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Today, I was fortunate enough to spend time releasing on something that was a problem for me for quite some time:  Teaching kids.

With the help of my release partner, I let go of a lot of the stress about this, I’ve become a lot more relaxed about what to do and a few hours ago, something hit me:  I was talking to a new guy I met today, and as we talked, I recalled a blog of a guy who learned Japanese by memorizing 10,000 phrases.  That’s 13-14 phrases a day for 2 years, and then I suddenly got this interesting idea:  If I just teach them 13 phrases for each class in a fun and interesting way with lots of repetition, I don’t see why they wouldn’t be able to eventually speak with greater fluency provided that they can say the phrases effortlessly/automatically.

I think there’s something to this method though many would probably frown upon the approach.  Basically, I’ve come to conclude that comprehensible input (via listening/reading), repetition, and fun are key elements for easy language learning.  Now the big question is:  How could I implement these ideas into my class tomorrow?  I don’t have the answer(s), but I now have a general direction that I’m heading towards.  Normally, I would have been stressed about all this, but this time, I’m inspired!  Something is different!  I’m feeling tremendously more optimistic about teaching my kids.  Gotta thank my release partner for the assistance

Business

In other interesting news, a new person I met today shared a business idea that he has, and now I’m seriously considering being a business partner.  Initially, I felt resistant towards him since the business idea seemed like it wouldn’t work.  But as we talked, I opened up to him when he mentioned about how serious he was about running a business, as I knew that the idea is not as important as the person running the business. 

Having ‘failed’ in network marketing in the past, I am fully aware of the psychological changes that are necessary for building a business.  Ultimately, the failure has led me to see what it takes to run a successful business.  So, as we talked, he demonstrated that he’s got the business mindset.  Moreover, I told him that if I were to work with him and his friend, the three of us would have to educate ourselves by reading books on wealth, and release quite a bit on business/money related beliefs.  To my surprise, he is very open to all of it.  This, to me, is a very good sign.  It indicates that personal growth is important to him.  I suspect releasing would do wonders for us.

Additionally, I’ve been looking for people just like him.  The thought of doing business with like-minded people has been on my mind quite a while back, so it’s interesting to see where this goes.  I’m going to challenge him and his friend to examine all his thoughts on money and business.  If they are unwilling to change, then I’m sure I don’t want to do business with them.  Perhaps my challenge to them is a little extreme on my part, but why would anyone want to do business with people who will unconsciously sabotage a business?  Hence, the importance of discerning whether this is a worthy venture or not.

And this idea reminds me of…

Marriage and relationships

It’s been over 6 weeks since Mihee and I broke up.  Now I see why it happened.  I compromised some of my own values, which I shouldn’t have done in the first place.  I certainly adapted as best I could, but in the end, I violated my own values and nearly compromised my integrity.  There was no question that she and I had a great relationship, it’s just that we were heading in different directions, and no matter how much I tried to keep things together, we just didn’t match as well as I thought we would.  She would only adapt so much… and that’s perfectly okay.  I am over it, and grateful for all the things I’ve learned from it

This time I will maintain a high standard, and will not compromise.  Just as I wouldn’t want to be a business partner with someone who is unwilling to keep growing and changing, I am not going to date/marry a gorgeous woman who is unwilling to constantly grow and change for the better.  It just won’t happen.  A pretty face alone isn’t good enough.

One thing that I almost compromised was my virginity.  I am quite glad that I maintained it as I’m looking forward to offering it as a gift on my wedding night.  This is very important to me so there is NO compromise.  I’m sure the woman I marry would appreciate knowing that I chose to save it for her.  Many say that the sex isn’t that great the first time, but that doesn’t bother me in the least.  And whether my future wife is or isn’t a virgin matters little to me.  I will accept her either way.  What really matters more is what I do.

I particularly love what the Catholic Church teaches about love and sexuality.  Many people criticize the Church not knowing that it has such a beautiful perspective on sexuality which defends the integrity of women and married life.  When I first heard about the Church’s stance on contraception, I thought it was ridiculous, but once I found out the reasons, I felt so inspired to maintain my virginity and turn Catholic.  The Church has such a positive view on married life that I couldn’t help but be in awe.

I recall listening to a talk where the speaker said that one of the primary purposes of married men is to help their wives enter heaven (and vice versa for women).  Sounds a bit romantic if you ask me, and I think it’s no surprise that romance and the Roman Catholic Church have the word ‘roman’ in common.  Even genuflecting is as Roman(tic) as you can get.  And ever since I started liking girls, I often wanted to be a bit romantic, as I know girls love it. :)

Speaking of girls, there are plenty of attractive girls everywhere, but many of them aren’t exactly the type of girl I’m looking for.  There are several girls that I could probably be happy with, but there is one that I prefer more than any other. 

