Define Fun!

Tatting Patterns: Flower Bookmark

2011-05-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

Tatting Patterns: Flower Bookmark: "Click here for the pattern"

Beaded Ball

2011-01-17T14:04:00.001-08:00

Finally, completed the instructions for the beaded balls. Lost count of the number I made. But they were enough to fill my Christmas tree.

Twelve Days of Christmas

2010-12-08T11:50:00.001-08:00

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34)

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Two Turtle Doves
The Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Three French Hens
The Three Theological Virtues: 1) Faith, 2) Hope, and 3) Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Four Calling Birds
The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Five Gold Rings
The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: 1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world.

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Six Geese A-laying
The six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1).

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Seven Swans A-swimming
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Eight Maids A-milking
The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10)

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Nine Ladies Dancing
The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness,
6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and 9) self-control. (Galatians 5:22)

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Ten Lords A-leaping
The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol; 3) Do not take God's name in vain; 4) Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17)

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Eleven Pipers Piping
The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the Romans.

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Twelve Drummers Drumming
The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed: 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell [the grave]. 5) On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting.

Day of Revelation

2010-11-12T22:05:00.000-08:00

The wonder of discovering new things amazes me. The first sight of a awe inspiring scene, the execution of an artist, the mastery of a chef, the beauty of words put together - all these makes me realize how God reveals Himself to us.

Today, I discovered how to upload photos to facebook. I learned how to upload my photos to picassa - in original size.

Today I realized that Paul is a minister to the gospel. He preaches and makes sure that the converts are walking right with God. We need to do such.

Four steps to preaching the gospel:
Outreach - they see God in us
Evangelism - they hear the gospel
Baptism - they have to proclaim their faith
Growth - they have to grow in their faith

He is a God of revelation - He reveals Himself to us each and everyday. May we wait and catch a glimpse of Him everyday.

Day of Blessing

2010-11-11T22:19:00.000-08:00

We went to our favorite restaurant, Lion City where of course Singapore cuisine is served. We ordered 2 dishes and got an extra 4 on the house. We had a fish ball soup, chicken wings and 2 new dishes - cashew nut fried rice and pandan fish. My mouth is salivating just thinking of the food that is in the refrigerator!

A friend posted this on her Facebook which gave me the laughter I needed:

Try 　this--> 1. Go to Google Maps. 2. Go to "Get Directions". 3. Type Taiwan as the start location. 4. Type China as the end location. 5. Read STEP 24 of the directions. 6. IF YOU Laugh, then repost.

Was I lucky? Of course not, we are blessed! God has blessed me today with food and laughter. What a God!

Day of Celebration

2010-11-10T22:08:00.000-08:00

Went out to celebrate because a close friend found a job after a job search of 6 months. While praying, God impressed upon me that Ann will start work in November and she will be in this firm for quite a while. God is so good to provide a job for her with a pay packet that suits her qualification. Impossible? Don't think so. With God, the word impossible does not exist!

Today, I am reminded that we need to realize how He answers our prayer and celebrate the answer no matter what the outcome is. In our celebration tonight, I experienced once again His sovereignty upon all our lives!

Encounter with God

2010-11-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is a challenge. Let's see if we can do this for the next 10 days, if not more.

For many, spending time with God is that half hour daily devotions. Let's not limit it to just half-hour a day. We do encounter God in many instances during the day. Sometimes we have opportunities to show forth our faith and experience God. Let's meet God throughout the day, and record them as part of your spiritual journey.

The Challenge:
At the end of the day, reflect on how you encountered or experienced God. Write down your reflections.

Pet Peeves

2010-11-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

I have a pet peeve. Well, I have an issue that troubles me.

Why do Christians say, "So lucky!" Or, "You're so lucky." Or "I have not been ill for the past 3 months" and they knock on a piece of wood. I know that knocking on the wood is to prevent their words turning on itself.

How I wish I can answer, "Well you believe in luck, I believe in God." Or "Luck. What has luck got to do with it?" Or "I prefer to think I am blessed by God."

A friend drove into a car park that at first glance was quite full. We found a space quite near the entrance. She remarked immediately a few times, "We're so lucky, we're so lucky" like a giddy teenager. Being the passenger, I smiled. But inwardly I said, "Thank you Father for blessing us." Why can't I say that out loud. I guess my friend is a Christian who believes in the luck of the coincidence more than our heavenly Father who knows our needs.

Isn't luck just like Doris Day's "que sera sera, whatever will be, will be" ?
Isn't luck like saying please, please to the universe and hoping someone out there will answer?
Isn't luck like a needle in the haystack?

Well, blessings on the other hand is given by God. Blessings is guaranteed because we are God's children. Blessings is a shower of God's love. Blessings is a surprise, a gift that God gives to us to show that He is pleased with us.

Ah...the blessing of blessings!

The challenge is - Emphasis Blessings instead of Luck

Cold...Need to Perk myself up!

2010-11-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

What can I do to perk myself up....

1. Write a happy letter to a friend, recalling all the laughter we shared!
2. Shop for charms on Ebay
3. Listen to Christmas music - not just the hymns but those mischievous songs like Santa Claus is coming to town, All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
4. Watching Shrek, Mama Mia, The Terminal, You've got Mail,
5. Drink Hot Cocoa with a heartwarming book - mine is always the Mitford Series
6. Listening to Dearest Dorothy
7. Listening to cheerful classical music like Seasons by Vivaldi

Need to have a basket of Happy Things!

