#tastes slightly worse but has the benefit of making me feel less guilty

[corvids-corner]

my ebio class got me switching to oat milk in my lattes

[fear-god-shun-evil]

Christian life | The Best Way to Stop the Children’s Quarrel – Christian Experience

 By Xia Tian

Through the windows and blinds the silvery moonlight filtered into the bedroom. Xiadong opened her dry and sleepy eyes a little. She took a look at her thirteen-year-old son and ten-year-old daughter. It was time for her to call the children to get up to pass water.

“Xuanxuan, Huihui, it’s time to wake up and go pee.” She whispered the pet names of her children. Her daughter didn’t respond and appeared to be sleeping soundly. The son said yes sleepily, and rose up slowly from the quilt. Suddenly, the daughter jumped out of bed and dashed into the bathroom, and slammed the door. Seeing that, the son immediately got wound up and hastened to the bathroom. But he was late, so he could only wait outside anxiously. In a few minutes, the daughter returned and sat on the bed, and then the son came back too.

“Mom called me first, why did you shoot ahead of me? You’re so annoying! You always get ahead of me. What a nuisance you are!” The son roared at the daughter with glaring eyes.

The daughter retorted, “I am a what? Why can’t I go first? You are slow, it’s your own fault.” She felt wronged and burst into tears as she said this. Her cries and their noise of quarrel sounded harsh in the still night. Bothered by their noise, Xiadong lost her desire to sleep. She was annoyed, but she still tried to lull them, “It’s just fine. It doesn’t matter who goes first. Don’t be naughty. Try and sleep right away. You have to go to school tomorrow.” However, neither of them was willing to put themselves aside and they still quarreled and even kicked each other under the quilt. This senseless quarrel made Xiadong grow more annoyed. She thought: It’s now useless to lull them. So she snapped, “It’s already midnight! What are you two doing? Isn’t it annoying? It’s only such a little thing you two argue for. Can’t you be generous with each other? If you continue, both of you get out!” But this rebuke made the two children feel more wronged; they cried even more bitterly and kept grumbling at each other. Listening to their noise of quarrel, Xiadong could only lean against the nightstand and wrinkle her brows. She didn’t know how to stop them. She sat still for a few minutes, and suddenly, she thought of God. She hurried to pray within, “God! My two children are bickering because of a trifle. I have tried to lull them and even scolded them, but to no avail. I really don’t know what to do. Please guide me.” After prayer, a passage of God’s words arose in her mind, “Of everything that occurs in the universe, there is nothing that I do not have the final say in. What exists that is not in My hands? All that I say goes, and among men, who is there who can change My mind?”, “… but know I am Almighty God ruling all things in the universe! For Me there are no problems that cannot be resolved, much less is there anything that cannot be accomplished and any word that cannot be said”. Xiadong saw hope in God’s words. God is almighty. He is the Master of the universe and nothing is difficult for Him. Are my kids not also in God’s hands? Xiadong understood God’s will and knew that she should rely on God rather than her own ability to solve this problem. The situation only got worse when she tried to deal with their quarrel by herself, and from this she realized her arrogance and ignorance. She was willing to commit her children to God and asked for His help to solve this problem, and let His word reign and take control. Then Xiadong had faith in God and knew the way of practice.