I’ve been thinking about her nearly everyday for quite some time now.  For a while I thought perhaps this is just an attachment, which it sorta was, but now I do not deny the fact that…

I like someone…

… and I’m happy about it! 

What attracted me to her was the fact that she values something that is extremely important to me.  When she mentioned it, I was completely surprised.  I think I’m either going crazy over this girl, or I’m losing my mind.  I suppose it’s a little bit of both, and I don’t mind either:  My mind often tricks me anyway, and I enjoy daydreaming about her, like thinking of all the unique date places I’d like to take her to if she lived close to me. ;)

To make things more interesting:  Earlier last month, I specifically wrote down several qualities that I was looking for in a woman, and to me, she meets ALL of them so well that I wonder if she read my notebook!  This is certainly really weird because I did virtually nothing to cause this to happen.  I never had to call anyone, be set up, go to a club/bar, or whatever.  I didn’t even spend time releasing on it.  It required no effort at all.  Certainly very odd.

And I get the feeling that she may read this sooner or later, which is why I am purposely avoiding some specifics, like that really important value of mine.  If I revealed it, she would instantly know I am referring to her which kinda defeats the purpose of this part of my blog entry.  I am not sure if she is interested in me, since I tend to have a tough time reading signals, but if she is, then I know she would read all of this! ^_^

And leaving some of these details out allows me to reveal how I feel about her without her knowing for sure that I am talking about her.  It’s like hiding a secret out in the open LOL!  It’s not that I’m afraid of telling her.  It’s so easy to just tell her now, but a little bit of suspense makes this is a lot more fun

In due time, I will tell her directly.  And it’s perfectly okay if she is not interested in me.  I’m just excited about being attracted to a new girl and directly telling her that I am genuinely attracted to her.  Perhaps she will be the first to respond positively! ^_^

What if negative experiences facilitate an opportunity to positively change?

It’s so easy to look at what’s going wrong in our lives and act as if we are helpless victims, but what if all the terrible things that happen to us are actually agents of inner transformation (as if these unfortunate circumstances are facilitating change)?

This is certainly a very different interpretation of things, but I find that rather than letting circumstances us delude us into being ‘stuck’, it is so much easier to be free by letting go of any wanting feelings attached to the circumstances (like wanting control or approval).  Of course, changing the past simply isn’t possible anyway.

The key is to ‘let go and let God’ as they say, much like the way the Psalmist once said, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want”.  Wanting things is often the problem.  Let go of the want, and life suddenly becomes much easier because it allows us to realize what we truly have.  I know this is easier said than done, but in my experience, this is quite real.

It is what helped me to get over the heartbreak from a breakup in such a short period of time.  If you are struggling to control a specific situation to your liking, here’s a simple question you can use to begin changing:

“Could I let go of wanting to control this situation?”

Ask it over and over, and be sure to say ‘yes’ each time. 

This has worked wonders for me

Are You Tired Of Feeling Stuck In Life? Go Here To Learn About How You Can Transform Your Life!

What follows is an article I posted on a Christian email list.

Are you feeling down?  Worried?  Confused?  Stressed?  Can’t think straight?

If so, consider what you are holding in mind as the Bible tells us to do the following:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

So, how can we apply this especially when we’re feeling so down and out?  Simple:  Ask yourself any or all of these questions over and over until you naturally feel better: (You do not even have to answer them.  In fact, I discourage it altogether!)

“What blessings from God have I been unaware of until now?”

“In what way has God blessed me even though it seemed like He hasn’t listened?”

“How is this (negative experience) a blessing in disguise?”

“What is great about this that I am not getting?”

Just repeat the questions to yourself over and over (and in any order) without trying to answer them.  For example:

“How is this a blessing in disguise?”
“How is this a blessing in disguise?”
“How is this a blessing in disguise?”
“How is this a blessing in disguise?”
“How is this a blessing in disguise?”
“How is this a blessing in disguise?”

The more you try to answer, the more stressful you may feel, so just repeat them however you like and your mind will automatically come up with an answer.  Even if there is no answer, you will likely feel freer than before (and this is the whole point of this simple exercise!)

By asking the questions, you are affirming that God has blessed you, and therefore you are focusing on the things of God!

