The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
To all my friends in my life, thanks for being MY FRIEND!
By George Carlin
I wonder... have you thought about this...
Why is it that we are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with life, when in many ways we have never had it so good?
We have more disposable income than ever before; we are living longer and are healthier than we’ve ever been.
But yet there are many unhappy and dissatisfied people in our world.
How can we discover true joy and freedom in life?
People are searching for the answer to this question in many different places.
Leo Tolstoy, author of War and Peace wrote a book called A Confession, in which he tells the story of his search for meaning and purpose in life. He describes how he rejected Christianity as a child. As he went through life he became very ambitious. First of all, he thought pleasure was the answer. Having a great time. He entered the social world of Moscow and Petersburg, drinking heavily, sleeping around, gambling and leading a wild life. But it did not satisfy him. He then thought maybe money was the answer. He had inherited an estate and made a large amount of money out of his books. Yet that did not satisfy him either. He then sought success, fame and importance. But still he said, it didn’t satisfy. Then he thought, maybe the answer is family life, to give his family the best possible life. He married in 1862 and had a kind, loving wife and thirteen children. He had achieved all his ambitions and was surrounded by what appeared to be complete happiness.
And yet 1 question brought him to the verge of suicide: "What meaning has my life that the inevitability of death does not destroy?" He searched for the answer in every field of science and philosophy, but without satisfaction. Eventually he found that the peasant people of Russia had the answer he had been looking for, in their faith in God through Jesus Christ.
I've notice that it's a common belief that once you're a Christian, you'll start living a boring, underprivileged and unrewarding life as you need to give up the pleasures of modern living like clubbing and partying thru the night. And to give up the vibrant nightlife is like asking you to stop seeking fun, enjoying life and start living like a monk/nun in a monastery.
In your mind you're thinking,"How abundant or fulfilling can that kind of life be? Joyless, dreary and unexciting? No way man..."
Well, nothing can be further away from the truth.
Jesus came to unveil and teach us the way to abundant living.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 (NJV)
What exactly is Abundant Living?
Abundant life is NOT:
1. It is NOT necessarily a life of comfort and ease
2. It is NOT dependent on outside circumstances, but more on how we respond to circumstances
3. It is NOT necessarily obtained quickly. It may take time for us to experience abundant life, because it is a process that often takes time
How can we know if we are living life in its abundance?
Abundant living IS happening when:
1. We learn to live each day in the light of Christ.
2. When we can look back on the past, without it ruling the present.
3. You are filled with faith, hope, peace, joy and love, and live without anger, greed, guilt, envy, or thoughts of revenge.
4. You are secure in who you are, so you are at peace with God.
5 You love the unlovable, give hope to the hopeless, friendship to the friendless, and encouragement to the discouraged.
6. You can look back in forgiveness, and forward in hope, with gratitude to God.
7. You recognize, develop, and use your God-given physical, mental, and spiritual abilities to the glory of God and for the benefit of mankind.
Then again, you can be saved and still live a life that is as dry as a corn shuck. If you do not live as close to Him as you should, you will probably think the Christian life is boring, the church is dead and that your life is no different than that pagan who lives next door.
If you want to abundant life that Jesus can give, it will require you to walk in close communion with Him. This might mean you will have to start praying. Maybe you will have to read you Bible. You might have to find your way to the church house with a little more regularity. You might even have to stop doing some of those things that hinder God from moving in your life like He wants to.
The Author Of The Abundant Life – The Bible tells us here that God is the giver of abundant life. Many people live a life that is in a rut. They do the same things in the same way every day of their lives. There is no excitement. There is no overflowing joy. They never see anything out of the ordinary. That is not the kind of life Jesus saved us to live! He saved us to live a life that is filled with His presence, power and glory, a life that extraordinary and overflowing in the unusual.
When a person is walking with the Lord, as they should be, they will be constantly seeing the Lord working in them and around them in wonderful, supernatural ways.
Do you want a life that is different?
Do you want a life that is filled with the wonder of God’s work in and around you?
Paul says the way to have that kind of life is to get to God. He alone can give that kind of life to His children. The secret lies in being saved and in living close to the Father! Jesus promised His children that their lives would be different if they came to Him. "Whoever believes in Me... streams of living water will flow from within him" John 7:38
Before we decide that the Christian life is dull and boring, let’s make sure we have lives as close to the Lord as we can first. If you can get close to Him, your life will be anything but boring!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
《葉問》Ip Man
Love this movie man! Go watch it if you havn't caught it yet...
Thriller
Ip Man Vs 10 Black Belts ("I'm just a Chinese guy...")
Ip Man vs Japanese General (End Fight)
Ip Man vs the Notherner
Ip Man vs Liu Sifu
Saturday, December 06, 2008
The Father's Song - Spirit Behind Christmas
I was touched by this beautiful song. The lyrics speak to me. It tells me the Father's heart.
People always talk about soaking into the festive spirit of Christmas. Oh it's about joy and laughter, Chrsitmass tree decorations, merrymaking, gift-exchanging, family and friends gathering, a call for celebration for the year's work.
The 3 Fs of Christmas - Family, Friends and Faith.
No doubt, yes it is the season for us to remember and give thanks to the people whose lives are interwined with yours. Do it. Appreciate those around you. Make gifts for them. Give them a hug. Thank God for them.
But somehow I feel the 3rd F is always neglected or forgotten.
The Christ of Christ-mas is missing. The reason for the season is lost.
Christmas is so much more than just having a good time and giving things away and receving goodies in return.
It's so easy the miss the spirit behind Christmas, which is:
We couldn't get to God, and so Christmas tells the story of how God got to us.
I like the way Eugene Peterson's translation puts it, "God became one of us and moved into the neighbourhood".
Why did Jesus come?
Numerous reasons. To call sinners to repentance. To be King and bear witness. To be the Light of the World etc.
Most importantly, he came to rescue you and me. To close up the gap coz the Law has driven us too far apart from intimacy with God.
This is how much He thinks about you.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him." Luke 15:20
Let's ponder... What could God have done otherwise?
God can simply throw down a Book... and say, "Nah! This's my Word. Meditate on it day and night. Obey them and you'll be blessed" The Dos and Don'ts manual is sufficient.
No, He loves us too much to do that. So Jesus was sent to us on a rescue mission.
The Law came via Moses... Grace, love and truth arrived in the form of baby Jesus.
The Law condemns and rejects but Jesus loves and accepts.
Jesus could have descended to Earth flanked by thousands of angels. But he wanted to share in our humanity and demonstrate his humility. A stinky manger and into a carpenter's family was where he was born into. Stripped of all his glory. He descended, put on our "flesh and dwelt among us"(John 1:14).
"Christ himself was like God in everything. He was equal with God. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be held on to. He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God. He obeyed even when that caused his death -- death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8).
The Father's Song. The Father's Love.
Heaven's perfect melody. The Creator sent for me.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Father's Love Letter
God has written you a letter...
