Valentines Heart Shape Fried Egg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwrl2elJ7xs&feature=related

Spicy Korean Tofy and Seafood Stew

I just found this on youtube, and thought that I should remember this recipe to make use of the left over shabu-shabu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDf3-hNHuoE&feature=related

Life is not as it seems

Though it might seem tough to handle, but just believe that it is the beginning of the good things God has prepared for you. Just hang in there with faith. Yes Nadia... you can do it!! Hang in there.... try to see the bright side of your life more. Career is not everything!! Many many more people are dying to find love than those who's trying to find job. And here it is you stand. God has answered the prayer you have been praying all these years for someone, and he is here now. Thank you Lord. Thank you for your blessing You give me.

Serving Sandpaper People

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10, NIV).

We live in a problem-filled world. However, you will be thrilled to know I have discovered the biggest problem of all – people. In my opinion, if there were fewer people, there would be fewer problems. Every day, we face the daunting challenge of getting along with people. Some make it easy, and some don’t. Some are kind and encouraging, and replenishing, while others drive us to the brink of insanity and beyond.

One Sunday morning, a Sunday school teacher, in the process of teaching the Ten Commandments to her third-grade class, asked the question, “Last week we learned the commandment to honor your father and mother. Can anyone tell me if there is one that refers to brothers and sisters?” A little girl’s hand immediately shot up. When the teacher called on her to give an answer, the anxious youngster quickly responded, “Yes, there is a commandment just about brothers. The one that says, ‘Thou shalt not kill!’”

Let’s be honest – some people are simply more difficult to get along with than others. They “rub” us the wrong way. I call them “sandpaper people.” We try to change them, run from them, ignore them, and even take a stab at fixing them. But what would happen if we made the choice to serve them?

I know. The last thing I usually want to do is serve someone who is hard to get along with. In fact, shouldn’t these “sandpaper people” be serving me in order to make up for all of the grief they have caused? Sounds right, doesn’t it? God has a different plan – a higher plan that produces supernatural results. It is called service.

In his letter to the church in Rome the Apostle Paul defined true service when he said that we are to “be devoted to one another in brotherly love” and “honor one another” (Romans 12:10, NIV). In this verse, “devotion” indicates commitment and duty and carries the idea of a constant faithfulness that deliberately chooses repeatedly to serve. To “honor” someone means to “prefer” him or her or regard them as more important than ourselves. Honestly, most sandpaper people are used to people preferring that they disappear.

Sandpaper people are hard to serve and hard to help because they rarely, if ever, think of themselves as someone in need. The needs of others are not high on their priority list but control and power are. To manipulate is to succeed. Sandpaper people honestly believe that the world does or should revolve around them. It doesn’t seem to matter if the audience is applauding or jeering. Either way, they win. Why would God ask us to serve the very people who drive us crazy - the people who are so hard to love and seem to constantly wreak emotional havoc in our lives?

Choosing to serve a difficult person demands that we lay down our pride and our rights and deliberately choose to identify and meet a need in that person’s life. We then become a conduit through which His love can flow to reach and transform that hard-to-love person. When we dare to serve a sandpaper person, it rocks their world. They are accustomed to scratching and clawing their way to a false and shallow acceptance. Sandpaper people find it almost impossible to believe that anyone would ever be willing to serve them in any way. That kind of chosen love is foreign to them but it certainly grabs their attention. I wonder what our world would look like if we made the choice to love and serve the sandpaper people in our lives.

Let’s Pray
Father, when I let pride take up residence in my heart, I can be so blind to the needs of others, especially those who are more difficult to love. I am so thankful that You did not feel that way toward me, one of the most difficult people of all to love. I praise You for the grace and love You have given me. Help me to be an instrument of that love and grace in the lives of those around me.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Words Can Captivate Your Man

(In honor of Valentine's Day, Sharon's February devotions will focus on marriage.)

"A good wife is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds" (Proverbs 31:10, The Message).

Friend To Friend
Today, I want you to use your imagination. I want you to imagine your husband sitting at his desk or at a quiet place at work. Imagine him lost in thought about how blessed he is to have you as his wife. He holds your framed picture in his hand and moisture begins to pool in his eyes. He is captivated.

All the riches in the world are not to be compared with the jewel I have in this woman, he muses. What did I ever do to deserve her? God has given me such a gift. All our married life, she has done nothing but love me, bring out the best in me, and look out for my best interest. All the guys at the office are envious of our relationship. I see the way their eyes soften when she comes by just to tell me hello, grabs my hand when we're at office functions, or pecks me on the cheek for no apparent reason. I notice that her loving words to me are in stark contrast to some of the cutting remarks of other wives...and so do my friends. I look around at the accomplishments of my life, but having this woman as my wife is my greatest. Oh sure, there are many women out there in the world who are accomplishing great feats, but my wife...well, she surpasses them all.

