Encouragement

Yay, giant salad.

I made miss meow meow a dress.

Pin the parts on the chicken (game I used when teaching sunday school)
woohoo!! successful home made kelp salad. (it came in a bag in dried form)
My classmate went to China and brought me a souvenir. He said you eat each shrimp whole, as is.
Hello kitty floral arrangements

At my low point two weeks ago, I parodied 'i will survive': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBR2G-iI3-I

first i was afraid

i was petrified

kept thinking i didn't have what it takes

to keep happy on this job

but then i spent so many nights

thinking how i did it wrong

n i grew strong

n i learned how to carry on

but it's back

from out of nowhere

i returned from the loo to find it here

with that email in outlook

responding to what i should have not have copied you on

if i had known for just one second

you'd be back to come after me

go on now go be your fuming self

just keep going now

fine i'll play your dirty lil game

i know how it works around here now

you think i'd crumble

you think i'd back off and leave

oh no not i

i will survive

as long as i have severence payment

i know i will stay alive

i've got all my life to live

i've got all my life to work

and i'll survive

i will survive

The stress (work--quite the long story, and school-- I was way behind schedule in my dissertation) has taken its toll on me in the form of excessive snacking as I tend to do when stressed, and cortisol, the hormone that compounds the effects of the former…. sigh. It will take me some time to get back in shape. Hot mexican buns are attractive when you're looking for a comforting convenient and cost effective treat.

At some point last week, I was unhappy and fearful about my career, but hearing stories about other people's hardships, and also the story of Joseph (as in Joseph from the Bible or Joseph and the amazing technicoloured coat of Webber's musical), reminded me of how life has a knack of continuing whether you like it or not, and that things usually get better. And I was reminded of how things could have been worse. And how it is in bad situations that someone can mature. Joseph, even while being kicked out of his family, getting jailed for no good reason; he stuck to his principles and did not blame anyone. The story goes, God pulled through in the end for him, reduced the crap that he could have been subjected to (ie he could have been killed instead of being sold into slavery), and used those crap experiences for a final extraordinarily good result. Even if you don't believe in divine plans, I think the same principle applies. Often we wonder why bad things happen. But it shapes our character, and sometimes the bad is necessary for a greater good that you only realize later down the road. From a christian point of view, believing in God doesn't mean you are exempt from farts in life and entitled to smooth sailing; it means leaning on God, staying true to Him through thick and thin, to his principles (Joseph didn't succumb to being depressed and whiney and justifying bad habits to his bad luck in life), especially in bad times, because He will take care of you.

So during bad times, examine your conscience, and examine yourself. Use this time to prepare for the good, because soon enough, it will come as long as you do your best and be patient.