The happiest people in the world

The happiest people in the world are not those who have no problems, but those who learn to live with things that are less than perfect.  

A Date

"A Date"

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said I love you but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.

"What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad
news.

"I thought that it would be pleasure with you," I responded. "Just the two of us."

She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.

"I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, "she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting". We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.

"It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said.

"Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.

"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I did not do anything for her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined.

An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son."

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I LOVE YOU!" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than God and your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."

Here's hoping today is better than yesterday and tomorrow.

Get Out of the Car!

 

金玉凉言

>> 我就像一隻趴在玻璃上的蒼蠅，前途一片光明，但是出路沒有。

>> 錢不是問題，問題是我沒有錢。

>> 一山不能容二虎，除非一公和一母。

>> 對流血一週仍然不死的動物千萬不能大意…

>> 我和超人的唯一區別是：我把內褲穿在褲子裡面。

>> 我身在江湖，江湖卻沒有關於我的傳說…

>> 生，容易。活，容易。生活不容易。

>> 一個人並不孤單，想一個人時才孤單。

>> 我不是隨便的人，但隨便起來就不是人。

>> 騎白馬的不一定是王子，可能是唐僧；

不住禱告 (from cgbconline.org)

靠著聖靈，隨時多方禱告祈求；並要在此儆醒不倦，為眾聖徒祈求。（弗六18）

《荒莫甘泉》中記述一位女傭人不住禱告的見證──每早晨當她打開眼睛便禱告：主啊，求你開我心裡的眼睛。穿上衣時，便禱告願能穿上基督的義袍。洗臉時，求主洗淨心靈；作工時，求主給她日子如何力量也如何；點火時，就求主挑旺她的愛火；掃地時，就求主除去她心裡的污穢… …。這位姊妹常常這樣從早到晚向神禱告，所作的每件事都給她一個禱告的意念。

我們覺得持續的禱告難實行，是因為不習慣把禱告和日常生活結合起來。倘若能嘗試像這位姊妹，把生活中每個環節都化成禱告，我們的禱告生活便會更豐富自然。

此外，我們在日常生活中看到或聽到很多人間不幸，如天災人禍、家庭悲劇，我們都可以為那些不幸的人們禱告。這是神兒女的天職。雖然我們常自覺力量微小，但我們若體貼主的心，必常記念周圍的人，並藉禱告改變世界！

陳樂群

What I Learned From Noah - with kk's comments

An email sent in year 2004

 

What I Learned From Noah - with kk's comments

 

ONE: Remember that we are all in the same boat.
[Kian] Yes, we are in the same boat at "Jacob's Ark".
 
TWO: Don't miss the boat.
[Kian] Jacob will be in action on this Friday. Please don't miss that!!!

 

THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
[Kian]  Thanks for sharing the dreams with us 2 weeks ago. Actions will be taken and planning is underway. We will have something new rolling out in 2005. Stay tuned!

 

FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
[Kian]  Tell you what... I started a gym program 2 weeks ago at Nortel. Now I am proud to say that I can run a non-stop track for 20 minutes each day and burn 250 calories each run!!!  I already loss 2 pounds.

 

For those who are interested, I am organizing a skating club to skate in Redeau Canal after the church service. Please join me. Let's stay fit FOR GOD.

 

FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
[Kian]  Amen. Let's do it with a purpose and get the job done. Let's make our life a Purpose Drive Life!!!

 

SIX: Build your future on high ground.
[Kian]  Disagree! Even the highest ground in the earth was covered by the flood water during Noah's time. I build my "future" on "high tech", it is becoming bubble again. Just learned that a few days ago that my term will come to an end by the end of this month, and now I am entering into job searching mode. We need to build our future on EVEN higher place. Yes, our future is in the heaven.

 

SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
[Kian]  And let's be a faithful and lovely person to our partner.

 

EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
[Kian]  But... but it took 120 years to get on board. Well, snails got their job done. Let keep it up and look up. :)

 

NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
[Kian]  It's my time to float again and to rest. I am now building up my job searching people networking contacts and editing my resume. Please pray for me to continue to have momentum moving forward, especially during this holiday season. People like me tends to get lazy...

 

TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
[Kian]  Well, one thing I realize is that Noah got the blue print directly from God. The Titanic is built based on blue print provided by engineers like me.  he he... ^_^

 

Conclusion:
I would like to wish everybody in Jacob's cell group a Merry Merry Christmas!!!

