Merry X-Mas. Not.

I read this column in the UTA Shorthorn newspaper. I really love the writer's argument; there is so much intelligence and wisdom in this. This shows how the world has turned this once Christian holiday into a celebration of themselves. Turning Christmas into X-Mas shows how the world does not show respect for Christians. Yet, the world expects us, Christians, to show respet for their celebrations and religion.



You’ll not find it written anywhere in the Bible that, “every tongue should confess that Jesus X is Lord.”

So why should Christians tolerate X-Mas? It’s not a harmless abbreviation of the word. It’s a symbolic removal of the thing that’s supposed to set the day apart. It becomes a way of saying “Insert your ideal here” while still pretending to celebrate Christmas.

To understand the significance, let’s forget the celebration, the parties and all the presents for a moment and consider the actual terms involved. “Christmas” is a combination of two words: “Christ’s Mass.”

This isn’t a celebration of X’s Mass. This isn’t Joe Blow’s Mass. This isn’t Jane Doe’s Mass. “Christ” comes from the Greek word “christos,” which means “anointed one.” It’s a title used in the New Testament of the Bible, often in conjunction with the name “Jesus.”

Don’t make the mistake of thinking “Christ” was Jesus’ surname or something to flippantly be tossed around — or into the trash — this holiday season. It’s a distinction of the man named Jesus, as also being the anointed savior of God’s people.

Christmas, therefore, is a holiday — or holy day — originally celebrated by followers of Christ to observe his birth. The holiday gradually blended with secular traditions and sometimes pagan winter festivals to bring us today’s colorful and highly materialistic celebration.

Plastic yard displays and visits to Santa in the mall replaced family gatherings around the Advent wreath. Now, Dec. 25 resembles little more than a marketing scheme, an encore of Thanksgiving turkey and dressing, and a day when small children everywhere can demand presents on someone else’s birthday. Let’s not forget amid all the extra business that Christmas traditionally commemorated the day of Jesus’ birth.

The added frivolity and feasting distracts from the true meaning of Christmas—which is not that cheesy, after-school-special mantra of love and giving—but rather a day when we can remember the miracle of our savior’s birth. You don’t have to celebrate a Christian Christmas.

You don’t have to adhere to the spiritual significance of the day. It’s fine if you only want the tree, the twinkling lights, the musical claymation shorts and the family meal. But if you oppose celebrating the miracle of Christ, don’t stoop so low as to maim the Christian’s holiday and insert an interpretive “X” where the savior should be. Either leave Christ in Christmas where he belongs, or call it the thing you actually celebrate by removing him: Me Day.

-Diana Golobay is a journalism junior and a columnist for The Shorthorn.
-You can find the article here.

Oopsie!

Sorry sorry I'm extremely bad about blogging! People have been telling me to keep this thing updated.. but there's nothing much going on right now yall! Okay anyway, we have TWO more weeks of school left then it's off to Canada to be re-united with the Chins! I heard it's snowing there and it's 0 degrees?! Oh my.. I don't know how I'm going to deal with that. I'm no snow bunny let me tell you. Harlen and I have been terrific! God has blessed us so much! We've been pretty addicted to "Heroes" lately and we watch it non-stop now. It's a pretty good show, if I do say so myself, a little disturbing and graphic though. Haha.. other than that, we've been discussing wedding plans (not so much now) and just spending quality time with each other whenever we get to. Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I'm excited about alllll that TURKEY!!! Also, to take the time to THANK GOD for everything that He has blessed us with this year. Hmm.. what else.. oh yeah! I've been DYING for a dog lately and Harlen has promised me that he will get me one.. someday! Haha at least I have hope now eh? I'm sooo excited for Christmas, my 19th birthday, 2008.. ahhh there's so many things to be excited about!

Okay this was probably the most pointless and random post ever. But there it is: my life. Haha.. be blessed guys!

Love,
Kellee

Halloween: A Devil's Holiday or Christian Celebration?

