This is why Dec is so special...

SNOWWWWWWWWWWWW

That's right.... there's going to be SNOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.........

in North America...

Wow. That really probably did catch your attention.

I'm just tired out from the day. So I'm just putting in a filler filler post.


*whistles*

You're still reading? That's really amazing...
unfortunately, I don't really have much to share.

Here's my wish list for Christmas:
1. Macbook Pro
2. Nikon D300 dslr
3. PS 3

No books or CDs please. I have enough. So any of the top 3 will do. ;)

ponder

Who are we, that we question what is fair and what is not?

Who are we to make a mockery of the beginning, the present and the future, when we don't have a hand in any of these?

Who are we to say we are smart enough, that we don't need guidance, and we can truly do what we want, how we want, and anytime we want?


Freedom. Essentially, everyone wants to be free, everyone wants to be able to complete what they want to. No rules applied, no law, no punishments, no restrictions. TOTAL freedom.

My question is then this:
What happens then when the consequences to our freedom are horrible? Who do we then blame? Ourselves? Or do we ask God (in whom some don't believe in), why it is happening to us?

Scratch the itch.

Words someone shared with me, to which, the more I think about it, doesn't quite make sense. (Hehe, sorry to that person who shared it with me) Here's why:
How many times had we all had physical itches? Then, we scratch and scratch, to find some form of relief, but don't get it. We scratch some more, when we are not conscious, or even when we know it. Eventually the skin breaks down. For that temporary relief, we soon find pain ensuing. It bleeds, skin is no longer intact, a scab forms over, sometimes leaving a scar.
We soon question ourselves, why did we not stop scratching in the first place?

True freedom will not leave scars. Will not leave regrets, will not leave pain, hurt, anger, frustration, hate.

True freedom brings true freedom, not just for now, but everlasting. So, be careful in what you choose to believe, or choose to do, for the "freedom" now, may just be for now.

Dec

Ring ting a ling...

It's December.

Last month of the year, the one just before the new year.

Month of joy, month of celebrations.

Going to be a busy one. Hope everyone is doing well and excited for Christmas :)

look, if you will

Interesting chat I had with a friend. (Don't bludgeon me when you read this!)

Subjectivity versus objectivity. This topic, is like opening up a can of worms, but one might find gold at the bottom.

We see what we want to see, we allow ourselves to think what we want to think. After all, ignorance is bliss right?
WRONG! (In my opinion that is)
Can we continue to live in a fantasy world, where events are juts a figment of the mind, merely to cover up unpleasantness?

There's always two sides to the coin.

Followed with a response of, "we are perceptive creatures, we only see the side we want to."

If we only see the side we want to, does that mean there IS only one side?
Can we truly live without knowing what goes on around us? If we can, then will it still be bliss? Living in a war torn country and choose to believe that the sounds outside the house, is just the sound of a pot crashing to the ground, hit by a cat.

To live like that, to me, it's like living in an illusion. Then, we live in a dream, not reality.

plank!!!

It's so easy to pick out other people's faults. I know that for certain, because I'm in the habit of doing that daily. I don't know whether I'm overly critical or just finding ways to shooting my mouth off.

This verse comes to mind each time, I judge others, or when other people make judgments of their own.

Matthew 7:3
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Not the best picture that comes to mind, but I don't think I can sketch it better. So...


Yowzaass...

what!?

CNN really got this wrong, and comes to prove that sometimes, reporters do not get it right with news!

Go read this article about HINDRAF in Malaysia!

For those who don't know why HINDRAF had their rally: it was because they were demanding the Queen to set up a committee into inquiring and perhaps compensating every Indian that was brought over from India to Malaysia as laborers. As much as US 1 million per person is hoped to be given as compensation. Local news on this matter can be found here.

lest we forget

Luke 15
1Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

I put this up after a conversation with a friend, and how this was part of this person's life at one point of time. I think we forget. We forget how important we are to Christ, to God, that despite all our shortcomings, He still wants us back. Beyond waiting, beyond hoping, He goes out in search. What moves me most, is that, when He finds us, He just doesn't hug us in joy, but He carries us home. If I may just highlight this part, "he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home".

