Favourite Quotes A reminder in life
to appreciate things that
you have, not grouse
about what you don't have
Love is magical.
Its a language the deaf can hear
a song the crippled can dance to
and a sunset that the blind can see
There is nothing in the world that love can't conquer
Money can buy many fine things, but love, peace, and happiness are the most precious treasures to be found
To show someone that you love them,give them you time
Great man are not born great. God uses troubles and trials to make them great
When someone has wronged you, repay them with forgiveness and it will be remembered forever
When you feel like giving up, hold on just a little longer
The secret to happiness is being content with what you have
The tongue is a sword or a magic wand: it can cut and kill or love and heal
Life is a journey, heaven is a destination
Those who live unselfishly are those who have a life that's most worth living
It's not as difficult to apologize as it is to live with a guilty conscience
A word of encouragement is as refreshing as a cold drink on a hot summer day
Happiness comes from within your heart, not from your surroundings
It's not always what you say that makes the difference; somestimes its the way you say it
It's how you handle your problems and troubles that counts, not the trouble themselves
Hatred in our hearts causes our enemies to triumph over us. Forgiveness causes us to triumph over them
Love is the essence of everything beautiful, the force behind everything wonderful
If something bad happens to you, think of all the things that didnt happen. Things could have been worse
A working man must not forget the art of playing, lest he lose the energy and inspiration needed for his work
Optimism is not the result of blinding oneself to problems, but of always believing there is a solution
Knowledge is a collection of facts. Wisdom is knowing how to apply knowledge
Love is the ability to see beyond the faults of another and to discover the beauties of his or her heart
Whether you suceed or fail is not as important as whether you do your best
You may not be able to choose you lot in life, but you can choose how to handle your lot
Be thankful for what you have,not sad about what you don't have
Be part of the solution, not part of the problem
Great souls are often those who have undergone great sorrows but have refused to give up
Love and trust are inseparable. You can't have one without the other
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Information also taken from chinese-wedding-guide.com Chinese Bridal Bed Taboos Except for children who are thought to bless the couple with fertility, no other adult should sit or rest on the bridal bed after its installation and before the chinese wedding.
It is also taboo for the bride to lie on the bridal bed before the chinese wedding. It is believed that this will lead to her poor health.
If the groom has to sleep on the installed bridal bed before the chinese wedding, he should be accompanied by a young boy.
It is considered extremely unlucky to leave one side of the bed empty while the groom sleeps on the other side. The Taiwan chinese has a saying; [睏空舖，不死尪，亦死某] which means leaving one side of the bed empty is to curse death on either half of the new couple.
When to install the bridal bed? Some chinese believe that it is important to choose an auspicious date and time to install the bridal bed, as a new branch of the family is starting on it!
As most prefer not to disturb the bed after it has been “installed”, the auspicious date chosen is usually during the week before the chinese wedding.
Who to install the bridal bed? A good fortune woman, one whose husband and children are all alive and has grandchildren, may install the bridal bed.
How to install the bridal bed? The bridal bed is moved slightly to symbolize its installation. The good fortune woman will make the bed with the new set of bridal bed linen.
After making the bed, the good fortune woman will leave on it a plate with
even number of tangerines or oranges,
dried longans,
dried red dates,
dried persimmons,
pak hup (dried magnolia petals),
dried lotus seeds,
sprigs of pomegranate leaves, and
two red packets.
The dried longans, dried red dates and dried persimmons are sweet and will bless the marriage with sweetness.
Pak hup [百合] stands for [百年好合], hundred years of harmony in the marriage. The lotus seeds [莲子] and pomegranate [番石榴/红花] leaves bless the union with fertility.
Chinese also believe that pomegranate leaves have the power to ward off evil. The oranges and red packets are for good fortune.
Bedside lamps
She will then light a pair of bedside lamps. In chinese, lamp [灯 “deng”] has the similar sound as son [丁 “ding”]. So lighting the lamps, [添灯] is symbolic of adding sons [添丁] to the family.
These lamps are not to be turned off until wedding night. If they are batteries operated, it is not necessary to replace the batteries when they run out, even before wedding night.
Immediately after installing the bridal bed or on the wedding day, little children are invited to roll on the bed to bless the couple with fertility. To encourage them to get on the bed, they are allowed to eat the sweet stuff on that plate the good fortune woman has left on the bed.
This is referred to as [压床] ”ya chuang” or [翻床] “fan chuang”. Remember to give red packets to the good fortune woman and children for their help.
