A Holistic Living

I was thinking of calling this post 'A Spiritual Crisis' but when I thought it through (in the shower), I realised that it's not only a spiritual crisis, because the spiritual aspect has a flow-on effect on the physical and emotional well-being.

My spiritual crisis is the tension I am feeling with letting-go of my reigns. Letting go of my control over things. I would love to follow my heart and leave accounting TOTALLY but I may be holding on to a very fine thread-it's probably all the security I need but nonetheless, a security in every way. It's still not letting God full reign to do it His way. Perhaps, to put it in some context, it's like when someone distorts a truth and claims, "it's a version of the truth". Truths have no versions. God in control has no other versions besides Him in the driver seat and me in the passenger seat... not my hands on the gears, or my foot on the brakes... anyway, you get the gist.

It's doing what I can do, to the best of my ability, without the worries. That sounds like a great deal but why is it so hard to do? Worrying is such a gravitational force that if left alone will leave us going round and round the centripetal force - a bit like a rat on a treadmill. It must take another greater force to change the tangent of the action. Therefore it must take work and effort on my part to not let worry spin me into a ball.

That will in turn leave me with more to give my family, myself and for others, both with my time, my emotions and my physical energy.

Role Modelling

There's been quite a bit written recently about masculinity reconstruction - ie. Men have to learn to be more emotionally attuned, more connected with their children, be around physically more than their fathers, who were too busy to be involved, showed no emotions and when they did, was usually anger and spoke more criticisms than it was worth. So, due to the lack of good role modelling, men are struggling to define their role.

As a woman, I find that it's not only a phenomenon with the men. I can think of the many areas I feel inadequate about because of my lack of role modelling in my life. I can say this now with the knowledge that the inadequacies I often feel stems from that. I too have to reconstruct my feminity and my role in society.

Mum was great in as much as she could possibly be. But having been an orphan whose adopted parents died by the time she turned 8, and living with relatives who ill-treated her, mum had no role model herself. She didn't know how to socialise, she has a low self-esteem of herself, she was never one to be in the limelight for anything. She still thinks lowly of herself - not in a healthy way but in an unhealthy way. Whilst I consider her a matyr, she sees it as something she does because she has no choice. And that's probably true. She becomes a matyr because that's the only way she could find significance because she doesn't think she is worth anything else to anyone. How tragic. The more tragic thing is, that thought is now so ingrained that it's almost impossible for her to change without much pain. Pain I'm not sure I want to be the one inflicting.

Anyway, back to role reconstruction... isn't that something all of us struggle with? Maybe there might be some very blessed ones out there who had great role models. I tend to meet lots without, male or female.

My kind of Music

There are times when I wish I had grown up more emersed in the music of my teenage era - the 80's music. It's always when we're at Karaoke functions. But even now, I don't go seeking those music to listen to when I want to relax or unwind. I go to Josh Groban. I could have his same DVD playing in the background the whole day while I work at home.

When I was growing up, I stayed away from the pop and rock music coz anything that wasn't christian music had the potential to be satanic. That was the emphasis in church youth programs then. Not sure if they still do that now in christian youth programs. I suppose I've now learnt to discern not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Anyway, I never had any close affinity to any pop/rock singers, music or bands. Whilst I wasn't totally shielded from it, I know very few songs from the 80's and wouldn't have a clue who sang them even if they sounded familiar.

Now in my thirties, I still only have a handful of pop singers and songs that I like. I seem to have skipped the whole pop scene and gone straight to contemporary classical - if that's what you call someone like Josh Groban, Russell Watson & Bocelli.

My current favourite is Josh Groban. He just captivates me with his voice, the passion in his face when he sings, his ability to play different musical instruments well. Maybe I'm just not musical and when I see someone as talented as that, it just makes my jaw drop. Plus, he's easy on the eyes.

I just played his DVD, "Live at the Greek" for my visitors (who are into music) today. I was surprised they've never heard of him but they are in the late 50's or early 60's and he is in his 20's! They were just as impressed at what he does.

I enjoyed Awake just as much as his other earlier albums and I would love to hear him write and sing a piece of music that has much impact as the acclaimed 'You Raise Me Up' in his next album.

I Hate Accounting

I really do. I hate accounting. I'm keeping my one client because it's a good source of income but I absolutely hate the stress of checking figures and having to be pudentic about everything (so picky - eeks!) - I hate being paranoid about things. Is it just me or are all accountants like me - paranoid people? People that like to be in-control. It's so opposite from my other career - counselling.