This is the relationship that will not be severed by sin. Yet, sometimes we cheapen His work by saying we are not worthy (not out of praise, but really out of self condemnation). We dilute His grace, we put away His love as if it were nothing. Then, we find it hard to love others, because we feel ourselves do not have enough love. As IF His love wasn't enough.

He loves us. Very much. So much so, He'll run after you in tears, even as you turn your back on Him and run in further away from Him. Even if He had to carry that cross again, He probably would, just for us.

Lest we forget. Lest we forget.

filler

What do you call cheese that's not yours?







Drum rolllllllllllll..............

..............
......


NACHO cheese! :P

encounter

When was the last time you met someone so influential over your life, you totally changed? Made anew, not just the skin, but all the organs inside. So new, that when you walk, it'd squeaked.

I'm not just talking about bad habits, I'm talking about HUGE character flaws.

From the bible, I've met someone who's changed, walked in a 180 degree direction from his original path. From being a skeptical, to a believer, from a prosecutor, to be the prosecuted, from a man of noble position, to a man put in jail multiple times.

Paul, was a Jew, who studied under Greek philosophy was also a Roman citizen. As Ravi Zacharias to appropriately summed it in one sentence: The Hebrews gave the world its moral categories; the Greeks its philosophical categories; and the Romans its legal categories - Paul (or previously known as Saul) had everything that one would need.

BUT... he didn't believe in Christ... initially. In fact, he persecuted all who believed in Him. Christ wasn't his Savior, wasn't his Lord. Not until he met Christ on the way to Damascus. Then, he changed. Not just out of fear, but I believe the encounter was so real, he couldn't turn away from it. He could no longer deny Christ. From that day on, he gave up everything that was his, and gave all to Christ.

Similarly, in this day and age, I've met so many people, who have come to know Christ, and have walked in a totally different direction in their lives soon after. Angry people becoming the most patient and calm, anxious people being able to achieve peace. True encounters with influential people, will definitely change the person. Can we then deny that Christ or God does not exist, even for those who've met Christ and truly changed?

purpose

This question is something that comes back over and over again.

Said in another way: Why am I here on earth?


Purpose driven life. Pastors preaching. Leaders sharing.

Self help books. Well known gurus. Subtle messages.

Have we truly found out why we are doing what we are doing? In fact, sometimes we think we know we are, but we are deceived and hence we can't live a fruitful life. Constantly keeping busy in battle with the situation/job/studies we are in.

I told this to my friend today, because I believe, like all else, this person needed to find the purpose God has set.

Another excerpt from The Face of Atheism by Ravi Zacharias:

The life of the Scotsman Eric Liddell, who was a devout Christian and a superb athlete, was featured in contradistinction to Harold Abrams in the film Chariots of Fire. Abrams, we recall, underscored his emptiness by finding even winning to be anticlimactic. Liddell's life, and his striving for excellence, was an expression of his love for God - everything mattered because his life was committed to Christ. The lines in the film that capture this best are uttered by Liddell to his sister: "Jenny, God has made me for a purpose - for China; but he has also made me fast, and when I run, I feel his pleasure."

Liddell won the 400 meters gold medal in the 1924 Olympics and later became a missionary to China, where he died. His enjoyment of God in every endeavor and service for Christ was a strong reminder that nothing for the Christian is essentially secular. It can only be secularized by leaving God out of it or by engaging in that from which God, by his nature, must be excluded.

A christian sees life in continuum. Not about yesterday, not just about today, nor does one gaze and hope only for the future.

The christian explains history through the eternal eyes of Christ. By contrast, the traditionalist lives for the past; the existentialist lives for the now; and the futurist or utopianist lives for the future.

It's true. A christian lives in a different mindset. Knowing what his purpose is, it's so much easier (although not easy) to handle ups and downs, or obstacles. A runner in the secular sense, would run to win the next gold medal, to qualify for the next big event, like the Olympics, but then when that runner reaches there, then what? What happens when the days are up, and the runner can no longer run as fast, or compete with the rest of the incoming young crowd?

But the christian runner, runs because he knows of his purpose. He knows that God gave him the body to run, that whenever he does it, he glorifies God, as God's beautiful creation. He runs not to win, but to please God. Simple, yet hard to grasp.

