Who's the Best?

"How did you do on the test?" one student says to his neighbor. "What was the class average?" They all want to know. In all areas of life, we helplessly compare ourselves with others. Most people think: it's time to upgrade the car as the others' are nicer than mine. And: is she skinnier than I? Does he bench-press as much as I do? In cars, weight, homes, and everything else, we seek to be better than those around us. But we rarely even imagine being the best in the world. By comparing ourselves only with those around us, in effect, we limit ourselves by whom we hang around.

In Malcolm Gladwell's new book David and Goliath, he writes that we compare ourselves to people in the same boat as ourselves. We don't tend to form impressions globally. Thus, people who surround themselves with hardworking peers are often more motivated to work diligently than those whose friends are happy just to pass their classes. This may be why teachers encourage children to have heroes and role models.

While there are success stories of individuals who have leaped from poverty to prosperity, they are not common. Much more likely, we will not rise much beyond the achievement of our peers without substantial dedication and initiative. It is better to spend time with those who challenge you to excellence and encourage to reach for greatness, than those who are satisfied with mediocrity.

"They, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." II Corinthians 10:12

Home Is Where the Heart Is

If home is where the heart is, then mine spans the Atlantic. After four months in London - even though I couldn't master the accent - I was at home on that side of the pond. Being back in New York, I now have two places to call home.

Over the Fall semester, I recall many fantastic adventures in London, delightful travels across Europe, and fantastic British friends who welcomed me. With each goodbye hug, I wondered when I would see these wonderful people again, if ever. When tempted to be sad, I realized I ought to be grateful for the relationships that I had made, which is far preferable to never having the chance to know them. 

While in London and even more so on each trip abroad, I often meditated on this verse: "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73). When the trials came, when I felt that my flesh and heart were failing, I rested on this promise. It also became my prayer, to desire none besides Him, which is far easier said than done. In every way, God abundantly provided for me and answered my prayers. As just one example, I had asked God to provide a community of believers for me, for mutual encouragement, ministry-buddies, and to challenge me in my faith. Within just a couple weeks, He provided the most amazing group of students who became my close friends. And I have countless examples of His provision in very big and very little ways.

As I prepared to leave London, I realized that life in New York won't be quite as fun or enjoyable. Even though I firmly believe that circumstances matter far less than attitude, I know that the pleasures of London are over. I can no longer take the train to Paris in two hours or pop over to Portugal for the weekend. I can't wander through Covent Garden in the afternoon and stroll along the Thames at sunset. I can't stay out past the last tube and take the night bus home. I must move on from the "fun" stage of life. Yet I rejoice because God is good, and His will is perfect. I would rather be in the center of His will than anywhere else in the world. When life is too comfortable, growth is sparse. In tribulations, temptations and trials, we become fully dependent on God. God stretches us in places where we need stretching. He challenges us and gives us the grace and strength to rise to the challenge. We don't grow nearly as much as when times are hard. He doesn't promise happiness; He desires our holiness. Thus, I choose to embrace His plans and seek to ace these tests. Lord, not my will but Yours be done.

Lastly, I learned these lyrics at Christ Church London, and they became recurrent themes/prayers during my past few months:

"Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders; 

Let me walk upon the waters, wherever you will call me. 

Take me deeper than my feet would ever wander; 

And my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior." - Hillsong

"To You our hearts are open; nothing here is hidden. You are our one desire." - Matt Redman

God has been so faithful to lead me and strengthen me, and I have full confidence that my guardian angels worked overtime to guard and protect me. Anywhere outside His will is dangerous and absent of joy. Therefore, I choose to rejoice in His perfect wisdom, rest in His faithfulness, and praise Him for being the all-sufficient Lord. Not my will, but Yours.

Krakow

Poland: where everything is dirt cheap and ask the stereotypes are true. Perogies, borsch, vodka, sausages, cold weather, and very few English speakers. The buildings in Krakow are gorgeous, lots of old, towering stone structures line the roads of the city. The Wawel Castle sits at the top of the hill, where you can see the whole skyline view over the river and the old Jewish area.

In contrast to the southern European cities, such as Madrid and Lisbon where dinner isn't served until 9pm or so, Krakow is on a much earlier schedule. Most tourist sites close by 4pm. I was told that many office jobs start at 7am, but must tourist sites aren't open until 10am. How strange.

