Day 23: Hong Kong

Most of my days in Hong Kong are uneventful. It is my resting time in between trips, but also a time to read and reflect. But sometimes it seems quite boring.

Not being used to so much unscheduled time, I spend more time sleeping than I would like. Today I woke up at 11am. After leisurely breakfast of waffles, eggs, and sausages (with my daily cup of milk tea), I spent some time with God reading His word. Right now I’m going through the gospels, reading both the NIV and the Message. This particular morning, nothing jumped out at me from the text – no sudden “oh-this-is-what-God-is-telling-me”.

So I decided to listen. I sat there by the window in the sunlight with my eyes closed, trying to listen. Over the next hour, I would drift in and out of sleep, thoughts would run through my mind, and I would try to listen. I’m not sure how good of a job I did, because I didn’t really hear anything spectacular. But it was very enjoyable, sitting in the sunshine… just sitting there. (I won’t bore you with the details of the rest of my day)

It’s Ash Wednesday today, the official start of Lent. My sister reminded me of it, and after some thought, I decided I would observe Lent this year. Lent is the forty days before Easter, excluding Sundays. Traditionally it is a time for prayer and fasting, in preparation for Easter. Nowadays, people give up something they enjoy for Lent. For me, I’ve decided to give up live TV and chocolate.

Day 25: Still Hong Kong

I figured since I’m observing Lent, I should find a good reason for doing so. Here’s a good explanation: “By denying ourselves something we enjoy, we discipline our wills so that we are not slaves to our pleasures. By disciplining the will to refuse pleasures when they are not sinful, a habit is developed which allows the will to refuse pleasures when they are sinful. There are few better ways to keep one's priorities straight than by periodically denying ourselves things of lesser priority to show us that they are not necessary and focus our attention on what is necessary.”

So far, I think I’ve done more travel planning than actual traveling. I've been reading Lonely Planet alot. Here’s my tentative travel schedule, the rest of the time I should be in Hong Kong.

March 5-6: Macau
March 8-12: Guilin / Yangshuo / Guangzhuo, China
March 14: Hong Kong Disneyland
March 17-20: Singapore
March 29-April 4: backpacking in southwest China
April 4-11: Beijing (and around that area)
April 13-17: Vietnam
April 22-29: more China

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
~John 10:27~