To Be Independent

Sometimes I try to get something done such as making an important phone call, it is very difficult to get the the kids to do their choir like getting ready for bed at the same time. I often frustrate about this. Any tricks from super moms and dads? And I found that one child is much easier to control than two together. It may be because I was an only child. People grew up with siblings, help!

The Giving Kind

Was reading The DailyBread for devotion. Often receive letters of charity donation in the mail. Recently, I was little annoyed by the stories in some of the letters asking for donation. Why couldn't these people have a little bit of self-controlled? Single parenting, teenage pregnancy, having multiple offsprings while financially incapable... The thing bothers me the most is that the children grew up in these families often follow their parents' footprints. It will only snowball!

Yet the Lord spoke to me that night during bible reading. Boaz, a very rich man, purposely left grain in the field for the poor and disadvantaged. He didn't judge who qualifies to receive his help. In fact, the bible teaches us ever to judge others.
Our heavenly Father only commands us "...do not reap the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien." (Lev. 23:22)
He guides us "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy --- think about such things." (Phil 4:9).
He blesses those "...who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead." (Ruth 2:20).

In the movie Half Nelson (BTW, an excellent movie highly recommended. Can someone just explain the meaning of the ending to me?), Ryan Gosling plays an inner city teacher. He once told his friend "If I can make a difference in just one of them..." That's right, even only one of them comes to Christ, to change his/her life, it's worthwhile to do it. Praise the Lord for changing my heart to give willingly again!

Detective Chui

Read 'The Hunter', a well-written suspense fiction about a female detective and her partner solved a serial killer case. I like it because it is not only a thriller story, but a book about human relationship and work-life balance (especially for women). Suspense fictions are always my favorite! Now, I am onto '1st To Die' by James Patterson. I just searched for 'suspense' in the library, it was the first one jumped into my eye sight. "New York Times Bestseller" --- can't be bad, I thought. Coincidentally, the main characters in this book are four women, formed a 'women murder club', pulling their talent and courage together, to work on a hard case. One very discouraging part in both books --- the female detectives are divorced.

Few of you can image my answer to 'What you like to be when you grow up?'. Can you guess it now? ------- A detective! I just thought and still think it is a very challenging, cool and interesting career! I didn't have TV during childhood. I only remember I had seen several movies. The one vividly stays in my mind was called 'The tragic murder in Nile' (尼羅河慘案). I was around 4 years old, but I was not afraid of any of the scenes at all. Why didn't I pursue my dream? I don't know. I don't think I ever told my parents about it. My mom knew I was never terrified by bloody scenes, which scared and puzzled her. Every now and then, I asked my hubby "Do you think I can go for a degree in criminal justice?" His answer is smart "The best thing about America is that you can always pursue you dream in any age. Go for it!" Probably he bets that even with a degree, I am not going to run in the streets to chase criminals. --- just have some fun! I sometimes daydream that I will become a detective and a prison evangelist, to visit the criminals and preach the gospel to them. Anyone interested? Let's form a team too!

Can you say 'what'?

Francine read this week's Time magazine cover title out loud "Who can say what?" A grin showed on her face. "Who can say 'what'? I can say 'WHAT'! Everybody can say 'WHAT'!" She turned around to dad "Daddy, can you say 'what'?" She concluded that it's rather a very funny yet nonsense question appears on this grown-ups' magazine. Ha, ha, ha!
Francine is already a little reader. She is reading chapter books with very little help. We just have to remind and to encourage her to speak more Chinese at home. Maybe this is a gift from God to Francine. She seems very interested in languages. Every Saturday morning, we have a half hour to forty minutes of Chinese lesson, in which she practices character writing, recognition and pronunciation. She continues to read her bilingual bible in Chinese. The simple and repetitive words in the bible helps her to recognize many of them after a while. Occasionally, she teaches me couple Spanish words from school.
She also enjoys music. Coming home with all these fancy composers' names. Both Wai and I don't have music background. We just learn along with her.