School has started and I started with a Blast. I sent two boys out of my room because they did not complete the work I wanted them to do and they rudely wrote me a short notice to inform me on the day of submission that they could not make it. I also tighten up some controls especially with regard to how learning should occur in my classes. I inspired some but sent most home to a wake up call about their attitude towards learning.
I also sat down and spoke to my class about how they should learn especially when the going gets tough. I was so tired at the end of the day that I slept early.
The next day I was ready for the brand new day only to be confronted by a very unhappy colleague. I went through the day working on some issues that were raised. I gathered my thoughts at the end of the day and concluded that anyone who allows bitterness to stay in their lives is truely unwise. I told myself I must forgive and work on forgetting so that my life can go on.
Included in this blog is a lecture by Dr Randy Pausch. He is dying with pancreatic cancer, one of the most painful deaths to go. But you can tell from his last lecture that he shows no signs of hatred, anger or sadness. He was honest to admit he would cry when he would talk about his three children and his wife but he bravely finished talking about his life. So if you have the time, please look at this video. Thanks to Joshua for sharing, if not I would not know what to write and how to write what I am about to write.
You see there are many things we can be bitter about. This week, I was rather unhappy with some people. But I was only angry. When I saw how my colleague allowed bitterness to overcome his life, I let go. The quicker the better because if I were to allow the bitter worm to stay in my system, it would eat me away. What happened shook me. Not that the colleague yelled at me. But the fact that he is no even aware that the worm is already in his gall and is chewing away. You see the liver will malfunction if we harbour any hatred or bitterness. The anger that cannot subside will cause us to have poor sleep. This in turn will affect the liver and over time develop a cancerous liver. So let go of the anger.
We may be angry with the teacher who so unreasonably blamed us for things we didn't really do. So be angry for the day. The bible teaches that we can be angry only for the day and when night falls, to let go. The secret to a long life is to be able to forgive.
I don't forgive easily. I work on this often. I have now learn to give God the person who offended me and let Him in His time deal with the person.
Some one once said that my prayers are like curses. I thought about how I prayed. Like for instance I could pray a terrible prayer of anger. I could call God to give this person no peace. Then I realized God is a God of peace. How can He give unrest. He wants us to REST in Him. So now I think about the nature of God when I pray. I pray the person who offended me to be given more love. I asked the Lord to envelope this person with the Love of God and love for people. This then makes sense. When you cannot forgive, tell the Lord to help you forgive. Because He is a God of Love, He will know how to do it.
I hope this sharing is sensible because I think I need to sleep soon.
Have another great week.2 down and 8 to go! Yeah!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Pipit Road and Singapore General Hospital
When I was in Beijing, one of my project groups was busy working at Pipit Road. I managed to convince them that their help is greatly needed by the residents in this low income housing district. The Lord kept them while I was away. I had a very dedicated team formed by strong student leaders with a brain and a heart.
I took a trip with them to check out the centre we are serving. Pipit Road is the area I used to grow up as a child. I know the area very well, inside out, right in my hands, you would say. Joey and Suet Fong briefed us before getting into the homes. They work for the Moral Home located in one of the blocks at Pipit Road.The first home I walked into has an older woman of about 65 with two children, a 40 year old man with a heart bypass and a 30 something woman who speaks only with dolls. Yes, you guessed it. The children were both retarded. I chatted up a storm with the young man who is named Tian Fu (added blessing or blessing from heaven). What an irony! But the mother loved and protected him despite the fact that he is mentally challenged. She is a simple old lady who kept her house with as little things as possible. All three of them had to share two boxes of rice with a vegetable and a meat dish. Hardly enough for three.
The next home was a single old lady who was widowed at forty. She is 79 and lives rather happily. Almost all of them are afraid to die without anyone knowing. They talked about how one older man died in his apartment and it was only a week later they found him dead. The stench was what alerted the neighbours. It is very common now in Singapore to have old folks who are single who passed on without being noticed. So check on your lonely seniors. If you like to call up and chat, chat with your older folks. We may just be covered with dust and cobwebs.
All the homes we visited wanted us to give them food. Some were really picky. No meat, no noodles and only rice. We have to think about how to help. Then I noticed that what is needed is also washing detergent. One home we went to had a young son of 18 years old. He doesn't know how to clean the sink. I cleaned it for him. I like my sinks clean and shiny.
My students were rather amused as I chatted with the residents. I was rather at ease with them and I felt really good to be able to reach out. This skill comes from my training in my previous church. As a teenager, I was involved in many of the evangelistic outreaches the church had. I used to knock on doors to get people to read a tract or find anyone who wanted to hear about the gospel. I spoke dialects and I am so happy I still have it in me to do it. Very grateful indeed. So you never know if what you learned before will come in useful later. Therefore learn when opportunities lend themselves to you. Now I need wisdom to know how to help these people more effectively.
