Embracing my reading week with Books, Family and Video Games???

It's time for the second reading week!! It's going to be a busy one, and I hope I can really spend the time to read, just like the first one I had in October. Besides, I really hope to spend part of the reading week with Connie and Abby, so that they can be "cheered up" while I'm having some free time!!! ^_^

Coming to the end of this term, I'm thankful that the big assignments are all handed in on time. There'll be final exams in December for all my three courses, but I guess I'm now feeling much more relax than earlier time. Indeed, this is a time for me to learn how to cope with leisure and study. I'm the kind of person who doesn't know how to have fun in a wise way. In the past, I would just spend my holidays in video gaming, even after I got married (when I had my holidays, Connie still had to work, so I'd have my own fun time) I would get so addicted that I could spend hours non-stop playing those exciting 1st-person-shooting or strategy games. I did not find much trouble in that when I started my career and I could always make up sleep time eventually. But now if I play video games as before, I would be slacking off my studies and the result can be devastating. (the indulging experience I had in my university years still haunts me) I think this is the time for me to embrace a new/better way to spend my free time. I like sports but I can never do it just by myself. In fact I never ask people out for playing sports together with me. So I would just be so tied up with myself and ended up in playing video games on my own. Will there be changes in the coming reading week?

A costly experience

Thank God for granting me the strength to finish my first research essay at regent. Final word count: around 2400. Some may not think this as such a big deal, but to myself, it is a big leap; for Writing has never been my strengths. Recalling from AbbyMama, "Regent is the place to train you and change you." I'll learn to face my weaknesses with the grace from God.

I had a minor car accident on Friday. It was a rainy evening. I was driving along with Connie and Abby to a gathering. The traffic was slowly moving and I kept a safe distance with the car in front. However, as I was pressing a few buttons on my GPS (Global Positioning System) to find my way, I suddenly realized the car in front of us had stopped. We were about 4 metres away from it and we were driving at around 40km/h. I slammed the brakes. But the road was slippery and our tires were locked up. Our car slid forward. My instincts told me this would not be a good sign. There were cars on our sides and there was no way out. All I could do was a silent prayer to God as I watched our car slowly approaching the one in front of us. "Bump." There wasn't a great shock. Our car just made a contact with the one in front of us. Without much time to worry, I quickly got out of the car in the rain to see the damage. The driver and another passenger came out. In a judging tone, the passenger questioned, "Were you sleeping, man?" I couldn't help much, but could only meekly apologize for what had happened. It was not a big accident, so we then pulled off the road to settle the matters.

I hit a newly leased Mercedes Benz. Luckily, I could say, that there was only a tiny dent due to a nut from my license plate. There were minor scratches too. I quickly phoned my friend, Andrew, to ask for advice. I knew it was my fault, so I assured to the unlucky driver that I would take the responsibility. We would need to report to ICBC (the car insurance agency in Vancouver) about the incident. We exchanged phone numbers and details of our license and then we left. As soon as we arrived at our friend's house, I quickly filed in the case with ICBC. Later, the driver phoned me and told me that he would get his car estimated for damage in an autoshop during the weekends.

It turned out that I would have to pay $500 for repairing the damage. It's an expensive lesson to learn. However, I thank God for the accident was not too serious. I thank God that no one was injured and we found no damage in our car.

I'll meet with the driver tomorrow to finalize the case. I pray that things will go well. Please remember our safety in the coming winter as we have to drive in slippery snowy conditions too. I'm now driving with much alert and cautious.

Will my study be jeopardized by the recent global financial meltdown?

Has the recent global financial meltdown been affecting you? Did it bring you much worries? To me, it did. I worried about my pension money which I had been expecting to be cashed this month. This lot of money is quite important in determining how long I can stay in Canada, especially when both of Connie and I have no income.

During our return to HK three weeks ago, I noticed that my pension was not fully settled and I had worried about a great loss in the investments. I had thought of asking a deferral of cashing out the investments and wait for a better timing to do that, but I didn't do that. I tried to ask God whether I should or should not cash out the money. I was not struggling with my sense of security. In fact I struggled with the ideas of how to manage the God-entrusted money with wise stewardship, and how to discern a real faith in God's providence.

In my prayers and scripture reading, I was reminded that God is good and faithful. The Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) in Genesis and the Israelites in Exodus had also experienced times of trouble, and I noticed that there're times that they might had to suffer loss(sometimes financially) But God never abandones them.

There're more twists to my findings. I tried to log onto the insurance account, but my profile was no longer valid. I then checked my bank statement online, but the money was not there. I thought that the insurance company had already processed my case and I could do nothing to alter the process. I felt peaceful and I waited for the investments to be cashed and put into my bank account. To me, I think even if I would not get my expected amount, God will somehow help us, in His miraculous ways.

I got an exciting news today. I've got the cheque of my pension!!! (actually the cheque was sent to my brother in HK) To my surprise, I didn't lose too much from the recent global financial meltdown. I was able to get the expected amount in my original financial plan, with a few thousands (HK dollars) short only!!! How wonderful!! Now the new cashflow might even present a more favourable financial condition, which helps me to sponsor Connie and Abby to become permanent residents.

As I was still talking with my brother, I had an idea of making a photocopy of the cheque and then frame it like the first cheque I got when I first started my teaching job in HK. It's a symbol for me to remember God's grace and love. Back ten years ago, I returned HK from Canada with only HK$8000. I survived!!! And more God granted me a family with a loving wife and daughter. What can I say? I really thank God for his grace.

A new chapter of stewardship and faith has just begun! I believe our stay in Vancouver will trully be a great experience for my family and others to see God's work in us.