Elberta Peach

Last year, we bought a small Elberta Peach tree from Home Depot, and this year, we got about 20 medium size peaches. The meat was yellow, very juicy and sweet. At first, we found that there were squirals or birds eating two of our peaches, so I put a lot of Caution Line around the peach tree and on the branches. These smart animals could understand either English or Spanish, and they only ate very few after we put the line.

If you plan to plant a fruit tree in the backyard, Elberta Peach is a good choice.

上學了！

Well, 已經開學快一個禮拜了！
Hee is in 1st grade, and Ha is in 3rd grade now.

Hee is mentally stronger  than he was in kindergarten, and he didn't cry when I said good bye to him at the door on the first day. However, he did cry at lunch time because it was his first time to eat lunch without Mommy around. He is doing better and better each day, and today, he told me that: "我今天在學校一點也沒有想哭的感覺了”。 Praise the Lord!

I believe that having a good teacher is part of the reasons that he got adjusted to the 1st grade setting so fast. Today, he told me: "我們老師說，要make一堆mistakes之後才會去second grade"". 我說:"那還不簡單，要去second grade的人就趕快故意make mistakes 就好了。”他說，“才不簡單，因為老師也說我們需要do our best，所以也不能故意。所以每個人都要很久才會去second grade”

這個老師真的很有智慧，讓學生do their best, 卻又不必為不小心犯的錯緊張，這樣在學校心情應該輕鬆愉快。

哈哈上3rd grade後，作homework更自動，他一年比一年更好。記得他在k的時候，幾乎沒homework,但每次只要有什麼需要做的東西，拖到最後一秒還不肯好好做 It's a big headache for me。感謝神，小孩子是會長大的。

詩歌分享-我不要

這是首快節奏的詩歌，不算是我喜歡的style, 但歌詞卻對人有許多的提醒：

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3XKGZYrqrY&feature=player_embedded

我不要       李佳穎

忙碌可以是最棒的藉口


心思太常填塞生活細瑣

你的愛常被我拋腦後

求你憐憫我



平順可以是最大的陰謀

一不小心就跟著世界走

你的話總被我擺最後

求你赦免我



我不要翻書般地做作

我不要無意識的歌頌

我不要只在某些時候

才想起自己為誰而活

我不要愛你只在口頭

我不要假裝沒有軟弱

我只想真實被袮觸摸

求你更新我

(bridge)

就算是我走錯

你也不放手

就算我忘記你

你也記得我

(code)

我不要忘記你的選召

我不要只在危難禱告

我只想緊緊將你抓牢

單單地信靠

訂機票 行前八周最便宜

不知道準不準，僅供參考！


World Journal 編譯中心22日電

August 22, 2010 03:29 PM

英國每日郵報報導，很多人在策畫旅行時，經常為在什麼時候訂機票最划算傷透腦筋。日本經濟學家計算出，在出發前八周訂機票最便宜，而且下午訂比早上更便宜。

日本經濟學家渡邊誠和同僚穆勒（Marc Moller）以數學公式ΠA= gUG + min(k - g, (1 - g)(1 - r))計算出這個結果，發表在最新一期經濟期刊上。

他們指出，在出發八周之前就訂機票，風險是訂太早，旅行計畫可能改變，在八周之內訂機票的風險是機票會漲價，或是訂不到機票。

他們說：「航空公司為了讓消費者提早訂機票，會提供預訂票折扣，因此，距出發的日期愈近，機票愈貴。」

至於同一天的差價，可能是因為航空公司認為，不在乎價錢的商務旅客通常是早上在辦公室訂機票，因此早上的機票價格較高，而計畫去度假的人較精打細算，而他們通常在下午以後訂機票。

兩位經濟學家指出，訂機票與訂戲票的策略不同，在戲劇開演前買票，可以買到最便宜的票，但風險是可能買不到票。

Read more: 世界新聞網

榴蓮好吃，太好吃！

Last week, when we went to 永和 for the groceries, Ha called me: "媽媽， 他們有在賣 Porcupine (刺猬）耶！” I took a look and found that it's not porcupine but was my dear Duran.

Before Ha was born, when we were still enjoying our 兩人世界，we always went groceries together, and both of us were not afraid of trying new things: 兔肉，青蛙肉，鹿肉, and 榴蓮.....。It's interesting to try something totally new in life with somebody you love.

