海的連想

上次到海邊觀海, 已是14年前的事了，
和 best friend 手拉手，
一起凝吸著自太平洋來的海風，
珍惜著在一起的每一秒，
因為，幾個禮拜之後，我便要移居加拿大。

14年後，與心愛的老公手拉手，
一起漫步在大西洋的沙灘上，
被暖暖的東風吹著，好舒服。

走著走著, 好像回到上次觀海的時後，
頓時 心中有些些愁悵，
因人事已非，故人好友再不見蹤跡,
不知她好嗎？
不知她再觀海時，是否也與我有同樣的心情？
是否也在想念著我？

不知14年後 or 數個14年之後，
我又會有怎樣的心情？
是否會是像現在一樣，悵然地回憶過去？

唉！不再想了，還是珍惜現在所擁有的，
認真地過每一秒。

Cherry Little Ball

阿嫂送我一套台灣國語配音的卡通： 櫻桃小丸子 （cherry little ball)! Bean和我看得不亦樂乎， 其國語發音和 slangs 非常台灣，再加上個個人物百般的表情和特別的性格，真叫人哈哈大笑。 媽媽說小丸子方方的臉與我還有點像！ 哈哈！

A Stranger

Last evening, I had a chance to have dinner with two colleagues. After dinner, we took a walk in downtown Yorkville area. We went into Hazelton Center, a shopping centre. Since it past the business hours, all the stores were closed already. We walk slowly and enjoyed the window-shopping.

There was a man carrying a sack-pack on his back walking toward us. He seems like an average father…. wearing a clean T-shirt/jean with a middle-age choppy figure. He stopped us and said,

Man: “Hi! I am from Nova Scotia. Are you familiar with the area?”

We: “Not quite.”

Man: “Do you know there is a place like food bank sponsored by Mt. Sinai Hospital around here? I am kind of lost here. I have seisures, Epilepsy. The people said that there is something like food bank around here. I am very hungry. (He was shaking slightly all the time.) I beg the people to have me work in the restaurant, but they rejected me. I am not homeless or taking drugs, but many people have rejected me. I am so hungry, and all I want is a sandwich to eat.” Then, he sat down on a bench and seemed very depressed. His body was still shaking.

At that moment, I did not know how to react, but was figuring out what he was saying. I remembered there was a food bank around Yonge Street, but just couldn’t recall it. Besides, all we 3 girls were standing there, and thinking of the words moms used to tell us….”not to go with strangers, especially men.”

A colleague then took out some money and gave it to him.
She said, “please go buy a sandwich for yourself around the corner.”

Man: “Thank you very much.” He expressed it with great gratitude. Then he left.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I felt quite bad/sad afterward. It’s not that I did not give him money, but because what he said and what I did not do.

- He must be very frustrated as he told us (the total strangers to him) his sickness and how people rejected him. Why? Probably he really encountered the coldness of human being. In reality, it seems a usual practice to reject people with disabilities, illness, and anything seems ‘abnormal.’ It's very discouraging, but what would Jesus do if he is the restaurant owner? How about me/you? Have we mistreated people?

- At that moment, I shall at least take him to look for a yellow-page at a phone booth. There must be information like food bank / job agency / medical information there. My head was just too blank to think of anything like these, and even forgot to pray at that moment. I just let him go. He can feed himself up by a sandwich with that few dollars, but how about tomorrow? If I can meet him again, I hope I would help him as much as I can.

I do not know how he is doing now, but I pray that God would guard him, heal him and give grace to him.

Via Dolorosa

Via Dolorosa (Latin for "Way of Grief") is a street in the Old City of Jerusalem. Traditionally, it is held to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion. The above picture is the current Via Dolorosa.

Passion is the technical term for the suffering and Agony of Jesus that led directly to the Crucifixion, a central Christian event.

On this day....

Happy Valentine's Day!

