Friday, March 30, 2007
A process of choices for University
Terence originally wanted to further his study in Japan or UK. His innocent reason is "I studied Primary school, Secondary school in HK and later likely to work in Hong Kong too. If I don't get the chance of studying University in overseas, my life will end up all the time in Hong Kong. " "I just want to study media, audio production and etc. but not other subjects." After some researches, Terence concludes that he wants to stay in HK for one year and study in CityU (Creative Media) so that he can continue some of his underground music commitment. Then, he may like to continue his Media Arts study in Canada. He finally well aware that studying in UK is 3 times more expensive than Canada and HK where he can pay the Home fee instead of International fee.
On the other hand, Ben thinks, "You must study hard and get in to a (well-)known university. Which subject to study is not important." Result! Result and Result again! Therefore, Ben wants Terence to get in to either HKU or HKUST for the undergraduate course and if possible later to finish his Master Degree in overseas.
One evening, Ben met with KC at the MTR station and they chat about their sons' further study and found to have a common view - study in a good university is the basic.
Below are the summary of choices Terence may pursue in the upcoming months:
Hong Kong
HKU – Fine Arts (Arts) or Psychology (Social Science)
CU – Psychology (Social Science)
CityU – Creative Media (Media)
UHKST – only available to one Business course because most require Maths ( not appropriate)
Canada
York University/Sheridan College Joint Program (Fine Arts cum Media Arts)
York University (Fine Arts – Film/Music/Visual)
U of Toronto/Sheridan College Joint Program, CCIT (Communications, Culture, Information and technology)
What is Humility?
"Why you feel like that?" bonnie asked.
"When people try to be a humble person, usually they say "No" when being complimented or they try to hold back their feelings and expressions. Those are not real."
"Do you want to hear how I look at Humility?"
I am glad that Terence took off his earphone of the MP3 and gave me his ears.
"People understand the real humility when they aware the Greatness of God and the smallness of themselves. It's not a matter of behavior but rather a value to orient in an individual's life." I continued, "You could be very successful in an achievement but a person who has humility awares that he/she is only part of the WHOLENESS. A word of "No, don't mention it." is a lie or not?"
Terence sprinked his eyes to close the conversation. I did not ask further for I would like to give him room to continue his thoughts.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Learn how to respond/react to chao
To react, I will certainly:
- feeling disappointed;
- discouraged;
- anxiety or anger
- lost etc.....
To respond, I did:
- said "sorry" to the school teacher and request their understanding of his unintention in violating school rule;
- asked for help in maintaining his school progress during the period of absence from school;
- checked with the school whether Terence has honestly spoke up the causes.
And at last, I asked desparately for help from God:
- How could I help Terence in this case;
- What does it mean to Terence and me for the happening of this case;
- Thanks God for given me and Terence a lesson to learn, and what is it be specific and all about?
- How could this case could become a valuable turnaround point for Terence in his future adult life?
- What scripture is right to support his heart to repent and restore in Christ?
- Who should I talk to in order to calm down my feelings?
- How to explain the course to Ben, and what will he react?
Terence went to sleep over a Clavin's home at Tung Chung on last Saturday. Clavin is Terence's friend in SIS and went to US to pursue his high school two years ago. Clavin and Terence became good friends to each other because Terence was well taking care Clavin when he was burried by others in SIS.
Surprisingly, Terence returned home with a bull head. He shaved all his hair off. Of course I was astonished with his decision but still want him to take his own responsibility and consequence. I could feel that he also found regret for he originally just wanted to have the hair cut very very short but not bull. Only until late Sunday evening, he recognized that there may be some punishment from the school.
I received a call from his teacher right after lunch with Annisa, Sany and Mom at Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong. Teacher said that they have to send Terence home until his hair comes out again (this Thursdau).
This is the second time Terence made big mistake. I thought his act of this time is lacking consideration on the condequence of whichever he made a decision or an act. Last time he was drunk and hurt his head by playing basket ball. What he learned last time was not to drink and drunk because that will make his mind unclear. What did he learn from this time?
As a mother, what did I learn as well?
- I came to understand how teenagers are acting witout deep thoughts on the consequence.
