William Chong

I recently got the Settlers of Catan game for my iPod, for those rare moments when I’ve got a couple of minutes spare. For those who don’t know, Settlers is a well-designed and fun board game where you try and build settlements and cities, collect resources and try to beat other players in achieving various objectives (e.g. longest road, biggest army, lots of cities etc.) It’s generally a well-balanced game: there’s a great trading element in the game that allows for lots of interaction between players, and you can get some really close and intense games going at times.

While it’s not as good as playing the board game version with friends, Catan on the iPod is still a well-designed and entertaining game. And at $6 from the App Store it’s much cheaper than buying the original board game, which can sell in shops at $90(!) for a basic set. The graphics and gameplay features pretty much replicate what you can do in the actual board game, and it’s very easy to pick up and play. It offers both single-player (with computer opponents) and multi-player over networks and so on.

Highly recommended for those with iPhones/iPods – you can get it here on Apple’s App Store. If you want there are also online sites where you can give the game a go (e.g. http://games.asobrain.com/)

In the meantime, I’ll keep trading to victory!

If he wasn’t enough of a voracious blogger (he’s posted every day for the past six years), Tim Challies has just started another blog called “10 Million Words”.

It’s an intriguing premise though – basically he intends to read all the books that appear on the New York Times‘ bestseller list in 2010 and review them (which adds up to about 10 million words, he reckons). Aside from the fact that it’s like, three books a week (I struggle to read one chapter a week!), it’s also an exercise in absorbing the worldview shaping our culture today.

There are already some insightful reviews on there – it’s definitely a blog I’m adding to my reading list.

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Survived my first full marathon on Sunday at a time of 5:04:35. It was a pretty intense day, and with Kat’s 21st birthday party going on the night before I didn’t really get a lot of rest, wondering how things were going.

Cheryl and Kim tagged along for the 4 am start, and I managed to get across to Devonport with an hour to spare. Got some time to sit and watch the running shoes and yellow bags pass by in the ferry building.

I decided not to go with a pace group this year – partly because last year I chose the wrong one and went too fast, and also partly because I was fairly sure of my own running pace, at about 6.5 minutes/km.

The first half of the course was pretty familiar to me, having done it last year. I was much more aware of how hilly the route between Takapuna, Northcote and the Harbour Bridge would be, so I kept my pace steady even on uphill sections and was rewarded with a 21.1km split time of 2 hr 16 min – an improvement over last year’s time.

This year’s marathon brought out some excellent running weather. There was a light breeze and plenty of cloud cover which meant less dehydrating. Generally it was pretty easy weather to run in.

(Team Deathstar)

(Crossing the Auckland Harbour Bridge on a beautiful morning.)

(Passing under the Harbour Bridge while running along Westhaven Marina.)

The second half of the marathon for me was significantly harder. My furthest training run went up to 30 km so once I got past that (at about Mission Bay), it was almost as if my body didn’t recognise what I was meant to be doing. My right calf muscles began to cramp up and I found myself repeating in my head the words to Isaiah 40:31, and hoping it would hold true for me for the rest of the race!

What I found difficult was that a lot of the other folks running at my section were almost powerwalking, yet were still able to keep pace with me. This even though I was faithfully keeping my running cadence (I timed my steps to Mark and Stephen Altrogge’s “I Will Cast My Cares“). Perhaps there’s something to be said for having longer legs when doing long-distance running!

The last seven km’s were wretched. My running had come to the point where my legs were pumping, but it felt like I wasn’t going anywhere fast! Also the cramps that were creeping in at 32 km flared up a couple of times on the way back from St Heliers and Mission Bay to the city again. Going through my mind was: “How embarrassing would it be to get a crazy cramp at the finish and fall over on video!” Fortunately there were plenty of drinks stations along the way back and I was able to keep going, though at a noticeably slower pace than my first 21 km.

Up to the last five k’s I had hoped that I could do a sub-5 hour time, considering that I felt pretty good at the halfway point and was ahead of time. That hope dissolved away when I reached the ferry building (about 2 km from the end) 5 minutes shy of the 5 hour mark. I quickly put the disappointment behind me though, after reflecting on how amazing it was to even have the opportunity to run myself ragged like this. I definitely prayed for a lot of people during my 5 hours of running, and thought particularly of the families in Samoa that Habitat for Humanity will be able to help with the $500 we fundraised for them.

