teaching the meaning of compassion...

taught this last sunday.
hope the meaning of compassion has been well engrained into the minds of my beloved students.

planning for this lesson was itself a challenge; compassion is hard to teach let alone teaching it to 5-6 year olds. i wanted to teach it in a way they can best relate to! how can i help them understand this intangible virtue?
after brainstorming numerous ideas, choices got narrowed down to 2 activities:

1. show video of a 3-year old boy who expressed compassion by making sandwiches for the homeless and by delivering them with his dad; and
2. ask them to help wrap gifts to be distributed out to less fortunate kids.

not sure how much my 8 students will retain from the above but may they continue to learn the importance of being compassionate.

[picture of wrapped gifts and video shown attached]

ready for 2010!

with Christmas behind us tis time to look fwd to 2010...
i and a good friend chatted about what seemed to be a light question over dinner: "what would i be willing to sacrifice everything in exchange for?"
don't think i hesitated much on this one - "family and friends" is my final answer.

family to me includes not only the immediate members of my family but extends obviously to brothers and sister whom share the same Christian faith. maybe a re-word of this would be that i value people relationship over material goods! this year's life experience (work in particular) has truly shed light on the importance of building relationship with other people. aside from nature of tasks, etc...job is meaningful only when the people you work with are also meaningful.

limelight now back...on my goals for 2010:
1. finish 2010 winter games project at work (done until end of feb yeah!) and re-instate a role that is more work-hours stable (i really miss 9am-5pm) and am not fond of constant business travel.
2. develop meaningful relationship that will last (God's timing and willing of course)
3. train for full marathon to happen in may (train for full and run at least half if training is not timely for the full)
4. continue to serve the little ones at church and learn how to cultivate ways to shape their growth in Christ
5. eat better (and stop losing weight at least until feb 2010 so i can handle daily work).

abba father,
i lay before you my thoughts for 2010; may you guide and protect me. grant me the wisdom and faith that only you can give. i know that your love and grace are sufficient for me =) amen!

avatar - 4.5 star!

just watched avatar - didn't have much expectation going in but came out with a smile. James Cameron did great in setting the denouement of the story though the plot became much predictable half way through. aside from the stunning graphics the themes and underlying messages of this movie are well-thought and delivered. communicated loud and clear, viewers will no need to be reminded of the need to be more appreciative of the environment within which we - humans - dwell and co-habit along other equally wonderfully created beings.

one more day!

i'm not exaggerating: work = war.
sergeant chan enters battle field early and is amongst one of the last ones to leave.
woohoo - can't wait to end day tomorrow and then to take break between Christmas and 2010!!!

what a blessed weekend i had!

this year’s b-day was an awesome one – it wasn’t because of the gifts. thoughtful gestures from friends and family and time spent together were what made the weekend memorable. "White Christmas musicals"…coffee…first hockey game, etc…were priceless.


abba father,
thank-you for blessing me with friends and family who love me! may you help me to learn how to love them more every day!
amen

first b-day present of the year

hehe...just savoured a great dinner and received my first b-day present of the year
thank-you Rachel!

i love coca-cola polar bears!

i'm not much of a commercial junkie - but must say that coca-cola does well with their polar bear campaign - the polar bears evoke warm and festive memories. hope i'll see more of these polar bears graphics this year =)

is the broadcast/media relations world - my world?

(photo of me at Olympic oval in Calgary shooting speed skating competition - hard for you to realize how cold Calgary was - hence 5 layers of clothes at all time)

nature of my work has changed so much in the last several months...
i'm involved in a wide spectrum of projects related to vancouver 2010 games time but in short all my work revolves around broadcasting (working with producers/crews) and media relations (dealing with people from all facets).

it's been several months since role change and while i'm continuing to learn as much as i can in this ever changing environment, i sometimes wonder if this is something i would want to do for long-term. i like the challenges require in the production of our shoots, i enjoy working with the many people i do; i am told by my co-workers and boss that i fit in naturally; i'm driven by the end results i see (what an excitement it was when i recognized all the footage i earnestly edited in the post-production house being broadcasted at torch celebration sites across the country) - the question which remains is if i can sustain the energy and long-hours required to perform at my current capacity. maybe i am just ahead of myself and overanalyzing. maybe it is better just to take one day at a time...

i am thankful!!!

haven't posted for a week now - was travelling for work.
so much has happened since...don't want to go through details but do need to express my gratitude for:

1. lo-dau's health [he is discharged and resting at home - was very worried throughout the trip]
2. lost and found of my luggage during trip
3. appreciation of where I live...Vancouver feels WARM after coming back from snowstorm Calgary & Banff
4. energy to sustain the long hrs at work (though i still hop from meetings to meetings and have been starting to lose track of time => the unusual me); and
5. connection with few dear friends!

worried about "lo dou"

what a day - was in office early and knew already that it would be a long day at work - needed to wrap up several tasks before leaving for Quebec city and Calgary tomorrow (ahem - in few hrs from now). got a call from my sister mid-day and learnt that dad had been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance but that things were under control. my heart first sunk at the news and different images came to mind. things are fine as they are now but my mind is with him thinking how lonely it must be to be at the hospital and not knowing when he will be discharged.

abba father,
i thank you for protecting dad this far and asked that your healing hands be upon him. he does not know you yet but i do pray that he will one day. i am worried but trust that know that you are in full control. be with him as during his lonely time and fearful moments as for me, i ask for wisdom, physical health and protection.

much relieved now and back to my packing for the trip!