Spiritual match

Anne Healy (Pastor Healy's wife) was right when she spoke at last Sunday's service.  The sermon theme was on Mother's Day and somehow there was connection to finding love.  She mentioned how important it was to wait for the right person to come along to become your life partner.  She shared about her own story, how before meeting Pastor Healy she was previously engaged but the engagement broke down along with her relationship with her then fiance.  A friend said to her, "I'm very glad this relationship broke down and this ended."  She was very distraught and did not understand why her friend had said this.  Her friend explained that she felt the man was not right for Anne.  Her friend felt that the man was not Anne's "spiritual match".  Those two words struck me on Sunday.  It kind of summoned up my whole life.  It explained why things are the way they are.  It seems I have never found my "spiritual match".  And whilst this revelation dawned on me, it also made me realise that I myself may not have been a good "spiritual match" for anybody either!!

So what does this mean?  How does one 'gauge' this spiritual level?  What do we use to measure or compare?  Being a Christian man seeking a Christian woman as a life partner, I should be able to provide spiritual support for my partner.  But what "spiritual level" should she be?  Should I be seeking a life partner with "spiritual level" equal to or less than myself?  Or how would things work if the woman has a spiritual level "higher" than myself?  Would I still be able to lead spiritually?  Does it work the same way as for example: income or education?  Will discrepancies in spiritual levels cause conflict or awkwardness as it may for the two examples?  Hmm...

Do any single guys reading this, ever think about this matter?  You might want a life partner and hope to find her soon.  But have you thought whether you can provide for her spiritually as well as physically and emotionally etc?  I do not feel I am spiritual enough to be honest.  Nor do I feel I am rich or intelligent.  What does that mean...?

Chilling out

Taking things really slow tonight.  Aiming for a really chilled night tonight.  This time last week I was sipping on whiskey with Ian bro.  Ok, I won't lie, I was throwing it back real quick at times.  But that was because I had it diluted with lemonade being the lightweight I am.  Haha!  Today, well I was just working.  Started 10AM and finished 4PM then had an appointment with Stephanie at 4:45PM for a back scrub and back, neck and shoulder massage.  Had this booked a few weeks back as it would be a nice way to relax after a week of work and had not had a relieving massage for a long while.  So after finishing work I headed down to town, near Central Station and had my treatments done.  The back I had a Mineral Salt Scrub Treatment where she used a salt scrub on the skin of my upper and lower back and it took off the dead skin.   I've never had this done before so at first it hurt a little as the minerals were quite rough on the skin.  However, the "pain" was bearable and I knew it was good for me.  After the scrub she put on some lotion which was a bit "tingly".  Obviously, because my skin felt like it had just been scrubbed with a brillo pad!  LOL!  Again, initial contact was stingy but then it settled.  Stephanie then hovered a steamer machine thing over my back and this killed any bacteria on the skin whilst refreshing it.  This lasted about 6-8 minutes.  Finally came the Dermalogica moisturiser on the back.  Ahh bliss!  =)

After that settled it was time for the back, neck and shoulder massage.  Whilst getting the back scrub done I was thinking if I made the right choice of getting these two treatments done together.  What if the skin on the back was too raw for massaging?  I was getting ripped to shreds!  But, no.  Stephanie asked if I wanted the massage to help me feel revitalised or feel relaxed.  I chose relaxed and she used the particular oil to achieve this.  The massage was very nice.  She managed to pushed almost all of the knots and tension on my back muscles due to my workouts etc and it felt so gooood!!  Something that foam rollers cannot achieve.  Haha!!

At the end of it all Stephanie gave me a glass of water and told me to take my time in getting up to leave.  My back felt so refreshed, so hydrated.  Even until now it's so smooth!!  The back is always a very hard part to clean and see properly.  And because the lungs are at the back, the refreshed skin is very good for it.  The amount of sweating at workouts will no doubt block up the pores and skin again and I'll go back for the treatment again in the future.

