the Sovereign One

I can't accept this.
God can forgive. Can't he?
Why did the Israelite stone Achan?
Why did men kill men?

Yes, God has His standard.

Light and dark cannot coexist. Neither can black and white. Grey is not a darker version of white. It is simply not white.
When God said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction."

That is God's standard.

Men are in fear of the Lord back then. The relationship between men and God are rigid and fearsome. 
Do you think that it is possible that men made the decision to kill Achan? Although God allowed it, but it was not God's intention.
Look at Moses, he pleaded for the Israelite several times and God listened to him. I think God would have listened to anyone if they has pleaded on behalf of Achan. But the thing is no one did.
Men held many assumptions of God. God allowed them because it is within the boundary of His allowance for free will. Overall, we need to know that God is in control even when life seems out of control.

Ohana

Ohana

"Ohana means family.

Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.

But if you want to leave, you can.

I'll remember you though.

I remember everyone who leaves."

I am ready to fly

Here I am in the Botanical Research Center.
I am all ready to go home.
Let's go.
Before we go, let's take care of the financial bits.
Say what's all this extra expenses?
Head bow.
And I still have Mexico.

Paper,reading and more reading.
I am ready to fly
Let's go.
Before we go, let's take care of culture shock.
What will be expected of me when I return?
And soon I'll fly again.
Need to get my booster shot.

God, whom is with you

Joshua 

"All the people are melting in fear because of us."
2:24

Why are you so afraid of the world when people should tremble in the midst of God, whom is with you?

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."
3:6

Which comes first: a step of faith or seeing before believing?

"I am with you as I was with Moses."
3:7

Did God not speak to Joshua just as He has with Moses?

"Go and stand in the river."
3:8
Great leaders take the first step and lead the people fearlessly.

"The hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God."
3:24

Should we not fear the Lord, we would be in control of our lives, and God knows what could come of that.

FEAR

Joshua 2:1 - 4:24

Joshua took over the leadership position of the Israelite.
Imagine the emotional turmoil Joshua had to take up.
It must be daunting knowing that young and old all look upon you for the promise of the nation.

FEAR

The people of Jericho fear the Israelite.
God has spread fear among the people.
God's people is coming and they carry with them the promise of the living God.

The fear of the Lord rest upon the Israelite.
As they walk behind the ark of the Lord, they keep their distance.

You think when the power of the Lord rest upon you.
When God is with you.
It is apparent.
It caused other to tremble in fear.
It set the stage for the environment.

It's as natural as the clothes you put on today.
You don't need to put in more effort than simply putting on God.

Freedom should not be taken lightly.
People mistaken the word freedom as chaos.
It is not.
It is like God has put "freedom" on one end of the teeter-tatter,and "structure and order" on the other.
You'd realize the importance of order and structure of the young and old when you immerse yourself in a culture that value this order.
This is one of these places- Kauai, Hawaii.

stories and connections

I know I can count on you.
You and I, we work well together.
There is no one I rather go to for help.
See here, you have given me an idea.
Hey, I came up with the idea!
Haha.
Alright, it was simultaneous.

We form connections through stories.
Remember you can't receive without giving first.
We form connections by giving a piece of ourselves away.
Some of our connections will be brittle. It will be temporary, but some will last. If not by our intentional meet-ups, then by the value we now share.

Everything takes time,
Falling in love takes time.
That's exactly why place-based education is of the essential.
You can't except everyone to fall instantaneously in love with nature
especially when they have been sheltered for so long.
I know I didn't.

Expecting children to form a connection with their environment takes time.
It takes time.
It takes time to form stories.
It takes time to sniff, to touch, and to simply be.
To be among them but not above them.
It takes time to CARE.
So spare a little time.

What's the point?

"What's the point?" you asked.
"When men are simply created beings, made to follow a defined and designated road. The choices we possess are not choices, but fate to unravel."
"What's the point?" you asked.
"About life and destiny. The destination is predetermined, no?"

"What's the point?" I asked.
"When God so know that His people will turn from Him to pursue idols."
"Yet, He still brought them to the land of milk and honey."
"They ate their fill and thrive. Then they turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting The Rock and breaking His covenant."
"What's the point of loving the ones who would betray you and turn on you; forget about you and then break the most divine covenant between men and God?"
"What's the point of following through with a plan, knowing that the plan would certainly bring grief to oneself?"
"Is He stupid or is He so full of LOVE?"

I doubt I'll ever understand the vastness of His love for me, for His people, and  His plan to care, to love, to suffer, to hide, to discipline, to let known that He is the One and the ultimate being.
What love is that?

God is love?

Deuteronomy 31-34
 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

13 Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”


20 When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant.

26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you.

32
Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.
and all his ways are just.
    


He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he.

For the Lord’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted inheritance.

Jeshurun[c] grew fat and kicked;
filled with food, they became heavy and sleek.

They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God—
They abandoned the God who made them
and rejected the Rock their Savior.
gods they had not known,
gods that recently appeared,
gods your ancestors did not fear.
and angered me with their worthless idols.

They made me jealous by what is no god
I will make them envious by those who are not a people;
I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.
and discern what their end will be!


