February is the love month, as most people would say. Because of Valentine's Day. So after Christmas, new year, Chinese new year ... here comes the day of the hearts. The Red month. Which reminds me I have to prepare cards to send to loved ones. It has become a tradition but I think it is a good tradition. Some people are so jaded about this day. But I think for those who love, are in love, and are loved in return, this day is just great! The world is big enough and there is always room for more love. Not just one kind of love, but many. And especially the greatest love of all (not that song) as described in 1 Corinthians 13. Don't you just love what this passage is telling us about love? Have you found and experienced this kind of love yet? Let us try to take that first step in loving others ... come on and read and think about it. It's a bit difficult to do but nothing is impossible if we are convicted to obey the God of love Himself. I always remind myself when things are getting a bit stressful that I need to look up and thank God for showing us how to love, His way.
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - NIV, 1 Cor 13
It’s the Monday after Valentine's Day and everyone has been asking “How was your Valentine weekend?” Usually it would just be, “How was your weekend?” But this time, due to the event last 14 February, everyone is expected to have something to share. For me it doesn’t really matter whether people did this or that related to Valentine's day as there are some people who do not really mind or think too much about it. But since for me, there are some family obligations related to this, I have to really mark it on my calendar. When I say “family” I mean my parents. That means that we children have to let them know that we remember them on this special day of the hearts. So last week I have already posted a valentine card for them. Only for them as I decided to just send e-cards to my siblings as the greetings cards are quite expensive here, esp. the specialized ones.
I was planning to call my parents to greet them but it slipped my mind during that day. Is it obvious that I was busy so I forgot all about it? I remembered to make a call at about 930 pm (Phil time) when we were already returning home after watching a movie. I tried to call many times but the networks were busy. Finally I got through and it was good they were still awake. And it was also good to hear them laugh and they sounded happy. At least I did not hear some complaints this time. In the past years, my parents would do a count-down during that day as to how many of their children (seven) would call them. So if I were one of the earlier callers, I would remind the others to call soon. Just to alert them. They have a grace period of just one day, two days at the latest, considering different time zones.
For me & Key, we had the whole day to ourselves. We had lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant, Hong Min and stuffed ourselves with delicious food. This is just once in a while so I guess it’s ok. The joke is that “once in a while” is translated to “often”. I hope not. Then we went to watch the movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic. Call me shallow but I'd rather watch this to be entertained than all the violence and other what not on the movie screen these days. I’ve waited for this to come out as I have read all the books by Sophie Kinsella. Thus it was nothing to wait for a couple more hours for show time, so we just lazed at the lounge of Major Cineplex. It was nice to just sit there and talk, do the crossword and Sudoku, read the mags, drink root beer, and be silent sometimes. It was quite relaxing. I stopped thinking about work and other stressful things, and just enjoyed the moment. It was nice and cool, with comfy seats where you can even lean or lie down for a nap if you want.
Hours after the movie, we were still smiling, even through the following day. Then it was back to reality as we had to do our weekend laundry. However we are glad to have that experience. Wouldn’t you?
