Just to be vague (kinda), there's a link floating around with a man, I believe who is somewhat of a Christian prominent speaker (possibly a pastor/minister as well?), sarcastically criticizing Joel Osteen. It really bothered me listening to this man speak, not because I favor Joel Osteen in any way, but because I believe he portrayed such a poor representation of Christians in general.
I have never heard a single sermon from Joel Osteen. In fact, I've never stepped foot into his church, so I've never heard from anyone associated with him. I just know he's an inspirational speaker and author, and pastor of Lakewood Church, a mega-church here in Houston. My stand is unbiased and purely based on my point of view as a Christian.
This man uses one of Osteen's inspirational books as his source of fuel. He picks out several lines and contradicts them with verses from the Bible. Basically, he's trying to steer people away from Osteen, discrediting him as a man of God.
The fact of the matter is that Joel Osteen is a seeker-friendly preacher, and there's nothing wrong with that. God calls us to minister to others in different ways, and this is apparently Osteen's way. Yes, it's important to tell people like it is, to tell them the truth plain and clear (for our lives are at stake), and allow them to make their own decision based on the Truth. It works for people like me who already know better, and it ends up serving as conviction from God to do the right thing and get back on the right path with God. But what about those non-believers who don't even realize that they don't believe? What about those people who don't even know who or what God is? And what about those people who have a skin so thick from pain and suffering, that the only thing that can penetrate through it is a message that makes them feel like they're finally at top of the world, and no longer a reject of society? I feel like Joel Osteen brings God into people's lives by revealing reasons to praise and love God, by teaching them to take the initiative to take steps to transform their lives, and eventually showing them that it was God's plan and intentions for them all along; not just by shoving Him in their face and saying, "Either take Him or leave Him." He teaches people how to change their outlook on life, in a way to prepare their hearts to receive something greater -- like God. I think this explains why his church is so big. People from all walks of life feel comfortable enough to enter, and I think the most important part is getting some random and lost non-believer to step foot into a church... after all, it IS God's house, and once you've made a decision to enter into His home, you've given Him the authority to reach out to you in a divine way. And from that point on, who knows where God will direct you? He may lead you to either find another church that's smaller, spirit-filled and more direct, or He may as well call you to remain at that same church. Either way, it's an opportunity for God to touch lives, and I see nothing wrong with it.
Certainly, this man has every right to express his ideas and opinions out of his love and faith in God, but he needs to be reminded that God calls us to conquer the hearts of the lost and unsaved with LOVE, not sarcasm, which is the opposite of love when used more often than necessary, and when used without love. We learned in our pre-marital counseling class to avoid being sarcastic with our spouse, even if it's naturally our personality. There's a point where sarcasm ends up giving off de-valuing and belittling signals to the other person, and that's not healthy, especially in a marriage, when expectations of one another are on a different, more unique level. God IS Love, and there's no question about it -- no preacher will argue with that. If this man doesn't believe Joel Osteen is legitimate and isn't doing anything to save lives and bring glory to God, well there are a million and one ways he can take his stand without pulling another brother down. The number one way would be to pray FOR Joel Osteen, and ask God to reveal the "real" Truth to him, as well as what he may be doing wrong, and then continue to preach to his church the love of Christ by BEING that example. Don't stain God's image by teaching people to publicly slander the names of our fellow brothers and sisters. On top of that, slandering the church -- any church -- is slandering the name of the Bride of Christ, no matter how you put it. I don't think any husband would appreciate that.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Next time you decide to have a late dinner at a restaurant...
... read this.
If you ever asked me, "How's married life?" and I responded with, "It still feels like a honeymoon," I lied, so please forgive me. Okay, maybe I didn't lie because I was referring those few moments I have with him, which does, in fact, feel like a honeymoon. The real truth is that it's hard for me, as well as for him. He's not around much, being in the type of business he's in. Before I leave to school every morning, I gently give him a kiss good-bye... soft enough to not wake him, yet firm enough to let him know I bid him farewell. By the time he gets home, I'm either sleeping or about to sleep, too tired to even talk to him about my day, or about any one of the million things that is on my mind to share. He does get one weekday off (most of the time), but it's not even a day "off." He has to use that day to run his own personal errands, and I still have class until 2:30 pm. By the time the day's over, we look back, and it feels like it just started. It went by so quickly, and before we know it, we're looking forward to the next Tuesday. He gets most Sundays off as well, and of course, we do our best to reserve that day to give praise to and worship our Lord. After church, it's usually family time with all the in-laws and kids, then it's study time and preparation for the next school week.