My Child,
You may not know me, but I know everything about you. ~Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up. ~Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways. ~Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. ~Matt 10:29-31
For you were made in my image. ~Gen 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being. ~Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring. ~Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived. ~Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation. ~Eph 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. ~Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. ~Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. ~Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb. ~Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born. ~Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. ~John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. ~1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. ~1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. ~1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. ~Matt 7:11
For I am the perfect father. ~Matt 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. ~James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. ~Matt 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. ~Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love. ~Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. ~Psalm 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing. ~Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you. ~Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession. ~Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. ~Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things. ~Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. ~Deu 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. ~Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires. ~Philip 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. ~Eph 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager. ~2 Thess 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. ~2 Cor 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. ~Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. ~Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. ~Rev 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. ~Rev 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. ~John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. ~John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being. ~Heb 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. ~Rom 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. ~2 Cor 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. ~2 Cor 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. ~1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. ~Rom 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. ~1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. ~Rom 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. ~Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father. ~Eph 3:14-15
My question is… Will you be my child? ~John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you. ~Luke 15:11-32
Love, Your Daddy
Almighty God
My Child,
You may not know me, but I know everything about you. ~Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up. ~Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways. ~Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. ~Matt 10:29-31
For you were made in my image. ~Gen 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being. ~Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring. ~Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived. ~Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation. ~Eph 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. ~Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. ~Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. ~Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb. ~Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born. ~Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. ~John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. ~1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. ~1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. ~1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. ~Matt 7:11
For I am the perfect father. ~Matt 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. ~James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. ~Matt 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. ~Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love. ~Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. ~Psalm 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing. ~Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you. ~Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession. ~Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. ~Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things. ~Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. ~Deu 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. ~Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires. ~Philip 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. ~Eph 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager. ~2 Thess 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. ~2 Cor 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. ~Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. ~Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. ~Rev 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. ~Rev 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. ~John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. ~John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being. ~Heb 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. ~Rom 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. ~2 Cor 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. ~2 Cor 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. ~1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. ~Rom 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. ~1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. ~Rom 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. ~Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father. ~Eph 3:14-15
My question is… Will you be my child? ~John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you. ~Luke 15:11-32
Love, Your Daddy
Almighty God
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Don't Song
Hilarious... Guys, take heed (me included)... Don't do it... (no no no)
Chorus
Don't... Don't... Don't...
Don't... Don't do it
Stop... Must stop it
Cut... It out
Chorus
Don't... Don't... Don't...
Don't... Don't do it
Stop... Must stop it
Cut... It out
Monday, October 27, 2008
S.M.I.L.E - & the Whole World Smiles Back at YOU
"A smile is the shortest distance between two people."
What happens when you feel the first instance of joy?
That’s right. You break out in a smile. You don't think 1st whether should you smile or not. In another words, it's involuntary (though you can certainly fake one, out of courtesy for instance, and no one knows except for yourself). Some people find it hard to smile. Some people smile without knowing that they are smiling (I think I'm one of those; think my mouth is shaped in a way that is slightly lifted on the edges... like the Joker... except his is a serious case of permanent motor malfunction).
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
As defined by Wikipedia, a smile is a facial expression formed by flexing those muscles most notably near both ends of the mouth. The smile can also be found around the eyes, aka 'Duchenne smile'. Sometimes, it may not be mouth that is telling of a smile; it may just be that sparkle in your eyes! Hence, it is very possible to use a smile to communicate a thousand words.
Most smiles are happy signs. They speak of joy, happiness, love or even pride. However, there are smiles that can also be an involuntary expression of anxiety, otherwise known as the grimace, or an expression of embarassment in a sheepish way.
Mona Lisa’s smile is enigmatic, the Cheshire Cat’s is devious, the Joker’s is mischievous and Jesus’s is serene. Humans probably have been smiling for as long as they’ve been around. But despite the long history of smiles, scientists still haven’t figured out exactly how or why the brain tells the lips to curve, the nose to wrinkle, the eyes to twinkle and the cheeks to lift.
Babies generally start smiling at about 6 to 8 weeks. Throughout childhood, boys smile just about as much as girls. That changes soon after puberty. Grown women smile more than men, and they also smile wider.
Smiling, studies suggest, makes people appear more attractive, kinder and, by some accounts, easier to remember.
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
A Duchenne smile contracts the muscles of the cheek and eye, forming crow's feet. The corners of the mouth turn up and the skin around the corners of your eyes crinkles. The crow's feet show that the smile is genuine and that the smiler is truly happy. It was discovered by and is named after Guillaume Duchenne.
In a Duchenne smile, the facial muscles involved in are difficult to control voluntarily. Therefore, it's difficult to fake a Duchenne smile unless you smile from within. You know the sign. You recognize true delight in a friend's face.
"No, please accept them," Jacob said, "for what a relief it is to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the smile of God!"
Gen 33:10
The other smile, called the Pan American smile (after the flight attendants in television ads for the now-defunct airline), is nothing but a courtesy smile as in the case of a flight attendant responding to a patron. It's an expression of courtesy and politeness rather than inner joy.
"Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody's heart."
A true smile, which engages the muscles around the eyes as well as the muscles around the mouth.
You can work it in reverse. We smile when we're happy but we also become happy when we smile; it works both ways. The emotional response to endorphins is happiness which creates a smile, but the smile also creates endorphins. This lifting of our mood is wonderful for our health and well-being. It boosts our immune system and can even improve our posture.
"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy."
Here's a list of smiles that you can currently wear - for all ocassions. (Note: Your intent is very important when it comes to projecting the smile you wish to put on).
1. Sweet Smile
This is the smile that melts hearts. One look and you know you are done for! It is hard to say no to the request that usually accompanies it.
2. I am in Love Smile
You can’t mistake this smile from the rest. This smile exudes the energy of pure love and bliss. It need not be just a romantic smile. A smile for the love of your pet also qualifies!
3. Beautiful Smile
This is a smile that is Simply Breathtaking! It is a smile that causes others to skip a heartbeat and ECG reading to go haywire!
4. Happy Smile
Pure bliss! The I-am-so-in-paradise drooling smile.
5. Thoughtful Smile
Your eyes look glazed. There is no eye contact in this smile because you are thinking about sometime faraway: the longing for someone or the cherished memory of a past. You can still remember the joy and how it felt like. It is as if you are living the moment again; so you break out into this smile.
6. I-Know-It-All Smile
The hint of a smile. It is also one that you cultivate as you get older, wiser your mind filled with wonderful stories from your past. It is a smile that speaks volumes about the wisdom you’ve gained about life.
7. The Sparkle in The Eyes Smile
The eyes say it all. Sparkling with excitement and sheer joy. No words need to be communicated.
8. I-Am-The-Boss Smile
Wear this smile if these thoughts run through your head: Say what? I am the boss. Captain of the ship. Come humor me!
9. I-Feel-Lucky Smile
An almost embarassed look. The smile that says "I’m Lucky... Again!"
10. Amused Smile
Guess: who is the amused and not so amused?
11. Naughty Or Up-to-No-Good Smile
This is the smile that you would wear when you are embarassed for being caught red handed at something naugthy. This cute baby smile's classic and a dead giveaway!
You know this guy's got something up his sleeve... even if his mouth is almost covered.
12. Playful, Romantic Smile
Clue: look at the coin, closely.
13. Satisfied Smile
Baby Ethan: "I feel so contented!" Photos courtesy of Liza & Len's bundle of joy
14. Contented Smile
Someone's shot of his mum. Thank God for all mums!
This old lady was snapped in a Vietnamese market. She needed no invitation for some photos. Like all the people the photographer has met in Vietnam, she was really nice. The lines on her face speaks of character and the ravages of time.
This is a smile that needs to be distinguished from the satisfied smile. A satisfied smile is one for having felt joy derived from an external factor, whereas a contented smile comes from within. A contented smile reflects quiet serenity, a sense of peace and fufilment in everyday joys. It is a "In the Now" Smile.
15. Confident Smile
Wear this smile for any reason that you feel confident about. Even if it means showing off your braces!
16. Proud Smile
There is the hint of a smile that speaks of pride. Almost a smirk. A job well done. A smile that says, "I know what I am doing."
