everydayinmyheart

Have you met your angles this holiday season?

2012-01-01T01:24:00.001-08:00

Have you met your angles this holiday season?

When Brian Morgan said in the sermon:

if you are attentive, God’s angle will visit you and look at you in the eyes, saying hello God’s favorite one…receive Jesus” (http://www.pbcc.org/sermons/media/1663.mp3)

I was desperate to meet my angel and receive my Jesus.

The beginning of this holiday is not so good for me. Because most of the holiday letters from my friends in the corporate world from my previous life, have included a big section on their career of 2011, including two of them finding new jobs, two friends’ company got acquired with one having the financial freedom to possibly quit and not working for $ anymore, one got promoted to full-time professor, one finished residency and got started as a medical doctor…I suddenly got reminded I did not accomplish much career wise in 2011. Can I re-life 2011? Or shall I in a hurry to figure out about my career accomplishments in the last two weeks of 2011?

Where is my God? My focus and my savior? I want to meet my personal angel.

I first stayed at home then realizing my husband would not transform figure into an angel, I went to places where I can meet strangers and travelers. I received nothing.

I need to meet an angel for me to make it into 2012.

Cooking oil in our kitchen ran out. After shopping for cooking oil, I stepped into a tiny produce store where I’d like to do window-shopping in. The next thing happened was tear running down my cheeks because I saw bunch of sugar cane there. My grandfather started to grow green sugar cane for me in his yard after I was born, it is a symbol for his love and our strong tie. And this is a secret in our family only my mom and my grandma would know.

I am not only received my angel, and now they are in me, and I shared it with my husband and neighbors.

God has all the wisdoms beyond what I ever could imagine.

A Testimony

2011-10-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I heard this testimony from a local CEO , who is running a very successful software company for better transparency and security for the finance sector and legal sector. The company recently acquired a division of JP Morgan.
The CEO wearing a haircut making people thinking he is still in his early 30s, yet he is a father of two teenage children. He told us a story about his faith soft and gently .

He was first a professional skier and competes nationally. He grew up in a Christian family but was not very close to God, until he was 7 years ago. At that time he had already a couple companies, had a house in Los Gatos, both children in private school. But he wants to get close to God and he prayed sincerely, giving his life to him. Then series of things had happened.

September 11 came. At the time when he was in a building facing the twin towers. He, through the glass window, watched the devastating scene. Then he saw people came afterwards, weep and prayed together regardless race, cultural, etc. He, everyone else nearby, was hard to get not touched by it. This may be what God want us to be one day.

His company suffered from loss of business but managed to survive to the end of 2002, when there is offer to buy the company from a multinational firm. All transaction is planned to be on cash, all the employee are continue to work for the company. It is an offer everyone is happy about and nothing could go wrong.

February the following year, when he tried to pick up paper from copy machine, he suddenly had a very bad migration and was sent to emergency, was diagnosed with something in the brain (a birth defect). Doctors can only do a operation when the defect grows bigger but he could die instantly in the process because of the location.

The offer to buy the company backed out because he is supposed to run the company after it is bought. He had to take equity from his house to extend the life of the company but it still end of close down, leaving him with no income. But he commented that is the best period of his life as he lives everyday as it is the last day, every time he talks to his wife, it is his last conversation. For people he hates in the past, does not anymore.

The doctor told him if he has a problem of swallowing then gets in right way for the operation. The operation would be 50/50 life/death chance and with 100% certainty he is going to be paralyzed on his left side of the body for the rest of his life. There are only two persons in the whole United States can perform this operation and one is at Stanford University. To make the long story short, he was able to raise his left arm after the 5th time he was waken up in the ICU, doctors felt they won a lottery. But painful recovery process has started. He could choose not do the operation if he had known how painful the recovery process. It took him 6months to twig his left toe, took another sometime not drew through his mouth, took him about two years to walk…He suffers severe side effects from the operation, had to be sent to hospital twice a year….His children just started their teenage years.

When I saw listening to him, he is perfectly healthy man. Still today, his case was well studied by all neurosurgeon in residence at Stanford, nobody believes he could recovers this well because of the location of the operation.

God also provided them financially. He did not elaborate much, but I can image he is essentially with no income, no healthcare during the 2-3 year period. He mentioned there is one day he and his wife were going through the bills and there were 3xyz amount was lacking and door bell run, a check with exact that amount arrived. There are times there were 7000 cash in their mailbox appeared….He summarized that he and his family was constantly provided going through that process.

A few years ago, he put another business proposal together and people who had invested in him in the past, invested in him again. Now we see him as a successful CEO with a growing company in this economy.

He delivered the testimony with the purpose to everyone hope. Quoting from, he managed through it is not because his personal faithful, it is because God is faithful to us.

There are many elements in his story makes people reflecting upon.
He was CEO before he prayed and he is a CEO today. What I learned that God sometimes just want us to be his living testimony. Borrowing what our pastor, you and me are living youtube.

Linkedin profiles

2011-09-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

I have acquired a habit from my previous life to look up people's linkedin profiles after introduction. I have grown out of the stage of judging people by their titles, jobs, but the education and job profiles help me to register new acquantainance in my database.

This year, I have encountered a few people in their 40-50s, yet they do not have a linkedin profile, not an account. But their introduction about themselves took my breath away. I heard Holy Spirit whispered to me:" How about a profile on the Book of Life?"

Yes.

Do you have an account and a profile on the book of life (lamb)?

What do you want to do when you grow up

2011-09-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

In part of an effort giving my son back to God, I decided to let myself turn loose:

1. Do not become the person someone else want you to be, but be a person true to God

2. Do not choose a career that your parents think they are the best for you. Choose a career God gives you passion for.

3. Do not marry someone because your mom thinks she is good for you because your mom mostly likely would choose someone do most of house work for you...

A life had not lived

2011-09-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

I vividly remember the first day we brought our son back home after he was born, my husband sat in the nursery room, looking at my son, gently said he would take my son to do mission someday. At the time my son was 4 lb 10 Oz.

"Are you crazy? How come he get sick?" I am not willing to get my son to somewhere not clean enough.

However, accidentally, I came across a post by a high schooler who visited extremely poor condition in China. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/slides/2011-07/22/content_12963428.htm
His comment "After experiencing life in this village (very deprived situation), I felt like I had not really lived in San Marino (his life in CA).

I pray that my son can have a life that he had lived.

Expand the capacity

2011-08-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

I recently get acquainted with a family who lives in a single family residential in saratoga ( a rich neighbourhood in silicon valley). They do not have any Children because the wife had two mis-carriages. "Then why not adopt?" "While the wife was not sure if she will love the child if it is adopted."

I recently get to know a family having all their children are adopted. (http://qbabel.blogspot.com/)
When my son was having play date with them, I honestly felt the mom could not love them more. And that love is contagious to me.

And here is some one, capable of having their own biological child but decide to adopt, and the third one is one with a medical condition, prompted by God. (http://maksters.blogspot.com/2011/03/her-heart-condition.html)

I had an old acquaintance, who have two houses, 4 cars including one sport, one luxury, weekly massage,...but children are too much work for her.

Father God, please build our capacities, to have our next generation having expanding capacities.

A life without limbs

2011-08-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

I heard of Nick Vujicic when I was told by doctors and statics that my son has 1/9 risk of being a down syndrome baby (comparing 1/thousands for a risk of normal baby).

At the time, however, my fragile heart can not take anything like that and I can not even take a glimpse or imagine a person like Nick Vujicic.

Recently, when discussing the impossibles, people told me Nick, without limbs, can ski,...
www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/
I looked him up and surprisingly I did not find weakness and vulnerable but I find strength.

Be inspired. A life without limbs have demonstrated no limits.

Be courageous.

2011-08-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

"For the Lord our God will be with you wherever you go."

Last night, late at night, my husband asked me if I heard of Christopher Yuan. I quickly run through my thin data base of Asian CEOs of start-ups, top litigators etc...Then he told me Christopher Yuan's live story.

Then he asked me if we would be able still to pray with other people, like Chris's parents did, if my son is unconventional like Chris. I first reaction was I would commit a suicide long before his mom.

My 9-month old was in deep sleep and I was in tears. I really do not know what his life contains. Teenage years, adulthood...Maybe I should fast and pray every Monday so that his life does not have any difficulty. But isn't that there is only one way to learn about the depth of life--in its difficulties, knowing the limits of our own strength? I wept. Father God, can you give me all the troubles he will have, all the pain he will bear, so that he can be trouble, pain free?

Today, accidentally, I saw a group of young girls, singing "Be courageous, for the Lord our God will be with you wherever you go". (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjtJ4Bq3oY4&feature=related)
All of the sudden, I am released from the dark cloud from last night, not because of the lyrics, but because who sing-- a group of young people, pre-teens. Our next generation can be just like them, sing with freedom, dance with joy, regardless the circumstances, as THEIR heavenly father will be with them wherever they go.

Spend time with a device or a human being?

2011-08-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

Sitting in the lobby of Company A waiting for my host to pick me up, a strong feeling came: I do not belong here, no matter how much is paid.

The building and environment is nice, people traveling from China wish to visit. What troubles me is that it felt a machine’s world and not a human being’s world. Everyone here, regardless where they are coming or going, wired on a device, busy txt messaging, reply emails, or surfing the web.

Directors show up, decent business people with some reasonable technical knowledge. Good friendly conversations. Industrial designers show up---they dress extremely unique…”Company A is built on each individual’s PRIDE”. “There is no consensus here”. “They do not care if they get along”. (a HR comment).

