Almost a year later

Its has been a little less than a year since i last posted here. And the reason why this is here is cos a dear fren has told me that she wanted me to start updating this. :) So I shouldn't disappoint her. She also shared with me how blogging does help keep pple updated with each other despite all the busyness. She makes sense considering that that's how I keep in touch with the lives of many of my frens anyway.

However I seriously have no idea who would want to read about me. And whether I have anything to say. But i'll try. :)

Let me know if you are reading. :)

Silent Witness

Extracted from "Check|ist for Life for T e a c h e r s"

"[Jesus] said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.' Mark 16:15"

Karen couldn't imagine a better life than the one she had. A history teacher in a Christian high school, Karen had come to love her work - and the assistant pastor of the church that sponsored the school. David returned the favour, and they married six months to the day after their first date.

Within a year, David was called to a senior pastorate in a rural community in Nebraska. The Johnsons wanted to pay off their student loans quickly, and to do that, Karen needed to work. But the only Christian schools in the vicinity of their new hometown were K-8, and one was hiring. That left one possibility: teaching at a regional publick high school that just happened to need a history teacher.

Karen took the job, but her hopes of cultivating close relationships with other Christian teachers, and building solid principles into the lives of her students, seemed to evaporate before her eyes. The regional school was so much larger than she was accustomed to. The 1 to 15 teacher to student ratio she once enjoyed was a thing of the past; now she had thirty-plus students in every class, and trying to accomplish anything - from getting through a lesson to getting a message to the guidance office - was far more complicated.

Worst of all, Karen no longer felt as useful to God as she had at her former school. She was used to openly talking about God and Jesus and the Bible, and she began leaving campus each afternoon feeling increasingly discouraged. She was so distracted by her concerns about school that she kept up a running conversation with God about the situation for an entire weekend - even during her beloved husband's sermon that Sunday morning.

On Monday, during her first free period, Amanda, a quiet student in her second period American history class, came to her classroom and asked if they could talk. It took a while for Amanda to get past the awkwardness, but finally she said," I don't know if I'm even allowed to ask you this, but ... are you a Christian?" Somewhat taken aback, Mrs. Johnson confirmed she was a believer and that they could talk about her faith since Amanda had initiated the conversation.

Relieved, Amanda slowly opened up about problems at home that were interfering with her schoolwork. Just before the bell rang, Mrs Johnson quietly prayed for her. As she got up to leave, Amanda thanked her, explaining that she and her friends figured Mrs Johnson just had to be a Christian, because she was always so kind to everyone. Over the following weeks, students began to trickle in during Mrs. Johnson's free period, knowing that there they could find a listening ear and a kind heart.

Like Karen, you may not have any inkling of the impact you are making on your students through your silent witness for God. But your unspoken influence on them could have far-reaching and life-changing consequences. God's Spirit has a way of revealing Himself, and His activity in your life, simply through who you are. Most of the time you won't have a clue what it was that tipped people off; in fact, most of the time they won't know either.

Every life is a profession of faith, and exercises an inevitable and silent influence. - Henri Frederic Amiel

5 love languages

The Five Love Languages

My primary love language is probably
Acts of Service
with a secondary love language being
Quality Time.

Complete set of results

Acts of Service:		9
Quality Time:		8
Words of Affirmation:		6
Receiving Gifts:		5
Physical Touch:		2

Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

Take the quiz

Feeling Stressed

I've been feeling really stressed the past 2 weeks. There's so many things on my mind, and work to complete. When I get home after school, I'm not mentally ready to continue with marking. It's like I need a mental break.

Thus if you have not been seeing me online during the weekdays, it's because I'm really tired out.

Hmm...something about me is that when I'm very stressed, I tend to find time to be alone. I wonder whether it may be more effective if I spend time with people instead. *think*

Secret [Out of Eden]

Verse 1:
I met a girl the other day at the supermarket
Ringing up all of my things
She had the strangest look upon her face
Wish you could have been there
Just to see the way she looked at me
Thought I must look crazy something out of place
But paid it no attention
Just kept going with my business
I looked up because she stepped into my space
Saw pain in her eyes
Her question took me by surprise she said

Chorus:
Why is that smile upon your face
When its such a rainy day
Why are you so happy?
What do you know that I don't know?
I wish I did but ain't been told
So tell me, what's your secret?

Verse 2:
I didn't have the faintest clue where to begin
So I asked some questions (just to see what I was dealing with)
She told me where she was and where it was she'd been
What an awful tale life hadn't done her well
She had thoughts of leaving

Bridge:
(Before you go) let me tell my story
(Once like you, you know) all guts and no glory
(But now I have joy) the reason why
Who's in my life
That is why you're asking me

Chorus:
Why is that smile upon your face
When its such a rainy day
Why are you so happy?
What do you know that I don't know?
I wish I did but ain't been told
So tell me, what's your secret?

So the moral of the story is the whole world's watching you
So be careful what you say and be careful what you do
Never know when it will be your time to show someone the way
So be a guiding light and shine so they'll say

Chorus:
Why is that smile upon your face
When its such a rainy day
Why are you so happy?
What do you know that I don't know?
I wish I did but ain't been told
So tell me, what's your secret?

Learning C h i n e s e through songs!

I still remember that I improved my Chinese through listening to Chinese songs and watching Chinese drama serials!
Here is something that I just found earlier.

Oh yes, and the song in case you want to sing along. Haha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4h-ml5X-e8

That questionable course

I am still questioning why I signed up for the course.

It is like 4h every week, held in a very far away place whereby I would need to take at least 1.5h to get there, unless I take a cab or something.

By the time I get back I would obviously miss my Chinese show. Whatever is showing. Assuming I do want to watch whatever that show is.

It's going to be one of the busiest times of the year!

However I know that I will definitely benefit from this course.

I'm thankful that I have most of the next morning free.

Well...

Overall I'm really thankful with how God has arranged everything for me. :)

Oh yes, keep me in prayer in the area of strength and time management ya? Thanks!