home but I pray to the Lord for His will to be done.." It's always hard to leave after we see her and wish we could spend more time with her. (See her pix with Brian below)

While we were in VA., we had some really good food. Of course, we went to Applebee's - where Brian ALWAYS orders the Tequila Lime Chicken. Then, we had baby back ribs at this mom & pop bbq restaurant near Mike's place - Chuck's Smokehouse & Tavern. The ribs I had were so, so good! The meat practically fell off the bones! Their prices were very reasonable, too. So, if you're ever in Colonial Heights, VA., do visit Chuck!

(Above: Neighbor's emu in Hampstead)

The weather here in the east hasn't been too cold the last two weeks but it started to get cold last night. Today has been freezing! It must be between 0 - 5 Celsius outside now!

When we got in last evening, we had smoked turkey again. I had 2 huge helpings! I was so stuffed! But it was good! I guess we have to go easy on the turkey before we overdose on it on Thanksgiving on Thursday.

I cannot believe that my break is soon coming to an end. It seems like just yesterday we were in Mexico. However, during these last few days, we'll be taking it easy - other than visiting downtown Baltimore on Wednesday, we'll just be hanging around the house to do some work, watch tv and play with Prancer - the cat of the house. Will tell you more about Prancer in my next posting as dinner is ready and 'Dancing with the Stars' is coming on soon. Cheers...

Chillin' in the east

Our week in So. Cal went past so fast as we had so many people we wanted to catch up with and so many other errands to run - banking, shopping, etc. Though supposedly a holiday (and fun), we were so busy and often tired at the end of each day.

We flew over to the east here yesterday. Got into Maryland last evening where Brian's mom is but will travel to Yorktown, Virginia tomorrow to spend a few days with Brian's dad. After Virginia, we will travel back here to Hampstead for chill time and finally Thanksgiving. It's much colder here than in So. Cal. but the chill is a wonderful change. Today, we woke up to a beautiful sunny morning as the pretty fall-colored leaves glisten. I am feeling much better and am beginning to finally enjoy our break especially now that we are in the east.


Brian has been catching up on football on tv (Redskins - his team is playing now) and I'm doing last-minute shopping for friends on Amazon to capitalize on the domestic free-shipping.


This evening we will have Steve's famous smoked turkey for dinner - always a highlight of our visit here! I'll leave you meanwhile with some pictures I took of trees behind the house here...

Back at BIOLA!

We're into our fourth day here in LA and we're enjoying every moment of it. I am feeling much better though I still have a slight lingering cough. We've been visiting friends (families) we know here since we got in on Sunday. Today, we visited our teachers at Talbot. First we met with Garry DeWeese (our friend/pastor/professor who officiated at our wedding). JP (Moreland) happened to be in Garry's room - so we said, Hi, to him. We caught up with Garry - personal and ministry. He prayed for us before we left. Our time with Garry is always very special - right from the time he counselled us before Brian and I were married.

Then we saw Scott (Smith) at his office. Bumped into Craig (Hazen) along the way and we chatted for a bit. He gave us a copy of the manuscript of his new apologetics fiction book - I'm really looking forward to reading it! As always, it's great to see Scott as we caught up with what each of us are doing... his writings, projects, etc.

I am presently blogging at the BIOLA library and am minutes away from sharing at the international graduate students' prayer meeting. So, this will have to be short...