footsteps in my daily life
The last day of the retreat...
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To join Him, Jesus Christ, on the cross especially designed for each one of us is what we are expected to do...; no single day should be spent without our own cross...
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I associated Christ's Holy Death on the cross with Fr. Rodrigues' denial of his faith to save lives of laymen undergoing the toruture of 'the pit' in the novel 'Silence' by Shusaku Endo...; Charity surpasses loyalty to the faith..., which I believe is what Jesus Christ also manifested in various occasions in His life on earth...
One of the model action research projects introduced in the chapter we read through for today's class on Teaching Reading in a Second Language was designed to reveal the strategies that students think they are using while reading... But, it seems that it's one thing to be able to use strategies, and it's another to be able to verbalize them... It doesn't mean that one does not use any strategies unless he/she can explicitly mention the strategies they use... Therefore, the findings in this kind of research should be carefully considered...
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After class, I went to the library to use a computer (my computer is still unavailable...). I then ran into B-san and N-san by chance. I hadn't seen them for a long while; so I was glad to have a pleasant chat with them all the more for it!
The point of today's Mass was 'humility' or 'humbleness'... One tends to believe that it's humble to regard oneself as less important, meaningless or inferior to other people, but it's not correct. Those who are truly humble will, according to Fr. C, make full use of what little ability they have for goodness out of righteous intention not out of their selfishness... Compatibility between humility and taking the initiative...
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It was very hot today too... It was like Summer! This made me aware that time is surely passing by...
Today was St. Joseph's Feast! He humbly and generously loved and served for the Blessed Mary as well as Jesus Christ; so He knows the best how to love them... Therefore, it must be good idea to ask Him to intercede for us to be able to better love the Blessed Mary as well as Jesus Christ... Also, we can ask Him to help us trust God in any cases as it is said that St. Joseph is a man who trusts God...
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'shi n pai (worry)' and 'shi n rai (trust)' differes only in one sound..., but it makes all the difference... 'shi n pai (worry)' gets us nowhere, but 'shi n rai (trust)' brings on us hope and love...
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C-san let me know the following beautiful prayer called "A Sweetheart's Daily Prayer":
O St. Joseph, Model of justice and therefore of husbands, I beseech Thee to direct me in my choice of a future wife (husband). Grant me especially wisdom and deliberation in this choice. Make both my friendship and courtship especailly chaste, unselfish, prudent, thrifty and cheerful. Be my companion in single as well as wedded life. Thanks C-san (^^)
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I practiced softball with T-san, S-san and others to prepare for the tournament... It was a great fun!..although I got my arms and legs sore...
The war in Iraq broke out today... It's very pity that they couldn't find any peaceful solutions... I wish at least that civilians will not be involved in any accidents or attacks...especially children...
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I played tennis with T-san after almost a month interval...; consequently I couldn't play well at first, but as time goes on, I got used to it and could somehow play as well as I used to... The weather was warm and nice (although it was a little cloudy..), and we had a great fun all the more for it...