Okay, regardless of how sad my story sounds, here's the silver lining. My husband and I both serve a faithful God. He directs our paths and guides us to live a life that brings glory to Him. Not a day goes by that we question Him. It was so clear and evident to us that our marriage and unity was divine and created by Him, so there's no doubt in our minds that He is going to continue to lead us to glory. This remains the same even through my own personal battles with physical healing. It's obvious to see that my blessings and favor are far greater than my sufferings (seriously, just ask my husband what he goes through when I'm not feeling well! He's truly my one in a million times a million!). An and I both recognized our purposes, even before we married each other, and now that we're married, our ability to fulfill our purposes shall be multiplied, according to His word. We both know that this time is truly temporary, and when the day comes to share our testimony, this will certainly be a chapter of our story.
And YOU can help too! Yes, YOU. Back to the title of this entry, next time you decide to have a late dinner at a restaurant, THINK ABOUT OUR FAMILIES. Ever since I met An, my outlook on the system of restaurants has transformed profoundly. And now that I'm his wife, my stand is even more firm. I was guilty of what I don't like now, so I hope sharing this will change you in the way it has changed me. For the past two nights, An called and texted me to tell me that he will be coming home late, which means past midnight. At this point, I'm pretty much stoic to news like this. I understand his situation, and I want to be the kind of wife that can turn her husband's bad mood upside-down when he comes home... but I admit, this isn't always the case, and I'm working on it with God's help. I come to find out that the reason for him coming home late are customers that either come in on the MINUTE of the last seating or are allowed to come in AFTER the last seating (he declines, but usually his decision is overridden). There are even several customers who beg and plead to be seated and promise that they'll be quick, but end up slapping you in the face when they end up staying longer than most of customers that day. When An and I were courting, we wouldn't have dinner at a restaurant, even if it was a minute before the last seating, and especially if we were going to be the only folks there. In fact, I'd be the one to argue with him saying, "They set that time for a reason, so if we make it a minute before that time, we're good, right?" Well, I quickly learned first-hand where An was coming from. Say that we do decide to come right at the minute of the last seating, and it's just the two of us, enjoying conversation and each other's company. So who stays to service us? The manager, the cook, the server and the cleaning folks. How many families would we be compromising? Of course, I may be exaggerating, and these people probably wouldn't mind at all, but why take the risk? Why? I suppose being in the family's position makes me a tad bit more compassionate about this, but clearly, I'm also in the position of the customer desiring to have some quality time over a nice dinner with my date. And being in that position more than six months ago, I can assure you that all the times we couldn't have a late dinner at a restaurant, we had just as great of a time spending quality time with each other at home. :)
For the purpose of setting an example for young men, this is what happens on those nights when the tough gets going...
If you ever asked me, "How's married life?" and I responded with, "It still feels like a honeymoon," I lied, so please forgive me. Okay, maybe I didn't lie because I was referring those few moments I have with him, which does, in fact, feel like a honeymoon. The real truth is that it's hard for me, as well as for him. He's not around much, being in the type of business he's in. Before I leave to school every morning, I gently give him a kiss good-bye... soft enough to not wake him, yet firm enough to let him know I bid him farewell. By the time he gets home, I'm either sleeping or about to sleep, too tired to even talk to him about my day, or about any one of the million things that is on my mind to share. He does get one weekday off (most of the time), but it's not even a day "off." He has to use that day to run his own personal errands, and I still have class until 2:30 pm. By the time the day's over, we look back, and it feels like it just started. It went by so quickly, and before we know it, we're looking forward to the next Tuesday. He gets most Sundays off as well, and of course, we do our best to reserve that day to give praise to and worship our Lord. After church, it's usually family time with all the in-laws and kids, then it's study time and preparation for the next school week.
Okay, regardless of how sad my story sounds, here's the silver lining. My husband and I both serve a faithful God. He directs our paths and guides us to live a life that brings glory to Him. Not a day goes by that we question Him. It was so clear and evident to us that our marriage and unity was divine and created by Him, so there's no doubt in our minds that He is going to continue to lead us to glory. This remains the same even through my own personal battles with physical healing. It's obvious to see that my blessings and favor are far greater than my sufferings (seriously, just ask my husband what he goes through when I'm not feeling well! He's truly my one in a million times a million!). An and I both recognized our purposes, even before we married each other, and now that we're married, our ability to fulfill our purposes shall be multiplied, according to His word. We both know that this time is truly temporary, and when the day comes to share our testimony, this will certainly be a chapter of our story.
