512 Sichuan Earthquake

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil?

10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men.

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.

13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him...

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS, by Don Miguel Ruiz.
A code of conduct based on personal freedom.

This book speaks to the fact that we make agreements within ourselves about how we will behave. These agreements are sometimes prompted by circumstances and the behaviors/comments of other people in our lives whom we trust to tell the truth.

He suggests that we make the following agreements with ourselves:

Be Impeccable With Your Word

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean.
Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.


Don't Take Anything Personally

Nothing other do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

Don't Make Assumptions

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

Always Do Your Best

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick.
Under any circumstance, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

Resting

It's been a very busy week and a lot is happening. The best thing to do is to rest, to revive and to survive.

The power of "Thank You"

Say thank you and mean it. You will experience the power of it!!!

Where there is love, there is life...

What is love?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Quote == 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Button Pushing Free Life

Have you ever gone mad with someone and got yourself out of control? I have, and very often -- especially when my staff are not doing what they supposed to do, or when the service personnel of a restaurant told me that there is nothing they can do about their stuff up.

I do not enjoy losing my cool, but these incidents just keep coming back to get me. I struggle with it as a Graceful animal do not scream and yell and have red faces like that. What can I do to manage this button pushing issue better?

When I was asked what made me so mad, I discovered that when someone fall to meet my expectation all the past feelings of being hurt by people who failed me would come back to me. All in a sudden, this one moment of discontent triggles the sense of disappointment that is 1000 times more than what it actually worth.

How can I stop being reactive and live gracefully?

I promise myself and I honor my engagement ring to remind me to do these next time when my button is pushed:

1. Be aware that: my blood is rushing to my head + I am short of breathe with an urge to wag someone = a sign of my button being pushed;
2. Stop reacting;
3. Say no to my past hurts;
4. Set my intention to get a great experience;
5. Do my best to live the present and to get the most out of the situation; and
6. Appreciate what can be the benefit of the situation.

It is not a promise to put up with under performing staff or bad services. It is a promise for me to live a "button pushing free" life.

Magic

Imagine that we are born with magic. What power you think you might have?

I have the power of seeing beauty and bringing comfort to the others. Amongst the 2, I love the magic of seeing beauty the most. To see beauty in all kinds of everything, I am aware of different dimensions of my subject matters. The more dimensions I detect, the more opportunities that I find wonder. It is an internal power, and no one can take it away from me :)

What is your magic? Would you like to share with me?