 

Love,
Kian

Camping Tips - updated

All,

 

For those who are first time campers, I just want to share my camping tips with you...

 

1. Be a well-planned camper: Make sure you bring all items you've planned for camping. Create your checklist if necessary. You could refer to my camping checklist. We printout our checklist and go through it every time we go camping. Guess what... we do catch things we miss in our final check before leaving our house.

 

Our check list is in:  http://kkdd.ca/  => More => Cheat Sheets => Camping Cheat Sheet

 

2. How to pack food in your cooler/ice box: 

• Process your food before camping: Slice meat, and marinate it.
• Freeze your processed meat. So that you could keep it for 36 hours, if well kept. Monitor your cooler, you may need to buy ice from the campground store.
• Freeze a few bottles of your bottle water. When the ice melt, the bottle water will serve as your cold drink in hot summer day!!!  Don't limit yourself to bottle water. You can freeze your favorite beverage too.
• Pack them on your cooler just minutes before leaving your home.
• Always, freeze meat and iced bottle in the bottom, eggs, veggie, etc on the top of cooler.

3. Deal with the chilly night: It is hard to say how the overnight temperature would be now, however, generally the overnight temperature is usually chilly and humid as we are staying outdoor. Be prepare for the tight sleep night!!!  On top of your sleeping bag, bring enough warm clothing for the night. Please be aware that most heat loss is through head and feet. I usually put on a pair of sock before getting sleep, with my warmer hat on my side.

 

Pengfei/Lingzhen, we have "sleeping bag" for Anya, if you haven't had one. It is a comfortable winter cloth with a bag attach to it. Cobcob used it when he was 5 months old in our last year camping. (Note: Good until 12 months)

 

 

4. Deal with mosquitoes. (anyway, I don't attract too many mosquitoes ^_^, I only do the blue part.)

• Use Bug Off. (Personally, I hate chemical on my body, so I seldom use it. )  Another tip, if you have an expired Bug Off, don't throw it away. Instead of spraying it on your body, you can still spray it on objects, like table, chairs, etc, around your campsite.
• Wear bright colour clothing. Don't wear dark shirt!  Otherwise you will attract more bugs to you.
• Eat more garlic.
• If you have mosquitoes coils, or citronella candles, bring them.
• Campfire. This is the most effective way at dusk.
• Light up your torch. Torch will light up our campsite as well as attract mosquitoes away from us. Nehemiah Fellowship bought their torches in their past camping trip and stores them in OMAC store room next to Xiao Xiong's office. We can borrow a few from them. I have the fuel for the torch. Another tip: You can also buy the citronella candle torch from Dollarama for only $1. I've used it before, it is good for quite a few hours.

 

Hope it helps... :-)

 

Love in Christ,

Jianguang

Camping Tips

All,

 

For those who are first time campers, I just want to share my camping tips with you...

 

1. Be a well-planned camper: Make sure you bring all items you've planned for camping. Create your checklist if necessary. You could refer to my camping checklist. We printout our checklist and go through it every time we go camping. Guess what... we do catch things we miss in our final check before leaving our house.

 

Our check list is in:  http://kkdd.ca/  => More => Cheat Sheets => Camping Cheat Sheet

 

2. Deal with the chilly night: It is hard to say how the overnight temperature would be now, however, generally the overnight temperature is usually chilly and humid as we are staying outdoor. Be prepare for the tight sleep night!!!  On top of your sleeping bag, bring enough warm clothing for the night. Please be aware that most heat loss is through head and feet. I usually put on a pair of sock before getting sleep, with my warmer hat on my side.

 

Pengfei/Lingzhen, we have "sleeping bag" for Anya, if you haven't had one. It is a comfortable winter cloth with a bag attach to it. Cobcob used it when he was 5 months old in our last year camping. (Note: Good until 12 months)

 

 

3. Deal with mosquitoes. (anyway, I don't attract too many mosquitoes ^_^, I only do the blue part.)

• Use Bug Off. (Personally, I hate chemical on my body, so I seldom use it. )  Another tip, if you have an expired Bug Off, don't throw it away. Instead of spraying it on your body, you can still spray it on objects, like table, chairs, etc, around your campsite.
• Wear bright colour clothing. Don't wear dark shirt!  Otherwise you will attract more bugs to you.
• Eat more garlic.
• If you have mosquitoes coils, or citronella candles, bring them.
• Campfire. This is the most effective way at dusk.
• Light up your torch. Torch will light up our campsite as well as attract mosquitoes away from us. Nehemiah Fellowship bought their torches in their past camping trip and stores them in OMAC store room next to Xiao Xiong's office. We can borrow a few from them. I have the fuel for the torch. Another tip: You can also buy the citronella candle torch from Dollarama for only $1. I've used it before, it is good for quite a few hours.