- I came to understand that a deep and self-awakening learning requires a suffering.
- To the teenager that may be a suffering and to the people around him is a matter of disturbance and hurt which requires lots of understanding, patience and acceptance. If there comes a real repentance, people around will be joyful for the future of that teenage.
- I came to understand that if one cannot learn anything from the lesson, he then indeed hurting himself and people around.
- I came to understand that anything happenings have its own reason and timing, learn how to respond calmly is better than react fiercely.
- I came to understand how much I had hurt my parents when I was young too.
- I came to understand how God has forgiven my sins.
- I came to understanding how much I need God so as my children for their lives.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Where are my children?
Where is he now?
- he went to church with me since he was 1 year old in Canada, then after we moved back to HK, 3 years to the Taikooshing church and 8 years in the hkcoc.
- he is in the teens ministry since Sep 2005
- he goes to Sunday Service consistently but without participating in any BT and group QT
- his best friends in the church are Peter and Joshua (boys) and Miko and Michelle (girls)
- he is not close to the teens' disciples because he sees the others are too serious in ministry, school studying and else (he claims that there is no fun and freedom)
- he neither read Bible nor pray by himself
- since 2006, he stopped meal prayers for the family
How could I assist him to get close to God: (WHY - WHAT - HOW)
- Lawrence suggested me to get some Christian books for him to read
- I reviewed his rebellious: prideful (empty in spirit) and needs to learn humility
- Humility comes from the awareness of the Greatness of God and the smallness of himself
- I need to bring him humble in God's Power >> Surender, and HOW?
- I need to seek advise first...........(to be con't)
Michelle :
Where is she now?
- she goes to church since she was born
- she goes to hkcoc for 8 years already
- she is now in the teens ministry since Nov 2006
- she has just started her bible study with Renee and Clara but not stable
- she does not ready bible in her normal life
- she does prayer faithfully before every meals and sleep
- her best friend in church is Miko and she gets along well with most of the aunties and uncles
How could I assist her to get close to God: (WHY - WHAT - HOW)
- I reviewed her rebellious: ingratitude (I deserve better) and needs to learn gratefulness
- Gratefulness comes from the awareness of God's Grace and one's limitation (5K + 5K servant)
- Submissive to stand in God's Grace creates a pure movtivate in total acceptance, and HOW?
Above all, prayer is the first of everything. May God set His plan for my children. Amen!
Michelle Share Faith to her Mandarin Teacher
Moreover, Michelle sat besides her guests (separated from her normal teens' seating) and served them for songs and explanation on the communion. At the end, Michelle also saw off the grandma at the lobby.
Michelle was happy that Grandma got to know Auntie Roxana and they did exchange some conversations.
I pray for Michelle's continuous heart in searching God and his Truth. Amen!
Monday, February 26, 2007
What is Rebellious?
"An evil man is bent only on rebellion; a merciless official will be sent against him" (NIV)
"Evil people seek rebellion, but they will be severly punished." (NIL)
There were many rebellious examples in the Bible:
- Numbers 16:3 - This is an example of a person who is dissatisfied with what he has and stirs up others because of his Ingratitude for what God had given him already.The consequences of Korah's "taking action" are clear: God destroyed all these who rose up against Moses and Aaron—against Him. Does this pattern look familiar? It should. It is the age-old and oft-repeated sin of pride manifesting itself in ingratitude.
- Proverbs 29:15 - An example from the life of David illustrates this proverb. "And [Adonijah's] father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, 'Why have you done so?' David, though a man after God's own heart, did not take an active hand in teaching Adonijah. In this verse God states why Adonijah rebelled. In essence, David actually encouraged his son to rebel by not taking an interest in rearing him. David failed to train him in the way he should go, so that he would not depart from it. Instead, David trained him in a way that was bound to produce rebellion. This flaw of David's shows up in others of his children: Absalom, Amnon, and others. It does not matter whether one is a child of God having His Spirit or not. If a parent does not carry through with the right kind of training, then the results will surface in his children.