My latter career tries to heal a person from being a perfectionist and my former career creates a perfectionist!!! No wonder I've been so stressed lately. The tension within me is slowly taking the toil on me and I'm going to have to choose one or the other or risk having a multiple personality disorder!

But giving up my accounting client means I'll have to work full-time as a counsellor to make up for the income loss and put my son in childcare full-time. That's the other tension. I don't really want to have my son in a daycare 5 days a week but I don't really know what to do with my time with him either when I've got him at home. I really do feel really guilty about putting him in full-time care. On the other hand, I don't really know how to fill my time with him and also feel guilty about not keeping him occupied enough. What should I do with a 3 year old day in and day out besides playing with the same toys, watching the same programs and going to the same shops???

Now, know what I mean about becoming a perfectionist?! Someone please help me with ideas on what to do with a 3 year old in a country town where nothing much happens. Lots of outdoors but I'm not a big outdoor person. I could stay indoor (not necessary at home) the whole day and for weeks and months and it would not bother me.

1-2-3 Magic

Well, I am impressed. It has worked. I think what I like about the method is that it's very easy to use and has only very few pointers to remember. The main pointers were - No Talk, No Emotion. Give 3 warnings for them to self-regulate their behaviour and to accept that they have to stop a bad behaviour, then follow through with a consequence after the count of 3 (with about 5 seconds in between each count of bad behaviour). Punishment must not be hitting, spanking and have no yelling. Just very matter-of-factly deliver a punishment without any emotions (anger, frustrations, yelling etc) after the count of 3 (with time given for child to stop behaviour and self-regulate). Isn't that easy? Then as time goes, parent lessen the counting and increase ignoring behaviours that are not big issues (referred to as Big Rocks) in the family.

Well, I must say, I left very beaten up about my parenting abilities and am feeling very much in-control and empowered now. So thanks to 1-2-3 Magic!

I think what works about the method is its simplicity. The other thing is being focussed on parenting. When I'm at a loss, I call on the methodology of 1-2-3 magic and I have a focal point for my parenting and it helps. I helps that I am not fumbling and tearing my hair out. It helps that my son knows who is in-charge. The best part is, there's no threat, no fear invoked, no physical abuse inflicted on the child.

I just don't agree about canning. I'm sorry that Christians interprete the bible verse "Spare the rod and spoil the child" literally. That is so wrong. People think they are doing the child a favour by spanking them. Often, it's because they are at a loss as to how to discpline their child as well as it's the only method they know from past experience.

Wealthy Christians - is that contradictory to being a Christian?

So I say I am a Christian. What does that mean to me? It's one of those things that mean different things to different people. Some call themselves a Christian because their parents are Christians. Some believe they are Christians by virtue that they go to church. Others call themselves Christians because they had a spiritual awakening of some sort to the salvation offered through Jesus Christ and attend church to meet other Christians who share this encounter.

I am a Christian because I have had one of those spiritual awakening experience. Still, the notion of what does being a Christian mean differ amongst those that have made that spiritual response to commit their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and there are vast differences in what we believe. I am specifically talking about the issue of wealth creation here.

Some believe that Christians should be as poor as a church mouse as they live a non-materialistic life wanting of nothing but the basic needs to live and to share the gospel. Others believe they should be wealthy and in positions of influence so that they can make a difference, help the poor and further the gospel with their wealth and influence. The first category believe they live by faith and wait for God to provide - however that may be. The second category believe that they live by faith believing that God will provide for the poor and under-priviledge through them.

So, is it presumptuos to believe that God would want to use us to provide for the poor and under-priviledge? Does not the birds and the flowers in the field that Jesus described not an analogy for all Christians that we should not worry about what we should wear and what tomorrow will bring? So why should we worry about the providing for the poor and under-priviledge? How will God provide for these people if not for other people providing for them? If Christians don't provide for them, will non-Christians?

Much as I believe in God as a miracle maker, I have always seen him at work through people and the existing things around me. I have never seen things falling of the sky like the Isrealites did with their manna. I have never seen things appear from thin air. I have never experienced a miracle of that sort. But I have experienced miracles in many ways. Things happening that would have been more than mere coincidences. Things that in my mind would have been impossible, became possible. Things that I cannot explain except know that God holds all things in His hands.