This past week, I've become increasingly bothered with the "celebration" of Halloween. It all started with the Baptist Student Ministry sneaking into my dorm room to place a brown paper bag filled with candy and a note reading "Have a happy Halloween!" on my desk. Following that, I received several text messages from friends wishing me a happy Halloween and asking me what I'm planning on doing. I simply replied with, "I don't believe in celebrating Halloween." My friends replied with shocked disbelief in my not celebrating Halloween.



So, I did some quick research (I would have done more thorough research but I have wayyy too many exams this week to do research for, sorry!) and according to the History Channel and a few other sources, below is a "cliff notes version" on why Halloween was celebrated.

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts believed that on that night (Nov 1), the boudary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. It was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to the earth. These ghosts were believed to cause trouble, wreck havoc, and damage crops. During this time, the Celts wore costumes (animal heads & skins) in an attempt to scare the ghosts of the dead away from their families and crops. They would also gather to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic gods to protect them. When the Romans took over most of the Celt's land, two of the Roman holidays (a celebration of the passing of the dead and the day to honor Pomona, goddess of fruit and trees) were combined with Samhain. Thus, the tradition to bob for apples on Halloween (Pomona's symbol was the apple). By the 800s, Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. The pope at that time designated Samhain to be All Saints' Day or All-hallows Eve (a time to honor saints and martyrs). It is widely believed that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related but church-sanctioned holiday. In A.D. 1000, the church would make Nov 2, All Souls' Day, to honor the dead.



What bothered me most when my friends' text messaged me wishing me a happy Halloween and were shocked to hear that I don't celebrate it was that most of them were Christian! In most countries today, Halloween is some cutesy holiday where little children get to dress up as puppies and baseball players, men get to live their fantasy as super heroes for a day, and it's also an excuse for women to dress as scantily as possible. Pumpkins are carved as a family traditions and candy is given out. Sure, as a child it was fun dressing up as a scary creature or weird animal and going door to door asking for candy was always a treat but as I become more and more aware of how the world is growing more corrupt, I am wary of each "celebration." Thus, my research to discover the true meaning of Halloween.

On that day, I saw people dressed in scary, weird, devilish, degrading costumes. This is no celebration to remember the saints and martyrs. So to Christians who tell me that I am a prude, Halloween is a Christian holiday, and that dressing up like devils, ghosts, aliens, or what have you, is okay, I beg to differ!

It still amazes me how so many people celebrate Christmas, Easter, Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving, Ramadan, Lent, Diwali, etc and do not truly know the reason why they are celebrated! I guess my point is this: Don't celebrate holidays blindly and ignorantly without knowing its true meaning.

Happy Monday!

As the Fall 2007 semester slowly draws to an end (at a snail's pace btw), Harlen and I are getting more and more excited b/c the day of our wedding is drawing nearer! This Sunday, we attended Daily Bread Church under Shachah Ministries International and asked Pastor Michael and Auntie Magrate if they would be our counselors before marriage. They agreed and Pastor Michael will also be marrying us! We both feel so blessed to have the Shachah family in our lives and as our mentors as they are all full of wisdom and knowledge. I can't wait to get started on the wedding planning now! After we found a pastor to marry and counsel us, all we need is a church, and everything will fall into place (I hope!).

Also, I spoke with my mom yesterday and she told me that we are all saving up to go back to Singapore in the summer of 2009!!! We are both SO SO SO excited to return home! I can't wait to be re-united with all my family and friends and for them to meet Harlen! Yay!

We have officially hit the halfway point in the semester. We have 6 more weeks of school! I am pumped and ready to graduate in May! I have already registered for classes next semester (I know, so kiasu right? Haha).

Okay, that's about it for now! Thanks for reading!

Love,
Kellee

Halfway Done!!!

Hello everyone!

I'm sitting here, watching America's Next Top Model, and realized that I haven't blogged in awhile. So here it goes!

