I have an item of thanksgiving to share. Yesterday I thought I lost my phone cover for my HTC Magic. It seemed to have disappeared since after a driving lesson with a pupil between 4pm-6pm. I looked all round the car for it though it was dark and I used a torch to shine around the seats and footwells etc. Nothing. I drove back to the alleyway where I were remembered last holding the phone cover before my pupil came out. Nothing. I looked around the house and searched my jacket pockets. Nothing. So I resigned to label myself as being careless for losing such important part of my phone, which helps protect it from dust, scratches and general exposure. However, something was still niggling inside me and didn't want to give up the search. I wanted to look again in the morning where hopefully proper daylight would help me see better in the car. So this morning when I got to the car the first thing I did was go on "hunt mode". As soon I sat on the driver's seat I looked through my steering wheel and saw my white phone cover lying flat behind the steering wheel and under my instrument cluster and the dials etc. And cos yesterday the sun set around 4:15pm it made it very difficult to see it was there as it did not obstruct the lights on the dials etc so I couldn't see it.
So I really thank God for keeping the phone cover safe for me. Honestly, I had no clue where it was cos when I was calling the 4pm pupil I left it on the passenger seat. When he came to the car I remembered I gathered my stuff together for him to sit and it could have dropped out of the car when he opened the door. I drove back to that dead end where I met him and shone my fog lights and main beams in hope to find the white phone cover but saw nothing. I knew looking around in the dark was hopeless. It wasn't until God's natural light shone around me that the phone cover appeared in front of me.
The lesson to be learnt from this is, not do anything in the dark. We as Christians are light of the world and salt of the earth. We should love the light and dislike the dark. For myself personally I find I make the wrong decisions when late at night. I find my senses are dimmed then as well, along with my logic. After midnight is when I generally get tired and grumpy. It is when I am most prone to arguing etc.
That's why last night I stopped myself from making that purchase of the Samsung laptop (but I actually really purchased it properly this morning along with a copy of Microsoft Office 2010 for half price!). It's after midnight when self-control becomes laxed as well and I am more prone to sexual tempation online (something that I've quit for a while now which is good!). So do things in the light. Make important decisions in the morning. Sleep over it. Pray over it. But leave it till the morning. Most things we feel "passionate" about on the night actually feels "ok" the next morning. Ever get that? Even anger is the same.
24 November 2010
16 November 2010
He gives and takes away
There is a well-known Christian song by Matt Redman called Blessed Be Your Name in which the bridge sings: "You give and take away, You give and take away. But still my heart will sing, Lord blessed be your name." This reminds us that God can give us anything and He can take them away too. He is pretty much in control of everything: omnipotent. This song resounds in my heart after what happened during a driving test today. This afternoon I sat in on a driving test interpretting for one of my Cantonese speaking pupils. He was a bag of nerves again and though he really wanted to avoid the Left Reverse manoeuvre where he failed on last time, he was unfortunately given that manoeuvre to do by today's examiner. Now this examiner was a very very very extremely nice lady and by that I mean she was soooo patient with my pupil letting him stop during the manoeuvre and to breathe and relax before continuing. Now that might be just normal you might think, but listen to this. Pupil was so nervous that he actually hit the kerb with the kerbside rear tyre. In fact, he was apologetic about his nervousness and shaking of his left leg (which subsequently shook the clutch pedal and the car) and stopped to open the window for air. Examiner was nice about it and told him to take his time. When he continued he scraped the wheel again the kerb again and the car definitely felt resistance as he tried to reverse. The examiner told him he could stop, catch his breath and think what his instructor would tell him during a driving lesson. Of course I had to interpret to Pupil. Pupil then looked at me helplessly and asked in Chinese, "Can I start this [manoeuvre] again?". I felt embarrassed asking the examiner but really surprisingly she hesistated then said quietly, "Ok, you can move forward a tiny bit." of which I translated for Pupil. His face lit up and he thanked the examiner and tried his best to move the car forward BUT not just a wee bit, but at least two metres!! Noooo!! You know what? The examiner didn't even say anything to him. He managed to recover from this damning position and completed the manoeuvre successfully. Phew!! After he finished it he even asked if he could step outside as his heart was racing. The examiner seemed very empathetic and told him to turn off the engine before stepping outside. He did that and was back on to his test within 30 seconds. Ok, so the biggest hurdle for Pupil was now out of the rest shoudl be a doddle, right?