謝謝情人讓我發現幸福；
謝謝家人對我無微不至的照顧；
謝謝死黨們伴我度過快樂及憂傷的日子；
情人節，是專屬每位有情人的節慶，
把握時刻，對摯愛的家人、好友、好同事，傳遞心中情。
閉上眼睛，真心祈禱，願您真摯的祝福，可以如願以償。

............For God so lo V ed the world,
That He g A ve
....His on L y
...Begott E n
.......So N
.................................T hat whosoever
.......Believeth I n Him
...............Should N ot perish,
..................But have E verlasting life.
John 3:16

十一年了

十一年沒回台灣了，回去之前的心情是既興奮又期待。
台北的大樓依舊佇立，只是商家招牌已改，感到有點陌生。
早時偏僻的路，現今已是台北的主要大道。

站立在童年的家前面，心裡想著：現在住在這裡面的會是誰？
兒時在門板上作的記號，他們是否已把它油漆換面？
幼時玩的滑梯 及 大石蛋 仍在 (see picture above)，
但怎麼比記憶中的景象小了那麼多？
跳房格 和 沙堆 跑哪去了？ 我的幼稚園哪去了？ 兒時的玩伴呢？
撥電話找舊時好友，試著打了五通，
五通傳來的不是 "空號" 就是 "妳打錯了！"
好在那天，天下著雨，陰陰的，失落地走著，沒有人會發現我在哭。

親戚們都安好，好高興見到他們，
他們沒怎麼變，只是變老變胖了。
看到從未見過的姪兒姪女們，深深愛之疼之，但未曾 也 未及 建立感情，
想輕輕問候，不是那麼容易。

十一年沒回台灣的我，現在回來了，看到許許多多，
若下次再回來，是否還有這許多？ 還是會失去更多？

Taiwan Trip Analysis: Food

Hello and Happy New Year! I am back from the trip to Taiwan and Japan! Wish the trip could be longer. Here to share with you some of my eating journey. Hope you enjoy it! :)

新竹市 城隍廟：肉圓，米粉炒，貢丸湯，燕丸湯

一般台灣人在家吃的早餐：

地瓜稀飯 配 咸蛋，肉鬆，菜，筍絲，蘿蔔乾，菜心

（饅頭和豆漿是陪襯）攝於 南投縣 阿里山 （Mr. Bean 的早餐）


竹筒飯：原住民的食物

攝於 南投縣 九族文化村

糖葫蘆：有 李子，草莓，蕃茄 多種口味 （很好吃哦！）

攝於 新竹縣 內灣

攝於 新竹縣 內灣

攝於 新竹縣 內灣

台北市 士林夜市：很多很多的小吃

炸雞排（又大，又香，又酥，又好吃）

攝於 台北市 士林夜市

原名：棺材板

將一塊厚toast 中間挖空，拿去炸，將料放在其中，
再用一片炸好的薄toast 蓋在上面
攝於 台北市 士林夜市

攝於 台北縣 淡水老街

猜猜這小吃的名字是什麼？（粉絲 夾在 大豆腐皮 加上 紅紅的甜辣醬）

這名叫 "阿給" （a-gei, 日本名 for 炸豆腐)

攝於 台北縣 淡水老街

烤魷魚

攝於 台北縣 淡水老街

好多的串烤

攝於 台北市 西門丁

刨冰 和 熱奶凍

攝於 台北市 西門丁

蚵仔煎（蚵，蛋，青菜 和 太白粉）

攝於 台北市 西門丁

台灣啤酒 讚！

攝於 台北市 華西街夜市

香酥奶油棒

攝於 台北市 五分埔

SaYoNaRa!

A Bosom Friend

Have you ever met someone that you seem to know each other for million years, you two can talk about anything without pretence or disguise, enjoy each other’s company, and you are hoping to know this person a lot sooner? Not just chat with anything, but can help each other grow in positive ways. If you have this bosom friend (kindred spirit), please cherish this person for this person doesn’t just happen to be in your life by accidence. It must be God’s providence. There are several billion people on earth, and the odd is pretty small. That’s why we Chinese say, “士為知己者死”，而有多少人會為他人而死呢？

If you have a bosom friend, I am so happy for you. If not, someone special is long waiting for you there. With this someone, you can build the relationship greater than David-Jonathan or Jacob-Rachel. The relation is the sweetest and yet the deepest. He is the almighty God. (Learn more) You can lay anything, any trouble, any tearful pain, and any impossibility to Him. He listens and understands you, and He is your best bosom friend. I encourage you (including me) to talk with Him in everything on our mind through prayer! We’ll see amazing things……

I just learn this song from Stream of Praise, and it helps refresh and remind my relationship with God especially in prayer. Hope you like it as well!