What a picture! That's the woman I want to be, don't you? And amazingly my words can be the determining factor as to whether this scenario is possible or not. Did you know that there are words your husband longs to hear? Did you know that there are words we should never say? Let me give you a few from my book, The Power of a Woman's Words.

Words to Never Say to Your Husband

1. I told you so.

2. You just don't think.

3. It's your fault.

4. What's wrong with you?

5. I can't do anything to please you.

6. All you care about is yourself.

7. You never listen to me.

8. I don't know why I put up with you.

9. What do you want now?

10. How many times do I have to tell you?

Words Your Husband Longs to Hear

1. I've been thinking about you all day.
2. What can I do for you today?
3. How can I pray for you today?
4. The best part of my day is when you come home.
5. You are one of God's most precious gifts to me.
6. You are so wonderful.
7. You look so handsome today.
8. I don't feel complete without you.
9. I will always love you.
10. I trust your decisions.

Today, be aware of the words you say to your husband. Do they build him up or tear him down? Do they make him glad he came home, or wish he hadn't?

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, please keep watch over my lips today. Help me use my words to speak life to those I come in contact with today. Help me use my words to build up and not tear down.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

My First.... ^-^

Dear Diary,

Yesterday was a day that I want to always remember. I am so happy that I can't even describe it in words. So I show you this picture instead. (^-^)

It was my first time I watched the Broadway show, Mary Poppins. It was a really great show. And we were given a questionnaire, in which one of the questions was "Who are you watching this show with?"

I am not sure what the answer should be. But let it just be the way it is. As this happiness is something that I wish to keep until God shows me a clearer way.

Happy Valentine's Day, Diary...!! :)

First day of work after 4/2/2009

Dear Diary,

It's 1/31/2011. I started my part time job which I finally found after about 2 months of searching and struggling in faith. Although I was not supposed to get any paid today, as the 1st day was only a training, but I got $2!!! (from the tips... yay!! ^^) I am happy with this job, and what I earned today. It is a new start for me for my career. Hallelujah!! :))

Seven Steps toward Breaking Destructive Patterns

If you've been dealing with destructive patterns that have been damaging your life for some time, you can start to lose hope that change is even possible for you. Whether you're struggling with an addiction that's harming your health, anxiety that's interfering with your relationships, or some other kind of ongoing problem, after a while it's easy just to settle for life the way it is. But no matter how deeply you've been drawn into destructive patterns, God is ready to help you out so you can move toward a better life. God can give you the power you need to reinvent yourself and start living the life He wants for you.

Here's how you can break destructive patterns in your life and change for the better:

Discover why you want to change. You'll be motivated to change only when you clearly understand the reason why you want to change your life - and your reason is more important to you than any excuses you have for not changing. The most common reasons why people decide to change their lives are: because they're afraid of losing something, because they want to reach a goal, because they've become disgusted by their own behavior, and because they want to grow to become healthier. What's your reason? Ask God to reveal it to you.

Change your perceptions. Admit that the way you've been interpreting your life has been sabotaging your ability to break free of the destructive patterns that are holding you back. Recognize your need for God's help, give Him full access to your heart and mind, and ask Him to begin the process of changing you. Commit yourself to doing whatever God asks you to do during the change process.

Stop the cycle of generational dysfunction. If you don't attend to the dysfunctional patterns that you've inherited from your family, you'll likely repeat them yourself. So break the cycle before it can continue any longer. Start by giving leadership of every part of your life to God. Yield your own will to God's will for you, trusting God to lead you to what's best when you face daily decisions. Deal wisely with temptations to sin. Define in your mind which moral lines you will never cross before you actually encounter them, so you can build up resistance to those particular temptations. Read and memorize Bible verses that you can remember to give you strength whenever you're faced with temptations. Pray for the strength you need to resist any temptation that comes your way. Whenever you interact with loved ones like family members and close friends, pay close attention to your words, feelings, and behavior. Keep in mind that what you say, feel, and do has a significant impact on your loved ones - so ask God to help you interact with them in ways that honor Him and bless them.

