"船到桥头自然直" (Chuan2 dao4 qiao2 tou2 zhi4 ran2 zhi2).
Its meaning is similar to "God will provide" or "Everything will be fine at the end".
船到桥头自然直
Sunday, January 6, 2013
I just found this old Chinese saying from a blog that I follow.
"船到桥头自然直" (Chuan2 dao4 qiao2 tou2 zhi4 ran2 zhi2).
Its meaning is similar to "God will provide" or "Everything will be fine at the end".
"船到桥头自然直" (Chuan2 dao4 qiao2 tou2 zhi4 ran2 zhi2).
Its meaning is similar to "God will provide" or "Everything will be fine at the end".
Parking Ticket
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Yes, I got a parking ticket! (T_T) Something I definitely don't feel proud about. Every time I see an orange envelop on my windchill, my heart sinks. The feeling of anger, hurt, sad are all mixed together. I don't know how I should react in a couple of minutes, since I've got this so many times. :(
Here are when I got the tickets (that I could remember so far)
- Parking without paying the meter (thought it was free on that day)
- Double parking (tho it was only for 10 seconds)
- Parking too close to the hydrant (this is the most reason I get the ticket)
- Parking in "No Parking" area (only certain vehicles allowed)
- Forgot to move the car when it's time for street cleaning
- Forgot to feed the meter (I might not get this one, but don't quite remember)
- Talking on the phone while driving
- Not making a full stop on a "STOP" sign (it's my brother)
- Blocking pedestrian way
But what should I do to not ever get a ticket again? It is the worst and most stupid way of wasting our money. And I want to learn my lesson, and not to get anymore ticket, if possible for the rest of my life.
So this is what I have learned so far. When I got a ticket, I was usually:
- in rush
- too tired to look for other safer place to park, and thinking it should be okay, which is it SHOULD NOT!
- thinking that lots of others do the same, and I never see a ticket on those cars. (very unwise!)
- getting caught up with something and forgot when it's time to feed the meter or move the car (should get a reminder all the time!)
- driving angrily (this can cause other worse things to happen than just a ticket, so better be grateful if you just got a ticket because of this. So, got to try to release your anger first before you start driving. Here I say "try" because I know it is almost impossible to let out an anger in a calm way in just a few minutes. But when you try, you will at least have some consciousness left in you to keep you drive safely.)
Therefore, to avoid all those things, it is always better to:
- learn to manage the time wisely
- be ready in your heart to park further
- don't be greedy to want the closest parking spot to your destination. Be grateful that you still have legs to walk without any problem.
- don't look at others who don't get a ticket when they violate the rules. It is for God to judge, and we should never put God to test.
- ALWAYS pray before we start moving the wheel. It is only by HIS grace we are what we are, and we have what we have. For we often violate HIS law, and He is so forgiving to us. But we always have to remind our heart to obey HIM and may HE, himself, guides and provides us with wisdom and heart to drive responsibly.
Thank you Lord for all these tickets. So many times I have violated Your laws, but You are still so merciful to me. Please guide my heart to obedience to YOU that I may always drive safely and responsibly, and even when I park. In Jesus' name, Amen!
Here are when I got the tickets (that I could remember so far)
- Parking without paying the meter (thought it was free on that day)
- Double parking (tho it was only for 10 seconds)
- Parking too close to the hydrant (this is the most reason I get the ticket)
- Parking in "No Parking" area (only certain vehicles allowed)
- Forgot to move the car when it's time for street cleaning
- Forgot to feed the meter (I might not get this one, but don't quite remember)
- Talking on the phone while driving
- Not making a full stop on a "STOP" sign (it's my brother)
- Blocking pedestrian way
But what should I do to not ever get a ticket again? It is the worst and most stupid way of wasting our money. And I want to learn my lesson, and not to get anymore ticket, if possible for the rest of my life.
So this is what I have learned so far. When I got a ticket, I was usually:
- in rush
- too tired to look for other safer place to park, and thinking it should be okay, which is it SHOULD NOT!
- thinking that lots of others do the same, and I never see a ticket on those cars. (very unwise!)
- getting caught up with something and forgot when it's time to feed the meter or move the car (should get a reminder all the time!)
- driving angrily (this can cause other worse things to happen than just a ticket, so better be grateful if you just got a ticket because of this. So, got to try to release your anger first before you start driving. Here I say "try" because I know it is almost impossible to let out an anger in a calm way in just a few minutes. But when you try, you will at least have some consciousness left in you to keep you drive safely.)
Therefore, to avoid all those things, it is always better to:
- learn to manage the time wisely
- be ready in your heart to park further
- don't be greedy to want the closest parking spot to your destination. Be grateful that you still have legs to walk without any problem.
- don't look at others who don't get a ticket when they violate the rules. It is for God to judge, and we should never put God to test.
- ALWAYS pray before we start moving the wheel. It is only by HIS grace we are what we are, and we have what we have. For we often violate HIS law, and He is so forgiving to us. But we always have to remind our heart to obey HIM and may HE, himself, guides and provides us with wisdom and heart to drive responsibly.