In this so called battle of living, we place ourselves in a dog eat dog world, and when all dogs are eaten, leaving one, then what? We work ourselves so hard, we do so much, but for what?
When we finally come to realization of what's Gods purpose is for us, we can do it with full passion. Just like the footballer who plays beautiful football because of passion, and not out of drive to win the match, we will soon find ourselves no longer in a battle to survive, but fully driven by God's beautiful purpose for us.

relationships

I'm sure that caught your eye.

In terms of relationships, no matter what we say, we crave it. Friendships, parent-child relationships, boy-girl relationships. It's real. We can't deny it. Without it, we are truly lonely.
And we all know, no man is an island. It is true. Even the madman would try to have a relationship with someone, and hence talks to himself for company.

The whole big problem about relationships, is that somehow sooner or later, they can be severed. People get disappointed, hearts get broken, expectations not met. Others, are broken from death, death from illness, death from murder, death from suicide. Death from sin.

Relationships severed by sin.

By a drunken driver who hit a pedestrian. By the robber, who only wanted more money the easy way, kills someone by accident in the heat of the moment. The father who commits suicide because someone had cheated all his cash. A lover jilted, due to selfish reasons. Lung cancer of inhaling second hand smoke. Unable to reconnect due to unforgiveness. Bitterness. Hate. Jealousy. Rage. Malice.

Bringing his point to an end, Ravi Zacharias quickly summarized all he has said earlier, in his book The Face of Atheism:

If relationships bring meaning to life, then the ultimate mockery of life is the reality that all relationships are either ruptured by sin or severed by death. Each of us longs for a relationship that cannot be victimized by sin or destroyed by death. That relationship can only be found with God. Once that relationship is established, it serves as a blueprint for all other relationships, bringing the strength of genuine love and shunning the cancer of selfishness.

I thought it was very well written. Like the child who is seeing his/her father for the first time after some time of separation, that child would want to run towards a relationship, in which the child know he/she will be accepted with open arms. God will accept all of us that way. As long as we meet Him halfway.

discrimination?

This happened last week, but didn't get round to blogging it. So I shall, right now. It isn't so much as a rant, but thought I'd just label it as one. My sister said this is discrimination, and it most probably is. So here's the story:

Last week, I went to look for my mum and sister in Carrefour, Mid Valley, as they had gone in first. I was carrying my brown bag with me, as I had just come from somewhere else, when at the door, I was stopped! And for what reason? If you can guess.

Coming.

Coming.


Wait for it.

They wanted to tie my bag. Yes. With one of those plastic ties. I thought it was really absurd. Before any of you can come up with wise comments, the next guy after me who was carrying a waist pouch was also stopped. The same was done.

Now let me explain why I say discrimination.

The guy after me? His pouch was so small, he could prob sneak in a choc bar with some sweets at most. Even if my bag was much bigger, it's totally ridiculous to put a plastic tie on my bag.
My sister and my mum who were carrying bigger bags than mine, were not tied up. Many other women's bags too.

So why mine and the other guys? Cause we looked young, and we were of male gender?

Ridonkeylous. If Jusco doesn't practice this, nor does Cold Storage, or Giant Supermarket, WHY oh WHY does CARREFOUR have to have this extra security measure?

ANYHOW. Here's a picture.

It best describes my frustration (?).


If u can see the plastic tie between the zip and the big metal bit which holds the strap.

refreshed

After the weeks of being drained, I think I'm ready again to take on some challenges. Get some work done. Sleep less. Don't know why.

The Lord is my banner.

He really is.

When Moses built that altar for God, I imagined myself walking a march, holding a banner that was really the Lord.

It all comes back to Phil 4:13.

Time to be like Moses, or like Elijah. Whomever who had more faith :)

logic

"As far as the propositions of mathematic refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality". - Albert Einstein

We are essentially creatures of logic. We love explanations, we love to find out why something happens, and more importantly, it must be something that's tangible or physical enough for plain sight to see. For an object to move from point A to point B, we MUST see it move. If by the blink of the eye, it disappears at point A and reappears in point B, the first question that comes to mind is probably: How did that happen? If we saw it move with our own eyes, then it wouldn't have been a problem.

It's been a tough season this past few weeks. Besides feeling a little de-motivated for whatever reason, I've just been feeling lethargic. Maybe it was just hard for me to see past the many obstacles I see before me, maybe I just didn't think some one like me, could be successful.