Company A’s products are worshipped all over the world. But why people want to spend their in that culture? NO Choice?

perfect vs passionate

2010-11-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

Do you want to be a perfect person who competes aggressively, restlessly in whatever you do? Or do you want to be a passionate person who excels in only one given area but never loses the passion in ups and downs?

Back Up Plan

2010-11-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

One important thing in risk management is to have a back up plan.

However in our everyday life, there is only one way, no back up. The back up plan is a false comfort zone.

Does status, fame, fortune, money really important to you?

2010-10-25T14:58:00.001-07:00

I have seen two groups of moms. One group is still employed today, earning decent money and having a decent career. But struggling not having enough time with their children. Their take home pay is transfered to baby sitters and after school programs. or they save pretty much by using their parents as maids.

The other group, bravely staying at home, do everything on their own but once in a while is not certain about it, not completely happy or satisfied with the "stay home wife" title and is wondering is this all the rest of the life is about?

Is there a happy medium or a solution to this dilemma?

I went to seek Biblical counseling before I got pregnant. How woman and career should be handled according to the Bible? The bible does not forbid mom to take a career or stay at home. But bible does recited an example of a wisdom woman in the last chapter of Proverbs, who took care of the need of the family and also have her own investment business. So this is an example that some one can actually solve the paradox, an inspiration, who I want to be and will be by the mighty power of God.

I have seen a friend on one hand just could not give up her pay check, on the other hand, feeling tremendous guilt to her sons. Does the status of being employed, and a few take home $ that important to you, more important to you than the time you spent with your sons?

Chichen and Egg

2010-10-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

Which one comes first? What is the reason and what is the result?

In the business world, we call that "the catch 22", which basically means the same thing.

In the early days when I just become a Christian, I found out the people who loves the Lord the most are the people having the most difficulties in their lives. In another words, because of the difficulties, they are forced to stick with the Lord.

But today, I found it is completely the opposite. I realized, it is because the people who are most sincere to the Lord in their hearts, God measure trials and tribulations into their lives, so that they are more thankful, joyful and have a changed life.

Because they are sincere follower of Christ, God intervened and a new life is born, despite of the difficulties and suffers.

Have you ever been here?

2010-10-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ jesus my lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

I have.

Are we playing God?

2010-10-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

God does not want us to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Why?

One explanation I heard is that God is divine and he is reference point. Everything from HIM is good, not from HIM is evil. If I thought I know good from evil is more to use myself as a reference point, than everything from me is good, not me is evil.

Last Friday, a sister shared her experience about her seemingly eternal sickness. She talked about what you do when God does not heal you and concluded: being sick can glorify God.

Last Wednesday, out teacher told us her second daughter almost died in a third world country when they were missionaries there. They were on schedule to get on to a train which has no water and medical supplies. God cancelled that train and her daughter survived. Had her daughter got onto that train, she would have been died. In responding her testimonies, some one in the audience, responded: If she died, God is still a good God.

Last Sunday, a brother shared his testimony about exporting business in China. He needs to export goodies from mainland to US but the official requested a bribe. He, being a Christian, do not want to conform but will suffer significant financial loss if the export did not arrive on time. He prayed and forgot about it until five days later. God reminded him to ship from somewhere else and eventually the goodies arrived on the exact date.

I had thought about God heal people, which is good. God save people from dying, which is good. God change the heart of the people asking for bribe, which is good...But God used the opposite to show His power, love and mercy, led each of them through...

To heal not to heal, to save not to save, to change not to change, God measures different cups to each one of us. Do not take God's matter into our own hands, based on our own experience and understanding about God. We are not HIM and HE is always above and beyond...

One woman + her prayers

2010-10-02T23:25:00.000-07:00

Bible has many stories about women. Sarah, Hannah, Noemi,...

Each of them lived a life I would not sign up for. But they certainly make the course of the history. In picturing them and their lives, I learned that even in their difficult situations with unbearable pains, it only takes one woman and their agonizing prayers to bring forth life into death or give birth to a child...

Only one woman and her prayers are enough.

God is your God, not mine

2010-10-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

I recently encountered a sister, who is a single mom and recently lost her son. "God loves you but not me."

This comment frozen me. When I was a non-believer, I felt the same way. The God is other people's God. He answers other people's prayers but not mine. I still remember to a point, I dont believe any of my prayers will be heard. But our group leader at the time, volunteered to pray for me. "Whatever it wont change!"

A week later, the prayer was answered. When I was giving praise to God, I was challenged who says God does not love me? I was loved at that moment. God's love is passed to me through other people.

There is a bible story about a paralyzed person who could not walk to the feet of the Jesus, but his friends climbed up to the roof and dropped him directly in front of Jesus. Are we using our prayers to help deliver the people not coming to Jesus by themselves to the feet of cross and get healed?

No single achievement worth remembering...

2010-09-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

"There is not a single achievement worth remembering that isn't stained with the blood of diligence and etched with the scars of disappointment."

Imagining see this statement when you are half walked in the morning like me. I am completely awake.

Spiritual Warfare or attack by the devils

2010-09-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

My sister called in tears asking for prayer for some sort of spiritual attack on her family.

I am now writing down from my own experience what I learned:

1. Devils will not fundamentally change anything. They can only touch the surface and make us annoyed. But after the process, what is good always is given to us by God

2. You will be feel like being loved, by strangers, by people not expect them to love you. God is every where.

3. In the even, bit by bit you are not afraid any more. You will be ready to take on more challenges in lives.

Do not focus on the matters that were seen, because they are transient. Focus on the matters unseen, as they will bring internal life.

Holy spirit will help us to understand and grow in the process.

Do you know who you are?

2010-09-15T12:51:00.001-07:00

I read this in my daily routine:

The mature people are described as:

They know who they are...
they like who they are...
they are who they are.

They are real.

What you see on the outside, Matters?

2010-09-13T22:26:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, it was our first time to join the home fellowship group in our church. It was in a big single family house in the prestigious school district.

We have seen the owner at the church before. The husband always dress with name brand shirts and the wife looks so young that you would never believe she has a son in college already. The house had a swinging pool, which was used for our church's baptism.

That's all I know about them. Happy, easy and fortunate life for them, I guessed.

During the gathering, in order for me and my husband to get to know them, everyone introduced their family and answered my questions, "How did they become Christian?" "Why haven't they give up God?"

I was shocked in a very profound way for what I heard. The owner of the house is a "blended" family, a second marriage for both husband and wife. They have five children in total. Both the husband and wife still work full time.

One middle son is born with autism. The youngest daughter is born with genetic defect, do not have the ability to regenerate blood, had bone marrow transfer when she was 3, now can not have any wounds or cuts, a simple infection can kill her right away...

Second marriage, five children, and autism, and ...
How do they even survive?

But they seem to be happy and grateful. There seems to be only one answer to this: God.

A good life vs an eternal life

2010-09-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

Recently I found out most of the unhappiness I had is because things do not turn out as I had planned. I want things to be easy.

However God wants to give us eternal life. The resilience of life does not come that easy without any difficulty.

A good person

2010-09-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

Ever since I am expecting, I start to collect baby items. Friends passed along a lot of items to me, including name brand clothes and shoes, which I would not buy. Surprisingly enough, these gifts are mostly from non-Christian friends. One drove 1 hour one-way to deliver his crib to us and another traveled internationally taking her one year old car seat to us. The first gift on the baby registry is from a non Christian friend too. Whereas my Christian friends, we used to pray, share together and I have given them baby gifts in the past, now seem not that interested including some have promised in the past.

Christianity does not seem to make people a better person. The worldly good people may have more "goodness" than Christians.

I start to agree with this.

Being defeated

2010-08-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

In the last couple of days, I felt being defeated. I was diagnosed to have gestational diabetes. I dont feel like cooking any more. Friends called asking why we haven't have a house warming, if we plan to have a baby shower...I dont felt doing any of these... I was defeated like a balloon losing its air.

But, so what?

When we were worshiping yesterday morning, I felt like the holy spirit gives me a dose of anti-depressant. God gives me strength to stare at the difficulties in the eyes, laugh at them and wipe them away.

So what! I am weak, but I live on the strength given from God.

What kind of old lady would you like to become?

2010-08-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

One day I asked myself this question. What would I want my son, grandson and great grandson remember me for?

The answer lies in what you remember your mom and grandma for? Their food, career, presents, time with you?

Why?

2010-08-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

Being trained as a scientist, keep challenging everything by asking why. In scientific meetings or big company internal technical reviews, if you challenge the speaker at the right time" Do you know why?" You will earn respect from speakers and fellow audience.

But not in real life. Keep asking God why this happens to me? Why I can not live the life the way I wanted? God wants to give me the best? But why can't I just get away from this difficulty live an average life as others?

Noah's ark story is familiar to every one. Every family died but only Noah's family survived. Throughout the story recited in the bible, Noah obeyed God and did not ask a single "why" at all.

Who is smarter?

Faith: round 1

2010-08-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

When I was a new believer, I found myself went through the following steps:

1. I asked God for something. It really happened. "Is this really because of God? or just a coincidence?" Giving God the credit for what He did--Step 1.

2. I asked God for something. Nothing happened. I had to wait. I began to wondering.
But still believes in God will help me on it---Step 2.

3. I asked God for something. Negative indicators showed up. "Where is God?"
But still believes in God will give me what I ask for.---Step 3.

