Mutual Love

It is Chinese New Year, the year of the ox.

We are ready to celebrate it.

Though the economy has slowed down, we make up our mind not to be too thrifty on this special occasion. We spend quite a bit and everyone in the family has all their desires and requests satisfied.

We spend time and effort cleaning and decorating the house. We deem it is inappropriate for us to overdo on the decorations since my mom has just left us few months ago. Anyway the house looks decent and we are ready to celebrate the year of the ox.

As usual, we have many visitors from different races and backgrounds. Some even come with gifts. We have a great time eating, drinking, and sharing with one another, dwelling on all topics under the sun. It was indeed happy hours filled with joy and love for one another. They really brightens up the house.

Even since we have our own home 10 years ago, we always remind ourselves to make more friends and to develop better and deeper understanding with one another. We learn to avoid foolish arguments, meaningless chatters, selfish strife and quarrels. We strive to cultivate good relationships with our families, relatives, neighbors, and friends.

We realize the fact that we will have fewer relatives and friends as we grow older. Some of them may have stayed away because of misunderstandings, arguments, quarrels and strife. Some of them may have passed away. Others may have migrated far away. If we remain aloof and unaffected for long, we will be a loner in no time.

It really takes courage to leave the gate wide opened during the festival. But it is a good indication of how we fare on mutual love. A large and cheerful crowd indicates that we are successful while a dwindling crowd should alarm us to make amend as soon as we can.

I believe it is high time we examine on the issue of mutual love.

...Continue Reading

When the tide turns against you

Maybe it doesn't matter to you when you turn away sour-faced when someone wants to speak to you.

Maybe it doesn't matter to you to speak so harshly to others after they have wronged you.

Maybe you feel very pleased with yourself when you dominate a situation, and you sneer and curse the one you step on and trample.

Maybe you feel that the world hasn't been fair to you all this while. So you make up your mind to do the same to others.

I feel sorry for you because you don't know what you are doing and what you have missed.

You are so self-righteous. You think you can never make any single mistake. Time will tell how true it is, when the tide turns against you.

You are so arrogant, so imposing and so unforgiving, and you don't even give a second chance to others to make amends. And you are so judgmental in everything you say. Time will tell how bitter you will be, when the tide turns against you.

I wish you are not like that because I can see that your friends are slowly leaving you and avoiding you. You are hurting everyone including yourself. And you seem not to care at all.

I stand from afar and watch. I can see you are lonely. I don't know how to console you. You really have to change your attitude.

We all need to live together in peace, justice, mutual respect and love. We must be more tolerating and kind toward one another.

Come, my friend... Show a little kindness and make this world a better place... for everyone and especially for you.

...Continue Reading

Why Baby Cries?

Some of us can understand why baby cries. They can readily tell us that:

Babies cry because they are hungry. Let them keep eating if they want to. They will stop crying once their stomachs are full.

Babies cry because they need fresh diapers.

Babies cry because they are either too hot or too cold. They will stop crying when they feel comfortably clothed.

Babies cry because they want to be held. They like to see familiar faces, hear their voices, and listen to their heartbeats, and maybe their unique smell.

Babies cry because they are overstimulated and too tired to take it anymore.

Babies cry because they do not feel good. They need to be taken to the doctor.

But sometimes babies just cry and cry for no apparent reasons.

What do you think.... why babies cry?

...Continue Reading

Please Calm Down

Some of us can stay calm and cool in our life. This virtue is the result of a long and patient effort in self-control. When we have ripened our experiences and have a deep knowledge of our thoughts, we become calm and strong.

When we are calm, we know how to govern ourselves and we know how to adapt ourselves to others, and we revere and rely on our God more.

The calmer we are, the greater is our success, our influence, and our power for doing good.

Calm people are always loved and revered. Who doesn't love a tranquil heart, a sweet-tempered, and a balanced life? Calm people are always sweet, serene, and strong.