禱告

禱告 因為我渺小
禱告 因為我知道我需要
明瞭 您心意對我重要
禱告 已假裝不了
禱告 因為您的愛我需要
您關懷 我走過的您都明白

有些事我只想要對您說
因您比任何人都愛我
痛苦從眼中流下
我知道您為我擦
在早晨我也要來對您說
主耶穌今天我為您活
所需要的力量您天天賜給我
您恩典夠我用

==================

I Pray

I pray, for I am nothing.
I pray, for I clearly know I need
To seek Your will as it’s shown to me.
I pray, for I am searching.
I pray, for Your love is what I need.
On my knees, through the valleys, You walk with me.

Some things I only wanna let You know
'Cause no one loves me like You, my Lord
Though tears of pain may fall out
You’re with me I have no doubt.
As day breaks Lord I wanna cry to You
'Cause You so love me, You’ll pull me through.
The strength that I need I receive every morning
Your grace is all I need.

Copyright 2005 Stream of Praise Music. CCLI#4496650

Piggy Like

I am afraid that I will become a piggy soon based on the following facts:

Fact 1: I have gained 5 pounds after married (~27 months ago). Using the same formula, I will turn into a snowball in the next 4 years.

Fact 2: I will visit somewhere called "snack heaven" soon. I don't think I can resist the temptations of delicious food there. My double-layer tummy will soon become TRIPLE-layer!

Fact 3: I am a lazy bone. The concept of "exercise" is far away from my head.

"Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body."

~Bible 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ~

有明白，才有信任！

有明白，才有信任。 （我好像在為某家公司打廣告咧！）

小時候總是喜歡伏在大人身旁，靜靜地聽他們聊天，當中，學到許多自己在課堂裡根本學不到的，也更加敬佩他們所經歷的。聽完之後，總覺得台灣是個悲情的小島，憐惜之心由衷而出。以下的幾則小故事全是大人們所經歷的！

大阿姨(70+ yr)從小接受日本教育（清末起，台灣割讓給日本統治50年），老一輩的感受到雖然被日本政府管得十分嚴厲，但他們說話算話。一個小偷偷東西，他們會將小偷的手切掉，以示警惕。那時日本人非常喜歡台灣生產的稻米，就徵收台灣的米進口到日本，再加上那時台灣的老百姓沒像現在如此自由，一個家庭米的數量是由政府管治的，所以大家庭常會覺得米不夠吃，外婆說，她和許多媽媽們常常去中南部"偷渡"買米，私自買賣米當時來說是違法的，若回程時經過主要橋樑，她們不能就大大方方走過去，她們必須由橋下涉河而過，因為要躲避日本警察，想想一個女人家要背要提如此重的米一定很辛苦，外婆說，有一個女人，為了要救掉到河裡的米，一個不小心滑了一跤，洶湧的河水就把她沖走了....

說到台灣小吃，真讓人流口水，百百種。媽媽說，台灣人以前窮，許多人為了養家活口，就自己搭個小攤位，賣起自己家中常作來吃的東西，用的材料並不高級，而是用便宜的材料，像麵粉類，再加上一點青菜，一些肉，就成為一道小吃了。