After the first try, I loved Duran, (Stephen was ok with its taste, too.) and we bought it several times. I only liked it when it's frozen,吃起來是冰淇淋的口感，味道很奇怪，不過卻又香甜，是會上癮的。

可惜我們結婚一年後，哈哈就生了，之後忙著小孩，然後嘻嘻又來了，我們就完全忘了榴蓮。去市場總是想著他們喜歡吃什麼，而且為了要去學校接小孩，買菜都來去匆匆，也很少再買什麼青蛙肉，兔肉或嘗試新玩意兒了。

一過就8年了，終於又再次吃到榴蓮，哈哈不太喜歡，嘻嘻很不喜歡，真是太好了，我可以多吃一點，不用想著留給他們。晚上我們吃了大半個，只剩下一點點，放在盒子，冰在冷凍櫃。第二天，本來想留到晚上，等Stephen一起吃，可是整個早上，只要想到冰庫裡的榴蓮，我整個人就坐立不安。

於是我想，沒關係，先吃一片，還有3片；
然後吃了一片，停不下來，再吃一片，反正晚上兩片，一人一片，比較公平；
然後冰箱裡剩兩片，我實在停不下來，就把晚上我的那片先吃了，大不了晚上不要吃就是了；
然後最後一片，如果Stephen晚上回來，看到只剩一片，他一定會讓我吃，那我不如現在吃掉吧，早點吃比較新鮮。

所以，所有的榴蓮在第二天中午就完全解決了。

開榴蓮： http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ihmjx2g3Wg
嘻嘻不喜歡： http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLWo8pdRX1g
好大一塊： http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO5MD5mrap8
I couldn't stop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEkQ7fIP3ME

榴蓮開了之後，平日狗仔隊的我，有了吃，再也顧不得照相。後面幾段都是嘻嘻照的，因為哈哈還在吃飯，他照去給哈哈看。為了搞笑，他照的有點360度雲霄飛車的感覺，請忍耐。

加州同性結婚解禁 遭推翻

Yes. 至少在12月之前，婚姻還是一男一女。

From: World Journal

在加州的聯邦第九巡迴上訴法庭16日裁決，無限期延長第八號提案有效期，拒絕解除禁止同性結婚的禁令，並宣布加速處理有關上訴案，將在12月初審理同性婚姻應否合法的爭議。


由三名聯邦上訴法官組成的合議庭，16日下午以三票對零票，推翻舊金山聯邦法院首席法官華克12日宣布允許同性戀者伴侶恢復在加州註冊結婚的裁決。

華克法官在4日裁定加州選民在2008年通過、主張明定婚姻為一男一女結合的第八號提案違憲，接著12日再令：第八號提案的有效期將於18日下午5時終止，屆時禁止同性結婚的禁令將獲解除。

第八號提案的提案人不服，13日就華克法官的裁決向第九巡迴上訴法庭提出上訴，要求延續禁令使同性者不能在加州結婚，以免造成混亂，禁令應有效至第九巡迴上訴法庭就上訴案作出裁決。

第九巡迴上訴法庭16日迅速裁定，在上訴裁定沒有出來前，無限期延長同性不能結婚的禁令。這項裁決使雙方的支持者感到意外。

第九巡迴法庭沒有在裁決書上說明頒布這項命令的理由，但法庭強調將加快審理案件，將於12月6日的一周內聽取第八號提案支持及反對者的證詞。

灣區傳統家庭促進會行政主任譚克成是第八號提案的五名提案人之一，也是訴訟中的被告之一。在獲悉第九巡迴法庭的決定後，譚克成表示興奮。他說，早在訴訟開審的初期，華克要求被告將所有涉及第八號提案的電郵及各通訊文件交出研究，他們一方提出上訴，要求華克對原告人有相同的要求，也獲得第九巡迴法庭的支持。

譚克成說，他估計第九巡迴法庭支持他們的訴求，如果現在恢復讓同性結婚，最後又被推翻，將造成極大的混亂，雙方應該耐心等待最後結果。

於第八號提案通過前合法結婚的同性戀作家謝漢蘭說，她不能理解第九巡迴法庭的最新決定，這項裁決一次又一次向同性戀者傳遞相同的訊息：同性戀者不能享有自由平等的結婚權利。

Read more: 世界新聞網

HOC Joint Summer Retreat

This year, HOC Joint summer retreat was still held in Sonoma State University. It was from 8/6 to 8/8.  Since Ha's summer camp (Lego Pro Builders: advanced LEGOs and Game Design) wasn't over till 3:30pm , we left our house at 4pm and missed one session of main message and one session of workshop (summer retreat program started at 1:30pm). We took Highways 85,237,880,580, and 101 and experienced some bad traffic. Since we wouldn't arrive in time for dinner at SSU, we had our lunch in Jack in the Box and arrived SSU around 7:30pm.