So will God need me to bring about His miracles. He probably doesn't. But, would He use me to bring about His miracles if it was available to be used. I would think so. God wastes nothing. Would the lack of available resources mean God will be resourceless and His works and plans impeded? I don't think so, because He is the best steward there is in the entire universe. Let's not forget, He's also all-knowing unlike us. So with perfect knowledge, He could do what no one else can ever do, make the perfect plan, yet use us, and all our available resources. So should we worry about being wealthy - no. But should we desire to be wealthy - why not? Should we lose sleep over our wealth - no coz we were told not to worry about things but to trust the Lord in all circumstances. But should we dream and think about wealth - why not?

Where was I?

Wow... it's been a very long time. So long that I had forgotten how to post a blog and even forgotten my password! Took me quite a while fumbling around trying to even get my URL.

I'm blogging because I'm in a hotel room all on my own in Darwin, 3-4 hours drive away (depending on how fast you drive and how many cars are on the road) from my husband and son. I had to do a training in 123-Magic in Darwin today and had to stay 2 nights in a hotel coz I wasn't game to drive myself up just in case I fell asleep on the wheel, which I had done once a couple of years ago. Thankfully there were no cars on the road I was driving on. The next coach back is tomorrow morning.

Believe it or not, it's my first time leaving my son behind. That brought up a lot of my past experiences as a child. As a child I used to suffer great separation anxiety when mum went away. Not that she went away a lot but I remembered those times well. I remembered crying myself to sleep and praying every night that she will return. I remembered the separation itself was a traumatic time for me. I didn't want my son to experience the same things I did. I dreaded the separation for weeks coming into it. I would have cancelled the trip if it wasn't for the topic of the course - 123 Magic - a course to train trainers how to discipline a child without spanking, yelling and threats!

I knew it was going to benefit me as well as my career if I did the course considering it was being paid for by my employer. It was hard to tear apart from my child for 2 nights but I knew it was going to empower me to be a better mum and for me to help empower other mums.

Maybe given the surrounding context, I am feeling a bit vulnerable and a low about myself. My husband says I'm normally a confident person and everyone feels like that every now and again. I did feel better to think that what I'm feeling is normal and it did diffuse the blues.

I am now looking forward to my trip back to my family and implementing the 123 Magic. Hopefully it will be magic. I think I was the only one that sounded really apprehensive about the course - only because until I see the results for myself, I ain't raving on about it yet. I must admit id did sound very psychologically sound and right though. A lot more meat than the 123-Magic book itself presents.

Till my next... whenever that's going to be!

Catching Up with the Wireless

Well, you might be thinking why I've been out of blogosphere for soooo long. While doing my tax return a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I should get a bit more techno savy with my systems at home. Up until now, I've been operating on a PC which is 3 years old and the speed, or rather the lack of it, was driving me crazy. I've been thinking for a long time to get myself a new laptop as my work computer and get a home network going. Then I also find my memory is failing me especially after having a child. So I've decided on getting myself a PDA, after all these years of relying only on Microsoft Outlook. The only problem is, I'm no IT geek. I only have a wishlist with a budget and there are no shops here I can walk into and ask informative questions.

So, I've been literally spending days and nights reading up on wireless technology, what is WIFI, how to set it up, what I need etc. Then I have to shop for them online. Reading all the specs on the different models and brands was more tiring than reading tax laws.

So, after all that work, I would like to share what I've decided to buy. If you've got any comments or experience with any of the items, please let me know your comments coz I would appreciate them.

1. PDA - Palm LifeDrive Manager
2. ACER Travelmate 5614 (17in screen for my movie buff husband for when we travel and all other features for my Accounting work & home office)
3. Dynalink DI-624S Wireless Router
4. Maxtor 300GB external Hard Drive for my back-ups

So, any comments?

The Woodcutter's Wisdom

Here's a great story that puts perspective on life's twists and turns:

As Max Lacado said, "I pray that it will remind you, as it did me, that patience is the greater courage."

Story:
Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. "This horse is not a horse to me," he would tell them. "It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?" The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.

One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. "You old fool," they scoffed, "we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune."The old man responded, "Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?"The people contested, "Don’t make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse."The old man spoke again. "All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?"The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.

After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. "Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us."The man responded, "Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don’t judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?"Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don’t say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don’t.""Maybe the old man is right," they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money.