God has given me what I had asked for through steps 1-3, so that was a happy experience. But one day I realized, God is not a waitress or waiter taking orders in the restaurant. Once we give out our requests, they go fetch what we ordered. In addition, life is not a menu...

Walked for 30 years

2010-08-11T13:39:00.000-07:00

My mentor, who has retired and replanted to the west coast, recently went back to NY, met his old walking partner at their usual spot and walked again, as they have done in the past 30yrs during lunch hours.

This greatly touched me.

I have a walking partner too. We met at the most difficult times on in both our lives. There are a great deal of uncertainty in our lives ahead...

Maybe I should make appointment with her to meet in 30 yrs, to see how God leads our lives.

Is there such thing called "fate"?

2010-08-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

A close friend of ours often had great stock options from his jobs. If he had cashed out those options at the right time, or even half of what is given, he could basically afford anything in this life and not have to work. But he did not. Whenever he brought this topic up, he concluded with a big sigh "this is fate!"

I had another friend. She can get into high profile companies but twice in a row but she got into trouble with her managers. "Why I just can't learn? Or this is just fate?"

I found myself get into troubles which are reoccurring. Is there really a thing called "fate"?

We often pray that God knows us before we were conceived. God has great plans for us. What does this mean? God has already programmed our lives with great detail and accuracy?

"Jeremiah 18

At the Potter's House

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : 2 "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it."

Life is an inactive process with God.

You are your attitude

2010-08-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

A single most significant decision you can make on a DAY-to-DAY basis is choice of your attitude.

Attitude is that one thing that keeps you going or crippled. It alone can fuel your passion and fire or stab, assault your heart.

Positive attitude and the choice of be happy is not a simple mind game because we have true hope in the Jesus Christ. This hope is not empty.

My Son

2010-08-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ever since I become pregnant, I started to ask around for reusable baby items, stocking up diapers. I made a list of things we need for baby under 6 months.

Yesterday at church, the mom next to me save two seats. After the worship started, two big sons, a head taller than us, squeezed in. As they are passing in front of me, I heard a voice"your son will be as tall as they are."

"What?" I am frozen.

I can't stop peek at them during the service. The mom is holding one hands of the sons when they prayed together...

I can predict just what today or tomorrow contains. I can get prepared for my son, but maybe only 6 month ahead. But God looks at 20 years ahead. What I need/want the most, a family bounded in God's divine love...

What is he made of?

2010-07-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

I have a "walking partner", who walks with me in the park twice a week.

Her husband had cancer twice when he was a teenager, now he had a liver cancer after being cancer free for twenty years... This morning was their first chemo. But the husband went to work directly after the chemo. I was so shocked.

"What is he made of?" " He does not take a time to pity on himself?" "How can he just treat a chemo like a regular doctor appointment?"

His mom abandoned him and his two younger brothers when they were young. He did not finish high school but worked to raise his brothers. He and his wife now, adopting a hearing impaired half brother from his mom's second marriage to teach him read, write...

What is life to you?

2010-07-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

To me at this moment, life is taking my husband by hand, gazing only at Jesus, not looking ahead or back, not left or right, making each step, even though it is on a broken road...

Treat others as a human being

2010-04-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

Long time ago, a pastor consoled a person having psychological problem, later he thanked the pastor for treating him as a human being the first time in his life.

A disabled person was once asked why he likes to spend time with a group of Christians, he replied: because I was treated as a person.

Treat others as a human being, as they a creation of God too. Maybe their behaviors and belief systems do not deserve anybody treat them well but did any of the darkness in our lives deserve any of the God’s mercy and love?

Treat other person with respect and dignity, as they are treasures in God’s eye.

How many times, we treat people as objects, tools means subconsciously because we are already spent…

Treat others as a human being as God is.

Life is never....

2010-03-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

How would you finish this sentence?

Life is never meant for us to live it on our own, but in indwelling partnership and dependence on the God who loves and gave himself up for me.

Where are you praying?

2010-03-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

Have you wondered why someone prayed, heavenly power came down and situation turned around? But when we prayed, we even not sure if God has heard…

When you call some one, would you like to talk to him directly or just leaving a message on the answer machine…

Are you praying in spirit as the spirit desires or praying in the flesh, wishing things turn out as you plan?

Pray in the spirt. Make sure you are plugged into God when you pray.

How would you describe water?

2010-03-12T21:23:00.000-08:00

Recently I felt life is more and more like water.

How would you describe water?

Have you found similarity in life?

Living everyday as if it is your last

2010-03-11T22:14:00.000-08:00

Living everyday as if it is your last

It is not pessimistic. I tried and found out it actually had a positive impact on me.

I am not running around and take my daily life as a check list. I can take time to think, listen, observe, absorb etc. I would not treat conversations as a routine or even a waste of time but putting my heart to it, “what can I say to benefit her?” for it could be my last conversation with this person.

I take time to respond emails with deep care and feelings. I cook meals, clean the house with more effort and feeling.

I find out in thinking that this is the last day, I am less self-focused and shift more time and effort on the important things. At the end of the day, I felt more accomplished and satisfied. I decided to try it more, to make it a week, a month, until the thinking pattern grows into a habit…a life having right priorities everyday…A life actively prepared for the coming of the risen King!

Give it a try?

A full spectrum of work

2010-03-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

There is a full spectrum of work, from some one could not pull off in the morning, to a pure workaholic.

This s the note from my class.
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#1 Do not want to work anymore:
Work is good, not slavery. Work is not just to fund our pleasure. Work is part of the original creation. It is a gift from God to develop, discovery things with God. It is part of we rule. We join the Lord in the redemption, bring HIM to the place we work, develop satisfaction, Lord delighted in it.

Exp: George Washington Carver and peanut.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Carver
(please read the religion section)

#2 Workaholic:

People put work the very first in what they do, because they find their worth it. However, Lord has different seasons. My worth does not depend on the work. If we run into such a cycle, ask: what am I seeking in this? Often the drive is underlying and masked. Some is seeking approval from others, some is a way to escape the difficult situation (marriage), for woman (not being loved), burying pains...

Declare and renounce: my respect, being loved is coming from HIM.

Galations 1:10
Am I trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or Am I trying to please men?

Colossians 3:23-24

What ever you do, work at it with al your heart, as working for the lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Whatever you ask for in prayer....

2010-02-22T13:07:00.000-08:00

Mark 11:24, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

What does this mean?
What does this mean to me and my family?

It is a lifestyle.

Are you ready?

2010-02-19T11:49:00.000-08:00

Life is a CONSTANT choice to walk with the Lord, choosing to trust Him, developing new modes of behaviors.

Every thought going through my mind, every word from my mouth, every action from my body counts. It either leads me closer to God or pushes me further away from Him. It either displays God or Evil.

Are you ready?

I want to say I am not. Is there a middle ground? But unfortunately the world has been run this way already and there is no middle ground. We are plainly deceived that daily thoughts, words, actions do not matter. No one will know. We comfortably slide into our old habits/pattern without even noticing them.

Like everything that we eat goes through our GI track, either providing nutrition or toxin to the body, every thought goes through our minds contribute to our spiritual health.

Do we want to be healthy or unhealthy?

God’s miracles

2010-02-18T13:32:00.001-08:00

When I was a new believer, I challenged our small group leader: why God did not show up in a big way and manifest himself, then we all converted to his followers?
Why do we have to show the unbeliever using our “born again” lives?

Last night as I was in class, after being a believer for many years, God asked me: which one do you think it is harder? Performing miracles or changing lives? Which one you benefit the most, watching a miracle or giving tools and resources in your new life

Two groups

2010-02-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

I know two groups of people. They all have similar lives until they about 30s.

A leading example from group A is that he realized that he does not have anytime to waste. He stepped out from his highly paid job to be a servant of God. He is very busy, many people depend on him spiritually and he is depending on God to pay his rent, mortgages, maybe food on the table.

A leading example from the second group (group B) is that he “accidently” become filthy rich and he has been very smart and successful in replicating his accident experience. He is also very busy, sleeping about 4 hours each day.

I believe God is powerful so I ask Him why you did not connecting dots a little bit differently? To have group A become filthy rich then they can serving you without worry about the next meal on the table, and have group B not so successful so they can have more sleep, which is better for their health.

God: “I am giving a group A a stronger faith…, they are not lacking anything…” “Which group do you want to be in?”

Run-away

2010-02-18T12:40:00.001-08:00

Recently I tried to “persuade” a friend to be a believer. He asked if anybody has believed in Jesus once and then later on converted into a un-believer. There are quite few of them. If counting the persons who are believers in the words but unbelievers in their actions, there are even more.

He commented: “I need to know what those people are thinking before deciding if I should choose to be a believer”.

When I first become a Christian, I heard stories from a senior person in our small group, that his biological brother was a Christian but changed into a unbeliever later on in his life. I found myself right way not impressed by this Jesus and his saving capability anymore.

If He is truly powerful how can he let people go? If Christianity is truly the only way of life, why people run away after they found the treasure?

Recently, I begin to think differently. It is actually “the process” God will bring them back. Maybe the runaway is the opportunity that God will bring them into a deeper relationship. Without the runaway, there are things they would not understand. God’s mercy is great enough, even to cover all kinds of runaways.

There are things happening in my life I don’t understand, I was disappointed with life once. I was a runway, do not want anything to do with this Jesus. But God is great enough to use this exact area to show me the way.

Allowing runaway is because He is able, His mercy covers all and His blood redeems everything.

Don’t judge the “run-away’er” but pray for them, making this the very opportunity that God will use to build roots with them.

What is the greatest gift?

