Preparing for the White Elephant Party!

I will be very happy when the party is over... I just want to make it special but there are so many details to take care of... PLEASE PRAY!

I did have time to go for a run later in the afternoon and a very brief workout at World Gym!

Then it was Mom care... I had dinner ready!

We had a dinner date with friends at TGIF's... and Isaiah joined us... it was so much fun! The place was packed! It was so great that Isaiah got there early! Or we would have had no table until 8pm! The food there is so good! We walked out stuffed!

Isaiah and Alan came home and watched the Matrix. I had work to finish up plus a load of laundry to get done. Mom had peed through the bedding three days out of five. I told the Day Care Center! PLEASE -- don't keep giving her water!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

Isaiah's Military Papers! & His Warwick Diploma!

Yes, it's official! Isaiah graduated with his masters with merit! He didn't get distinction, but still... He did good! And I went and picked up his military papers. He will have to shave his hair and they give him everything... even underwear! They also have laundry service! He goes on 12/29 at 9:15 and on 12/24 or the 25th, we can log on and find out when he will have vacation time!

So, someone did decide to delay his report date and that's how Isaiah got in! YIPPY! God is good!

I had another tremendously busy day!

Isaiah has a pair of pants and I went through his closet this morning and nothing. I made soup and then took off for a run to the 'marathon expo'... it was quite fun! I did the treadmill test to find out about my running stride. I also tasted everything they had for free! ha, ha, ha... I bought 6 pairs of running socks but no shoes. They were not as discounted as I liked! The socks were very discounted! That's why I bought six pairs! I had to carry them to run back to World Gym. And my workout was short as Isaiah texted me to go and pick up his military papers. And that took a while as they had to go through all the information!

On the way back I ran a few errands -- withdrew money, bought soy bean milk, picked up Alan's cell phone holder for the car, and got gas for my scooter. 

It was so nice to be home. I had three hours of work to get to... and took down the clothes and made Mom's bed. I have to tell the Day Care Center that they are giving my mom way too much water! If they fill the cup with water, she will drink it. She will keep drinking it... just like if you put in front of her... she will just keep eating!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

A Tremendously Busy Day!

Yesterday was tremendously busy and so was today! 

Alan took Mom down and I had to change Mom's sheet before I took off. I was 15 minutes late to work. But I stayed until 5:30, so that was ok!

I had so much to finish!

I was editing for my other job, reading an article from my tutee, and trying to arrange for all the programs in December. I taught at 12:30 and then had office hours after that! By 3:30, I was back at my desk. I lost what I had edited. I didn't save it properly! DARN IT! 

Well... at 5:40, I rushed to Soochow as I had promised my students that I'd attend their Christmas program. I sat next to three students who were not yet believers. I had so much fun, talking to them! I pray that they will come to know Jesus! That would be so amazing. One gal wants to come to my Thursday Bible study next semester. Please pray for Monica, Jenny and Roger!

Then I rode back and made a quick stop at World Gym. I didn't have time to do much... but something is better than nothing!

I got home, heated up my dinner, and was in front of the computer to tutor! What a great session!

We went long but it was fun!

I also looked for a second hand car for a friend... Toyota Wish, 2012, for 398,000NT$. It's above her budget, but I told her to go and bargain! God can move mountains.

I did go out for a walk as I was trying to hit 12,000 steps!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Seek Him First!

It's Raining Here Too...

I knew that this week was going to be busy... 

I had a short fast run before my morning Bible study. The soup turned out beautifully. After I cleaned up, I headed out to World Gym, 30 minutes, and then donated blood! On the way back, I bought duck for my evening study! I was home just 20 minutes before Mom got back. That was enough time to put everything away and get her dinner heated up.

I had also done a load of laundry, so I got everything out of the dryer... and then baked for tomorrow.

This evening, I had my second Bible study, which was just a Christmas party... The food was a feast... the conversation engaging... 

Oh... after my morning study, I put more ingredients in the electric pot and had Alan and Isaiah's dinner ready for them! 

The weather is going to turn cold as we're getting hit by an arctic cold front... whatever that means. So, soup is the best! I think I'll keep making more soup for this whole week.

Daily Lovely Insight:

Psalm 98 -- the whole earth praise and worship God... The sound of nature is an act of worship. When I ran at night, I heard the earth worshipping God... the birds, the fishes, the toads, the crickets, the leaves, the wind... Each sound when put together was like a symphony!

Seek Him First!

SIXTY-ONE!

I've been planning this day since the beginning of December! I wanted a day to be by myself!

And it was a splendid day!

After Mom and Isaiah left, Alan and I had our prayer time and he took off!

I put up all the chairs, trash cans, and other furniture so that the iRobot can vacuum. I then took down the clothes and cleaned up the bathrooms!

I got a cup of coffee and my book and settled down to read! I finished the book. Having time to read is the gift I gave to myself! The book I finished was Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper.

Oh... I decided NO GADGETS! NO WORK!