- Matthew 21:28-32 - contains the story of two sons, one who said he would not do the work his father asked of him, yet did, and another who promised to work, but did not.Jesus may have taken the theme of this parable from Isaiah 5:1-7, which some commentators call "The Song of the Vineyard." God pictures Israel and Judah as a vineyard. He does all He can for them, planting, protecting, and feeding them, but instead of the vineyard producing wonderful grapes, it produces wild grapes that are good for nothing.
In our daily lives, "rebellious" is mostly used in describing teensagers. As a mom of two teendages; 17 years old boy and 14 years old girl, what I could learn from them? Neither Terence nor Michelle are of any extreme cases, I think herewith are something that I have learned from their lives.
Terence's rebellious period was during 15 to 16 yeards old. His symptom was on giving up of his own self-appearance. At that time, he led a band with his classmates. He was very hard working in learning guitar skills, composing songs, writing lyrics, editing effects and etc. He has had a dream to motivate his band to realize the output of songs for expressing himself or his views about the world for the success of the team. Underlying, he also had a good will in giving an identity to his friends of being a passionate young man by devoting to music.
Yet, his time conflicts between music and study, his immaturity in understanding and managing people, his innocent desire from the self-egoism and his low self-esteem accumulated in the past closetted him in to a slumps of frustration and struggles with no way out. I could see that was the boiling point for his rebellious period. He was lonely, strengthless and full of feeling of failures. There stagged his sense of refusal. He refused to do hair cut, he refused to shampoo his hair, he refused to wear properly to school, he refused to talk to his parents.......he closed up himself............
"foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child" (Proverbs 22:15), a child left to himself brings shame—he is bound to get into trouble if his training is haphazard or undirected, or if he is not drilled or disciplined. Yes, it was very true. Terence's school teacher said to me in his Year 10 Parents Night, "Don't you feel shame about your son?" Yes, I do, I do but what I could do?????
I learned from God of His patience in love to me for my surrender and repentance. I believe it's God's training to Terence to guiding him to let go his egoism and selfishness to become a young adult who has patience, respect and love on others and himself. I did not give him up for his rebellious. Instead, I patiently walked through the path with him silently with prayers and gentle reminding carings.
I found he has ended his rebellious period at the end of 16 years old. Now he is 17 and is heading for another path of his life. How could I know?
Terence said:
- Mom, now I recognize HK$100 bill is just a small money;
- I want to become a movie director but I know this career is difficult to make a living at the beginning. Will you support me?
- I would like to study aboard;
- I want to cut short my hair;
- I begin to teach Year 8 students guitar for free;
- I am the organizer for a charity show in the school;
- Elders are better not to live alone or in a aged home as their mind, body and emotions will deteriorating in a such a routine and without fresh stimulation mode;
- Should I have a gap year before the university?
- Parents should not spoil their children without discipline because that will harm their courageous to encounter difficulties;
- If I could not live on a life as a farmer, I would not deserve a live of today;
- Take a 6-hour part time job right after school is quite harsh for the body.........
These days, Ben also begins to appreciate Terence's talent in music and media.
Michelle is always having a good girl image at home and outside. Yet, she has her way of rebellious. These days, she keeps on asking for changing school: from local school back to international school. She began to criticize school's policies; frequent teachers changes; low English standard of some teachers...........
Well, what is underlying her heart and mind? Instead of the subtle expression as Terence did, Michelle is in a more compelling mode. Her self-egoism in individual thinking tingles her sense of judgmental. She begins to identify the best suppportive environment in achieving what she wants, so as to elimate whichever blocks her way. She cried for losing her good friends who left this school. She frustrated for the classmates who irritates her for their selfishness, narrow-minded thinking and immature characters. Michelle knows what she wants and is bold enough to express and negotiate with the father.
She wants to get ride of 3 things:
- resign from the school basket ball team, purposely to concentrate her time in studying for better school result in order to change back to international school, or get in to a good Canadian university;
- leave the current group of school friends;
- leave the current school
I had followed God's patient love to have overcome Terence's rebellious period. Then, how about Michelle? I know her rebellious period will be over sometime but how should I walk with her? I think first of all I should not judge her but respect her expressiveness. Secondary, I should let her know that she should not solely depend on her own will and strength. To have faith in God's good plan for Michelle should be always in my heart.