2010-02-07T23:55:00.000-08:00

If God’s store opens, and you can get any gift from Him, but only one, what will you ask for?
The bible documents many spiritual gifts, which one do you desire the most?

At our weekly online worship, God freely gave out His spiritual gifts. There was a new tongue, an anointing of worship, intercessory prayer, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, physical healing, new calculator, ….etc and a big faith.

If you were there with me and free to choose, which one you want the most?

I really desire the word of wisdom and word of knowledge which will help me to be more effective in what I do. But a Voice came: the big faith is the greatest gift of all.

Is it? God is the author and beginner of my faith, if He did not find me, dug me out, I am still lost. If I do have other spiritual gifts, I pray that I use them to glorify the owner (God). But my heart are longing for the big faith, without which I can not fulfill my purpose in this life.

Law vs Grace

2010-02-04T12:06:00.001-08:00

Bible passages, descriptions (such as descriptions with wife) are not condemnations (Law) but the promise of what He is working in me (Grace).

Mind=conscious control center. Mind governs conscious life. Choose which will follow and which will rule (flesh vs Spirit)

What’s the first thing you can serve the Lord in the New life?

2010-02-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

Last year I give all my technical skills, interpersonal skills, talents, ambitions, plans etc to the Lord. I thought those are my best that I can give to Him.

Often heard from people in the church from the past, I want to serve the Lord with my musical talent, with my leadership skills, with ....skills…..

But this morning, I woke up to realize the very best thing we can and should serve the Lord is to serve Him with our minds. Empty our minds and yield to the Spirit.

This should be the very first and foremost that we could give to the Lord and very first fruit of a born-again?

Have you ever experienced born-again? Make sure you do not miss that.

Goals and objectives

2010-02-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

Goals in US are inspirational. In another words, they drive the team towards the goals but not judging the performance with it. If the team achieve only 80% of the goal, it is perfectly fine because the team could turn around to say the goals are not realistic or we tried our best. However, goals in Asian culture are set to measure performance. As long as they are in place, people will automatically measure their progress and achievement against the goal. In another words, you’d better achieve 100% or beyond or you failed.

I was thinking if the goals and objectives are biblical in the recent month. Is the goal more like the law and freedom more like the grace?

Then I found this in my class handout: Goals may be very good, even biblical. But if the law of the thing itself is my focus, I will fail:
- My flesh rebels: through a deception.
- The more I focus on and determine to achieve the goal, the more I fail
- Results: despair, depression, anger at self, others, God (here I am trying my hardest to obey but failing!)

What do you have time for?

2010-02-01T11:27:00.000-08:00

I am a very time conscious person. I hate wasting time. I always analyze if this is a good spend of my time. Because $ can be earned but time went by, it is permanent.

Time is so precious, but I have a habit of putting it into unhappiness, weary, worry, and depression. For a life redeemed by Jesus’ blood that is really not a time well-spent.

I decided that I don’t have time for depression, despair any more….Would you like to join me?

What is a blessing?

2010-01-31T11:18:00.001-08:00

As I told my husband yesterday that our baby-making effort failed again, he made a comment why easy things for other people become difficult for us? He is right. A lot of things, which have been fairly easy for our friends, but are difficult for us.

My path has been very straight and “smooth” before the point I accept Jesus into my heart. Ever since then I become more and more sincere with God, the life become a more and more bumpier ride for us. I am talking about basic needs of the life, a car, a house, a children and a job.

We have friends accomplished those in a year. Most our friends the moment they want a children, they become pregnant the following month. They want a house, they can have two, end up having to sell one. They want a new car, getting it in a day, which is a fourth addition to what they already have. They never seem to worry about their jobs, as they grow senior and more experienced within the organization with more and more responsibilities…..

Our situation is different. We do not have a house, a children or a job. We soon need another car…..
I left a good job and did not take executive jobs. I recognize the importance of family, welcome God’s way into my life, focus on starting a family. I am activity learning the role of a wife according the bible and what is God’s way in the relation between a woman and career….Break the old and grow into the new is not easy for me. And top it off with the needs of our lives....

What is a blessing?

I don’t think my husband and I are incapable people or we are just lazy not trying hard enough.

We are helpless and can only relying on praying….

Through this process, we give ourselves more and more to God. These are opportunities. Not the opportunities for God, but the opportunities for us. The opportunities God gave us to invite us to partner with Him to reign in our lives.

What is a blessing? If I am walking on my old course, we probably have had all these basic needs covered… But are these really blessings?
Or our current adversity is a blessing? An opportunity to have an inseparable relationship with God through each step, because we need HIM.

Romans 7

2010-01-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

It has been unclear to me what Roman7 says. Until recently, I start to understand it. But in my memory, the people from my past churches all seem to use what is recited as an excuse.

Here is our teacher says about it.

It is the utmost despair when you are committed to the do the God’s way, you have given up everything and tried everything you could, you found out it is not enough.

People at this point tend to give up hope: Christianity does not work for everyone. God saves you but not me. People live in despair, in depression or hiding the rest of their lives. “ I suppose this is right, I will say it but deep in my heart I don’t believe it” “Looking in the mirror, I really hate who I am.”…Some long term believers even go to change the Words or change their sense,” while scripture is living that it should have messages tuned to our new age…”

Many believers and churches stopped at Roman 7 and not able to go beyond.

What to do? Thanks to God that we have Roman 8. Recognize the fact that we are not who we were anymore. We can reign in life rather than rolling over. You and Lord agree an area get to change, you do not want to stay there anymore, be conscious about it: “ That is really bothering me”. This is the beginning of the (healing) process, where change starts. Notice the progress have already been made.

We were deceived: It(bad habits, bad images, evil) is in me, so it must be me.” (It is the active evil within us, not us.)

It is important to understand we are not under law and so are our fellow believers. We are under Grace. For under the law, we may achieve short term success but long term it will not succeed. Whenever there is a law, some people will actively fight, some will have resistance, rival has an active factor, (all in us)….

Technician vs. Executive

2010-01-22T10:29:00.001-08:00

I had wondered why God does not issue an experimental procedure for us whenever he calls us to do something. Why still give us so much freedom? Until recently, I woke up. God wants us to be His executives not technicians. Technicians carried out tasks by orders, however executives are given a vision or a position, need to pull a team together, allocate resources…The impact of an executive can be long lasting and profound, like Jack Welch to GE, but technicians job is more predictable, more relied on others, often their contribution go unnoticed, some people even think they are dispensable, although I don’t agree.

Do you want to be God’s executive to run His Kingdom with Him, or do you just want to be a technician? What do I want?

On the other hand, when we give our lives to God, do we want Him to be our Master as an executive or master as a technician? How much room in our lives and situations that we give to Him? When we pray, do we pray Lord I want this thing happen at this order at such a time or do we just pray for a purpose?

Sometimes we do not see God, maybe because we look at the wrong place……

A thought, a penny

2010-01-21T19:01:00.000-08:00

Our landlord increases our month to month rate while she did not increase others historically. She does not give us advance notice as required by the law in CA, yet my husband is afraid of moving. Out of the mercy and fear, I swallow the situation and pay the increased rate.

I borrowed a Casio game CD from local library for my in law because that seems to be the most interesting thing to them in Las Vegas. I did not do it from my love but God’s love as I felt deep separation and hurt by their behaviors. However, I got a call stating there is user manual not returned. I don’t believe it was with the CD I borrowed, but which I will be responsible for as I did not report it. When I tried to make it clear I did not know there should be one, could it be possible the manual is still on the shelf, I got a very impatient answer.

I was scheduled a week ago to do a consulting project with a financial firm. I nervously spent my time and try to do a good job. However, it was cancelled at the last minute due to a sudden change of their priorities.

I was also promised to get updated information if I will join Law Firm #3 for a project starting in January. But I did not receive any message from my contact when I contacted him. He is in China and not coming back until early February.

I felt I am losing my husband to another woman, his Mom. He spent quite long time in their room with door closed. I went to look for him three times and he is in the parents room. Eventually he comes to find me because he wanted me to set up dinner.

All these happened in two days, back to back. In the mist of it, I went to our Christian counseling class, where our teacher said every though going through our mind is a choice we make, we are advancing someone’s agenda, if not God’s then is satan’s.

If I told myself I will put penny after penny so that we can buy a house in Silicon Valley. I will be insane. But this time, I really want to try out, under each of the above circum stances, I will still trust God, praise God and be thankful to Him, as a thought, one by one, advancing God’s agenda not mine, not satan’s, be a weapon of God, not the world’s, not the situation’s…..

What will happen?

What do you get up everyday for?

2010-01-20T12:33:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had experience that the only reason you get everyday is because of the Lord? The people disappointed you, things kept on getting worse and worse. One has not been solved and an even worse one appeared. You feel crammed and can hardly breathe. All other nice expectation about life, a baby, a house and a job… are nowhere to be found.

Maybe you haven’t, but I am certainly in the mist of it.

My only drive to get up everyday is to expect that someday God is going to lead me through. He can raise the dead, turn water into wine…. My situation is not bigger than He can handle.

What is really life?

2010-01-18T22:55:00.001-08:00

Many Christians pray just for circumstantial things they want outside of their lives. However God wants to change us. Do we really understand who we are now as believers in Christ? Do we understand the purpose for which we become believers? Do we understand the call and freedom and power to grow, to be saved in our practical daily lifestyle?

Life and death

2010-01-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

Everybody fights hard for life and fights hard against death.

