在美好的路上

Bridgette got invited to go to a play tonight by her Get Lit poetry group. Being a good daughter, she listened to my advise as far as going out of her comfort zone and be present. She asked me if I could be her guest. "Of course!" I said. She had been waiting for this day to come whole week. Today finally arrived. We called Uber service so I don't have to drive home after the show considering the playhouse is one-drive away. 

Day 6: When I was young, I used to wish that I was taller and skinner. But as I grew older, I realized that there is not much I can do about my outlook. It is what it is. I learned to appreciate what God has given to me. I don't have great legs and body, but I'm OK compared with other people. Most importantly, I truly believe my inner beauty and confidence would exude. That would be my charm. If I have to name one thing that I would like to change about myself, that would be my introverted personality. I've been in discussions with people about this topic of being an introvert. I wish I could be a little more relaxed about interacting with other people and not take it too seriously. It drains a lot out of me. If I could be a little more chill, I think life would have been more chill for me. 

Day 7: Every movie that I see stirred something inside me. For instance, I recently watched a Matt Damon's movie where he played an astronaut who was left behind on Mars and how he survived living on his own. My take away from that movie was that do not underestimate yourself. Everything you have learned that you think is totally useless someday might just turn out to be useful. Their team spirit was also inspiring to me.  

My reason for being here on earth is to enjoy the treasures that God has given to me. Those treasures are my family, my experiences, relationships.....everything that concerns me all point to finding out what God has made me to be. He is doing a new thing in my life every single day. 

The first thing the came to mind was jay-walking. I find it very inconvenient to have to walk to a pedestrian walk to cross the street. For example at my girls' school, I have no choice but jaywalk otherwise i will have to park 3 blocks away. Of course, I would caution those who jaywalk all the time to be extra careful when they cross the street. I think jaywalking should be legal. 

  「因為，出於神的話，沒有一句不帶能力的。」（路加一：37)

    我們大概是全美國最沒有聖誕氣氛的一個家庭了：家中沒有聖誕樹、從內到外毫無聖誕裝飾，聖誕節當天我們四人慵懶地擠在床上看Martian，哪兒也不想去。中午我把冰箱裡的粽子拿出來蒸，再輔以兩天前在Trader Joes' 買來的沙拉，有主食、有肉、有菜，Voila! 這是我們的聖誕節午餐。

       Mago 今年才57 歲，可是她的人生卻好像已經活了75 歲。

      13 歲被誘拐，莫名其妙把自己嫁出去，18 歲當媽媽，之後四個孩子接二連三地出生。她自己都還是個孩子，面對一個成天酗酒毆打她的丈夫，小小年紀就要擔負起養家活口的責任。

 「那殺身體不能殺靈魂的，不要怕他們; 唯有能把身體和靈魂都滅在地獄裡的，正要怕他。兩個麻雀不是賣一分銀子嗎？若是你們的父不許，一個也不能掉在地上。就是你們的頭髮也都被數過了。所以不要懼怕！你們比許多麻雀還貴重。」（馬太十：23)

                        再過一日即秋分，空氣中絲毫聞不出秋的味道。夏日的腳步仍戀棧著不走，上週好不容易下了場雨，稍微紓解了加州的水旱之災。

             為人代禱時，那種一起為著愛的緣故到神面前來獻祭的感覺好真實！

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. "  

        傍晚，先生的泰籍同事帶著妻子到家裡開會。

                 近日瀏覽臉書，一篇篇社會輿論與媒體針對臺北捷運事件的報導，暴露出家庭、學校及整個社會結構下的層層隱憂，讀 來讓人震驚也心痛！這是臺北捷運史上發生的第一遭冷血命案，為美麗、安全的公共運輸系統留下一抹陰影。上週五，美國南加州聖塔芭芭拉也爆發了一名22歲大 學生開槍濫殺，造成7死13傷的慘劇。稍早前兇嫌在網路上流傳一篇洋洋灑灑的自傳與六分鐘you tube 影片，看了讓人不寒而慄。

          連續爆發憤世大學生冷血奪命的案件，讓身為家長的我，不斷地捫心自問：自己身邊有沒有看起來較疏離的年輕朋友，需要我們多一句問候或關心鼓勵的話語，防止 他們走入極端。中國古聖賢孟子所說的「老吾老以及人之老，幼吾幼以及人之幼」，不就是每個人發揮一己之力，把對家人的愛推廣至左鄰右舍乃至於整個社會，讓 每一個人都有生命共同體的觀念嗎？

         「媽咪！珍妮把我從她的instagram 好友名單中驅逐了！」小女兒憤憤不平的抗議。

       這所戰時被稱為「河內希爾頓」的中央監獄建於1896 年，是法國人在北越興建的最大監獄。原來此地為一製作陶瓷窯爐的地區，越文即「火爐」之意。法國統治越南時期，這所火爐監獄專門囚禁反殖民政府的重大政治犯，犯人遭受拷問、凌虐等反人道的恐怖待遇; 然而所有的異議份子被關於此，增加了他們互相交換意見的機會，反而堅定這群政治犯的民族主義信仰，出獄後再度加入反法陣營，而成為日後越南獨立建國的領袖人物。