The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgements."You were right," they said. "You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever."The old man spoke again. "You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments."

It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again."You were right, old man," they wept. "God knows you were right. This proves it. Yours son’s accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever."The old man spoke again. "It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows."

Max Lucado's words:
The old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life’s mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgement on life’s storms until we know the whole story.I don’t know where the woodcutter learned his patience. Perhaps from another woodcutter in Galilee. For it was the Carpenter who said it best:"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." He should know. He is the author of our story. And he has already written the final chapter.

Got this whole article from here.

I hope it's ministered to your soul as it did mine!

I Repent

I'm glad I'm saved by grace and not by works. I'm glad my salvation is secure in Christ despite the number of times I have to repent in a day. I'm glad it's in the repentance that I am saved, and not in my own perfection for if my salvation had depended on my ability to not be faulted, then I might as well give up on my salvation.

If I were to have my thoughts of today played on the big screen for all to see and if every sinful thought carried a penalty, I might as well be jailed for life. Not that I thought of committing big crimes but the number of small thoughts and acts that were of my sinful selfish motivations and human nature would have added up without me even realising the sins I've been committing.

So, thank you Jesus for the free gift of salvation. I repent of my inability to keep a straight clean record. Your righteousness is beyond me, for I am born a sinner. I am righteous only by your death and resurrection, and the blood you shed for me. Just help me to be a better person for your name sake and for the reputation of your kingdom! Thank you that I've got you. How do people do life without you? What a burden they would carry! Thank you for delivering me from that burden. I love you.

About The Purpose Of Life

In my previous post on Being and Loving by Horner, Richard suggested I read a book called Leisure: The Basis of Culture. As usual, I started writing up a comment that went longer than my post itself, so I thought, why don't I make it a post instead since I haven't written a post for a week!

I am an advocate of leisure. In fact, I try to get people to slow down a bit to listen to themselves and their motivations. I myself try to practise it as much as I can. Every now and again, the frantic rat and the treadmill effect kinda slides in but overall, I think I'm at a better place now than before with controlling the treadmill and making it work for me rather than I work for it.

I don't always say it in many words but try to live by example and sometimes when I see people get into mini-crisis because of their own choices, I try and explain to them that we need to listen to what our hearts are saying and make a conscious choice to heed it. I don't always get a light bulb effect but that's okay. We are all at different places in our lives and some are just not ready to listen.

I believe God speaks and guides us in our purpose on earth through our hearts and we need to listen to what our hearts are saying. But, of course, sometimes the devil tries to speak to us too and confuses us. Ever asked, Is it God or is it just me? It's a matter of practice when it comes to listening to God. The more we do it, the more accurate we get at it. That was the advise I got when I asked the same question a few years ago.

I also believe that the devil tries to distract us from our true purpose through the busyness of life and making us think we've got to have it all and do it all. (Read: Don't Let The Devil Steal Your Destiny by Norvel Hayes)

Whenever I contemplate going back to full-time work, be it for myself or for someone else, I know this just isn't the right timing but still the human nature in me just wants to ensure a safer future, and to know that I still got what it takes to succeed in the business world. The need to feel secure, isn't that a huge driving force of why we do the things we do. If we knew for sure that we will be just fine, would we still strive as hard?

So I reckon, it's knowing our purpose in life that's important to how we make our decisions and to be able to stand by faith on that knowledge during testing times. To me, that's living by faith.

How did I get to this topic from that passing comment of Richard, I don't know. I suppose I acknowledge the need for time-outs, for contemplation, for listening to our hearts and following our hearts. The need to stand firm on what we've heard and not be swayed by temptations and distractions to take us from that path; the need for me to put away all subtle ways of putting my feet on both the present and the future so much so that I stress myself to the limits in trying to achieve both, thus being double minded. The bible says in James 1:5-8, a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, swayed by the waves in the sea, is neither here nor there, and will not achieve or receive anything.

I suppose, I'm reminding myself that God has put in my custody, a child that needs to be nurtured in all areas of his life and the importance of his early childhood days for him to reach his fullest potential in his future developments. I am afterall, a Princess of God, a Wife, a Mother, a Daughter, and an Accountant/a Counsellor and a Sister to the body of Christ - all in that order of priority. I wear different hats at different times but when I am faced with conflicting demands, my priority checklist comes in. And now I have to return to wearing my Accountant hat because hubs and son are asleep and I've got my tax return to do!

