Reflection in excruciation

For the past 5 days, pain has became an uninvited visitor in my life. 

With unknown reasons, I have this severe neck pain. I thought it was from those normal pain from bad sleeping position, but it's not that. The pain grows and intensified. Advil and Tynanol started to lose their effectiveness after taking them every 4 hours for 3 days. I ended up had to turn to acupuncture for relief. Boy, I am amazed by how effective acupuncture is. After 24hrs, the pain came back with greater intensity. I literally immobilized ... all I can do is to stop what I was going, endure the pain, wait for it to subsides. Man ...

This afternoon, sudden severe pain came, I dropped what I was doing and wait again. It's such an experience, I was calm, though painful, and waited in pain. At some point, I literally cried out to God "救~~命~~呀~~天~~父~~好~~痛~~呀~~~~~~!!!" Well, at times, it was so painful that I kept singing 叮噹's theme song (Don't ask me why, I just felt like shouting the song out in pain)! hahaha ... but as these pain episodes reoccur, I learn how to manage it ... that's to WAIT. 

I guess there are times in our lives when we could just do nothing but to wait till the pain subsides. Frustration would just get the pain worse ...

Went for another acupuncture session for an hour, it's better now ... but ... I won't be overjoy, as it could come back anytime, but to enjoy the less-pain moment with reading, writing papers and writing my blog! haha ... after this acupuncture session, I am so serious in learning about acupuncture ... as a part of healing! 

hahahaha ... Man ... it's ... life-saving!!!!!!!!

The hope of Redemption

"...God is actively involved in redeeming us, in restoring us to complete relationship with him. God pursues us in the most loving yet unrelenting fashion. The thought of this gives the therapist great hope. In the midst of a busy day of seeing clients whose lives are torn by the effects of sin - despair, chaos and confusion - it is hopeful to think God's active redemptive pursuit of those clients. When the client seems unloveable, strongly defensive, actively psychotic or in some other way distant reflecting on God's active pursuit of that person in the process of redemption brings hope and a renewed sense of empathy. In a real sense redemption is restorative, and reflecting on God's redemptive work can bring a restorative pause to a draining day ..." (Integrative Psychotherapy by McMinn, M.R., p. 45)

this is the basis of a Christian therapist's professional integrity ... 

after all ... it applies to those who are called to restore lives ...

Lorraine's Disney park

Discussion Question this week ...

This week's discussion question hits right on my heart's pondering ...

"What tangible difference does it make in one's life and practice to be a psychologist or counselor who is a devoted follower of Christ?  Is it possible to be a committed Christian and one who is committed to the methods of psychology as a discipline? How?  In what ways should being a follower of Christ makes a tangible difference in how one approaches psychology or practices counseling? "

Our Second Birth - I

I have started reading up on Nouwen's book, titled - Our Second Birth - Christian Reflection On Death and New Life. It's Nouwen's diary entries during his Sabbatical year throughout his ministry in DayBreak. 

Want to write down some of his entries that speaks to me personally on my own little journey of solitude.

"... We talked long hours about vocation, competency, church, work, future possibilities, and so on. Most important to me was that Steve is very glad to have left his bank job and loves his studies ... I kept saying 'Be sure that you love the life you are living now, your studies, your prayers, your friendship ... Then you can trust that God will reveal to you the direction to go when the time comes. Buy don't try to know now what you only have to know a few years from now' ... Steve took a risk by embarking on a road he doesn't know much about. But I feel that it is a beautifully inspired rish, worth taking, and not in a secure but basically unsatisfying job. I am convinced that one day his decisions will bear many fruits."

This is what I read at bedtime last night. 

When God reiterates His comforts and assurance through multiple channels, then I know He is taking over. Humbly I learn to surrender all to The One who is above all. 

Coming to think about Risk-taking ... am I ready for another round of it? I am asking myself for an honest answer. 

"I am here" ... that's all I need to hear ... :)

獮猴演義

如過對我認識的友人都知道這多年來猴子是我的心頭好 ...
maybe ... I belong to this place ...

不要讓恩典停留 ...

讓我們張大眼， 看到包圍在我們身邊的恩典 ...

卻不要讓恩典停留在我們身上 ...

再張大眼多一點， 好叫恩典能透過我流到我身邊的人 ...

求上帝叫我有sensitivity  ... 

I guess I know why Life Hymn #247 means so much to me ...