賜福或收取

一首詩歌是這樣唱的：

無論賜福或是收取    都是天父美好旨意
主的大愛    為要保守    屬祂兒女    純潔至善

每次想上帝到「賜福」和「收取」這 2 種極端的行動，總是讓我想起親人過世與新生命的誕生的對比。也是我無法理解：

「為什麼收取那麼痛的經歷要給我？」

但是，今天這一首詩歌後半段給了一個可能的答案：

保守我們，使我們純潔至善。

慈愛 (Love) 與公義 (Justice)

慈愛 (Love) 與公義 (Justice) 是神兩個重要的屬性。基督徒都知道要效法神，但是要在兩者之間取得平衡，並不容易。
人，往往會偏向某一邊。
偏向慈愛多一點，就變成縱容寬鬆；偏向公義，就變成嚴厲冷酷。

對基督徒而言，
慈愛不是一味地溫柔細語，而是充滿公義的關懷；公義不是充滿教條式的規範，而是充滿慈愛的嚴肅。

ZDNet: Google puts iTunes it its sights

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Google is in talks with Hollywood executives to bring movie rentals to YouTube, according to the Financial Times. This move puts the search giant on a collision course with Apple.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
phrases:
    be in talks with
    this move put on a collision course with

Expand Your Horizons - 《Your Best Life Begins Each Morning》

詩篇 31:24    凡仰望耶和華的人，你們都要壯膽，堅固你們的心！
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
PSALIM 31:24

Perhaps we started with big dreams in our hearts - we're going to excel in our careers, excel as parents, excel in our walks with God. We get started, but then things get difficult, and achieving our goals doesn't happen as quickly as we had hoped. Discouragement sets in, and we start to give up.
Look yourself in the mirror and say, "I am not going to settle for mediocrity. Nothing may be going my way right now, but I'm going to trust God to help me expand my horizons and keep believing for all that He has for me. I'm going to make it." Focus on your goal, set your course, and have the attitude, I'm going to reach my full potential in God. I'm going to start living my best life now!

這一週《活潑的生命》中有一個問題：「我現在要面對信心的挑戰為何？」
真是值得思考的問題...
其實我是知道的，我可以回答這個問題，只是現在上帝沒有回答罷了。


mediocrity
n. 名詞
    1. 平凡; 平庸
    2. 平庸的人

倒空自已 — 學習倒空自己

生活中有許多不如意的事情了，不論是工作或家庭生活。這些長久以來不斷累積的情緒，對一般人會帶出 2 種結果：

往黑暗的方向去，走入自卑；

往光明的方向去 ，走入驕傲。

不論哪一種，以聖經的角度來看，都是「罪」，都無法活出基督的樣式。

今天早上，聖靈提醒：

人心是驕傲的，他們總以為自己還不錯，過於高估自己的能力，因此他們還不夠資格觀看上帝的榮耀。... 人必須倒空自已，才有空間讓上帝做工，這就是為什麼上帝要讓人遇到苦難困境，因為人的盡頭是上帝的起頭，惟有在束手無策，呼救無門時，人才能認識自己的愚蠢無能，才能經驗上帝的大能。

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone - 《Your Best Life Begins Each Morning》

裡面有一句寫的很棒：
It doesn't take any more effort to stay filled with faith than it takes to develop a negative attitude.

People who see their dreams come to pass are people who have some resolve, some backbone; people who refuse to settle for somewhere along the way....

Don't fall into a complacency trap. It doesn't take any more effort to stay filled with faith than it takes to develop a negative attitude. Dare to step out of your comfort zone today. God has so much more in store. Keep pursuing and keep believing.

complacency
n. 滿足; 自滿

Unpack Your Dreams - 《Your Best Life Begins Each Morning》

在和老闆 one-on-one coaching 之後，讀到這本書的第一篇：Unpack Your Dreams，感觸很深。

What do you want to do with your life? If you could write your best life story this morning, what would it say? Is your first reaction to see and describe yourself in terms of past experiences or present limitations, more in terms of losing or just surviving rather than fulfilling your dreams?

If you've packed away your dreams, dare to unpack them today and ask God to rekindle them today in your heart and mind.

It's time to enlarge your vision.

當我徬徨，失去方向的時候，這是一個好的提醒。
勇敢地去把塵封的夢想打開 — unpack my dreams!

5-30, 2010 - English Note

The call center needs to be staffed day in and day out as calls do not stop coming in.

In comparison with our closet competition, though, we're ahead of the game.
Actually, we are ahead.

We'll be in a position to spend big on marketing campaigns.

I'd like this to be a win-win situation, if possible.

That would be ideal, but you are going to have to concede a point.
    concede

    vt. 及物動詞

    1. (勉強)承認[+that]
        The candidate conceded that he had lost the election. 這位候選人承認他已經在競選中失敗。
    2. 讓給, 給予; 容許[O1][(+to)]
        They conceded us the right to cross their land. 他們容許我們在他們的土地上有過路權。
    3. (在結果明確前)承認...失敗 

    vi. 不及物動詞
    1. 讓步
    2. 承認失敗
        The senator had to concede. 參議員只好承認競選失敗。

我失聲了！可是，卻很感恩。

3/1 星期一。

一大早，打開 e-mail 信箱，看到老闆的工作安排，心理著實有一點不高興：把我的工作都交出去給其他同事。
而最近的一個活動是星期三，我預備好了，卻不是以主持人的身分參加。
老闆說要我擔任教練，幫助其他同事一起成長 --- 我當然知道是怎麼回事。
但就是覺得很糟。

3/2 星期二。

一大早，失聲了！
原本還在盤算著要怎麼跟老闆爭論，從薪資結構、工作內容，到生涯規劃...
然後讀《活潑的生命》讀到「出於勉強的順服」與「出於愛的順服」--- 忽然間，我好像懂了...
然後我就笑了。

原來，上帝要我安靜，不要再多說什麼了。只要求告耶穌，他就會把該賞賜給我的給我。

於是，帶著愉快的心情來上班。
值得提醒自己的一天。