27-01-2012

Since childhood time, I learn how to gamble by observing, nobody taught me anything. I can play mah jong and many types of card games and I always won (a lots of money). My cousins and my friends used to call me 'gambling queen' which I myself also acknowledged it :P

Last 2 years of CNY, after I accepted Christ and realized this is not a good culture, I actually tried to spend lesser time on gambling, but still couldn't control myself to stop it completely. Especially when people said 'Once a year ma, don't feel like CNY if we don't gamble', I was stupid and always agreed with that statement. *I even pray to God (many times) when I was playing, asked Him to let me win the game so I can earn some 'extra money', but He never answer my prayers. Haha.

During Renewal Gathering on 22th January, when we were praying, Ps. David mentioned about 'stop the culture of gambling', my ears were opened immediately and the words were spoken to my heart. I repented and told God I won't involve gambling anymore, start from this year. When it came to Chinese New Year Eve, temptation came in as my cousins kept asking me to play mah jong (I used to be the dai ga jie and asked them to play :p). For some reasons I agreed but I told them no money involved. They were surprised but forced to say 'yes'. So we started playing. But I quit after 1st round, because I found myself have NO INTEREST at all on gambling! My cousins were curious and they even asked me 'You ok or not? You sick is it?' LOL.

For the next few days of CNY, I keep rejecting people from the invitation of gambling. Some tried to persuade me 'It's ok la, once a year ma' or 'You change character is it? Why this year you so weird?', but I still rejected. So finally my younger cousins asked me why not gambling, I started to explain the reason. (I learned this from Ps. Caleb, I remembered one of his preaching mentioned about how he replied his friends when they commented Christians cannot do this cannot do that.) I said CNY is not for us to gamble, but reunion. I think it's much better to chit-chat, update our news and talk about our lives than just sit down gambling and drinking alcohol. My 15 years old cousin was shocked and she said 'You really change a lots!' :)

So this year I didn't even get one cent from gambling, and because I refused to join my friends 'gambling session' as they visited each other house by house (Seriously they gamble from house to house: once they reach another friend's house, say hi to the parents, sit down on the floor and straight away start gambling. I used to join them.), so I got lesser ang pau. But I feel good, really. Money means nothing, when I fix my eyes on the Kingdom values.

Oh yea, I can actually drink alcohol and won't get drunk, I normally drink once a year during CNY (Only that period of time my house will have alcohol). My dad also surprised and he asked me before 'Who teach you to drink?', but nobody, somehow somehow I managed to do that. But for this year also, I have no intention to drink any alcohol. Hehe :D

God definitely transforms me a lots, though I might lose some friends because of the changes in me, but I love 2 Corinthians 5:17 more than my earthly friends. And I would like to see the atmosphere and culture being transformed as well.

Therefore, if anyone in Christ, a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)