Hong Kong and Gries

Wohoo!!! It’s just past noon and today’s August 22, 06. This time tomorrow, I should be in the Hong Kong Int’l Airport with my best bud, Kim Cheong and Hwee Min his lovely wife.

I’m looking forward to this short break. I’ve been working like a dog the past couple of months. I’m thankful for the work but boy do I need a break. I’ve also been bitten by wanderlust and would like to get outta Singapore for a while.

We’d originally planed to join the evangelistic campaign in Dumaguete but something came up and we can only leave on Aug 23 so instead of disrupting the work in Dumaguete, we decided to take a break in Hong Kong.

I’m both grateful and thankful to have friends like Kim Cheong in my life:) It took a while for us to warm up to one another when we first met some years back and looking back, we definitely see His hand in our paths crossing. Hahaha. I’m talking as if we’re married. NOT!!!

Anyway, it’s such a blessing to be able to share with another person how you really feel and what you really think. It’s so liberating!!! I mean it’s not like we’re dissing people behind their backs and all. It’s just nice to have someone accept you for who you are warts and all:)

I’m also so happy for Kim Cheong and Hwee Min. There’s no doubt in my mind they’re made for one another and I’m so encouraged to know “True Love” does exist. The marriage “melted” the cynicism in me. Hmmm. Maybe it’s not bad to have a helpmeet.

Pastor Mike gave a couple of amazing statistics on being married at their wedding. Man, for that moment, I wish I were hitched myself. Hahahaha.

Well, in a spiritual way. I am married. I’m the bride of Christ and I know He loves me more than anything else. What a wonderful assurance!!!

On to the next subject…..

The Bible tells us “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

As one can see from the links on the right margin, I’m a gear hound. Again, I thank God for all the guitar stuff that I presently posses. I’ve been tinkering with guitars for at least 15 years and thanks to my line of work, I’ve had the good fortune to handle many quality instruments and gear.

I believe it’s every guitar player dream to own a custom hand built/wired amplifier. The reality is most of us can only afford one amp and it’s mind boggling to decide from the huge array of custom boutique amps out there. We’re truly living in the “Golden Age” of the guitar. There’s never been such a huge proliferation of high quality gear at our disposal.

Well, I thank God for leading me onto Gries amps. Dave Gries builds the amp cabinet from solid Pine and hand wire every top quality component in the chassis. The amp is a work of art by itself and you have to hear the clean “Blackface” tones the amp exudes. I’ve been grinning from ear to ear since the arrival of the amp last Monday and I thank God for my very understanding neighbors who put up with my mediocre guitar playing.

I just did a slight modification on my numero uno guitar this morning and I’m in love all over with my Tyler Strat. The classic chime and shimmer are every present with a nice thick lead tone. Wohoo!!! I spent a good part of the morning just getting to know my Tyler again.

People say diamonds are a girl’s best friend and I gotta say my Tyler and Gries 35 are my best inanimate friends:) Hahaha.

Later........