Posted in December 2011 …

Dec 30 2011
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day to day

farewell 2011

Today is the last working day in 2011 for me and I guess for many of you guys also. Isn’t it amazing that we can feel like there is a new start when actually the sun will rise and set just exactly the same way it has always been? It’s just us – our mind and perception that we feel we can restart all over. And it’s because of this very will power, we can actually make things change and transform. If you are willing to open up and God will help you all the way as long as that is according to His will. Why don’t we make good use of this chance when a year is ending and renew our thinking and covenant God has granted all of you, everyone is the same. We are all created equal as God has given us the very special gift to each one of us. What is that very thing you want to achieve, say it now and pray for it – if that matches God’s will, you will get it.

Peace be with you all in 2012 and may you open up to let God’s spirit, grace and love enter you and exalt with you!

Daily Quote
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
John 14:1-3

I pray to God I will now speak to Him and tell Him my new hopes and He would bring me high.

Postscript Quote
Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.
Eskimo Proverb

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Dec 29 2011
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after thought

obsession

Chatting with colleagues over lunch about the recent chaos Michael Jordan’s new Air Jordan Retro XI shoes has brought world-wide. The news headline says “New Air Jordans still incite shoppers violence 9 years after players’ retirement”. The news is simply amazing that we can see how crazy people can be about a sportsman, how insane people go after an object at the expense they would step on a child or leaving their own children locked in the car unattended, they would fire gunshot to get a pair of shoes, they would wait night and day in a line and paying more than 5 times the marked price. It’s not just about the monetary profit that people could make out of the transaction, one colleague mentioned he would still collect sneakers and I had another guy colleague friend where he stocked over hundreds of figurines (each around 10cm high) at the office where actually our office is a cubicle set up. His desk is a scene when you walk from afar and he would cramp his big body in the seat barely moving his mouse using the computer. Object obsession is everywhere for both men and women, I guess all these passionistas of items are to certain extent insecure about themselves and need ownership of things to feel their feet on the ground. Yesterday I mentioned about simplifying our lives and today I thought of how attaching ourselves to items or things could impact on us, I wonder if Jesus during his life time on earth has a lot to carry with him at home, on the road, or to wherever he preaches. I don’t think He has anything further other than His sandals, His cloak, or a few books maybe? But He is the greatest – anything we could infer from here and learn?

Daily Quote
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

I pray to God I will live Him in my heart and bring them into actions.

Postscript Quote
Possessions are usually diminished by possession.
Friedrich Nietzsche

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Dec 28 2011
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day to day

move faster to find Him

Hope you all had a good break, I just got back to work and notice my boss has done a major studio sweep and discarded loads of things and reorganized stuff for the sake of making work life more systematic. I happened to be doing something similar home over the break and removed lots of things untouched over the years. It’s like doing a detox or weight losing program for ourselves – when you have less with you, you move faster. This echoes an initiative created by founder of treehugger Graham Hill that we need to have less stuff and live in smaller spaces, like the 420sf apartment (USA standard!!). In his website, www.lifeEdited.com we can learn more about this idea as we always think we have inadequate to work with. The core idea is what if we could save money, radically reduce our environmental impact, and have a freer, less complicated life? This mindset fits perfectly for a truly Christian life in that we would simplify ourselves to follow Jesus. We need to remove clutter of our minds to stay focused on what God has wanted us to achieve and walk, we need to remember that earthly baggage will slow us down in seeking to improve our relationship with God. Our security does not rely on ownership of material matters and earthly relationship with people around us, it’s in our heart and based on the love God has for us.

Daily Quote
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Hebrews 12:1-2

I pray to God that I will simplify to follow Him.

Postscript Quote
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
Confucius 

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Dec 26 2011
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after thought, charity

she is 106 year old

It’s so rare I send this out at night, almost the 1st time! Hope you all had a good Christmas time. Besides some good time out with friends and families, I spent some time visiting elderly again. This is quite different from what I usually do as I was joining my church to pay a visit at a congregated elderly home! We dressed in Christmas costume and sang Christmas songs, performed magic show, got kids to cheer the old folks and we each spent some moments chatting with each of them. Click here to see photos. One of them is 106 years old – and she can hear clearly what I said to her and she said she is very grateful for the time we spent with them. They smiled and showed me their sweetest smile and I told them they are all pretty and they smiled more! God has given me one of the best time as I have make someone’s else life happier especially those who are walking their last phase.

Daily Quote
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
Luke 2:28 – 32

I pray to God that we will shine on others’ lives just like how God has shone upon us.