The city was established in 1257, with a barbican, moat, city walls all the way around, and the castle on the hill.  Shortly after Krakow was established, the area now called Poland united with Lithuania, which - at that time - also included Bulgaria, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. The union lasted for 500 years! The countries communicated in Latin, which was the language of the educated and of the church. Krakow is home to hundreds of churches and synagogues. Every few steps, you are in front of another church again.

Average income is €600 a month, which is incredibly low. They don't use the euro and cents but rather zlotys and grotzys. Most everything is laughably cheap. For example, a bowl of stew costs about $1.50, and a full plate of homemade perogies is about $2. Alcoholic drinks are under $2, and a bed in a hostel is $7 a night, including breakfast and all. The cheap prices, especially for alcohol, are one of the major reasons that many bachelor (stag) parties go to Krakow to celebrate. I highly recommend Krakow if you're on a budget - you can buy whatever you want, and it's still half the price of anywhere else in Europe!

As with most city centers, the main market square is filled with pigeons. The Polish consider them rats with wings and blame them for spreading disease. Apparently the famous Polish bagels were originally for feeding the pigeons, and they still have that connotation in their minds, so locals don't actually eat them. Given the prevalence of the bagel stands, I was tempted to doubt this fact, until I learned that Krakow's population is only 1 million including students, but they have 9 million tourists visiting each year. I suppose the tourists keep them in business. You might as well go there yourself and have some :)

Borstch and perogies filled with cheese - cost $4 (£2.50)

The cathedral on Wawel Hill (in the castle)

The view from the top of Wawel Hill

The Jewish cemetery

Madrid: student wonderland

Madrid is a city where everyone lives a student lifestyle. They nap in the afternoon, go out for very late dinners, and stay out til all hours of the night. They never think about the time, and they love every moment of life. As you'd expect, Madrid comes alive most at night. It's a great place to stay up late and sleep all day... perfect for hipsters, students, young people, and the young at heart ;)

Tapas - if you've never had them - are basically "little plates" of all sorts of food. It's a far superior form of bar food. While you drink, you eat mini portions, essentially filling up on a bunch of appetizers. The whole idea is brilliant, and Madrid has perfected it. In New York City, for contrast, many people meet at a bar after work, to spend time with their friends, but they invariably order over-priced unhealthy bar food, for lack of other options. Sometimes I wonder why such fantastic ideas have not taken off around the world.

Madrid has been a popular place throughout history to conquer. Originally part of the Roman Empire, the Visigoths took power, until the Moors invaded from Northern Africa and gained the whole area in only three years, which is incredibly quick for international invasions. Next comes the Hapsburg dynasty in 1492, a very significant year for the Spaniards. Not only for Christopher Columbus, but also because the Jews were forced to leave the country. The New World led to the Golden Age, where goods from Africa and American led to a major influx of gold into the region. Then when Charles II had no heir, they had a war of succession, where 400,000 died as the nobles........

The pictures are of tapas, the Crystal Palace in the Parque de Retiro, the bridge which used to be the top suicide location until the city put up glass panels, the bear of the city center (wish I knew his story), and the king's palace. ¡Hasta luego!

Edinburrruh and the Highlands

For a country where the 1600s are still recent history, Scotland is a history-lover's paradise. With the exception of their mini-Parthenon, every building is just as beautiful as the next. From Waverly Bridge, you gaze at numerous gorgeous and massive stone buildings. There is so much to love in this old city, from haggis to hills to history (In case you're skeptical, haggis isn't made the same way today as it was centuries ago). In all of Scotland, there are over twice as many sheep as people. In the Highlands, sparcely populated with only 250,000 people, there are 10 million sheep. But what I want to know is who counted all those sheep. Do Scots suffer from insomnia?

Bagpipers entertain tourists on the Royal Mile, wearing kilts as they pipe away. Everyone else dresses normally, as you would expect for a Western country, except the museum employees wore a uniform of checkered blue and green cashmere pants, something that would never be taken seriously outside Scotland.

Edinburgh is delightful, but the weather is about as terrible as it gets. It rains far more than in London. Nonetheless, the city's charm attracted J.K. Rowling, and she moved there before she started writing her books. You can find many sources of her inspiration, from a gravestone with the name McGonigal to a boarding school with four towers, and you can visit the Elephant Cafe where she began writing about Harry Potter.