Going to stay relaxed for the rest of the night.  Not going to go on Facebook.  Going to go to bed early.  Long day tomorrow.  Working 8:30AM-5:30PM on a Saturday!!  =O  Ok, time to go now.  It is 8:30PM and I'm going to watch New Girl on Ch4.  Continue where we left off in Grantham ;)

Feeling relaxed

I am very glad that I had such a nice relaxing long weekend down in Grantham with Ian and Leanne.  Because during the whole weekend we had such good laughs and it was like almost every moment we had laughs, jokes and teasing etc.  It really helped create a nice relaxing atmosphere for us and a relaxing atmosphere inside me also.  So much so that I find myself much calmer and much less uptight whilst working this week.  For the past few weeks I was often feeling frustrated inside and I allowed the stresses of work get to me.  On the outside I might have smiled or remained calm, but the inside held a storm.  I guess I needed a good break away from work.  And the long weekend was just that! 

The last time I had break off work was back in November when I took the Friday off till Sunday and used the weekend for the church retreat.  However, I was still very active, I was still driving, and I had my car key in my pocket.  This weekend I intentionally left my car key in the house so I was well and truly relaxed.  It was so nice to have Leanne drive us around places.  I sat at the back taking photographs, videos and even dozed off at one point.  Haha!

Lesson of the Day: All work and no play really does make me a dull boy!

Don't give up

It was quite funny.  This morning I was watching a random video on YouTube by Jayesslee.  The video was "I won't give up" by Jason Mraz.  I think it was link on my Facebook News Feeds.  At the end of the video it showed a verse from the Bible, taken from Galatians 6:9 -

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." 

Do you ever get the feeling that sometimes it is very difficult to be "good" all the time?  That it is difficult to be "nice" all the time? Sometimes I feel that going out my way to please others is such a tough thing to do.  When I do these things, I always remind myself that I am making a difference to somebody's life, to somebody's day, and it is worth it.  However, some of the time, if not all of the time, I am the one losing out.  And then I get frustrated, I get upset, and I feel that the person got "what they want" but "what about me?".  Does anybody else feel that?

God teaches us to selfless, to "consider others better than yourself" - Philippians 2:3

I find it very tough sometimes and really need some encouragement.  I was quite surprised I got it after watching the video.  Yes it was random but sometimes that is how God works.  When you least expect it.  What I am encouraged by is that the Bible tells me that if I continue doing good - and I presume this encompasses my Christian duties as well as life in general - that eventually something good will happen out of it.  Here's hoping.  Cos I sometimes do feel very tired of it all.  Smiling when I don't feel like it.  Being helpful when I am busy.  Going out of my way for others.  But in the end I look foward to the hope I have in God.  =)



Lesson of the Day: Keep doing what you feel is right.  It might be tough, but will be worth it in the end.

Missing the times

Looking at the pictures and videos, choosing the ones to upload onto Facebook, I recall the happy times I had over the weekend with Ian and Leanne.  Here's what I particular remember:

"Hybrid"

"MST" - (not be mistaken with STD!)

"Thai bride"

"Flip flops during wedding"

"Oriental style wedding"

"Two person platter at Harvester"

"Locked and Rocked"

"21 compartment laptop bag"

"Bubbles, Squeak and Mr Elvis"

"Size 10 and 11 shoes"

"James Bond / Snooker player"

"Stealth mode inside hotel"

"Ian and Leanne entering station platform to send me off"

These are the things off the top of my head which bring a smile to my face.  And of course one of the biggest highlights of the weekend was getting a bedroom THREE times the size of my current room, with a DOUBLE bed and a window!!  Both Saturday and Sunday mornings I awoke naturally at 7:40AM although alarm was set for 9AM.  Did not know why it happened on Saturday, but on Sunday I realised it was because the morning sun light was shining through the window into the room and it was so nice!  I've never woken up to sunlight before!  =)  In my future home I would really like a bedroom with a window.  =)  So here I put a picture of the lovely bedroom.



Lesson of the Day: Turn off all power sockets when leaving the house.  This reduces energy bills and reduces risks of any electric shortages or fires. - (Thanks Ian bro!)

Back in Glasgow

I reached home back to Glasgow on the scheduled time of 1651hrs this afternoon.  It felt strange to be back on home soil.  The Glaswegian feeling came flooding back.  Fortunately, until now I still carry the positive feelings from the lovely weekend I spent with Ian and Leanne.  Still replaying the jokes and funny moments we shared together.  Looking at the pictures and watching the videos made me smile again.  Even as I shared some with mum I was very excited, especially the wedding stuff and showing her the pets too.  Everything was so nice and I was so relaxed this weekend.  I really do thank God for Ian and Leanne.  I believe God has blessed us to be friends and allow our friendship to develop through time and through distance.  I feel so happy to hear that the bedroom at their place is always welcome for me.  I do look forward to staying at their place again in the future.  =)

Here we have the last picture of the three of us for March.  I will be back in July and look forward to having another blast of a time.  MORE bromance, MORE jokes, MORE FIFA, MORE food and of course THE WEDDING!!!  =D

I'll share more another time.  For now it is time for bed before I get up again, hopefully back to the earlier time of 6AM for the gym and we kick off again.  We all return to work tomorrow and I hope we all carry on smiling and laughing.  God bless y'all.