I recommend doing this for 5 minutes (which may feel like a long time) and notice how you feel afterwards.  You will literally ‘think about such excellent or praiseworthy things within those ‘long’ 5 minutes.

Also, let us recall these words:

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

Our thinking often traps us in limitation to the point where we literally don’t see what God has done for us.  So the above presuppositions embedded in the questions force the mind to focus on ‘his ways’.  Rather than trying to struggle to think about the things of God, I find it much easier to merely ask the empowering questions repeatedly (almost like a broken record) WITHOUT trying to answering them.

As we know, questions can be quite hypnotic, so how great would you feel if you used them to be aware of the blessings that God has given you today?

The following article was written, once again, for a Christian audience, but the wisdom is universal.

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. (Proverbs 11:24)

It seems a bit odd how giving can lead to gaining more, but it makes sense in light of this statement: “a man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7).  Elsewhere the same idea appears in the New Testament: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6).  Jesus also spoke of this when he says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38)

In short, by giving, we will reap.  What we give will come back to us.  This idea is further expressed in Malachi 3:10 which speaks of giving tithes and the result would be greater abundance:

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. (Malachi 3:10)

It’s worth noting here that the scriptures even give specific instructions on how to give:

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Romans 12:8 also reveals that one ought to ‘give generously’.  Thus, giving is not so much done out of obligation because that would not be truly giving.  It would be more of a transaction rather than giving.  Giving should be done out of a desire to cheerfully contribute towards another person’s well-being, and the benefits of being cheerful are not to be underestimated:

Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 15:13 – A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:15 – All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Proverbs 15:30 – A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

All of this suggests that by giving cheerfully, it presupposes that he or she has full faith that God will provide.  After all, it is “God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:7).

If generously giving away money or possessions stirs up feelings of doubt, worry or other negative emotions, it reveals areas of our lives that need healing, as it suggests that we are not fully trusting in God’s provisions.  When we are wealthy, it’s easy to give a significant amount yet still feel comfortable since there may still be plenty, but if we were poor and gave, it would likely cause us to feel rather uncomfortable.

Interestingly, Luke 21:1-4 shows precisely this scenario.  It is a story about rich men and a widow.  First we see rich men were putting gifts into a temple treasury, and then a widow gives merely 2 coins which were like 2 pennies.  Jesus claims that she gave more than all the others, and his reasoning is interesting, “All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:4).  The significance is this:  She gave all she had rather than giving mere leftovers.  It suggests she was psychologically okay with giving literally all she had!

If giving even the smallest amount causes you some negativity, notice how you feel about it, and take note of the thoughts that may be racing through your mind.  Would this not suggest a need to renew your mind?  Could you honestly give a tenth of your earnings away generously and cheerfully?

Remember, scripture says you reap what you sow.  If you give out of fear, doubt, worry or any other negativity, could it be that you would reap such things by giving in such a way?  I think this is precisely why the Bible says,

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

By giving cheerfully, it would suggest we are setting ourselves up to receive more cheerfully.  Perhaps this is why apostle Paul says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)?  I can’t say I know if I am right, but it is certainly something to think about!

Several weeks ago I recall coming across a beggar.  Generally, the thought of giving to a beggar used to make me feel guilty, yet the feeling of not giving would also generate guilt.  Yet, this beggar had done something rather odd.  To my surprise, he wasn’t doing the usual “poor me, I’m doomed, please help me”.  This gentleman simply held out an open pan with a huge smile on his face.  I could clearly see that he had two front teeth missing, which made the smile all the more genuine to me!  As a result, giving to him was effortless as I did not feel any sense of obligation or guilt.  In fact, it was the first time I had felt awesome giving to a beggar!  He had done something that I had rarely ever done to a stranger which completely changed the rest of that day:  He had given me a cheerful smile!  Let us go back to what the Bible says about giving:

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Often people assume that giving is in the form of money, yet all of us can give something as simple as a smile to change people’s moods!

So, the next time you have an opportunity to give, put on a huge smile, and really feel that smile!  Then give whatever you wish to give, and notice how great it feels to empower others with what you give them.  Do not expect anything from giving, as expecting money or something else would turn the giving into a transaction.  At the same time, do not be surprised if money begins to flow into your life.

Let me remind you:

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. (Proverbs 11:24)

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

What follows is an e-mail that I had written regarding the supposed ‘root of all evil’.  It was primarily written for a Christian audience in mind, however, seeing how Western culture has been largely influenced by Christianity, it is well worth reading since the belief is very widespread in the English speaking world.