And YOU can help too! Yes, YOU. Back to the title of this entry, next time you decide to have a late dinner at a restaurant, THINK ABOUT OUR FAMILIES. Ever since I met An, my outlook on the system of restaurants has transformed profoundly. And now that I'm his wife, my stand is even more firm. I was guilty of what I don't like now, so I hope sharing this will change you in the way it has changed me. For the past two nights, An called and texted me to tell me that he will be coming home late, which means past midnight. At this point, I'm pretty much stoic to news like this. I understand his situation, and I want to be the kind of wife that can turn her husband's bad mood upside-down when he comes home... but I admit, this isn't always the case, and I'm working on it with God's help. I come to find out that the reason for him coming home late are customers that either come in on the MINUTE of the last seating or are allowed to come in AFTER the last seating (he declines, but usually his decision is overridden). There are even several customers who beg and plead to be seated and promise that they'll be quick, but end up slapping you in the face when they end up staying longer than most of customers that day. When An and I were courting, we wouldn't have dinner at a restaurant, even if it was a minute before the last seating, and especially if we were going to be the only folks there. In fact, I'd be the one to argue with him saying, "They set that time for a reason, so if we make it a minute before that time, we're good, right?" Well, I quickly learned first-hand where An was coming from. Say that we do decide to come right at the minute of the last seating, and it's just the two of us, enjoying conversation and each other's company. So who stays to service us? The manager, the cook, the server and the cleaning folks. How many families would we be compromising? Of course, I may be exaggerating, and these people probably wouldn't mind at all, but why take the risk? Why? I suppose being in the family's position makes me a tad bit more compassionate about this, but clearly, I'm also in the position of the customer desiring to have some quality time over a nice dinner with my date. And being in that position more than six months ago, I can assure you that all the times we couldn't have a late dinner at a restaurant, we had just as great of a time spending quality time with each other at home. :)
For the purpose of setting an example for young men, this is what happens on those nights when the tough gets going...
Praise God for my hubs. He knows how to do it right. This is what I call an instant cure to an upset wife (I'm mainly referring to his words in the card -- the tulips were great, too!).
Blog Marathon
I prayed that God help me make time to blog, and so He has.
I've learned expressing myself through writing and blogging is a part of my being. I've been doing this since childhood, when I first learned how to write. The only awards I ever won in high school were two English awards -- one for literature and one for composition. I had about a couple stories published in some sort of kids publication, and I won an award for a Mother's Day essay I "accidentally" wrote. Then all that ended when my Asian parents "encouraged" me to do something medical-related. Haha.
It's a God-given gift, and I dare not crumple it up and throw it in His face by ignoring and neglecting it. In fact, I couldn't even do it if I tried. I get a little short-tempered when I don't express myself (who doesn't?), especially through writing, so you can only imagine how I've been in the last few weeks!
Much has happened since my last entry. The biggest thing is that I'm married now. Yup, I'm Mrs. Vo, and it sounds SO good to hear out loud, so keep those greetings coming! :) The second biggest thing is that I'm still walking with God. Yeah, I consider that a big thing. This world is filled with such pleasurable temptations, that it's so easy to fall away, and it takes such an effort to keep Him in our lives. Being that I'm still walking with Him, He has shared so many things with me that I've been dying to share with the world - not because I feel the need to be heard, but I feel the need for the world to hear it. Thank you, Lord, for helping me find this time once again. Here we go...
I've learned expressing myself through writing and blogging is a part of my being. I've been doing this since childhood, when I first learned how to write. The only awards I ever won in high school were two English awards -- one for literature and one for composition. I had about a couple stories published in some sort of kids publication, and I won an award for a Mother's Day essay I "accidentally" wrote. Then all that ended when my Asian parents "encouraged" me to do something medical-related. Haha.
It's a God-given gift, and I dare not crumple it up and throw it in His face by ignoring and neglecting it. In fact, I couldn't even do it if I tried. I get a little short-tempered when I don't express myself (who doesn't?), especially through writing, so you can only imagine how I've been in the last few weeks!
