Ran Today!

Even though the weather forecast reported, RAIN ALL DAY, it turned out to be a very nice day... warm and no rain!

Mom went to her program, and I started with a load of clothes and going over my schedule. I want to squeeze one more student into my schedule. He needs SAT prep! I'm looking towards Chinese New Year vacation, HOPEFULLY!

Then I ate a yogart and a banana. No problem... And of course, I rested!

At 11am, I decided to go for an hour... And although I only covered 9k, it kicked my appetite in gear. My stomach was feeling good... but I decided just to keep drinking liquid. 

My tutoring started at 1:30... the dissertation is almost finished! And when I ended at 5:06, the phone rang. Mom was on her way back. 

I had fixed her French fries with meat loaf... While she ate, I finished folding and putting away the load! I also ate some pita bread and made porridge. Alan actually wanted some!

Isaiah came home. He decided NOT to go to tennis practice. Abby had basketball practice and Alan has his usual Thursday evening faculty basketball! He never misses that! 

After Mom went to bed, I was out the door for more tutoring. The kid asked for 2 hours! He needed some extra help and in my favorite subject - Literature... and two of my favorite authors -- Poe and Hawthrone! They write some scary short stories!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Today as I was heading back from my run, I saw the guy who asked me to check on the crying girl about two weeks back. We ran and chatted. I didn't have time to share with him about Jesus, but I'm praying to 'run into him' on another 'run'. And that brought to my mind the difference between good things, best things and God things. Too often we get stuck with doing the good or even the best, but they are not the God things. I think God things are more than a load of clothes or a message sent. Not that those things are bad... But to let God lead to a place to meet a 'random person' to share Christ with -- that's a God thing. Like yesterday, carrying a tub of candy canes and talking to people... bringing a bit of Christmas cheer on a very wet and dreary day... Meeting those junior high school students and their teachers... Seeing a sister who attended Grace Baptist Church some 20 years ago and who now teaches at Soochow. She remembers Alan and I when we spoke on "He said, She said" and that impacted her! That was more than 20 years ago! I get busy with too many good or best things... I want to live more in serving Christ, following His lead in doing the God things!

Seek Him First!

Very Cold and Rainy!

My Soochow University study decided to postpone until next week because of the flea market they are sponsoring for the next three days! I went by just to spread Christmas cheer, by passing out candy canes and greeting people. It was fun!

Then I went and returned some CDs and get an old phone fixed... A friend gave it to me and the home button is broken and it needed a new battery. The whole bill will be about 80US$! It's an iPhone 6 with 256 memory... I think!

My stomach is still acting funny. Every time I eat, I feel bloated. NOT comfortable at all... Or it's painful like it's trying to churn and digest what I've eaten! So, I had two small cups of yogurt and two pieces of fruit. I will wait to see if my stomach will be feeling better tomorrow! No energy to run! Of course, the weather has also been very cold and wet.

This evening I had to tutor from 5-7pm and maybe I'll have a break during their Christmas holiday! 

Daily Lovely Insight:

The Lord sustained me through another day... Having stomach problems is really hard on the whole body! I hope the LORD will bring complete healing! It's not just not having the energy, but I have no appetite. Each time I eat, I don't feel well... I realize how important that organ is... just like the heart or the brain. No wonder the word of God says in John 7:38

Seek Him First!

Stayed Home!

Mom was fine this morning, so I called and drove her to the Elderly Center. The usual pick up is at 8:45, but I wanted to make sure she was fine after breakfast... So, I dropped her off at 9:30! And came home and rested...

I worked on my talk and then rested...

I put away the laundry and then rested...

I edited for a company and then rested...

Yes, that was what I did the whole day.

I canceled my tutoring... and I'm so glad I did!

I ate a piece of bread with a bit of peanut butter. It felt good... So I ate a hard boiled egg with salt... No problem. I've been drinking a lot of liquid! My sweet neighbor made us congee last night and dropped off a loaf of bread this morning! She messaged me and said she can make more... What a blessing to have such wonderful neighbors! We are blessed. My Bible study gals and students are all praying for me! They messaged me, asking how I was feeling!  I can honestly say, I FEEL BETTER. I'm not completely well, but compared to yesterday, I feel so much better! It sure helped since I spent the day preparing my talk on HOPE!

Daily Lovely Insight:

I had hoped to get a lot done this week... but being a bit ill... that plan went out the windows... But God is still my HOPE. And that's one of the points for my talk. HOPE is not a personality trait. HOPE is rooted in our faith and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. HOPE is steady as it is based on the word of God. HOPE does not waiver based on circumstances. Like how people waited in HOPE for the Redeemer, the coming Messiah, so our HOPE never dies because of the resurrection of Jesus! Praise be to God!

Seek Him First!

The Stomach Flu Hit!

Mom did not go to the Elderly Center. I kept her home just to observe. She was getting better, but still soiled her underwear! Alan, myself and Isaiah were hit with the stomach flu. I decided to fast! Just water! And all I wanted to do was sleep... But Mom was feeling better and she wanted to go out. I put her in front of the TV and she watched Little House. I did another load of soiled bedding!