Accomodation around Dallas

2010-11-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

This one is gorgeous! Not too expensive. Two in a room - probably about $60 each. So cool for a ladies nite-out! Check out their website:
Wildwood Inn Bed and Breakfast in Denton

The Personality of this Blog

2010-11-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Of course, the personality of this blog will take on my personality or what I am engrossed in....which is

1. Children. What the Bible teaches us about children.
2. Crafts. So far, it's crochet and tatting
3. Contemplating. Contemplating God's Heart, Spiritual Growth, Intimacy with God
4. Christian books. Mitford Series. Dearest Dorothy. Henri Nouwen. Dallas Willard. John Ortberg

And whatever makes life fun!

Who am I in Christ?

2010-09-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Who are we in Jesus Christ?

Because of what Jesus has done for us, we have a new citizenship, a new status, a new purpose in life. Let's start with the letter A. Meditate on each characteristic that you are now endowed with. It's not what you have done, but who you are. Claim it as a promise and a truth and let God work in your life.

Say to yourself.

I am...

Able - Philippians 4:13

Abounding in grace - 2 Corinthians 9:8

Abounding in hope - Romans 15:4, 13

Adequate - 2 Corinthians 3:5

I have...

Abundant life - John 10:10

Access - Ephesians 2:18

Spiritual Keys - Critical Spirit

2010-09-22T15:27:00.001-07:00

Spiritual Keys - Confrontation

2010-09-22T15:26:00.003-07:00

Spiritual Keys - Communication

2010-09-22T15:26:00.001-07:00

Spiritual Keys - Codependency

2010-09-22T15:25:00.001-07:00

Spiritual Keys - Childhood Sexual Abuse

2010-09-22T15:22:00.001-07:00

Spiritual Keys - Caregiving

2010-09-22T15:21:00.001-07:00

Spiritual Keys - Anger

2010-09-22T15:20:00.001-07:00

Spiritual Keys - Alcohol and Drug Abuse

2010-09-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

Spiritual Keys - Adultery

2010-09-22T15:10:00.001-07:00

For more of this, go to hopefortheheart.com

Become Beloved

2010-09-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

In Henri Nouwen's book - Life of the Beloved, he implores us to recognize that we are the Beloved. When we realize that we are the Beloved, he encourages us to take the great spiritual journey of becoming the Beloved. We become the Beloved in our daily existence, in everything that we do.

The first step in becoming a Beloved is to acknowledge that we are Chosen. Nouwen recommends three guidelines in this spiritual journey. First, we have to keep unmasking the world for what it really is. The world is manipulative, controlling, power-hungry, and destructive. All of us face the world and call it different names. We have to unmask the world, realize the lies it is telling us about ourselves, refute the lies and repeat truths to yourself. If the world is telling you, buy that new TV. You need it. You can always charge it on your card and pay for it monthly. The truth of the matter is you don't need a new TV. Paying for it monthly means you cannot afford it. You am the Chosen one, and that is not the way God wants you to live. Unmask the world - unmask the psychology it teaches, and seek the truth.

Second guideline is to look for people and places where God's truth is spoken and where your identity as the Chosen one is affirmed.

Third, celebrate your Chosenness. A simple thank you to those who affirm you as the Chosen one and to God who has chosen you. Gratitude begets gratitude.

Get in touch with your Chosenness with these three guidelines.

As I go on my special seat in my room to reflect on my Chosenness, I learn another guideline. Do not talk about myself but speak in a way to reflect that I am the Chosen one. All my words and action should reflect to others of my Chosenness.

Spiritual Keys from Hope for the Heart

2010-09-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful resource for Biblical counseling. It gives Biblical verses and principles how to handle different kinds of problems.

Go to the following website
http://www.hopefortheheart.org/site/PageServer

Look for Help Topics / PDF Downloads

Select your topic.

Look for Free Download

Chopped Salad

2010-09-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

This is my latest food craze as my friends can tell you.

I first had chopped salad at Hyatt Hotel in Richardson. The rationale in the chopped salad is so that you taste different ingredients instead of just the greens. So I got hooked on to it.

My chopped salad has about 10 ingredients to it. I don't chop it that fine, but a little smaller than bite size. There's always fruit, vegetable, meat, nuts, hard boiled eggs and cheese.

Pick and choose
Strawberry
Pears
Apples
Raisins
Dried Cranberry
Banana
Brocoli
Bell Pepper
Mushroom
Cucumber
Sweet Onion
Celery
Toasted Pecan
Toasted Walnut
Cheese
Turkey Ham
Roasted Chicken
Hard boiled eggs

Try it. Healthy. Delicious. No regrets.

Events in October 2010

2010-09-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

Cottonwood Park Festival

It's fun and you can bring your dog!

October 2-3

Cottonwood Park

Beltline (nearest junction Beltline and Coit), Richardson

Free admission

http://www.cottonwoodartfestival.com/

A Storytelling Festival

October 8 - 9

Frisco Public Library, Frisco Square

http://www.lonestarstories.org/