:beijing:

if you want to check all my Beijing photo's please click here

ahhh... beijing. what a great time. it was really good time, amazing move of God, and overall.. it was fun. i took the most pictures inside the Forbidden City, as i love just love snapping away. before that though was an awesome night of worship. Tom, Jacinta and I were on the band with some of their local (expat) musos. janice was the sexy camera lady, and the Snelgroves played a key part as worshippers. it was a slapdash band, but God really had us come together fast. i really believed that something in me snapped and i totally gave it my all. if you want to read from Tom's view, go to his blogger.

Below is my gear. i was so happy i had a congo, and a djembe. theirs was a heavy monkey, but i loved it. right before our sound check started, tom called me over to play right next to him. he called it his front line warriors, setting the vibe. like i said, something in me snapped and i went crazy. when we played i am free i was like jumping ALL over the stage.. i'm talking ALL over the stage...

anyways, it was an awesome night, and afterwards we went to our lounge and Pastors John and Sandra, Robert Glover and his wife Liz, and our new friend Andy Piercy.. they consumed a large amount of 'wind down' drinks before the night was out. Glover's sons ate 4 tubs of TCBY EACH in less than 15 minutes. it was sickening.

The Lounge... sigh.. long story short, we got upgraded to the executive business lounge in the shnagri-la. it was called the Horizon Club. that means we basically had access to their busniess facilities. 3 computer stations, a fridge stocked with drinks and juices (as well as freezing cold vodka), fruits and sandwiches all the time. they serve a killer breakfast, bottomless high quality coffee and loose leaf tea... and the rooms were amazing... i've never been, or ever seen the executive floors of any hotel.. and i must say that rich people get it good...

so yeah, on the last day we visited the Forbidden City. Tom, Janice, and Andy have never been, so we decided to get up early in the 5 degrees weather, and say hello to Chairman Mao.

The Forbidden City is a load of concrete and empty rooms. i visited it once about 8 years ago, and guess what? i didn't enjoy it any more than i did last time. the freezing weather made this time MUCH better, as i sweated a bucket in the summer heat last time. we literally we shivering by the time we reached the only things that has changed in last decade....

starbucks.


i just love how subtle it was. i thought it was going to be a huge momma store wtih like neo lights and a huge sitting area and it would've taken over once of the emperors sitting rooms... but it didn't. this was the only visible logo, and it was only the size of a mouse pad. in fact, we would've missed it if i was bursting at the seems for the toilet. anyways, the starbucks only had 4 seats along the window, and the whole store was smaller than my living room (that's very small ok?). i was actually very happy it was really small and tucked away, it really didn't impose at all.. very UN american.

So yeah, i really like a few small things in GoGung (Forbidden City). it was like.. i dunno.. i felt.. very .. Chinese? anyways, here's one of my favorite shots.

all in all it was a great trip. i know i'll be back again. Janice and i were so stinking blessed. God is so amazing!

so i'm preaching this sunday night in church. i'm very excited about it. God is going to move. 180 is going to be awesome too. i love what the Lord is doing in my life, in Janice's life and in my church.

in the words of Jacinta Read, "I love my life not because i'm married, but because God is everything." -amen