We are halfway done with the Fall 2007 semester and it is super exciting! This past Saturday, I threw a surprise birthday picnic for my best friend Ashley. It was a lot of fun and Divya even brought her little baby doggie! Here are some pictures:















Sunday, we visited our old church and they served the bestest lunch EVER. Chicken rice!!! Man, I haven't had that in so long. Ever since my mommy left me. But it's okay, I will learn to cook it someday. =)

That's about it!
Check out our wedding website if you haven't already!

Love, Kellee

Busy Busy!

Hey all,

School's been crazy but awesome so far! I absolutely LOVE the classes that I'm taking right now: Old South, US Civil Liberties, US Progressive History (1900-1920), Intro to Criminal Justice, Public Administration, & Trigonometry. Not really loving the math so much.. but it's alright! The professors are AWESOME. If anyone is planning on majoring in history, I would definitely recommend UTA.

Harlen's pretty busy with his classes too but he seems to be having fun. Right now, he's off with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and helping to build a race car? Pretty cool eh? Each year they design and construct their own car. I think it's pretty cool and just what he loves to do! Haha, hopefully I can learn to be more supportive of what he loves to do.

I've been praying about what I should do as a career lately. My US Civil Liberties professor has been inspiring me to go into law, which is what I wanted to do ever since my senior year of high school. I'm not too sure about law school though because it seems like a LOT of hard work and very expensive too. :( I was speaking with this guy who is getting certified to be a Paralegal, where they do research for the lawyers and work under a lawyer. That seems pretty interesting! Possible career path?

This past Sunday was also a great blessing. According to my dad, I learned about how God's economy operates. Basically, we blessed a friend with our textbooks from previous classes and another friend with a spare cellphone (hers broke) and our church, ANASOM GRM, blessed us with some money for school! It was such a blessing and also a great experience.

Anywho, that's basically what's been going on these past two weeks. Oh, we've also confirmed our trip dates for Canada (Dec15th - Jan6th), can't wait to visit my family this Christmas and celebrate another birthday! Yay, I'm turning 19!

Okay, well that's it for today. Love you guys & have a blessed week!

Love, Kell

---------edit-----------
we have a wedding site now! it's not completely finished but I sure it will be soon!

also, if you're into politics & business, go read my "current events" blog.
just started it today after a fiery debate and i needed to vent my thoughts!

School's Startin!

Hi all!

I haven't blogged for awhile eh? It's been so crazy since Harlen and I got back from the road trip with my family! My girls and I have been excitedly planning for the wedding and Harlen's been busy with getting a reliable car and selling his other cars. Praise God we DID get a reliable car WITH A/C! We've been fellowshipping with many of our friends and getting to know our family friends much better. It's been such a blessing. :)

School's about to begin (next monday) and we're all pretty excited for the new school year to begin! I'm just psyched about graduating next year.. I can't wait! Harlen can't wait to get started with his engineering classes. GOOD NEWS! My mom got a job in Canada at a childcare center! We are all celebrating! It's part time and the pay is pretty good so she's super happy about the times! YAY!

Well, that's about it! Oh prayer request, please pray that both Harlen and I will be able to find good and fruitful jobs when school starts. Harlen's last day working at the President's office at North Lake College is today.. so please pray that we can both find jobs at UTA! Thank you all for your prayers and love.. we really are SO grateful for each and everyone of you!

Love, Kellee

PS: I just felt like including some goofy pictures of me and my sisters.. they will definitely KILL me if they see them! Ha!

ROAD TRIP!