Being & Loving by Horner

I received a book I ordered yesterday in the mail which I paid about $60.00 for. Expecting it to be like a textbook material kinda book, I was surprised when the parcel came in and it was only just under 1cm thick. Nonetheless, I have been waiting for this particular book eargerly and stayed up till 4.15am last night reading this book.

So, yes, the title is Being & Loving by Althea J Horner. Anyway, the author basically said that often people do one of these 3 things:

1. They find themselves loving and working hard at keeping their relationships that they lose their own identity in the whole process.

2. They find themselves at risk of losing their own identity when trying to love others that they eventually resent the partner for being over-controlling (eventhough that's only their perception) and they find themselves trapped.

3. They find themselves in a state of ambivalent that they cannot go either way - that is, to have their own identity or to love freely that they find themselves utterly disappointed with the partner and trapped in their own ambivalence.

All three states are no good. (Horner, page 3)

Horner said the reason for such inner turmoil and conflicts are due to the first three years of a child's development and this point was substantiated by the attachment, separation and individuation theory of development of which she quoted a few. In the first 5-6months, the baby has to learn attachment to a primary giver to learn basic trust. Then from 6-16months, they learn separation and individuation. If all this process and stages takes place successfully, the child will have intrinsic basic trust in loving people and also a strong sense of self.

Without that taking place, the child will find themselves in one of the above situation when they become an adult.

So what do you think about that?

I've yet to finish the book and might do another follow-up post on it but I'll stop here since I think this is enough for a start.

Hong Kong Disneyland

A few months ago, my high tech friend Jaywalk told me I could do a video blog by uploading my video clips on this site. So I thought I give it a try.

Here's a video of the fireworks at the Hong Kong Disneyland. If I'm not wrong, they do this every night as their closing parade. I thought it was pretty impressive. Not as impressive as the Sydney New Year's Eve Fireworks but pretty good for something that's done on a daily basis.

View video here

I heard a lot of ill report of the Hong Kong Disneyland but mostly 3rd hand stories. One was that many of the people that go to Hong Kong Disneyland are from China and the Chinese do not know how to give each other personal space in queues (in general, that is) so that makes the whole experience very unpleasant especially when the queues are terribly long. The other was the place is not very hygienic because they (the Chinese) spit a lot. There was also complaints that it was too small and therefore not worth going.

Well, I actually had quite a good time there and didn't experience any of the problems others had encountered. The queues weren't too long - with the exception of checking in at the Hollywood hotel. I had to queue for almost 45 minutes just to get checked in. Maybe it wasn't quite peak period yet when we went. I found on the contrary, the place very clean. Almost like a cleaner was trailing behind us to pick after us everywhere we went.

The only other complaint I have is again with the hotel. On the website, it was stated that the rate of the hotel included all mini-bar, but when we got there, it was an EMPTY fridge.

The queing problem I did encounter, but not at Disney. It was at the airport. We went to the airport well before the counters were opened for checking in. So we were the first in the queue. We left a 1m space between the counter and us for thoroughfare. 1 minute before the counters were opened, a busload of Chinese tourists came along and helped themselves to the space in front of us. I was flabbergasted! Anyway, I was thankful it didn't happen again. The ugly side of me would have probably surfaced.

I also uploaded some pictures but while uploading I decided to surf the net as well and for some reason lost the page altogether so maybe another time....

Second Round of World Cup

As we woke ourselves up at what I call an unearthly hour (4.30am) and sat through a gruelling match against Croatia, I questioned why I put myself through all that. Why do we purposely subject ourselves to pain and agony just to feel the exhilaration at winning a game? The game was crucial for the World Cup yes, but it is definitely NOT crucial to life.

So forgive me Socceroos and all Socceroos' fans, but I half hoped that we will lose so that all this late nights and early morning wakings would end now and life will revert to some sort of normality for us. Now we have to go through another round of it all. I think my heart (and my body) is not that strong to sit through the second round.

Then again, this is one aspect of living life to the fullest. Perhaps this is what it means to stop and smell the roses and to seize the day?

Yum Cha Tea Ritual

Since coming back from our holidays I've been find it hard to find time to blog. Why so busy? I notice something is different. Can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe my husband and I have been spending more time together since we got back because that's what we did for 3weeks. We seem to have bonded a little closer in the 3 weeks, and the holiday's got us into a routine of spending quality time together as we found a new interest in tea ritual. What's that? Here's a picture of our tea set bought from Hong Kong and my current favourite tea - Blossom Jasmine (picture above).