I ended up with a second-half split time of 2:48:34 – and as expected, a much slower pace of 8 mins/km (largely from the last seven k’s). Nevertheless, I crossed that finish line with thoughts of elation and joy, for completing something I’d set my mind to since last year. A nice touch at the end was having the announcer call out each runner’s name as they approached the finish line. They also handed out medals for people who completed the marathon – this would probably be my one and only sports-related medal!

Henry, Cheryl, Arron and Kim all came down to Vic Park to offer their congrats, and we went out for lunch afterwards.

All in all it was a great day – I’m glad I did it!

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I’m quite excited. Picked up the race pack yesterday for the 2009 Auckland Marathon – starting bright and early, 6:10 am on Sunday!

Last year I attempted the halfmarathon and didn’t collapse from exhaustion, so I will see how it goes this year with 42 km. I started training all the way back in June, and have run over 500 kilometers during more than 65 hours of training. Despite this, my pace remains pretty slow at between 6.5 to 8 minutes per km. With that in mind, I’ll be happy with finishing the race in one piece. Since it’s my first marathon, setting a personal best time is guaranteed!

Prayers will be much appreciated particularly once it gets towards 10:00 and I really start to miss being at church worshipping with everyone else at Howick Baptist! (Also by that time it’ll probably be over 30 km into the route and I’ll be very tired…)

Also, I just figured out how to email from my phone so hopefully I’ll treat you all to some photos (e.g. from the top of the harbour bridge as I cross over) – you should be able to check them out on facebook or on my twitter page. It really is amazing what we can do with the level of internet and media connectivity we have today.

Anyways I’ll write again after the weekend – take care everyone!

Hebrews 12:1-2: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God…”

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P.S.: Don’t forget to check out my fundraising page for Habitat for Humanity (they’re helping to rebuild houses for victims of the Samoa tsunami) at www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/williamchong! Soli deo gloria!

Check out this awe-inspiring compilation of cloud photos from the Webdesigner Depot:

In this post, we take a look at some amazing photographs of the weirdest cloud formations that you’ll ever see, that are destined to inspire your design work and surely blow your mind.

To read more information about any of the photos, just click on any of the images below to be taken to its source. And don’t forget the next time you go out, to look up…

[more images...]

The Bible’s got a good chunk of cloud-related imagery to match the stunning variety that we see in the world we live in. For example, Psalm 36:5 says that “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” The psalmist also praises the Lord for his provision for clouds and rain from it, in Psalm 147. But for me, the most striking cloud-related imagery is used in Isaiah 44:22:

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

What a great picture: for those who trust in Christ as Lord and Saviour, our sins have been swept away like passing clouds in the sky…

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This morning I was at a men’s Bible study. We’re currently examining Colossians 2 and what the passage is referring to, and what we can draw out of it into our daily living.

The discussion this morning centered around Col 2:16-17. One person explained that this passage means we shouldn’t therefore judge other Christian’s differences in beliefs and traditions, and seek to promote unity between faith traditions. He gave the example of seeking unity with people who are in the Roman Catholic church.

However, another person in the group countered that purity was more important, and that this verse doesn’t absolve Christians of the responsibility to do things such as “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). He countered that to keep the purity of the church we should separate from other faith traditions that add regulations and rules to what Christ has done, such as the Roman Catholic church.

There were a host of other topics that came out of studying this text together: the sufficiency of Christ, legalism, the role of the Ten Commandments in our life today, Roman Catholics and what they believe, and so on. But we all had to leave and the main question seemed unresolved: what is more important for the Body of Christ, unity or purity? Also, does Colossians 2:16-17 refer to unity/purity or is it in a different context?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Truth and love, thanks!

In preparation for moving out, we did a big clean up over Labour Weekend.

Just thought I’d share this photo of my bed (I sleep on the bottom bunk). We’ve had it since I moved to New Zealand at the age of 9, and I’m about to dismantle it for the last time:

Another chapter in life is about to begin!

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Here’s another thought-provoking write-up by Jamie Brown:

“There are several reasons for opposing it. One, it’s too new. Two, it’s often worldly, even blasphemous. The new Christian music is not as pleasant as the established style. Because there are so many new songs you can’t learn them all. It puts too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than Godly lyrics. This new music creates disturbances; people act indecently and disorderly. The preceding generation got along without it. It’s a money making scene and some of these new music upstarts are lewd and loose.”