Here are the pictures from the entire road trip.. just a quick summary! My family made it safely to Vancouver, Canada and Harlen & I are back in Dallas, Texas. Please keep us in your prayers. Love, Kell

Road Trip (Part I)

Hey guys, just a quick update. So the road trip is going great! So far, we've stopped in El Paso, Temper (AZ), Phoenix (AZ), & Las Vegas (NV). Here are some pictures of the trip so far.. we're all having a great time! We've driving about 1,200 miles so far.. and all the way we're praisin the Lord and reading the Bible! Okay maybe not ALL the way.. lots of fun, jokes, and what not. =p Oh yes, and the car has been overheating alot so please pray that "old Bertha" will be able to make the trip!



So now... *drum rolls please*.. for the biggest news of the trip (so far).... HARLEN AND I GOT MARRIED IN VEGAS on 7.7.07!



*

**

***

****

*****

******

*******

********

*********

**********

Haha, just kidding!

We DID, however, get engaged!!! He proposed at 5am while watching the sunrise. My parents came back from breakfast and were upset that they missed the whole "show" so they made us re-enact the whole scene.. and it went something like this (sorry so small la)!



Celebrating!!






<3 kell

God Has Preserved Our Lives!

Today started off like any normal Sunday. Harlen and I were on our way to church.. driving on the highway at about 9 in the morning. As we were driving, we noticed the car in front of us driving about 25MPH/40KPH. The car signaled right towards the exit as if he was about to switch lanes and then slowly proceeded to switch. However, right when he was almost into the next lane, he quickly swerved back into our lane and slammed on the brakes. Harlen attempted to switch to the left lane but couldn't because there was an 18 wheeler on our left. We ended up rear-ending the car in front of us.

Harlen then signaled the car to pull over to the shoulder of the highway so we could proceed with the normal exchanging of driver's licenses and insurance information. We inspected the damage done to our car and the other driver's car (which wasn't much).



The driver spoke incoherently as he tried to explain his side of the story. Harlen reasoned with him and asked for ID (which the driver was not carrying). In the end, Harlen asked for his phone number which he only wrote down 9 digits (U.S. phone numbers have 10 digits). Harlen was doubtful and questioned him further. In the end, he gave Harlen his parent's phone number which Harlen immediately called. After Harlen spoke with his father and explained the situation, he handed his phone to the other driver who went on to speak with his father. He got back into his car to talk on the phone. As Harlen and I were thinking that he might attempt to just drive off, we stood by the side of the car.

After about 10 minutes of watching the driver talk on the phone to his father, another car swerved off the highway and hit the guy's car who was sitting on the shoulder of the highway. The car slammed into the guy's car and moved it so far that it hit Harlen's leg.



As you can see, the car flew across and smoke was coming out of it. It was a lady whom I spoke with to make sure was alright. She was speaking incoherently as well and couldn't even remember what had happened.

In the end, the police, sheriff, firefighters, tow-trucks all slowly made their way towards us. The police questioned each of us to get our statements as witnesses, etc.





It turns out, both drivers were driving drunk. A man who worked at a gas station had encountered the driver of the car that we hit a few miles back and knew that they were drunk. He tried to sober them up and keep them at the gas station for awhile. However they ignored his concerns and drove off. The man who worked at the gas station was the one who called the police.

At the end of the morning, we managed to get two drunk drivers off the road, arrested, and in jail. I really thank God that none of us were hurt. We could have been killed by the car who slammed into the other driver's car if we had been standing on the other side of the car. After thinking about it, the devil tried to take us out all morning. We could have been killed by the 18 wheeler if we had swerved and avoided the car in front of us as well.

Even as I type this, my heart is still pounding. It still hasn't hit me completely that Harlen and I could have DIED today. Praise God for preserving our lives and sending His angels to protect us every step of the way.



Just a reminder to pray for your loved ones and yourselves as you walk out the door. Anything can happen.. the devil is always out there wanting us dead because God has an important plan for each of our lives and he wants to do everything he can to prevent it from happening. PRAY!

<3 kellee

PS: If any of you are wondering why Victoria is standing there.. she and my dad came to the rescue when I called him. :)

Happy Father's Day!

Last Sunday was Father's day.. Harlen came over the in the morning to meet us for church and we presented our gift to our dad..