The Blossom Jasmine (or the Snowball Jasmine) is Oolong tea intricately woven into a ball with Jasmine and Crysanthemum in the centre. The ball then opens up into a flower in the teapot as seen above. Not only is it pretty, but it is also a very nice sweet smelling tea. Definitely by far, my favourite tea.

Below is the tea set we bought from Lama Island in Hong Kong from Chin Yip Tea Shop. A shop that's just newly opened and owned by 2 young brothers. We just wanted to experience 'Yum Cha' when we went in and the whole experience was so pleasant we bought a set home. Lama Island is a quaint little island about half an hour from Central HK by Ferry and there are no cars in Lama Island. One third of the population of about 5000 are expatriats so in a middle of a very chinese row of shops along the jetti, you get a very English pub. There is also a great variety of restaurants from Seafood to Thai and Indian food in that same row.


We've been doing a bit of Yum Cha since we got home. That means less time for blogging since work and other household administrative stuff still have to be done. I wish there were more time in a day, and I've got more energy to last longer than 18 hours a day. Imagine if we don't have to sleep, wouldn't we get a lot more time at hand?

There is a lot I'd like to write about but I don't have the time and energy lately to enter into any deep and meaningful at length. So till the next hopefully interesting post!

Goose Bumps

I can't believe it, I'm actually getting goose bumps as I listen to the Aussie National Athem being sung as the game begins against Brazil! I'm actually feeling excited to watch this game.

All the best Socceroos!!!

Australians, Men and Sports

Well, it's Soccer Mania here in Australia. Usually it's Cricket, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Aussie Rules, Tennis, Swimming, the Commonwealth Games, Tour de France and the Olympics that Australians are crazy about. Soccer isn't the favourite sport in Australia until this year when we got in the Finals after 32 years. For that reason, my husband says, it's bigger than the Olympics!

For tonight's game against Brazil at 1.30am our opposition leader even went as far as saying employers should allow their employees a late morning to work. So what is it with Sports and Australians, and Men I wonder? If my husband wasn't so into sports, I wouldn't be writing this post today. In fact, I probably wouldn't be following the Soccer World Cup, Cricket or any sports for that matter except for Tennis which I enjoy playing.

Have you also noticed how in social settings, the men and women instantly break up into 2 separate groups - the men's group and the women's group? It's such a classic scenario here in Australia that I used to think the Australian men have serious social problems. Now I think it's
a universal problem!!! Is that true?

Well, now that I'm on the topic of men, may I also air my thoughts on how men are not generally good listeners and hate confrontations. Maybe that's got some correlation with the love for sports... any comments?

I'm Back!

Well, hubs, bubs and I had been on our 3 weeks holiday to Singapore and Hong Kong and got back last week but mentally, I have just returned to blogosphere after having to plunge myself into a backlog of work, cleaning and getting connected again with my network of friends here.

In between all that last week, there was also the excitement of Australia beating Japan 3-1 (should have been 3-0 if the fault was picked up by the referee!!!) in the World Cup Soccer in Germany. Normally, I'm not into sports but Australia hasn't made it to the finals in the Soccer World Cup since 32 years ago so it's a big thing. More a nationalistic thing than the love of the sport, really. The 3 goals that Australia managed to get in the last 7 minutes of the game was just grinding but brilliant to watch. What a sentiment it created for the whole week and we're still talking about it!

Then my son went to childcare for just one day this week for the first time so that was another big emotional event. I was really anxious the night before and the whole day while he was in childcare. I even stayed and watch him from a "hidden" room for about an hour before I finally left him with the capable carers. Ended up, he was just fine after the first hour. Ate all his lunch, didn't nap, socialised well, played well, gave the carers lots of smiles and laughs, and was following instructions when I arrived to pick him up! He went so well, I decided to put him in childcare for two days a week starting next week! I'm so proud of him!

I haven't forgotten the holidays. We had so much fun. It really brought out the good in all of us but it was also very tiring thus the need to sleep a few days after we returned! We ate and walked heaps but we must have eaten more than we walked because I still gained a few kilos! I will have to have a post or two on the holidays.

Well, that's all for now. I thought I start with something small to get the momentum back!

