kimberly tsui

clink, clink

2010-11-18T10:48:00.003-06:00

I've been walking around with no money and no identification for the past week. Not by choice.

The Lord has spoken. He says "Love, you cannot and will not identify yourself within this world. You cannot and will not depend on paper bits and clinking metals for survival. You must and will identify yourself in me. You must and will depend on me. For your survival."

Winter snow.

2010-02-24T21:01:00.002-06:00

You could have come like a mighty storm

with all the strength of a hurricane

You could have come like a forrest fire

with the power of Heaven in Your flame

But you came like a winter snow

quiet and soft and slow

Falling from the sky in the night

to the earth below

You could have swept in like a tidal wave

or in an ocean to ravage our hearts

You could have come through like a roaring flood

to wipe away the things we've scarred

But you came like a winter snow

You were quiet, you were soft and slow

Falling from the sky in the night

to the earth below

Your voice wasn't in a bush burning

Your voice wasn't in a rushing wind

It was still, it was small

It was hidden

You came like a winter snow

quiet and soft and slow

Falling form the sky in the night

to the earth

You came falling from the sky in the night

to the earth below

Jesus Christ came to be with us. He came like us. Sometimes He's just here to sit with us.

Building.

2010-02-21T17:16:00.002-06:00

Do not build you life upon idols, upon the world and its offerings. Build you life upon Jesus Christ.

Sunk

2010-02-18T10:01:00.002-06:00

Soon... I'll be going to the place He has prepare for me. There, my sin erased... my shame forgotten.

Sick today.

It's nice to lounge on a couch that soaks me in, with three fleece blankets covering me and a frozen dinner sitting in my stomach. I'm sinking into the couch now.

On the road.. again.

2009-10-25T17:18:00.001-05:00

He said that He wanted all of me. I seem to not even know what 'all of me' means. I suppose we'll continue to figure it out on the road.

2009-09-08T01:47:00.001-05:00

God told me to not worry. Of course I still did a little. And then He showed me why I need not worry. I love when He does that.

2009-09-07T17:22:00.000-05:00

There's something about the way people think that's fairly intriguing.

2009-09-06T20:20:00.000-05:00

Circles are delicious. Especially ones that look like this.

2009-09-03T12:19:00.000-05:00

Ran across this somewhere, don't know where. But I love it.

Good Life.

2009-04-13T15:04:00.001-05:00

"I'm really good with my life as of now. I'd just like to share it with someone now."

Gravity

2009-03-19T19:17:00.003-05:00

Something always brings me back to you

It never takes too long

No matter what I say or do

I still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone

You hold without touch

You keep me without chains

I never wanted anything so much

And I drown in your love and not feel your rain

Set me free leave me be

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity

Here I am and I stand so tall

Just the way I'm supposed to be

But you're on to me

And all over me

You loved me 'cause I'm fragile

I thought that I was strong

But you touch me for a little while

And all my fragile strength is gone

I live here on my knees as I try to make you see

That you're everything I think I need here on the ground

But you're neither friend nor foe

Though I can't seem to let you go

But one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down

All-Natural Colors

2009-03-13T00:31:00.002-05:00

The human physical body is fantastically amazing. And who made it? God, of course.

I recall a sermon series given by a very wise follower of Jesus Christ. He spoke about cleanliness, the concept of a clean room, the cleanliness of the body both spiritually and physically. Leviticus.

The human physical body is incredibly mysterious. And who made it? God, of course.

Within the past few days, I've experienced what seems to be the beginning of many episodes according to half of my genetic makeup. Bladder infections are no pretty story. When urine is anything else but clear, you've got some sort of issue... the severity most definitely varies. This is a good thing to remember.

The human physical body is entirely creative. And who made it? God, of course.

From this particular sermon series, one particular point stood out to me and has stuck with me for "some" reason. Everything the human body secretes is unclean. And yet, being the visual person I am, has every color you could think of. I'd like to think of the colors as the 5th grade anatomy books. GOD is absolutely creative. Who would have thought to piece us together like we are?

The human physical body is God's. Done.

The Absence of Sun.

2009-02-15T20:10:00.003-06:00

I sort of stalk this guy.

His name is Chad.

He speaks nicely.

He speaks on cool topics.

Such as the greatness of the Lord.

Chad Anderson, currently Associate Pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Kearney, Nebraska, used to be my home church's youth pastor intern while he finished his seminary studies. He and his wife, Deb, along with their two beautiful little boys made their way to their home state of golden corn fields. Occasionally, I will listen to his sermons online. He recently spoke a New Year's message of a glorious Light to come.

An excerpt from Friday, 13 February:

One day there will be no sun.

There will be no moon.

Nor stars in the blackness of the evening.

Nor flash lights and fluorescent bulbs.

Yet, there will appear a marvelous light.

A light that shines brighter than any tungsten ever could.

A light that heats warmer than any fiery ball could.

A marvelous Light.

When that time arrives, there will be no more night, nor day, no earth nor sea.

Solely the presence of an astonishing Light.

Jesus Christ.

HE, the Light comes to save.

Brown M&Ms have the least artificial coloring, and the most chocolate.

2009-01-25T19:15:00.001-06:00

There's something funny about God taking a broomstick to our faces. Usually it's when we least expect it.

There's something funny about God smashing our hearts of clay to bits and pieces... for Him.

There's something funny about God picking up those pieces of clay so that He can glue it back together... sometimes whether one asks for it or not.

There's something funny about... God. Period.

Completely screwed up. I think. In my head. In my feet... bringing me to places I didn't exactly asked to be taken. But then again. I asked. Fairly eager to get moving, in fact.