A truly humble and grateful person will never rebel against God because he knows that even the very breath he breathes is a gift and calls for praiseful thanksgiving to the Father. How could I help Michelle to understand what is Ingratitude and be thankful to her blessed everything.
God will forgive any sin that is repented of—even if, through weakness, temptation, or habit, the sin is repeated. As long as a person's intention, attitude, and desire is to obey God, he will repent, and God will forgive him (I John 1:9). Jesus said we ought to forgive 70 times seven times (Matthew 18:21-22). God is even more willing to forgive than that!
I sincerely thanks my children for giving me a chance to learn about God's forgiveness. It's may be a matter of rebellious for teenagers, moreover it's a matter of patent love and forgiveness for every parent to learn. Because that not only helps our children to learn but to change their attitude prepare for the rest of their lives.
God gives everyone all the help, encouragement, and opportunity for success they need to inherit eternal life.
------------------------------------------------
Terence: rebellious on giving up himself (requires patience in love from parents) -->> from pride (poor in spirit) to become humble
Michelle: rebellious on judgmental on others (requires foregiveness from parents) -->> from ingratitude (I deserve better) to become grateful
Poor in spirit is contrary to that haughty, self-assertive and self-sufficient disposition that the world so much admires and praises. It is the reverse of an independent and defiant attitude that refuses to bow to God—that determines to brave things out against His will like Pharaoh, who said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice . . .?" (Exodus 5:2). A person who is poor in spirit realizes that he is nothing, has nothing, can do nothing—and needs everything, as Jesus said in John 15:5, "Without Me you can do nothing."
In his commentary, The Sermon on the Mount, Emmett Fox provides a practical description of what "poor in spirit" means:
To be poor in spirit means to have emptied yourself of all desire to exercise personal self-will, and, what is just as important, to have renounced all preconceived opinions in the whole-hearted search for God. It means to be willing to set aside your present habits of thought, your present views and prejudices, your present way of life if necessary; to jettison, in fact, anything and everything that can stand in the way of your finding God. (p. 22)
Poverty of spirit blooms as God reveals Himself to us and we become aware of His incredible holiness and towering mercy in even calling us to be forgiven and invited to be in His Family—to be like Him! This understanding awakens us to the painful discovery that all our righteousness truly is like filthy rags by comparison (Isaiah 64:6); our best performances are unacceptable. It brings us down to the dust before God. This realization corresponds to the Prodigal Son's experience in Luke 15:14 when "he began to be in want." Soon thereafter, Jesus says, he "came to himself" (verse 17), beginning the humbling journey back to his father, repentance and acceptance.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Greetings to UK
Bonnie and I went to see Cliff Richard in concert last night. He is 68 years old but still wriggling a lot on stage. We made a tour of the Concert Hall during intermission and found the audience had a lot of things in common: thin hair, thick glasses and broken teeth.But we all had a good time when Cliff Richard ( born in India! ) brought us back to our younger days.
Best wishes to all of you.
Ben and Bonnie
Monday, February 05, 2007
University with purpose
Ben replied, "Solely by means of studying in Canada is meaningless. Terence has to be able to be admitted by a good and known university in Canada."
It is interesting that I and Ben are always having different perspective in looking at matters. With the same question, I may like to encourage Terence to choose his favorite and excel subject or area to study instead of solely by the name value of the university. Whether Terence is in a group of elite or not, sounds meaningless to me. His success is to be defined by his own term of life purpose and meaning.
The differences between me and Ben might also due to our grown up background. He is always good at study and stays with good schools and companies. May be so called a smooth and elite life. Well, I was not good at study but my live seems can accomodate a wider range of varieties in people and situations with much more tolerent capacity.
I dont say Ben is no good but his strong boundaries bind him in to a more protective or comfort zone life style. If one sees his success on how much he can achieve on himself that is also a focal point for one's life style. Ultimately, it's a matter of choice and no personal judgement should be taken.
However, if Terence is going to pursue his life with art, a rich sensation and effective communication mean to express life in both verbal and non-verbal ways may help him to understanding and create more about the life of others and himself respectively. This thought solely comes from my ignorance.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
平凡中的特出
"He is a kind of 平凡中的特出" said Ben.