Form godly habits. Changing the way you think will change the way you live, so ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind daily. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative, unhealthy thoughts, replace them with thoughts that reflect biblical truth. Spend plenty of time reading the Bible so you'll be able to absorb its truth into your soul and draw upon it in situations where you need to change unhealthy thoughts to healthy ones. Participate in a church to join others regularly to worship, build friendships, and serve others together. Spend time with God often in prayer so you can take on more of His character and develop more of His love for others.

Pursue forgiveness. Don't let bitterness and anger accumulate in your soul; that will poison you spiritually and make you vulnerable to attacks from evil. Instead, decide to obey God's command to forgive other people who have hurt or offended you as God has forgiven you of your own sins. When you decide to forgive, despite your feelings, God will help you through the process, and over time, you'll discover that your feelings toward those who have wronged you will change. Be sure to obey God's call to ask other people to forgive you for the sins you've committed against them, as well, and to honestly confess and repent of those sins before God. Let God carry your burdens and give you power to move on to a healthier life.

Surround yourself with faithful friends. Develop a group of close friends who want what's best for you, and commit to encouraging, supporting, and holding each other accountable as you all grow closer to God. Talk with your friends often, being open and honest about what's going on in your life. Give them permission to ask you regularly about your progress breaking free of destructive patterns and choosing a healthier life. Pray for each other often.

Stay focused. Remain focused on doing what God leads you to do each day to move beyond your past destructive life and build a new, healthier one. Aim to fulfill God's purposes for you every day. Don't become discouraged when your progress seems slow. Continue to follow where God leads you, trusting that when you look back over a span of time, you'll be able to recognize and appreciate His steady and deep transforming work in your life.

One Month to Live - Day 3

1. Keep a journal this week, and jot down how you spend each day. Try to rate your productivity (what you accomplish) along with your contentment (how you experienced each day). How would you rate the cost-effectiveness of how you invested your time?
(Journal - in the purple book.)
I have not yet accomplished much lately, especially now that I don't work. I often times wake up without knowing what to do for the day. But now, I have a goal I have to fulfill this month... the SAS examination! So, may God help me to be effective to use my time and to live to the fullest.
Also, I should call my parents more frequently. I haven't been talking much to them since last year. But there are things that I try to keep myself focus on right now. Please forgive me, Mom and Dad. I always pray for you both everyday.

2. What was the biggest time waster in your past week? What was the payoff for you? Did it distract you, entertain you, allow you to avoid someone? Is there a way to use the time differently and have a greater, more significant impact? Maybe you need to watch less television, and to read more, or perhaps instead of surfing the Internet, you could go for a walk or get some other exercise. Come up with a short list of alternate activities you can pursue the next time you're tempted to waste time by default.
Biggest time waster : FACEBOOK! Thinking too much about other stuff (people, love, etc.)
The payoff: distraction to do what I aim for the day.
Way to use time differently: go to my brother's house to focus more in studying.
Alternative activities: meditate, memorize Bible verse, and pray. Taking a walk outside. Watch a short movie.

3. How would you describe your current season of life? Does it feel like you're buried beneath frozen tundra, emotionally hibernating? Or is it more like spring, with signs of new life in view? What does it mean for you to accept and honor your current season?
Current season of life: emotionally hibernating. Tend to criticize people a lot, and be so negative about myself... :(
To accept and honor my current season: Try to smile all the time. SMILE is the simplest blessing you can give to yourself and others. And it helps you to see the brighter side of the world.

One Month to Live - Day 2

1. If you were certain your life as you know it would end in a few weeks, what would be your biggest regret? Why?
My biggest regret would be not giving my very best effort and love to my family and friends, as I always tend to only look for my own enjoyment and pleasure, without wanting to be really involved with their problems. I have never really cared about anyone but always want everyone to care about me. Yes, selfish! And it is indeed very sad.

2. In what area of your life are you suffering from the Someday Syndrome? Make a decision today never again to use the phrase "someday, when things settle down." Realize that today is your someday!
Someday after I get a job, I want to start sending money to my parents, so that I don't have to work anymore. But, I will start saving a little for them now even though I still have no income yet. $500 a month until I got a job.

3. Instead of a roller coaster, what symbol or metaphor would you choose to describe what your life would look like if you were fully engaged? Try to come up with something as unique as you are. Find a picture of that symbol, place it in a spot where you will see it everyday, and use it as a reminder to live with no regrets.
I am not sure how to describe my life. Definitely not a roller coaster though, since I am not a risk taker, and I always try to think carefully from every aspects before making my decision. If there is a little negative side that I don't think I would be able to take, although if it comes positive later on, I always hang on to it for a long time to be sure that I am fully ready to take all the risks it would take. So, I really have to think about this question, and come back with an answer someday.