GATOR RAID! Gators dominate Buckeyes to win college football title

The Florida Gators, my alma mater, shocked the college football world by running away with the national championship game Monday night in Phoenix, Arizona. They ran over, around, and through the Ohio State Buckeyes, 41-14. In winning this game, they did something never done before in US major college history. They captured both the men’s basketball title and the football title in the same year. It’s doubly great to be a Florida Gator!

I just wish I could have watched the game or listened on radio. Alas, no coverage here on our SE Asia satellite TV system! And no radio broadcast that I could find and listen to on the internet. Instead, I had to monitor the play-by-play on Yahoo Sports. At least I got live updates every 30 seconds in real time on my laptop Tuesday morning Malaysia time (we’re 13 hours ahead of US Eastern time.)

Year 2006 is the 100-year anniversary of Florida football. What an appropriate time to pull off one of the greatest upsets of the century. Exactly ten years ago under Coach Steve Spurrier, they won their first national football championship with a rout of arch rival and Number 1-ranked Florida State (Jeni’s former school!).Now under coach Urban Meyer a decade later, the Gators again dominated another undefeated team and brought home another trophy. Football and basketball champs in 2006. Go Gators!

A Wedding and a Major Prayer Request

The handsome couple at left is Chris and Winnie Yen whose wedding I performed on Dec 2nd at our church. Winnie came to know the Lord through our Alpha Course in 2005. Both are Malaysians but Chris has lived in Taipei, Chicago, and other places. They have been active in our church single adult group for some time (known as CSI, "Christian Singles International.") Congrats to Chris and Winnie!

Please join us in praying that The Bridge will be able to successfully negotiate with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Kuala Lumpur to use their meeting hall and the top floor of their building. It's in a prime area of KL and near where we have been meeting since 2004. The hall seats 500-600 and we would have about 3000 sq ft of space for office, Sunday School, and other uses upstairs. We've been praying for over a year for a place that would give us room to grow. We sense that the Lord has brought this opportunity to us. The Chamber's Executive Council meets on Tuesday evening, 9 Jan to consider our second proposal (that's 13 hours ahead of US Eastern time, so 4 am Tues there). May we find favor in His eyes and in the deal with the CCC Council members. Thanks for praying! Here are photos of the main entrance and the hall.