Very simple truth

The more you blame someone for what's happening today, the further away you are putting yourself from the chance to commune with God
The more you feel you are responsible for what's happening today, the closer you will be from the chance to commune with God
Why? It is because he is the One who is in charge, and thus he is the one who feels responsible more than anybody else does in the universe.

So, for you to feel responsible would develop the common factor for interaction/communion between you and God
Eventually those who have such heart cannot avoid to be revealed to the whole world.

Are you ready to be that person?
It is your choice; you are the only one to make that decision.

And don't worry, nobody needs to understand what you are doing, and nobody needs to appreciate what you are doing; You know what you're doing and God knows.

Say yes to God; one yes at a time (5)

"Say yes" is not "blind obedience"
and it is "to God" and not to someone else
and "yes" is not "blind obedience"

When you say "yes" to your parents, you can tell the difference between your "yes" when you were 6 years old and your "yes" when you were 12 years old, and 21 years old, 30 years old, 40, 50, 60, ....

The older you become, the more thought, care, consideration, etc. about the situation and heart of your parent will be involved in your "yes", or, the less "blind yes" it becomes

You may also say "yes" to your respected elders. However, when your respected elder asks you to do something, you first ask God about what he would say regarding how you should respond to the elder, instead of just say "yes" to the elder.

So, whenever you are aware, try to always have God in your center and have a mind of listening to what he would say to you, then, say "yes" to him (through your conscience)

When you make this conscious effort, eventually it will become more natural to do it (like a habit) and it will become part of you

So, whatever happens, first thing you would be naturally saying is, "Thank you, God"

The worst enemy

Each person has a different enemy or enemies
In general, though, the worst enemy is living in "myself"
Somebody inside keeps seeking an easier or more comfortable way as its habit
If you follow him, however, you might be bothered by fear or guilty at times

Somebody else also lives inside who always seeks to have God as his center
When you follow him, you might find a way for peace and happiness

But this is just "in general"; I don't' know about you

Your opportunity

Thinking about him,

and looking at what he is going through,

is one way of life

Going there,

and share what he is going through,

is another one

And it is your opportunity to pick one

This beautiful flower is for you

Don't worry about what people think about you, or, how they talk about you.
You know what you are doing
and your God knows what you are doing.
That's enough. God is the only one you can rely on
He not only knows you but he loves you.
Look at the flower!
He made it for you.

Thank God for our mother!

Everyone has a mother. But you are the special one!

Many thanks and Happy Mother's Day

to our hard-working mom!

Horrible things

As in many dramas, horrible things will come around in your life whether you like it or not, or, no matter how much you try to escape from them-- accidents, sudden loss of somebody or something, finding yourself in charge of something horrible, unexpected things in human relationships, etc. etc. etc...

It's better to live an offensive life than a defensive life, or, aggressive one than passive one. or...
If you are offensive at this ordinary moment, then most likely you might be offensive when those things come around; if you are defensive at this ordinary moment, then most likely you might be defensive when those things come around. So, this "ordinary" moment determines everything.

Offensive life: you consider this life to be a chance given to you (by "God") to make it valuable (or, something that gives value to God and the people) by your own hands --see the talent story in the Bible (Matt 25: 14~30)

Defensive life: you consider this life to be a burden (given to you by someone) which you have to go through somehow; so, you will persevere if necessary but you don't like it, nor appreciate it and you would avoid it if possible

or, in other words, are you the master of your life? or, the servant of your life

One thing is, by having God as your center, your life could be a very offensive one

So, what is your ordinary moment now?

Say yes to God; one yes at a time (4)

and your life is short; sooner or later you will be living in the next world; over there, what's left with you?

Think about those who went there already--our human "predecessors" and "pioneers"; what kind of life they must have been living out there?