17. Sexy Smile
This smile needs some strategic positioning. It is to be projected at a 47-degree angle to the recipient, so that you are seen from your best side. You also need to tilt your head slightly downwards (for coyness) but with eyes glancing up (daring the recipient to come forward) and if you are female, fluttering your eyelashes with deliberate intent. Leaning your head on one of your hands denotes helplessness: That You Need to be Rescued Quickly!! Overall, there is a certain mystery to this smile.
~ SUNRAY SMILE ~
lovely song... dedicated specially to everyone who had a bad day and in desperate need of a smile =D
What a difference a sunray can make
in a world that's tired of the rain.
What a difference a smile can make
in a heart that's filled with pain.
(She had a) Sunray smile
Fairer then the spring or a rainbow
Sunray smile
Come to melt away the snow
The darkness of a shadow always flees
where ever a sunray is found
The darkness in a heart always leaves
when the glow of that smile is around
(She had a)
Sunray smile
Fairer then the spring or a rainbow
Sunray smile
Come to melt away all the snow.
In my heart today.
"Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day." ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You
What happens when you feel the first instance of joy? That’s right. You break out in a smile. You don't think 1st whether should you smile or not. In another words, it's involuntary (though you can certainly fake one, out of courtesy for instance, and no one knows except for yourself). Some people find it hard to smile. Some people smile without knowing that they are smiling (I think I'm one of those; think my mouth is shaped in a way that is slightly lifted on the edges... like the Joker... except his is a serious case of permanent motor malfunction).
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
As defined by Wikipedia, a smile is a facial expression formed by flexing those muscles most notably near both ends of the mouth. The smile can also be found around the eyes, aka 'Duchenne smile'. Sometimes, it may not be mouth that is telling of a smile; it may just be that sparkle in your eyes! Hence, it is very possible to use a smile to communicate a thousand words.
Most smiles are happy signs. They speak of joy, happiness, love or even pride. However, there are smiles that can also be an involuntary expression of anxiety, otherwise known as the grimace, or an expression of embarassment in a sheepish way.
Mona Lisa’s smile is enigmatic, the Cheshire Cat’s is devious, the Joker’s is mischievous and Jesus’s is serene. Humans probably have been smiling for as long as they’ve been around. But despite the long history of smiles, scientists still haven’t figured out exactly how or why the brain tells the lips to curve, the nose to wrinkle, the eyes to twinkle and the cheeks to lift.Babies generally start smiling at about 6 to 8 weeks. Throughout childhood, boys smile just about as much as girls. That changes soon after puberty. Grown women smile more than men, and they also smile wider.
Smiling, studies suggest, makes people appear more attractive, kinder and, by some accounts, easier to remember.
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
A Duchenne smile contracts the muscles of the cheek and eye, forming crow's feet. The corners of the mouth turn up and the skin around the corners of your eyes crinkles. The crow's feet show that the smile is genuine and that the smiler is truly happy. It was discovered by and is named after Guillaume Duchenne. 
In a Duchenne smile, the facial muscles involved in are difficult to control voluntarily. Therefore, it's difficult to fake a Duchenne smile unless you smile from within. You know the sign. You recognize true delight in a friend's face. "No, please accept them," Jacob said, "for what a relief it is to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the smile of God!"
Gen 33:10
The other smile, called the Pan American smile (after the flight attendants in television ads for the now-defunct airline), is nothing but a courtesy smile as in the case of a flight attendant responding to a patron. It's an expression of courtesy and politeness rather than inner joy.
"Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody's heart."
A true smile, which engages the muscles around the eyes as well as the muscles around the mouth.
You can work it in reverse. We smile when we're happy but we also become happy when we smile; it works both ways. The emotional response to endorphins is happiness which creates a smile, but the smile also creates endorphins. This lifting of our mood is wonderful for our health and well-being. It boosts our immune system and can even improve our posture.
"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy."
Here's a list of smiles that you can currently wear - for all ocassions. (Note: Your intent is very important when it comes to projecting the smile you wish to put on).
1. Sweet Smile
This is the smile that melts hearts. One look and you know you are done for! It is hard to say no to the request that usually accompanies it.
2. I am in Love Smile
You can’t mistake this smile from the rest. This smile exudes the energy of pure love and bliss. It need not be just a romantic smile. A smile for the love of your pet also qualifies!
3. Beautiful Smile
This is a smile that is Simply Breathtaking! It is a smile that causes others to skip a heartbeat and ECG reading to go haywire! 4. Happy Smile
Pure bliss! The I-am-so-in-paradise drooling smile.
5. Thoughtful Smile
Your eyes look glazed. There is no eye contact in this smile because you are thinking about sometime faraway: the longing for someone or the cherished memory of a past. You can still remember the joy and how it felt like. It is as if you are living the moment again; so you break out into this smile.
6. I-Know-It-All Smile
The hint of a smile. It is also one that you cultivate as you get older, wiser your mind filled with wonderful stories from your past. It is a smile that speaks volumes about the wisdom you’ve gained about life.
7. The Sparkle in The Eyes Smile
The eyes say it all. Sparkling with excitement and sheer joy. No words need to be communicated.
8. I-Am-The-Boss Smile
Wear this smile if these thoughts run through your head: Say what? I am the boss. Captain of the ship. Come humor me!
9. I-Feel-Lucky Smile
An almost embarassed look. The smile that says "I’m Lucky... Again!"
10. Amused Smile
Guess: who is the amused and not so amused?
11. Naughty Or Up-to-No-Good Smile
This is the smile that you would wear when you are embarassed for being caught red handed at something naugthy. This cute baby smile's classic and a dead giveaway!
You know this guy's got something up his sleeve... even if his mouth is almost covered.
12. Playful, Romantic Smile
Clue: look at the coin, closely.
13. Satisfied Smile
Baby Ethan: "I feel so contented!" Photos courtesy of Liza & Len's bundle of joy
14. Contented Smile
Someone's shot of his mum. Thank God for all mums!
This old lady was snapped in a Vietnamese market. She needed no invitation for some photos. Like all the people the photographer has met in Vietnam, she was really nice. The lines on her face speaks of character and the ravages of time.
This is a smile that needs to be distinguished from the satisfied smile. A satisfied smile is one for having felt joy derived from an external factor, whereas a contented smile comes from within. A contented smile reflects quiet serenity, a sense of peace and fufilment in everyday joys. It is a "In the Now" Smile.
15. Confident Smile
Wear this smile for any reason that you feel confident about. Even if it means showing off your braces!
16. Proud Smile
There is the hint of a smile that speaks of pride. Almost a smirk. A job well done. A smile that says, "I know what I am doing."
17. Sexy Smile
This smile needs some strategic positioning. It is to be projected at a 47-degree angle to the recipient, so that you are seen from your best side. You also need to tilt your head slightly downwards (for coyness) but with eyes glancing up (daring the recipient to come forward) and if you are female, fluttering your eyelashes with deliberate intent. Leaning your head on one of your hands denotes helplessness: That You Need to be Rescued Quickly!! Overall, there is a certain mystery to this smile.
~ SUNRAY SMILE ~
lovely song... dedicated specially to everyone who had a bad day and in desperate need of a smile =D
What a difference a sunray can make
in a world that's tired of the rain.
What a difference a smile can make
in a heart that's filled with pain.
(She had a) Sunray smile
Fairer then the spring or a rainbow
Sunray smile
Come to melt away the snow
The darkness of a shadow always flees
where ever a sunray is found
The darkness in a heart always leaves
when the glow of that smile is around
(She had a)
Sunray smile
Fairer then the spring or a rainbow
Sunray smile
Come to melt away all the snow.
In my heart today.
"Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day." ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You
Friday, October 03, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Leave a Legacy - Making a Diff in the Lives that Follow
For this Vision month of September in TCC, we recorded a song "live" written by one of our Trinity members that fitted suitably to the theme of "Build a Lasting Lagacy". And yes, the name of the song is "The Legacy".
I would define it as leaving something behind that blesses others. You die, but your legacy will live on. Essentially, your legacy will outlast you. It'll serve as a reminder that you (Mr/Miss/Mrs/Mdm so-and-so) has ever walked on this earth.
I remembered one fateful day, my primary school science teacher came to the class telling us that she recently signed on a form to donate her organs to any patient who need it at the time of her death. Corneas, kidneys, liver, heart, or anything they find useful and in "working condition" can be harvested so that another human can live as healthily and normal as possible. She told us it's of no use to her anymore when she dies and so it doesn't hurt to give it away. I think the reason she said that was to address the stunned looks on our faces. In our young minds, we just thought it would be terribly painful to remove your body parts, voluntarily or not. I visualized her standing in front of us with holes in her eye sockets. Yucks! The teacher further emphasized that when people die, they can no longer feel pain and their bodies are but empty shells without a soul. Yea, that helps.
What she shared that day left an indelible mark on me today. I think our young hearts were stirred that particular day. Death and organ donation were serious and morbid topics for a bunch of 10 year-olds. Death? It never did crossed our minds. Don't people live happily forever? We were strangely quiet and focussed for once. You can actually sense the heaviness in the classroom air. We feel important that an adult would share something so personal with us. I remembered still thinking about it on my walk home from school. Wow, I've never ponder that long about a classroom lesson. That was the first time I heard anyone doing something so noble and self-sacrificial that is beyond my imagination. The idea is new and it blew us away. No doubt, I had new respect for that teacher since. And seeds are definitely sown.
As I listened to the sermons of leaving a lasting legacy, I was suddenly jolted to memory of this amicable teacher (even though I've forgotten her name... sorry mrs XX!! Her habit of putting her hands on her hip while speaking still linger in my mind). Some snippets about her. Her science garden is a favourite recess time hang-out. Pupils like to fuss around her rabbits and plants. She always loaned out rabbits in her science garden for us to take home. Guess it's to inculcate values of T.L.C for small creatures and tending small pots of plants. As small kids, we always feel big when entrusted with such responsibility. It's a great way to build confidence in the little ones coz grown-ups don't usually trust us with things. So take note, all teachers out there! =D
My science teacher taught me an invaluable lessson on giving beyond myself. You and I were put here on earth to make a contribution. God did not create us in his image to do nothing but sit around on clouds and play harps. He’s not doing that, so why would we ever think of this as a fitting conclusion for us? He created us to share in the ongoing creating and nurturing of his world. We were made in his image to share in his work. We are supposed to do that here on earth, and we will do that in heaven. And we can start today.
The need and capacity to serve was in us from the beginning. Adam was immediately given the job of naming the animals and subduing the earth. This did not change after disobedience took its course and banished him and Eve from the garden; it just got harder to do. Eve was given the job of being his helpmate and that definitely got harder to do! But nonetheless, we all have jobs. Not the job you get paid for, but a job to do in relation to your existence – a job to do in service to those around you.
The more we are conscious of this purpose, the easier it will be to figure out what this job is at any given time. Suffice it to say, it is primarily found in focusing our attention on others. This is in stark contrast to “getting the most out of life,” which has become the modern mantra of a “me” generation. This would be more along the lines of “giving the most out of life.”
Deep down inside, every one of us wants to leave something behind. We want to leave a legacy. We want to be significant. We want an epitaph with substance. God put this desire in us because it is one of our purposes in life.
If your epitaph were written today, what would people write about you?
Who would be better off because of your life?
If you’re anything like me, the answer to that question makes me glad I still have time to change it.
Think today of what you can add to someone’s life, not take away.
Think of leaving situations better than you found them.
Think of whom you can serve – of how this can be a better day for someone because of you. This is important. It’s part of your legacy.
Let’s be careful to give the most out of life today.
I would define it as leaving something behind that blesses others. You die, but your legacy will live on. Essentially, your legacy will outlast you. It'll serve as a reminder that you (Mr/Miss/Mrs/Mdm so-and-so) has ever walked on this earth.
I remembered one fateful day, my primary school science teacher came to the class telling us that she recently signed on a form to donate her organs to any patient who need it at the time of her death. Corneas, kidneys, liver, heart, or anything they find useful and in "working condition" can be harvested so that another human can live as healthily and normal as possible. She told us it's of no use to her anymore when she dies and so it doesn't hurt to give it away. I think the reason she said that was to address the stunned looks on our faces. In our young minds, we just thought it would be terribly painful to remove your body parts, voluntarily or not. I visualized her standing in front of us with holes in her eye sockets. Yucks! The teacher further emphasized that when people die, they can no longer feel pain and their bodies are but empty shells without a soul. Yea, that helps.
What she shared that day left an indelible mark on me today. I think our young hearts were stirred that particular day. Death and organ donation were serious and morbid topics for a bunch of 10 year-olds. Death? It never did crossed our minds. Don't people live happily forever? We were strangely quiet and focussed for once. You can actually sense the heaviness in the classroom air. We feel important that an adult would share something so personal with us. I remembered still thinking about it on my walk home from school. Wow, I've never ponder that long about a classroom lesson. That was the first time I heard anyone doing something so noble and self-sacrificial that is beyond my imagination. The idea is new and it blew us away. No doubt, I had new respect for that teacher since. And seeds are definitely sown.
As I listened to the sermons of leaving a lasting legacy, I was suddenly jolted to memory of this amicable teacher (even though I've forgotten her name... sorry mrs XX!! Her habit of putting her hands on her hip while speaking still linger in my mind). Some snippets about her. Her science garden is a favourite recess time hang-out. Pupils like to fuss around her rabbits and plants. She always loaned out rabbits in her science garden for us to take home. Guess it's to inculcate values of T.L.C for small creatures and tending small pots of plants. As small kids, we always feel big when entrusted with such responsibility. It's a great way to build confidence in the little ones coz grown-ups don't usually trust us with things. So take note, all teachers out there! =D
My science teacher taught me an invaluable lessson on giving beyond myself. You and I were put here on earth to make a contribution. God did not create us in his image to do nothing but sit around on clouds and play harps. He’s not doing that, so why would we ever think of this as a fitting conclusion for us? He created us to share in the ongoing creating and nurturing of his world. We were made in his image to share in his work. We are supposed to do that here on earth, and we will do that in heaven. And we can start today.
The need and capacity to serve was in us from the beginning. Adam was immediately given the job of naming the animals and subduing the earth. This did not change after disobedience took its course and banished him and Eve from the garden; it just got harder to do. Eve was given the job of being his helpmate and that definitely got harder to do! But nonetheless, we all have jobs. Not the job you get paid for, but a job to do in relation to your existence – a job to do in service to those around you.
The more we are conscious of this purpose, the easier it will be to figure out what this job is at any given time. Suffice it to say, it is primarily found in focusing our attention on others. This is in stark contrast to “getting the most out of life,” which has become the modern mantra of a “me” generation. This would be more along the lines of “giving the most out of life.”
Deep down inside, every one of us wants to leave something behind. We want to leave a legacy. We want to be significant. We want an epitaph with substance. God put this desire in us because it is one of our purposes in life.
If your epitaph were written today, what would people write about you?
Who would be better off because of your life?
If you’re anything like me, the answer to that question makes me glad I still have time to change it.
Think today of what you can add to someone’s life, not take away.
Think of leaving situations better than you found them.
Think of whom you can serve – of how this can be a better day for someone because of you. This is important. It’s part of your legacy.