We lived in the dorm at SSU, and the living condition was very good. Each house has 4 rooms(2 with double beds, and 2 with single bed), a living room and a kitchen. Our family occupied 3 of the 4 rooms and shared the other one with another family which has a husband, a wife and a young son who lived in the small tent that they brought. This is the video clip of our house:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHjUZoz1exY

We had group morning devotion at 6:15am on Sat. and Sun., and I attended both of them. We studied book of Joshua, and through the discussion, I learned a lot from other people. Since it's HOC Joint retreat, I met many people from other HOC, and I was glad to talk to them. 約書亞本來只是摩西的副手，摩西死了，他變成主要負責人，所以會懼怕，而神要他剛強壯膽。在人看是人的領袖死了，但在神看只是神的僕人死了，神還會繼續興起其他的僕人來，神自己是領袖。

主題講員是饒孝楫牧師，講得非常精彩又使人得提醒。

@當我們願意為主做我們能做的，就會看到主做我們所不能做的。如果我們不願意為主做我們能做的，主也不做我們所不能做的。不服事就少了很多看到神的大能和祝福的機會。

@看別人比自己強，準確的翻譯是看別人比自己重要。以耶穌的心為心，就比較容易放下自我。

@真正的信心是相信神是至高，有主權決定一切的事，人需要順服。

@神蹟是上帝為了特定的目的，暫時改變自然律，但不是天天要發生的事。不要求看神蹟，挑戰上帝的自然律，否則就是對上帝的自然律不滿意。神蹟也是上帝掌控自然律的結果。

@有愛，事奉就是享受；沒有愛，就是忍受。

We had buffet every meal, and we all enjoyed its food.

Ha and Hee had their own program when we were in the main message or workshop, and both of them loved their classes. The teachers were from CEF, and they led many fun games and crafts.

We brought our bikes, scooter and swimming suits to SSU. We biked from dorm to dinning hall or classrooms, and the 3 boys swam on Sat. afternoon. It was like a family vacation, too.

I asked Ha and Hee if they want to come again next year, and both of their answers were "yes". I will say "yes", too.

注音-漢語拼音 對照表

剛剛在幫哈嘻找注音符號表，發現這個對照表。
這是so far 我看到最棒的注音拼音對照表。想學拼音的台灣人，check it out! 對我來說, 用拼音打中文比用注音快很多。

http://www.csswny.org/www/pdf/7gradePDF/zhuIn-hanIn.pdf

阿媽生日快樂

祝阿媽生日快樂！
獻上我們“最高”的祝福

Bad decision: 推翻加州禁止同性結婚的法律

I am very disappointed about the court's decision, and I firmly believe that the marriage is only between a man and a woman! I hate to live in this kind of world where people can't tell right from wrong but see wrong as right. 更討厭那些煽風點火的政治人物，我就不相信當他們的兒子女兒告訴他們自己是同性戀要結婚時，他們會高呼：“太好了！”這種違反自然的事，他們居然還贊成，真受不了！

From:
http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_news/9007370/article-%E9%98%BF%E8%AB%BE%E8%AE%9A%E5%B9%B3%E7%AD%89-%E4%BF%9D%E5%AE%88%E6%B4%BE%E6%89%B9%E7%A0%B4%E5%A3%9E%E6%B0%91%E4%B8%BB?instance=m3b

舊金山聯邦法官華克4日推翻加州禁止同性結婚的法律後，州長阿諾史瓦辛格發表聲明說，對於加州數十萬同性戀家庭，這項裁決令他確認每一個人都應有的充分法律保護和保障。


他說，在此同時，這項裁定「為所有加州人提供機會，思考我們領先邁向未來的歷史，以及我們為所有的人和他們的關係賦予同等尊重和尊嚴的聲譽」。

路透報導，阿諾說：「今天的裁決絕非加州對美國為所有人提供平等和自由樹立的第一個里程碑，也不是最後一個。」

正競選州長的加州司法廳長布朗(Jerry Brown)說，他當初就不贊成第八號提案，華克法官推翻第八號提案，與他當初決定不為這項提案辯護達成相同的結論。他指出，這項提案剝奪同性伴侶結婚的權利，違反聯邦憲法第14號修正案為所有人賦予平等保護的保障。

南加州的美國公民自由聯盟主管雷普斯頓(Ramona Ripston)說：「這項裁定確認美國不會因人的性愛取向而給予不同待遇。我們對今天的裁決感到欣喜，不過要為同性伴侶建立真正的婚姻平等還有很漫長的路要走。」

保守派基督教政治行動團體「對美國關切的婦女」組織會長溫蒂．萊特(Wendy Wright)說：「華克法官的裁決遠超過同性戀婚姻，破壞美國的代議制民主核心。」

她說：「婚姻不是政治玩具，不容已經位高權重的人用以獲得希望的地位或接受。一男一女結合的婚姻是構成穩定社會的基石，不能由任何其他生活安排所取代。」

她說：「加州人民投票支持婚姻，因為他們了解婚姻的神聖性質，而同性戀行動分子把同性『婚姻』作為一種政治手法，用以為學校裡的孩子洗腦，使他們拒絕父母的價值，並騷擾、控告和懲罰意見不同的人。」


Read more: 世界新聞網

Reunion Weekend-7/31，8/1（3）

和其中大部分人最後一次見面是在我的婚禮 in 2001.