Much has happened since my last entry. The biggest thing is that I'm married now. Yup, I'm Mrs. Vo, and it sounds SO good to hear out loud, so keep those greetings coming! :) The second biggest thing is that I'm still walking with God. Yeah, I consider that a big thing. This world is filled with such pleasurable temptations, that it's so easy to fall away, and it takes such an effort to keep Him in our lives. Being that I'm still walking with Him, He has shared so many things with me that I've been dying to share with the world - not because I feel the need to be heard, but I feel the need for the world to hear it. Thank you, Lord, for helping me find this time once again. Here we go...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Defend God with what He defended you with: LOVE.
Just to be vague (kinda), there's a link floating around with a man, I believe who is somewhat of a Christian prominent speaker (possibly a pastor/minister as well?), sarcastically criticizing Joel Osteen. It really bothered me listening to this man speak, not because I favor Joel Osteen in any way, but because I believe he portrayed such a poor representation of Christians in general.
I have never heard a single sermon from Joel Osteen. In fact, I've never stepped foot into his church, so I've never heard from anyone associated with him. I just know he's an inspirational speaker and author, and pastor of Lakewood Church, a mega-church here in Houston. My stand is unbiased and purely based on my point of view as a Christian.
This man uses one of Osteen's inspirational books as his source of fuel. He picks out several lines and contradicts them with verses from the Bible. Basically, he's trying to steer people away from Osteen, discrediting him as a man of God.
The fact of the matter is that Joel Osteen is a seeker-friendly preacher, and there's nothing wrong with that. God calls us to minister to others in different ways, and this is apparently Osteen's way. Yes, it's important to tell people like it is, to tell them the truth plain and clear (for our lives are at stake), and allow them to make their own decision based on the Truth. It works for people like me who already know better, and it ends up serving as conviction from God to do the right thing and get back on the right path with God. But what about those non-believers who don't even realize that they don't believe? What about those people who don't even know who or what God is? And what about those people who have a skin so thick from pain and suffering, that the only thing that can penetrate through it is a message that makes them feel like they're finally at top of the world, and no longer a reject of society? I feel like Joel Osteen brings God into people's lives by revealing reasons to praise and love God, by teaching them to take the initiative to take steps to transform their lives, and eventually showing them that it was God's plan and intentions for them all along; not just by shoving Him in their face and saying, "Either take Him or leave Him." He teaches people how to change their outlook on life, in a way to prepare their hearts to receive something greater -- like God. I think this explains why his church is so big. People from all walks of life feel comfortable enough to enter, and I think the most important part is getting some random and lost non-believer to step foot into a church... after all, it IS God's house, and once you've made a decision to enter into His home, you've given Him the authority to reach out to you in a divine way. And from that point on, who knows where God will direct you? He may lead you to either find another church that's smaller, spirit-filled and more direct, or He may as well call you to remain at that same church. Either way, it's an opportunity for God to touch lives, and I see nothing wrong with it.
Certainly, this man has every right to express his ideas and opinions out of his love and faith in God, but he needs to be reminded that God calls us to conquer the hearts of the lost and unsaved with LOVE, not sarcasm, which is the opposite of love when used more often than necessary, and when used without love. We learned in our pre-marital counseling class to avoid being sarcastic with our spouse, even if it's naturally our personality. There's a point where sarcasm ends up giving off de-valuing and belittling signals to the other person, and that's not healthy, especially in a marriage, when expectations of one another are on a different, more unique level. God IS Love, and there's no question about it -- no preacher will argue with that. If this man doesn't believe Joel Osteen is legitimate and isn't doing anything to save lives and bring glory to God, well there are a million and one ways he can take his stand without pulling another brother down. The number one way would be to pray FOR Joel Osteen, and ask God to reveal the "real" Truth to him, as well as what he may be doing wrong, and then continue to preach to his church the love of Christ by BEING that example. Don't stain God's image by teaching people to publicly slander the names of our fellow brothers and sisters. On top of that, slandering the church -- any church -- is slandering the name of the Bride of Christ, no matter how you put it. I don't think any husband would appreciate that.
I have never heard a single sermon from Joel Osteen. In fact, I've never stepped foot into his church, so I've never heard from anyone associated with him. I just know he's an inspirational speaker and author, and pastor of Lakewood Church, a mega-church here in Houston. My stand is unbiased and purely based on my point of view as a Christian.