 

Hope it helps... :-)

 

Love in Christ,

Jianguang

Bible Map

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Doreen Loo

To: kiangoh@hotmail.com

Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 8:42 AM

Subject: bible map

http://www.biblemap.org/

Registration of Canadians Abroad

From: Kian Goh

To: kiangoh@hotmail.com

Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 2:17 PM

Subject: Registration of Canadians Abroad

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/sos/rocapage-en.asp

Father's Love Letter

http://www.fathersloveletter.com/flltextenglish.html

B&B enquiry in Tofino

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Waters Edge B&B

To: Kian Goh

Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 10:27 AM

Subject: Re: stay in Tofino on June 19 (Thursday)

Thanks so much for your inquiry, but, unfortunately, we are fully booked on those dates.

 

May I suggest that you visit the Tofino B&B Society website and its Vacancy Report.  Fill in the details and an email is sent to all the B&B Society members.  If anyone can accommodate you they can reply directly to you.  The address is www.tofino-bc.com/tofinobb/index.html

 

Or try Tourism Tofino at info@tourismtofino.com.  Include specifically what you are searching for and your message is forwarded to all accommodation members.  If anyone has room they can reply directly to you.

 

Thanks and enjoy your time in the area.

Steve and Crystal Ironside
Waters Edge B&B
Tofino, BC
250.725.1218
www.watersedgeinn.ca

----- Original Message -----

From: Kian Goh

To: watersedge@seaviewcable.net

Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 5:05 AM

Subject: stay in Tofino on June 19 (Thursday)

Hi,

We are exploring the possibility to stay in Tofino on June 19 (Thursday). We have 2 adults and a very charming 15 months baby.

I was wondering if you could provide me the info on room availability and rate on that day? (Check-in on June 19 and check-out on June 20)

Thanks,
Kian

 

Is it harder to raise boys or girls?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/06/17/harder.to.raise/index.html

 

 

DISCIPLINE
Who's harder? Boys

Why don't boys seem to listen? Turns out their hearing is not as good as girls' right from birth, and this difference only gets greater as kids get older. Girls' hearing is more sensitive in the frequency range critical to speech discrimination, and the verbal centers in their brains develop more quickly. That means a girl is likely to respond better to discipline strategies such as praise or warnings like "Don't do that" or "Use your words."

 

"Boys tend to be more tactile -- they may need to be picked up and plunked in a time-out chair," Gurian says. They're also less verbal and more impulsive, he adds, which is especially evident in the toddler and preschool years.

 

PHYSICAL SAFETY
Who's harder? Boys

In general, boys are more rambunctious and aggressive, experts say. Taking risks lights up the pleasure centers of their brains. Many parents find they have to keep a closer eye on what a son is "getting into," or use more bandages.

 

But letting kids explore -- at the cost of a few scrapes and cuts -- builds character, self-confidence, resilience, and self-reliance, says Wendy Mogel, Ph.D., author of "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee." Boys, being natural risk takers, may need encouragement to slow down a little, but maybe girls need to be encouraged to take more risks. Look for opportunities for your daughter to jump off a wall, swim in the deep end, or try the bigger slide. Parenting.com: Potty training: girls vs. boys

 

COMMUNICATION
Who's harder? First boys, then girls

From birth, a girl baby tends to be more interested in looking at colors and textures, like those on the human face, while a boy baby is drawn more to movement, like a whirling mobile, says Dr. Sax. (These differences play out in the way kids draw: Girls tend to use a rainbow of hues to draw nouns, while boys lean toward blue, black, and silver for their more verblike pictures of vehicles crashing and wars.)

 

In a nutshell, girls are rigged to be people-oriented, boys to be action-oriented. Because girls study faces so intently, they're better at reading nonverbal signals, such as expression and tone of voice. Boys not only learn to talk later than girls and use more limited vocabularies, they also have more trouble connecting feelings with words.

 

SELF-ESTEEM
Who's harder? Girls

Developing a healthy self-image is critical to all kids. But as the more compliant and people-oriented gender, girls tend to grow up less confident and more insecure than boys, researchers say. Famed gender researcher and psychologist Carol Gilligan, Ph.D., calls this "the tyranny of nice and kind" -- unwittingly raising girls to be people pleasers.