Thank you Lord for all these tickets. So many times I have violated Your laws, but You are still so merciful to me. Please guide my heart to obedience to YOU that I may always drive safely and responsibly, and even when I park. In Jesus' name, Amen!
About writing
Friday, January 4, 2013
Do you think it is easy to write? I find it very time consuming to write just a short one. Although I knew what I wanted to write. But once I wrote it on the first sentence, then I am out of words. I didn't know what to write anymore. And yet, I am still eager to express more, as I hope writing will somehow help me sort my thoughts and feeling.
Thinking back to my school years, I found writing was one of my favorite works to do. I could write so much without much difficulties.
When I got into college, it wasn't as easy as it's used to be. It is probably because I had to write in a language I was not familiar with, since my English ability was very, very limited. But now, I am more familiar with English (I supposed), and yet I am facing another obstacle. I never write as much as I used to anymore. At least, when I was in school / college, I was assigned to write in a regular basis, which left me no choice but WRITE, WRITE, and WRITE! However, the situation is different. I am done with all those stressful assignments, and wish not to have it again. It is not because it was difficult. It is because of the pressure, especially in writing class. The topic was not so easy for me to grasp. It could be the culture differences that I hadn't yet fully adapted. So, sometimes I had to cheat a little bit, by googling here and there, sometimes just to get the a more understanding and ideas, but sometimes also for the wordings. Big thanks to my professors, who were so understanding, and let me pass with a "B".
Now time has passed. I didn't have to go thru the hardship of passing those writing classes again. I now could write freely. And as my English has surely improved by the longer I am now in the US, plus I must communicate with my closest beloved one in English, it should be easier for me. But I guess it is not the case. So, what is it then? It is about expressing my thought and feeling.
When I think of something I don't know what the answer is, I'd like to put it into writing. Hoping my finger would just keep writing with my mind wondering, trying to find the solution. But does it work that way? Yes, if I write right away what I have in mind. But often, the thoughts come when I am nowhere that I could write, such as when I was in conversation with someone. It is certainly impolite to excuse myself, ignore the other person whom I am talking to, and just do my writing. I had to wait a little bit until the opportunity comes. And when it comes, the writing desire's gone. How should I cope with this then?
I think it will be half of self desire in the area of topics, and half of it is the writing method I have learned during my school and college years.
Step 1: Write down in a very brief sentence on a piece of paper, or on the phone, or even on the palm as soon as you know what you would like to write about. It could be a question, a disagreement, or even a process of things that should be put down in writing as a reminder for future needs.
Step 2: Bring up all the reasons that bring up this particular topic.
Step 3: Start writing as soon as you can. It is not about how much you write. But how much you understand of your own writing, that others may understand it as well.
Okay, it is now pretty clear to me. Even though I am not sure if I would be able to even do the first step to start my writing habit. But I will give it a try, and do my very best for the sake of my future self.
(Yes, you can do it!! ^-^v)
Thinking back to my school years, I found writing was one of my favorite works to do. I could write so much without much difficulties.
When I got into college, it wasn't as easy as it's used to be. It is probably because I had to write in a language I was not familiar with, since my English ability was very, very limited. But now, I am more familiar with English (I supposed), and yet I am facing another obstacle. I never write as much as I used to anymore. At least, when I was in school / college, I was assigned to write in a regular basis, which left me no choice but WRITE, WRITE, and WRITE! However, the situation is different. I am done with all those stressful assignments, and wish not to have it again. It is not because it was difficult. It is because of the pressure, especially in writing class. The topic was not so easy for me to grasp. It could be the culture differences that I hadn't yet fully adapted. So, sometimes I had to cheat a little bit, by googling here and there, sometimes just to get the a more understanding and ideas, but sometimes also for the wordings. Big thanks to my professors, who were so understanding, and let me pass with a "B".
Now time has passed. I didn't have to go thru the hardship of passing those writing classes again. I now could write freely. And as my English has surely improved by the longer I am now in the US, plus I must communicate with my closest beloved one in English, it should be easier for me. But I guess it is not the case. So, what is it then? It is about expressing my thought and feeling.
When I think of something I don't know what the answer is, I'd like to put it into writing. Hoping my finger would just keep writing with my mind wondering, trying to find the solution. But does it work that way? Yes, if I write right away what I have in mind. But often, the thoughts come when I am nowhere that I could write, such as when I was in conversation with someone. It is certainly impolite to excuse myself, ignore the other person whom I am talking to, and just do my writing. I had to wait a little bit until the opportunity comes. And when it comes, the writing desire's gone. How should I cope with this then?
I think it will be half of self desire in the area of topics, and half of it is the writing method I have learned during my school and college years.
Step 1: Write down in a very brief sentence on a piece of paper, or on the phone, or even on the palm as soon as you know what you would like to write about. It could be a question, a disagreement, or even a process of things that should be put down in writing as a reminder for future needs.
Step 2: Bring up all the reasons that bring up this particular topic.