Let’s be careful to give the most out of life today.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
家
August's the only time of the year (apart from Xmas) when you see more than the usual dose of red and whites on the streets... when S'poreans get lulled into the warm, fuzzy wuzzy atmosphere of patriotism and forget momentarily abt the ERP, petrol hikes, security lapses, charity self-implosions, depressed markets, recession gloom and $$ no enough.
Some overseas friends commented that though they left S'pore physically, S'pore has never left them. Despite all the complaints and backlash on govt policies in public forums, we've to admit this lill island does hold a special place in our hearts.
Well-travelled we may be... I'm sure we can identify with the lyrics of Michael Buble's "Home":
May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know
Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home
Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home
Home... a place where we truly feel at ease and say,"Ahh finally I am home at last!"
每一次我感到彷徨 不自禁就会回头望
mei yi ci wo gan dao pang huang bu zi jin jiu hui hui tou wang
我知道心中有个地方 一定会有一盏灯
wo zhi dao xin zhong you ge di fang yi ding hui you yi zhan deng
照亮每一颗黑暗的心房 指引未来方向
zhao liang mei yi ke hei an de xin fang zhi yin wei lai fang xiang
沿着生命河流向前航 就能登陆理想
yan zhe sheng ming he liu xiang qian hang jiu neng deng lu li xiang
Chorus:
我的家 收藏 我的欢喜悲伤
wo de jia shou cang wo de huan xi bei shang
只要点燃希望 梦就会自由飞翔
zhi yao dian ran xi wang meng jiu hui zi you fei xiang
我的家 给我 一双坚定翅膀
wo de jia gei wo yi shuang jian ding chi bang
我的梦 不论在何方 一生的爱唯有家
wo de meng bu lun zai he fang yi sheng de ai wei you jia
再也不会感到彷徨 不会再失意回头望
zai ye bu hui gan dao pang huang bu hui zai shi yi hui tou wang
我要用心中一点烛光 燃放千万户辉煌
wo yao yong xin zhong yi dian zhu guang ran fang qian wan hu hui huang
要让繁华的城市更灿烂 世界和平共享
yao rang fan hua de cheng shi geng can lan shi jie he ping gong xiang
全凭生命河流来导航 一起登陆理想
quan ping sheng ming he liu lai dao hang yi qi deng lu li xiang
( Repeat Chorus )
Some overseas friends commented that though they left S'pore physically, S'pore has never left them. Despite all the complaints and backlash on govt policies in public forums, we've to admit this lill island does hold a special place in our hearts.
Well-travelled we may be... I'm sure we can identify with the lyrics of Michael Buble's "Home":
May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know
Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home
Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home
Home... a place where we truly feel at ease and say,"Ahh finally I am home at last!"
每一次我感到彷徨 不自禁就会回头望
mei yi ci wo gan dao pang huang bu zi jin jiu hui hui tou wang
我知道心中有个地方 一定会有一盏灯
wo zhi dao xin zhong you ge di fang yi ding hui you yi zhan deng
照亮每一颗黑暗的心房 指引未来方向
zhao liang mei yi ke hei an de xin fang zhi yin wei lai fang xiang
沿着生命河流向前航 就能登陆理想
yan zhe sheng ming he liu xiang qian hang jiu neng deng lu li xiang
Chorus:
我的家 收藏 我的欢喜悲伤
wo de jia shou cang wo de huan xi bei shang
只要点燃希望 梦就会自由飞翔
zhi yao dian ran xi wang meng jiu hui zi you fei xiang
我的家 给我 一双坚定翅膀
wo de jia gei wo yi shuang jian ding chi bang
我的梦 不论在何方 一生的爱唯有家
wo de meng bu lun zai he fang yi sheng de ai wei you jia
再也不会感到彷徨 不会再失意回头望
zai ye bu hui gan dao pang huang bu hui zai shi yi hui tou wang
我要用心中一点烛光 燃放千万户辉煌
wo yao yong xin zhong yi dian zhu guang ran fang qian wan hu hui huang
要让繁华的城市更灿烂 世界和平共享
yao rang fan hua de cheng shi geng can lan shi jie he ping gong xiang
全凭生命河流来导航 一起登陆理想
quan ping sheng ming he liu lai dao hang yi qi deng lu li xiang
( Repeat Chorus )
Home - Where I am Truly, Surely.... Really?
My fav NDP Theme Song of all time...
Whenever I am feeling low
I look around me and I know
There's a place that will stay within me
Wherever I may choose to go
I will always recall the city
Know every street and shore
Sail down the river which brings us life
Winding through my Singapore
Chorus:
This is home truly, where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me, where that river always flows
This is home surely, as my senses tell me
This is where I won't be alone, for this is where I know it's home
When there are troubles to go through
We'll find a way to start anew
There is comfort in the knowledge
That home's about its people too
So we'll build our dreams together
Just like we've done before
Just like the river which brings us life
There'll always be Singapore
( Repeat Chorus )
For this is where I know it's home
For this is where I know I'm home
Whenever I am feeling low
I look around me and I know
There's a place that will stay within me
Wherever I may choose to go
I will always recall the city
Know every street and shore
Sail down the river which brings us life
Winding through my Singapore
Chorus:
This is home truly, where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me, where that river always flows
This is home surely, as my senses tell me
This is where I won't be alone, for this is where I know it's home
When there are troubles to go through
We'll find a way to start anew
There is comfort in the knowledge
That home's about its people too
So we'll build our dreams together
Just like we've done before
Just like the river which brings us life
There'll always be Singapore
( Repeat Chorus )
For this is where I know it's home
For this is where I know I'm home
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Your Grace Still Amazes Me
Does it?
Do you still draw yourself to Him? Or are you hiding? You know, we do that sometimes... when Christianity becomes a systemic routine which we follow blindly... it becomes more of a chore, a duty rather than something we would have gladly done willingly... like for a lover.
The "coolness" of being tagged a Christian and "God, I never want to out of Your Love ever again" promise are being replaced by 'no one attends service with me', 'it's too far and too early anyway', 'i feel tired all the time'. Whenever we hit a peak, the trough is waiting. We are sick of politics in church. Church people are waaayyy too "artificially" nice. Our faith turns cold. We don't "feel" Him around when He's needed. We no longer communicate with Him in all honesty and openness. We don't pray as often. Sermons no longer speak to us. The "same-old, same-old" is a drag. Somehow, His Amazing Grace is not so amazing after all. Or is it?
~ Your grace still amazes me ~
~ Your love is still a mystery ~
My faithful Father, enduring Friend
Your tender mercy’s like a river with no end
It overwhelms me, covers my sin
Each time I come into Your presence
I stand in wonder once again
::Chorus::
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
Your grace still amazes me
‘Cause Your grace still amazes me
Oh, patient Saviour, You make me whole
You are the Author and the Healer of my soul
What can I give You, Lord, what can I say
I know there’s no way to repay You
Only to offer You my praise
It’s deeper, it’s wider
It’s stronger, it’s higher
It’s deeper it’s wider
It’s stronger, it’s higher
than anything my eyes can see
Do you still draw yourself to Him? Or are you hiding? You know, we do that sometimes... when Christianity becomes a systemic routine which we follow blindly... it becomes more of a chore, a duty rather than something we would have gladly done willingly... like for a lover.
The "coolness" of being tagged a Christian and "God, I never want to out of Your Love ever again" promise are being replaced by 'no one attends service with me', 'it's too far and too early anyway', 'i feel tired all the time'. Whenever we hit a peak, the trough is waiting. We are sick of politics in church. Church people are waaayyy too "artificially" nice. Our faith turns cold. We don't "feel" Him around when He's needed. We no longer communicate with Him in all honesty and openness. We don't pray as often. Sermons no longer speak to us. The "same-old, same-old" is a drag. Somehow, His Amazing Grace is not so amazing after all. Or is it?