Pupil was only less than ten minutes away from returning to the test centre when he tried to squeeze his car through his lane in between a left lane of queueing cars and a lane of on-coming traffic where three cars forced their way through an amber light. It will be hard to describe through words alone here, but I'll try. The traffic light he was asked to turn right. There were two lanes. The left lane was left and ahead and the right lane was right only. He was to use the right only lane. That's fine. However, this road was mega tight because of parked cars on the opposite side, so the traffic queued on the left/ahead lane and the parked cars made the right lane hard to get into. The lights were at red as Pupil approached it, but then turned to green as we were about to enter into this tight right lane. However, from across the road three cars managed to push through the previous amber light and came through towards us making our already tight road excessively tight. Pupil thought he had enough room to fit through between queued traffic and those oncoming traffic and got the car so close to the queued traffic that the examiner had to pull the steering wheel slightly to make sure ther wing mirrors did not collide. At the same time she commented how close he was too the cars on the left. Aw man!!! As soon as an examiner takes verbal or physical action the driving test is a fail for sure, no doubt about that. And sure enough when we finally reached the test centre (we were the last car to get back after that long delay at the manoeuvre) she had to tell him he wasn't successful this time and it was because of Adequate Clearance to obstructions. Argh!!!
We both felt this examiner really helped him so so much. She took the risk of getting talked about, by letting him hit the kerb twice AND let him move forward during his Left Reverse which he otherwise would have failed if with another examiner. The test pass was basically handed to him on a plate. All he had to do was maintain the high standard of driving forward which he had in him. However, one reckless decision ruined it all for him. I asked him how he was feeling as it happened. Was he nervous again. He said he was fine, in fact quite calm and was certain he'd passed. And at that situation he felt he could enter the right lane without causing any dangers. I advised the gap was far too close for comfort and he should always drive to make the examiner feel safe. Though no cars were damaged in any way by his decision, the examiner had such a fright and could not pass him because of that. He was disappointed and so was I to be honest. How amazing would that be if he had passed today. A sign of God's miracle and mercy. However, it was not meant to be. God gave my pupil a great gift. A test pass. But because of his ego, his arrogance, his over-confidence perhaps, he made a wrong decision and it caused him the test. Instead of squeezing through the gap, he should have waited for those last three oncoming cars to clear first before proceeding onto the right lane.
The lesson is never to drop your driving standards or be too relaxed about standards and safety during your driving test. Be on your toes until the very end when you turn off the engine. The other reminder is, when God gives you something good in your life. A nice blessing: job, family, friends, a person, money, whatever. Don't take it for granted. Do not think that thing will be yours forever and just let down your guard or whatever. We should be appreciative of each thing or person He has blessed us with and seek to take care and treasure this thing. Cos if you don't, you just might lose it. Or it might be taken away from you. Today's driving test examiner was a gift from God. However, my pupil mucked it up by letting his standards drop. How disappointing but also how good a reminder to me. Nothing is for certain. Keep seeking God in all that you do. =)
Pupil was only less than ten minutes away from returning to the test centre when he tried to squeeze his car through his lane in between a left lane of queueing cars and a lane of on-coming traffic where three cars forced their way through an amber light. It will be hard to describe through words alone here, but I'll try. The traffic light he was asked to turn right. There were two lanes. The left lane was left and ahead and the right lane was right only. He was to use the right only lane. That's fine. However, this road was mega tight because of parked cars on the opposite side, so the traffic queued on the left/ahead lane and the parked cars made the right lane hard to get into. The lights were at red as Pupil approached it, but then turned to green as we were about to enter into this tight right lane. However, from across the road three cars managed to push through the previous amber light and came through towards us making our already tight road excessively tight. Pupil thought he had enough room to fit through between queued traffic and those oncoming traffic and got the car so close to the queued traffic that the examiner had to pull the steering wheel slightly to make sure ther wing mirrors did not collide. At the same time she commented how close he was too the cars on the left. Aw man!!! As soon as an examiner takes verbal or physical action the driving test is a fail for sure, no doubt about that. And sure enough when we finally reached the test centre (we were the last car to get back after that long delay at the manoeuvre) she had to tell him he wasn't successful this time and it was because of Adequate Clearance to obstructions. Argh!!!