Some people sour their lives, and ruin all that is sweet and beautiful by explosive tempers. But calm people control and purify their thoughts and makes the winds and the storms of their souls obey them.

Remember my friends: self-control is strength, right thought is mastery, and calmness is power.

"Be Still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)

...Continue Reading

Mom Sometimes Grumbled

What would you do if your aging parents grumble?

I yearn for my mother's grumbles. God has taken her away when I miss her grumbles.

Every time when my mother paid me a visit, she would relate to me the latest happenings of all her others children. Sometimes she was full of joy and laughter because of some good tidings. Other times she grumbled a lot, speaking the same incidents over and over again. Often I felt irritated and only listened to her half-heartedly while doing my own works. There were times when I couldn't stand her anymore that I told her not to trouble herself so much about her children, just left them alone to manage their own lives. But I knew she just couldn't because her heart cried out for them everyday.

Now that she was gone, I began to understand why my mother grumbled at times. She was carrying the burdens of her children in her heart. She just couldn't bear to see them being tortured by their problems. She wanted to help them herself but she didn't know how. She felt helpless and so she grumbled.

Oh mom, I really miss your grumbles. They help me to behold the tender loving care of my good mother.

Mom, forgive me for not understanding how heavy your burdens are for all your children.

...Continue Reading

She Is My Mom

She was a typical chinese lady who kept all the chinese customs, traditions and rituals well.

Though she was illiterate, she had a good memory of everything she learned or knew, and could share with us all the things we needed to know or understand.

She married early and had 7 sons and 6 daughters.

Her husband passed away more than 30 years ago. Ever since, she alone had raised up all her children, until her older children could play the supporting roles.

She had all her children in her heart and mind. She always went on a long journey, worshiped and prayed in any temple, just for her sick child and the well-being of her family.

She gave up everything she had for her family. She played a major role to settle any dispute among her children, sometimes even to the stage of begging and crying. She wanted to keep her family united and strong.

She started to enjoy the fruits of her labor 20 years ago. All her children and grandchildren had prospered in all walks of life. Since then, she traveled a lot merely to visit them and to take care of them. Though at times they started to grumble at her interfering, she would just smile and would continue to play her role quietly.

She never forgot her children's and grandchildren's birthdays. To her, it's very important to remember to celebrate one's birthday and all other important days. She always reminded them wherever they were.

Few months ago, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Since then, a few of us who have believed in Christ started to share with her more often than before the love of God the Father and the plan of salvation through Christ.

God touches her heart and she quickly repented of her sins. She declared to all of us that she is now a child of God and she would no longer involved herself in any ancestor worship and temple worship. She had found a new lease of life and had started to worship and enjoy God.

She was ready to meet with the Lord. She loved to listen to christian songs and hymns, and she always hummed along. She told us that she had freed herself from the worries and cares of life; she had learned to take things one at a time. We are very happy to see her transformation. Mom, wait for us in heaven, we wouldn't be long; this world is not ours to stay on forever.

She died in the hospital few hours after saying goodbye to most of her children, living to a ripe old age of 80. She died peacefully after hugging and patting her daughter-in-law on her back and nodding her head, seeming to thank her for taking good care of her.

The funeral was on the third day after all the family members, friends and relatives had come and pay their last respects. Apparently, Mom was very kind and loving in her lifetime to everyone; many mourned and wept for her. We decided to go round her coffin 7 times and poured out all our thoughts and feelings about her. It was a painful and sorrowful hour but eventually everyone settled down to begin the burial ceremony. We prayed to God for fine weather and that all things be done properly to honor Mom. The Almighty God is great in taking care of us and all of our needs. Everything was done well and the weather was just fine and cool.

We had taken many photos with our Mom so that we will remember her always. We had taken pictures of all those who had come to pay their last respects so that we will remember to thank them. We had all the pictures sorted out and developed into DVD photo slideshow, syncing with beautiful christian hymns and songs so that we can distribute to all to watch and sing along while recognizing and remembering the tender loving care of our Mom.

