Do you know what gets your blood pumping, really pumping?

For many years, I have envied people that always knew what they love...what they were born to love and do. Some people are just passionate about cooking, like my husband, he can turn boring food into the most salivating gourmet creation.

As for me? I remember my mother telling me, "You carry different knives all over you but none is sharp" in Chinese. In essence, it means, "You are jack of all trades, master of none".

Over the years, I've accepted that, I had a load of interests, have tried many things but found none that really got me going to pursue long-term. Without even praying about it (which once again proves how awesome God is), I was driven to study the bible with Jewish rabbinical insights and background and even began my Hebrew studies. The result... It blew the roof off me (it raises my roof) or shall I say I've found my "sweet spot"!! After 30-something years of wandering without pursuit, God pointed to me and said, "That's what you were made for!"

I have long asked to see the Word of God to come alive in ways I could feel and that it would carry substantial weight for me to live by. I love how He puts things in places that we only need to pay attention, we see how intricately His Word was bound together in sync. I am also fascinated by the Talmud, the Jewish tradtions and Rabbinal literature with intriguing stories that many times fill the gaps of scriptures. Though some may seem far-fetched, they are so interesting!

Whenever I study or listen to a teaching and allow the Lord to show me new things, I feel my whole body...every fiber of it... my spirit and soul just come alive with ecstatic excitement running through my veins. I am reminded of the scripture that says, "The secret things belong to the Lord, but the things revealed belong to us and our children.".

What is your sweet spot? What gets your blood pumping?
If you don't know, it's not too late. Ask, you shall receive. He's a GOOD FATHER!! Ask, and keep asking until you see what's to be revealed unfolds to you.

Remember, His timing is ALWAYS perfect!

Building Unshakeable Faith!!

Have I abandoned my blog for so long again?

Time is just flying by while we are having fun. With homeschooling the children, new direction and opportunities in mentoring, taking the kids around for the classes and activities, taking up classes myself, we are constantly on the go while trying to honor a day of rest in the week to recharge and go again.

I am sure I am not alone. Nonetheless, there's so much peace in my life, true peace amidst busy-ness.

I don't know how I could function without the Lord in my daily life, though it may sound cliche to some.
God cares about the big things and in every detail. I feel even without a schedule, He leads me to know when it's the perfect time to do laundry.

Putting God first is not just about giving Him the first hour of our every day, it's about having Him centered in our lives. When you care so much about someone, you want to be included in his/her life. That's how God is to me, and it's such an awesome thing to teach our children.

The "God-concept" has to be established in our children's own lives for that relationship to stick. I hope they will not say one day, "I believe... because my parents told me so." That's like an open door for someone to come in and knock that faith wall down and to lead a child astray when he has no clear and strong conviction of his/her faith.

With the Lord's help, we teach our children to hear God speak, first-hand, we teach them to talk to Him as their Best Friend. We teach them to ask God questions and listen for Him to answer. We see God's work in our daily life, and His presence in the smallest blessings.

God's real, He's not made up, He created all the beautiful things around us to remind us of His greatness and beauty. All will wither away, only God, His Word and the things of His Kingdom stand for eternity.

That, my friend, is the kind of faith built on the Rock, unshakeable... no matter what kind of bricks the world tries to bring on!

YOU'RE THE BEST THING...

I just had this song on my mind the other day and here it is on my Playlist if you go to #42-- You're The Best Thing (Ever Happened to Me). When I thought about God, our Lord, He truly is the best thing ever happened to me while I hear this song, it brings tears to my eye...

Let me know what you think ;)


I've had my share of life's ups and downs
But fate's been kind, the downs have been few
I guess you could say that I've been lucky
Well, I guess you could say that it's all because of you

If anyone should ever write my life story
For whatever reason there might be
Ooo, you'll be there between each line of pain and glory
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened to me
Ah, you're the best thing that ever happened to me

Oh, there have been times when times were hard
But always somehow I made it, I made it through
'Cause for every moment that I've spent hurting
There was a moment that I spent, ah, just loving you

If anyone should ever write my life story
For whatever reason there might be
Oh, you'll be there between each line of pain and glory
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened to me
Oh, you're the best thing that ever happened to me
I know, you're the best thing, oh, that ever happened to me

Wow, have I abandoned my blog??!!

Time has completely slipped by me between meetings, reading, kids' birthdays, birthday parties and mom's visit.

I hope to not leave this blog for this extended time period again, by His grace!!

