clean up

Just came back from Taipei today. Was up in Cidu on Saturday and two friends helped cleaning my new apartment. It did not take so long for us to clean the apartment, including the cabinets, windows, bath rooms, and floor. We had a nice chat afterward and then headed to Taipei. I went to Sunday service with a missionary couple to a church where the missionary preached today. We took the MRT, then transferred on a bus. It took us more than an hour to arrive church. It seems it is in some place out in the mountain. There were 20 to 30 people attended. I see God's love is in every place, even in this remote place, yet, there still so many work to do. I looked around the neighborhood, there were several buildings around, meaning many people living around and that is the only church shining in this neighborhood. God has not given in on this people!

心靈的迴響

All of a sudden, this old song (when I first became a Christian) pop up in my mind.

心靈的迴響

天空裡散聚雲片片
無奈月明星不閃
莫流淚悲歡合離是難免
祈求上主恩每一刻能抹淚面

世途裡恩怨恨愛定會現
心靈中多少困倦與掛牽
向前去不怕浪裡多風險
熱誠共創真美善

副歌)
願主愛常記念
求恩主引導每一天
願真愛傳世上
永生福共享百萬年

只剩一個星期

今天跟朋友講起才發現原來這學期只剩一個星期.這麼快兩年就過去.要完成我在台中的學業離開這個已熟識的地方與人. 要好好的跟他們說再見. 就像今天已跟好幾個不同的朋友講再見. 本來每天都見到的人不再那麼常見到. 很想見到的人也沒有可能常常見到. 要重新調整生活. 唔, 不是調整, 是過新生活. 在七堵那裡應該很快又會結識到新的朋友. 唉呀, 如果以後要離開七堵, 豈不是又要經歷離別之苦?! 不過, 人生不都是常常有聚有散?! 這樣才能在當中學習成長. 經一事長一智嘛 (這成語是這樣用的嗎?) 話又說回來, 搬去七堵也不是真的很遠. 算算看, 半小時的火車 加上兩小時的公車. 其實睡一覺就到了. 不用太傷感. 攪不好, 可能以後會常常回來台中呢. 明天自有明天的憂慮. 今天的事今天擔就好了. 況且, 愛我們的上帝自有衪的安排. 衪一定很高興我與這裡的朋友能有這麼好的關係, 會繼續賜福我們的友誼.

Word Pictures

Recently, read a book that talk about “word pictures”. Actually, it is something we all are pretty familiar with. Some of us might call it “extended metaphors” or “figurative language”instead, and somewhat similar to story telling that I recently heard from a conference. People have been trying to communicate all their lives but never seem to work. The thing is we all communicate differently and interpret differently with all the factors that influenced us… gender, culture, upbringing, our ways of expressions, use of words, verbal and non-verbal expression, and value. Sometimes we think we have communicated to the other person what we wanted or was thinking, but the other person had no idea at all unless it is expressed in her expression language. Consequently, misunderstanding and conflict arise.
Actually, we have been using this “word pictures” in our daily lives, yet we do not realize how powerful it is and have not been intentionally or effectively using it. The author explained how this tool can penetrate the heart. When someone who thinks more base on facts rather than feelings would understand another’s emotions when it is expressed in “word pictures”. In other words, when it’s mere facts, often times, it has little effect. When a word pictures is used, we reach the other person’s heart, not just his head. We must enter the other person’s world of emotions.
These are the seven steps that the author shared:
1. Establish a clear purpose
2. Carefully study the other person’s interests
3. Draw from four inexhaustible wells
4. Rehearse your story
5. Pick a convenient time without distractions
6. Try and try again
7. Milk your word picture for all it’s worth!
Examples:
1. I love my family. When life makes me feel like I’m trying to bail out a sinking ocean liner with a paper cup, they lovingly pitch in and help. That doesn’t decrease the amount of water pouring into the ship, but it sure helps get it out faster! I don’t know how I ever lived without them!
2. I feel like I’m a book in my father’s office library. We are always admired but almost never read. Occasionally we’re used as paper weights or to prop open a door. But day after day, I mainly sit on the shelf, my pages yellowing and cracked, my binding coming undone. I need my father to do more than just admire me at a distance. I need him to take me off the shelf and to see what’s inside me. He’s never taken the time to turn the pages and really get to know me. And that hurts so much.

