Thanksgiving in Hong Kong

It doesn't exist! Last year we celebrated Thanksgiving with some new friends, the Knierems, and I was one of the few Americans there. My wife is German. The others were either British or Australian and they're comments were mostly, "This is my first Thanksgiving!" or "So this is what Thanksgiving is like!" or "So what do you really do on Thanksgiving?", or "Really? After eating turkey you let the women clean up while the guys watch football?" Yep! And that's American Football for the rest of you in the world!

This year it's even worse! No celebration. We're still friends with the Knierems, I'm taking my son Lars, in fact, with Mr. Knierem, Misha (no one wants to be called Mr.) and his son, Ethan, to a camping retreat center in only an hour or so. We'll leave right after I do the typical Friday night thing of stopping by McDonalds on my way home from work to buy dinner for the kids! And they never forget to remind me, I always get a call during the day from Maja, my 6-year old, "Dad, it's McDonalds night!" It's the second night of the week that our domestic helper, Millet, from the Phillipines, doesn't have to cook for us. Sundays are her day off!

So happy Thanksgiving to those of you celebrating. I'm going camping!

Bass Playing at The Vine

It took me a long time, but I finally worked up the muster to be on a worship team again on a regular basis. And this time it's special because I finally get to play bass, an instrument that I have taught others how to play, but never been able to enjoy in my own hands during a whole set. Here I am, behind Tom Read, the Worship Pastor of The Vine.

The Vine, by the way, is our new church. It has the best worship in Hong Kong, a lively group of individuals, a happening venue and "cool" pastors. While they are no Rex Keener, they have the excitement and vision this young fellowship needs.

See their site at www.thevine.org.hk

Tree Climbing

Who would have thought tree climbing could be so complicated? Well it is! And it's the arborist's who have perfected the art of climbing trees with mountain climbing equipment to get to those hard-to-reach branches that need to be trimmed.

It looks easy enough, but there is a trick to getting up the initial ascent; thrust your hips upwards above your body! Sound like something familiar? It works. All other of our 9 staff thought I wouldn't be able to do it because "I'm so fat!" But I did it better than any of them. Some had to be pulled up, unable to do it, while others struggled mightily. But this fat man could climb!

The girls struggled, I guess their not familiar with thrusting!