Filed under day to day …

May 24 2012
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day to day, event

wait for the late

Last night I was meeting up friend to attend a percussion performance at the Arts Center, so we decided to grab something quick to eat before the show so that we won’t feel distracted! We meant to meet at the subway station and by the moment when I arrived Wanchai and heading to the relevant exit, I got an whatsapp message from friend that she would be late. All good, at least she took the time to let me know she couldn’t be on time. But she didn’t say for how long. No big deal, I just stood there and waited up…I was listening to radio, reading news, checking out different apps. Time does pass quite quickly in the beginning, but not as quickly as I have wanted it to be maybe because I was starving. 15 min, 20 min, and it’s half an hour. She still has no update about her whereabout. I almost feel asleep at the station exit..And it’s 45 min then I decided to call her up but it’s not turned on. Hmmm…what should I do? A while further, she rang! And she’s still at the office! She apologized and I answer her: “you must have a reason for this, see you at Arts Center!” and I have to dash to the venue! On my way, I stopped over McDonald for SOS rescue and I bought something for my friend. When I got there – my friend arrived already. It shocks me coz I thought it’s gonna be a while as her office is at Causeway Bay and Wednesday night at Causeway Bay is hellish. The moment we met, I showed her the McDonald paper bag, she was super happy and was indeed grateful as she did not expect that from me I guess! Deep down I thank Lord for motivating me to stay patient coz I usually would have been fuming and gotten upset about other people being late, coz they are wasting MY time. But I keep telling myself she must be in difficult position and stay calm, even if we would be late for a show, it’s just a show. I seem to have more empathy for situations, but I know this is tough for me to behave like this no matter who, where and when. But at least I manage to be composed at this situation last night – there is a long way to go ahead!
Daily Quote
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
James 5:7
I pray to God that I would feel for others just like God stay patient for me.

Postscript Quote 
Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worse kind of suffering.
Paul Coelho 
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Mar 15 2012
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day to day

99 roses

My studio was filled with fun and joy yesterday because soon after we started working in the morning, our young colleague brought with him 99 stems of roses into the room, and we all stared at him. We asked if that were something he got for his birthday…coz it was his birthday. And he told us that he is about to propose to his girlfriend. And we went nuts….and he told us his ‘rundown’ on how to do it. And all the girls in the office helped him, art directing how to arrange and wrap the flowers, we teased at him but feel all so happy for him. He is full of love and forced him to show us the ring LOL and he embarrassingly but happily took out the diamond ring – I laughed and asked him where he got all the money for the stone as he must be doing lots of freelancing and no wonder he always looks wiped out when he comes back! We all laughed, but we all just know he works so hard and he saves and there it goes, he has saved all for the best thing he thinks who deserves it. We all admire his heart, love, romance and dedication. I thank God for letting my colleague finding the one he wants to partner with for his life, He has empowers him and fill him up with fuel to drive him to reach out for things he chooses. And God is great as He brings hope to all of us in our lives, He gives us senses to feel, no matter if it’s up and down, the emotions we feel means that we are alive, and there could be never-ending possibilities arise and as long as we ask for His wisdom, help and power, we will persevere. Thank God for giving me a studio full of loving and passionate souls!

Daily Quote
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-8

I pray to God that we would love our God the way we love our loved ones here on earth.

Postscript Quote
You hear a lot of horror stories about proposing and things going horribly wrong – it went really, really well and I was really pleased when she said yes.
Prince William

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Feb 29 2012
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day to day

one voice

I was wrapping a branding project for a restaurant client and we have already had the brand logo approved and moving towards the application stage. Client brought me many items from menu, placemat, carrier bag, take-away containers for my reference, and amazingly we identified almost 5 versions of logos from all these items. Imagine all the customers going to the same restaurants at different locations would got so confused coz there is no consistency. This reminds me of a book my church recently distributes called ONE. It’s a collaborative project by all the pastors of the International Churches in HK trying to collate scriptures and devotionals for the Lent 2012. There is a huge headline at the introductory paragraph which says “ONE VOICE”. This is very important to all of us that the values, commitments and goals shall be aligned in everyone’s heart and mind. If all your staff has their very own standard of mission or vision, the end product produced would all be different and inconsistent. The very same applies to all the believers and non-believers, the world is just like a big corporation, from time to time we all need to get together and align our values to make sure one voice is voiced out.

Daily Quote
May the God of steadfastness an encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5

I pray to God that we all could get together and putting down our self, ego and just serve Him wholeheartedly.