Dad examining the gift from the girls..


We made a t-shirt with our pictures on it!


Haha and we made him wear it to church!

********************************************

It's kind of different for me living back home with my family again b/c I was living on my own for a year and a half.. but I've been spending time with them before they leave for Canada.. for who knows how long?! It's been good bonding time. We leave for Canada on the 5th of July.. so we're all really excited about our road trip up the west coast!

<3 kellee

Gone With the Old, In With the NEW!

This past Sunday was a big day for the whole Chin family including Harlen! We got baptized! I can't explain it but it feels so good to know that I was obedient to God's commandment to be baptized. I don't really feel much of a physical change but.. I know that my old self is dead and now I am a new person! See pictures below!

Aaaaand the blessings just keep coming!

Today was Mother's day and not only did we celebrate our mom but there was also much to give thanks for! We took our mom to her favorite Chinese restaurant and gave both our parents a treat, together with Harlen and Gillian. Peni-el bought mom her favorite, avacado bubble tea! Then we all came home.. helped carry boxes to move.. and then we all settled down to watch Freedom Writers (GREAT movie by the way). I cooked pasta with meatsauce and Peni-el made mashed potatoes for dinner. What a great day! Anyway, the GREAT news!

So this past week was kind of a downer for me.. We were discussing about how Harlen and I would be driving up with my family to Canada in order to help them move. Harlen and I were both planning on taking some Summer I and Summer II classes so in order for us to make it to Canada and back, we'd have to do the move within 5 days, which is kind of a rush. Since both my classes are online classes, I wouldn't have a problem. However, Harlen would. He told my dad that most likely, he would not take Summer II classes and just postpone the class till the Fall 2007 semester. That would mean not going to UTA with me in the Fall (which really made me sad). He also did not receive any scholarships from UTA because his application was received a little too late so we thought the best option would be to stay at his school for another semester and then to re-apply for the Transfer Scholarship (offers transfer students about $3,800 per year). Without this money, paying for school and housing wouldn't be unaffordable.. but a little tight.

However after two days, Harlen received a letter from UTA saying that he qualified for financial aid and it was about $10,000 in aid! Both he and I were SUPER surprised and I even thought he was joking when he first told me! Now not only will he be able to come to UTA in the Fall but his tuition and housing will be paid almost in FULL!

I just think this is so amazing because during our New Year's church service, each of us wrote a "letter" to God on what we're believing Him to do in our lives in the new year.. and Harlen wrote down for his tuition to be paid for.. and at first it didn't seem like it was going to happen.. but our Father in heaven made it happen! I can clearly see God's hand in our lives and truly, He IS an awesome God.

So now.. we can all take a nice road trip to Canada (hopefully!) and enjoy the rest of our summer together with all our friends and family! Some pictures that I put together from my Honors Society induction.. and some random pictures too. More to come from Mother's Day.. my dad's graduation and banquet dinner too!

So BLESSED, I can't contain it!

These past couple days have been so crazy and stressful for me. Trying to decide how to make enough money to pay for school, where to live during my education, waiting to hear about the news of my family's Canadian visa, my father's scholarship, etc. I even broke down a couple times under the stress and pressure.. but now, it's all good! God has sent us all confirmation.. and we are all so blessed!! I don't know if I can do our testimony justice.. but here goes!

Last weekend, my mother left us to go on a women's retreat. We received a letter from Regent Seminary (school in Canada that my dad wants to do his Master's at) regarding the scholarship that he had applied for. We were counting on this scholarship because the cost of living in Canada is extremely high and without this scholarship, my dad will most likely not be able to go and fulfill his dream of studying for his Masters. We opened the letter.. and BAM, it said that he did not receive the scholarship. At that point, I broke down and bawled like a baby.. just thinking in my heart that there's no one in the world that deserved that scholarship more than my dad.

