Jan 2, 2017

 Woke up early enough to see the glimmer of the just-risen sun.

Stuck in traffic in front of a secondary school since it was the day for students to report their attendance.

National flower

Hot spring

New year, 2017

As usual, the new year started off with video call with N and fireworks watching.
On 1.1.2017, we went to a church we hadn't visited before for Sunday service and got to talk to some new brothers and sisters in Christ there. Ate really yummy "dian bian hu" (Foochow delicacy) and welcomed grandpa, aunt & uncle from SA.

Grandpa followed cousin D to the swimming pool and I had to document this historical moment (i've never seen grandpa swim before. Ha!)

I pray that I can begin the new year with faith, hope, and love & to apply these advice from Thomas A Kempis: 

"As long as thou livest, thou art subject to change, even against thy will; so that thou art at one time merry, then sad; at one time quiet, then troubled; now devout, then worldly; now diligent, then listless; now grave, and presently light-hearted.

But he that is wise and well instructed in the spirit standeth firm upon these changeable things; not heeding what he feeleth in himself, or which way the wind of instability bloweth; but that the whole intentnion of his mind may tend to the right and best end.

For thus he will be able to continue one and the self-same, and unshaken, in the midst of so many various events directing continually the single eye of his intention unto me."

New Year, New Day, New Beginning

I'm writing this post early because I just have to share these words by Henri Nouwen in his book "Here and Now: Living in the Spirit." In the past several years, I had grown from someone who enthusiastically made summer/fall/winter break to-do lists and new year's resolution to someon who became disappointed in unmet goals and the lack of discipline to achieve what I had envisioned. I grew skeptical about these lists but I think I've changed in the last few years; I've learned much more about accepting failures and the grace God gives. Anyway, here's an excerpt from Nouwen's book that I hope will encourage you at the cusp of another new year!

"A new beginning! We must learn to live each day, each hour, yes, each minute as a new beginning, as a unique opportunity to make everything new. Imagine that we could live each moment as a moment pregnant with new life. Imagine that we could live each day as a day full of promises. Imagine that we could walk through the new year always listening to a voice saying to us 'I have a gift for you and can't wait for you to see it!' Imagine.

Is it possible that our imagination can lead us to the truth of our lives? Yes, it can! The problem is that we allow our past, which becomes longer and longer each year, to say to us: 'You know it all; you have seen it all, be realistic; the future will be just another repeat of the past. Try to survive it as best as you can.' 

So what are we to do? We must open our minds and our hearts to the voice that resounds through the valleys and hills of our life saying: 'Let me show you where I live among my people. My name is 'God-with-you'. I will wipe away all the tears from your eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone' (see Revelation 21:2-5)

We must choose to listen to that voice, and every choice will open us a little more to discover the new life hidden in the moment, waiting eagerly to be born."