Saturday, February 14, 2009

Valentine's Day - are you in the doghouse?

Yeah, yeah... I know I was supposed to continue on my "Childlike vs Childish" train of thought but hey, it's Valentine's Day today and I simply could not resist sharing a link to a hilarious video I saw recently. That plus dealing with young, sick kids all week has totally drained me.

So - Valentine's Day - what's the big DEAL??? Seriously, somebody tell me. I don't really have any good answers. However, I do know there are expectations from men for the women and vice versa.... for different things, quite often, unfortunately, haha!

Check out this video if you have a chance. It belongs to JC Penney, I believe. You'll figure it out.... you will need to "Copy and paste" the link below to your browser as I could not set up a hyperlink. Sorry - not that technically advanced and did not have time to read all the mumbo-jumbo about including links...

http://www.bewareofthedoghouse.com/

Once you are on the home page, you need to click on the "What life's like inside the doghouse" at the bottom of the page to view the video plus you definitely need high speed internet for this. It's also available on other places/ sites that share videos, if you know what I mean. :)

Enjoy! And...regardless of whether you go out or not to celebrate Valentine's Day... do take the time (on any day) to celebrate all those you think are special and those who make you feel special.

Later!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Childlike vs. Childish - Part 1

Hey folks!

Anyone need a good laugh? I do. Badly! Someone send me a bad joke. Actually, make it a good one! :)

Been thinking lately about the difference between "childlike" and "childish". Is there a difference? Someone I know hinted that sometimes I am the latter. To which I responded, "You don't really know me that well...do you?" and in my mind, I said a couple of more things that I will not write here :). I will still need to be forgiven for my thoughts though....

Okay fine. I admit, the observation caused me to blow up like an alarmed porcupine, erecting my "quills"...somedays this is likened to a stroke of my pen. Careful I don't "write" you out of my life, haha!

Back to thinking...so...what is considered "childlike" and "childish"....

Many online dictionaries state "childlike" as "like or befitting a child, as in innocence, trustfulness, or candor". Synonyms include innocent, trusting, guileless, simple, unfeigned....

"Childish" when used in reference to an adult generally means "marked by or indicating a lack of maturity as in like a child".

Many of us lose our "childlike-ness" as we grow up. We get cynical. Our world views are affected and sometimes tainted by our experiences, some of which are painful. We even lose hope although we would never admit that. We sometimes twist innocent gestures into something "bad". Unfortunately, we do not lose as much of our "childishness" with the same passing of time...at least in my humble opinion.

Here's a pick-me-up that one of my brothers sent me this past week that reminds me how innocent life once was. It also gave me a good, hearty laugh as it made me think of some of the things I receive from students at school. Take a good look at the picture before you scroll down for the explanation. Enjoy!

I have more to say in Part II this weekend...."childlike" vs. "childish"... to be continued...

PS - for those not in North America, Home Depot is a giant Do-It-Yourself store where folks go to get anything from hardware to flooring options to furniture, all available to the public so everyone can their own renovations, if they so choose.




(Here's the reply the teacher received the following day)


Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.

From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith

Sunday, February 1, 2009

I'll be seeing you....au revoir...

I've had a melancholy two weeks. I think that's fine, though. Real life is not always a constant high. I find that some of the most profound truths I've learned about life and about myself have been in times where I've ventured into valleys. Thankfully, I do not stay down forever and I do remember to look for life lessons for each valley that I traverse. So, bear with me as I blog this out of my system...

This past week, over a billion of Earth's inhabitants celebrated Chinese New Year. Considering that's a good quarter of our planet's population, it was strange that I should have felt so lonely on Chinese New Year day. Growing up in multi-cultural Malaysia, Chinese New Year was always a time of laughter, love, family, food, fun, noise. Open Houses everywhere, people of different faiths and races visiting each other, wishing each other well...and oh, those little red packets of $$$ (ang pows).