Often we end up in a situation thinking that is life but it actually leads to death, but some deadly situation leads to a fruitful life.

Do you know what is life and what is death? What are you fighting for and fighting against?

Under the circumstances

2010-01-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

We are under the weather, under the situation, under the circumstances….

But what are we doing under there?

Do we know whom we are praying to?

2010-01-08T20:29:00.001-08:00

Who are you praying to?

Our first stop to entertain our in-laws is Las Vegas. When first arrived after 8 hour driving, everyone was exhausted. My husband waited in line to check in.

While I was waiting, I prayed for a room upgrade then started to read our Wednesday bible class handout.

“Hope is different from positive thinking, because we have basis.”
A voice occurred to me: “Do you know whom you were praying to?”

Do I know?

Later that night, we checked into two executive suits, with restricted floor access. Our room was opposite to Bellagio, so we can get a big picture view with the fountain show.

When the road is narrow and budget is tight, do we know whom we are praying to?
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PS. We only paid $50/day.

Seeing is believing

2009-12-22T00:24:00.001-08:00

Seeing is believing

When you desperately need something, but days have gone by, nothing indicated its coming. How do you feel? I know I will automatically go into the panic mode and try to have some remedies using my own strength.
Seeing is believing. I have to hold it in my hands otherwise I will not trust I have it.
But God seems to ask to shift the equation, believing is seeing.

22"Have[f] faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."[g]

Experimental

2009-12-18T15:27:00.001-08:00

I really need an experimental. I already laid down things and gave Him what He asks for, why He did not hand me over an experimental section or a recipe that I can follow.
Where is my step 1?

Experimental = passive faith
But God want us to have an active faith with Him. Do things together with Him. Collect and evaluate data, provide analysis, form opinions and come to conclusions with Him together. Consulting Him on the way, we grow because we are experiencing the situations and Him together.

An experimental seems to be a more predictable path but we do not get to participate in the design. We are just a pair of hands. Next time around, we almost could not remember about last experiment and have to start from step 0.

God enjoys more about the process, the mistakes and progress we made in that we grow and remember. But we, as human beings, tend to focus more or only about the results. At least I was.

God guarantees to save me

2009-12-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

Step 2:
The only time we really grow=in the midst of tribulation
Tension comes from contrast between what God promises and what is going in my experience
Pressure on to use old familiar methods of flesh to deal with situation: with this particular type of pressure may be tempted to depression and falling apart, fly into action on my own , anger
Lord’s way often seems crazy or suicidal
e.g. anger→ patience and grace

Step 3: “Tomb time”: Hanging in there, trusting and obeying Him no matter what

Rom 5:9: God guarantees to save me from all the mess of my life.

A prayer list

2009-12-17T19:13:00.001-08:00

This morning, a whisper came to me: “Write down a list of prayers”. I stopped writing down prayer requests or really earnestly pray for specific things for a while. Not because of I do not have one, but because I know my present situation is by God’s design to grow me. I learned not to relentlessly fight but to obey.

“Write a list.” The whisper continued. “Do you remember your list on the piece of blue paper? They all came true.”

I suddenly remembered about 7 years ago, I had one. There was a prayer for a sister to get pregnant, and another sister to know God and have God to bless her marriage….” Now the first sister’s son is 4.5 years old and the second sister has transitioned with a light speed from a single, to a wife with a very sincere husband and a proud mom of two boys.

“Write the requests down. They will come true.”
“If everything I ask for will come true, what shall I write? Are you really going to give me everything I write down?”

“God, Guide me”.

I hope magically the pen moves by itself as in movies. But as I was doing so in a faithful heart, tears came down. Because God seems to remember the things I had forgotten or lost heart to. I prayed earlier this year to won one specific proposal so that I may have about x0K compensation pre-tax, then my husband can have a new car as his current commute car really needs a fix. It did not come true and our already tight budget will not allow this.

I saw an item that in areas of relationships, that I did realize there need a difference but God cares so deeply what the heart longs for.
Two persons names came up. I tried and prayed for them earnest in the summer and walked through the difficult time in their lives with them but one or two words from them hurt me. I stopped praying for them. But God still remembers them. And me.
…..
God knows me better than I know myself.

What would you write down if anything you ask for will become true?

An elderly lady

2009-12-10T01:17:00.000-08:00

I heard this on the radio today while driving.

An lady, sounds really old, called in with her story. She wanted to devoice with her husband because she can not wall anymore and she does not want her husband taking care of her the rest of his life. Her husband is not going to have a devoice with her....

what a contrast to this selfish era, people constantly asking what in there for me.

Holiday gift

2009-12-10T01:04:00.000-08:00

We gave our teacher a holiday gift today. She is in her 60s. When we presented our gift to her, she smiled making her eyes into two lines and asked: "Can we open the gift now or we should wait until Christmas?"

I was shocked.

We demand "Now" so granted, forget there is another choice--- joyful "wait".

Takeaways and thoughts

2009-12-10T01:01:00.000-08:00

Some recent take-aways from class and my own thoughts:
1. God’s grace and forgiveness
Dwell in peace with the Lord’s presence b/c Jesus Christ. Always go to the Lord and thank His grace and forgiveness, its amazingly true.

We grow older in our lives, we are more desperately in our lives to need the Lord. There are areas in our lives, we repeatedly failed. Instead of running away to hide and stop reading the bible thinking how God could possibly forgive for what we did, we can come back to the Lord, have confidence that His grace is bigger and we can thank Him for Jesus and His forgiveness. The repeated failures do not block us from the Lord’s presence. No matter what our past is, we can still dwell in peace with the Lord, in God’s favor, because of Jesus Christ, which has already be done.

Law crashes us for it measures degree of failures. Grace, on the other hand, measures great success. The reference point for grace is dead flat zero. Grace celebrates each success.

When babies first learn how to walk, they fall repeatedly. In the process, they may start to hold a little longer before they fall but they soon fall again. You never see a baby crying I will never learn to walk. When the parents watching the babies, they celebrate each little progresses babies make and firmly believe they will be able to walk. Just like how the Lord watching us for areas of our lives.

2. What is hope
When we try to define a human being, we define them by thoughts, action, ……but when we look at babies, they do not have any of those characters. But we still clearly call them human beings. Why? Because we will have confidence that they will grow into the characters of a human being.

This is just like God and us. God see us who will grow bearing His characters.

Hope is not a mind game.

3. From external
Early on in our lives, we prayed for cars, jobs, God provided our external needs. Then He invited us to grow. Unfortunately there is only one way we will grow. ONLY ONE WAY. Tough times, the stuff we will never sign up for, are the opportunities for us to grow. Paul knows the process, exalted in the mist of practical life, and so should we. None of us like pressure, difficulties, narrow areas, but that’s how we grow the fastest, and deepest to a relationship with the Lord.
Difficulties are an invitation from the Lord, going in partnership together with Him. When situation and or temptation is up, instead of screaming it is enough already, we can be thankful, like Paul, knowing the process, God is helping us and we are moving forward together. Be open to what God is teaching me now…

4. Tune time
We trusted the Lord to do the new way. However there are tune times. We set aside the old, but not see the new yet. Lord, you are working in me. Develop a habit of trusting in the Lord, we are going through and hanging in here together. “I will hang in there. I will see what will happen”.

5. Voice
If we succeed once and failed three times, we are still in God’s favor. However, our voices can be either like God’s: "great, I know you will succeed” or Satan's: "I know the Word, but you, forget it, it will never happen.”

Which one do you choose?

6. Internal
God changes us in a helical process. Our success rate will be higher and higher and the level of temptation will be bigger and bigger and we grow into a deeper and deeper relationship with God.
Like peeling an onion, layer by layer, tears on the way.
Some areas are repeatedly come back, each time with a different scope and intensity.

7. Kindness leads to repentance
Repentance= change of mind
We repent because of God's gental grace, not because of persuasion and law. we want others to repent, what shall we us? God's way or our way?

8. Blood=life
Our physical bodies reflect how our spiritual bodies work. Blood represent the life, blood provide nutrition and cleansing to other parts of the organs. Heart drives the blood, going through the lung, obtaining from the nature and to the organs. Spirit resides in the heart.

9. Why to pray out loud?
God does not require us praying out loud but it is for our own benefit. Sometimes it is to make our will yield to what we are praying. Sometimes is to make us confident that we are communicating with God not just going through things in our minds.
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Enjoy the opportunities that you will grow with the Lord!
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Practical faith

2009-12-03T01:04:00.000-08:00

Walking out of my class today, I wished I had known this earlier. I pray that it is not too late now.
Credit goes to my teacher Erica.
…………………………………………..
Faith does not mean not to look at the reality, but to appreciate the magnitude of God’s wonder. When God promised Abraham a child, neither he nor his wife was capable of producing a child biologically. He took a hard look of the reality and had two choices. #1 it is too much a gap from the reality, empty promise and forget about it. #2 there is an enormous leap from the reality but that is how much I am going to see God. I am going to trust God for what He says, trusting Him whatever He promises and He will fulfill. I make my steps in Him. Let’s go.

Sometimes God calls us to do things radical different from the reality. But there is a greater reality, we can delightful accept the call and see God bridging the huge gap.

We all have growth areas in our lives. Some are even areas have been dead for a long time. If we trust our God, then it is just like to ask Him to make Jesus’ resurrection in our lives again. He has done it before and He is capable of doing it. We just ask Him to do it again in our lives, in our history.