星期日

星期日朋友再一次答應與我一起去參加禮拜. 這好像已是第四次了!其實我不太清楚她答應與我一起參加禮拜的真正原因是為了可以聽更多的英文, 還是因為不好意思拒絕我.以前曾跟她講過關於耶穌的事,但可能因為她以前從沒有真正聽過而還不想相信. 這次, 她開始問一些關於教會的事,也願意跟我討論一些曾跟她講過關於耶穌的事. 崇拜完我們就一起去食晚飯. 然後就邀請她到我家一起烤巧克力餅. 然而, 再過兩個星期我就要搬離台中到七堵, 而她也快要開學. 星期日就不可以再次到教會做崇拜. 要等到明年五月畢業後才可以再去教會. 現已送她一本聖經. 請繼續為她祈禱. 讓她雖沒有去教會卻繼續看聖經.我也會繼續與她聯絡.求上帝照衪的旨意及時間帶領她能早日相信耶穌.

Teachers' appreciation sharing

In June, we students in language school decided to have an appreciation tea time for the teachers and I was appointed to give a short sharing because I'll be completing my two years learning. Here's what I said in Mandarin and Taiwanese:
在過去差不多兩年的時間，有很多的時候，我在想：
如果可以，我願意可以不費吹灰之力就說很流利的國語和台語
如果可以，我希望不需要慢慢地從發音開始學．
學國語的時候，好像怎樣也弄不清哪一個是an哪一個是ang．哪一個是要捲舌，哪一個是不需要捲舌．
學台語的時候就koh khah khùn-lân. Tú khai sí oh ê sî, chin chià* sī bū-sà-sà, in-uī Tâi-gí ū peh sia*, m-nā án-ni, chit peh-sia* ē piàn sia*. Sím-mih sî-chūn beh kái, sím-mih sî-chūn m-bián kái, siông-siông sī loān-chhau-chhau. M-kú lāu-su lóng chin jím-nāi teh kā goán kà. Toè hoat-im, sin-jī, goá siōng bô ài ê chò kù, koh chit pái, toè lí thak, kàu kóng kò-sū, chit tiám-á, chit tiám-á kā goán kà.
Goán iā siông-siông kóng m-tioh, phì-jū kóng, chiong thoân-tō piàn thô-tāu, chiong kńg-tang piàn kán-tan, chiong toā-koa* piàn tāu-koa*. Hó kai-chài lāu-su lóng bô teh kà-sī goán ê sî kā goán kā-sí á-sī hō goán khì-sí.
Kin-ná-jit, goá tī chia tāi-piáu kok-uī hak-seng kóng chit-kù…
TLI 的老師及同事們, 辛苦你們了!!. 為了謝謝你們的辛勞，我們預備了不同的點心，請大家一起來享受．

Sense of Separation

The sense of separation just began to dawn on me recently. Thought that I had developed friends and several close ones here in Taichung and now I'll be leaving and won't be seeing them as often. It's not that I do not want to move, I actually do look forward in meeting new friends and starting ministry up in North. It's mixed feelings, excited and sad. However, behind every separation, there's a hope of reunion. This is why we treasure our friends, 珍惜眼前人. I started learning this before I came to Taiwan and still learning (so much that I don't know). When I was back in the States, ever since it became obvious that I'll be a missionary, I realized I started learning to make time for people, especially for those who are close to me, and taking a lot of pictures trying to capture the happy moments we have together. Being a missionary, there's always separation and reunion, separation and reunion. Thought that separation will become easier after a few times, but no, it's different people each time and each person is so unique. Each has their own special place in my heart. It can never be easy. I thank God for giving me all these friends who has been so caring and patient with me. God's been gracious. I'm sure God provides me good friends where ever I go as He always had because He's my ultimate friend and provider.