"You won't relent"

This is such a powerful song!
Pause my Playlist here and listen...
"you won't relent until you have it all, my heart is yours..."

"Place me like a seal over your heart, or like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, and its jealousy is as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with everything he owned, his offer would be utterly despised." Song of Songs 8:6-7

Pancakes or Dinner rolls??????????

Well, every now and then, I like to make pancakes for breakfast, when I am in the mood. So, a few days ago, I was in the mood. I got the flour out, my favorite pancake recipe, and started making pancakes. I fried them on the griddle, but this time, I notice something very different. They don't look or taste the same as far as texture. They were a little more chewier, not in a bad way, just different.

As we were enjoying the pancakes, I notice my son sawing the pancakes with his knife, it was hysterical... I started picking one and eating it and realized they were more like dinner rolls than pancakes. Since my husband is a chef, he began to help me investigate the cause of the dinner rolls. I used the same recipe and everything the same as many of the times before. We could not figure it out.

Then, as I was putting things away and noticed the flour and started reading it. I had bought flour for bread instead of the all-purpose flour that I usually buy. Well, well, well... I have always afraid to make bread because it seems intimidating and all the kneading sounds like a lot of work. I guess after all, Father, is trying to tell me that I can make bread, even accidentally; and I can do things which I may not realize I can do.

So, next time, make sure you got the right kind of flour for your recipes. LOL...

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year to ALL!!

Before midnight on every new year's eve, we can see info-mercials on workout equipment to help lose weight and commercials to invite to join a health club to get the "Dream-body". We can hear everyone's best intention to fulfill their new year's resolution that probably will fail by the second month of the year.

I find that when I have myself to be accountable to, I am less likely to fulfill that promise, but if I am accountable to someone else, I am more likely to hold myself to that promise.

Take library books as an example. If I accidentally draw in my own books, or rip a page, it's not a big deal. But if I have borrowed a library book, I try at all cost to protect it and not to lose it because I am obligated to return the book as it was allowed to be in my possession, in my trust.

I feel the same way about new year's resolution. If we make it for a selfish reason, for my own good, it may not work out very well. But if we make a committment to someone outside ourselves, we feel more obligated to see it fulfilled.

God asked what Solomon what he wanted and he answered, "God's wisdom and knowlege to rule as king whom the Lord made him to be". It's an act of humility, Solomon was made a king and knew that he couldn't do that on his own wisdom, he desperately needed God's wisdom. For that, God gave him not only wisdom and knowledge, but also riches and wealth and honor!!
God sees our hearts, when we sincerely want to know Him and receive the revelation in the knowledge of Him, His blessings pour onto us beyond material things.

I encourage you to draw deeper into the Lord this year, to know Him, not for your own benefit, but enter into genuine worship to know our Creator as He so yearns for a relationship with you. His word says, "Ask, you shall receive; seek, you shall find; knock, the door shall open to you." He is so ready to give as you ask. He is not about religion, but all about having a relationship with you.

I believe when we do, we can look back on January 1st, 2010, and see our Father's hand on our lives and His faithfulness in ways unimaginable.

Energy-givers / Light-reflecters

I have at a time in my life that there were energy-drainers around me and I have learned to run from them, since I felt exhausted every time I had been with them for just a few minutes.

I am just reminded recently how I'm surrounded by so many energy-givers and light-reflecters. Those that you feel up-lifted and encouraged just being with them for a few minutes.

There's a women's group called Embrace Grace, who minister to single pregnant women. We adopted a couple of women to give them a baby shower. So, we hosted a baby shower at Kim's house for the 3 ladies in Embrace Grace on Dec. 6.

I was completely overwhelmed when the sign-up sheet for the baby shower gifts were filled up the first day we passed it around. Some even signed up for multiple gift items, during this time of the year when we all spend so much on gifts for friends and family...here they are committing to buy gifts for total strangers. On top of that, we had a lady that were giving beautiful jewelry to make the mother-to-be's feel special, and one even hand-made matching hats for moms & babes. We also had women bring food for the shower a couple of days prior because they would not be able to come.

On the day of the shower, I was moved by the love showered on these women, who were honored as God's precious daughters, not condemned as the world often see. We see them beautiful like their Father sees them. We have loved them before we even met them, we have prayed for them and their babies. We have prepared for this special day to make them know how much they are loved and our Father has divine purposes for the little ones they were giving birth to.
We came together in worship and in prayer. It was a sweet time in God's presence. They were in tears, aside from the gifts, that they were so honored by so many and more importantly, they felt their Father's love.