Let’s go.
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P.S. This message came to me at the right time as I start to feel discouraged in pursuing His calling. Did I really hear Him correctly? I wish I had some sort of emails, voice mails or videos that allow me to review, analyze and confirm. But now I realized God’s calling did not start because of what I did, it is not going to depend on me to continue, the end results are certainly out of my hands. It only depends on me to act on it to receive the benefits of the process. Walking in Him and to Him, let’s go.

Turkey jokes

2009-12-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

The pastor at our church mentioned three jokes at our Thanksgiving service:

1. Which side of the turkey has the most feather?

Outside.

2. What will a turkey say before going to the oven?

Oh, I am stuffed.

3. What would a space turkey say?
Habo habo.

A letter to someone God hold Dear to His heart

2009-12-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

In the worst possible time in my life that I could be a testimony to the living God, He whispered to me a new acquaintance name. In about 7 consecutive days, every morning I woke up, it is her name. God is so persistant that I give up: OK. I will tell her about you, NOW.
Later on when I know her and her life a bit more, I wrote the following letter to her.

If you are reading this letter, I'd say it is also for you because God loves you.
......................................................................................................................................................................
Dear Lorie:
There are a few words I want to share with you for a long time. First start with my life. If someone told me last year I’d had no job for a while I will laugh and tell him I shall not live without a job. Yes that was me, define myself by what I do. If you know the past me, you would think that was a joke. God is working on me to let me see life by its true nature is very beautiful and if I walk along the course I designed for myself I don’t know what I will miss.

While this does not mean it is not painful and I am willingly to accept and enjoy the progress in the heart. I still feel the strong agony, lonely and unfairness. Only prayers lead me through day by day.

Trials come to our lives in various shapes and sizes, may variety in intensity and all produce enormous pain. They come because God sees us as gold that are incredibly valuable. He is refining our lives and strengthening our faith. He is teaching us depend more and more on Him. Trials fuel the furnace that God uses to reshape us from the inside out.

Trail is inevitable. Suffering is part of human living in a broken world. Who doesn’t have it? Pain is universal and inescapable. It seems unrelenting and unbearable right now.

But it is temporal not eternal. Suffering is painful to bear. Trials are torturously difficult to endure. We need not to get incurably discouraged or grow hopelessly weary. (I am waiting you here hope God will meet you here and lead you forward, a baby belongs to your future, not your past).

God let us suffer is not to destroy us but give us life and future. He created you and will create your baby. He has saved you once and will save you again.

His strength is adequate, His grace is sufficient and his plan is perfect even when we don’t fully comprehend.

Life is precious, for ourselves, for the people we love and who love us. As long as God is living, we have hope.

Blessings.

Hope ( A letter from a friend)

2009-12-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday,

You have been through a lot this past year, and your blog shows emotion as well as hope. The word "hope" in the Bible is not a good translation of the original word, which has more of a connotation of guarantee. When we follow Him, we don't just have a hope but a guarantee.

Count your blessings.

How close to death (August 2009)

2009-12-01T23:41:00.000-08:00

How close to death

I am in my early 30s, perfect healthy with a loving caring husband and strong marriage. Yet twice in the last week, I had the feeling that life does not worth to live anymore.

Death does not have real meaning to me until 5 years ago that my dear grandfather who brought me up passed away. It took me sometime to accept it was real. I was in tears almost every night in the first couple of months and deeply in pain for the following 5 years until God healed me using the Father’s love.

Death knocked on me again. It is hard to believe that I do not have a regular job for so long and yet living a joyful life and still encouraging others. I know deeply that is impossible if I don’t have Jesus or He is not living and working today.

But death was so inviting, as often I don’t feel I can bear the pain, loneliness and uncertainty for the future anymore. The attractive way to stop all these is to accept death’s invitation. How close was I to death? Hours ago, my husband and I were going through the bible, trying to find a boy or girl’s name. Now, the cloud of death over ruled everything.

Death was so close. I can even smell it’s approaching. Its arm offers a seemingly quick and effective way to get away from current pain but leads to eternal death.

“1 Peter 4: 12Dear friend, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. 19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continues to do good.”

I always thought the suffering in text refers to people in the missions or die due to prosecutions, but surprisingly now it is also meaningful to me and applicable in my current situation.

“1 Peter 1: 6 …though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

How close am I to death. Less than a hair away.

But Jesus is living and so shall I. I thank God for giving me this unique experience and my faith was refined again by the deadly fire. “I have not seen him but I love him; and even though I do not see him now, I believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for I am receiving the goal of my faith, the salvation of my soul.”(1 Peter 1:8)

What is the richness in this world? (August 2009)

2009-12-01T23:19:00.000-08:00

The Christians I personally know are generous people but not rich by worldly standards. Being a pastor is not as attractive as being a doctor, lawyer or cooperate executive as a profession. Being a Christian equals to being poor?

Some says the richest person is not one who has the most, but is the one who needs the least. Others say the richest person is who understands the meaning of enough. Intellectually I agree with both. But they do not bring any power to me. I continued to ask God. He seemed to answer “Take joy in the Lord”. There is clearly a gap between the question and answer.

Recently, I was very nervous about something and asked a lot of people to pray for me. Some of them have full-time challenging jobs, some of them have new-borns and hardly get enough sleep everyday, and still some of them are juggling through different life responsibilities. I did not expect all them will remember because I lost track who I have requested prayers except a few. But surprisingly many emailed or called me after the interview and they really dropped off their lives and prayed for me.

When I was replying back, one by one, I suddenly felt I am the richest person in the world. The job itself does not matter any more. The feeling of being loved, remembered, surrounded and protected overwhelmed me. That is all that I need in this world. This experience brings level of satisfaction to my heart as God’s love penetrates through his people.

This little emotional experience fills in the gaps between “being rich” and “take joy in Lord”. It makes two statements about enough and needs very real to me.

What is the richness in this world? Everyone has different answers. I had a moment I felt I am really rich. No matter what and how much you have but you never experience the deep rich feeling, then I am sure you are really poor.

My questions to God ( June 2009)

2009-12-01T23:06:00.000-08:00

Why do we live?
-To give and receive love.

What do we need in God’s kingdom growth?
-Love not money or resources

What do we need when we are in difficulties?
-Hope. The Hope for the trustworthy Lord not our own strength and abilities

Why everything has a process (take time)?
-The process makes the results more precious and valuable. The waiting cultivates a deeper relationship and sufficient preparation.

Why do we have dark periods in our lives?
-Our normal easy-going life routine, to a certain point, is a barrier preventing us receiving God’s best gift and being thirsty to know Him more. We have to be forced to shut down and withdraw from the physical world to have quiet time and seek HIM only.

Why our lives are not run through a fixed course that we planned or anticipated?
-Because running through our own course will miss significant life adventures. We, not matter how visionary are, make short-term decisions. God always focus on the long term. Sometimes the fruit takes a few generations to show up. The only long-term decision we can make is to obey HIM.

Do not manufacture conclusions but be grateful
-God works in ways we do not see. Don’t even think in terms of this is the way things will turn out, especially when we are praying or serving. Be Open and stay calm.
God is the author of our faith. Be grateful if our names are on the book of Lamb.

Do Christians have to be in poverty? Could a Faith Giant, God’s warrior also a millionaire?
-To be answered.

Will we lose our salvation?

2009-12-01T22:49:00.001-08:00

This is a popular question among Chinese congregation in one of churches we’ve been to. We don’t know the answer at the time.
The popular answer is once you are saved and you are forever saved. As long as you are baptized once and then you are going to heaven. It is really a convenient answer. But is this really true?

Now, eight years later, my husband listened to a message from a pastor on the radio. Now we have a better understanding.

By God’s mercy we are saved. Do you think this is something we can decide? No, only God got to decide.

Do you know where you are going? How sure are you?

Who is the selected one?

2009-12-01T22:23:00.000-08:00

The urge of writing this down appeared to me several times this year. Now I am doing it in obeying and for the benefit of inspiring others.
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A friend of mine stayed with us for two weeks this year. IMO, He has everything in the physical world except a wife. During the two-week period I tried to persuade him to believe in Jesus and if he chooses to do so, God will definitely give him a wife custom made for him and more beyond his imagination. He sat through all these discussions and concluded: “God selected you to believe and selected me not to believe.”

God really determined who is to believe (and to save) and who is not at the beginning?

One day, a vision occurred to me. There was a lighted fireplace and bunches of branches on the floor next to the fireplace. An elderly person picked up a bunch of branches from the floor, went through them, sets aside a few and threw the rest into the fire. Then he picked up another handful bunch and did the same. I was carefully watching him. Right before he is ready to throw another bunch to the fire, suddenly I realized my friends were in there. The people I just had dinner with the past weekend, the couple who just had a lovely unexpected baby, …I stood up and cried out: “Wait! No!” I cried out to Him: “Lord, you want me to pray? I pray! If my prayers can save them, I pray hard!” I wept and wept because I could not endure the pain seeing the real persons I know were thrown into the fire. This elderly person paused, took out a few from the bunch, and grafted them to a trunk of a bigger tree. The grafted branches started to have life and grow baby branches.

Who is the selected one in the above scene? Can you taste a bit of the Father’s heart? If he is truly being selective, everything is pre-determined, why He needs to call out prayer warriors, pass His burden to His followers?

Regardless who we are and what we have done, do you know why you and me are still alive today? Because God is constantly trying to reach us and fellowship with us.

Whenever appropriate, I tried to tell people about God. Being through that scene, I know I can tolerate my friends’ “misunderstanding” but I can not bear the pain seeing their names not on the book of lamb on the judgment day.