If only they were wise and would understand thisHow could one man chase a thousand,or two put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
unless the Lord had given them up?

“See now that I myself am he!
There is no god besides me.

I put to death and I bring to life,
I have wounded and I will heal,
and no one can deliver out of my hand.

4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.”


People ask the question of "why" a lot. Why does God hate? Why is this happening if "God is love". Why is God "jealous"?

If we think of our relationship with God as an intimate relationship between a man and a woman, God has all right to be "angered" by the infidelity of his people. How vast can this love be if God is "jealous" of his people turning their back on Him and forgetting about Him.

God knows. We live as individual living day to day by the choice that we made. Are these the choices that we made or the decisions that were placed or manufactured into our head? I believe those are our choices and our decisions.

God knows collectively what the Israelite has done and will do. I believe God has a master plan. Within the plan, there are sub-choices that we have a say in. We can choose to participate or not.

What God wants us to know is that He is THE ONE. There is no one else. Who else can set the world in chaos unless He gave permission. He gave permission for things to happen--"bad" things--because as the CEO, He has to make critical decision. Individually, they may not seem like the wisest choices; they may even "cruel". But ultimately, He loves us enough to let the END to not come to us.

A different perspective. A different definition of LOVE.

bad day?

Just disappear already
Fred Penner

everything and anything

There are so many things that are going on in my head that I don't know how to process. So I am just using this technique that I've learnt in education 100--just write down everything going through your head.

I love people. I love studying people, knowing about them and understanding them. I am glad that I am getting to know each of my travel mates. Of course, right as I am journaling. I had to close my eyes and rest for half an hour. It has actually been on of the longest day. We went to do a community mapping event. Initially I thought it is mapping out the geographic location of the place but it is really the exploration of the place.

Side note. My friend said I snore. So sad. Make me feel bad.

Anyways, after our little adventure, I am definitely feeling more connected with this little community. But most importantly, I am feeling more connected with our little community. Even though I don't agree with them all the time but it's the balance of being open-minded, accepting and meanwhile keeping a little piece of yourself. Maybe it's. Like that with teaching. And maybe that is what I am supposed to get out of all of this.

I do miss you. I just don't say nothing because it sounds like a taboo to say it or anything related.

I miss church though. For me church is the community I grew up in. I miss singing. I though l'd sing more here but I didn't. I am very quiet. I am my introverted nature is growing back.

The good news is I am going to visit a Hawaiian church on Sunday. Cool. Let's see how that goes.

Dear God
Why am I being put through this? Will I survive? And what will I become? INFP

good night

its easier to not care

Through the two weeks I've been here in Kauai, Hawaii, my personality had a 90 degree turn. I'm a lot quieter and a lot more composed. I'm okay with bout being okay.
Environmental education had its importance and I've meant a great deal about that but what intrigued me three most is the social dynamic of the group.
I most definitely miss dim sum. And how I've just realized how much I care. If I don't care then I am okay with misunderstanding. Then, I wouldn't mind being emotionless.
I don't know how I am feeling now. There are a lot to do. Not the usual things. Very technical things.

update

My friend, Manny, talks a lot.
She kept talking.
I kept trying.
My eyes kept drowning.
She kept going.

Today, we went for a long hike. It was long, very long. It was four hours long. We talk and stop, talk and stop.
It was absolutely gorgeous. It feels like we are among the cloud. The soil was fascinating because lava ran through it. It was dark red and sparkling. The ground was uneven. My favorite is the "Billy goat" trail. It was like an obstacle course.
I'm sleepy

fourth of july

I love yesterday.
it was productive.
I woke up in the morning to sit on a tree and had my devotion.
then I drew a picture of pulmeria.
then we had a overlong presentation.
falling asleep..

surprises from God

The goal here is to learn to be independent.

I have a nice group here.
Brianna, an easy-going type of girl.
Nathaniel, one who would always argue his name is pronounced differently.
He is French, married with 3 children; especially passionate about astronomy.
He is an interesting one. Apart from the woman on the plane. He is the next discovery of Christian on the trip. He told me his testimony.

I think God is gracious to me. I enjoy finding surprises on the way.

falling asleep,,,

long day in kauai

Today was a really long day.
All of a sudden, I don't have to consider anyone's schedule except my own.
All of a sudden, I realize how alone I am.
I will survive though. I will.

Growing Up

Hello readers
Today mark a new chapter in my life.
A chapter which I like to call "Growing Up".
I have landed in the tropical island of Hawaii.
To me 
"Home" is the woman with the "For God so loved the world" t-shirt sitting beside me.
"Home" is the Starbucks sign on the side of the ride.
Other than that everything seems so foreign.
The black mountains seem so majesty and inferior.
The black palm trees seem like statues in the dark.
Needless to say, I am in the wilderness.
It was pitch black all the way.
Reminds me of my grandma's house back in the rural area of Taiwan.
There is someone with a thrifty mind in my group, another one who talks nonstop, another one who is just winging it.
I am the noob.
Tomorrow, the invasive species of chicken which were introduced illegally to the island will wake me up.
At 5 AM.