Hmmm.

It's all about faith. Faith ends when doubt begins, and faith begins when doubts end.

There is no logic in faith. Or else, as Ravi Zacharias said in his book, kids will never be able to believe.

God is good! :)

Was told to put this up, and finally have decided to:

Matthew 6:33 says But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.

This is a verse long familiar to me, but not something i practiced.
The excuse was always the same: my studies were tough, it was not easy
to pass, and I had a lot of ground to cover. In short, I had a hundred
and one excuses, and never wanted to spend more than the allocated
time I had put aside for God's work.

This season, as I prepared for USMLE, an entrance exam to apply to the
United States, I was really convicted to do more for God's kingdom
first before anything else. I had about 2 months to prepare for my
Step 2 exam (part of the USMLE) and about another 1.5 months after
that to prepare for my Step 1 exam. It was very easy for me to delay
serving in campus ministry as 3.5 months wasn't a long way off right?
However, I was really convicted to be faithful even while I was busy
because, I knew that a lot of times procrastination would only kill
off a desire,

After my 2 month preparation and my gruelling 8 hour ++ exam, I was
finally done. I couldn't tell if I did okay or not, but I committed it
to God. A few weeks later, my results was in my inbox.

I passed! With a 90th percentile. It was a big deal for me, because I
was never an 'A' student, so to both pass and score sufficiently well,
I knew it could only come from God!

The one thing I really learned from this whole ordeal was that if I
honor God, He will honor me too! When I chose to spend time doing His
work, instead of saying "I need to study", He blessed me tremendously.
It was not an easy ordeal to cram almost 5 years of knowledge into 2
months of studying, and at the same time do His work. I truly believe
that if we give God our time and our efforts, and trust in Him, He
will never let us down, as all things are indeed possible with God!
When we seek His kingdom first and His righteousness, many things WILL
be added onto us.

what comes first

This is a season of choosing and figuring out what's best to do and not. With much free time in
hand, I am given multiple options to fill my day.

PS 2, books, meeting up people, guitar, playing board games, fine tuning my voice....

Obviously I'm not doing anything too interesting, to the point I am writing a post like this.

What triggered this thought though is, really, in this time of having just TOO much time on my hands (okay, don't quote me on this), it's hard to choose what to do first. Anyone with good ideas on how to prioritize? Or rather, how to get my butt moving on the list on what needs to be done first? :)

P/S: Okay.... I admit, this is a filler post, while waiting to play board games... tum ti tum

choice

The greatest gift to mankind is choice, because without the power to choose, we are merely like robots or computers, only processing information, but never coming to a conclusion of what to do, only suggesting what may be done.

The whole conversation on choice, has brought me to think of certain examples of people I know. There are the ones who don't like to make any choices, or rather choose to not make any further choices, and then there are those, who choose to do everything and in their progress make it very obvious to be seen and known (the ones I'd like to call the extremist, whether be it the terrorist or the authoritarian).

It irks me that sometimes there we don't practice things like the black and white it can be, but to think about it, we can't, because we are humans, and for the same reason, we are given choice, we are made to be so unpredictable to each other. Everything else however should be somewhat made clear cut. The law, between good and bad, light and darkness, tasty and horrible.

Can we draw that same line for ourselves? Or we'd rather see a blur of a line so that we can jump over blameless, merely as the 'line was not to be seen'?

I am what I choose to be, and it's the same for everyone else. Not one person can say they were forced to out of a situation, because at the end of the day, to be honest, we all have to account for our own actions. We have freedom of choice, but let us truly understand the extent of our choice(s).

i'm back

Hiatus for a while...

now I'm back.

No. Not with a vengeance.
Truly it has been refreshing, to just take time off to gather thoughts and what not. As I continue to observe many things, I have learned lots. Indeed, it pays sometimes to just keep quiet and slip to the back, and watch what's really going on.

No, it's not an emo post.

After leaders retreat, I've gained even more insight on things.

I'd like to end this brief post with just one question:

What makes us who we are?

hiatus

While everyone is starting new blogs, I'm going to go on a word/blog hiatus for now. Just need to gather thoughts.

ZZZzzzZZZzzz