I have women whom I call friends, who often ask when they see a need in someone, "What can I do to help?", "What do they need?", "Is it okay for me to bless them with...?" One lady I know even gave away her ticket of the church Christmas dinner party to a nursery worker and offered to work her shift, just so that person would be blessed with a fun evening with her friends. These women are shining the light of God, showing God's love to others for no reason other than they've experience God's love and they can't help but to give it away and share it.

I have seen extravagant giving in this season like no other times. God honors giving, especially extravagant giving since He's the first Extragant Giver, our life-giver!! When we give Him our hearts, He fills it with Him!!

I believe 2009 is going to be a year of God's ourpouring love, goodness and revelation. "Every good gift and ever perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures." - James 1:17-18
Are you ready to give Him your all? Your heart and everything you are and everything you have. When you do, get ready, He's been waiting to pour out into your life everything that's amazing. He is AMAZING!!!

The Holiday season...

Every year I try to be relaxed during the pre-holiday season. I ask God to give me grace to deal with those stressed ones around me, that I wouldn't be affected by the craziness.

I went to Macy's 2 weeks ago to exchange something on a Saturday morning, without the knowledge that there was a morning sale going on. With people waiting in a long line and each person was buying at least 20 items (for the bargains), when it came to be my turn to pay, I couldn't help but started to sweat and felt so much under pressure to get my transaction done as soon as possible since every person behind me was staring me. I ended up having to go back to the cashier twice after that because I got so nervous. There... the JOY of the holiday... I just took a deep breath and moved on.

I have been doing our holiday shopping throughout the fall, so that has been done pretty much 2 months ago. Then, I did my gift-wrapping marathon for 3 nights last week and got that done. I have intended to post something on this blog 2-3+ times a week, but have found myself pre-occupied with gift-wrapping, greeting-card-writing and parties, and here I haven't been writing as much as I have intended.

Anyway,am I the only one on the planet that is not on Facebook? I feel like I am.

I have resisted to get on Facebook fearing that would suck up the little free time I have. It looks like I may need to open an account soon since everyone seems to be putting up their latest photos and news on there. I'll let you know how it goes.

I can't believe Hanukkah and Christmas is coming up next week. The kids have been asking every day when Hanukkah is, since we celebrate Hanukkah (that is this upcoming Sunday at sundown). I set out all their presents in the living room already, so they've been waiting to open them. In the meantime, we keep reminding them Hanukkah is about honoring God as our LIGHT and to remember how we have dedicated our lives to Him.

There's always an opportunity for a lesson when it comes to raising kids... a lesson for them and a lesson for me. So much I have learned about my Father's love for me as I parent.
I realize that I lack NOTHING. I mean...I really have everything I need and more. Psalm 37:25 says, "I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the rightious forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread." God is our ultimate provider. He supplies all our needs according to His riches in Glory.

I remember last year when my mother was visiting here, we were watching my kids play with their daddy. My mom was so touched by the scene, and said, "you know you are so blessed, though you don't have millions of dollar, yet you lack NOTHING!" I know what she meant, no matter how she or I or my sister has underminded life without a father, deep down inside we long for him to have been there.

My mom was at one point baffled at why I would want to stay home to be a "housewife" rather than continue to pursue a career after all the time and money invested for my education. Then, later, she told me how she felt bad for children that rarely get to spend time with their mothers and was glad that I had made the choice to be home. Although I have learned to look for approval from my heavenly Father, I surely am glad that my mother has come around to see His will for my life.

I am at an incredible place where I am so content!!! I have been content for quite some time, it's a gift from God. I don't desire much. As a matter of fact, I told my son, "if I get no gift this holiday season, I am completely fine with that, I don't need anything!!! NOTHING!!" I need nothing and I don't even want anything. It's a great place to be!

Mourning over a lost friendship

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

As I realize there are seasons of friendships, some are meant to be for just a short little while for us to learn a lesson, some are for a lifetime (those are sweet - I have some dear sisters like that), and some are in our lives for just a season (well, a season could be several years). It's especially hard when the season ends before we would want that to or at an unexpected time.

Thank God for sweet friendships, we are given the freedom to choose our friends. We learn to accept our friends for who they are. When we open up our lives to our friends, we accept their talents as well as flaws. We share our thoughts, and as God instructs in the bible that we are to speak truth into one another's lives.

I am mourning over a lost friendship. As painful as it is to see a friendship go, not according to my own will. Father reminds me that sometimes He has certain relationships distanced for my own protection. I have to trust in Him, even though I have done the best I could to keep and to rescue a relationship... God is in control!