On Saturday, I went to the SGH to visit an ex student's mother. She has a similar gall bladder problem. It is also the same period of time that I walked through those doors. Everything rushed back. I remember the escalator up to the bridge but today the entire escalator was gone. The slope I had to climb each day to go visit mum was always very tiring and it still is.
I understand what the family is going through. And there are no words for them this time. We are still not sure what is wrong with the mother. But I know God is good. He always is. He is holding them together and bringing people in to support. Last evening we prayed around the mother. We covered her with God's precious blood.
Interestingly, my colleague shared about an incident with me. He was telling me that another colleague prayed for him because he complained about his health. This other colleague is a devote buddhist. He started his chants to pray for Vincent. But each time when this colleague prayed for Vincent, he has visions of someone pouring water on his chants and snuffed out his prayers. Both Vincent and I are convinced that the Lord protected him. So wherever you go, pray for God's precious blood to be upon you. You never know what spiritual warfare we fight and when we fight them. One thing is for sure, God wants us not to take things for granted and He wants to give us good things. Things that will not harm but will enrich our lives and eternity to come. So pray for God's protection! It is free.
Our God is an awesome God. Another 13 weeks or so and the term ends. I look forward to the end.
Have a good week.
I took a trip with them to check out the centre we are serving. Pipit Road is the area I used to grow up as a child. I know the area very well, inside out, right in my hands, you would say. Joey and Suet Fong briefed us before getting into the homes. They work for the Moral Home located in one of the blocks at Pipit Road.The first home I walked into has an older woman of about 65 with two children, a 40 year old man with a heart bypass and a 30 something woman who speaks only with dolls. Yes, you guessed it. The children were both retarded. I chatted up a storm with the young man who is named Tian Fu (added blessing or blessing from heaven). What an irony! But the mother loved and protected him despite the fact that he is mentally challenged. She is a simple old lady who kept her house with as little things as possible. All three of them had to share two boxes of rice with a vegetable and a meat dish. Hardly enough for three.
The next home was a single old lady who was widowed at forty. She is 79 and lives rather happily. Almost all of them are afraid to die without anyone knowing. They talked about how one older man died in his apartment and it was only a week later they found him dead. The stench was what alerted the neighbours. It is very common now in Singapore to have old folks who are single who passed on without being noticed. So check on your lonely seniors. If you like to call up and chat, chat with your older folks. We may just be covered with dust and cobwebs.
All the homes we visited wanted us to give them food. Some were really picky. No meat, no noodles and only rice. We have to think about how to help. Then I noticed that what is needed is also washing detergent. One home we went to had a young son of 18 years old. He doesn't know how to clean the sink. I cleaned it for him. I like my sinks clean and shiny.
My students were rather amused as I chatted with the residents. I was rather at ease with them and I felt really good to be able to reach out. This skill comes from my training in my previous church. As a teenager, I was involved in many of the evangelistic outreaches the church had. I used to knock on doors to get people to read a tract or find anyone who wanted to hear about the gospel. I spoke dialects and I am so happy I still have it in me to do it. Very grateful indeed. So you never know if what you learned before will come in useful later. Therefore learn when opportunities lend themselves to you. Now I need wisdom to know how to help these people more effectively.
On Saturday, I went to the SGH to visit an ex student's mother. She has a similar gall bladder problem. It is also the same period of time that I walked through those doors. Everything rushed back. I remember the escalator up to the bridge but today the entire escalator was gone. The slope I had to climb each day to go visit mum was always very tiring and it still is.
I understand what the family is going through. And there are no words for them this time. We are still not sure what is wrong with the mother. But I know God is good. He always is. He is holding them together and bringing people in to support. Last evening we prayed around the mother. We covered her with God's precious blood.
Interestingly, my colleague shared about an incident with me. He was telling me that another colleague prayed for him because he complained about his health. This other colleague is a devote buddhist. He started his chants to pray for Vincent. But each time when this colleague prayed for Vincent, he has visions of someone pouring water on his chants and snuffed out his prayers. Both Vincent and I are convinced that the Lord protected him. So wherever you go, pray for God's precious blood to be upon you. You never know what spiritual warfare we fight and when we fight them. One thing is for sure, God wants us not to take things for granted and He wants to give us good things. Things that will not harm but will enrich our lives and eternity to come. So pray for God's protection! It is free.
Our God is an awesome God. Another 13 weeks or so and the term ends. I look forward to the end.