 

News to share: B.C. missionary attacked in Kenya

Dear brothers and sisters,

 

I came across this news, and really touched to learn about this missionary couple who up-lift Jesus' name and live out a beautiful testimony. Just a few days ago, they were attacked in Kenya. John was left with a broken jaw, broken arms and badly injured legs; Eloise was raped by three of the attackers, her face was badly cut, and suffered a broken jaw. They are recovering, after undergoing hours of surgery to treat the deep cuts on their faces and bodies and their many broken bones.

 

and.... while John still need to undergo four major sugeries, .... they said their experience will not deter their determination to work in Kenya, and the first thing they want to do once they fully recover is to visit their attacker, and tell them about their forgiveness....

 

The couple's reaction really reminds me our Lord's unconditional love. My prayer goes to their recovery and their work in the Lord.

 

Lvoe in Chirst,

Jianguang

 

 

A Canadian couple who endured a vicious beating by men armed with machetes and clubs in Kenya said they will not let the terrifying experience deter them from their work with the poor.

 

He remembers standing outside in the dark, when seemingly out of nowhere, he was hit repeatedly with clubs and could feel the machetes "just gashing me, slashing me, cutting."

 

For the moment, John said he's glad to have survived the attack. "I was just praying, 'Jesus, help me, Jesus, Jesus,'" he said. "They left my life intact. It's amazing . . . it was an answer to my prayers."

 

John said he is now more determined than ever to help the impoverished children and widows of western Kenya, and he can't wait to get back to work.

 

"My job is in Kenya, to grow food for the hungry, to build schools for children who really need them, and to teach them about God," he said. "What would we do in Canada? There's a social safety net back home that just doesn't exist here."   

The couple have no medical insurance and had sold their house, vehicle and furniture before departing. Schumacher estimates that at least $150,000 will be needed to pay for their expenses.

Nonetheless, Eloise said one of the first things she and her husband want to do once they fully recover is to visit their assailants.

 

"When I woke up this morning, I was picturing the time will come when John and I are physically well again," she said. "It's in both of our hearts to go to the prison and tell them about our forgiveness."

 

"I asked God to help me figure out how to get free," Eloise said, describing how she managed to get a pair of scissors out of her makeup box and cut herself loose.

 

He said his wife went through the worst of the attack but will recover because she has a strong relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

"She's not a weak person; she's a very strong person," he said. "She has a good foundation with her emotional and spiritual life."

 

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/07/11/kenya-missionaries.html
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=43583b69-3794-42c4-b0ec-72b90f91bdf2

孩子,祝你平安

Power of One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQLj_JcaZcM

雅各小组2007年报告

去年年底我们开始查考使徒行传。今年我们继续的查考路加在使徒行传里生动的记载主耶稣升天以后使徒藉着圣灵完成的工作。从这本书中，我们一起见证了初期教会三十年的创建史，我们看到圣灵正如主所应许的降临在使徒身上，他们就大大的得着能力，把和平的福音传遍欧，亚。

 

我们也查考了哥林多前书。这本书谈论到哥林多教会内部的事情和信徒的生活问题，更教导我们如何与世俗分别，过成圣的生活。之后，我们又查了约翰一书，更深入的去明白"神就是光"，"神就是生命"，"神就是爱"的道理。

 

今年我们一共看了三部电影：《Devil's Avocate》，远志明的《The Gospel part 1 和 part 2》，及《Love Comes Softly》。除了小组自己的活动，我们也与其他小组有合组聚会。我们今年三月份与恒爱小组有合组活动。我们请了谢逸牧师来讲牙齿的保健，从牙齿保健来看我们灵命的"保健"。 夏天我们也与诗班一起联合在Monnie's Bay 野餐。

 

自从好几年前我们教会来了一次的"宝宝潮"后，今年"宝宝潮"再次的临到我们教会。教会今年一共有8个猪宝宝。我们小组占了三个，分别为吴建广/吕宝思的公子吴�毅Jacob（31/3)、王鹏飞/董令珍的千金王安雅Anya（27/11)及刘克勇/林凯慧的次子刘之诠Isaac(31/12)。这三个猪宝宝是在教会八个猪宝宝里的猪老大，猪老五及猪老七。感谢上帝所赐下的产业。

 