This man uses one of Osteen's inspirational books as his source of fuel. He picks out several lines and contradicts them with verses from the Bible. Basically, he's trying to steer people away from Osteen, discrediting him as a man of God.
The fact of the matter is that Joel Osteen is a seeker-friendly preacher, and there's nothing wrong with that. God calls us to minister to others in different ways, and this is apparently Osteen's way. Yes, it's important to tell people like it is, to tell them the truth plain and clear (for our lives are at stake), and allow them to make their own decision based on the Truth. It works for people like me who already know better, and it ends up serving as conviction from God to do the right thing and get back on the right path with God. But what about those non-believers who don't even realize that they don't believe? What about those people who don't even know who or what God is? And what about those people who have a skin so thick from pain and suffering, that the only thing that can penetrate through it is a message that makes them feel like they're finally at top of the world, and no longer a reject of society? I feel like Joel Osteen brings God into people's lives by revealing reasons to praise and love God, by teaching them to take the initiative to take steps to transform their lives, and eventually showing them that it was God's plan and intentions for them all along; not just by shoving Him in their face and saying, "Either take Him or leave Him." He teaches people how to change their outlook on life, in a way to prepare their hearts to receive something greater -- like God. I think this explains why his church is so big. People from all walks of life feel comfortable enough to enter, and I think the most important part is getting some random and lost non-believer to step foot into a church... after all, it IS God's house, and once you've made a decision to enter into His home, you've given Him the authority to reach out to you in a divine way. And from that point on, who knows where God will direct you? He may lead you to either find another church that's smaller, spirit-filled and more direct, or He may as well call you to remain at that same church. Either way, it's an opportunity for God to touch lives, and I see nothing wrong with it.
Certainly, this man has every right to express his ideas and opinions out of his love and faith in God, but he needs to be reminded that God calls us to conquer the hearts of the lost and unsaved with LOVE, not sarcasm, which is the opposite of love when used more often than necessary, and when used without love. We learned in our pre-marital counseling class to avoid being sarcastic with our spouse, even if it's naturally our personality. There's a point where sarcasm ends up giving off de-valuing and belittling signals to the other person, and that's not healthy, especially in a marriage, when expectations of one another are on a different, more unique level. God IS Love, and there's no question about it -- no preacher will argue with that. If this man doesn't believe Joel Osteen is legitimate and isn't doing anything to save lives and bring glory to God, well there are a million and one ways he can take his stand without pulling another brother down. The number one way would be to pray FOR Joel Osteen, and ask God to reveal the "real" Truth to him, as well as what he may be doing wrong, and then continue to preach to his church the love of Christ by BEING that example. Don't stain God's image by teaching people to publicly slander the names of our fellow brothers and sisters. On top of that, slandering the church -- any church -- is slandering the name of the Bride of Christ, no matter how you put it. I don't think any husband would appreciate that.
Next time you decide to have a late dinner at a restaurant...
... read this.
If you ever asked me, "How's married life?" and I responded with, "It still feels like a honeymoon," I lied, so please forgive me. Okay, maybe I didn't lie because I was referring those few moments I have with him, which does, in fact, feel like a honeymoon. The real truth is that it's hard for me, as well as for him. He's not around much, being in the type of business he's in. Before I leave to school every morning, I gently give him a kiss good-bye... soft enough to not wake him, yet firm enough to let him know I bid him farewell. By the time he gets home, I'm either sleeping or about to sleep, too tired to even talk to him about my day, or about any one of the million things that is on my mind to share. He does get one weekday off (most of the time), but it's not even a day "off." He has to use that day to run his own personal errands, and I still have class until 2:30 pm. By the time the day's over, we look back, and it feels like it just started. It went by so quickly, and before we know it, we're looking forward to the next Tuesday. He gets most Sundays off as well, and of course, we do our best to reserve that day to give praise to and worship our Lord. After church, it's usually family time with all the in-laws and kids, then it's study time and preparation for the next school week.
Okay, regardless of how sad my story sounds, here's the silver lining. My husband and I both serve a faithful God. He directs our paths and guides us to live a life that brings glory to Him. Not a day goes by that we question Him. It was so clear and evident to us that our marriage and unity was divine and created by Him, so there's no doubt in our minds that He is going to continue to lead us to glory. This remains the same even through my own personal battles with physical healing. It's obvious to see that my blessings and favor are far greater than my sufferings (seriously, just ask my husband what he goes through when I'm not feeling well! He's truly my one in a million times a million!). An and I both recognized our purposes, even before we married each other, and now that we're married, our ability to fulfill our purposes shall be multiplied, according to His word. We both know that this time is truly temporary, and when the day comes to share our testimony, this will certainly be a chapter of our story.