Completely screwed up. I feel. In my heart. In my mouth... talking my way into places I didn't exactly asked to be talked into. But then again. I asked. Most eagerly, in fact.

"I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins" says Jesus Christ, Lord of every freakin' thing. Isaiah 43:25

He doesn't remember. He paid for it all. Remember that? Isn't that... astonishing?

He doesn't acknowledge. Because He "loved us and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

And so, "rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4:13

"The point of your life is to point to Him." - Francis Chan, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA

Brown M&M's have the least artificial coloring, and the most chocolate. Deceiving.

Frankly, so are we sometimes.

Eastmoutainsouth

2008-12-11T17:02:00.000-06:00

As the music at the banquet

As the wine before the meal

As the firelight in the night

So are you to me.

As the ruby in the setting

As the fruit upon the tree

As the wind blows over the plains

So are you to me.

Daryl

2008-09-12T06:45:00.001-05:00

Thursdays are very busy days. Non-stop movement for thirteen hours. Yesterday was one of many many Thursdays, one of many days of routines and going to certain places at certain times to do certain functions.

God always uses the waiting period in the in-between.

It was about 9:15pm, I had just left Intervarsity large group meeting and was now not so comfortably sitting on the bench at a bus stop. Already slightly nervous to be traveling on public transportation at such an hour, God used the waiting period. A tall black man came to sit next to me as I waited for the bus to come.

"You Chinese?" he excitedly asked.

"Yep," I replied.

"You speak Chinese?"

"Yep."

"Which kind of Chinese?"

"Mandarin."

"Ohhh, you would speak the main one. I am pretty fluent in Cantonese."

I looked at this large and in charge black man with wide eyes, excited to hear his story.

"My name is Daryl."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim," as I shook his stretched out hand.

Conversation struck, and we continued talking as other buses passed. I'm pretty sure he purposely missed his own bus to continue talking.

Daryl used to work in a Chinese restaurant as a cook. A lady he worked with asked him to teach her to speak better English. He agree to this in exchange for lessons in Cantonese. He told me an instance where he was on the bus one day and a few ladies were talking in Cantonese about a certain 'ha gui' stunk. He turned to them and replied in Cantonese asking which 'ha gui'? To their surprise, they readily apologized in embarrassment waving their hands saying "Oh! Sorry sorry!" He told this story with perfect Chinese accents.

After working in the restaurant, Daryl got into a bit of trouble with drugs and whatnot, sending him to jail, and only recently getting out and trying to survive, living at a hostel for $22 a week. He's been clean for 12 months now, and even to my unknowing him, I am excited and proud of him.

God uses the waiting period.... when we least expect it. He said, "Love my people, love them with MY love, and love them well."

Profoundness.

2008-08-29T09:49:00.000-05:00

I'm referring to a great writer, one of a hand full of repeat offenders, putting into words what some ... just can't.

Super Soaker

2008-08-02T11:42:00.000-05:00

An excerpt from Saturday, 21 June:

Today after handing out tracks/flyers for Camp Glorious, Pastor Porter took us to Fort George, a lookout point in the west portion of Trinidad, just beyond the Port of Spain.

It rained, and it was a beautiful pour. I love getting soaked. Like the afternoon at the Calvin's - downpour croquet in the backyard.

End excerpt.

That afternoon at the Calvin's, about nine of us were determined to squeeze in a few games of croquet before the storm rolled through. Needless to say, we didn't beat the storm. Rather, we enjoyed it together. Thunder, lightning, screaming at teammates over the sounds of the rain hitting every surface... it was wonderful. We were soaked to the bone. Not an inch of us was dry. Each one of us was drenched in the beauty of God's creation. Head to toe. As we were and are originally imagined and created.

Prince Darius

2008-07-31T15:17:00.000-05:00

Preface:

Damian Wilson was once a Youth For Christ staff worker. He met his wife Anisha and they now have two children, Diarra, 3 years old, and Darius, 2 years old. He is no longer an official employee of the YFC in Trinidad due to his desire to finish his schooling. When YFC called him up and asked if he would like to drive around a bunch of Americans (and a Canadian) for one month, he jumped at the opportunity. He's an adventurous man. At 27 years young, he's still eager to travel around, never staying in one place, wanting to see new sights, meet new people. One day we were on the way to a concert in San Juan, Darius was with us that day. He was quiet, a little cranky, tired for the most part. So being separated from his dad by sitting in the back seat wasn't an option of liking for him.

An excerpt from Sunday, 6 July:

Everyone met Damian's youngest son, well, only son - Darius. One of the cutest kids I've ever seen and met. On the way to the church from the house, he wanted to sit up front by Damian. So this time he let him until we hit San Juan, where there are a lot of police. "Dari, if the police pull us over and catch you in front he's going to arrest you and take you to jail. You want to go to jail, Dari?" Darius nods his head, not particularly paying attention to his dad. "Haha, okay, then you're not going to have a mommy or daddy in jail," Damian continued as Darius continued to nod his head in approval.

All of that... his daddy knowing what's best for him.

God always knows best. He's my daddy.

Repeated Message

2008-07-30T19:10:00.000-05:00

An excerpt from Sunday, 15 June:

Made to love. We were made in the image of God. He made us like Him. He made us to love like Him. Love others how He has loved. Love Him as He first loved us.

He loves me. He loves me?

Frick. That's so cool.

Bermudez Biscuit Company

2008-07-29T22:25:00.000-05:00

An excerpt from Sunday, 20 July:

In Trinidad, in the mornings when it would be early enough to watch the sun rising, and in the evenings as bed time approached, the smell of bread... from the bread factory up the road a little, would fill the air as the breeze would bring it.

I craved the smell.

Just like the bread in the morning and night... I want to crave God.