Have a good week.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
China is going GREEN!
Believe it. China is going green and seriously so. I was in Guangzhou and I was totally impressed. The shops won't give you any plastic bags with your purchase. You have to pay for your bags. Now it is not just Wednesday that they do that. It is everyday of the week and for the rest of the year that they are doing that. I bought three books and this was all I got to bring home in.Yup no bags at all. I kind of like the idea very much and I am consciously not using any plastic bags.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Home for a while...
Upon the request of my friends, I have decided to make the font size bigger. I was home two days ago from Hong Kong. The trip was exhausting. I went to three places and I totally exhausted my dad. He lost 2kg. He has not travelled for many years and many things have changed and he was finding it difficult to adjust.
He was glad to be home to his room and the familiar setting. I went with him to visit relatives and friends and so I met a lot of elderly folks. Everyday is dim sum. I got rather tired of eating the food in all the places. Don't get me wrong. The food was good. It is just that I got tired of eating. Even when my cousin whipped up the best meal, I didn't think I enjoyed eating. Is there such a thing as getting tired of eating? If you asked me what I want to eat, I will tell you nothing. And that is true.
I am kind of happy to be able to be home for a while. There are things I need to do. There was much mail waiting for me to check and frankly I am too tired to read them all. Perhaps tomorrow.
Recently, I have been thinking about quitting teaching. And the thought is becoming rather serious. I am rather tired of teaching and for so many years in teaching, this is the first time I find no reason to teach. There is something else I want to do but I don't know what it is.
I told Joshua I wanted to quit when I got back from Beijing and he asked me what I would do for a living. I told him I just want to bum around for a while and do nothing.
Doing nothing can be great for those of us who have been doing too much. I am getting tired of telling people what to do and how to do it. I need to sit down and do nothing! What say you? You can't say anything because I have removed the tag box due to one very inconsiderate student. He adds to the reason why teaching is not for me anymore.
May be not here in Singapore. I think Singapore students are bright. Too smart for their own good. If they could only listen to wisdom from the elders (aka their parents and their parents parents) then they will live better and wiser. Unfortunately, the world is now full of independent people who believe in totally relying on themselves. But all of us have forgotten that we are interdependent. Right from the start, as a babe, the human race is an interdependent race. Without others, we are nothing. Often times we think we work better when we are alone. Yes to some extent and depending on situation, this may be true. However, often times, we work together.
Just realized that I have one more week before the term starts! My poor students were so busy camping in and out of their ears. I wonder if they have time to visit with their families like I did. I hope they do because at the end of the day, when all forsake us, the family is still around for us to hang on to.
Will post some pictures later. Now to do my laundry.
He was glad to be home to his room and the familiar setting. I went with him to visit relatives and friends and so I met a lot of elderly folks. Everyday is dim sum. I got rather tired of eating the food in all the places. Don't get me wrong. The food was good. It is just that I got tired of eating. Even when my cousin whipped up the best meal, I didn't think I enjoyed eating. Is there such a thing as getting tired of eating? If you asked me what I want to eat, I will tell you nothing. And that is true.
I am kind of happy to be able to be home for a while. There are things I need to do. There was much mail waiting for me to check and frankly I am too tired to read them all. Perhaps tomorrow.
Recently, I have been thinking about quitting teaching. And the thought is becoming rather serious. I am rather tired of teaching and for so many years in teaching, this is the first time I find no reason to teach. There is something else I want to do but I don't know what it is.
I told Joshua I wanted to quit when I got back from Beijing and he asked me what I would do for a living. I told him I just want to bum around for a while and do nothing.
Doing nothing can be great for those of us who have been doing too much. I am getting tired of telling people what to do and how to do it. I need to sit down and do nothing! What say you? You can't say anything because I have removed the tag box due to one very inconsiderate student. He adds to the reason why teaching is not for me anymore.
May be not here in Singapore. I think Singapore students are bright. Too smart for their own good. If they could only listen to wisdom from the elders (aka their parents and their parents parents) then they will live better and wiser. Unfortunately, the world is now full of independent people who believe in totally relying on themselves. But all of us have forgotten that we are interdependent. Right from the start, as a babe, the human race is an interdependent race. Without others, we are nothing. Often times we think we work better when we are alone. Yes to some extent and depending on situation, this may be true. However, often times, we work together.
Just realized that I have one more week before the term starts! My poor students were so busy camping in and out of their ears. I wonder if they have time to visit with their families like I did. I hope they do because at the end of the day, when all forsake us, the family is still around for us to hang on to.
Will post some pictures later. Now to do my laundry.
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