Thanksgiving to the Lord (2009)

2009-11-26T12:22:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving to the Lord
I give the following thanks to God my Father, Jesus Christ my savor and Holy Spirit my forever consular on the day of Nov 26th, 2009.
May He is gloried through my life. Pray that I will have more His Character in the coming years.

1. Marriage
God rebuilt our marriage to what was stated in the bible. I am more dependent on my husband and my husband is more responsible for the family. My husband reaped all the benefits for having me at home and I saw a husband’s sacrificial love for the wife and our family like what Christ has done for the church. We both are running to the God. There are only two decisions that I made correct in my life so far:1) Choose God to be my savor 1) Be my husband’s wife. The rest of the decisions, whether right or wrong is not that important anymore.

2. Family
I am now more confident about life. Joy and hope comes from within, not depend on what has happened. I am now ready for our babies to join us in our journeys in lives as I am looking forward to a better life tomorrow.

God also issued an order to me to reconcile with my earthly father. Forgive and Love Him. As I stepping out in obeying Him, I saw the miracle that my Mom is very joyful and our family is so close and in love with each other.

3. Money
God send us to this world to rule. Let us not to down grade ourselves to labor to save money, but to manage the assets and try to enjoy life. Put God first, seeking His righteousness, everything else will follow.

4. Job
The job in this world does not have to be what you do not like. Working on a job you do not like, just for the “predicative” paycheck, you still could be laid off.
The favorite jobs, customized for each individual do exist.

5. Career
“Two or three gather in my name, I will be with them”. This can happen everywhere in whatever we do.
If we team up with God, there are huge potentials with various opportunities. All we need to do is to willingly give ourselves to Him.

6. Who is God to me
God is a real person. My husband and I discuss our concerns, He answers right away when we pray.
God is my teacher. He taught me many things this year: 1) adversity comes in different shape and intensity, but who hasn’t? 2) Giving your passion and talent to God is the safest thing 3) when evaluate (people, opportunities) try to discern without being suspicious 4) when communicating, be simple, clear, emphasis on the essential, not to impress others and feel comfortable leaving something unsaid……..

God has sovereignty and difficult to get rid of. So I’d better be smart, willingly joyfully obey whatever He asks for.

7. Beyond
I don’t need a job, a house, a baby to be joyful. I know God loves me.
If one day I achieve anything, is because what I went through in 2009. God showed me where to go, how to conquer, what to learn step be step.

8. Advice to myself:
don’t turn away from God, no matter what happens, hold onto Him tightly. Always have thanksgiving in my heart. No matter how bad the situation is, it could be worse without Him. As long I still have a breath, he will give me strength.

The Word become flesh

2009-11-25T18:07:00.000-08:00

How does this happen scientifically? Is it even possible?

I use to think it could. But it happened only once, that word become Jesus Christ, a human being on earth. But this year, my life changed through reading the Word. Now the Word has become part of me---in the flesh.

So Word becoming flesh does happen, everyday, around us and in us.

Thanksgiving Letter: From my heart to yours

2009-11-24T22:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

“Grace and peace to you from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ”
-1 Corinthians 1:3 and 2 Corinthians 1:2

A couple of years ago we gathered at Ying’s house, I mentioned that I would greet you like that in the New Testament. Now I had the opportunity.

1.What is the best to give to our children?
I have been following your babies’ pictures online very closely. Clearly every one of them are dearest to your hearts and I was also blessed while looking at them. I can’t help noticing that they, as a generation, are soaked in new clothes, new toys and the tremendous amount of love from parents and grandparents. Have you ever thought about what is the best to give to them? College tuition fund? While I know some smart kids dropped out of high school. Big house? Is this our sons and daughters will thank us for at our funerals?
Going through 2009, I have my own answers to these questions. I am now wholeheartedly waiting and welcoming my children to our lives. I felt I am already familiar with them though I have not officially met them. Ying, you are right. We do have names ready and I am the only one have names before being pregnant.

2. Year 2009 and me
Going into 2009, I didn’t know how to handle six Saturdays in a week. I visited many places, many companies, and many things visited me, including depression and death. However, 2009 is the best year in my life so far. Having no job and only two prayers from my entire year got answered is the best thing ever occurred to me. Like Piao Hong summarized a long time ago: “How can you born again? You have to die first.”

I got to know many interesting and successful people in the bay area. Their life stories inspired me. What define me are not a job, a title, a car or a house but my loving and giving Character in God. My security is not in a predictive paycheck but in my relationship with the trustworthy God. Does He really care for my emotion pains? Yes, He does. He knows the maximum I can take, and He occasionally gave me just enough to keep my hope up.

It is easy? No. Many times, I wanted to pray, please I just want to be mediocre, give me a boring job, I will live my life that way to the end, never complain. While something else happened I prayed instead: May your will be done in me.

When the project of making a new me underwent for sometime, God started to make suggestions, how about giving me your dream? Talent? Time?..... I ran away the fastest I can and hide. God, please, could you consider my feelings? This is the path I chose, could you please just bless this one? Why didn't you answer my prayers? I saw a picture of a little girl, holding a hand with a giant but they were facing opposite directions.

My husband came back one day with an invitation to a biblical counseling class offered at the Stanford University. At that class, my heart completely melted. The class was taught by a husband and wife team. The husband talks about the scriptures and the wife talks about testimonies and life implications. Often in times I want to imprint every word she said in my mind. When she introduced the topic for next class, I almost want to ask: “Could you tell me now?”

Little by little I realized giving my passion and talents to God is safer than I hold them myself. Plus I don’t know what to do with them. God’s kingdom is probably the most trust worthy investment in this world. So I repented and decided to obey. God I love you, I give you all I have, but…

What made me finally come to the commitment is the living scarifies of others, such as Kungli and our bible teachers. The love attracted me to completely submit myself to King of Kings. I don’t want to live in a selfish pit anymore, if God wants to use my life to accomplish something, then I delightfully give it to Him.

At the beginning of 2009, I was told that a decision made in 2009 will affect the next 10 years (http://agapehousenet.blogspot.com/2009/05/by-and.html). I was not interested in the concept when it was first introduced to me. If you read my life story to this far, then you know I am not same anymore.

3. Job, career, you and me
I am grateful that God did not give me those jobs I am begging for, because they are not what I like and limit the scope of what I can do. I heard so many times: I work just for paycheck now. If I got rich or when I retire, I will do what I like. I used to think this way too. This year many people retired from GE, what did they do? People are lucky if they know or remember what they like to do after finishing a so-so job for the life long.

Life redeemed by Jesus’ blood is precious. Talking to God, you will find something you enjoy, with decent pay, having a meaningful purpose, creating impact and benefiting others. Thousands have done that, so can you and me. Giving ourselves to God does not mean we all go to seminaries. God is more creative than that.

4. Beyond

I truly love and care you all in my heart. I always remember we 一张桌上吃饭，一个锅里喝汤的日子。
Here is the best I ever learned and I want to tell you: Christmas is still a miracle. Bible conveys a love story. God is still working hard to reach every one of us. Meet Him in person and life will be changed.

Life is short and it has only one way ticket. Thanks God that we become one family in His love.

Principle of Joy

2009-11-12T01:01:00.000-08:00

JOY =
Jesus Christ is glorified
Others are edified
You are sanctified

Unlucky or lucky?

2009-11-12T00:59:00.000-08:00

She has three deadly car accidents. People around her said, Oh you are so unlucky, but she replied:

No. I am very lucky. Not many people experience miracles in their lives and I had experienced three times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6y3PN0V1BE&feature=channel

What defines you

2009-11-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

Early this year, I took my Mini for check up. As entering the dealership driveway, a BMW cut in front of me. The service engineer at the dealership told me, in California you are defined by the car you drive.

Then we started looking houses, we were told, in silicon valley, people look at you depends on where you live and what house you have.

While, what defines us? A job title, how many people you manage? how many papers you have? your credentials? banking account?

One thing I know, if you really let any of these define who you are then it is surely a very sad thing. God created man to rule, not to be slaves.

Genuine obedience

2009-11-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

The following comes to me this morning:

There is nothing replaces genuine obedience. Nothing. Forgive me if this hurts too much. If you re really hurting right now, but no-holds-barred obedience at times if the only way you can handle God’s way in your life. Trust Him when you cannot see tomorrow. When everything you have attempted to do to relieve your pain, to address you need, has blown up in your face, may I gently urge you, continue to trust Him.

Where are you?

2009-11-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUT-uqxFg0c&feature=related

Where are you and the ones you love in this story?

Born again

2009-11-05T18:26:00.000-08:00

How to born again?

We have to die first.

Walking with God

2009-11-05T17:16:00.000-08:00

What is walking with God like?
It is like God invite us for a walk. We walked and walked. The God invites: “it is too far away from your house, why don’t you come to my house?”

Faith=Obedience

2009-11-05T17:02:00.000-08:00

These are two different words in English but our biblical counsel teacher says they are the same, equal and inter-changable.

How many times we say we really have faith in the Lord, we trust Him but ask Him to bless what we choose, our plans….

Our teacher says if we care open to seeing the Lord, we will be thankful for what He is doing. If we devoted ourselves to His purpose, we will be thankful for what He sets up.

Draw me close to you, not let me go. We may have areas in our lives that we did not even know we are not obedient to you, but God, please do not give up, work with us till your purpose in our lives are fulfilled.