Mom is indeed a very special lady to me, my family members, my relatives and friends. And she continues to be precious to all of us. I guess we only start to miss or to treasure our loved ones when they are on the verge of leaving. We just can't let them go. But God knows the best, and He doesn't want to see her suffer any longer. Mom, God loves you more than all of us put together.

Mom, we miss you, we adore you and we honor you.

You are always in our hearts and minds, but we know you are happier there with the Lord.

O Lord, take good care of our Mom. O Lord, take good care of all of us that we may be with our mother in heaven... Amen.

...Continue Reading

Just Cry

Sometimes we question why life is so hard. Most of the time there is no reply.

We quietly let our tears fall. At first, it is merely droplets. Then it swiftly gathers strength and soon we are sobbing terribly. Our faces scrunched into the most tormented expression. But we are careful to stifle our sobs in case someone may hear.

What we find amazing and amusing is that tears sooth us. Crying becomes a form of relief therapy for us. It comforts us in an unexplainable way. We cry as we are moved. We cry when things get overwhelming. We cry when we feel extremely frustrated. We cry when we miss our dear friends terribly. And we will choose a quiet corner to cry.

After the sobbing sessions, somehow we feel renewed and have a sense of lightness. Things don't seem that bad anymore.

Life continues to be frustrating but it is no more threatening. The obstacles still remained but they don't appear to be as impossible as before. We are still alive and we took it as a sign that we have more to live and to offer.

Our footsteps become lighter and as we walk, we start to count our blessings. We are still alive, strong and healthy. We still have a loving family and we can still enjoy our works and our life happily.

Please remember, no matter how happy or how desperately anxious you are, life still goes on.

So the next time you are really sad and miserable, find some place to cry. It will soon go away and... everything will be okay.

...Continue Reading

Love Is Blind?

They told me that...

• Love is blind because when you are in love, it doesn’t matter what the world says to you; to you, he/she is the world. Even when your friends tell you that he/she is ugly, you will say otherwise and claim that he/she is the most handsome man/beautiful girl that you have ever seen. Even if he/she has a bad attitude, you will choose not to see it anymore.
• Love is blind because it encourages you to say or to do things that you would never say or do under normal circumstances.
• Love is blind because you would normally concentrate on the physical attributes or sexual attractions of the person and overlook all other imperfections and his/her past.
• Love is blind because you get very emotional rather than logical in your relationships.
• Love is blind because your lover is your very close friend who watches over you when you are going through a bad break up.

But I presume...

• Love is not blind when you see something in him/her that other people don't usually see or know. You see something in him/her that make you want to marry and love him/her.
• Love is not blind when love is knowing him/her for whatever he/she is and accepting it with no regrets.

I believe lovers should take more time and effort to understand one another before they get married. It is said that love covers all sins. True love will only grow with time and effort. And as love grows, the blind lovers begin to undersand how their relationship has developed and mature over the years.... And so they say to themselves, "Till death shall we part."
What do you think?

...Continue Reading

Adapting To Change

A postman was given a task to distribute letters to certain villages in the vicinity. Each day he had to walk along a dusty and muddy route. For most of his journey, the postman was alone. Life was monotonous and the postman was getting more stressful each day.

The postman had an idea. He decided to plant flowers along the way. Each day on the way back from the villages, he spent time sowing flower seeds along the route. It was never an easy task but he was persistent.

The wild flowers started to grow and in due time the route was filled with all sorts of colorful wild flowers.

The postman was getting happier each day and he whistled and sang along. Life was becoming more meaningful each day and he was full of thanksgiving. The postman was getting cheerful and all the villagers he met was greatly influenced. The villagers started to plant flowers...

Sometimes, we need to adapt to change. We must not be burdened by our daily routine. Life is interesting and meaningful if you spend time and effort doing something constructive and beneficial to all, and in no time, everyone around will be influenced by your good works.

May the New Year 2009 brings good tidings to us all.