At 11am, I went off to World Gym and a run around the River Park! 30 minutes at World Gym and I thought... hey, I will run 12.12 kms. The weather was perfect and my legs felt great! I had two records -- fastest mile and fastest kilometers. 5.37/kilometer and 9.37/mile! I never run that fast!

For lunch, I went and bought a 'fantwan'! WITH EGG! While I munched on that, I went for a hike. I didn't reach the top of Rock Face Mountain... I'll have to do that on another day. I had to get back home as I made an appointment for a one hour oil massage at 2:30! 

After the massage, I was in no rush... So... I let myself have a nice long shower! I am usually in a rush... I had asked Alan to be home to pick up my Mom. I stopped at the local veggie and fruit stand and bought things for my Bible studies tomorrow plus I will need to bake for MOE on Wednesday. I'm making soup and mashed sweet potatoes. Yes, two different Bible studies! As for baking... I'm making something with chocolate!

I was home and got all the chairs down and Alan came home. Soon, Mom was home. I had dinner ready!

I finally picked up my phone and saw all the birthday wishes from House of Praise, my siblings and my best friends! I am truly blessed.

For this year, I'm seeking God in applying the gift of a Sabbath. Today was a great start! I highly recommend it to everyone! God created us and He knows we need a Sabbath for our body, soul and spirit. Like the run, I feel so refreshed... so alive! John 8:12 -- JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD AND THE LIGHT OF LIFE! How can we experience that light? I think having a Sabbath is a start!

I want to say: Ariel, a gal from my Bible study, gifted me with a meal at a restaurant! Jenny, a gal at HOP, gave me a new pair of socks -- COMPHY SOCKS! Jane, another gal who just returned from England, gave me a box of saltine crackers. She knew I like savory biscuits. Another gal from HOP gave me two containers of kimchi! And two brothers wished me happy birthday yesterday because they both knew I like things 'low key'.

I am still waiting for my homemade cards from my kids... 

And Alan, Isaiah and I had dinner at a Cantonese restaurant tonight! For dessert, we went and got some sweet 'tangyuan' soup!

What a way to top off the celebration!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Here is the prayer from the last chapter of the book:

"Incline our hearts to Christ. Open our eyes to the glory of Christ. Break our addiction to this world. Cause us to set our minds on things that are above where Christ is seated at your right hand. Free us from the anxieties that come from too much dependence on earthly circumstances. Form us into a radical band of risk-takers in the cause of love because we know that this mortal flesh will put on immortality and this body of lowliness will be transformed into a body like Christ's glorious body. We love you, Father. We love your Son's appearing. Grant us to live out this hope in the freedom of self-sacrifice to the glory of your great grace. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Seek Him First!

Tiring Day!

I had tutoring today, which I enjoy, but made for a long day!

I went to walk the treadmill and do a quick workout and then got Mom up. I also made mashed sweet potatoes. YUMMY!

We had Family Time for only an hour as I had to rush off. We were supposed to do Family Time last night, but Abby bailed on us... she had a book report to finish and she wasn't feeling well. 

Church went well and a friend came over to hang out afterwards.

I was very happy when it was time for bed!

Daily Lovely Insight:

John 8:12

Seek Him First!

 

NingXia Night Market & Things...

I did not have time for a run today... Can you believe that?

I had a helper come so that we can go out... The weather was delightful! The day flew by!

First after the helper came, I had to go by the Party Site to look over everything... Then we went out towards SanChong as Isaiah was hanging out with Vikki. We found a nice place for lunch and then picked up Isaiah at 2:15. It was too late to go out to Taoyuan, so we just headed towards Ning Xia Night Market. I went to walk around while Alan and Isaiah rested in the car. The night market did not start until 5pm.

I found a place for Accupressure and Alan had an hour while Isaiah and I each had half an hour. Very nice!

When we went to the Night Market, it was so different from when I walked over there at 3:30. Totally packed and crowded with people and stalls. There were long lines at some of the favorite spots! The weather was perfect and people were out! We had oyster pancakes, stinky tofu, fried onion cake with eggs, and bubble milk tea. I also had bought these DONAZ. Donuts filled with custard or taro or ... It was so much fun!

On the way back to our car, I stopped at a Carrefour to get tongyuan for Isaiah. While at the frozen section, I saw a girl, very pretty and dressed in a black sweat suit outfit take out things and placed the items into her Ikea bag. As we walked towards the cash register, instead of stopping, she went straight out the door. I immediately called the manager and when two of the clerks went out, she had disappeared. WOW! She must have done this many times! I am not sure how many items she stole... but her bag was pretty full! And she was very smooth about walking out without any hesitation.

We came back. Mom was in bed. And we had Family Time at 9pm.

We didn't get to Windows of China or the Lavender Garden, but it was still a fun day!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Even when Paul was imprisoned, he wrote with JOY and REJOICING upon his heart. I think it's because he had set eternity before him!

Seek Him First!