It's All About the Quality!

“QUALITY over quantity, Karen!!!!” is something that a good friend of mine would say to me all the time whenever I asked her to spend time with me. I craved hanging out with friends whom I love, thinking that spending lots of time with them meant that our friendship was secured. It was really hard to accept that all my friends lived busy lives, I myself included. It wasn’t until my late university years that I learned it’s all about the great quality, fruitful conversations that was the essence of a growing friendship.

We feel more content when our coffee tasted great and is made with quality beans and quality baristas. Who wants a cup of coffee that no one enjoys?

Just like how a cup of good quality coffee is made, relationship-building takes time. Meeting up with old friends and new friends  over coffee, being intentional about the relationship and investing in the friendship has continued to shape me over the years. In fact, many of my life-long friendships started over a cup of coffee.

How will you espresso yourself?

“A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well-spent” -- Anonymous

Shanghai in 28 Days

In 28 days, I will be travelling by myself to Shanghai to take part in the Training Program for Chinese Teachers at the East China Normal University's Institute of Global Chinese Language Teacher Education. 

As requested by my friends, I will be blogging about my travel adventures here: http://kchungerinchina.blogspot.ca/

Stay tuned!

I'm back!

I don't know who still reads this blog, but I think I came to a realization this past month that I need a place where I can share what God has been teaching me so I don't forget about these important God-stories. I know being "busy" and "lazy" isn't an excuse.... and it's been so long since I last blogged, but I will try my best to blog at least once a week.

Therefore, I now declare a revival of this blog... 2.5 years later.

Stay tuned!

Count your blessings, everyday.

You have absolutely NO idea how blessed I feel today AND how God worked in the tiniest things possible.

After work today, I had go to to WEM to pick up something..... except I forgot it was "long weekend", and... the mall was jam-packed with cars... Bad idea, I know. Of all choices, I could have walked from work to the mall... driven away and go another day... but I decided to park in a slightly tight spot with little room to move around....

Working at 5:30am does not allow me to make the best decisions (especially after a semi-crappy day at work) and I just wasn't thinking right. I was hoping for a spot near T&T area (because people come and go faster = more availability of parking spaces)..... and of course, this lady waves at me and tells me to park into her spot because she was leaving. And because the mall was jam-packed... cars were EVERYWHERE..... and I ended up making a bad decision, parked the car in a BAD angle, heard a crushing sound, and ended up scraping the back of another car.....

Some thoughts came into mind. OH SHEEEEEET. Worst day ever. Why is this happening to me? Why me? What to do.... and I was in panic mode.... because once I saw the damage.... I knew my mom would probably rip my head off.... The damage was pretty bad.... to my car anyways... not only did I scrape it.. I also dented the right passenger door....and... the damage to the other car wasn't as bad ... only scraped the paint off (no dents, no cracks).....but it still looked like it would cause over $1000 to fix....

Of course I couldn't just drive off like that, that'd be wrong... so I parked the car and spent some time writing this car owner a note apologizing and telling them that I was willing to pay for the damage I caused and left them with my number.... I was pretty shaky throughout and extremely stressed out because of my financial situation lately with paying my mom back for the new car, I knew paying for the damage was not possible at all (which meant I would have to borrow at least $1000 from my aunt, which would take a while to pay off....). This happened around 2ish.

Afterwards, I went to the police station to report what had happened. Because I was so out of it, I didn't even register at the front desk, but somehow filled out a statement and sat there for an hour and a half wondering how all these people got ahead of me. It was really calming when I sat beside an old lady who was reading the Bible. She looked like she was waiting for someone... as I was sitting by myself waiting for a constable to do the collision report, I texted a few friends and asked them to pray for me and the situation. You have no idea how blessed I was to have them support me and think about me. As I was waiting and waiting, I was hoping the car owner would call me back.... it was nerve-wrecking and I was so worried about finance and how many more hours of Starbucks I would have to take in to make up for the amount... I was also scared about who the car owner is... male/female... age... how hard they'd take what happened, etc... my mind was everywhere.

I went home around late 5ish from the police station.... I felt pretty dumb waiting at the station for 1.5 hours for nothing where other people left within 30 -40min. Of course, I also felt really bummed out from all that happened and was glad to be finally home. And I was still waiting for the phone call...