It was seldom for me to hearing Ben's appreciation about Terence so I asked, "What do you mean by Terence's 特出?"
"Terence is a kind of low profile person, yet he is excelled in his guitar music and production."
I was very pleased to hearing Ben comes to recognize Terence's passion and hard work in his interest of music, instead of what he commented that "He is nothing!" when Terence was 11 years old.
Amen!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
copy right
"Some of my schoolmates do not even want to pay HK$15 for my CD but said will get the download copy from the one who has already purchased from me. Isn't it a very serious problem?"
I shared his disappointment of not be respected and appreciated for his music creation.
Recently, Terence has put all the songs and music he has composed during the past 2 to 3 years in to a CD and sell to his schoolmates for HK$15 purposely to make some money for donating for his Greenpeace charity band show in his school.
While sharing his feeling, I was surprised to know the number of songs he has made - I guess over 20. I began to think.....
- What is in Terence's mind?
- Where are his sources of input? good or bad?
- How does he process them?
- What is his core value?
- What does he want to express those music with?
- What are those music mean to him?
- How will all these existing stuff affecting his growth and his future life?
- Why it happens to him?
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Image
Colore Tone : Mostly Cold #8
Signature Color : Peach, Pink and Light Purple in cold tone, Black and Dark Brown as base color, Navy Blue can be used when grown up for formal business dress code. Causal Base can use navy green to contra with bright cold color. Avoid orange, pale green warm color.
Body Shape : Rectangle (longer in waist) avoid highlighting the waist
Small shoulder : avoid tight top
Lips and Cheek Color : light peach (natural)
Make Up focus : Eyes
Hair Style : More volume on top to balance the narrow forehead
Earring : avoid same length as the jaw
Handbag Length : avoid highlight the waist
Dress Style : Sporty Basic plus Elegant accent
Key words: choose a color can enhance and expand your natural color on the eye ball, lips, cheek.
Choose darker color when you want to keep people apart
Choose lighter color when you want to feel approachable
Cold color carries blue tone; Warm color carries yellow tone
Sunday, October 29, 2006
甚麽是「生活」?
「嘩,一個很難答的問題呀!」感到非常噩然的我為了不要令他失望便繼續說:「在我的立場來說,就是每天照顧 Daddy和你們、做好Coach的工作、關心外婆、做自己喜歡做的事、見自己想見的人等等吧。」
「為甚麽在人的生活上有那麽多的拺縛和社會的規距?」
「你覺得那是規距嗎?有什麽問題呢?」我好奇的問。
「那麽生活就不會快樂了!」
「二年前在去布吉島旅行中,你曾說過很響往那些操船作業的年青伙子,可以每日面對碧海藍天,那是不是你所希望的生活呢?」
「那些層次太低了。」
在不清楚他指的是那方面的層次中,我繼續問:「那麽你最希望活出的生活是甚樣的呢?」
Terence想了一會兒才說:「好以一個Budda坐在樹下思想人生吧!」
「你是指釋迦牟尼嗎?我想他也是由於關心社會才有此一著吧。那看來人的生活當中,總有其他人存在,便形成社會吧!你曾否試過好像釋迦牟尼的行為呢?」
「有呀!我曾經坐在草地上思想過。這樣一想便可用上一整天,但又要上班,怎算呢?!」
「嘩!你一定想了很多吧!花上整天去思想,難道你不用吃飯、上洗手間、照顧你的家人和休息嗎?」
「總之我不明白為甚麽要生活。」Terence的專注力開始減退,便談到此。
之後,我自己把這話題繼續思想下去.......「生命」與「生活」。雅各書4:13-17說 :「.....主若願意,我們就可以活着,也可以做這事,或做那事。.........」 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of wisdom, love and sounded-mind."
我再把同一問題去問Michelle。她說:「生活是 - to live a life is "to love" and "be loved"。」
Well, to me to live on a life is "to realize the gratification of the given life with a chosen meaning and purpose as the motivation to live on, from where to create nice memories until we embrace them to ahead for the eternal life" .
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
2006的暑假
Terence今年剛考完GCE"O" level及已十六歲。這意味著什麼呢?
