Life

How we treat others says a lot about us. It's okay not to like everyone and we definitely don't have to be friends with everyone, but we should extend a certain level of respect to everyone. At school, at church, on the street, or at work we are bound to meet new people. Sometimes we will welcome those individuals other times we may not. Regardless of whether that person is an angel or a villain. We owe to ourselves, them and God to extend basic kindness. Fred's Immaturity Some weeks ago, I was at church, a man named Fred (not…

They say home is where the heart is. Unfortunately, it seems that there are a number of people that don't feel at home in Hong Kong. Lots of people have expressed their views on why that is. Here I want to focus on choices we can make to feel more at home in our houses / apartments in Hong Kong. I think the first step is to stop complaining and to take initiative. A home should be a place where you can recharge your batteries and feel refreshed. Tracy and I have lived in a variety of apartments all over…

It’s not good to be alone. Wikipedia says - "Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived isolation." I like how it says perceived. You can feel lonely in the midst of a crowd. It's okay to feel lonely. It's a part of our human experience, just like sadness. However prolonged loneliness is often a warning sign that something is not right in our lives. Ideally we would live our lives connected to others in meaningful relationships. Unfortunately, sometimes our situations make that difficult. We will be alone and sometimes lonely. If that sounds like you, don't despair. Loneliness is…

A few years ago, a teacher I knew had the words, “To Hell With You If You Waste My Time,” posted on her bookshelf. I was shocked the first time I saw it, but I didn’t have the courage to ask her about it. She seemed like a nice person. Why, would she wish hell on another person who wasted her time? It didn’t make sense to me. That teacher has moved on from the school, so I can’t ask her but I’m guessing that she carries some deep seeded insecurity. In today’s performance based culture, those who perform well…

The simplicity of Alex and Cory’s chat really gets to the heart of the matter. The 2 boys lived in a boy’s home. Yes, they saw girls from the girl’s home at regularly schedule times that were supervised, but staff was always watching. Home visit represented freedom for the residents. It was a part of their program and transition back into normal life. Girls are a part of normal life. It’s good that Alex was excited about seeing and talking with girls again. God put that longing for interaction with the opposite sex deep in our hearts. Alex says, “I’m…

Last Saturday on my way to school, I said hello to an older couple who were also out for a walk. They asked me what I was doing. I told them that I was walking to work. The woman looked at me with concern, “but it’s Saturday” she said. I informed her that the exam was almost here and that I wasn’t ready. They both sighed. I said Hong Kong is a busy place isn’t it. The man was quick to respond saying, “It is for those who want it to be”. They told me to enjoy my Saturday at…

It’s the year of the Dragon. Our Chinese New Year fun started on February 9th, the Lunar New Year ’s Eve, and continued on for the next several days. When I saw my landlord on New Year's Eve, I told her I was cleaning. Her response was, "cleaning?!" I could tell a good Chinese person would have done their cleaning long before then. Oh well. Tracy and I had the day off. We bought some groceries. She worked in the kitchen for a while, while I cleaned. On the 10th we celebrated with Tracy's relatives. We went to a resort…