And Scotland is home to the Highlands and thousands of lochs. Enjoy the pictures!

People Watching from the Cafe

Of all the joys of working from a coffee shop, people-watching is one of the best. Here are a few people who passed by the window in the rain. [Location: Maida Vale, London]

First, a gentleman passes by with a large umbrella in one hand and a leash in the other, with a Chocolate Labrador on a end. The lab refused to follow his owner, stubbornly stopping wherever he wanted. The gentleman almost dragged the lab across the street against his will. They disappeared around a corner.

Then a younger man passed by, walking briskly with his hood up, holding a leash to a small, cream colored spaniel. The spaniel bounced alongside, entirely infatuated with the taste of his leash. I'm impressed how the dog simultaneously managed to chew the leash, bounce incessantly, and stay by the side of his owner. After a few minutes, they came back past the window with a full shopping bag.

Across the street, a thin, silver-haired, middle-aged man wandered down the street with a caramel-colored pitbull. The man wasn't bothered by the rain. While he technically was walking his dog, it seemed much more like the dog was walking him, not due to the dog's size or strength but the indifference of the owner.

A number of people passed quickly in black business clothes and overcoats and dark umbrellas, with their heads down. They're not appreciating the weather. I don't blame them.

The window where I'm sitting has a large overhang over the sidewalk, so a number of people stopped for a moment in the shelter. They would have a quick smoke, use their iPhones, or drink a coffee, wishing they had remembered to bring an umbrella with them today.

Not Good Enough to Do Good

Did you know that God is picky about who can do good works? Random acts of kindness may actually be despicable in God's eyes, even when done by believers. It's a radical concept, generally ignored by contemporary churches, but it's in the Bible. Check out Titus 1:16 "They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work." 

Paul is writing to Titus about disobedient believers. These are believers, who "profess to know God." They know about Jesus and are likely attending Titus' church. They are born again, part of God's family. But they don't live like it. As a result, God says they are "disqualified for every good work." What a strange concept. Because of their disobedience, God doesn't accept their good works. It's a bit like a father whose daughter won't talk to him or listen to anything he says, but then she washes all the dishes after dinner. Her good works are really useless, until the obedience is in place.

God expects us believers to be obedient. He has already granted us enough grace, power, and mercy to have full victory over the trials we face. No temptation is too great with His strength (I Cor 10:13). It's not okay just to "let go and let God." He expects loyalty from us. As His children, we ought to spend time with Him each day, asking Him what He requires of us and making Him Lord over our lives. He expects daily decisions to deny ourselves and follow Him, to become disciples and to make disciples. It's an all-consuming life work. And I strive to give my whole life to this task.


"For [the Lord] delights in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

Branding Done Well

Before I called Bank of America and Capital One, I had no preconception of which is a better company. After one call to each, I now love Capital One and despise Bank of America. It's the little things that make all the difference. Customer service is key. Without it, CEOs corrode their own branding.

Some corporations build outstanding goodwill with good customer service and rewards systems. They earn life-long customers who delight to give them business and tweet their love for the business. In addition to customer service, reward cards are one of the top ways to earn loyal customers.  Everyone wants to get enough stamps or points to earn free goods. When I get a punch card, I usually keep coming back to fill it. The cost of the free cookie, latte or even a burrito is surely negligible compared to the new loyal customers and the boost of goodwill. I'm surprised not all food services have such a reward system.

Some businesses have more creative forms of recognizing loyal customers. Shake Shack, for example, is one of my favorite places to go. They don't have any formalized system for rewarding loyalty, but they do sweeten the orders of customers they recognize. Although they operate in one of the busiest cities in the world, the staff is incredibly friendly and personable. I go to the same branch often, and I get all sorts of perks. I highly recommend them. Plus, their custards and burgers are fantastic.

Birthdays are also an excellent time to earn goodwill. Starbucks gives a free drink voucher to members to redeem anytime near their birthdays. Godiva club members receive a free truffle every month and an extra on their birthday month. Sixteen Handles gives a free cup of frozen yogurt to anyone who comes in their birthday. Who wouldn't like that?

businesses hit the jackpot with quality service. Consistently positive and friendly employees are rare but crucial. One bad experience can ruin a lot of customer goodwill, especially if it's tweeted to the world. When I called to activate my new Capital One card, I was floored by the wonderful customer service. On the other end of the spectrum, I've had terrible experiences with T-Mobile. It's consistently awful service; I'm often transfered multiple times, usually round in circles until they decide who I really need to talk to. A few times, I've hung up, frustrated that I couldn't get the help I was looking for. Quality service is hard to find.

