the world is trying to "de-compete"

Last night, I went to a homecoming basketball game at a nearby small Christian school with my friends.  When the homecoming court was presented to us, I expected to see someone crown a new homecoming queen.  However, all of the nominees stood up and walked away without announcing the queen.  I was puzzled and asked my friends who were puzzled, too.  We learned that the school committee, parents and students decided not to choose one queen and one king this year.  They preferred not to compete for it.  They just wanted to display all the nominees - that's all.  Interesting.
This morning, I went to watch an Upward basketball game where 1st and 2nd graders played.  I enjoyed watching them play.  When they made shoots, the scoreboard didn't display any number.  Just 0 to 0 throughout the games.  I was puzzled again, and asked my friend who sat next to me.  She explained that parents were upset about scores last year.  This year, they decided not to be in a competition.  They preferred to let kids play for fun.  Interesting again!
I guess the world is trying to "de-compete."  I think we focused too much on "competition."  

losing is finding...

I couldn't get rid of my instinct to throw away all the junk that I don't need anymore at my place.  When I moved into a warehouse/apartment, my friends called me a rat pack after helping me load/unload and move in.  So I did stay up until 2 AM every day since last Monday to clean all the old stuff out of my drawers.  I realized that I would be busier this month and next month because of my best childhood friend's wedding season and Mardi Gras events!  So I was determined to dig deeper into my drawers to throw all the unnecessary stuff and keep a VERY FEW things that I wanted to keep, so I could enjoy the next two months without being under pressure to "un-clutter" my place.  At that moment, I happened to find an old sheet from one of my numerous LEAD (Presidential Scholar) meetings during my college years, and I thought reading/mediating on it was an excellent way to start 2009, or 200-MINE!  Read the followings-

"Paradoxes of Leading"

Which ones typify the lessons that you have learned about yourself this past year?

~The last shall be first

~You have to know how to follow to lead

~Serving is leading

~Losing is finding

~Power is made full and complete in weakness (I can boast in my weaknesses)

~Joy in Sorrow

~Meek inherit the earth

~Turn the other cheek

~Go 2 miles instead

~Love your enemy

~The good I want to do, I don't (and vice versa)

"Talking and Walking"

If you can talk, you can sing,

If you can walk, you can dance. 

-African Proverb

Is this proverb an invitation or an admonishment for you?

"How do you walk?"

If one is supposed to walk with ones eyes open, head up, intentionally, without looking down, how would characterize the way you have walked this past year?  (Dragging your feet?  Face down?  Looking over your shoulders?  Straining to see ahead?  Slowly?  Rapidly?  Awkwardly?  Meandering?  With a purpose?  Etc...)

dark caves in my heart

I was awestruck by a passage that I read recently...

"During WWII, Allied troops had established a beachhead on one of the South Pacific islands, thus claiming 'authority' over the island.  But now that the troops had landed, the island needed to be made safe.  There were numerous caves on the island, and many enemy soldiers were still hiding there in the darkness.  So the Allied troops had their work cut out for them.  One cave at a time, they would shine their lights into the interior, exposing anyone hiding within.  Once that cave was safely cleared, they would then move on to the next.  One by one, each cave was examined until, after much time, the entire island was declared under their control.

"You're probably already guessing the analogy.  When we accept Christ as our Savior, he establishes his 'beachhead' in us.  He lays claim to us.  We become his.  But we still have a whole 'island' full of dark caves that are hiding our sins, our deceits, our weaknesses.  Proverbs 20:27 tells us, 'The LORD's light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.' (NLT)  God doesn't tackle all the caves at once.  Instead, just like the soldiers in the South Pacific, he shines his light into one cave at a time."  - Dee Bright, The Divine Romance

I have to admit that I have been "blinded" by my dark caves in my heart; however, God has used bad circumstances to show me His ENDLESS GRACE!  I'm still overwhelmed by how God has shown a lot of care and love toward us.  I praise God for all of his "transforming" works in my heart.  

last Saturday's Christmas Parade!

december craziness!

Since the last day of Thanksgiving break, I was back to my normal routines in the world of reality after a few days of relaxing in my hometown - more event planning at my work, fun with my friends (watch movies and play games), baking/cooking A LOT for Christmas events at church, back to running in the perfect warm weather (please no more coldness!), shopping with my co-workers at Toys R Us for our students, meeting Signing Santa, etc.

