knowledge + perspective = wisdom

I appreciate how information has become easily accessible because of the internet.  It's interesting that shortly after I learned just a bit more about how the Alzheimer disease affects the brain, I develop more patience and sympathy with my mom.   

Perspective matters a great deal.   While growing up, I couldn't understand why mom acted a certain way.  I have come to understand why she acted the way she did, and that changes the way I see a host of events.   
 
If knowledge is gained through receiving bits and pieces of information, then insight would be about screening them and seeing them with the right perspective.  And perhaps, when one has both knowledge and the right perspective, one is becoming wise.

To ward off Alzheimer

An adult brain contains about 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons, 
with branches that connect at more than 100 trillion points.  
Neurons are the chief type of cell destroyed
by Alzheimer's disease.
(http://www.alz.org/brain/05.asp)

It's reported that subtle signs of Alzheimer's have been observed in people even their thirties and forties. (Learn the brain basic anatomy and how the Alzheimer disease affects the brain.) "But genetics is only one third of what predicts brain ageing, the other two-thirds is environment and the lifestyle choices we make, and there is a lot we can do to keep our brains young," stated Dr. Gary Small, Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Neuropsychiatric Institute.  

I believe these are helpful:

- Being bilingual (June 04)

- Exercising the brain: crossword puzzle (Aug 02) (and sudoko, I add)

- Maintaining physical activity (June 03)

- Study and be educated (http://www.alzforum.org)

Hovering thought - be bold

"We don't know when he [i.e. Aslan] will act. In his time, no doubt, not ours. In the meantime he would like us to do what we can on our own."

C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (New York: HarperTrophy, 1951), p.183

Peter the High King is helping Prince Caspian fight the battle to free Narnia from evil in the above story. Aslan, the lion, never fails to show up to help, rescue them, and render victory for Peter and his army at the right time. Yet, rather than doing nothing and waiting passively for Aslan, Peter wisely plans and fights as best as he could, because he knows very well that Aslan "would like us to do what we can on our own."

As I'm re-reading the Narnia series these few weeks and came upon the above excerpt, these words keep hovering in my mind. Then a few days later, I heard similar words coming from a friend over the phone. It was as if lightning struck, and I feel that God's telling me that's how He wants me to operate at this moment of life.

Little man or great man?

"Little men with lots of time find it easy to discover faults in great men with little time."

~Hershael York

This seems to be so true.

超市入貨

很 久 沒 有 去 超 級 市 場 好 好 的 買 東 西. 暑 假 (其 實 並 非 真 的 放 假) 多 是 買 便 當, 或 是 隨 便 吃 點 東 西 填 肚。 反 而 因 為 下 星 期 大 學 開 課﹐ 就 趕 快 去 超 市 入 貨, 充 實 我 家 雪 櫃。

Thank God that I can afford to buy everything that I need and want to eat in the supermarket. Precious blessing!

Yesterday I went back to school to check on a few things: does the bookstore have in stock the textbooks I have ordered for my classes? Has the library processed the reserved materials? Is the computer still working ...etc. Not done yet.

I'll be teaching the same undergraduate series as last year, plus a graduate seminar in the evening*, an individual study session with a Master student, and possibly some administrative work. Thank God for the experience and the job for another 9 months.


* If the enrollment is too low, the class may get cancelled. But looks like the class will take place. Teaching evening seminar is challenging for me, 'cuz I haven't done a 4-hour session before. I'm not worried about the content as much as keeping the students awake and engaged. Imagine these students come after a full day of work. Who can stay awake and focused for 4 hours? Even if I give them a 30-min. break in between of have the class end early, we're still talking about 3+ hours!

becoming beautiful

"And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it."

1 Timothy 2:9-10 (The Message)

"... for those who want to be servants in the church.... No exceptions are to be made for women -- same qualifications: serious, dependable, not sharp-tongued, not overfond of wine. Servants in the church are to be .... diligent in looking after their own affairs."

1 Timothy 2:8-13 (The Message)

Joy & suffering

Got this from ablogaday and his family on my birthday:

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."