Many people believe that “Money is the root of all evil.”  Yet, the original source of the statement comes from the Bible which actually says:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

Clearly, this passage is referring to the love of money, not money itself.  Unfortunately, it is assumed that money is the antithesis of God, as many people claim that one cannot serve both God and money (Matt 6:24).  However, the point is to not let money become an idol.  Some would look into the context of 1 Timothy 6 to argue that money is evil:

“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. (1 Tim 6:9)

While this sounds as if being rich is somehow evil, the key presupposition here is ‘want to get rich’.  It indicates that one is lacking, since wanting presupposes lack.  When one has something, there is no more wanting necessary.  As apostle Paul says in Romans 8:24, “Who hopes for what he already has?”
 
Say the following phrases to yourself:  “I have money” and “I want money”.  Say them slowly, and notice how the two phrases feel as you say them.  Which phrase feels more uncomfortable?  Which phrase feels more complete?  My guess is that “I have money” feels much more complete, while “I want money” feels uncomfortable, as if something is lacking.  Having said that, it would make sense for the Psalmist to say:
 
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” (Psalm 23:1)
 
This statement presupposes that he no longer wants anything, which suggests his needs are met.  In fact, the entire Psalm goes on to describe how God gives him tranquility, restoration, comfort and food (Psalm 23:2-5).  Then, it concludes with the following, “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:6).  Ultimately, by fully having God, one no longer wants.  Thus, by wanting money, one is clearly not with God.  However, I contend that by having God or being with God, one can become rich (though not necessarily the way he or she may expect).
 
Some would perhaps argue that the context of 1 Timothy 6 further reveals that being rich is sinful.  After all, that is what 1 Tim 6:17 sounds like:

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God…” (1 Tim 6:17).

What we see here is that apostle Paul is commanding wealthy Christians to put their hope in God.  It almost sounds like he is telling them to rid themselves of wealth, much like Jesus telling the rich man to sell his possessions and give it all to the poor (Matt 19:21).  Yet the rest of the 1 Timothy 6:17 paints a different picture:

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Tim 6:17).

This presupposes trust in our Lord, who richly provides for us.  In other words, it is God who makes us rich in our own respective ways.
 
In spite of all this, some would continue to persist that being rich is sinful by quoting Jesus:
 
“I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 19:24), but by taking a closer look at the context we can see the real problem:  “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Matt 19:22).  Ultimately, the problem was not the money itself, but rather the meaning he attached to it.  In other words, in his mind, he likely thought the following:  

Giving up great wealth = Sadness

This presupposes that he was attached to his wealth, much like the way an alcoholic would have a tough time giving up alcohol even though alcohol in itself is not sinful. The rich man was probably thinking, “I want my money” which indicates he was controlled by his wealth rather than being free to give it away generously.  Let us recall that “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17).  He most likely lacked self-control, which apostle Paul states is one of the “fruits of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-23).
 
Apostle Paul’s words from Romans 12:1-2 suggest that the man’s problem was in his mind: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
 
Therefore, when looking at passages like Hebrews 13:5, we can now understand how money is to be understood:

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you:  never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5)

This is a matter of trusting God, rather than trusting the love of money, which could probably be translated as greed, not money itself.  It’s worth noting here that it says, “be content with what you have” rather than, “be content with what you want”
 
Moreover, the following verse helps put this into perspective:

“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

Once again, the problem here is not money but the unhealthy attachment to it and trying to be satisfied by it, yet satisfaction comes from God (see Psalm 23).  We are to be content with what we have been given (i.e. God)
 
Scripture also reveals that “when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:19).  In other words, wealth is given to us by God as a gift that we are to receive.  Should we not give thanks when we are given such wonderful gifts?
 
Yet how often do we forget this simple command:

“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ (1 Thess 5:18).  

By giving thanks we are not only in a state of gratitude, we are acknowleding all that God has given to us which are then to be used to do more of his work.  This would explain why Jesus said:  “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48). 
 
This idea fits neatly with Jesus’s parable of the talents. (see Matt 25:14-30) A master had three servants who were given money to generate more wealth.  They were each given according to their abilities, and while the first two servants multiplied their money for the master, the last servant literally did nothing. 
 
The end result was that the first two servants were rewarded for their deeds, yet the last servant was called lazy and his money was taken from him and was given to the first servant.  It’s interesting to note that Jesus gave a parable about stewardship in the form of investing!  In short, it reveals that money is a concrete form of stewardship towards God, not the root of all evil.

“But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.” (Deut 8:18)