他不想参加HOPE在張家界教英文的義工團,因為他不喜歡中國,但卻提出想在香港做義工。感謝神的安排,Terence可以幫助他的表弟寶恆補習英文、又可以和其他teens在HOPE office做些文書工作、最後更幫美珍香在Food Expo做臨時工,跟有16年燒牛肉乾經驗的阿傑師傅學師,並賺取了一千元外塊。
這些經驗給他帶來的啟發頗有意義。Terence說:「看見入場参觀Food Expo的人,東看看,西吃吃,頗為逍灑。他們知否我們工作的是十分辛苦的呀!」
「做賣食物的人通常有多少人工呢?」
「我這两天,每天8小時在燒牛肉乾,現在閉上眼睛時,也可以看見牛肉乾飛來飛去。如果我每天都在燒牛肉乾,重覆那些動作,我相信我會變得蠢多了。」
「如果我做老板,我會多給那些辛勞的人高些人工,我自己拿少一點也可以。」
「我看見little auntie和姨丈一家人的生活不錯,他們是partner老板,可以做決策,員工又喜歡他們,又有時間和子女一起。」
8月24日開課了,Terence回校的第一件事,便是領取 GCE "O" Level 考試的成績,結果是3A4B2C1E。
Monday, May 15, 2006
從音樂看他的價值觀
正是此時,Terence更向我提出想跟Adam學習彈結他。由於他一直都是自學,所以我也支持他的想法,使Terence可以在他的音樂尋求過程中有一個review,在幫他了解及理清了他在時間上的安排後,我們便同意Terence先學習數堂,然後便專心準備GCSE考試,等7月放暑假時再繼續學習。就這樣我亦樂意為他支付300元一小時的學費。
每次學習回來,他都很興奮的告訴我他所學習到的新東西,有些技巧雖然Terence在自學過程中也有發現及運用,但由於經過Adam的解釋,他便能懂得更活用及再發展那些技巧,他頓然發覺音樂中更廣闊的天空。
有一天,當Peter來我們家和Terence spend time時,Terence 把他跟Adam學到的技巧也毫無保留地教導了Peter, Peter也覺得難度極高,未能掌握。Terence解釋他自己也曾經用心地花了一定的時間去拴摩及領悟才能明白其中奥妙,真是不簡單的啊。Terence更告訴我Keein也想學和他亦同意教Keein。我便打趣的問Terence : 「如果你再跟Adam多學一些後,不是也可以教導其他人來賺取一些零用錢嗎?」 Terence 答 : 「我不可以收錢的,因為那些技巧不是我的,它們是Adam自創的,我要尊重。」
Well spoken!
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
The Power of Grace
In the 2005 Christmas preaching, Lawrence has given us the above formular which indicates grace catlysts the power of change.
"anatawa wasureta kashira. nijuirono .............." the same old Japanese song I have heard for 20 years since I know Ben in 1985 woke me up in the morning of the boxing day. I went to the living room and found he was playing with his new toy - a DVD recorder.
"Good morning. You are as usual busy in dubbing your same old songs from tool to tool; from tape recorder to LPD to CD to DVD and now DVD changable Hard Disk. Yet, you have not added any new songs to what you are used to listen for over 20 years, right?. Are they your good old friends of Minami Kosetsu, Inoue Yoshui, Beatles......?"
"Hum."
"Like father like son. Now Terence loves music even more than you do. Moreover, he can compose song and write lyric. Yesterday before dinner time, he came to me puzzling about the theme of his new song. Finally he said - yes, the tsunami! When I went to bed at 12am, he brought to me his newly written lyric. I was so impressed by a couple of lines which says - [........Dear mother, stolen by the ocean.....I can make my living by selling pearls drip out from the eyes. ] What he means the pearls are the tears. It's so touching, isn't it?"
"Hum."
"I think Terence is quite a ressemble of you."
Ben replied me seriously for the first time, "No, I am a all rounded person."
"Well, is there any way that you can help him to become a same all rounded person as you do?"
"He can look at me and see what I do."
"Being a teenager, he might not be conscious about everything happening around him. Then, how would you attract him to observe your modelling deeper and fuller?"
"I dont know."
"Could you give a second thought?" I added a bit of encouragement.
"No, I dont know."
