October 5, 2008 was a historical date in Gracepoint-Austin’s history.  We celebrated the official start of our church during the Inaugural service.  As we got to watch a slideshow of all the important events during the past 3 months we’ve been at Austin, I couldn’t believe that we’ve only been here for such a short time.  It feels like ages ago when we first had our Koinonia Bible Study when we cooked enough meatloaf to feed 30 people but no one came, so we ended up eating different variations of meatloaf the entire week.  I remember the first time we tabled and flyered on campus, and our first New Student Welcome Night when we barbecued 100 pounds of stead and wondered if anyone was going to come.  During the service I was amazed at how God has led us faithfully to this point and thankful that we could share this day with all the people that we’ve come to care for–new and old faces alike.  I was also thankful for all the brothers and sisters who came out from our home church in Berkeley just to help us prepare and participate in this celebration.  I’ve known many of them for about 8 years, and their presence was a reminder that our small team here is not alone but we are supported by a cloud of witnesses.  I was also excited that our new friends here at Austin were able to meet our friends from Berkeley, and we got to share some good laughs as we watched videos that accentuated Pastor Manny’s quirks, watched our Berkeley friends sing and dance and even pretend to act as grumpy old men.

This past Saturday we witnessed our very first UT vs. OU football game ever.  Coming from California, I never really had much interest for football.  I’ve personally never gone or fully even watched an entire game.  But I guess being in Texas and having friends at UT-Austin I had to at least watch one game, especially a game that was considered one of the most important in the season. So, we gathered at Pastor Manny’s house decked out in our burnt-orange, Longhorn gear, and even the kids were all wearing UT shirts.  As we all gathered to watch the game together in their living room, I realized something.  Football is actually fun.  Perhaps it was because I never gave it a chance or because Cal’s football team wasn’t really that good, but there was suspense, excitement, and the taste of victory that I never experienced back in Berkeley.  Plus, as you can see from the picture of my friends jumping up and down in victory, neither have they. UT won the game that day, and I have come to understand why so many people love this sport.

Koinonia sisters went out to Hula Hut Restaurant a few weeks ago, a nice Mexican and Polynesian place located on the waterfront of Lake Austin. As the semester was getting busy, it was a nice break away from the busyness of campus, reminders of tests and homework. The sisters enjoyed a full meal including entrees called “Steak Tubular Taco” and “Shrimp Pipeline Enchiladas”. Surprisingly, most people ate everything on their plate. Still feeling the euphoria after their meal, they all headed over to Sunny and Pastor Manny’s house and played Speed Scrabble. With pumped up minds and increased vocabulary, they ended the night by playing something called “Telephone Pictionary”. The game starts by having each person write down a sentence on a sheet of paper, and then she hands it to the next person. This person draws a picture that describes the sentence then folds over the paper to hide only the original sentence. The next person looks at the picture and tries to guess what the original sentence was, and then folds over the paper to hide only the picture. The paper is passed on in the same manner, and this continues till the paper returns to the owner. This particular game was not for the faint of heart as we witnessed some very interesting drawings and interpretations, leaving all of us rolling on the floor and laughing. It certainly was a great way to end the night.

As the baby is soon coming, our friends threw Bryan and I a baby shower a couple of weeks ago. It was a very memorable night. I was personally struck with so much thankfulness for the people who not only prepared everything but also took a night out to celebrate with us. I was especially grateful that all of our new friends could also come and be with us.

Our friends back at Berkeley had also sent us gifts and cards, and it reminded me that we’re being supported by a whole community of believers back at our home church. Also, as all of us packed in together that night at Pastor Manny and Sunny’s house it reminded me of the ways I had experienced community and witnessed people’s expressions of love for others through events like these when I was an undergrad.

I feel grateful that our child will grow up in a community like this where she will have many “aunties and uncles” to look after her and older sisters and a brother who’ll teach her to play games and put her in her place if she starts acting bratty. They say that it takes a village to raise a child, and more and more I realize how true this really is.