Last Saturday, we had a gigantic annual Christmas parade right next to my place.  The Deaf Ministry at my church and I spent two days working on a float - our theme for it was Snowy ILY. We made our snowman made out of beanbags along with ILY (I Love You) hands made out of white mittens stuffed with tissue paper.  We put over 1,000 white Christmas lights on that float, and it looked fabulous!  We had a lot of fun working hard, enjoying fellowship, and eating together.  

I decided not to be in that parade with the Deaf Ministry group because I wanted to see the entire parade that had about 85 floats!  I stood with my church friends  and got a lot of candies.  I just enjoyed watching floats - some of them were very creative and hilarious!  Several groups of little adorable girls danced around along with their batons.  Many farmers showed off their antique tractors.  Some guys advertised their karate class by showing their karate skills right on the float. Some of men from my church rode on their motorcycles and waved at us.  Also, senior citizens from the town's only one nursing home rode in a van that was decorated with Christmas lights and waved at us!  That's why I LOVE living in a small town!   :) 

cookies that can surprise you!

Yesterday, I decided to do something unusual!  I notice that several people did show random acts of kindness within the last few weeks, so I wanted to think of something to surprise someone.  

Every morning at 4 AM, my "second" father from R-dale commutes to downtown Mobile, about one mile away from my work.  As a hard-working man, he works like 12 hours everyday.  Although he is a picky eater, he loves chocolate-ly chocolate chips cookies that I make.  Yesterday after my work, I drove by his work and entered the parking lot and found his car!  I knew that he never locked his car door.  So I sneaked around, opened his driver door, and put a tin of his all-time favorite cookies on his car seat.  Then I left without informing him!  

This morning, I got a text message from my "second" mother.  She said that he was very very surprised to see cookies in his car.  He said that those cookies were the best!  Last night, he was very happy.  :)

be thankful always...

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.  His love endures forever.  Give thanks to the God of gods.  His love endures forever.  Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever, to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.  Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever." -Psalm 136:1-4 & 26

It is always nice to be "home" even though I want to live far away from my hometown.  The longer I stay away from Birmingham, the more I appreciate my hometown.  Last night, I drove to get onto Interstate 459 and realized how much I enjoyed growing up in Birmingham.  When I arrived, my sis, Beth, and I met for a coffee visit at the Summit right next to my parents' neighborhood. Then we had Chinese Ming's take-out dinner at my parents' house - just like old times!  My mom, sis and I started cooking and baking for the next day's Thanksgiving feast just like old times.  Not surprisingly, my sis and mom went crazy and danced around the kitchen for no reason.  No wonder why Dad stayed away from them.  This morning, my sis and I got up earlier to run on the lovely Lakeshore Parkway near my alma mater.  After our run, we came back home and turned on TV to watch annual Thanksgiving parade, ate homemade pumpkin bread, looked through store catalogs for Black Friday sales, and drank strong coffee just like old times.  I thank God for my sweet parents, my incredible sisters (Juju and Beth), a stable home in Birmingham, wonderful memories since I was born, my amazing friends who taught me a lot about what life was about, my "second" family in Robertsdale, FBCR church/friends, my work in Mobile, my precious preschool students (even though they get in trouble sometimes), my place where I can sleep in peace, difficult times that drew me closer to God, DTQ ministry/WaveSTAFF friends, my dependable Honda car that has been faithful to me (she'll be 10 years old next year!), my boss Jen and aides, God's endless grace and redeeming love, my life tests to challenge me to stand firm alongside with God, coffee to keep me awake every morning, friendly folks in Robertsdale, Bob & Kathy Ayres, Matt & Shannon Reynolds, countless great restaurants in Birmingham (you'll understand better after a couple of years living in Mobile), seven22 group in Pensacola, gorgeous beaches in Alabama, breath-taking mountains in Oregon, slow-paced lifestyle in Robertsdale, God's faithfulness...I just have to thank God every minute for everything.  Also, I thank God for bad circumstances that I really don't want to happen in my life - but God uses them to teach me more.  Isn't God good?  

"You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."  -Psalm 118:28-29

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!