"I think seeing or observing is a good way to resemble. How about if you could do something together with Terence to let him experience the process of your thinking in a deeper sense?"
a long silence began and the conversation stopped here...........
In the dinner time, Ben was still playing his same old songs with the new DVD recorder. It's George Harrison's My Sweet Lord. Suddenly, Ben stopped and asked Terence, "can you play this tune? get your guitar and try now."
I was surprised how rare Ben to allow Terence to play guitar in the middle of the dinner.
"Hey, Terernce, I know the chord. What you have to do is to play the tune as George did. That's the part I could not manage."
The picture right in front of me was [the father and son jamming music]. I could not stop telling Ben, "Woow! what a great connection between you and Terence. Awesome!"
Without too much effort, Terence could play exactly as George did. "You are wonderful!" Ben complimented Terence with a cheerful smile.
The power of Grace wins hearts and clues people in harmony.......amen!
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
No Grey Area
Michelle: "Mom, I want to share first as I am almost time to go out."
Bonnie: "No problem but please wait until Terence settles down himself on the sofa."
Michelle: " v4 says choose to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. In the world, there is many kinds of temptation, in particular worst to me is the material world. If I choose to be friend of materials, I will want more money and may think of wicked ways to satisfy my desires. There is also other temptations like: selfishness, anger, tell lies. Those are sins that wont please to God."
Bonnie: "How do these sins relate to you?"
Michelle: " I follow God's way and then I will not be tempted."
Bonnie: "Great insight! OK go and get change."
Terence: "v7-8 says Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. It seems I have made a bad choice of decided not to study Bible now. That means I will not be near to God."
Bonnie: "Are you doing anything to get yourself nearer to God now?"
Terence: "I am going to church on Sunday."
Bonnie: "How do you feel your heart in connection with God."
Terence: "Not very deep but there is still a bit of my intention to get near to God by going to church on Sunday."
Bonnie: "Well, as you said that's a bit. I appreciate your effort and from there I wish you could build up deeper and stronger connection with God when time goes by."
My Responsibility
Bonnie: "What did you say?"
Terence: "As I told you that I do not want to study Bible now. However, I felt very bad of refusing people."
Bonnie: "I think important is you have to be honest to the person asking and yourself."
Terence: " Yes, Scott has said in today's sermon that if your invited person does not want to study Bible, it is not your fault. It is his/her choice."
Bonnie: "Good listener! Isn't it true that you have decided not to study Bible now? No matter how, I respect your choice. You may also have to aware that it is your choice to bear the outcome of this decision. Well, am I right to catch that you will consider this topic again later, right?"
Terence: "May be."
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Check our Motives
We all aware that whatever we do, check our motives first. If for wrong motives, we will not receive even we asked.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Prayer over MSN
[下午 06:21:13] Michelle: Dear God
[下午 06:21:24] Miko: lol
[下午 06:21:30] Michelle: carry on
[下午 06:21:34] Joshua: wait dun interrupt
[下午 06:21:45] Joshua: ok who first
[下午 06:21:49] Michelle: me
[下午 06:21:52] Michelle: then
[下午 06:22:02] Joshua: ok
[下午 06:22:12] Michelle: Dear God
[下午 06:25:20] Michelle: I hope Terence’s problems will be all solved so quickly... I will do anything just if he can Get well. I will never quarrelle with him, never hit him, Never call him names or stuff. Never ever do anything Which makes him angry or feel bad, I just hope that he
Could get well as soon as possible. So that our love and Our support can carry him along a healthy and loving Road, just hope that he'll get better...... God bless him
Please listen to Miko/Joshua's prayer......
[下午 06:25:42] Joshua: ok me?
[下午 06:25:46] Michelle: sure!
[下午 06:25:49] Joshua: k
[下午 06:26:21] Joshua: dear god in heaven, thank u for giving us this chance to realize how frail we are, and how much we need u in troubled times.
[下午 06:26:28] Joshua: pray for Terence
[下午 06:26:42] Miko: me?