~ Your grace still amazes me ~
~ Your love is still a mystery ~
My faithful Father, enduring Friend
Your tender mercy’s like a river with no end
It overwhelms me, covers my sin
Each time I come into Your presence
I stand in wonder once again
::Chorus::
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
Your grace still amazes me
‘Cause Your grace still amazes me
Oh, patient Saviour, You make me whole
You are the Author and the Healer of my soul
What can I give You, Lord, what can I say
I know there’s no way to repay You
Only to offer You my praise
It’s deeper, it’s wider
It’s stronger, it’s higher
It’s deeper it’s wider
It’s stronger, it’s higher
than anything my eyes can see
Flight of Your Life
What God teaches through faith's ups and downs
Ruth E. Van Reken
Life with jesus hasn't turned out quite the way I thought it would.
As a child, "testimony time" was my favorite feature of Sunday evening church. Each week the white-haired ladies and gentlemen around me would grab the pew ahead, pull themselves to a slightly stooped stand, and proclaim, "I accepted Jesus 40 years ago, and it's been glory ever since." I figured "glory" must be great, and couldn't wait to follow in their steps. I expected to soar through life with unswerving faith.
Instead of soaring, however, my faith journey has more closely resembled the flight of my first homemade kite: first rising, then dipping and crashing, so I'd have to start over again. Why couldn't I be more "spiritual" like those saints I'd known as a child?
I decided to study the Old Testament heroes listed in Hebrews 11 as members of the New Testament "hall of faith." At first, their stories puzzled me. How could God possibly put Jacob in that list? He'd stolen his brother's birthright through treachery. What about Samson? He spent his life chasing women such as Delilah. David had committed adultery and murder. None were people I'd choose as an example of faithful living. So why did God?
But as I read more carefully, I saw how those listed in Hebrews 11 shared a common story: God worked through their lives to shape them into individuals who trusted him despite seemingly impossible situations. Each experienced the same ups and downs of faith I knew so well, yet God used those events to build strong faith in him.
Why does God often seem to take us back to square one in our journey with him? What can we learn only when we have nothing left but God himself and his promises? Here are some answers.
Faith and feelings aren't the same. Throughout high school I promised God I'd follow him fervently, no matter what. God's presence seemed palpable as our school Bible club grew from 15 to 115 members. We prayed. God answered. It was great.
Soon after beginning college, however, I found myself seated alone in a dorm prayer room, wondering what had happened to God. The same Bible that had been savory meat for my soul now tasted like cold French fries. Prayers seemed to bounce off the walls with mocking echoes: "God isn't LISTENING … listening … listening." How could this be?
That's when I glanced up to see a plaque on the wall quoting a verse from Job 23: "I do not see him … but he knows the way that I take." I opened my Bible to read the whole chapter, and it described my situation perfectly. No matter where Job looked, he couldn't find God—yet God always knew where to find him. Based on that, Job determined to continue trusting God through the darkness.
That fact—that God knows where I am when I have no idea where he is—has been one of the most stabilizing truths in my life. I can pray, "God, I haven't a clue where you are in this mess, but I thank you that you know where I am. Please hold on to me when I can't seem to hold on to you."
God isn't a system to be learned. Following my first year in college, I went into a nursing program and worked with people in life-and-death situations. Seeing many of them face life's starkest moments without Jesus restored my faith — I knew I'd never doubt again.
Wrong. A few years later my husband, Dave, began his pediatric residency. We moved with our 8-month-old daughter to a new city where I didn't know one person. Dave took calls at the hospital every second or third night, and I became a stay-at-home mom. Depression set in. This time God didn't merely disappear; it felt as though he'd died.
I did what I'd done before. I asked God to keep his eyes on me when I didn't know how to find him. I read my Bible. I prayed. I even followed the advice of a book that promised if I'd praise God no matter what, all my problems would go away. I still felt awful.
Finally I confessed my struggle to a friend. "I'm sure if I'd only pray more or read my Bible more, I'd be okay, but I can't seem to do it like I should."
My friend gave me a strange look. "Did you hear what you just said, Ruth? If you do this or that exactly right, then God must perform according to your dictates. Why don't you ask God to be God in your life, and stop trying to control him?"
With that simple question, I realized while I'd always believed my salvation came by God's grace through faith in Jesus rather than through anything I could do, that's not how I lived. Instead, I'd started believing that if I just met certain standards of performance such as Bible reading and prayer (both good things in themselves), then God would essentially become my fairy godparent and do my bidding. My friend was right. I'd turned God's means for knowing him better into a method to keep control of my life.
Childish or immature perceptions of God need replacing. As a child I somehow picked up the skewed idea that really good soldiers in God's army barely notice the wounds they suffer while serving him, if they feel them at all.
Years later, Dave and I moved to Liberia, Africa, as missionaries. During our first year there, Uncle El, a fellow missionary, and his daughter, Rhoda, were in a terrible motorcycle accident. While Dave and I stayed with them all night at the hospital, robbers completely ransacked our home. Here we were, serving Jesus, and life had never been so catastrophic.
I knew I should pray — but how? For what?
I had no faith that Uncle El would survive and Rhoda already had multiple fractures. Finally, as I tried to pray, an amazing thing happened. Somehow, in a way I can't explain, I saw Jesus weeping in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before he was crucified. What an incredible paradox. There, in the midst of Christ's greatest act of faith, he suffered his greatest moment of pain.
Faith didn't prevent his pain, but pain also didn't prevent his faith.
By his Spirit, Jesus said to me, "Ruth, I know what it's like not to want the Father's will. Sometimes the Father's will is very hard. So I'm not going to push you through this; I'm going to carry you."
I've learned as I've matured that true faith not only acknowledges pain, but agrees to God's plan despite it. After Uncle El's death, Aunt Lois told me, "No reason is worth the price of my husband's life except one. Somehow God has allowed this to happen for his glory, though I may never understand why before heaven. With that, my heart can rest."
God's character is trustworthy. After my encounter with Jesus in the Garden, life continued to tumble from one crisis to another. We were robbed 9 more times. 5 close friends or relatives, including my father, died in the next 2 years. Just a few short years later, I had to face the biggest question of my life so far: "Have I given my life to God for a joke?"
My husband and I were living back in the States, but our 2 adopted Liberian sons, William and James, had returned to Liberia just before a civil war began there in 1990. For months, we had no idea if our sons were alive or dead. No matter how hard I prayed, the news got worse: "Cholera Sweeps the City." "600 Killed in Church Massacre." Even if I'd known where William and James were, I had no way to send help or rescue them. I felt numb inside. Each day I waited for a breakthrough from God. Each day—silence.
After many weeks, God finally impressed one thought in my heart: "Ruth, you've come to trust what you know about me, but you don't trust me."
That puzzled me. So I prayed, "God, I have no idea what that means, but if it's true, would you teach me about yourself from scratch, as if I've never known you at all?"
A few months later, still numb, I opened my Bible once more to Hebrews 11. In verse 6I read, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Do you really?! My mind began to rage at God as I compared that verse to the circumstances around me. I've sought you and sought you this year, but you remain silent, and everything I've prayed about has only gotten worse. You haven't rewarded me with one thing!
Hadn't we given up family, country, and professional opportunities to follow God? Now look. Because of the war in Liberia, our mission buildings had been destroyed and our two sons were likely dead and gone. Instead of a plentiful harvest, we had a sun-scorched land.