Postscript Quote
One voice can change a room, and if one voice can change a room, then it can change a city, and if it can change a city, it can change a state, and if it change a state, it can change a nation, and if it can change a nation, it can change the world. Your voice can change the world.
Barack Obama 

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Feb 16 2012
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day to day, travel

respect

During the trip to Singapore, I attended the Sunday service at the St. George’s Church. It’s an amazing old architecture made of red bricks, I just can’t take my eyes away from the ceiling and the walls etc. The church was so full of people and there were barely seats left by the time I arrived and thus have to sit all the way at the very last row near the control panel at the end of the room. And there were still people flocking in and they sat on the floor with their young kids. There were almost 10+ kids next to me running and chasing each other like they were in the park or Disneyland. Ok, I tell myself, it’s fine…they are kids and they don’t really know what they are doing. But the parents just gazed at them smiling and letting them do whatever they want to do. I am wondering, do you realize you need to behave in a church and so are your kids? Anyway, I continue my worship and trying to keep my head focused. But then later on, I must admit that the pastor’s sermon is really quite flat and sorry to say that it’s not engaging me, then I notice many people near me they are just checking emails with their phones and they completely surrender – they don’t even bother to try to listen. And I recall once I went to a church discussion panel at night after work, one lady who sat at the very front row of the room actually was playing game with her iPad while the speaker was speaking just like 2 arms’ length away from her – my jaw dropped.  We all should respect the people around us, and not to mention when we are Christians. My friend told me a lot of the people attend the church service like as if it’s a social function, and we both said — at least they go and God will be in action.

Daily Quote
Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded.
Proverbs 13:13

I pray to God that we use our head, hand and heart to love God.

Postscript Quote
Submission is not about authority and it is not obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect.
William P. Young, The Shack

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Feb 10 2012
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day to day

variety

I am heading to Singapore in a few hours, and will be meeting up super good friends over there who used to be my HK church buddy as well. And there is a chance I will checking out the Singapore church this Sunday. This is going to be interesting as I always like to check things out always, I change hair stylist almost every single time, I always find different way to commute to and from office, and I like to go to different church services just to see how different church does their things and speak to their congregations. And of course I love to see the different pastors their style, their gifts and their spirit. It’s important that we all see enough to decide what work for us and I hear friends who have bad experience with one or two church and then conclude that Christianity does not work for them. It’s a pity to hear this kind of things as these people obviously have not seen the fair side of the situation. Let me come back to you guys and let you know how I find the Singapore church!

Daily Quote
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 

I pray to God that I would be diverse and be loyal at the same time to His teachings.

Postscript Quote
The finest souls are those that have the most variety and suppleness.
Michel de Montaigne

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Feb 08 2012
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day to day

what wakes you up in the middle of the night?

It never really takes me more than 3 min to fall asleep and I would sleep like a log or corpse to be exact till the very next morning. Every single morning in my early prayer, I thank God for giving me this amazing blessing in sleep, that it’s sound and I still can wake up the time I need to. But last night was sooo different, I think I at least woke up 3 times having illusion it’s time to work coz I committed to wake my colleague up at 6am this morning. Thus I kept on feeling so worried inside me that it woke me over and over again. I wouldn’t even act like that when I have morning flight to catch, it’s amazing! When I need to be responsible, I would be ‘that’ responsible. In today’s morning prayer, I spoke to God and confessed to him that I did not leave things to him enough, but I thought if God needs to take care of all these ‘nitty gritty’ things, He must be crazy busy, but He is God, I still tend to leave too many things in my ‘jurisdiction’ and not just about this waking thing, it’s in general, I still tend to feel that I am in charge, which as we grow older, we realize things are not really up to us, so, worry less as there are always worries for tomorrow and just leave those to God’s plan. I need to get this in my head more otherwise I am acting God in my own life. My colleague has loads to work and I am glad at least I remind her to pray for God’s power, and don’t feel despair.

Daily Quote
For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.
Hebrews 9:24

I pray to God that I will submit myself humbly and surrender all of myself to Him, and trust Him He would be preparing me my current life for the eternal one ahead.

Postscript Quote
He who makes himself his own master subjects himself to a fool for a master.
Bernard

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Feb 07 2012
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day to day

be nice

I took a same day trip to Shanghai yesterday for biz and on the road I listened to Rick Warren’s podcast. It’s so interesting to hear a few pastors chatting with each other about challenges they see and things going on daily. Rick quoted there was a time he was doing grocery, and the guy in front of him after writing all the check, getting the loads of food all packed, and suddenly remember he needed 2 20KG ice bags! And looked super apologetic and told the cashier he needs to get those back, and the cashier asked if Rick mind the wait again, Rick said it’s perfectly fine and the guy could even ring the ice on his tab and he can take care of those. The cashier looked at Rick at awe and said “who are you?” and the guy behind Rick answered the cashier saying Rick is from the Saddleback Church. The cashier said: “I have a 29 year old daughter and I want her to speak to you!” The topic of this podcast is The Importance of Evangelism for Church Growth. Rick pointed out something really cool but simple is that he said: we just have to be nice to people, people will feel the difference, and actually people are watching. No matter what tee you are wearing or what bumper sticker you are putting up saying quote from the scripture, all you have to do is just be nice to people and they would be interested to know further. It’s so true! I am not nice all the time, and I am hoping I can hold this thought close to my chest and act it out.