I'm writing this in a Starbucks in London, which I'm usually not a big fan of. They are too expensive and not very good, in my opinion. But they just won my favor. Having just had a birthday, I had a free latte to redeem. None of the Starbucks in US airports would recognize the reward voucher. I was told that all airport Starbucks are managed by a major franchising corporation, distinct from normal Starbucks. Anyway, having returned to London, I discovered that US rewards are not honored here. But the barista gave me a venti pumpkin spice latte for the price of a shot of espresso. How nice! The little things truly do make all the difference.

London Bucket List

See the view of London from Hampstead Heath
Attend the Ceremony of the Keys (locking up the Tower of London)
Browse all floors of the V&A
Master a British accent
Eat dumplings in Chinatown
Hang out in the Natural History Museum Friday Night "Late"
Spend an evening in Camden Town
Get tickets to a play at the Shakespeare Globe and Les Miserables and Book of Mormon
Visit Oxford, Cambridge, York, Stonehenge, Bath, Manchester, and Stratford-upon-Avon
Travel to Scotland, Wales, North Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain

Life in London

There are never any pence on the pavement in London, while New York sidewalks are littered with pennies. Beyond that, the cities are quite similar: packed tube/subway cars; Starbucks at every corner in the center of the city; countless ethnic restaurants; the melting pot of cultures. It feels like home in so many ways.

Okay, realistically, it's not identical. The accents are the major obvious difference - everything they say sounds so posh; their streets twist and wind in the most illogical patterns, as do most of the tube lines; their grocery stores sell everything prepackaged, strangly futuristic; the buildings are much older and often more beautiful; their history goes back a lot later than America's; and they buy and sell with pounds, making everything about 50 percent more expensive than the states. Maybe that's why there are no pence on the pavement...

Syrian Friend

Sunday afternoon, in typical London fashion, the sunny day quickly turned cloudy and started pouring. I was in the middle of Trafalgar Square and had forgotten my umbrella.  So I ducked into the nearest Caffe Nero to stay dry. Next to me sat a doctor reading an academic journal. He moved to England many years ago to study medicine and earned citizenship, but he identifies as Syrian. So we discussed Syria's history, Assad's recent atrocities, relations with China and Russia, the Sunnis and Shi'a Muslims, the rebel groups, the best case scenario for Syria's future, how the international community should respond, Britain's non-response, Assad's relationship with Israel, the refugee situation, and his brothers and family who are living in Damascus. Most fascinating! If you want to hear his thoughts on any of these topics, put a comment on one or two, and I'll write his answers here.

To give one example, my friend Ghazi said that an international response is warranted, especially due to the fact that Assad has used chemical weapons on his citizens 14 times, in the outskirts of Damascus. The supposed reason is that Assad wants the land back and wants to crush the rebel groups, and chemical weapons are his most effective means. Ghazi says that Obama should provide arms and resources to the Free Syrian Army, which he considers the most effective and hopeful rebel group. He also made a comment about the thousands of people that are being held by the government and tortured daily. He really wants Assad to leave (obviously), and for these people to be freed. Although they're removed from the chemical weapons, they're still being treated completely inappropriately. I wonder how the international human rights organizations are going to handle this one. It's not against the rules of war, but it's abominable.

Oslo

The most expensive city in the world certainly lives up to its repuation. To give you some idea of the prices in Oslo, an entrée at any normal sit-down restaurant ranges from 150-250NKK, with prices much higher at fancy places. The conversion rate makes that $25-$42 (€19-€31). Crazy!! Supermarket prices are far more reasonable, but still highly inflated compared to American norms.

The city resembles a modern, brand-obsessed population, with TGI Friday's, McDonald's, and Burger King lining the streets. I stumbled upon an abundance of juice shops and espresso cafes and bars, just as you would expect in a country's capital. And the fearless pigeons were as obnoxious as they are in Manhattan. 