She quickly picked up the MP5 player by the pillow, searched for Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life, and read a passage of words to the children, “Tell me, if a person has no truth, will he suffer? He’s really suffering. He can’t get along with anyone for long, and is constantly in conflict with everyone around him. That’s an annoying thing. After he fell out or argued with someone, how did he feel when he came back home and lay in the bed? Upset, right? And he kept thinking, ‘Why are these guys so bad? Why can’t there be one more good person? If there are more good people like me, we can get along well with each other, isn’t it?’ You see, those without the truth always think they are good and think others bad. They are always finding fault with others. This kind of people are tired, right? … Then if you have truth, and when you associate with others, you can treat him properly regardless of what shortcomings he has, you can tolerate him, have patience with him, and you have love for him; problem solved, right? … Truth can truly change people. One without the truth is in enmity with everyone, and have hatred for anyone. After one has truth … he can just tell/recognize who are true brothers and sisters, and he can have love for them and live in harmony with them. If brothers and sisters make a transgression, he can endure and tolerate them, and in his heart he feels gratified, happy, and at peace. When you are possessed of more humanity, and when you are better able to live by truth before God, you will feel enriched, peaceful, and joyful. … When truth takes charge of man’s life, he will feel happy, bright, released, and free.” Gradually, the two children calmed down. They listened attentively in the bed. Xiadong smiled and said gently, “You see, how good these words are. We are fooled and harmed by Satan just because we have no truth. We have been so corrupted by Satan that we all become selfish and self-interested, and have no patience or love for others; no matter what we do, we always put ourselves first, and pursue the principle of how to take advantage of something and not be taken advantage of. You two got annoyed and lost your temper simply because the other got ahead of you. And you thought you suffered loss so you two quarreled and even kicked each other. Is that the likeness of man? We don’t have patience and tolerance when treating our families, then how can we treat others with patience and tolerance? Is that right?”

Because Xiadong often fellowshiped about God’s words with them before, this time they understood her words easily. They poked their heads from under the quilt and nodded slightly. Seeing that they accepted her words, Xiadong was excited and offered her thanks and praises to God in her heart. She moderated her tones and said mildly, “We have no truth, and we do not know ourselves when things happen, but always find fault with others, thinking it’s all their fault. That’s why we felt wronged and painful. All these are the torments of Satan. Satan corrupted us so that we have become selfish, self-interested, and we contend against each other, and thereby people can’t get along with each other. Satan is too malicious. But God loves us, He requires that we live out normal humanity and have love for others, and that in treating others we should forbear with others and care for them. In everything we do we should make others benefit and think more about others, and should not think only of ourselves but sympathize with others’ weakness and forgive their offenses. Only in this way can we build a normal relationship with others and thus live in harmony. So we should read more of God’s word and let His word rule in our hearts, and only then can we see through Satan’s trickery and no longer be fooled by it. My boy, you’re the brother. If your sister does something wrong, you should tolerate her and help her. You shouldn’t seize on her mistake, or you will fall into Satan’s trap.” The son felt guilty and said, “Mom, I’m wrong.” Then Xiadong said to the daughter, “You’re wrong too. You should accept what your brother said, and shouldn’t hold a grudge against him. God likes those children who readily accept the truth. You should accept the mistake your brother pointed out and correct it. Don’t struggle or contend next time, but be modest and accommodating toward each other. And don’t only think of yourself. Then Satan will be shamed and dare not play tricks on you. In this way you won’t feel wronged.” The daughter felt self-blame and said, “Sorry! It is I who am to blame. I shouldn’t get ahead of my brother and I’ll correct it next time.” The two children both apologized and admitted their mistakes. After Xiadong saw this, her heart was full of gratitude to God. She practically tasted God’s almightiness and loveliness, and couldn’t help sighing with emotion: Without God’s guidance I would be helpless when facing this matter. Before the facts, she felt she was so small and incompetent, and saw God’s greatness. It was God who was her rear guard and helped her stop the rumpus, so that she could have peace. Looking at her two children who had fallen asleep, she deeply tasted that God was her only reliance.

Night became quiet again. As the children were sleeping sweetly, the moonlight was becoming more silvery. The bedroom seemed placid in the silvery light. The alarm clock was ticking in rhythm, and its hands pointed to 2:30 a.m. At this moment, Xiadong was not weary. She lay in the bed and recalled the scene just now. Without God’s guidance, how could they three have such a peace? This time she tasted God’s love and felt the authority and power of God’s words. She thought back to the past. When she had difficulties in work so many times, it was God who helped her out and gave her faith. When she met family disputes or children’s bickering, it was God who led her to solve them with the truth. God’s word saw her through every difficulty so that she was able to avoid many Satan’s afflictions and temptations. She deeply realized that only God is able to settle the disputes and stop the quarrels among people. Only God has the ability to solve all the problems in our lives because He is possessed of this kind of authority and power. Just as God’s words say, “but know I am Almighty God ruling all things in the universe! For Me there are no problems that cannot be resolved, much less is there anything that cannot be accomplished and any word that cannot be said”.