Daily Quote
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15

I pray to God that each of us will be His evangelist, and we could bring the best of His character running in us everywhere we go presenting to each and everyone we meet.

Postscript Quote
A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
Dave Barry

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Feb 03 2012
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day to day

rising with china

China and the way her people spends has always been the spotlight in many people’s lives especially those of HK people’s. Most of the street level retail spaces have become high end brands on timepiece, fashion and jewellery. It’s been a joke on a radio show by the host who said if you are getting hungry in Causeway Bay, you can consider to change your diet by eating watches. And I read from time to time that some countries or companies overseas refused to be acquired by Chinese entrepreneurs. I just read from the NY Times that China is considering to step in to relieve the European economical crisis by lending money to them, or actually pumping funds to the IMF – International Monetary Fund. It’s quite amazing how our fellow Chinese government and the people are equipped with massive funds and letting them pursue a lot of things they desire. There was once I hear on the podcast about a pastor teaching the scripture, he asked the congregation which is easier for them: to feel the pain of those who are in pain, or to feel the joy of those who are in success. At first I thought to myself, I would think it’s the former. But the pastor said it is the latter, it’s hard to be as happy when someone else is succeeding. I think this might be the case for people’s feeling towards China? It has to do a lot with the attitude of the Chinese people, but has it been our perception as well? Lets stay simple in interpreting their intention and action, I believe we need to simplify ourselves then putting a lot of personal interpretation and values in different situations.

Daily Quote
What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived— the things God has prepared for those who love him
1 Corinthians 2:19

I pray to God that I will be able to keep a simple mind and be a simple kind.

Postscript Quote
When the solution is simple, God is answering.
Albert Einstein

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Feb 02 2012
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culture, day to day

slow and glow

Colleague just returned from Manila coz it’s her first time visiting the country and what struck her is that she finds the people extremely laid back and in our definition, it’s slow. This coincides my friend’s facebook posting about her serving experience in Kolkata India, that things are simply ssslow. And my friend has always been the type of people which things must be done strategically to stay efficient and effective: using the least time or effort to achieve the same satisfactory result. My friend always queries or challenges how things are done when she’s in HK. She is extremely smart so most things done her ways could almost be considered the ‘best’ approach, thus she is always curious about other people’s approach of treating things, and just want to see if there are room for her own improvement. But where she lives now, so many things are out of control: the language, the people, the place, values – all things are new and different. She couldn’t work things out the way she wants, and she realizes it’s just a time she has to surrender to God by appreciating the way things are set up. If people are laid back, just relax and don’t be anxious. My sermon this morning on iPod by Ken Sparks says: it’s just temptation God is giving us. Jesus is thrown in the desert to confront Satan, Job is being tested by God also, if we understand the principle and value, we will realize those are just temptation or test and stand firm, the process could be a pain, but it would be over. If work is not going right, if health is an issue, if people depress you, if finances is going downhill…ask God to take the suffering away from you. He will lift you up.

Daily Quote
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
James 1:19

I pray to God that I will be clear to see and understand that tough things I see in life is simply a mid-term exam God gives me.

Postscript Quote
Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not to be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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Jan 26 2012
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day to day

brain train

I have always wanted to increase or improve memory and got attracted by a Harvard Business Review article on training your brain to focus – visit this to read further. Instead of the pretty normal and predictable suggestion such as eating well, sleep more and work out generously, it suggests us to stay positive coz an improved emotional balance will improve our performance. And there is a short quiz for you to measure your current positivity ratio: take the test by clicking here. It’s amazing how this article gels with God’s teaching – in Proverbs 23:7 it says: For as He thinks in his heart, so is he. If we truly believes God will carry His promise, then all things will work out ultimately. I love the saying I heard from a Christian radio channel in New York he says: God may not be early, but He is never late.

Daily Quote
God has begun a good work in me, and He is well able to bring it to full completion.
Philippians 1:6

I pray to God that I will wait, and wait and wait for God’s promises for me to come true. Coz He promises me.

Postscript Quote
Your past does not have to be your future.
Anonymous 

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