Oslo has the honor of presenting the Nobel Peace Prize each year. Alfred Nobel gave them this responsibility before Norway had independence. Now it's slightly strange that Stockholm presents all the other prizes, while Oslo presents its prize, especially because they're bestowed on the same day: December 12th, when Alfred passed away. The Peace Prize is given in the City Hall, adorned with an astronomical clock:

Henry Ibsen is a native of Oslo, and they honor him with a statue outside his museum:

Oslo also has incredible beaches, and the weather wasn't frigid, as I expected from the North Sea. Some people on the beach said it was 19 degrees (Celsius). I couldn't remember the conversion, so I just went in. It wasn't too bad in the water, but it was far nicer on the sand :)  

Their new opera house has a gradually sloped roof that reaches all the way to the ground!  So locals and tourists alike climb up to the top to watch the sunset and enjoy the peaceful water and the views of the city:

Oslo has many popular pedestrian streets, one of which starts with the guy below. Not sure who he is, but he sits right in the center of the city, across from the parliament building:

 

Oslo is surprisingly small. The total population is less than a million, and tourists aren't attracted in roves, due to the high prices. So it's quiet even in summer. Nonetheless, the locals all flock to enjoy the parks, lounging on blankets and grilling some dinner, soaking up all the rays before the sun disappears for the winter. 

"Put them in fear, Lord, that the nations may know they are but men." ~ Psalm 9

Stockholm

Stockholm is a lovely city of large islands, easily accessible by a handful of major bridges. The old town, Gamla Stan, is one of the smaller islands, completely surrounded by the rest of the city. My rolling suitcase on its cobblestone alleyways announced my presence to everyone in town. Oh well. In the middle of Gamla Stan, there's this large sculpture of the Europe-wide legend of King George slaying the dragon:

I bought a meal of Swedish meatballs from a small café, sold by a nice Russian lady who hardly spoke English. After some miscommunication due to the language barrier, she lamented that she only speaks Russian, Spanish, and Swedish but not English. Spanish?! She married a Cuban man many years ago and Sweden is one of the few places in the world where they can live together. The embargoes almost prohibited their relationship, but Sweden had no problem with it. So we continued in Spanish and all was better. Strangely, I've heard as much Spanish in Scandinavia as in the Bronx. Apparently, Spanish tourists really like to go North for holiday. I don't blame them - it's beautiful! 

Stockholm has successfully turned a national embarrassment into one of its greatest tourist attractions. In 1648, the Vasa ship sank on its maiden voyage. They had some proportion problems, so it sunk nearly instantly. Rather than sail the seas, it sat in the salty North Sea for over 300 years, preserved almost completely. Now it sits at the Vasa Museum. By an engineering feat, they excavated the entire ship from its resting place in 1961 and restored it. It's huge: 7 decks, 64 guns, and countless sculptures, including one of King David and his harp! It's pretty epic. Below is the royal seal of the King of Sweden:

Stockholm is just as expensive as Denmark, which limits their tourist attractiveness. But it's quite picturesque and definitely worth a visit. Swedish is quite close to Norwegian, and not far from German. But they all speak incredibly perfect English... except the Russian lady who sells meatballs ;)

"O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!"  ~ Psalm 8

Copenhagen

Where is the world's oldest amusement park, from 1583?  Yup, just outside Copenhagen, Denmark. And the second oldest amusement park, Tivoli Gardens, opened in 1843, is located directly across from the Copenhagen Town Hall. The Danes must enjoy their amusement. I slightly regret not getting a danish from the Danish, but at an average price of $7 per pastry, I couldn't bring myself to it. Everything is quite expensive. The cheapest, small-sized latte to-go costs $4.50, and it's nearly impossible to find something cheap to eat for less than $8.

Copenhagen is a beautiful city, and not too large. very easy to see on foot or bicycle. Founded by Warrior Bishop Absalom in the 1200s, Copenhagen began to grow in population when it was only the mid-point town between two large cities. Danes wanted the convenience of being close to both cities, so they started to settle right in the middle. For the past few decades, the city has been home to a unique "green light district," a community of hippies, called Christiania, where limitless forms of marijuana are sold in a street market. The three rules of Christiania are no pictures,  have fun, and don't run. It's very popular among tourists. The strangest part is that weed is illegal in Denmark. Still not sure how that works out.  In addition to the hippies, Copenhagen also hosts beautiful architecture, a tourism industry from the cruise ships, and some beautiful canals. In Danish, Copenhagen means Merchant's Harbor. Some even consider it to be the Venice of the North, but Copenhagen doesn't have the same love for life as the Mediterraneans. 