Step 3: Start writing as soon as you can. It is not about how much you write. But how much you understand of your own writing, that others may understand it as well.
Okay, it is now pretty clear to me. Even though I am not sure if I would be able to even do the first step to start my writing habit. But I will give it a try, and do my very best for the sake of my future self.
(Yes, you can do it!! ^-^v)
Living a Holy Life
When
do we usually think of God? When we are at Church or on the street? When we are
in deep distress or great happiness? When we have to make an important
decision? Regardless of what brings our hearts and minds to Him, have we valued
God as we should in our lives? As the Bible tells us and Rev. Lin reminds us every
Sunday that the greatest commandment of the Law is to “…Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) Surely this is not an easy task
for anyChristian to carry, for I have learned that to love God, the One and
Only, is the hardest of all. Some people
try to apply this by praying and asking God before making their decision in
every single thing they do. Does it mean that in that way they love God
entirely? Or should we just go with the flow, live our lives happily, do “good”
to others, and believe that God is with us? I find myself often thinking and
struggling what the right way is to live in Him, thru Him and for Him alone,
our merciful and gracious Lord.
When
I open my eyes in the morning, I say to God “Good Morning, Lord!” Then, often
times, my eyes close again. While my
mind is still numb, and I am still lying comfortably under my blanket, wishing
to sleep for a little more, which I usually do, I end up getting up later than
I planned. When I regain consciousness, I start to remember things I have to do
that day. I become hurried and anxious if I am not able to fulfill my tasks
that day. But how about prayer?And spending some time with God as the very
first priority to start the day? Do I have to? When this question comes to me,
a couple of times, I found myself bargaining with God, asking God for His mercy
and understanding. Since I am in a rush to work or run some errands, I can pray
while I am brushing my teeth, right? Or when I am waiting for the bus/subway to
come, isn’t it the same? And isn’t that way actually more efficient too? Isn’t
prayer a communication just between your heart/soul and God? Then, does it make
any difference if I pray by kneeling down, or lying on my bed? For Mother
Teresa also said, “You can pray anytime,
anywhere. You can pray at work – work does not have to stop prayer and prayer
does not have to stop work.” And the
Bible says that God loves me unconditionally, so He will always be with me no
matter what is going to happen later that day. Will my prayer effect God’s
will? If I pray seriously, ask God for His blessing that day, doesn’t it just
show that I lack faith? So, would it be better off to just start work
immediately, pray alongside or in between, when something comes up and just pray
for His guidance for that particular thing? Since whenever I spend devotional
time in the morning, I often just ask Him the same thing, with almost the same
words. It feels more like a ritual rather than real communication with God.
Also, as a human being, I will never be able to avoid sinning even though I
always pray for God’s guidance to keep me away from temptation. So, what is the
use of prayer in the morning to start the day then? Asking God for a smooth
life? These questions kept going on. And I believe you could guess which way I
chose that day. Yes, I gave up praying
and just walked out of the house. That day went on pretty smoothly, nothing bad
happened. But then my heart somehow did not feel right. There was no joy or
peace, though I tried to smile. I became frustrated easily and angry at things
that should not matter at all. Then I realized I didn’t walk with God that day,
and had expected God to walk with me instead. I could plan my activities very
carefully with my backup plans all prepared, but life is not as it seems. I
have learned that it is only by giving up our lives to the Lord that we may
gain the true happiness in Him; achieve real success in life.But often we only
ask God to give us what we want and neglect to give Him what He wants. Then, I
understand how important it is to spend time alone with God, in prayer and
reading His word to start the day. It is not to seek a good life according to
our perspectives, but to walk with the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John
14:6). No one knows what will happen an hour from now. But He has showed us
what is good, that we may act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.
(Micah 6:8) Morning prayer is just like presenting ourselves before the King
for His guidance to lead us in what we should do that what we do may bring
glory to His name. It may take only 15 or 30 minutes for some people, some may
need much longer time to seriously seek His will in us. So, when I read Micah
6:8 again, I realized that all the questions that I brought up earlier, trying
to reason with God about prayer, was very selfish of me. I was being
disrespectful to God.
Often
when I pray, once I say “Father in heaven…”,then I find myself in silence for some time since
I do not know what to say or to ask. I am not someone who is very good with
words, especially in the morning. And I am still struggling to fully trust
Him. But God knows me by name. He
perceives my thoughts from afar. And before a word is on my tongue, He knows it
completely (Psalms 139). Though my prayer only contains silence, God sees what
is deep inside my heart. That moment is the time when God opens my heart, to
guide me, strengthen me with His love “For
I know the plans I have for you, “ declares the Lord “plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon
me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find
me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13) Therefore,
there is no excuse for me to not spend time to read the Bible and pray every
day, morning and night, no matter how busy, or exhausted I am. It is not a
waste of time by just kneeling down and having a silent
moment with God. It is the first step
that I can take to love Him and to trust Him. God knows everything we need,
such as rest, food, love, understanding, etc., so “…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will
be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
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