[下午 06:27:01] Michelle: w8
[下午 06:27:27] Michelle: I guess Joshua is continuing
[下午 06:28:18] Joshua: who is sick now and needs your help, pray that u will help him get well soon and be with us again, I hope that u will also offer some comfort through your word to Michelle and auntiebonnie and Uncle Ben, thank god that We are all here to pray for him and pray that he will get well soon
[下午 06:28:23] Joshua: plz listen to miko's prayer
[下午 06:31:05] Miko: dear god~ Thank you for letting me gets to know Terence this
Wonderful friend... who I knew from 6. But because he is Sick now I really hope you can heal him.... and that Bonnie and Uncle Ben and michy will not be so worried~~~ Thank you thank you again for giving me this wonderful friend...
[下午 06:31:28] Michelle: Amen
[下午 06:31:29] Joshua: amen?
[下午 06:31:32] Joshua: amen
[下午 06:31:34] Miko: amen
[下午 06:31:36] Michelle: kaka
[下午 06:31:42] Miko: that was nice
[下午 06:31:43] Joshua: wow prayer over msn
[下午 06:31:45] Joshua: so pro
[下午 06:31:46] Michelle: ye
[下午 06:32:05] Michelle: feel so spirited
[下午 06:32:18] Miko: good idea!!! I can pray like that with
Renee too! ^^
Friday, August 12, 2005
上頭的智慧
We did this week's QT on Friday because both Terence and Michelle have to go to Pre-teens Summer Camp on 20-21 Aug, 2005.
After we have taken a OISHII Japanese ZaruSoba cooked by Wati, we started our QT.
Terence shared, "I have learned that the true wisdom is from heaven."
"Have you ever experienced any heavenly wisdom. If yes, please tell me what is it?"
"No."
"Then, do you know where you can learn the heavenly wisdom?"
"beeeebllllllee" Terence replied in his usual unclean voice with his tricky tone.
"Yes, you have been going to church for about 6 years. Do you have your most favorite bible words to share with us?" Bonnie teared Terence that his Bible is badly wearing down so he should have been very serious in reading Bible.
"Wait, my most favorite bible words are at Revelation 20:7-10. Mom, why most people feel Revelation is very difficult, it is easy for me. I also dont understand why adult dont read Revelation with us?"
"I think it is your own choice. You can read any chapter or book at anytime when you feel right to read them."
Terence started to read aloud Revelation 20:7-10 to us. "..........Lake of Fire! Everybody has to go to Lake of Fire!"
Bonnie asked, "Other than the Lake of Fire, are there any other places to go?"
"River of Lives!" Terence replied.
"Well, where is your choice?"
"River of Lives."
"In order to be there, what is necessary?"
"Believe in God."
"Yes, you are right but it sounds to me that something is still missing?"
Michelle shouted, "Baptism!"
"Yes, Baptism." Terence repeated.
" Terence, how much have you read the Revelation?"
"I have completed the whole book of Relevation. I read it in pre-teens QT. Oh! No, I should say when pre-teens QT, I did not read the assigned book but read the Revelation on my own."
Michelle shared, " I like v3:17 where says - the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercey and good fruit, impartial and sincere."
"I like to ask the same question as I put forward to Terence. Have you ever experienced any heavenly wisdom." Bonnie asked Michelle.
"I would like to say, I am quite CONSIDERATE."
"Great! If both of you like to pick a heavenly wisdom to learn and apply in your daily lives, what would that be?"
"I'd like to pick peace-loving and if posisble to apply in the pre-teens group." answered Michelle.
"Would it be more challenge if you can start applying at home for the relationship with your brother." Bonnie asked.
A silence from Michelle (I let her thinking flows within her heart.......)
"I want to pick GOOD FRUIT." Terence said.
"Mom, in last pre-teens' class, Auntie Elaine has chosen a scripture about "The Fruit of Spirit" to teach us about temptation. Please help me to find where is the scripture?" Michelle jumped into Terence's sharing.
"It is Galatians 5:22-23." I said.
"Let's get back to Terence. What does Good Fruit mean to you." Bonnie asked.
"To teach other young people something I know."
"Do you mean guitar?"
Terence replied with a nob.
"If this good fruit implies to a more spiritual sense, what would it be?"
"Then, I will teach other young people to know the teaching of the good fruit."
"That makes sense to me." and then Bonnie closed the QT.