Copenhagen has lots of statues and churches:

Here's the famous Little Mermaid statue, from Hans Christian Andersen's story:

And from the top of the 400 steps on the tower of the Church of Our Savior, you can see the whole city, 360 degrees around!

In general, the Danes like to jog and bicycle. Lots and lots of joggers kept passing me on the sidewalks. The people are all very tall and blonde, and they speak excellent English. Even on the metro, I heard more English than Danish on many rides. I found many Danes to be very helpful and quite friendly people. I highly recommend a visit!

My Reading List

For a while, I've been collecting the titles of books to read in various places. I have been writing them in the back page of my journal. But once the journal is filled, the list gets hidden on a shelf somewhere. I know there's that site GoodReads, which probably has this function, but I don't want to input every book I've read into the site. So, here's a (constantly-changing) list of books I want to read or re-read. I welcome suggestions for other titles!

Funsies:

• Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas
• Babbit, Sinclair Lewis
• Til We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis
• Notes from a Small Island, Bill Bryson

Spiritual edification:

• Shadow of the Almighty, Elizabeth Elliot
• Heaven, Randy Alcorn

Career interests:

• The Bottom Billion, Paul Collier
• Born to Raise, Jerold Panas
• Raising of Money, Jim Lord
• Artful Journey, William Sturtevant

Disclaimer: some books on this list I expect to disagree with, but as J.S. Mill said, "He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that."

Why do you do what you do?

The Creator fashioned humankind with longings for pleasure, possessions, security, and significance. Across time and culture, all humans desire each of these elements. Usually, individuals are motivated more by one specifically, which drives their behavior. The couch potato prefers pleasure, while the Wall Street executive climbs the corporate ladder for significance. What do you seek most?

As God created us with these desires, He also created a path for perfect satisfaction of these desires. Satan seeks to tempt believers to follow unbiblical shortcuts to fulfill these passions. Christians can anticipate negative consequences for disobedience and positive rewards for obedience. This is roughly the same as the way good employers reward overachieving employees with bonuses and perks and terminate underachieving workers, except with God's perfect justice. 

The strongest motivators are negative consequences. All Christians will face the Judge on judgment day: "For every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12). Also, "nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4) Scary stuff. We can't avoid it. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (II Corinthians 5) These verses, detailing the judgment that awaits believers, is the basis of the fear of the Lord. It is downright terrifying to know that I must stand before the living God one day. At this time, He will weigh my thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes. Knowing this, I am strongly motivated to live only for Him. One more: "You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat" (Romans 14). Will you regret your choices, stammering before the Throne of God?

Besides fear, there are numerous positive motivators. We, as mere humanfolk, can bring pleasure to the Lord of the Universe. The heroes of the faith, including Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Job, and many others from Hebrews 11, went down in history as men who pleased God. The chapter ends by saying that these are men "of whom the world was not worthy." Sounds like a life motto to me. Not only this, but we can bring glory to God through our actions. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5). I seek to let my light shine so that others see how great God is. The Westminster Catechism claims that man's chief end is to glorify God. Furthermore, there are personal benefits to obedience, which God promises to us. These are the means by which God expects us to satisfy our lifelong desires of pleasure, possessions, security, and significance. "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3).

God promises rewards to those who serve Him. Not only that, we believers are commanded to amass these eternal riches: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6). That sounds like a command from God. Often, people will tell me that seeking to please God to receive rewards is wrong. I challenge them to provide a Biblical case for that argument. The Scriptures are quite clear that believers should seek and expect rewards in heaven. As a perfectly just Lord, He will richly reward us in heaven for our daily self-denial to follow Him. Once again, in Hebrews 11, God says that "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Before we can please God, we must believe that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. These rewards are not only stored up in heaven, but they are often given to faithful believers on earth too. Hopefully this belief encourages you to pursue Him diligently.

James warns believers: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1). Why would James have to say something so obvious? Would anyone choose to deceive themselves? Sadly, they do. Many Christians know what God expects, but that knowledge does not translate into action. So then, why do believers continue to act in sin, even when they know what God requires? It seems clear that they lack motivation. They ignore the long term consequences, in vain hope that they will disappear. Someday, those believers will wish they could undo their decisions, but we live in a world of no takebacks. Don't fall into the trap. Time will soon reveal those who build with wood, hay, and stubble and those who build with gold, silver, and precious metals. What will your work reveal about you? 