After that episode, we decided to wait for the news of the CFNI scholarship that my dad applied for. We decided that if he got that, they would stay for another year.. and then he can either apply for a scholarship at Regent again, or apply for his R-1 visa. The next week was a week of meditation on the Lord for all of us. My dad meditated on Psalm 34 and a particular verse stood out to him: "O Lord, blessed is the man who trusts in you." Psalm 34:8. He meditated on this all week and finally decided to place his trust in the Lord, surrender it all to Him, and not on his own ability. After my dad's boss submitted a glowing recommendation letter to the scholarship board that almost 100% guaranteed my father's scholarship, my dad withdrew his scholarship application and told his boss that he would be trusting in the Lord for the finances and heading to Canada.

My dad has a really good friend at CFNI who has been praying alongside my dad for the Lord's guidance. So naturally, my dad had to tell his news to him, Pastor Baik. When my dad told him.. Pastor Baik said, "I have good news for you also, Joseph." My dad thought that Pastor simply had good news to share with my dad.. but No! It was good news FOR my dad.. Pastor Baik said that the Lord had spoken to him months ago about this and he was simply waiting for my dad to receive it. Pastor Baik told my dad that he is going to pay for my dad's tuition for the first semester (my dad can re-apply for Regent scholarship the next semester!)!! Praise the Lord!

If my dad had never placed his trust in the Lord, the blessing from Pastor Baik would never have been able to flow.. *1st Miracle*

Months ago, my dad and family had applied for a Canadian student visa and a work permit for my mother. They were counting on this work permit so that my mom could support the family in terms of food and housing. They had to specifically go to a Canadian approved doctor for their health check and when my dad did the chest X-ray, there was a scar on his lungs. The nurse told him that he should get it checked before sending it because the Canadians are very particular about health issues. My dad, by faith, said to send it anyway. What the Lord decides, is the Lord's will. So just before the CFNI scholarship board meeting this week, the news came from the Canadian embassy... my dad's student visa was approved and my mom's work permit was approved!! *2nd Miracle*

Now we are just waiting for a 3rd miracle involves me.. this summer, I will only be working part time in June because of some classes than I'm taking and my internship at a museum. I didn't think that I would be earning enough to afford rent at the current place that I am staying. So I told the lady that I was renting the room from, that I would be moving at the end of this semester (May 31st). I said that by faith because if my dad did decide to leave for Canada, once he graduates from CFNI, he has to leave and has no permission to stay at his current apartment. Therefore.. I would be HOMELESS!! =( The CFNI policy is that if you graduate and are not taking classes over the summer or next semester, you cannot live on campus. At this moment, he has submitted a request for housing extension till end of June 07. Still waiting for a reply, but we trust in GOD that all things will work out well, no matter if it turns out the way we expected or not. So, ya, we must PRAISE THE LORD – whether in good times or in bad (so call)! I have the faith and peace to believe our heavenly Father takes good care of us *3rd Miracle coming soon*

The Lord is so SO good and all this has renewed my faith in Him. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.." That is so true. We are still trusting in the Lord that more scholarships and funding are on their way and a place to live in Canada. Pray and agree with us!

And of course, I am thrilled that my dad will be able to accomplish his dream of studying for his Masters and that my family will be with me for another 3 months!! Harlen is also thrilled that my family will be here for a few months.. yay!

So I hope your faith has been renewed or encouraged because of our story. God bless!

Love, Kell

****************Some Pics*********************
THE BLESSED FAMILY!!




***Edit***
Another blessing has come in which involves my "homeless" state! My best friend Ashley and her family has generously opened their home to me and have offered to let me live with them for the rest of the summer when my family leaves! Ashely will also be my roommate at UTA in the fall.. so it is such a great blessing! I will no longer be homelesssss! Thanks God for giving me such great friends and blessing all of us! *love u ashey poo!* Blessed is the man [woman] who trusts in the Lord.. so true so true! *4th Miracle