雅各小组在2002年九月份离开尼希米团契成为独立的一个小组时，是一个单身就业小组。当时除了组长刚结婚之外，其他组员都还是单身组员。蒙神的祝福，我们小组的组员一个接一个的在主里喜结连理，也有小宝宝一个一个的出世，再加上我们小组一直都有新的组员加入。五年过去了，单身就业小组慢慢的转变成了家庭及就业小组。为了满足家庭组员的需要，我们小组今年也开始了家庭事工。这家庭事工与平时的小组聚会没有时间上的冲突。我们大约一个月有一次的聚会，由刘克勇弟兄带领组织了六次的家庭事工活动。

 

1.  在教�未�五年 (2008-2012年) �展目�中, 明年度 (2008年) 的近程  ���全力�展健康的小�, 主要工作如下:
(1) 建立小���支援及督��制: 由�牧�, ��道, �中��事及�建�弟兄�成牧���, 共同推�小�事工, 每人牧� 2-3�小�, �牧 (督�) 及小��每1-2月�有一次定期聚�, �容包括培�, 事工��, ����, 分享代�等。
(2) 小�重新��整合: 依照社� (Orleans & Gloucester, Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, 中�等) 及特定群� (�生, �身就�, 年�等) 需要, 重新��整合�有小�, �於2008年 1月起正式�始新的小�。

News to share...

Brothers and sisters,

I felt emotional after seeing the video from CNN. (click here for video). I am shocked to see people just passing by a collapsed woman without even think twice. Sadly, this incidence happened in a hospital waiting room that several hospital worker saw her on the floor but do nothing. She died on the hospital floor an hour later.

I am really touched when I start to recite how Jesus reached out to the sick and needy people around him. What I see is LOVE in Him. Our Lord has set a good example to us to have compassion to people, for his kingdom. Let's pray for ourselves, and may our Lord lead us to reach out our hands to those who are in needs.

Love in Christ,
Jianguang

Mat 20:34耶稣就动了慈心、把他们的眼睛一摸、他们立刻看见、就跟从了耶稣。
Mak 1:41耶稣动了慈心、就伸手摸他、说、我肯、你洁净了吧。

"To people around the world who have seen the video, Esmin Green is a symbol of a health-care system that seems to have failed horribly.

Green, 49, is shown rolling off a waiting room chair at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, on June 19. She lands face-down on the floor, convulsing.

Surveillance video captures her lying on the floor for more than an hour as several hospital workers see her and appear to ignore her. She died there.

But to fellow members of her church, she was known as "Sister Green." Together, they served as a family for her in the decade after she left Jamaica for New York."

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/07/03/hospital.woman.death/index.html?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCVideo

没有左手

在日本一位在車禍中，不幸失去了左臂的十幾歲的小男孩，決定 向一位 老師學習柔道。他很認真的學習，不過令他不解的是，六個月過去了，老師卻只是重複的教他同一個動作。他忍不住問老師：「您能不能再多教我一些動作？」

 

先生回答他說：「你只要把這個動作學好就可以了。」  
雖然男孩並不了 解 老師的用意，不過他 相信 老師的話，繼續努力學習。幾個月過去了，老師決定帶他去參加一個昇段鑑定比賽。在比賽中，他很熟練的運用老師所教的動作，過關斬將。一直到了決賽，雖然對手強悍得令他幾乎招架不住，他仍然在一番苦戰後，反敗為勝，得到冠軍。

 

回家的路上，男孩問老師，為什麼只用老師所教的一個動作，他就贏了這場比賽？

 

老師回答他說：「有兩個原因：一、我教你的招式是柔道中最難的一個動作，你很精通 . 二、對手想要破解這個招式則只有一個動作，一定要抓住你的左手。」

 

這個男孩最軟弱的地方，竟成了他致勝的關鍵所在。我們每個人都有軟弱的地方，但上帝總在我們的軟弱上，給我們意想不到的力量。只要善加利用上帝給我們的一切，我們也必像這個男孩這樣，在自己的軟弱上，看到上帝的另一種祝福。

 

Reading bible tip...

A person was in a desperate situation from which he could see no escape. He turned to the Bible which he closed, stood on end, and let fall open. With eyes closed he placed a finger on the page and looked at the verse indicated. It read, "Judas went out and hanged himself". Not liking this he repeated the process. The second verse was "Go thou and do likewise". In desperation he tried a third time. The result? "Then said Jesus unto him, That thou goest, do quickly."

Obviously all three verses were taken out of context and no truth can be derived from such a method.