媽媽出生那年，大陸淪陷，國民黨撤退來台。由於政治因素，全台灣"戒嚴"。記得我小時候，常常都要防空演習（演習共產黨若由空中來打台灣的情景，我們要如何保護自己），在中學的時候，女孩子也要學習如何把槍，以防共產黨攻過來時，男兵不夠用，我們可當後補，還記得我的把槍準確度是60%，還不賴吧！Anyway,可能那些來台的大陸人因語言（台語vs國語）的緣故，再加上人品質的原因，許多撤來的大陸人偷東西，打台灣人，殺台灣人，我的外公親眼看到他的朋友被大陸人殺死。引起台灣人的不滿， "228 事件" 就是一個眾台灣人親眼目睹的血惺事件。再加上"戒嚴" 的名意，人民若有一些先進的思想（例如：民主），或是共產黨思想，大禍就會臨到他們的家裡。那些人會憑空消失，好一點的會被終生監禁在外島的牢裡。 "美麗島事件" 就是歷史的見證。當時在外公外婆家，他們是用金紙（拜神用的）擦屁屁，那時已算是很好的了，我爸爸家更窮，他們用樹葉擦屁屁呢！那時白紙是高級品呢！外公說，那時有共產黨的人到處發傳單，宣傳共產黨思想，天真不識字的台灣人，看到白紙，當作寶，就把傳單帶回家，釘成筆記本給小孩子用。哇！因為如此作，許多拿到傳單的人被認為是有共產黨思想，就被國民黨終生監禁，一個解釋的機會都沒有。媽媽有個同學，在她的印像中從未見過她的爸爸，因為聽說她爸爸在她很小的時候被人抓走了。可想而知為何有如此多台灣人那麼不喜歡國民黨了！

在蔣經國總統過世後（忘記跟您說，那時國民黨的官僚，很多都是世襲的，子承父位），李登輝副總統繼任總統（李登輝先生是個準台灣人，與我阿姨一樣受日本教育，原本加入國民黨，但之後退出國民黨，大概是國民黨不能接受他的台獨思想吧！），下令"解嚴"（戒嚴的相反），人民的聲音才開始被聽見，民進黨形成。阿扁首開在市議會，扯下 microphone，引起大眾的注意，讓國民黨認真地聽聽人民的心聲。

長期在國民黨的統治下，台灣人深深覺得要給台灣人一個機會來執政，這一點情，就讓阿扁作了總統。有許多人批評阿扁作的不好，經濟冷淡，大失所望，甚至有民進黨的人退出民進黨。Well, how can we expect a new-born baby to run? 民進黨由無開始，想要用國民黨的人材，但國民黨不放人！我在思想，兩黨若不能協調，如何能為人民著想呢？

回看過去，您並不能論斷哪一個黨好，哪一個黨差，因為各有各的好，換句話說，各有各的軟弱。若沒有蔣家（國民黨）當時的十大建設和經濟奇蹟，哪有現在的台灣？若沒有民進黨提倡的週休二日，環保，和興建捷運，人民哪有更好的環境，精神和方便的交通？讓我們少批評論斷，但求看到對方比自己好而感到高興吧！

"你們要意念相同，愛心相同，凡事不可結黨，不可貪圖虛浮的榮耀；只要存心謙卑，各人看別人比自己強。各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。當以基督耶穌的心為心。祂本有 神的形像，不以自己與 神同等為強奪的；反倒虛己，取了奴僕的形像，成為人的樣式；既有人的樣子，就自己卑微，存心順服，以至於死，且死在十字架上。所以 神將祂升為至高，又賜給祂那超乎萬名之上的名，叫一切在天上的，地上的，和地底下的，因耶穌的名，無不屈膝，無不口稱耶穌基督為主，將榮耀歸與父 神。"
~聖經 腓利比書 2章3-15節~

A Little Bit About Myself

This is my Chinese name. Guess my mom and dad expect me to be a person with wisdom and live out the abundant life. Yup, this is one of my life goals as well!

I like pink. It mixes with white and red. It describes me pretty well so far.... looking dull from outside, but actually a person with many affections inside.

Music plays an important part of my life. Your talent has a purpose if you realize who has given it to you, how much you appreciate it, how you learn from mistakes, and how you use it in a beneficial and constructive way.

I have one brother who is 2 years older than me. He is a lot cuter than usual guys (no offense).... Can't believe it, can you? Well, just have to say he takes all the good looking genes from my folks. :)

My husband is the sweetest person I have ever met. He has a nick name of "Bean" .... because the hilarious 'Mr. Bean' is his favourite TV character.

Have you ever thought whether there is something/someone you can't live without?!?! I have.... God is. Hope to share with you more in the near future!