This probably belongs to my soccer blog. But if it occupies my mind so much, why not here?

No, it isn't Arsenal nor Barcelona that got robbed. It's Man U! I should be happy to see this outcome but at the end of the day, it's sad because the all the focus has gone to the referee. He will probably be axed from any future Champions' League game for the next 10 years.

When I saw Sir Alex's starters, without Rooney or Kagawa who just scored an hetrick, I thought that may not be such a good decision. Of course, I am pretty sure he want Rooney to come in at later stage of the game to seal the victory if possible, when the opponents are tired. But I thought over the years, many decisions like this have back fired. If one of the player got sent off, the best player that was kept on the bench may never have chance to play. Fortunately for Man U, they did not have to swap any player right away. But that took way Kagawa's chance of playing. Rafael became so tired near the final minutes that he could hardly walk. Perhaps Valencia should have gone in much earlier and could have changed the game.

I felt sad for Man U only because Real has gone through to the next round. I don't feel like seeing them going further than Barcelona. Even at the end when Morinho said "The best team lost", it didn't change the fact. When it comes to soccer, life is not fair. Moronho has probably face it many times where his team's players got sent off incorrectly. He must be delighted inside when he tried to hide it outside.

Back to the referee's decision. Has anyone forget RVP sent off last season while playing in the Neu Camp? And that was only for kicking the ball away less than 1 seconds after the whistle was blown. And that was 10 times worse a decision compare to today's.

Ordinary Man

I was very tired this past Sunday during the church service at Venture. Tim usually isn't one who could wake me up. But I came away with this point, and it's so true.

God uses ordinary man, to do extra-ordinary things.

Actually Tim said something like this:

"If you think you are just an ordinary man, congratulations! You are qualified!"

Amen to that.

The Royal Wedding

Today everything is all about the Royal Wedding. We don't label a wedding the wedding, and certainly not any royal wedding The Royal Wedding, except this one, which has been anticipated for years. There are still people out there who thing this is blown out of proportion, and refuse to acknowledge they have paid any attention to it in days or weeks leading up to this.

All the search engine, social sites, blogs and news site revolve around this subject, around the couple, around the Royal family, and even the dress designer, cake designer, song writer.

The city of London must have received tourism income on this week, perhaps more than they can generate in multiple months.

It is huge and it has proven to be an event that touches almost everybody who has access to TV, internet, radio or news paper.

I am happy for them. It seems only yesterday that Princess Diana was still holding the little baby William. I remember the image on the stamps I have collected. I seems to be not long ago we saw the teenage William in his mother's funeral, thanking all the people who has come to pay tribute to his mother. Since then, I have never follow any news ahout him, but frequently see his pictures and headlines on tabloids at check out counters of grocery stores. All of a sudden, he has graduate from university, dated, engaged and announced his wedding date. He really has grew up too fast.

This is a special day, a day we want to remember what we were doing. There are many who lost their live in Tornado in the state of Alabama. This was going to be the day the space shuttle is launched for the last time, but it got postponed. But the wedding has give us a reference point in our live. 30 years ago, it was a special day. And 30 years from now, if I am still alive, I will remember what I saw on TV, through the whole night until I eventually felt into sleep at dawn. I will remember Anderson Cooper. Piers Morgan, Cat Deeley, and others; David Beckham in his nicest hair style and outfit, and many others. Everything that happens in London today triumphed the controversy on Wednesday in Madrid. I have only been to London once but I felt familiar.

Kate and William, thanks for this day and I wish you a eternal and happy marriage.

A new chapter

I have never thought turning a page is that difficult, especially when the new page is also a new chapter. I love writing down my thought, especially when there are someone out there to read it. But nowadays, I know whatever I write down will probably never get read, other than by a few close family members. It's no longer a good thing to send out long emails, as everybody has so many things to read these days.

Our January cruise trip was suppose to be a time of relaxation. The first thing we did after boarding the ship, and fill up our stomach was to sign up for a massage at the spa. We knew all along it was going to be expensive, and they usually run special on port days. But we went for it anyway because we just want to be totally freed from any stress.

to be continued...

Lost

How do you cope with lost?

There are probably hundreds of books out there, written by Phds, theologians, all kind of scholars, but you can never take away the sadness of losing something, someone precious to you.

I think God knows exactly how we feel, for we were all once His lost children, and many of us still.

It shows how vulnerable we are on this Earth, and how complex we are a created being.

Sorrow

I think sorrow started hitting me as I started to come out of denial. I talked to my sister earlier and she said she is so sad hearing the news. She was here in March but did not make the attempt to visit her. I remember her mentioning to me that she would find time to visit her at her house.

My wife also started telling me how sad she is.

Departure is so hard. Separation is so hurtful. We are creatures meant to be connected, and once we did, and when it's broken, it's so unbearable.

Good bye and see you again one day.

This morning my wife told me of the news I wish I won't receive. My friend's beloved mother has passed away in her sleep.

In my dream this morning, their whole family was living in my house, and the mother had just passed away. I went into the room where she was rested, and her younger grand daughter was playing. The was a blanket covering her whole body and face. However when I approached her, I saw she started moving. And when I go closer, she just came back to life as she just woke up from a sleep. I started yelling at her family members who were in somewhere else in the house, and they started coming in.

She didn't just woke up, but sat up and started talking like all the illness were gone. We all were so happy that miracles had happened and God not just healed her, but actually brought her back from death.

Now I know it's not just another dream. She has been resurrected with Christ and continue in her eternal life with a new and healthy body. Her old body may rest in peace, but her soul sure lives on without suffering, and full of life.