In 2005, the late David Foster Wallace shared this parable: There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and...
Okay, here's an embarrassing confession from me. I’m a little more high-strung than I used to be. I get more worried. I fret over little things. I imagine worst-case scenarios when they really aren’t very likely. In fact, my daughter recently told me (politely) to chill out. She was...
Imagine with me: It is now December 31, 2020. (Yes, 2020. Not 2019.) You are hanging out with a group of friends. Since you guys have known one another for years and you trust one another, your sharing is usually deep and honest. Now, it is your turn for your annual “year-end game.&rdquo...
In the new decade ahead of us, we will no doubt continue to see amazing advances in technology. Online news, blog posts, Facebook updates, and tweets will most certainly expand their influence. The ability to pay digitally by simply swiping a cell phone will increase, leading to changing...
You are thinking to yourself... What should I wear to the company Christmas dinner? The high school reunion Christmas gathering? And what about the Island ECC Christmas Eve service? Hmm... Perhaps the latest designer label with a dash of red, something sparkly with a hint of gold? Hmmmmm&hellip...
Since we’re on a Charles Dickens theme at Island ECC, I couldn’t help but think of one of his most memorable lines and scenes. In the story “Oliver Twist,” Oliver and the other children at an orphanage are only fed three bowls of thin gruel (like a very watery oatmeal...
Every year, Christmas comes and goes. Chestnuts are roasting on the streets of Hong Kong. Starbucks changes their cups. Decorations are taken out of boxes and hung around homes across the city. People scramble to get gifts for their friends and family; meals are prepared for fellowship...
1. This is not the way it’s supposed to be. We know that something is wrong. Though it shouldn’t surprise us, sometimes recent events like we’ve experienced in Hong Kong really highlight this truth. The world is broken. There is sickness, struggle, injustice and crime. We live...
It was a surreal moment for me to see the images of July 1st on the news. We flew out of Hong Kong on Monday morning. It was sunny and clear – a beautiful summer’s day. Then, we landed 12 hours later in another country and saw what had happened. It was such a stark contrast with dark...
Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Psalm 33:1 As believers, we are called to clothe ourselves with many things, like love, humility, and compassion. The goal, then, is for us to increasingly embody these characteristics so that eventually...