Chinese New Year is not celebrated in such a grand manner here, at least not in my little circle and so I am homesick each year at this time. You would think after 2 decades living away from home, I'd have outgrown this feeling but I haven't. What's my lesson?

It's simple - appreciate what you have while you have it. Love your family while you have them. Hug your kids while they are young and want to be hugged. Snuggle with your spouse while your love is fresh and build on that. Spend time with your parents while they are still alive. Tell your folks how much you appreciate their sacrifices over the years for you, for your education, for your well-being, for their grandkids...

The cycle of life is inevitable. Let's not wait until it's too late before we encourage, affirm, inspire, apologize, forgive, live and love.

This cycle of life was evident later in the week for me when a cherished friend and mentor died after a 3-year battle with cancer. He was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer...only a handful or so of other recorded cases worldwide. The doctors really did not know how to treat him, having him undergo all sorts of experimental stuff. The man was a walking miracle for 3 years, doctors initially gave him 6 weeks. His Muslim doctor, a foremost authority on cancer from Egypt said he was a miracle! Sometimes we said he was a cat with 9 lives, each time he was hospitalized, he seemed to bounce back within weeks and was back to his usual stuff, meeting with people, playing tennis ... he was 73!

Well, this week he did not bounce back. At the memorial service yesterday, there was an "Open Mike" period where people could share about the impact my mentor had had on them. Church was packed. I heard things like his life being one of influence and integrity, that he was undaunted by life - if there was a hurdle, he'd leap it; if there was a problem, he'd solve it. He was lavish with his affirmation.

I have to tell you that he was a very wealthy man, rubbed shoulders with Presidents and CEOs all over North America and even a few Prime Ministers. However, as was mentioned by so many that he touched, he was generous with his time. He made time with those of us not Presidents and CEOs and when he listened to you during an outing for coffee or lunch, he would listen to you like there was nobody else around. I was one of those privileged enough to be called for coffee... and Joe was just one of the greatest individuals I've ever known.

Someone had said that Joe was like "royalty" and yet when he shook your hand warmly or chatted with you over moccacchino (with more cocoa than coffee - he introduced it to me), he never made you feel small or insignificant. Rather the opposite. He always listened, challenged and desired to help others achieve their full potential. He said he wanted to be remembered as someone who cared. And cared he did, not just for what he did but for all the people with whom he came in contact, no matter how "big" or "small" they were. Joe epitomized His Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, in all that he said and did.

That's another bit of royalty for you..Jesus...left the throne of heaven to mingle among common folk... among the likes of me and you .... telling all who would listen just how much we are loved. Anyone listening?

So.... when the service was done and people filed out to the reception, I continue to sit in a pew, watching a slideshow of Joe's life. Cried. I knew that when the slideshow was over, I would not see Joe again...at least not on earth. I cried some more when they finally stopped the show. Thankfully, I'm a girl and I'm allowed to cry. :)

In the end, I chose to say "Goodbye" in French... I said "Au Revoir". I thought it was more appropriate. It literally means (goodbye) till we meet again. Because of our faith in Jesus, I know I will see Joe again...

What's the lesson for me? Run the race... and run the race well...in a way that only I can. What I mean is, live life with my own personal signature. Joe was a one-of-a-kind. And so am I. I was created for a purpose and I'm the best one for the job so I better do the best job I can.

So folks, get to it...live well. Put your "signature" on all that you do.

To my family - despite the miles and years between us, it seems like I love you more today than I did before. This is all good!

To my Wednesday nite Bible study group who for the past 4 years have successfully managed to surprise and celebrate me and my Chinese heritage one week before Chinese New Year, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love. You are more family than you know.

My encouragement for these coming weeks comes from the Word that is alive and active. See references below from Acts and Ecclesiastes that will keep me going.

Blessings to all. Take care.




From one man he made all the people of the world. Now they live all over the earth. He decided exactly when they should live. And he decided exactly where they should live. For everything there is a season,a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance