2010年5月26日

Carol's note 26/05/10

Dear friends,
Thank you for your kind prayer for my family, my friend and me. Although I'm still having targeted therapies every 3 weeks, I'm recovering well from the radio therapies and feel much stronger. The attached photos are taken in family outings. This year my Mum had a happy Mother's Day, the 2nd Sunday in May. Thanks God, no more surprise. :-)

About my faith life, I returned to my church for Sunday worship. And I've been an English-Chinese translation volunteer at home for the World Vision Taiwan since April. World Vision is an international Christian organisation. Its mission is "Let my heart be broken with the things break the heart of God." (Yes, our friend Daria, the ex-volunteer of Friends International Lancaster, works there now. But the job was told by Kat, a Taiwanese PhD graduate from Lancaster. She has been its translation volunteer for a long time. What a small world!) I'd like to do some international mission after I got so much support in the UK. This volunteer job isn't a big deal, but I'm delighted at this start. I believe it is a response from God to my prayer.

I'm very touched by the letters written by the children from Bolivia, Colombia, Romania or Salvador, who use simple words to introduce themselves and express their thanks to their sponsors from Taiwan. For example, a child wrote, "I have at home a very nice library and that thanks to you: with your support I collect the books I needed for school and not only." Another child's mother wrote: "In the Christmas time... he desired a special present, a truck. He was happy because he received another present from Santa." The children and their family show me how content they are with their lives. They might be poor in physical needs, but they are rich in soul. I hope I can have such simple desire and pure confidence in God as they are.

If there is anything you'd like me to include in my prayer, pls feel free to tell me. Thank you.

Love and blessing from Carol


2010年5月20日

貓空攬翠行

週二去醫院做第4次標靶不太順利, 先是9am的門診拖到11am才看到, 然後體重沒降, 最慘的是人工血管扎針後發現沒有迴血, 得去照X光和等醫生開融血栓的藥劑, 還被告知如果人工血管一直不通, 就要在手臂上扎針, 想到自己好不容易才覺得自己不太像病人, 突然遭此打擊 (因為我只剩左手可以扎針, 偏偏手臂上的血管很難找, 後來抽血都是在手背扎針, 最後一次檢查在手臂上扎軟管, 還不幸被弄到爆血管), 我就像被按到開關一樣, 突然哭出來了. 還好, 等到3pm多人工血管的迴血通了, 終於可以開始打標靶, 從早上7am出門(因為8am要先抽血檢驗)弄到5pm才回家, 漫長的一天+隔天腫起來的眼睛, 週三...我哪裡也不想去.

不過聰明的二姊這禮拜請了週三/週四兩天假, 今天(週四)心情已經平復, 所以又跟著媽媽和二姊去貓空溜溜. 第一次搭貓纜, 覺得俗又大碗(30分鐘單程只要50元), 但相較於瑞士童話般的德林格瓦和中國桂林山水美景, 景色是略遜一籌. 加上搭纜車到貓空後, 無論是商店街特色或整體社區營造都相當缺乏, 有些店家也不是很友善 (我在清泉本店1F入口處的旁邊看到一個迴廊, 想走過去照相, 突然被不知道藏在哪裡的人喝斥, 感覺有點差) 覺得有點可惜. 短期間不會再重遊, 下次去, 可能要等明年年初那位資深政大人(三姊)帶我們去杏花林賞花喝茶吧!

貓空攬翠行 Maokong Green Outing

週四二姊休假, 帶媽媽和我去貓空玩耍.
My big sister Su-wen is off today. She invites Mum and me to take cable car and have a short walk in Maokong.

Location: Maokong, Taipei city, Taiwan

2010年5月17日

Rich Sunday

這個星期天, 早上在教會的詩歌敬拜後, 看到了好久不見的異像: 龍捲風席捲一池潭水而去. 乍看之下, 龍捲風像是一場災難, 但龍捲風卻能把表面平靜無波/深處卻已經開始滋生細菌的潭水一掃而空; 一如煉淨的過程雖然痛苦, 卻能得到更深刻的平安喜樂, 而不單只是人前的平安喜樂, 我感謝主賜給我這個大大的祝福.

下午大姊一家幫媽媽和婆婆慶祝母親節, 一大家子去欣葉餐廳的館前店吃下午茶, 加一成服務費後每人消費約500元. 雖然網路評價說館前店的菜色比較少, 但我覺得可以選擇的海鮮已經超級無敵多了, 尤其是生魚片和水煮蝦子好好吃喔! 讓我直到今天(週一)下午都還不餓. 嗯! 好一個豐盛的星期天, 希望地球上的每一個人都能和我一樣身心都飽足 , Amen!