[idontevenknowme-posts]

How-to-Really-Know-Someone Questions Tag!

How do you feel about birthdays? hate them

Do you believe in fate? no 

What do you think when a band/artist “sells out”? nice for them

What do you think of fans and fandoms? strange

Any specific personality traits you would like to see in your life partner? dk

Should parents be their child’s friends? no, they should be parents. 

What do you think of doctor-assisted suicide? should be allowed everywhere

Have you ever blown your top? Why? what? 

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? 18

You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do? i’d say i disagree

If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve seen before, what would you paint? a house in france i once lived in

In the case of prevention of overpopulation, should some people be prohibited from reproducing? no 

You discover that because of a mix-up at the hospital, your wonderful one-year-old child is not yours. Would you want to exchange the child to try to correct the mistake? jeez i really dont know 

Have you ever seen a person, an animal, or something else die? How did you feel about it? no 

What is the most drastic thing you’ve done? cut myself

What are your favorite movies? dk 

What is your favorite body part? shoulders

If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? because we are dumb af

How important is music in your life? very

How would you describe your father in four words? intelligent, caring, respectful and awesome

If you were to change one thing about your physical appearance, what would it be? my height

Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why? no not really. my bf maybe

What is your favorite kind of flower and why? roses cus they’re pretty

What do you think about the death penalty? dk

What is your ideal day? dk 

How thin/fat, small/large, tall/short are you compared to your peers? i think im fat

If you were a book, what would it be? a depressing one 

Have you ever seen a dead person before? How did you feel about it? no 

Which is worse, failing or never trying? failing to me 

Have you ever taken care of a sick person? yes

Who are the people who have influenced you? my parents 

Which of the four cardinal virtues do you embody the most? dk

What are some things you like about your sibling? she’s beautiful inside out. 

Would you save an extremely talented musician who has the influence to promote good values for the world or a pregnant woman in a situation where it is certain you must choose one over the other? the pregnant woman

If you could choose the sex and physical appearance of your soon-to-be-born child, would you do it? idk.. maybe yes. but i ‘d love it no matter what

What would it take someone to make you feel really fulfilled? to love me unconditionally and show me 

Do you daydream a lot? What do you daydream about? no  

If you were at a friend’s house for Thanksgiving dinner and you found a dead cockroach in the salad, what would you do? just hide it lol 

How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)? not honest. 

Do you look like any celebrities? no i dont think so 

What activities do you enjoy? running 

Would you place education as a top priority? yes 

If you had a Death Note, would you use it? yes 

How do you feel about your gender? Does the normal male/female suit you? How much do you act like your supposed sex/gender? yeah i think im quite femaleish

What things have made you cry in the past? i cry easily, so a lot of things

Complete this sentence “I wish I had someone with whom I could share…” everything 

Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous? attractive yes  

Who was your best teacher in school? What did you learn? What would they say about you? my math teacher. he was just wise on life. 

How would you like affection to be displayed to you? dk

Do you think someone could love more than one person at once? love? yes. but not be IN love. 

When did you start discovering your own music taste? What was it? youth i guess.. pop 

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? cry 

If you could use a voodoo doll to hurt anyone you chose, would you? yes... 

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? meditate

What is your greatest accomplishment so far? dk 

Describe the ultimate hell. my life now

What is one event that has impacted your life for good? For bad? dont know

Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at. good: overthinking, overeating and selfdetruction. bad: turning words into actions, stand up for myself and socialise. 

Describe the ultimate paradise/heaven. just being happy with oneself

Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love? yes 

What do you think about following your dreams? Are you following your dreams? no 

How would you like to die? happy

Are you able to kill animals? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable? only mosquitos etc 

What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year? when i get to sleep, tuesday, june. 