Had I, in fact, spent my life for nothing?
As I stared at the passage again, the Shepherd's voice popped up once more in my mind. Do you believe I'm faithful and true and good, not for what you see me do, but for who I am?
The greatest wrestling match of my life followed. If I said "Yes, God is faithful, true, and good," it meant I believed he was keeping his promises in this awful situation — even if I didn't understand why or how. It meant I had to trust him; I had to leave all my unanswered questions with him. That seemed like an impossible choice.
But if I decided "No, God isn't faithful," then I was saying God was a liar and none of his promises were true — including that Jesus is my Savior. In that case, my life was a joke and there was no point in continuing the deception. That seemed like a hopeless choice.
Thankfully, I finally bowed before God, trusting his character, whether William and James lived or died. In God's mercy, both of them survived the war, but many others didn't. However, like the stories in Hebrews 11, where some people were rescued from the lion's den while others were martyred by being sawn in 2, God is equally faithful, true, and good in all cases.
I once heard George Verwer, head of Operation Mobilization, say, "Christians have to relearn their faith from scratch at every stage of life."
How true. And how wonderful that as God teaches us more about who he is within the circumstances of our life, our relationship to him becomes deeper and stronger. We can trust, no matter what we feel. Maybe that's the "glory" part after all.
Ruth E. Van Reken
Life with jesus hasn't turned out quite the way I thought it would.
As a child, "testimony time" was my favorite feature of Sunday evening church. Each week the white-haired ladies and gentlemen around me would grab the pew ahead, pull themselves to a slightly stooped stand, and proclaim, "I accepted Jesus 40 years ago, and it's been glory ever since." I figured "glory" must be great, and couldn't wait to follow in their steps. I expected to soar through life with unswerving faith.
Instead of soaring, however, my faith journey has more closely resembled the flight of my first homemade kite: first rising, then dipping and crashing, so I'd have to start over again. Why couldn't I be more "spiritual" like those saints I'd known as a child?
I decided to study the Old Testament heroes listed in Hebrews 11 as members of the New Testament "hall of faith." At first, their stories puzzled me. How could God possibly put Jacob in that list? He'd stolen his brother's birthright through treachery. What about Samson? He spent his life chasing women such as Delilah. David had committed adultery and murder. None were people I'd choose as an example of faithful living. So why did God?
But as I read more carefully, I saw how those listed in Hebrews 11 shared a common story: God worked through their lives to shape them into individuals who trusted him despite seemingly impossible situations. Each experienced the same ups and downs of faith I knew so well, yet God used those events to build strong faith in him.
Why does God often seem to take us back to square one in our journey with him? What can we learn only when we have nothing left but God himself and his promises? Here are some answers.
Faith and feelings aren't the same. Throughout high school I promised God I'd follow him fervently, no matter what. God's presence seemed palpable as our school Bible club grew from 15 to 115 members. We prayed. God answered. It was great.
Soon after beginning college, however, I found myself seated alone in a dorm prayer room, wondering what had happened to God. The same Bible that had been savory meat for my soul now tasted like cold French fries. Prayers seemed to bounce off the walls with mocking echoes: "God isn't LISTENING … listening … listening." How could this be?
That's when I glanced up to see a plaque on the wall quoting a verse from Job 23: "I do not see him … but he knows the way that I take." I opened my Bible to read the whole chapter, and it described my situation perfectly. No matter where Job looked, he couldn't find God—yet God always knew where to find him. Based on that, Job determined to continue trusting God through the darkness.
That fact—that God knows where I am when I have no idea where he is—has been one of the most stabilizing truths in my life. I can pray, "God, I haven't a clue where you are in this mess, but I thank you that you know where I am. Please hold on to me when I can't seem to hold on to you."
God isn't a system to be learned. Following my first year in college, I went into a nursing program and worked with people in life-and-death situations. Seeing many of them face life's starkest moments without Jesus restored my faith — I knew I'd never doubt again.
Wrong. A few years later my husband, Dave, began his pediatric residency. We moved with our 8-month-old daughter to a new city where I didn't know one person. Dave took calls at the hospital every second or third night, and I became a stay-at-home mom. Depression set in. This time God didn't merely disappear; it felt as though he'd died.
I did what I'd done before. I asked God to keep his eyes on me when I didn't know how to find him. I read my Bible. I prayed. I even followed the advice of a book that promised if I'd praise God no matter what, all my problems would go away. I still felt awful.
Finally I confessed my struggle to a friend. "I'm sure if I'd only pray more or read my Bible more, I'd be okay, but I can't seem to do it like I should."
My friend gave me a strange look. "Did you hear what you just said, Ruth? If you do this or that exactly right, then God must perform according to your dictates. Why don't you ask God to be God in your life, and stop trying to control him?"
With that simple question, I realized while I'd always believed my salvation came by God's grace through faith in Jesus rather than through anything I could do, that's not how I lived. Instead, I'd started believing that if I just met certain standards of performance such as Bible reading and prayer (both good things in themselves), then God would essentially become my fairy godparent and do my bidding. My friend was right. I'd turned God's means for knowing him better into a method to keep control of my life.
Childish or immature perceptions of God need replacing. As a child I somehow picked up the skewed idea that really good soldiers in God's army barely notice the wounds they suffer while serving him, if they feel them at all.
Years later, Dave and I moved to Liberia, Africa, as missionaries. During our first year there, Uncle El, a fellow missionary, and his daughter, Rhoda, were in a terrible motorcycle accident. While Dave and I stayed with them all night at the hospital, robbers completely ransacked our home. Here we were, serving Jesus, and life had never been so catastrophic.
I knew I should pray — but how? For what?
I had no faith that Uncle El would survive and Rhoda already had multiple fractures. Finally, as I tried to pray, an amazing thing happened. Somehow, in a way I can't explain, I saw Jesus weeping in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before he was crucified. What an incredible paradox. There, in the midst of Christ's greatest act of faith, he suffered his greatest moment of pain.
Faith didn't prevent his pain, but pain also didn't prevent his faith.
By his Spirit, Jesus said to me, "Ruth, I know what it's like not to want the Father's will. Sometimes the Father's will is very hard. So I'm not going to push you through this; I'm going to carry you."
I've learned as I've matured that true faith not only acknowledges pain, but agrees to God's plan despite it. After Uncle El's death, Aunt Lois told me, "No reason is worth the price of my husband's life except one. Somehow God has allowed this to happen for his glory, though I may never understand why before heaven. With that, my heart can rest."
God's character is trustworthy. After my encounter with Jesus in the Garden, life continued to tumble from one crisis to another. We were robbed 9 more times. 5 close friends or relatives, including my father, died in the next 2 years. Just a few short years later, I had to face the biggest question of my life so far: "Have I given my life to God for a joke?"
My husband and I were living back in the States, but our 2 adopted Liberian sons, William and James, had returned to Liberia just before a civil war began there in 1990. For months, we had no idea if our sons were alive or dead. No matter how hard I prayed, the news got worse: "Cholera Sweeps the City." "600 Killed in Church Massacre." Even if I'd known where William and James were, I had no way to send help or rescue them. I felt numb inside. Each day I waited for a breakthrough from God. Each day—silence.
After many weeks, God finally impressed one thought in my heart: "Ruth, you've come to trust what you know about me, but you don't trust me."
That puzzled me. So I prayed, "God, I have no idea what that means, but if it's true, would you teach me about yourself from scratch, as if I've never known you at all?"
A few months later, still numb, I opened my Bible once more to Hebrews 11. In verse 6I read, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Do you really?! My mind began to rage at God as I compared that verse to the circumstances around me. I've sought you and sought you this year, but you remain silent, and everything I've prayed about has only gotten worse. You haven't rewarded me with one thing!
