Spoiled

Struggling with the fact that my kids are simply spoiled. I can't blame them.. .they're 3 and 5.  Kids will be kids.

Leading up to Christmas... all the kids thought about were their presents. 

Christmas Eve - we told them they can open one gift.  They wake up at the crack of dawn and wake up both of us.  After ripping open one gift, they only wanted to play with the other sibling's present.

We told them, one present a day, in hopes of dampening dismissal of interest.  Failed.

Each day, they'll wake up as excited as a jumping bean.  10 minutes after opening their presents, they'll be bored of it.

Oh how I wish we can just give them one gift... one gift for each Christmas.  So they cherish that one gift. But with uncles and aunts and family friends all involved... there's no way we can limit it to one gift.

Oh the dilemmas in life.

"I feel ya bro..."

While making a late night run to Lucky's to pick up some creamer and juice, I walk by the feminine hygiene section and see a guy taking pictures of the products and prices with his smart phone.

There's nothing to say or do... you simply tip your hat and say, "Been there, done that. I feel for ya bro..."

Christmas Caroling

Had an opportunity to go caroling at some new friend's house this past Sunday.  The best part of the experience, was I brought Nn with me. And Nn loved every minute of it. Joyce is finally able to allow her to skip her nap... even though Nn can still use it.  But it's a new page in our family ministry. 

This started last week when we basically skipped nap... and went to visit a newborn baby, then immeidately afterwards, a cancer stricken family friend.  The kids zonked out right after we started driving home...as expected. 

I really want to keep this momentum going.  Take our kids everywhere we go.  If we're able to serve God, we serve as a family.   It's one thing to TELL them to love God, love man.  It's another to SHOW them that mahmee and bahbee really loves God. 

It finally happened...

I knew the day would come... just didn't realize it would come this quick. 

Last night, after another 2AM bout of yelling at Nn, I finally hit the first (and hopefully last) breaking point of our father daughter relationship.

Normally... when I come home from work, SW and NN would race to come hug me.  But today... I was home for a good 5 minutes.  I had to go look for NN in the play room.  I asked her, "Why didn't you come hug me?"  She said, "I didn't hear you come in."  And she continued playing with her Lego's.  Then I said, "Can I get a hug now?"  And almost like a light lit up... or she came back to normal (or whatever normal is), smiled and gave me the normal bear hug that only kids can give their parents.

Whatever the reason I yelled at her... however strict parents we are... no matter how high expectations Joyce and I set for them.... is it worthed? Is it??

Where does this lie in the all-time "failures" as a parent?

There will be a day

The day will come when we have to make decisions - life or death situations.  I don't mean that as an innuendo or pun.  But when your loved one has been in the hospital for over a year... and situation has gone worse to worser... there comes a time when you realize, maybe medicine is not working.  There will be a day... when you have to decide, it's time to let go. 

Pastor Ed... you're going to a much MUCH better place.  You will never be forgotten.

真情流露

尋晚講故事比亞女 ，講到個小女孩養左一只雀仔，到最後小女孩要釋放雀仔，喊起上嚟。

擰轉頭一望，見到囡囡熱淚盈眶，都喊起上嚟。我問佢做咩事喊， 佢話個故事嘅姐姐喊，我都好想喊。

Thanksgiving

A recent survey says, that if you write down 5 things to give thanks for, daily, your health, well-being and spirit will be much more steady than otherwise.


As cynics, skeptics and general prima-donnas who think the world owes everything to us, we tend to complain and grumble.  And most easily, we complain when comparing to others.  So-and-so drives an M4.... I drive a friggin Civic!!  The effin' Seahawks did it to us again... at our home stadium!! 

While it's easy to compare and complain.... isn't it so much easier to compare and give thanks??

This afternoon during lunch, I sat down with the family and my kids ate lunch very calmly and orderly.  Our dear friend's daughter still has troubles chewing and swallowing consistently... she just holds the food in her mouth for 30 minutes.  Thank you Lord, for kids who can eat.

