deebeedee

This deserves its own entry and not just an update (read the original entry here).

My phone has been found!! The bus driver handed it to me this morning when I got on the bus. He knew about my lost phone because I spoke to him about it yesterday. He said he was going to ask around when he got back to the bus yard. And that he did. Apparently, another bus driver who took over the bus and drove to Stockton (yes, that far) saw my phone and handed it over to the cleaning crew at the end of his shift. The cleaning crew then handed it over to their manager. The manager turned it in at the Lost and Found department. And that’s where Mr. Bus Driver found my phone. The bus driver’s name is David G., by the way. He went out of his way to investigate. Thanks, man! He and the whole Amtrak motorcoach crew are awesome.

God is so faithful. He’s even faithful in the small things. I prayed about the phone but honestly, I considered it as good as gone. Oh, I’m of such little faith! God’s been so good. Praise Him! Praise Him! I’m not just happy about the phone being returned to me. This is just a small part of the many things he’s been doing in my life. He even used this incident to deal with one particular area of my life. I’ve been praying to God to deal with my reactions to certain situations and I believe this was an answered prayer. When I told the wife about the lost phone, first of all God gave me the courage to do so (hehe). Next he allowed me to calmly cope with the storm that was to follow. Normally, my wife and I would be at each other’s throats over something like this, pointing the finger and blaming each other. Because I’ve applied certain principles about dealing with anger in a Christ-like manner, the matter didn’t blow up into ridiculous proportions as it would have in the past. Now my wife and I could look back at this incident and say we’ve worked it out in a manner pleasing to God. Additionally, we know for sure that there is a better way to handle stressful situations like this.

Praise the Lord for putting us through trials. Praise him for the sanctification process that we go through. I feel so blessed. (I wonder if Ganns would mind if I call this site SuperBlessedTwo.net, hehe).

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

I found them! I found my glasses!

They were on the floor hiding underneath some papers sticking out from the bottom shelf of my computer table. I must’ve kicked them in there somehow. How they ended up on the floor in the first place, I just don’t know. Must’ve been one of those “i’m-so-tired-it’s-already-2am-i’m-nodding-off-in-front-of-my computer” episodes.

I have been without my eyeglasses for nearly two weeks now. I’m near-sighted so I have been dangerously biking and driving for the past two weeks (please don’t tell!).

Here’s a train depot no longer used but historically preserved along my bike route to work in Santa Clara, CA. The sign above says “From New Orleans 2433 8/10 MI To San Francisco 41 7/10 MI.” Wow.

According to a plaque on the side of the depot building, which was built between 1877 and 1878, a “team of draft horses hauled freight cars from the depot down a short branch line to the lick paper mills and the state asylum to the east.” The state asylum now houses Sun Microsystem’s headquarters across the street.

Friday
Went to bible study at Chris’s house. I haven’t been to one in a while mostly due to lack of transportation. But now it’s possible to attend because of the generous donation by Kuya Bien who gave me an old Ford Taurus that wasn’t being used by anyone in his household. Previously, I’d get around by bike or public transportation.

It was refreshing studying God’s word that Friday night. Although the bible study was quite basic, I needed to hear all of it once again. My personal bible reading had become inconsistent and this is just what I needed in order to get going with renewed interest and enthusiasm.

Saturday
The fam and I went to Pistahan 2003 at the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. This is the better of the two Filipino festivals held yearly in San Francisco. The focus of Pistahan is more on culture and the arts whereas the other centers on entertainment and entertainers. The wife, however, still had an opportunity to have her picture taken with Paolo Montalban of Cinderella and American Adobo* fame. Pics will be posted later on. It’ll be interesting how it turns out - I used a disposable camera since my digicam is out of commission.

Sunday
After church, we travelled all the way to Antioch for a kid’s birthday party held at Prewett Water Park. Had the opportunity to play in the pool with the boys. We enjoyed the water slides although the 3-year old clung on to me most of the time. My oldest son’s swimming lessons are paying off.

*I turned the dvd off after about half an hour of watching this movie. Its dialogue and pretentiousness absolutely made me cringe. I should probably give it another chance. At least it was shot in good film stock.

I had a nasty spill en route to work on my bike this morning. It’s quite embarrassing to reveal the reason behind my fall.

Well, ok, bees.

All two of them.

Or maybe it was just one.

But he was fast.

I tried to outrun him but he was hot on my trail. I panicked and lost control of my bike. Next thing I knew I was flat on my face with my bike underneath me. I have a nasty scrape on my left forearm, my left palm is bruised up, my right knee is cut, my left thigh is throbbing and my rib cage hurts.

Funny thing is just moments before I was pondering how a coin-operated newspaper rack near my work has remained devoid of newspapers for several weeks now because a swarm of wasps has taken it over. I guess that just heightened my fear when I saw the bee go after me.