Reunion with CFC young adult fellowship:

In 2001, they drove almost one hour to HOC5 to attend my wedding and sing the wedding songs for us. In 2010, we met again at Bo&Bo's house, and most people in the photo attended the reunion; amazingly, people didn't change much, but the toddlers became teenagers, and we got a lot more kids around us.大大小小快70個人，幸好Bo & Bo 的房子很大，外面又有playground.

套句Stephen的話，我們的reunion 就是一大堆的擁抱加尖叫。 We were so excited to see each other again and get to know their kids. Ten year didn't seem to be a long distance between us. For some reason, I still felt like we just met last Friday in the fellowship, and I felt so natural to talk to them. We were true brothers and sisters in Christ, and it made us a family.

輔導AR哥HY姐現在在內地和歐洲做培訓的工作，AK姐也曾去與他們同工。其他的弟兄姐妹很多搬到Dublin, San Ramon,也在不同的教會聚會，並熱心服事主。最後，AR哥帶領我們一起唱“願耶和華賜福給你”，是我們以前常唱的，藉此彼此祝福。

In the afternoon, when kids were in the playground, I saw a familiar face: "it's XJ's Dad!" I ran to him right away, and he led us to their house.

XJ and JH were in our fellowship in HOC5, and they moved to Dublin in late June. I was so surprised that we saw each other here. Their house is about 5 houses away from Bo&Bo's house in the same street. Stephen and I went to their new house （突擊檢查）， and we talked for a while. They are our good friends in Christ, too, we were so glad to see them. We will 正式拜訪 them again after they settle down. We also introduced Bo & Bo to XJ & JH, and I believe that they will be good friends in the future.

Reunion Weekend-7/31，8/1（2）

On 8/1, since we were going to the CFC Young Adult Fellowship reunion in the afternoon, we were not able to attend the 3rd Service at HOC5; therefore, we decided to go to CFC instead. When we first came to the U.S, we went to Salvation Army in Oakland Chinatown for few months, and in 1990, we started going to CFC(Chinese for Christ). I accepted Jesus as my Savior in July 1990 and got baptised in December 1991. I was there until I got married in January 2001. It's not a big church (about 300 people), but it was solid in teaching the Bible truth, and it had lovely brothers and sisters.

在CFC，不止和同年齡的弟兄姐妹有互動，和其他的弟兄姐妹也有好的交通，是跨團契的彼此相愛。這次回“娘家”，看到許多哥，姐都還是在事奉崗位上忠心，數十年如一日。見了面親切的問安，讓我覺得我就像這個家庭的小妹妹一樣，雖嫁到HOC5，但一回去，就有家的感覺。敬拜完去接上主日學的哈哈嘻嘻，發現哈哈正和一個小朋友和一個大人一起蹲在地下洗煮飯的大電鍋，嘻嘻坐在老師身旁，老師說，剛才嘻嘻也幫忙分餐具。看來，他們對這個教會也沒有陌生的感覺。

其實，這次回來另一個主要原因是探望陳述榮老牧師，他已經將近100歲。我們每年有書信往來，可是已經很久沒看他了。我主日時剛好坐在他前面， 師母傳來一張紙條說：“昨天才讀到妳以前寫給我們的信，今天竟然見到你們，很高興！”It's amazing! 只能說是神的安排。


牧師的精神還好，只是耳朵已經靠助聽器也不行了，我只好和他筆談。雖然耳朵不行，他還是負責松柏團契的查經，真是一生服事主到底，是我們的模範。

Reunion Weekend-7/31，8/1（1）

The past weekend is a "Reunion Weekend".

7/31/10: Family Reunion to celebrate Mom's birthday
14 of us gathered at SF's house on Saturday to celebrate Mom's birthday in advance. In the photo, we all sat in the living room watching "Shrek".

After lunch, my parents, my family and SF's family went to SL Marina. Kids were biking; daddys were jogging after the kids; and mommys were taking a walk.

回到家，SF切白菜，我切韭菜，媽媽切水果，爸爸拌肉餡，然後大家一起包水餃。

小朋友或玩Lego，或到後院，都相處和睦，完全不需要我們操心。小孩大了真好！（享受到小孩大了的樂趣，就不會再想生第三個，自討苦吃）

狼吞虎嚥的哈哈嘻嘻

說實在的，水餃真是好吃，特別是比較Q的厚皮包的那種，太棒了。

當然，祝媽媽生日快樂！

晚上，我們就住在SF家， 因為主日要到我以前的教會CFC聚會，探望陳老牧師。他已經要100歲了，仍然在服事主。我們一年通一兩次信，但是很久沒見面了，所以趁著這次到東灣的機會去看看他。