Hadn't we given up family, country, and professional opportunities to follow God? Now look. Because of the war in Liberia, our mission buildings had been destroyed and our two sons were likely dead and gone. Instead of a plentiful harvest, we had a sun-scorched land.
Had I, in fact, spent my life for nothing?
As I stared at the passage again, the Shepherd's voice popped up once more in my mind. Do you believe I'm faithful and true and good, not for what you see me do, but for who I am?
The greatest wrestling match of my life followed. If I said "Yes, God is faithful, true, and good," it meant I believed he was keeping his promises in this awful situation — even if I didn't understand why or how. It meant I had to trust him; I had to leave all my unanswered questions with him. That seemed like an impossible choice.
But if I decided "No, God isn't faithful," then I was saying God was a liar and none of his promises were true — including that Jesus is my Savior. In that case, my life was a joke and there was no point in continuing the deception. That seemed like a hopeless choice.
Thankfully, I finally bowed before God, trusting his character, whether William and James lived or died. In God's mercy, both of them survived the war, but many others didn't. However, like the stories in Hebrews 11, where some people were rescued from the lion's den while others were martyred by being sawn in 2, God is equally faithful, true, and good in all cases.
I once heard George Verwer, head of Operation Mobilization, say, "Christians have to relearn their faith from scratch at every stage of life."
How true. And how wonderful that as God teaches us more about who he is within the circumstances of our life, our relationship to him becomes deeper and stronger. We can trust, no matter what we feel. Maybe that's the "glory" part after all.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Take my Life & Let It Be
An old hymn written by Fanny Crosby (the blind woman of faith who penned "Blessed Assurance")
Performed by Chris Tomlin
As you listen the lyrics of this song... ask the Lord in what area am I struggling to surrender. It mentions so many areas in which can a challenge to for us to submit to God's will.
Do I give Him my hands and feet?
Do I only use my voice to to sing praises to my King or do I allow it to be used for satan's will?
Do my lips bring messages of love or of hate, of acceptance or of judgement?
Do I use the intellect He has given me to glorify Him or me?
Do I see the money I have as His or mine?
Who holds my heart, the world or Jesus?
Who does my life belong to and who do I submit to?
Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord, to thee
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee
Take my voice and let me sing always, only for my king
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee
Take my silver and my gold not a might would I withhold
Take my intellect and use every power as you choose
::Chorus::
Here am I, all of me
Take my life, it's all for thee
Take my will and make it Thine it shall be no longer mine
Take my heart it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne
Take my love, my Lord I pour at your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be ever, only all for thee,
Take myself and I will be ever, only all for thee
"Kept for the Master's Use" is a wonderful book written by Fanny Crosby (aka Frances Havergal). She uses lyrics from this hymn as chapter titles and it speaks to me every time I read this little paperback book that is so filled with godly wisdom that all of us need.
She encourages us to take every aspect of life and consecrate it for the Lord's use.
Why keep anything for self glorification when we can keep it all for His use?
May all of us be kept for the Master's use, alwayz!
Performed by Chris Tomlin
As you listen the lyrics of this song... ask the Lord in what area am I struggling to surrender. It mentions so many areas in which can a challenge to for us to submit to God's will.
Do I give Him my hands and feet?
Do I only use my voice to to sing praises to my King or do I allow it to be used for satan's will?
Do my lips bring messages of love or of hate, of acceptance or of judgement?
Do I use the intellect He has given me to glorify Him or me?
Do I see the money I have as His or mine?
Who holds my heart, the world or Jesus?
Who does my life belong to and who do I submit to?
Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord, to thee
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee
Take my voice and let me sing always, only for my king
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee
Take my silver and my gold not a might would I withhold
Take my intellect and use every power as you choose
::Chorus::
Here am I, all of me
Take my life, it's all for thee
Take my will and make it Thine it shall be no longer mine
Take my heart it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne
Take my love, my Lord I pour at your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be ever, only all for thee,
Take myself and I will be ever, only all for thee
"Kept for the Master's Use" is a wonderful book written by Fanny Crosby (aka Frances Havergal). She uses lyrics from this hymn as chapter titles and it speaks to me every time I read this little paperback book that is so filled with godly wisdom that all of us need.
She encourages us to take every aspect of life and consecrate it for the Lord's use.
Why keep anything for self glorification when we can keep it all for His use?
May all of us be kept for the Master's use, alwayz!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
《承諾》[China Sichuan Earthquake 12-May-2008]
《承諾》
多少人 多少幸福被搶奪
多少生活在一瞬間被埋沒
一切變沉默
淚光在眼眶閃爍
塵埃沾滿了失落 的輪廓(情願是我)
不必說 你們背後還有我
未來就是崎嶇也會陪你過
一個你 一個我
扛起不需要脆弱
前面越走一定會 越寬闊(你還有我)
* 誰都會有恐懼面對黑暗的角落
為了你我再苦也不躲
我要你重獲 原來的生活
認定了這一輩子的承諾
( repeat * )
** 縱然山搖地破 也要安然渡過 有你有我 **
( repeat * )
我要你重獲 原來的生活
認定了這一輩子的承諾
( repeat * )
Monday, April 21, 2008
Smoky Mountain Memories - David Archuleta
Beautifully sang....
You ought to go north somebody told us
Cause the air is filled with gold dust
And fortune falls like snow flakes in your hands
Now I don't recall who said it
But we'd lived so long on credit
And so we headed out to find our promised land
Just poor Smoky Mountains farm folk
With nothing more than high hopes
So we hitched our station wagon to a star
But our dreams all fell in on us
Cause there was no land of promise
Though it's a struggle just keepin' sight of who you are
Oh and these northern nights are dreary
And my southern heart is weary
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
But I know that they all love me
And I know they're all thinking of me
Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong
You know I've been thinkin' a whole lot lately
About what's been and what awaits me
It takes all I've got to give what life demands
You go insane if you give in to it
Life's a mill and I've been through it
I'm just thankful I'm creative with my hands
Oh and these northern nights are dreary
And my southern eyes are teary
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
But I'll keep leanin' on my Jesus
He'll love and guide and lead us
Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong
I'll keep looking to the father
Keep our heads above the water
Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong
You ought to go north somebody told us
Cause the air is filled with gold dust
And fortune falls like snow flakes in your hands
Now I don't recall who said it
But we'd lived so long on credit
And so we headed out to find our promised land
Just poor Smoky Mountains farm folk
With nothing more than high hopes
So we hitched our station wagon to a star
But our dreams all fell in on us
Cause there was no land of promise
Though it's a struggle just keepin' sight of who you are
Oh and these northern nights are dreary
And my southern heart is weary
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
But I know that they all love me
And I know they're all thinking of me
Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong
You know I've been thinkin' a whole lot lately
About what's been and what awaits me
It takes all I've got to give what life demands
You go insane if you give in to it
Life's a mill and I've been through it
I'm just thankful I'm creative with my hands
Oh and these northern nights are dreary
And my southern eyes are teary
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
But I'll keep leanin' on my Jesus
He'll love and guide and lead us
Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong
I'll keep looking to the father
Keep our heads above the water
Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Once in a lullaby ii ii iii
Somewhere over the rainbow
Blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Dreams really do come true ooh ooooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me ee ee eeh
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops thats where you'll find me oh
Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to
Dream really do come true oo ooo
Oh yes… dreams come true
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Christ Eyes
Fairest Lord Jesus
Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows, Fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows, Fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Beautiful Savior, Lord of all the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man.
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.
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