Some people are remembered as great, or, respected, loved; some people are remembered as evil, or, hated, but how much do these things matter to them when they get there and live there? maybe to some extent? maybe not much... but over there they are living with "God" their "day-to-day" lives and I believe something else matters more. That, I believe, is what kind of quality of life they can enjoy--their life with God and with other people there --which, I believe, will be determined by what kind of quality of life they had lived while they had been here--on earth

So, get real, you will be there one day, and who knows which day will be the final day of your chances on this earth? Have you lived your life to develop the highest quality of life with him and with the people around you? How much you loved God and developed your personal love relationship with him (of course which should involve him as your center), and how much you developed that with people around you (which are also sent to you for reason)?

Remember, there will be no room for any excuses for having missed your chances; blaming people or situations, circumstances, etc. will not work at all, because it is your life given only to you, and you are the only one who can live your life--you are in charge here

So, be wise, and do not waste your time and chances. Do not be cheated by anyone who tells you that you are not responsible for your life--sometimes with nice, comfortable words and voices

"God" is so important for you; but it is your choice to recognize it and live it

So, talk to God in the bathroom
or, anywhere else you like
and don't forget to say to him, "Thank you."

Say yes to God; one yes at a time (3)

"Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'' anything more than this comes from evil." (Matt 5:37)

He seems to have spoken this in the context of pointing out the arrogance of the people. How many things do we do without asking him, or consulting him, in other words, by my own will?

That may not be the best way to involve God in your life. If you want to involve him in your life, then you need to decide this: do you want to have him as your center? or as your subordinate?

If your answer is "center", then you do need to make a conscious effort to have him as your center. Always try to go to him before you do things. And if you sense he is asking you to do certain thing, you just say "yes". Then he will be with you while you do the work, and you might be able to have a vivid experience of his involvement. Now you are not doing your work, but his work.

Saying "yes" is an interesting part. It usually is a request to go beyond yourself even a small bit--doing something which you normally wouldn't do. That's why you only need to take one step at a time--one "yes" at a time. He knows what kind of step you will need to take and he will ask you accordingly.

Say yes to God; one yes at a time (2)

However, such moment will not come around all the time.
So, when that moment comes, you recognize it and you grab it, then experience how God can be involved in your life with your vivid feeling.
You need to sharpen your conscience in order to recognize that one moment

But, whether your conscience is sharpened or not, or, whether you are prepared or not, or, even, whether you are "qualified" or not, it happens by the grace of God

So, it is not your decision but his because his love for you is absolute, unchanging and eternal
No matter how bad you are, or, you think you are, he still loves you, and he never gives up on you
and he continuously strives to give you that chance

So, do not ever give up
and, do not hesitate to grab that moment

Say yes to God; one yes at a time

Whatever thing you want to accomplish, obvious fact is that your ability might be limited
You need God's power to accomplish any great thing.
In fact, there is a way to bring God's power into what you are doing.
Here's some ideas:

1. sit quietly, open your heart and speak to God with your best honesty
2. listen to what he is, or might be telling you (through your conscience)
3. catch his message of asking you to say "yes" to a certain thing he requests to you
4. say "yes" to that request
5. and see what happens
6. then enjoy what happens
7. repeat 1 to 6

That's it for now...

Crack your neck at your own risk

You may feel good when you crack your neck, but I suggest you a secod thought.
Think about when you enter into your 50s (or 40s if early)...
One morning when you go to the bathroom and do regular washing your face and hands and now you are about to gargle...
What if your neck wouldn't bend backwards to let you gargle well...? I mean if your neck somehow wouldn't go any further than being straight so that your month cannot look upward to allow you to gargle. Then you would need whole your body to lie down backwards just to gargle, and then move your whole bady back again to spit out the water into the sink.
Or, when you want to look what is on your left, it is usually so easy, just to move your neck to the left, but... what if you need to move your whole body to your left in order to look at what is on your left because your neck itself wouldn't just move to left by itself?
So, if you have to expect this thing happen one day in your 50s, do you still want to crack your neck today?
In case you don't have this problem today, it is already a very good enough reason to say to God, "Thank you!"