The enemy of the best

2009-11-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

Is not bad, unfortunately. The enemy of the best is good. Good is something we can achieve by ourselves, our own strength. Good is something can make us settled in the short term and lost in the long run. Good can let us put away for our thirst for better or best, blur our sight that we could not recognize the path to the best and even lost our ability to discern.

Knowing God is the beginning of the wisdom. Eve took the fruit that appeals to the eye---good, but leading to the eternal death.

Paul, set apart for the gospel of God. But God set blocks to him one after another. When he finally reached Rome, he was in chains. God plans the best. It will come at His time according to his plan. We only see it when we obey when the “seemingly good” in our path did not come true.

The enemy of the best is good or seemingly good.

Are we like Saul?

2009-11-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

1 Samuel 8-10

Saul lost his donkey and nowhere to be found. His servants suggested visiting the seer (Samuel), everything he says comes true. So Saul visited Samuel. The day before Saul’s visit, God told Samuel to anoint Saul as the king.

When Saul visited Samuel, all on his mind is the lost donkey. But God wants him to be the king. Saul and Samuel met, with completely different agendas.

Are we like Saul in our lives? We approached God for jobs, houses, cars, …with nothing else on our mind, but God wants us to be the king.

Am I like Saul in the past few months?

Infinity -1

2009-11-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

Genesis:2-3

God gives Adam and Eve everything in the Eden, except the tree in the middle of the garden. Yet the woman was deceived by the serpent and they ate it.

God gives us infinite opportunities in our lives and often in times it occurred that we are just lacking one. Just one. A child, a relationship, a job…..I often made mistake to expand the one and making my life upside down. How about we just let it go, choose not to focus on it, we have infinity-1?

Do you really know Him?

2009-10-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

“There are many adversities in our lives and we often say we trust God. Do you know what that mean, what you should expect when you say trust God?” “Do you really know Him?”

This is the opening, which woke me up at the biblical counseling course. My ears are fully open.

“God is delighted to provide, in abundance, not just barely, not just functions but esthetically. He looks around, loves color, wisdom, growth, sense of humor. He always stop and evaluate if it is good, if it intends to deliver, or benefit others.”

Her soft voice and gentle smile stick with me. I am in an adversity, and always declare that I trust Him, but do I really know Him? Do I know what to expect?

Do you?

Liquor store

2009-10-16T19:59:00.001-07:00

Ms Suzie wants to throw a party and in need of lot of drinks. She called up the liquor store, requesting “please deliver me X boxes of beer as soon as possible”. Unfortunately she dialed the number of his church Minister, Rev. Smith. Rev. Smith cleared his throat: “Ms Suzie, this is Rev. Smith.” “Rev. Smith, what are you doing in the liquor store?” replied by Suzie.

I laughed and laughed. Do we have double standard when come to judge ourselves and others

Interview with God

2009-10-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/popup-frame.html

From thoughts to destiny

2009-09-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

Thoughts lead to purpose,
Purpose leads to actions,
Actions form habits,
Habits decide character,
Character fixes our destiny.

What shall we feed to our children?

2009-09-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

Organic milk, organic food, our life experience, our knowledge, winning strategy, banking account, highest life insurance in case of accidents of us?

Or like Kungli’s family, living everyday in faith, with no dependable or predicable income, no health insurance, laying down all credentials and high earning power jobs in front of the cross but feeding Zach their obedience in the Lord?

What we feed our children will grow with them and within them will conquer the world? So they will know where to seek help and who will help them when we not able or even do not exist any more?

What shall we inject to our children, Reality or Compliment?

2009-09-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

I grew up in hearing comments like “ you are not good at doing this” “this is not your strength” or even “you are not this material”. Parents and teachers inject their own but sincere and honest judgment for young people for their benefits and goods.

One significant thing that we learned at ESL class is not the pronunciation but the no matter how bad the questions from the students, we should reply “it is a very good question”. I sometimes felt that the word of interesting has been overused that I don’t even know what it truly means.

I understand the meaning and power of encouragement but sometimes get confused with injecting compliments vs. injecting reality, which one brings more benefits to the listener? Our teachers injected reality for us and helped us calibrate our course, what’s wrong with that? We all turned out to be just fine as scientists, engineers and lawyers in world-renowned institutions.

Now we are facing our next generation, growing up in United States? What should we inject to them? Reality or Compliment?

There is a theory called “lava effect” stating quantum physics supports: We’re all connected, The universe is conscious/aware, Thoughts are “energy”,… we are talking to our conscious, therefore we should inject positive energy to our surroundings. I agree with the conclusion but find it hard to believe for we are all connected.*some one supports me here.

I don’t have a child now so I don’t know if the challenges of raising a child will make this matter buried in the noise. But I want to share with him or her that always think positively. No matter how bad the situation is, it could be worse. As long as God is living, there will be a way out.

* http://sashen.com/blog/category/quantum-physics/

What should we pass on to our next generation?

2009-09-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

Almost all my close friends in the seven years had a baby or two within the last two years. Their lives changed from significantly to everything is baby centered. No matter how cautions they have been with spending money, they throw a fortune on organic food, baby clothing, toys, etc. Watching them, I can not help to conclude one more time that parents are willing to give everything to for the good of their child.

But what is the best a parent can pass on their children? Saving money for medical, dental, law school? Take them all kinds of talent/star program to strength all the hard and soft skills?

My mom has given me lot of wisdom as I grew up. She inspired me to be interested in English. because good command of English will lead to good earning power. She was right until my college days. World changes so fast that what advice we can give to our next generation?

According to this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY&feature=fvw)
many jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004. Wow, at this speed, what advice we can give our children so that they can survive?

I don’t have an answer, do you?

* Kungli has a correlation between this video with book of Revelation. http://agapehousenet.blogspot.com/2009/03/did-you-know-we-are-in-fast-changing.html

* An updated video is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

Un-intentional blindness

2009-09-23T16:56:00.001-07:00

It occurred to me that I passed by my destination without noticing it twice today. Apparently, I was deeply lost in my thoughts.

This reminds me the Un-intentional blindness concept from Mike Aguilera. Fedex always has an arrow in their logo but I never notice it was there until he circled out. Can you see it?

What is our life long desire or destination? Could it be that it is just close and handy, but you and me are buried in our daily routines and thoughts, then we miss it? It’d better not.

Three words to avoid in a business conversation

2009-09-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

(Notes from a session with Mike Aquilera, communication expert, with personal modification)

1. Hope
It is a softening word. Instead of saying “I hope to hear back from you”, a better way should be “I am looking forward to hear back from you”.
“I hope my qualification, our service, our technology etc will meet your need” should be changed to “ I believe we will deliver …I believe my qualification…..”

2. Don’t
It is a simple negation word. But imply the opposite.
If we came across someone with a gun, if we say don’t shoot. We are implying we are afraid he is going to shoot. Instead we should say stay calm, something more in the positive aspect.

3. Try
“Try” sends out weak message to people, meaning you are not sure.
Let me try to explain, suggesting you are not sure if you can explain.
Instead, we should just confidently say: Please let me explain.”
A friends invits you to lunch, if you reply “I will try to be there”. Most of the time, your friends will not count on you to be there.

In business conversations, we need to inject positive, confident, trustworthy impression and relationships, so let us avoid using these three words as much as we can.

Branding

2009-09-23T00:41:00.000-07:00

Personal Branding (Notes from a seminar by Judith Dauphinails, with some modification)

What is branding?
Branding is not about creating an image but about value and emotion. It is not what we sell but what we stand for.
For example, Volve has been known for “Safe” and Apple as “Think differently”.

Why branding?
Benefits of branding:
• Recognition
• Be Sought after
• Charge a premium
• Thrive during economic downturn
• Attract and retain
“Your visibility is more important than your ability”.
Our ability is necessary but not sufficient for long lasting success.

What should be our brands? How to know?
• Know ourselves
• Identify our attitude
• Define our brand community
Articulate our vision and purpose
• Vision: what we would like to see transformed
• Purpose: our role in executing the vision
Identify our strength and motivational needs
• What things that we really stand out in our work environment
Identify our Values and Passion
• Name top of each
Clarify our Goals
• Make list, prioritize and identify most logical next steps toward the goal

What others say about us is our brand.

Branding component
Rational attributes: results-oriented, detail oriented, dependable, and decisive
Emotional attributes: compassionate, luxurious

It is the emotional attributes making people buy.
For example: Cars are just transportation vehicle but there are so many brands. Some value in cars let us buy one but not another.

Branding statement
• Mandatory value statement
• Position rather than presenting
Position: tell a story from the customer’s point of view
Presenting: tell a story from our point of view
Focus on what we can provide/deliver to our customer

Logo
An easy art (not a picture) can be a logo.
Name with word art, font, color can be a logo. Such as Google, IBM.

Color
Yellow: Bright
Blue: trust, credible. (IBM)
Red: Power (Adobe)
…

Branding community
• Join professional organization
• Join Chamber of Commerce
• Take a freelance project
• Try teaching a class at a community college
• Write an opinion piece for your local newspaper, or book reviews
• Secure a speaking engagement on a panel
• Network

Resources
• For Branding: ducttapemarketing.com, reach.com
• Business card: overnightprint.com, vistaprint.com($), cranes.com($), 123print.com
• Different fonts: Dafonts.com
• Crowdspring.com

Blog
Typepad.com, wordpress.org,
Blogger.com

3C’s of brand communication
• Clarity: We express your unique promise of value
• Consistency: We always send the same message in content and style
• Constancy: We communicate frequently

Inspiration
Brand you. Be Distinct or be Extinct.—Tom Peters.