My mom and I had a conversation about today, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be... then around 6ish I realized I forgot to bring in my stuff and the police report so I went back to my car to get it. As I was walked, my phone rang ... and I picked up right away because I just knew it was the car owner. He asked if I was Karen and he told me that he was the owner of the car that I hit. The first thing I said to him was "I'm so sorry for what happened to your car". You wouldn't believe what he ended up saying to me... "don't worry, it's okay... I don't think you meant to do that right?" and there I was on the other end apologizing like crazy. He pretty much told me that I didn't have to worry about it, and I kept telling him if he needs anything in the future, he can call me or e-mail me. What touched me the most was, before we ended our conversation, he said "have a nice sleep, don't think about it and rest well!" (You probably think he is a very nice guy.... he totally is. I also have a feeling that he might be a Christian as well...)

Miracle, you say? MIRACLE INDEED. God worked his magics today. After he hung up, tears started falling out my eyes. They were tears of joy, tears of relief... tears of blessings. I just couldn't stop crying for a while. All I felt at that moment was God's blessings showering over me, so abundantly! I just couldn't believe what had happened to me. God answered prayers!

Today was one big crazy today.... lessons learned today.... being honest and responsible for all that you do, God will bless you and keep you. I also learned to keep counting my blessings! There are so many ways you can be a blessing to another person. This gentleman's grace and forgiveness was a blessing to me!

God is SO BIG and SO GOOD and TOOOOOO AWESOMEEEEEEEEE.

Thank you, God!

Quaecumque vera -- "Whatsoever things are true"

Do you all know the background to the University of Alberta's motto -- "Quaecumque vera"? It is taken from Philippians 4:8, which states:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and there be any praise, think on these things." (KJV)

Today was a very special day for me. After 2 years of stressful schooldays, endless nights.. uncertainties..., and 14 weeks of student teaching at two junior high schools - I finally received my Bachelor of Education! Today was a day celebrated with my loved ones!

The Admission addressed by the Chancellor moved. She addressed these words to all graduands:

"By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Legislature of this Province and with the consent of this University, I admit you to the degrees to which you are entitled, and invest you with all the powers, rights and privileges pertaining to such degrees. I charge you to use them for the uplifting of the whole people; to inspire the human spirit; for all those who believe, to serve your God; and to pursue more steadfastly whatsoever things are true."

Thank you God for providing us all with education. May my degree(s) glorify you in the future through serving you wherever you decide to call me to.

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Here are some snapshots from my convocation, these are the most important people in my life =)

Mom and Dad =)

The graduands

The Lims

The Dwarfs =) (minus a couple)

ASKies

TYF girls

3 very important "men" in my life

Yay! Finally graduated!

Help me rediscover YOU.

This song by Starfield speaks out my thoughts for the past couple months, especially since Mark West.

Where is my passion? Who is my passion for? Where is my faith? Why is my heart so hardened? How do I get back to Jesus? Healing? Revival?

Jesus, help me to REDISCOVER YOU.

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I need to just admit

My faith is paper thin

I'm feeling so burned out on religion

I say an empty prayer

I sing a tired song

I need to just admit

that the passion’s gone

And I want to get it back

You told me

Look for you, and I will find

So I'm here

Like I'm searching for the first time

Revive me, Jesus

Make this cold heart start to move

Help me rediscover You

I want to learn to pray

The way that David prayed

I want my soul to burn

when I hear Your name

I want to feel like new

I want to hunger for You

Bring me back to life like only You can do

‘Cause I don't want to stay the same

Lord, I want to be Yours today

I want to know the passion of the saints

And how they were changed

I want to burn for You

Bring me back to life

Jesus, help me rediscover You

In loving memory of...

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever."

This was the Psalm I read to you before my friend and I left your room on Tuesday. My last words to you was: "Goodbye, I'll come visit you again tomorrow."... and that was my last goodbye to you, ever. I really wish you waited for us on Wednesday so we can hold your hand and say goodbye to you. I wish I obeyed and respested you more and listened to your words when I was younger. I wish I was able to finish reading the book of Mark to you before you left. I wish you waited for my convocation so you can celebrate with me once again. I wish I had the opportunity to spend more time with you, but I am really glad you waited for me to come back from camp to spend the last few days with you before you left.

It's hard to not blame myself...especially with the fact that everything just happened so quickly and unexpected, just like shooting stars. A close friend reminded me the morning when you left to treasure the little things that I did with you, even if it was just reading scripture to you in your room. I really enjoyed reading parts of the book of Mark to you, and I hope you enjoyed hearing it too, even though my Chinese might not be that great.

It's only been two days since you left and reality is beginning to sink in. It's odd not following the regular routine visiting and feeding you and it's been hard to accept that fact that the Lord took you away. But despite all this, I know you must be very happy to be up in heaven, reunited with grandpa and sitting at God's right hand - watching over us.

Rest in peace, grandma. We really miss you and you'll be forever remembered in our hearts.