My co-workers just packed up their lives from the East Coast and is moving to Denver due to plant shutdown.  Some are going to try the long distance marriage.  Some are starting over with young kids.  Thank you Lord, for giving us stability and prosperity.

This evening, we had Thanksgiving dinner with the in-laws.  One of Joyce's cousing is a divorcee raising two college kids. Thank you Lord, for blessing me with a wonderful marriage.

How easy it is to complain... yet... how easy it can be to give thanks. 

Winter Clothes

Joyce spent almost 3 hours yesterday packing the summer clothes and unpacking the winter clothes for the kids and herself.  My closet didn't even move.  The only difference between my summer clothes and winter clothes... a heavier coat. 

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I don't believe in you anymore.  I once did.  I once thought you were true to those who believed in you.  I once wrote a long list of things, because I knew you would make it true.

Now I want to ask you for something.  For Christmas this year, I want only want thing.  I want my wife to be proud of me. I want my wife to approve of me. I want my wife to know that what I do, makes a difference.


I don't want one ultimate compliment.  Not when I've achieved something. I want non-stop approvals along the way. I want her to be proud of me for trying, though failing. I want her to be proud of me for making the effort. I want her to be proud of me, because I want to improve myself.

I want her to do this naturally and without hesitation. I want this to be part of her DNA, her daily being, that she can't go to sleep at night without telling me how great a job I've done with raising the kids... or how amazing I am at TRYING to keep a work/life balance.

Santa... I'm sure you want Mrs. Claus to acknowledge your hard work.  For all you've done for the millions of kids out in the world. And I'm sure Mrs. Claus is proud... even if she doesn't say it... even if she doesn't say it.

Lastly, Santa, I know you're fake. I know you're not real. Just like the fact that my wife will never verbally be proud of me... it's never going to be real.

Merry Christmas,
  Men Around the World

瀚舜哭了

NN's been looking forward to her "Thanksgiving Meal."  She won't stop talking about it.  It's been the most exciting thing for her... even more than watching TV. When I found out I had to miss
NN's Thanksgiving Potluck lunch... I started weeping. 

Earlier this evening... I told her I had a meeting and will miss the lunch.  She said, "That's ok Bah-bee.  You can go to Siu-Wah's Thanksgiving Lunch when he goes to school."

I no longer wept.. I cried.

"9-1-1, I'd like to report a kidnapping"

We never think it'll happen to us... or to someone we know.  This only happens on TV, or to people in the mid-West like Michigan or Kentucky.  But when it does hit home (prayerfully, it won't), what would you do??

Had a disturbing dream last night -- I was trying to move our Odyssey and park our Civic into a parking spot.  So while trying to park the Civic, I left the kids in the van with the car running.  After parking the Civic, I come out of the car and the van is gone.  Even in my dream... I'm vividly thinking: "No.  This isn't happening.  Wake up! This is a dream!"  But I couldn't wake up.

I run up and down the streets - screaming, "HELP! SOMEONE CALL 9-1-1.  MY KIDS HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED!" 

I struggle to get my phone out to call.  It was a Samsung, not an iPhone.  I try dialing 9-1-1, but I kept fumbling.  6-1-1.  9-2-2.  After 3 tries.... I finally went to Emergency Phone call mode.

Got on the line... had a voice on the other side and I told him, "I'd like to report a kidnapping." 

The voice says, "There's been about 10 calls on board already."

I thought, "Cool... other people did call in when I was screaming my head off."

Then I said, "My kids have been kidnapped.  They're in a greg Honda Odyssey."

The voice says, "There's a lot of those."

I said, "License plate starts with a 6.  That's all I remember."

Not sure what happened after that...... psychologists say we forget about 90% of our dreams every night.

What is the dream trying to tell me?? Is there some meaning behind it? Do I take it at face value?