Koinonia wanted to try something fun, exciting, and new for Halloween night, so what did we decide to do? SCAVENGER HUNT! The goal was to answer each clue that described a particular landmark on UT campus. After answering the clue, the team was to take a picture or video that would be the most creative or unique. And how creative were they? Here’s one group that tried to exemplify “freedom” through an interpretive, “West Side Story” kind of dance.

This past weekend was one of the most fun and memorable times I’ve had here at Austin. Before school and work got a lot busier and hectic, we decided to go on a getaway to Pedernales Falls, which is a state park about an hour and a half away from Austin. After our TFN (The Friday Night) we all went over to Pastor Manny and Sunny’s house and played this peculiar game called “Ming Mang Mong” (it’s harder than it sounds) & ate a late night snack of kimchee bowl ramen. Then, we all watched Evan Almighty together, and afterwards the girls slept over at Sunny’s house and the guys at Kelly’s house. Early the next morning we left to go to Pedernales Falls, and in order to pass the time we told some relatively bad to pretty bad jokes over the talkabouts where the responses were either groans or stunned silence.

When we arrived at our destination, and it was as if we had stepped into a picture that you’d only see on calendars or magazines. Along the crystal clear river were banks of trees with red, deep orange, and brown leaves which contrasted beautifully against the tranquil, blue skies. It was an unreal sight to see.

Some people had spotted some fish that were 1.5 to 2 feet long, and different attempts were made to catch them. Finally, David caught one–an ugly, huge carp. It’s something you don’t want to look at before eating it. Finally, we got back into the cars and headed towards the houses. That night, we enjoyed a feast (like we always do) with Jacob and Isaac’s ribs, homemade potato salad, and a lot more. One of my favorite moments was when the sisters were all in the kitchen cooking food and crying over cut onions together, sharing our stories and lives. After dinner we played some fun games, and one of them was where we each had to finish this sentence, “I’m probably the only person who has ______.” For example, one person shared she’s probably the one person who has slept 24 hours straight. Another person said she had fallen down two flights of stairs, and another person said he’s probably the one who has ever kicked a baracuda in the face.

The next morning after breakfast, we had some time to do our devotionals together. It was a sight to see everyone spread out reading God’s word intently and engaged in it. It really left a lasting impression on me and made me thank God for providing a time away from our busy agendas and stresses of life so that we could enjoy his creation and word together. I look forward to many more times like this.

What do rapping, line dancing, and Thanksgiving meal have in common? Nothing…except that’s what we’ll be experiencing at Thanksgiving Celebration (a.k.a. TC) this year! Thanksgiving Celebration is an annual tradition that our church back at Berkeley had where different ministry groups presented an act that described what they were thankful to God for this past year, and this event is often accompanied by a delicious Thanksgiving feast. Bringing the tradition to Austin, we’ll be having our own presentations and acts this Sunday along with the turkey and all the fixings.

In preparation this special event, we had our very first TC practice last week. Bryan and Joyce’s group practiced their hip hop moves to Canon in D while Lillian and Carlton’s group got western with line dancing. Needless to say Sunday will be a night of much laughs, joy, and giving thanks to God.

Well, the day finally came. Gracepoint-Austin had our very first Thanksgiving Celebration. It was truly a sight to see…the delicious food prepared by the staff and students, the cowboy costumes, the rappers, and the guest appearance by Pastor Manny who tried to do a breakdance move that didn’t quite work out. It was truly a memorable night.

However, more than the singing and dancing, the part of the day that I enjoyed most was the sisters’ sharing time in the morning. After we read Psalm 100 together aloud, each of us shared one thing we were thankful to God for this past year, and at the end of the sharing everyone said, “Praise the Lord, His love endures forever.” It was a moving time for me as I recalled God’s faithfulness in my life this past year and in the people who were gathered in that room.

I am thankful for what God has done in the four and a half short months we’ve been here. At the end of the Thanksgiving Celebration performances, we watched the Gracepoint church slideshow, and as we tracked back the history of our church along with the different ministries we were involved in, I was hit by the fact that God had started our church back in Berkeley all those years ago through the commitment and sacrifices of people committed to serving him. I was reminded that God calls us to this journey of faith with him and what a privilege it is that I get to be a part of his plans.