How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s? not close. no. 

Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help? my bf 

What do you feel guilty about? my illness

What do you believe makes a successful life? being happy with oneself. 

Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict? avoid conflict

While parking late at night, you slightly scrape the side of a Porsche. You are certain no one else is aware of what happened. The damage is minor and would be covered by insurance. Would you leave a note? no 

What is the one thing that you love the most about yourself? nothing

Would you try smoking? Alcohol? Why? have done

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? hopefully done with my education, living with my bf and maybe having my first child

Would you try drugs? What kind? Why? no 

If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know? everything 

If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? dont know 

What’s the first thing that compels you to an individual? their way of talking to others

Who are your closest friends and why are you friends with them? i have no friends

Do you like having children around you? yes if they ar well-behaved

If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and what would it be for? mask party or halloween

Would you be willing to have horrible nightmares for a year if you would be rewarded with extraordinary wealth?  no 

Would you like to be famous? In what way? no 

Define a “friend”. someone who supports you in good and bad times. 

What are some risky sports/activities you would want to try? Why? bungeejumping. the kick. 

Do you have any biases or prejudices?

When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself? few days ago, and yesterday. 

What would you name the autobiography of your life? “the truth about me”

What was the most cherished memory that you had growing up with your mother? some of our vacations

Where do you stand on religion and why? i dont believe in any religion

How do you deal with stress? i dont LOL 

How do you feel about being alone while eating lunch at school? What about a whole day alone? usually how it is. its boring af but you get used to it

What are your favorite books? dnt know

Would you save an extremely talented musician (whom you like) who has the influence to promote good values for the world or your father in a situation where it is certain you must choose one over the other? my father ofc

How similar are you and your sibling in personality? Appearance? not at ALL similar

Have you ever woken in the middle of the night and done something apart from going back to sleep? yes

What music do you like but do not identify with (guilty pleasures)? rock 

How do you feel about parties? like them 

Can you sing seriously in a nonmusical situation? no

What music do you like and identify with? pop 

How easily seasick/carsick/airsick/elevatorsick are you? veryyyy

What are your pet peeves? when people walk really slow or chew really loud or talk slow. 

Read anything interesting lately? nope

How do you display your affection? idk

When you get home from work, what would you like someone close to you to do or say in the first few minutes? “i missed you” 

Do you get along with people who are from different backgrounds? yes

If you were to change one thing about your personality, what would it be? less naive

What is the most drastic thing you’ve thought of doing? suicide 

How attractive are you in comparison to your peers? not attractive

If you could influence people like a celebrity does, how would you use it for the benefit of the planet? be NICER to others. be HONEST. 

Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)? most people tbh

Have you ever done any charitable acts? yes

When you were young, what was the thing that you wanted to be when you grew up? Why? teacher cause i liked school 

What should you never say, even in anger and frustration? “kill yourself”

What would constitute a perfect day for you? dk

What do you like to do in your spare time/on weekends? be with my bf

How do you feel about having kids one day? id like that

Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable? i dont think so, unless my loved ones were threatened. 

Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil? no

If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be? idk

If you learned that a good friend has AIDS, would you avoid him? What if your brother or sister had AIDS? no. 

What makes you cry? lots of things

What do you think about sports? love it 

How and when are abortions okay? they are always okay. 

If you were sure you could not fail, what would you attempt to do? suicide.

What were you like as a child? How would your parents or other people describe you as a child? i was ego af and attentionseeking.

What would you give up for lent? dk

What do you appreciate most about your life? nothing really

If you died or went missing, who would miss you? no one... maybe my sister

Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why? both my parents cuz i love them

Who are your heroes/idols and why? none

If you were to win $10 million, what would you do with all that money? travel 

Would you still be a relationship with someone who cheated on you? depends. 

How do you think your family environment growing up has affected you as a person? i’ve become very eager to feel save, so I need to be with someone. I dont like to depend on myself. 

If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? dk

Which of the seven cardinal sins do you embody the most? dk

If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be? dont depend on others.