And YOU can help too! Yes, YOU. Back to the title of this entry, next time you decide to have a late dinner at a restaurant, THINK ABOUT OUR FAMILIES. Ever since I met An, my outlook on the system of restaurants has transformed profoundly. And now that I'm his wife, my stand is even more firm. I was guilty of what I don't like now, so I hope sharing this will change you in the way it has changed me. For the past two nights, An called and texted me to tell me that he will be coming home late, which means past midnight. At this point, I'm pretty much stoic to news like this. I understand his situation, and I want to be the kind of wife that can turn her husband's bad mood upside-down when he comes home... but I admit, this isn't always the case, and I'm working on it with God's help. I come to find out that the reason for him coming home late are customers that either come in on the MINUTE of the last seating or are allowed to come in AFTER the last seating (he declines, but usually his decision is overridden). There are even several customers who beg and plead to be seated and promise that they'll be quick, but end up slapping you in the face when they end up staying longer than most of customers that day. When An and I were courting, we wouldn't have dinner at a restaurant, even if it was a minute before the last seating, and especially if we were going to be the only folks there. In fact, I'd be the one to argue with him saying, "They set that time for a reason, so if we make it a minute before that time, we're good, right?" Well, I quickly learned first-hand where An was coming from. Say that we do decide to come right at the minute of the last seating, and it's just the two of us, enjoying conversation and each other's company. So who stays to service us? The manager, the cook, the server and the cleaning folks. How many families would we be compromising? Of course, I may be exaggerating, and these people probably wouldn't mind at all, but why take the risk? Why? I suppose being in the family's position makes me a tad bit more compassionate about this, but clearly, I'm also in the position of the customer desiring to have some quality time over a nice dinner with my date. And being in that position more than six months ago, I can assure you that all the times we couldn't have a late dinner at a restaurant, we had just as great of a time spending quality time with each other at home. :)
For the purpose of setting an example for young men, this is what happens on those nights when the tough gets going...
If you ever asked me, "How's married life?" and I responded with, "It still feels like a honeymoon," I lied, so please forgive me. Okay, maybe I didn't lie because I was referring those few moments I have with him, which does, in fact, feel like a honeymoon. The real truth is that it's hard for me, as well as for him. He's not around much, being in the type of business he's in. Before I leave to school every morning, I gently give him a kiss good-bye... soft enough to not wake him, yet firm enough to let him know I bid him farewell. By the time he gets home, I'm either sleeping or about to sleep, too tired to even talk to him about my day, or about any one of the million things that is on my mind to share. He does get one weekday off (most of the time), but it's not even a day "off." He has to use that day to run his own personal errands, and I still have class until 2:30 pm. By the time the day's over, we look back, and it feels like it just started. It went by so quickly, and before we know it, we're looking forward to the next Tuesday. He gets most Sundays off as well, and of course, we do our best to reserve that day to give praise to and worship our Lord. After church, it's usually family time with all the in-laws and kids, then it's study time and preparation for the next school week.
Okay, regardless of how sad my story sounds, here's the silver lining. My husband and I both serve a faithful God. He directs our paths and guides us to live a life that brings glory to Him. Not a day goes by that we question Him. It was so clear and evident to us that our marriage and unity was divine and created by Him, so there's no doubt in our minds that He is going to continue to lead us to glory. This remains the same even through my own personal battles with physical healing. It's obvious to see that my blessings and favor are far greater than my sufferings (seriously, just ask my husband what he goes through when I'm not feeling well! He's truly my one in a million times a million!). An and I both recognized our purposes, even before we married each other, and now that we're married, our ability to fulfill our purposes shall be multiplied, according to His word. We both know that this time is truly temporary, and when the day comes to share our testimony, this will certainly be a chapter of our story.
