Category Archives: life

Dec 3 – something to be thankful for

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Had an interesting evening. We went to Shimbashi for bounenkai (忘年会) with people who graduated from same high school as Atsushi. Interesting because attendees were of different generations and different walks of life – oldest being retirees and us being youngest, one worked in the World Health Organization and one a dentist etc etc. Thankful because Atsushi was so proud of me that he brought me with him to the gathering. We were the only husband and wife there. Thankful because they all welcomed me and thought very highly of me. And proud because they all told me how kind Atsushi is. πŸ™‚
Thankful as well for this yummy strawberries that one woman alumni gave me and Atsushi.

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A backgrounder: Bounenkai is the Japanese equivalent of Christmas party or thanksgiving party, held usually around December with the intent of gathering round to celebrate the year that was.

Dec 2 – something to be thankful for

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Thank you Patchi. I guess I was really touched because what you just did is one of my “language of love” for receiving.

Yet even with my language of love being different, your gift was just so pretty in that Atsushi and I were simply speechless and can only exclaim “WOW” as we turn every page. Definitely this is one of the most amazing cards we’ve ever received.

And of course, it will not end this Christmas. And yes, indeed we are thankful for the friendship. πŸ™‚

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Let’s count our blessings shall we?

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Hubs and I sort of count our blessings everyday as we talk about how our day went as we walk our way home.

But Jeckoy’s idea was a really good one; posting a blog a day for this special month to count the blessings.

This is indeed a very good idea! And one that we should do everyday of our lives. Back when I was doing the wedding preps, I specially count my blessings when something disappointing happened. By doing that, I forget about the bad thing but just focus on the good one.

Today, I guess I should be counting my blessings because there are a couple of things that were a bit of a let down – one of which was i was late on our project meeting because I forgot it was today. πŸ™ I didn’t turn on the reminder function.

But I shouldn’t dwell on it. Let’s focus on the blessings:
– thankful for Atsushi
– thankful for the great conversations we are having
– thankful that the client approved my proposed design change within a much shorter time than my boss expected
– found a way to solve my recent headache with a deliverable

I should remember those. And not the misses.

And oh, one of today’s verses:
Psalm 118:1 Give thanks to the Lord who is good.

Indeed! πŸ™‚

The 1st week of Advent and a Happy New Year

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I feel so guilty not being able to attend one of the most anticipated Sundays in the Church’s calendar. The 1st week of Advent, which marks the first of the four weeks of waiting for Jesus’ birthday. In the Church’s calendar, today is like the New Year and hence a time of looking forward to the new year’s blessings and joys as well as being thankful to the year that was.

And with a smile, I was thankful that unconsciously, we were also doing our recollections and our share of thanksgiving. We are now cooking something that enabled us to reminisce on how our story started and how it unfolded. Listening to Hubs share how he felt buoys me up and made me really thankful how God has been good to us to have had enabled us to spend our lives together.

And so with joy, love and hope, we look forward happily to the future God has planned for Atsushi and me. I am excited! Because I believe it is gonna be great. We claim it Lord! πŸ™‚

Happy New Year everyone!

11.11.11

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Along with probably all bloggers in the whole wide world, I just couldn’t pass up the chance to pin down something on our blog on this very unique day.

We haven’t got anything special planned today actually. I’m even now alone in Starbucks waiting for Hubs as he had a project party with their multi-national clients. It has been a good day at the office as well, for my part. Even my allergic rhinitis didn’t act up for the first time in two weeks! Not a sniffle at all.

But even so, I don’t consider this day as a day of “doing” or sort of “reaping” and celebrating. Rather, I consider this a day of planting, with heart filled with joy and hope as I did the “planting”.

Had the idea of planting earlier when I paused from frowning at the HYSYS simulation in front of me and accidentally looked at my laptop clock and a smile lit up my face as I saw it was exactly at 11:11. Perfect time for planting indeed!

Happy. Hopeful. Full of eager anticipation. Thankful.