Paul and I have met people that they just didn't like us, we had done nothing wrong toward them. It was for our protection... later we found out that these people caused so much trouble to some people that they had finagled themselves into their lives.

God has so many times blessed me with new friends to take the place of those whom I had grown to love and lost. He is faithful and I am thankful for many new friends He continues to bring into my life as great blessings.

You (who is reading this) are probably one of them. Thank you! I do count my blessings, I've gained more that I've lost.

Seek the Kingdom of God

Jesus said in Luke 12:29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."
Okay, God says that He would give us everything we need, EVERYTHING, and we are not to worry!!!! So, all we have to do is to seek the Kingdom of God, how do we do that?

We recently took a class on the parables of Jesus, though with some background of Jewish history and traditions; the fact that I am married to a Jew, the class was eye-opening. Of course we know that Jesus is the GREATEST RABBI EVER LIVED, morever, He came as a Jew and lived as a Jew and taught as a Jew. All of Jesus' parables, without exception, were not original. They came from some previous rabbis, sages or the talmud (the Jewish oral law).

I want to share with you what I learned about "Seek the Kingdom of God".

Seeking the Kingdom of God is to go after God in everything we say and do, with "glorifying and pleasing God" in mind, knowing that He has full control over our lives. He is all powerful over everything, everyone and every circumstance. Seeking the Kingdom of God goes beyond seeking God, it is seeking His power, reign, rule, authority and dominion over our lives...that is we are to submit and surrender our everything to our ONE TRUE GOD, and acknowledge that we are NOTHING apart from Him, in complete humility.

As we submit to the King, we become more than conquerors and overcomers, and have been given all authority. So, what else do we have to worry about?

Experience His Love Songs for you

In our women's group, we have been studying the God's Amazing Love through the Song of songs written by Gaye Moss (it's so wonderful!! Everyone needs to do that study, it'll transform your view on God's love for you as your bridegroom!). How the Lord pursues us in such an intimate way!

Here, I have put a couple of love songs on the top of my playlist playing here.
Yes, God can speak through any songs, not just worship songs.
I invite you to close your eyes and experience the Lord as your loving bridegroom through these love songs to you...

He wants to take you (His princess - for the women that are reading) to a whole new world that you can't and don't even want to go back to where you used to be.
And, as you are dreaming that your love would be right here with you, He already is; you never dreamed that He'd notice you... well He does and He sees you beautiful no matter where you've been, what you've done, even where you are, what you look or feel like. He loves you, period!

I pray that you'll experience Him and His longing for you as I have through these songs.

Encourager - Messenger of Heaven's kisses

I was raised by a very loving mother. Though she was a single-working mother, she always made sure that we had everything we needed growing up, we felt that we lacked nothing.

In the Chinese culture, physical touch is not a big thing to express love within family. I got many kisses from mom when I was young, hugs are not an everyday thing, "I love you"'s are not said often, not even occasionally, you just know that you are loved... you just have to know and believe it without it being said.

I knew that my mother was very proud of me by what her friends told me. Whenever I did well in school, she'd give me smile and said, "Now, you can do better next time!" Even if I'd made a hundred! I could do "better"?!

Now that I am a mother, I try to make sure that my children know that I love them, they don't have to assume or guess. They know it by the "I love you"'s, our kisses and hugs, our words of encouragement that they receive daily. Our Father is a loving father, He sends us those loving kisses and hugs too. We have to learn to recognize them, ask for them, receive them as such.

REMEMBER... there's no coincidence...

Earlier this Spring, there was a time I was feeling like a bad mother. Frequent calls for discipline with our children was wearing me out and I regretted the times that I was impatient and ungracious. I didn't like how I had handled those situations.

And then... one day, I was in a restaurant having yummy lunch and great conversations with a good friend of mine and my sister-in-law. during the over-2-hour-period that we were there, my children were getting restless. I had to take them outside and talked to them a few times and asked them not to whine. Then, as an elderly couple were making their way out of the restaurant passing by our table, the lady stopped and proceded to speak to Matthew (I had Matthew in my lap at this time -and I thought to myself, "she must want to comment on how cute my Matthew is... which is not uncommon"). The lady looked Matthew straight into the eyes and said, "I have been watching you. I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. You are becoming such a good little boy. I am so proud of you, and your mother is doing a great job raising you.” I looked at her the whole time as she was speaking those words, and I was soaking in every word out of her mouth and knew immediately that she was a messager sent by my Father to bring me encouargement and showed me love. That was one of the kisses that my Father gave me that day.