2010年5月9日

石門水庫風景區

母親節似乎人人都出門請媽媽吃飯了, 平常20分鐘的高速公路車程走了快1小時. 不過, 媳婦和女兒可能也是孩子的媽媽, 先生和兒子下廚又恐怕壞了大家的胃口, 所以今天外出吃飯是理所當然囉! 這種為了團圓快樂的塞車, 樂於接受. 但已患了人群恐慌症的我 (這是上上週六回到台北東區後的深刻體認), 偏好在假日去比較冷門的風景區玩耍, 所以下午三姊載我們去石門水庫和阿姆坪走走. 沒下雨, 風很涼, 家人環繞, 是個很棒的午後. 只是媽媽雖然心情很好, 但身體發出警訊, 昨天說腰痛, 今天跌倒擦破皮. 嗯, 下週日之前全家進入休眠期.

石門水庫風景區 Shihmen Reservoir Scenic Area

On Mother's Day, we treat Mum the most famous fish dish in Shihmen and then have a walk in Shihmen Reservoir and Amuping. What a blessing to have a non-raining afternoon!

今天是母親節, 二姊/三姊和我請媽媽吃石門活魚, 下午順道在石門水庫和阿姆坪走走逛逛. 桃園沒下雨, 滿有祝福呦!
Location: Taoyuan County, Taiwan

2010年5月8日

宜蘭綠色博覽會

大家今年是要卯起來慶祝母親節嗎? 繼三姊載媽媽去平溪玩耍後, 昨天姊夫載媽媽去參觀宜蘭綠博. 剛剛二姊提議明天去桃園吃石門活魚, 下週三她要請假帶媽媽去木柵貓空. 大姊之前就說, 等阿琳阿倫下週考完段考, 母親節的下個週日找全家一起餐廳去大啖生魚片. 這樣, 我也好忙喔! 因為我是媽媽買一送一的拖油瓶, 跟著到處玩和拍照. 人生, 怎麼可以這麼幸福勒? ^^

宜蘭綠色博覽會 Yilan Green Expo

To celebrate Mother's Day in advance again, my brother-in-law drove Mum, my youngest big sister and me to see Yilan Green Expo. and have dinner in Luo-dong night market on Friday 7th May 2010.

繼續提前慶祝母親節, 週五下午姊夫休假 (可惜大姊要上班), 載媽媽/三姊和我去宜蘭玩耍, 參觀綠色博覽會和羅東夜市晚餐
Location: Yilan County, Taiwan

2010年5月6日

平溪一日遊

下雨了, 因為下雨, 更感謝前天的艷陽, 以及艷陽下三顆暖烘烘的心. 分享照片和Puppy寄給我的網路文章.

平溪一日遊 Ping-shi Daily Trip

To celebrate Mother's Day in advance, Mum, my youngest big sister and I had fun in Pin-shi, Shih-fen, and Jing-tong on Tuesday 4th May 2010.

提前慶祝母親節, 三姊利用週二不上班的日子載媽媽和我去平溪/十分/菁桐玩耍.
Location: Pin-shi Town, Taipei County, Taiwan

[補充] 平溪這一帶很適合三五好友平日搭火車來這裡晃悠, 若時間充裕, 可購買瑞芳到菁桐的平溪支線一日券, 全票54元, 可於當日在區間內各站自由上下車, 不限搭乘次數.

[轉載] 我們是上帝手中的蝴蝶與花朵

以前,有一個人祈求天父給他一朵花和一隻蝴蝶。
但天父卻給了他一棵仙人掌,和一隻毛毛蟲。

那人很傷心,因為他不明白為何天父會出此差錯。
後來,他想了一想,也許可能天父有太多人需要照顧,
因此,他決定不再過問。

過了一些日子,他重新翻看了一下那早已被他遺忘了的禮物,
他驚訝地發現,滿身是刺的仙人掌上正盛開着一朵美麗鮮艷的花,
而那難看的毛毛蟲也已經變成一隻漂亮的蝴蝶。

如果你向上帝祈求某件事物,却得到其他的,請相信。
上帝絕對會在最適當的時候賦予你所需要的。
上帝的方式永遠是完美的,儘管在我們眼裏似乎是錯誤的。

上帝把最好的賜給完全信賴祂的人。