Postscript Quote
Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.  It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.
Taken from P.S. I love you.

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Dec 23 2011
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Christianity

joy to the world

It’s finally coming so close to Christmas – the very important date that we all gather together to show appreciation for the things you have, for the things God has created us. So many times we celebrate birthday of our friends and family and now it has come to that very moment, that it’s the birth of our creator, our Lord and our Jesus Christ. Please spend a moment in the midst of such festive and busy season, you spend that very silent moments to think of what He wants you to be, and what you want yourself to be – to think further what that driving force of your life is and He would help you. It’s a time to get emotional and stay hopeful. It’s a wonderful thing that throughout our lives, we are given a cycle that runs on and almost ‘restart’ every 366th day. And we can pick ourselves up and gather that courage to start all over again. It’s a magical thing we are given incessant opportunities and you just have to live that up and tell Him you will shine and you will fly! Have a very warm and peaceful Christmas. Joy to the world the Lord has come!

Daily Quote
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Luke 2:8-11

I pray to God that I will remember that He arrives to this world for all of us!

Postscript Quote
Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.
Larry Wilde

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Dec 22 2011
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culture, retro

antiques for sale

I was rushing for last minute Christmas shopping yesterday lunch as my studio has a secret Santa presents exchange today! I have only an hour around my hood to find the very gift! Sheung Wan has always been a very interesting district, it’s so old where you can find salted fish, salted squid, tea leaves, woks, things related to temple to the most hip restaurant, exclusive serviced apartments, futuristic galleries to the best little cafe at an unnoticeable corner of the street. It has all the character you want to see, almost like Green Street in NYC. I found my gift and dashing back to the office but on my way, suddenly some interesting handwriting caught my eye, it says “Antique Types for Sale”, and beneath all different bundled metal cast of different letter and symbols or numerals. It’s amazing and I quickly squatted and looked carefully at each of them. Click here to see photos I took. It’s antique and I have never seen them in real before, I only read about them. And the old man explained to me what they are and how rare they are. I bought one set for my boss as she loves typesetting and typography. And these things called sort is the spirit of typography. Without these metal cast, we could never put together printed matter and publish them for everyone’s reading. When we look at our lives carefully, we would be so appreciative of things that happened in history as they give rise to what we have right now. There are things that God has prepared us that we won’t see or appreciate immediately, just like what I saw yesterday about these types, if I did not choose this studio to work at before, I would never be able to appreciate history the way I am right now. When you look back, things and stories fall in place strangely or peculiarly the way it seems like it’s all under an agenda, and God is that creator of our lives’ agenda. Just 9 more days to go to count down for another year, start counting your blessings and see how much you have achieved this year!

Daily Quote
This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
Matthew 11:10

I pray to God that I will stay appreciative of all things He has given me, bad or good, as all those prepare me in receiving the bigger things in life later on.

Postscript Quote
People only see what they are prepared to see.
Ralph Waldo

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Dec 21 2011
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day to day

what it takes to persist

Recently I have been obsessed with watching TED – the global conference which holds the mission of “ideas worth spreading” and people from different discipline would speak about things they believe worth spreading. I have been watching many many conferences now and people are just amazing, and you would feel so tiny while you watch what they were just saying in a simple 10 or 15 minutes what they do for life. One lady who is currently creator large enormous size art exhibit worldwide, told the audience she was rejected 7 times getting into 7 art schools and thereafter, she just started to draw on her own for 10 years continuously, and then she went around traveling and finding inspiration for things she aspire to produce. A lot of times, we are told by the society, family or close peers different things in our lives like what you should study, what you should do for profession, who you should not hang out with, who you should not consider to marry, what you are good at, what you are bad in etc. People just like to comment on other people’s lives and we ultimately got really confused and lost. If we can just hold on to just that little faith that Jesus has in God when he has to take up the cross on the road, just like Abraham when being asked to surrender his son Issac to God, just like Mary believing there is God and being the virgin mother is a holy mission, they all truly believe in what is righteous to do and thus persist. How amazing faith is and if you are lacking that faith or you are wanting more, you need to pray for that.

Daily Quote
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
Romans 3:22

I pray to God that I will hold onto the faith I have in Him and He would give me strength and power to persevere.

