The Difference between Religion and the Gospel - By Mark Driscoll

Religion says, if I obey, God will love me. The Gospel says, because God loves me, I can obey.

Religion has good people & bad people. The Gospel has only repentant and unrepentant people.

Religion values a birth family. The Gospel values a new birth.

Religion depends on what I do. The Gospel depends on what Jesus has done.

Religion claims that sanctification justifies me. The Gospel claims that justification enables sanctification.

Religion has the goal to get from God. The Gospel has the goal to get God.

Religion sees hardships as punishment for sin. The Gospel sees hardship as sanctified affliction.

Religion is about me. The Gospel is about Jesus.

Religion believes appearing as a good person is the key. The Gospel believes that being honest is the key.

Religion has an uncertainty of standing before God. The Gospel has certainty based upon Jesus' work.

Religion sees Jesus as the means. The Gospel sees Jesus as the end.

Religion ends in pride or despair. The Gospel ends in humble joy.

SNOW DAY!
= No School
= No electricity
= No heat >.<
= No food -o-

(with this update .. i should move up on you guys' group lists WOHOO!) 

Football Season

HONG KONG ... finally

went through the longest journey ever...
(althought .. if we consider school a journey .. it would be the never ending one)
but vancouver > shanghai > hong kong (seemed to last forever)

my flight that was scheduled to leave Shanghai at 7:30pm ended up leaving at midnight
and China Eastern was sure risking a law suit from the middle-aged HK tourists. The
airline company thought that by provicing a drink and a lunch box they could keep
everyone quiet .. well it did .. for 10 minutes .. then the mob of people by the front desk
grew .. along with the complaints ...

the poor staff that they throw out front to sacrifice.. but they sure had a strategy...
when the going got rough .. they would retreat downstair and pretend they were calling
their supervisor.. when i asked to borrow a phone to call home it went sorta like this:

"excuse me, would it be possible to borrow a phone so i could at least call home to
tell my parents that my flight is delayed?"

"em.. uh .... em.... uh .... the plane ... is delayed ... "

"yes .. i know that... but can i borrow the phone?"

"em.. uh .... wait for plane ... come at 11"

"ok... thanks.. but i want to borrow a phone"

"oh... uh ..... no .. we cannot .. no ... no"

(oh .. now you are upsetting me ... and you're getting me started on this..)
"well .. do you know that alot of people are upset here about YOUR delay.... and the
least you can do is offer a phone so that people can call home ... and tell their family..."
(and you clearly have a phone .. because you're pretending to call your supervisor with it)

at this point she mumbles a "okok .. i go see"
she walks behind a sign (where i can still see her)
stays there for half a minute .. and walks back out ...

ok .. clearly .. you think i am stupid .. because you could've at least walked away
a little further .. where i couldn't see you .. and pretend to talk to another person ..
but no ... it's the turn around and fake her out game..

so ... needless to say ... China Eastern .. not the best service .. oh .. i forgot to mention
the air hostess that told me off several times in mandarin (which i didn't understand) ...
i guess they think all asian looking people know mandarin...

however, i did make it home .. eventually .. at 5am ... and the plane made it ok ...
so it's something to be happy about ...and now i'm in honger land .. wohoo!

You know how people pick up a hobby over the holidays?
well .. i've UN-picked up a hobby...

"blue, white, green, green, white, blue ... green ... white ...."
that's what i've been doing for the past few hours ...
trying to figure out this annoying beading pattern...
motivated by the pretty picture on the front of the packaging..
= the pretty result after years of beading experience.

it all ended when .. for no particular reason .. a knot formed ..
and after 5 minutes of ripping, gnawing and yelling at the string

i have UN-picked the hobby of beading...
of course i came to that conclusion not only from the knot,
but also from re-doing things over 10 times (coz the pattern was off)
and also because i freaked out and threw all the beads on the floor.

Maybe, this only shows that I'm not the most patient of people..
and maybe it just shows that I've got something to work on in terms of
my character ... instead of simply UN-picking things that bug me.

anyways .. now as i finally update my xanga ...no one leaves comments... -__- "

someone .. please inspire me ... on some hobby ideas ...