For further reading on the positive side of motivation, I recommend I Corinthians 3:10-13, Hebrews 12:1-2, Psalm 19:1-14, and Malachi 3:10;this sermon: Is Heaven Capitalistic or Communistic?; Randy Alcorn's book Law of Rewards; and the Study Guide to Rewards in the Old and New Testaments.

Studying the Bible

If you really want to know what the Truth says, you must study it for yourself. Most people trust their pastor or favorite Christian author to decide their theology for them. Don't be so gullible. With the existence of hundreds of denominations, surely they are not all right. Necessarily, there are superior and inferior theologies. Which is right?  How do you know?

Modern Christianity emphasizes emotionally-charged worship sessions, sharing and caring small groups, and praying for each other. But the practice of studying the Bible has fallen by the wayside. Many times, a group of Christians meeting together to discuss anything related to faith is considered a Bible study. How sad that the actual studying of the Bible is left primarily to seminary students and pastors. 

But there's hope. Studying the Bible is not as esoteric as it might seem. In the same way that students examine a text closely, you can study the Bible. You can do it on your own or with others. The inductive method is invaluable for helping you to form convictions about what a text means. There are three steps to inductive: observe, interpret, apply. Rather than reading preconceived notions into a text, inductive is the method of tracing the author's argument through a passage.

There are plenty of free materials and guides available.  I can highly recommend the 10 minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VKdea7L6II as an introduction.  You can also check out its paper form http://t.co/OUbIAH3f7i (automatic download). Don't give up before you've even started!

No real student of the Scriptures ever said this is easy. Proverbs 2:1-5 says:

My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek for her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

God does not want us to stumble around in the dark. As the Master Communicator, He has made His Truth understandable to us, but it does requires some effort. How else can you defend why you believe what you believe?  

Visiting New York City

A friend asked me what to do on a visit to New York City. I've been exploring this city my whole life, and there is so much I've yet to see. However, this post focuses on the centrally-located highlights for short-term tourists. These places are consistent favorites from out-of-town friends, and they're perfect for low budgets and students.  This guide is designed for the summer time. I'll post another for winter, as the time times. Enjoy the Big Apple!!

You will likely want to visit some iconic locations:

• Times Square (On Broadway, from 45th St to 40th) - absolute must-see. It's been photographed millions of times before. Just soak it all in. And try not to get run over by the fast-walking New Yorkers who have no patience with tourists who stop on the sidewalk.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art (81st St and 5th Ave) - huge and fantastic. Be sure to visit the rooftop! There's no way to see it all, so just choose a couple. It's also entirely donations-based, so pay whatever you want (not the $12 they suggest).
• Natural History Museum (79th St and 8th Ave) - if you prefer animals, stories about evolution and want to see a giant whale. Also donations based.
• Chinatown - hundreds of little shops. Everything is cash-only. Good luck finding a bathroom down here. I recommend the bubble tea and the filled buns (baos) that you can get, either sweet or savory. You can also find unusual fruits on the street, including lychee. Beware the smelly fish stands.
• Wall Street - legendary. You can see the Stock Exchange, some old city buildings, the 9/11 memorial, and a whole bunch of business people.  It gets pretty quiet at night. 
• The NY Public Library (5th Ave and 41st), which is another outstanding place to visit. They currently have a children's book exhibit, which is phenomenal. Be sure to climb to the top floor and see the massive reading room!
• My favorite grassy place is Bryant Park. It's right in the middle of the city (40th-42nd Streets, between 5th and 6th Aves), and it includes the NY public library. In summer, the park has tons of free events, which you can find on their website.  You can eat a picnic here.  There's free wifi, an outdoor "reading room", ping pong tables, carousel, fountain, and lots of seats to people-watch ;) 
• Lots of people love Central Park. Honestly, there's nothing terribly special about it, but it's practically the only time we see nature.
• Grand Central Terminal (Park Ave and 42nd), where all the trains come in.  Lots of movies are filmed here. It's huge and beautiful. 
• Walk the Brooklyn Bridge - it's really pretty, especially at night. It's definitely a walk, but it's not too long.
• Walk the Highline Park (top: 30th St and 10th Ave until past 14th St) - raised subway tracks converted to a place for New Yorkers and tourists to hang out and walk around.
• Sit and listen to musicians playing in Washington Square Park (5th Ave and approximately 4th St).  The park is home to a gorgeous archway and countless NYU students. 