I am so blessed by every little thing God does to show me His love. It's overwhelming at times! Father has taught me to be His messenger of His kisses for others as well, especially for my husband and my children. Paul and I are teaching our children to look for and recognize these hugs and kisses from our Lord.

Have you gotten any kisses from Father lately? Have you asked Him to show you where they are? Has He asked you to be His messenger to deliver His love today? God's love is life-changing!!! I pray that as you are reading this, Father is bringing to mind those loving hugs and kisses He sent you and those heartfelt embraces He encircles Himself around you that you know beyond a shadow of the doubt that YOU ARE LOVED!

God is GOOD...ALL THE TIME!

God is good, not based on circumstances... it's an unchangeable fact that He is good at ALL TIMES.

Psalm 125 tells us that "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jesrusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people frim this time forth and forever."

Yesterday, the Lord led me to Isaiah 45:3 before all the election results came out, the verses go, "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I the Lord, who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.""All things work together for those who love God and those who are called according to His purposes." The essence of our faith is hope, hope that is not found in this world, but in our Lord in heaven.

As most of you last night, I watched America elect our first black president. I had mixed emotions. It was a historic moment, that's for sure, now where do we go from here... There is only one person who holds the answer... our KING. The King that is over all things and all people, the King that we know and have access to through Christ Jesus, the King that has promised to protect and provide for us.

As my friend, Teresa Roy said once regarding concerns over this election, "My plan B is the rapture." Now, that's the Kingdom-perspective. I am rejoicing not over circumstances, but for whom I put my trust and hope in.

As we are called to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks always, today is a new day. We have prayed, pleaded, decreed, and I believe that our Father has heard our prayers. We don't stop praying, the battle belongs to God, He is Victory. The end of the story has already been written. Jesus overcomes!

My friends, let's not grow weary while doing good, for in due time we will reap what we sow. God's plan is ALWAYS BEST. Yes, we've prayed for His will be done, so we have trust that His plan for us has a hope and a future.

As in the 40 days for life campaign (which ended Nov. 2 for this year),to pray until we see the end of abortion in our land, people are committed to continue to pray and fast and spread the word throughout the year, the work continues on...

Let's add Barack Obama and every leader in our government in our prayers. Let's pray the Lord's supernatural wisdom, protection over them, and that there will be genuine and life-changing encounters between them and The Savior. Let's pray that God will guide our nation to restore the moral values established when she was founded. God can do ALL things, no matter who is king or president.

Let us never forget the enormity of our gift of salvation/eternal life in Jesus Christ and by our Father. And, that's the joy we celebrate each day!

God is GOOD, ALL THE TIME! Yes, His glory is seen today!

I'm blogging!!!!!!! Knowing my Father...

I am finally bringing myself to start writing here. I hope someone is reading it. I'll be writing on what's been going on in our lives, and all the new tips I find from cleaning to skin care. So, tune in...


Well, it's all for my Father's glory. Some of you know that I didn't grow up with a father, so the term "father" was foreign to me for quite a while.

Seeing my friends' stories of how their parents fight and didn't get along, and having distant relationships with their fathers, I was relieved that I didn't have one. I only needed to go to one person, my mom-my hero, to get permission for something. I never had to hear fights between my parents, I merely had one. Not until recently that God has shown me how deeply buried my emotions were about my father. And I have a loving Father in Him, and He's always been there for me and will always be. He has helped me understand what a father's role is designed to be by giving me the best father I know (Paul) to be my husband to model for our children. Some of the world's bad models of fatherhood should not destroy what God has intended fatherhood for His children on this earth.

I was a foreign exchange student in the little town of Tuscumbia, Alabama many years ago, which is how God brought me here into this country from Hong Kong where I grew up- that changed the course of my life.

My best friend in high school was Karen Jones, and I got to stay with her and her family through some parts of my college years. Her mom and dad, Debra and Dwight, became my surrogate parents here. Dwight taught me how to drive, helped me purchase my very first car (paid for by my mother), and they were there for me after every car accident I had, and there were quite a few (talk about staying away from the Chinese girl on the road...well, half of them were not my fault), and talked to as a father to a daughter.
Nevertheless, that was my experience of seeing a father's love firsthand.
Our Father is amazing, ask Him to show you how He loves you as a father, and truly experience Him in that role. He is faithful and will change your life, He has changed my life forever!