Postscript Quote
Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.
Kahlil Gibran

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Dec 20 2011
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charity

wintry warmth to our friends

I managed to visit some elderly people this last Sunday and it has been a while since I last do that due to non matching schedule. I have brought with me some young friends who are like early 20s and they are amazing, they have spent their energy making the elderly feel amused. And the elderly laughed quite a bit disregard they wept when they described how lonely they could get after the volunteers leave them at night and they are left with four cold walls, and their dysfunctioning limbs which could not even allow them to reach to the bathroom at night. And their own children for many reasons could not live with them. However, at the same time they would share with us what they did when they were young, this old lady we visited told us all her life wisdom about people what we need to look into when we make friends with people. She told us clearly that money does not matter but our ethics and integrity. Her lesson makes such a difference to my young friends because they don’t get to see old people often as their grand parents are not around. After the visit, I briefly asked my little friends how they feel, they told me it’s super meaningful and they love the experience, as they could have spent the time elsewhere just hanging around, movie, shopping, or just chilling out, but what they did was extremely useful and they brought hope to someone else, someone who feels neglected and someone who lost hope in the world. These people are almost without family and they are widows, and I feel the obligation to make them feel loved just like God has taught us to do.  Please take a look at the photo here I took with the elderly, you can see how much we mean to her that very day!

Daily Quote
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27

I pray to God that I won’t only look after my personal needs but other people’s needs as well.

Postscript Quote
When we’re young we have faith in what is seen, but when we’re old we know that what is seen is traced in air and built on water.
Maxwell Anderson

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Dec 19 2011
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Uncategorized

between the lines

It was my privilege to attend the sending ceremony of my good friend, mentor and ex-boss who is heading to India Kolkata this coming January for three years. It’s amazing her initiative and the situation of the church as I have not been to a Catholic church for ages as I went to a Catholic school from kindergarten through secondary school but never go to one after year 18. Something interesting or mind-provoking about yesterday’s experience was actually my chat with one of the church goer yesterday. I was sitting next to a regular goer in the church and I started to chat with her asking her the procedure and things about the church. When she realizes I am actually the friend of the person whom the church is sending to India, and she also asks me some questions about my friend. I told her I do go to church but my church’s physical form is not really a ‘church’ but we are a church located in a commercial building where we worship together coz it’s a Christian community. Then she looked at me with some curious sparks, and said “Oh those types!” I said, “Yes, those types and it’s very common in HK!” After a while, she then asked, “So you guys can actually be friends?” I looked at her looking puzzle, and said: “Huh?” She elaborated and said “You guys are Catholic and Christian, and you can be friends?” I was shock, and not knowing how to react, and my friend next to me supplement said “Of course we could, it’s the same God!” And this lady next to me, seems like to be ‘convinced.’ I was blown away and cannot not remember what this woman said till now. It amazes me to to the greatest extent that her interpretation of Catholicism and Christianity can be that superficial. This echoes to what I was watching at TED this morning before I go to work, it’s delivered by Barry Schwartz on The Loss of Our Wisdom. It’s about how excess rules and regulations ruin our own personal analytical thinking and crumpled our wisdom. I thought of this lady whom I spoke with yesterday, I don’t know what she has been taught or advocated before, but obviously, she is not thinking from her mind but by the rules she is taught. God gives us a lot of talent, and one of the key is to think with our head and feel with our heart, and act righteously. God bless our church all over the world to unite disregarding all differences.

Daily Quote
But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 16:7

I pray to God that He would unite us all.

Postscript Quote
Because when you unite, that is the power of God, you know. God love Love, which is unity. So when you unite, you get the whole power of God. That’s what him want. Until Black people unite…if the Black people don’t unite, the world, no one, no one can live good.
Bob Marley

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Dec 16 2011
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day to day

color of the year 2012

Many of you should know what is a Pantone color, it’s a company that produces color and the products could be paint, fabrics and their famous Pantone Color Guide. I just realize each year Pantone would elect one color to be the color of the year! And it’s announced that next year’s color is….Tangerine Tango! Quoting from the authority, it says “The 2011 color of the year, PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle, encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.”  Further to this interesting initiative referencing color to be one of the theme of next year, it’s actually cool to think of what we want to do next year by giving yourself a theme too!? Such as year of courage, year of trying, year of caring, year of depth, year of focus! I am starting to think, if I can give myself a theme, all my action would be evolving or cultivating around that attribute, then result would be more specific. There are 9 values which God highly emphasizes and those are the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Patience, Self-control and Gentleness. Maybe these could be the inspiration for you to think through which value you want to focus in to see advancement in yourself.

Daily Quote
Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
Psalm 86:11

I pray to God that I will be able to step up and focus and use what He gives me to exalt.

Postscript Quote
You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.
Mark Twain

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