The Light Of The World

Following my previous post, I just wanted to talk a little bit about this passage (Matt 5:13-16). I would have found the verse myself, but it was late and I just wanted to jot down my thoughts quickly, so thanks to Richard for telling me what the reference is for my previous post!

I know some people would interprete the verse to say that we as Christians must be responsible for our behaviour or be a stumbling block to others or worse, risk losing our salvation if we don't exhibit characters that shine for God. What I find with a lot Christians is that the emphasis on striving for holiness and what's right is heavier than the emphasis on why we became Christians in the first place.

Granted there are a lot of reasons why different people call themselves Christians. Some think because they are born in a Christian family, they are Christians. Others think because the country they live in has a Christian heritage, that makes them a Christian. And some others think because they are living a Christian lifestyle (going to church, praying, doing good works) they are a Christian. To me, a Christian is one who seeks to know the Lord in an intimate way. One who strives to have a genuine authentic relationship with the Lord. One that bears his soul to the Lord. And through that relationship, a transformation takes place and a person is changed inside out, not outside in. To me, The Light Of The World shines from within and throughout. As Nicky Gumble (Alpha Speaker) said something to this effect, "going to church doesn't make you a christian, just as going to McDonald's doesn't make one a hamburger". The Light of the World shines because he or she has met with God and has experienced the overwhelming grace of God.

Sometimes that transformation takes a long time for some because of the harsh background that they come from. That transformation is corelated with how easily that person can come into a genuine authentic relationship with God. We live in such a broken world, that type of relationship does not come naturally for most people. It takes healing and inner change and growth for an individual to come to that place of relationship.

So to me, that Light is not about works or doing good but it's about the conditions of our souls/hearts. To me, the salt in the verse (Matt 5:13) is the passion in our hearts for that restoration of a beautiful relationship with God. A soul without that passion or fire is as good as dead. The good works is an end result of that intimate relationship with God that others cannot help but see because light cannot be hidden no matter how you try.

We are a moral agent because we have the law of God written in our hearts (Romans 2:14-16)) and both Christians and Non-Christians have that, but doing right and being good in itself doesn't necessarily restore our relationship with our Father in Heaven and neither does it free us from the bondages of sin.

There's no denying that we are a moral agent, we are created by God in His image and God is a moral agent, but does that mean that we should not integrate psychology which has its origins in humanistic views in our spiritual pursuits? This will have to be my next serious post...

"We Are A Moral Agent" - So What Does That Mean?

The surmon on Sunday was given by an elder and he spoke on "If a salt has lost it's saltiness, what good is it? Might as well throw it away" (Mum2One's paraphrased version of Matthew chapter 5, verse... can't remember). Our senior pastors are away for a few weeks. It was the first week I sat down and listened to almost the whole surmon without getting interrupted since I become a mum! Sometimes I think, it doesn't make any difference, because I get more frustrated by the sweeping statements and ignorance of the preacher.

I think the surmon was supposed to get everyone to return to their conscience and to start being accountable for our actions. It's supposed to make us get back on holiness and on the things of God. Sadly, for me, it came across as being critical of Psychology with sweeping accusations of what Psychology does and he seemed to have lost sight that whilst God has the highest standard when it comes to morality, NONE of us are spared of the ugliness of sin. That sinful nature shows up in our behaviour and character and our thoughts. Now, if we dismiss psychology, which is the study of the mind, or the soul (for those of us who believe in souls and that the soul and the mind are intertwined) then we dismiss the fall of Man, we do not understand human nature, and we are not able to accept who we really are, our curse and the process of sanctification.

Sure, conversion is instantaneously but sanctification is a lifelong process. If we interprete that verse according to how moral we are, then I think lots of us will be in the rubbish bin, discarded and unuseable. But if sanctification is a lifelong process, then surely some of us are more salty than others depending on how long we've started that process. I guess if I have to interprete that verse according to how it was preached today, I would say that even the most reduced salt agent cannot be discarded because he/she still bears some, even if very little, saltiness.

I find myself disagreeing with a many preachings. It's not that I don't agree that we should reflect on our 'lack-of's', strive for godliness and Christlike characters but more so with their lack of cohesiveness in their argument with reality and relevance. I'm learning not to react too much after hearing preachings like that but I need to blog this out so it's out of my system.

I hope I'm making sense because it's past midnight. I'm probably suffering from incohesiveness myself!!!