And YOU can help too! Yes, YOU. Back to the title of this entry, next time you decide to have a late dinner at a restaurant, THINK ABOUT OUR FAMILIES. Ever since I met An, my outlook on the system of restaurants has transformed profoundly. And now that I'm his wife, my stand is even more firm. I was guilty of what I don't like now, so I hope sharing this will change you in the way it has changed me. For the past two nights, An called and texted me to tell me that he will be coming home late, which means past midnight. At this point, I'm pretty much stoic to news like this. I understand his situation, and I want to be the kind of wife that can turn her husband's bad mood upside-down when he comes home... but I admit, this isn't always the case, and I'm working on it with God's help. I come to find out that the reason for him coming home late are customers that either come in on the MINUTE of the last seating or are allowed to come in AFTER the last seating (he declines, but usually his decision is overridden). There are even several customers who beg and plead to be seated and promise that they'll be quick, but end up slapping you in the face when they end up staying longer than most of customers that day. When An and I were courting, we wouldn't have dinner at a restaurant, even if it was a minute before the last seating, and especially if we were going to be the only folks there. In fact, I'd be the one to argue with him saying, "They set that time for a reason, so if we make it a minute before that time, we're good, right?" Well, I quickly learned first-hand where An was coming from. Say that we do decide to come right at the minute of the last seating, and it's just the two of us, enjoying conversation and each other's company. So who stays to service us? The manager, the cook, the server and the cleaning folks. How many families would we be compromising? Of course, I may be exaggerating, and these people probably wouldn't mind at all, but why take the risk? Why? I suppose being in the family's position makes me a tad bit more compassionate about this, but clearly, I'm also in the position of the customer desiring to have some quality time over a nice dinner with my date. And being in that position more than six months ago, I can assure you that all the times we couldn't have a late dinner at a restaurant, we had just as great of a time spending quality time with each other at home. :)
For the purpose of setting an example for young men, this is what happens on those nights when the tough gets going...
Praise God for my hubs. He knows how to do it right. This is what I call an instant cure to an upset wife (I'm mainly referring to his words in the card -- the tulips were great, too!).
Blog Marathon
I prayed that God help me make time to blog, and so He has.
I've learned expressing myself through writing and blogging is a part of my being. I've been doing this since childhood, when I first learned how to write. The only awards I ever won in high school were two English awards -- one for literature and one for composition. I had about a couple stories published in some sort of kids publication, and I won an award for a Mother's Day essay I "accidentally" wrote. Then all that ended when my Asian parents "encouraged" me to do something medical-related. Haha.
It's a God-given gift, and I dare not crumple it up and throw it in His face by ignoring and neglecting it. In fact, I couldn't even do it if I tried. I get a little short-tempered when I don't express myself (who doesn't?), especially through writing, so you can only imagine how I've been in the last few weeks!
Much has happened since my last entry. The biggest thing is that I'm married now. Yup, I'm Mrs. Vo, and it sounds SO good to hear out loud, so keep those greetings coming! :) The second biggest thing is that I'm still walking with God. Yeah, I consider that a big thing. This world is filled with such pleasurable temptations, that it's so easy to fall away, and it takes such an effort to keep Him in our lives. Being that I'm still walking with Him, He has shared so many things with me that I've been dying to share with the world - not because I feel the need to be heard, but I feel the need for the world to hear it. Thank you, Lord, for helping me find this time once again. Here we go...
I've learned expressing myself through writing and blogging is a part of my being. I've been doing this since childhood, when I first learned how to write. The only awards I ever won in high school were two English awards -- one for literature and one for composition. I had about a couple stories published in some sort of kids publication, and I won an award for a Mother's Day essay I "accidentally" wrote. Then all that ended when my Asian parents "encouraged" me to do something medical-related. Haha.
It's a God-given gift, and I dare not crumple it up and throw it in His face by ignoring and neglecting it. In fact, I couldn't even do it if I tried. I get a little short-tempered when I don't express myself (who doesn't?), especially through writing, so you can only imagine how I've been in the last few weeks!
Much has happened since my last entry. The biggest thing is that I'm married now. Yup, I'm Mrs. Vo, and it sounds SO good to hear out loud, so keep those greetings coming! :) The second biggest thing is that I'm still walking with God. Yeah, I consider that a big thing. This world is filled with such pleasurable temptations, that it's so easy to fall away, and it takes such an effort to keep Him in our lives. Being that I'm still walking with Him, He has shared so many things with me that I've been dying to share with the world - not because I feel the need to be heard, but I feel the need for the world to hear it. Thank you, Lord, for helping me find this time once again. Here we go...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)