~Henri Nouwen

Things were mostly rosy before I reached 30. Sky was blue and life was smooth. In fact, I remember myself as most carefree during ages 20-30. From when I was 30-40, life got tougher and hit obstables more often. Things got tougher still after I turned 40, with a couple of major events marking that segment of my timeline already. Not that I'm suffering anything like people who're under persecution or living in the developing countries. But if the reality of life is only beginning to unfold, then I find help in messages on suffering like this set.

Quoting from Desiring God:

Joy in the Bible is the means by which we’re sustained in suffering and that for which suffering is preparing us. Here’s a litany of verses where joy and suffering are linked:

• Romans 5:3 – we rejoice in our sufferings
  
• James 1:2 – count it all joy when you meet trials
  
• 2 Corinthians 12:9 – gladly boasting in weakness
  
• 2 Corinthians 8:1 – in severe affliction their abundance of joy and supreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of liberality

When God calls us to suffer he is not calling us away from joy but into joy. We need to examine how this works. How are we sustained by joy? How does suffering lead to joy? How does joy shape suffering? God has woven suffering into our lives in such a way that it looks bright and shining to the world around us .... (to read more).

失禮

今 晚 去 教 會 周 三 祈 禱 會 真 失 禮﹐ 唱「這 世 界 非 我 家」半 分 鐘 唔 駛 就 bill 眼 淚。D 傳 統 聖 詩 之 嘛﹐ 又 唔 係 唱 D 現 代 感 性 詩 歌﹐ 卻 令 我 諗 起 第 時 返 天 家 就 會 見 到 親 人,﹐覺 得 呢 個 世 界 真 係 唔 係 永 恆, 唔 係 我 屋 企, 所 以 就 ...咁 失 禮 loh.

好 彩 旁 邊 既 Betty 冇 輕 舉 莽 動﹐ 又 冇 問 三 問 四 。 叻 女﹗

又 諗 起 Faithful One 這 首 歌 le.

我的逍遣 - 睇韓劇

屈 指 一 算﹐ 我 同 韓 劇 所 結 的 情 緣, 也 有 六﹐ 七 年 之 久。 起 先 係 Helen 給 我 送 上《愛 上 女 主 播》 (still my favorite). 之 後 從 ebay 買 了 兩 套 碟: 《冬 之 戀 曲》﹐ 同 埋 《All In》. 再 之 後 就 係 睇 18台﹐ 44台﹐ 大 大 話 話 都 睇 左 二﹐ 三 十套 。話 多 唔 多, 因 為 兩 個 電 視 台 的 播 放﹐ 除 左 有 周 一 至 周 五 播 既 連 續 劇 之 外, 逢 周 一﹐ 二 每 晚 再 播 一 套 韓 劇﹐ 逢 周 三﹐ 四 就 播 另 一 套﹐ 而 周 五 再 連 播 另 一 套 劇 兩 集, 周 六﹐ 日 就 另 計。

兩 個 電 視 台 各 有 各 選 片。咁 多 選 擇, 你 都 咪 話 唔 盞﹗

My personality profile - II

This's the second (and last) part that I find quite accurate, as its result agrees with all the character/temperament tests that I've taken in recent years.

You are generally a modest and private person. You most likely have a number of good friends and you enjoy spending time with them. But even with your friends you tend not to be terribly outgoing. When it comes to your social life you are more comfortable with deeper, well nurtured friendships. Whether at work or in social situations, you neither need nor particularly like the spotlight.

This isn't to say that you don't want to be around people or that you aren't good in relationships and in social situations. In fact, you need the companionship of people, you just prefer quiet conversations with a friend or a small group. Your social encounters balance out the side of you that likes your own company and having enough time to think and reflect. But you do find that life has a better rhythm for you when there is enough quiet time to deliberate on your own so that you are refreshed for your next encounter with friends and colleagues.

I used to think of myself being an extrovert because I talked a lot and loud! That view was revised about 5-7 years ago. There're other parts of the personality analysis, but I have yet to decide if the test result is inaccurate or my understanding of self errs.