The Anglican pastor’s name is William Romaine and his critique was featured in An Essay on Psalmody. It was written in 1723. The “new music” he was referring to? The hymns of Isaac Watts.

It’s really easy to criticize new music, idolize old music, and demonize what you don’t like.

For those who don’t know, Isaac Watts was a prolific writer of such hymnal standards as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, “Alas! and did my Saviour bleed”, and “Joy to the world!”. He was also known as the Father of English Hymnody.

I guess it goes to show that the conflicts over the style of worship music in churches today are not new ones.

You can read the full article here: The Problem with Postulating « Worthily Magnify.

Held by the Taliban – A Times Reporter’s Account. A Five-Part Series by David Rohde. – Series – NYTimes.com.

A fantastic insight into the Taliban world. Seasoned New York Times reporter David Rohde was kidnapped and held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan for seven months, and escaped to tell a riveting tale. Definitely worth a read.

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By the time you read this I’ll be over the Pacific ocean winging my way back to Auckland. But just thought I’d share a bit about my visit into the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and out to the Panmunjom Joint Security Area (that’s the place you see in photos where South Korean soldiers guard one side and North Korean ones guard the other).

The Korean situation seem to me like a contemporary parallel to the Biblical civil warring between Israel and Judah. Families on either side continue to struggle as they wait in hope that one day the country would be reunified.

Freedom Bridge

Located at Imjingak, this railroad bridge crosses the Paju River and is heavily guarded by Republic of Korea (ROK) troops. It was used to exchange prisoners following the Korean War (1950-1953). As the northernmost point that South Korean civilians are able to reach, there’s a monument and shrine that those with displaced families come to each year to pray for reunification, and that the rail line will connect both parts of Korea again. There’s a plaque there that says, “the iron horse wants to run” – summing up the fervent hopes of those separated from their loved ones in the North.

The 3rd Tunnel

Although a cease-fire armistice agreement was signed by North and South Korea to end hostilities, since then there have been numerous flashpoints and small battles. In particular North Korea made a concerted effort to dig numerous subterranean passages towards Seoul, designed for a sneak attack. So far four tunnels (out of an estimated 20) have been found – the 3rd Tunnel was discovered in October 1978.

It was sobering to hear that The 3rd Tunnel goes 435 m south of the Military Demarcation Line (i.e. in South Korean territory), and ended up just 55km from Seoul. My guidebook tells me that the Emperor at the time chose Seoul as the capital of Korea based on geomancy (feng shui) – though one wonders if his feng shui would have predicted Seoul to now be less than an hour’s drive from the most heavily fortified border in the world.

Anyways we got to walk along the South Korean side of the tunnel. You can only walk along 150m of the tunnel: when discovered it was quickly sealed off in three places, including a 5m thick portion of concrete, chemical gas and landmines. Needless to say we listened to the tourguide and didn’t go past the given boundary.

Dorasan Observatory

A hilltop observatory, guarded by troops – it gives a very expansive view of the DMZ. We got to see villages on either side of the Military Demarcation Line – Daeseong on the South side (called “Freedom Village”), and Kijong on the North side (called “Propaganda Village”).

This is a poor picture but you can see the North Korean flag flown from the top of a 160m tower that dwarfs everything else in Kijong village – the flag itself weighs 300kg! There’s a flag tower and flag on the South Korean side too in Daeseong, but it’s not as big. Keeping up with the Joneses never seemed more dramatic…

Panmunjeom

This is the neutral Joint Security Area – all important UN meetings regarding North-South Korea are held here. When we were there, elite ROK soldiers were on guard. They stand in a taekwondo pose, with half their bodies behind the Conference Room walls, the other half shown towards the North Koreans on the other side of the JSA. Our military escort, US Specialist Andrew Pollack (he previously served in Iraq) told us that the ROK soldiers do this to present a smaller shooting target, and also so that their hidden hand can be used to signal anything out of the ordinary. The guards here all hold black belts in taekwondo and are hand-selected by the government to serve in the JSA.

Conference Room

This building sits on either side of the Military Demarcation Line. The MDL runs down the middle of the conference table inside, and on either side’s windows you can see the simple concrete strip that’s divided Korea for over 50 years.

It’s also an eerie feeling to step across to the other side of the room into North Korea. In fact overall, there’s a certain tension in the air when you’re in the DMZ. Everything is more serious, the military buildup and precautions are sobering, and it causes you to reflect on the futility of war.

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Here’s the full facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=118187&id=579606378&l=2ee394fce8