We both felt this examiner really helped him so so much. She took the risk of getting talked about, by letting him hit the kerb twice AND let him move forward during his Left Reverse which he otherwise would have failed if with another examiner. The test pass was basically handed to him on a plate. All he had to do was maintain the high standard of driving forward which he had in him. However, one reckless decision ruined it all for him. I asked him how he was feeling as it happened. Was he nervous again. He said he was fine, in fact quite calm and was certain he'd passed. And at that situation he felt he could enter the right lane without causing any dangers. I advised the gap was far too close for comfort and he should always drive to make the examiner feel safe. Though no cars were damaged in any way by his decision, the examiner had such a fright and could not pass him because of that. He was disappointed and so was I to be honest. How amazing would that be if he had passed today. A sign of God's miracle and mercy. However, it was not meant to be. God gave my pupil a great gift. A test pass. But because of his ego, his arrogance, his over-confidence perhaps, he made a wrong decision and it caused him the test. Instead of squeezing through the gap, he should have waited for those last three oncoming cars to clear first before proceeding onto the right lane.
The lesson is never to drop your driving standards or be too relaxed about standards and safety during your driving test. Be on your toes until the very end when you turn off the engine. The other reminder is, when God gives you something good in your life. A nice blessing: job, family, friends, a person, money, whatever. Don't take it for granted. Do not think that thing will be yours forever and just let down your guard or whatever. We should be appreciative of each thing or person He has blessed us with and seek to take care and treasure this thing. Cos if you don't, you just might lose it. Or it might be taken away from you. Today's driving test examiner was a gift from God. However, my pupil mucked it up by letting his standards drop. How disappointing but also how good a reminder to me. Nothing is for certain. Keep seeking God in all that you do. =)
09 November 2010
Thanksgiving
Having updated this in ages, so I will do so by sharing three items to give thanks to God for.
1) As I left the house for work this morning, I saw my downstairs neighbour come up to catch his cat which must have escaped when he opened his front door. So I greeted him then we proceeded to go down the stairs. I then asked him if he had any plans to remove the rubbish lying outside his door. He told me he didn't know what to do with the rubbish, that he left rubbish out once and it was taken away. I told him he had to take his own rubbish through to the backcourt, cos the rubbish by his doorway sometimes stank. That is quite unhygienic as well as a fire hazard. It is not appealling to any of my visitors either, not that I have any. Lol! But I thank God for providing me the opportunity to speak to the guy instead of chapping on his door and appearing hostile etc. Btw, I made sure I smiled and appeared friendly when asking him. Haha! Update is, the rubbish was all gone by the time I came home today around 4pm! =D
2) The rain was so heavy when I got up this morning and battered against the car on both legs of my journey to Greens. However at 9:40am when I left for work the rain suddenly stopped and sunshine came out! The first lesson was very bright in fact! Also I saw a rainbow at my second lesson, around 2pm in the Springburn area. I pointed out the rainbow to my pupil. Haha!
3) I received great news from a close brother that God answered our prayers about his recent application. The application was successful and this shows God is the wonderful Provider for us, no matter what our situation is. We can rely on Him. This news is encouraging and I hope strengthens the brother's faith in this tough time =)
1) As I left the house for work this morning, I saw my downstairs neighbour come up to catch his cat which must have escaped when he opened his front door. So I greeted him then we proceeded to go down the stairs. I then asked him if he had any plans to remove the rubbish lying outside his door. He told me he didn't know what to do with the rubbish, that he left rubbish out once and it was taken away. I told him he had to take his own rubbish through to the backcourt, cos the rubbish by his doorway sometimes stank. That is quite unhygienic as well as a fire hazard. It is not appealling to any of my visitors either, not that I have any. Lol! But I thank God for providing me the opportunity to speak to the guy instead of chapping on his door and appearing hostile etc. Btw, I made sure I smiled and appeared friendly when asking him. Haha! Update is, the rubbish was all gone by the time I came home today around 4pm! =D
2) The rain was so heavy when I got up this morning and battered against the car on both legs of my journey to Greens. However at 9:40am when I left for work the rain suddenly stopped and sunshine came out! The first lesson was very bright in fact! Also I saw a rainbow at my second lesson, around 2pm in the Springburn area. I pointed out the rainbow to my pupil. Haha!
3) I received great news from a close brother that God answered our prayers about his recent application. The application was successful and this shows God is the wonderful Provider for us, no matter what our situation is. We can rely on Him. This news is encouraging and I hope strengthens the brother's faith in this tough time =)
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