That's all I did... I was walking around but my head was slightly achy and I just wanted to lay down! It was forced rest... Exhaustion hit! I didn't go to my tap class. No way... and in the evening, I cancelled my tutoring for Tuesday and possibly postponed my Wednesday Bible study to 12/16!

And I went back to sleep...

Daily Lovely Insight:

My dearest friend, Suz, did a Zoom devotional and sent me her talk notes. What an inspiring talk! She traced through the Bible the anticipation of the coming Messiah... 

While I was reading it, I was so encouraged to see how parts of her talk fits so perfectly for my talk on HOPE! With her permission, I'm going to use some of it for Sunday! With my recent bout with the stomach flu, this is an answer to prayer. She did all the research for me and she even has the ppt file. I just need to add to it! God is so beautiful... In my weakness, He continually supplies and sustains! I'm not sure how I will feel tomorrow... But I'm trusting God to carry me through!

Seek Him First!

Way Too Busy!

There were more laundry to do... At least the plastic pads helped! But I still had to wash two loads! And then rush to a baptism as one of my students from Soochow was getting baptized. I got home and Mom had finished her breakfast and was sitting in front of the TV with a plastic pad under her and in her pajamas, watching Little House! She was on the road to recovery! Thank you for your prayer!

I got another load in the dryer and went off to tutor!

I had to tutor from 12:30 - 2:30 and then go to Costco as I wanted to get a cake for one of the HOP members' birthday! I got to church by 3:15 and set everything up! I also had to translate!

At the Love Feast, I ate too fast and when I got home, I sure didn't feel well. I got Mom to bed... and up-chucked! Much better! So, I had a mug of ginger tea! And did one more load of laundry! Everything was stinking up the house! Maybe that's another reason I upchucked! The house is smelling so much better!

It was an extremely busy day... I am taking tomorrow to rest!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Our speaker, Pastor Yang, spoke on Hope and mentioned this verse: Micah 5:2. This little town of Bethlehem can also be known as the place of HOPE. For the prophecy was given that from this place, a ruler will come forth, but no one ever thought the ruler would be a baby born in a manger. Sometimes, the LORD works HOPE in our lives in ways we never expected!

Seek Him First!

It's Not Getting Any Slower...

Mom had diarrhea today... So, that tells you what a busy day I've had!

Changed her bedding and had to wash everything! All the blankets and her clothes... THREE SETS! Every time I gave her a fresh set of clothes, she soiled them! Now, this evening, after four tums and just bread and ginger tea, she sat happily watching Little House! She also went to her massage, and again soiled another set of clothes! But by bedtime, she got another soiled underwear... And then went to bed! we will see what this night will be like!

What else happened?

Well, the donation yesterday had many items that the second hand store didn't want, so they called. Alan drove over and picked up an old suitcase, some old magazines, a CD rack with about 200CD, and a radiator heater! I called a church that is having a flea market sale from today to Christmas and they said they would be willing to take everything. Alan helped me clean and sort through the stuff. We threw out the suitcase and the magazines, stacked all the CDs and cleaned the beautiful black rack and the radiator heater and drove over to the church. The people were so nice and appreciative! I was exhausted!

Abby went for a workout. Isaiah watched basketball. 

I had to catch up on work!

Daily Lovely Insight:

I do not lose heart... I might be exhausted, but I give thanks. I know my God is able! On a day like this, I hold on to truth!

Seek Him First!

Run-Around Date!

It was an early start here... 

Alan and I read, prayed and headed out for lunch. We then went to support the YWCA "Rummage Sale". They had a pre-sale and in just two hours, they made a lot of money. Alan waited downstairs while I went to look. I can understand why. They had Ferragamo shoes for 4500NT$. Coach bags for 3000NT$. It was a high class 'rummage sale'-- way over my budget! But I did get a charcoal mini BBQ grill and a Cuisinart Yogurt/Ice Cream Maker -- 700NT$ for both! These are not for me, but for church friends who like to go camping and make their own treats! I will google some recipes and try out the yogurt maker. 

After that, we drove to help a friend who is cleaning out their house for remodeling. Our entire car plus my lap was stacked with things. We drove carefully over to our neighborhood second-hand store and donated everything. We then headed to Costco. It was a madhouse, so Alan dropped me off and I went in to buy just a few things. I had a list. On the way to the checkout stand, I saw EGG NOG! I bought 16 cartons!

We came home and unloaded everything. I put everything away, and Mom was home! Wahhhh... I didn't even have time to go for a run!

So, after Mom went to bed, later than I had planned, I went out! I ran slowly as I was a bit tired!

Daily Lovely Insight:

I needed this verse today... 

Often times in all my rushing around, I feel quite limited and tied by time constraint. I have many things that I'd like to do to help others or to fix things around our house, but my weekends are pretty much taken with the care of my mom. On the week days, I have tutoring and Bible studies. For example, it is difficult to pull out the stuff under our bathroom sinks to treat the wall with anti mildew paint! I have all the stuff, but not the time! 

This verse helped me to see that I have the Holy Spirit and thus, there is freedom. I am not limited. There will be things I can't get done each day and it's ok. I am planning to get to these tasks during the Chinese New Year break... maybe! But then Mom would also be home... Oh well... I will get to these tasks... one of these days! Until then, where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is FREEDOM!

Seek Him First!