• Places to eat: 
• Shake Shack - quality burgers and milkshakes and frozen custards (like ice cream, but better). a handful of locations through the city.  Plus, a super friendly staff.
• Fantastic Thai food, all over the city, if you're into Thai.  I particularly like "Spice", which has like 10 locations, and I love a small place called Noodies (9th Ave and 55th).
• The Meatball Shop - super quality food, vegetarian options too, really fun atmosphere, a couple locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
• Maoz Vegetarian - if you don't eat meat, or are in love with falafel, you can get some quality food at good prices.
• Random free things: 
• Pop in the Lindt store for a free chocolate truffle.
• Walk into any Godiva and join their "club", aka give them your email address, and you can get a free truffle every month (starting then).
• Stop in the Chelsea Market - it's an avenue long, completely indoors (i.e. excellent for a rainy day!), filled with bunches of hidden gems. They also offer lots of samples.  Check out the Filling Station for oils, vinegars and salts. Check out the winery for afternoon tastings. 
• Restrooms: Starbucks and McDonalds are the most reliable options. They're everywhere.

The subway is fairly straightforward, so you'll probably want to use it to get around.  You can get a week long unlimited Metro Card for about $30. Otherwise, rides cost $2.50 each, and each subway ride comes with a free bus transfer, within two hours.

There are a hundred other things to do and places to go.  If you only have a day or two, I don't recommend the Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island, nor the Harlem area.  But if you're particularly interested, go for it!  You could certainly go to a Broadway show or see the Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera or New York City Ballet, if you're not short on funds. Try not to get offended by New Yorkers. We're quite friendly if we start talking, and we very much enjoy giving directions (seriously). Whatever you decide to do, have a blast in the city that never sleeps!

Finding Free Bathrooms

After a few hours wandering through windy alleys and city squares and ornate cathedrals, you will inevitably start looking for closest bathroom. Most cafes discourage non-customers from using the water closet. Most fast food places have no pubic restrooms. Museum staffs will deny entry without a valid ticket. And you want to save your coins for some gelato later. Thus begins the hunt for the loo.

In Switzerland, public WCs reside all over the major cities, but they charge you for their service. In Amsterdam, you can search for days without finding a public WC, so don't even bother. In Brussels, you can watch the Manneken Pis pee in the fountain, but it's not recommended for tourists.

So then, here's the game plan.  Step one: look for any major hotels. They are usually located near the heart of the city. Once you've found one, walk in the lobby - alone or with a buddy, but never with a large group - and act as though you've been in before. Walk past the reception desk to the back of the lobby and use the cleanest restrooms you'll ever find. As Chesterton says, "Brittany doesn't understand why bathrooms have hotels."

Step two: if step one fails, look at the nearby cafes. You may need to stop outside a few places before you find one that is busy enough inside, but without a sign saying, "for customers only."

Step three: if there are no hotels or cafes, what are you doing in the middle of nowhere?! Nonetheless, go to Starbucks, Burger King, KFC or McDonalds. They're usually moderately clean. But sometimes the bathrooms are locked and require a code from your receipt. So they're not the most reliable.

If all else fails, look up, find a crane, and meander over to the construction site, where you will always find a Porta Potty.

Prague - part 2

We spent our second day in Prague with our friends, Ondrej and Katrina, who live near Prague and grew up in the area. They took us to a town about an hour away, to see a chapel made of all bones!!  It was fascinating and was not as creepy as you might expect. Then we ate at an incredible restaurant, and finally went to their father's zoo in dark.

The restaurant served duck, veal cheeks, lamb sausages and free-range, grass-fed chicken. Dishes were between $12-$15 each, and dinner, plus Czech wine, plus rosemary bread and fried chickpeas, with aperitifs and all other fancy dinner formalities. And the total bill was only $20 per person.  I'd eat here again :)

They also took us to their zoo at night. We played with the goats, fed the porcupine and the llamas, and enjoyed the meercats, monkeys, gigantic catfish and carp, pheasants, Hedwig-type owls, and a small white kangaroo. We also saw gerbils and monster gerbils - larger than the size of a cat! Never had I ever been in a zoo after dark before. It was awesome.

And the other three pictures are from the John Lennon free speech wall and then a random memorial to Mozart.

Farewell, Prague!