Lesson of the Day: Beware of first impressions.  They are not always right.

Meeting the parents

An earlier blogpost tonight.  It's 9:30PM and we've not long gotten home after a day out visiting the wedding reception, the church, the little town called Boston and also dinner with Leanne's parents Norman and Marilyn.

Although I had a good day yesterday I felt today was even better.  Yesterday was chilled and productive as we got lots of stuff for the wedding etc and chilled out to watch TV, ate dinner together and played LOTS of FIFA 12.  Ok, Ian and I played LOTS of FIFA.  I think Leanne got a bit bored.  =P  Leanne likes computer games too, but not football games.  So I think she won't be much interested when FIFA 13 comes out either.  Haha!  Today was a busier day, we done lots more and I also got to meet Leanne's family.  Initially I was a little nervous when Ian told me whilst I still in Glasgow that we'd have dinner with Leanne's mum and dad on Saturday night.  I was wondering what they'd be like, if we'd get on, if they would understand me.  Basically if we'd click.  Being Chinese also, I do have a slight fear of inferiority at times.  It has taken me a while to understand from Ian and Leanne that they do not let my black hair and yellow skin get in the way of my character, my personality and our friendship.  So as Leanne drove to Boston, along the fields and along an unexpected diversion route, I was a little apprehensive about meeting them, yet also excited.  I also felt a little nervous in the sense that it was like a 'meet the parents' situation.  For a few years now Ian and I have been calling each other Brothers, and so I felt like I was 'meeting the parents' too as I am so close to Ian.  The car pulled up at the driveway and Leanne tooted the horn.  I cringed a bit thinking we'd attract too much attention for this Chinaman getting out of her Fiesta and walking up to the house.  Haha!  Mrs Sibley opened the door and greeted us with smiles and good banter.  Everything was friendly and the ice was broken when Leanne told her mum that I was feeling nervous.  Haha!  Guess honesty is the best policy.  And then after meeting and shaking hands with Mr Sibley, everything else flowed.  The conversations were aplenty, laughs aplenty, especially with Ian being there.  I got to meet the two dogs Chloe and Molly.  =)

We went for a quick trip to Boston town centre and I got to visit Greggs for lunch and Wilkinsons.  For lunch I had a Cornish pasty and a mexican baguette sandwich from Greggs.  We went to Tesco also and I bought a few things from there for the train home tomorrow like drinks, pasta and sandwich filler.  Ian offered to make me sandwiches to take on board tomorrow instead of me spending money buying sandwiches from Tesco.  How very kind of Ian.  One of the many things I have discovered about Ian this weekend is how he likes to save money and knows how to. We had dinner together at The Barge Pub and Restaurant and the five of us shared good food in great company.  The conversations flowed along with the laughter.  Tonight I went all out again and had ANOTHER platter sized meal - a 24oz Mixed Grill!!  The grill had pork, lamb, gammon, rump, chicken, sausage, and egg served with chips, peas, mushroom and onion rings.  The whole thing took me around 35-40mins to complete.  I didn't specifically time it, but the timestamp on my before and after pictures give me a rough indication.  Once again I was the last one to finish my meal and I also could not order a dessert from the sweet board.  LOL!  It was a lovely dinner though and once again, thanks to Ian and Leanne for paying this meal.

So this is it then.  I am getting ready to go back downstairs to play FIFA 12 with Ian and before that to look through all the pictures and videos of the last few days.  So far I have 462 items to check out, consisting of pictures and videos.  Total size of my Grantham folder is 15.7GB!  Haha!! Such fun long weekend I could not stop myself from taking lots of pictures.  Finally I can be myself I think.  Doing what I love doing, what I enjoy doing, joking the way I want to joke, having fun the way I enjoy.  =D

Lesson of the Day: Life is too short to be all serious all the time.  Have fun.  Have a laugh.  It makes life more enjoyable!  :)

Follow Up...