Friday, April 30, 2010

30-04-10 (Friday) "Accents"

I've just come to realize that I've started to love accents a lot. I like how people from different countries all speak English different.

Its just so lovely how you can tell where a person is from after hearing them speak a few sentences. Its just awesome how it causes differentiation between us.
I just love how God made us all different. And different we all are. And that difference makes us normal. (Ironic, eh?)

Yet sometimes its these differences that make "LOVE" such an impossibility. We can't seem to love certain people because they're different. Because they can't live up to OUR expectations.

... And other times because they just remind us of bits of ourselves, though we don't realize it, eh?

Then again, why would it have to be a commandment if it were that easy? It would barely be a teaching then. 物以稀为贵, they say in Mandarin. Translated, The value of something is in its rarity. If love were so easy to find, then we wouldn't make much of it, eh? That's why I truly value and cherish my loved ones. That's probably you. :)


I hope this doesn't affect your faith.
You have my prayers.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

25-04-10 (Sunday) "Opinions"

I've been seeing lots of getting together and calling it quits over my short period here.

Ducklings getting all lovey-dovey.
It sure can be quite a sweet scene seeing people get together but sometimes there's just that feeling that says to yourself "Nah, that is not gonna work out." and I wish I could just tell people that at times and save them all the pain and negative stuff. But... what's the point of saying such things?

Come to think of it, if I myself were to get into something and my "gut feeling" tells me "Nah, this is not gonna work out", I wouldn't even listen to myself!

From a different point of view, if I told you that s/he is worth it, you might be led into putting too much effort into something that wasn't gonna work out anyway. On the other hand, if I told you to let her/him go, I might've caused you to lose hope in a relationship that could very well have been the one you were looking for!

I'm saying this regarding relationships but in fact this kinda relates to everything we have opinions on, whether it be reviews of movies (Clash of the Titans ~ Worst movie I have watched in "3D". Barely 3D at all, Kraken is unleashed after centuries and dies within minutes. -.- Forgot to warm up ah?), a certain restaurant's menu, recently released songs, lecturers... Pretty much anything you can comment on, really.

My point? Be cautious. In what you say. Even if its a passing comment. Extra weight may be put onto your words by the other party. More than you know.

... And this is why I really mean "No comment" at times.

I hope my obsession with the ducklings isn't TOO obvious. :D

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

21-04-10 (Wednesday) "You know things have changed..."


... When you had to think of things to do when you're free and now Facebook is always making you run late.

... When you can say whatever you want, whenever you want and not have it held against you and now you have to think through your words carefully before saying them, sometimes having to rephrase your whole thought.

... When 400 meters used to seem never ending and 42.195km is the real challenge now.

... When you used to wonder how guys can remotely like girls and every one of them make you turn your head now.

... When it would hit sub 10 degrees Celsius in mid-summer and now its still 20 degrees Celsius in the middle of autumn.

... When you woke up at 5 or 6 am just to beat the rush hour to reach school on time and now 8 am is considered insanely early to wake up for class.

... When mobile phones used to be a luxury, VGA camera phones were a VERY rich kid's toy and now 3.2 MP camera phones are the norm with smart phones starting to appear in everyone's hands.

... When there were just Power Rangers, Captain Planet and Sesame Street and now there's Man Vs Wild, How I Met Your Mother and Two and A Half Men.

... When your parents drove you everywhere and set the limits for attending any event and now you're the one with the keys (though parents still pay for the fuel) and "curfew" becomes a myth.

Life is full of changes. Many "firsts" appear along life's way every now and then. I still remember many "firsts" but I shall save that for next time.

Change can be desirable. Change can be good. But you know what? Sometimes, its good to always have a constant. And that constant is God and His Words.

:)

Yes, I am absolutely in love with those ducklings!!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

20-04-10 (Tuesday) "Sorry for this ranting"

Sometimes... I just feel repulsed...

This is shit. Small shit it is. But it still is.
... Seeing certain just makes me go... "Whaaaaatttt.....??! Are you serious....?? *sigh*"

I think its more because of the more recent turn of events and stuff that have popped up? Anyway... Wanted to end on a better note, so...

THE DUCKLINGS ARE BACK!!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

18-04-20 (Sunday) "A Speech For You"

It didn't come out exactly as I planned but this is what it was supposed to sound like, with the context adjusted to fit here.

"There's a saying that goes: You don't know what you have till its gone. I believe that this is usually the case but I don't believe that it should stay that way. We always stop to think about all the good times we've had with the people we had around us only when they're no longer around. In every season of life, there are always people leaving us as they move on and we only start to dwell on the memories we had with them after they've left.


For a change, I'd like to do that while they're still around. I'd like to appreciate all the people around me. And what better occasion to do it than on a birthday, which, instead of being focused on me, can be centered around my dear friends and family for a change. After all, my birthday is the anniversary of my birth and what would my life be if I did not have the people that I have had or still have around, right?

Every one of you have helped shape me into who I am right now and I have only gratitude to express to all of you. This post I dedicate as a form of celebration of your presence in my life.

Similarly, I'd like you to appreciate all the people in your own lives as well. Think about your own family members, your parents, the friends who've played different roles in your life, like friends who drive you to shopping every week and let you drive their car even though its illegal, friends who play sports with you and show you how its done, friends who get scared by you and bear with it, friends who become closer than siblings, friends who challenge you to foosball when you're bored, friends who play computer games with you and scold you for being a noob and of course, friends who just make your day better by being who they are.

Having been shown so much love from God above, its only natural that this love overflows. Therefore, I wanna say to you now that sincerely, I love you, my friend/mom/dad/bro/sis/cousin/grandma/grandpa! Even though I may not seem very loving at times, It IS actually true!

The more I go through,
the more I realize it should be less gone through for myself.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

16-04-10 (Friday) "Different Capacities"

I just wanted to share this. 1 John 4:12 reads "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Refer back to verse 8 - "Whoever does not love does not know God, because GOD IS LOVE."

The Life Application Study Bible adds something that struck me. "John isn't telling us how many people to love, but how much to love the people we already know. Our job is to love faithfully the people God has given us to love, whether there are two or two hundred of them."

OCF Cookout 2010! Massive eating and fellowshipping!!
I like the truth in that. If everyone were an extrovert, then everyone would split their attention among so many other people. Whereas because of our differences, introverts show individualized love to the blessed few. I'm glad God made us all different and I believe we all should celebrate our differences. You needn't be super-friendly and super-outgoing to be effective for God. In fact, there are definitely a few who can't help but give thanks for your coming into their lives! God gave us all different capabilities and doesn't expect more than we can offer. So... Just do what you can! :)

I make a mean Mongolian Lamb dish. BAAAA-AAAAAHHH!!!! Nola, actually cheat one. Use those packet sauce.

Hmmm... Yeah, that was probably a mistake.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

11-04-10 (Sunday) "Easy to Say, Hard to Practise"

Love is something infinitely hard to actually fully grasp hold of.

It is said that when we love someone, we wanna find out more about people. And in finding out more about people, we're supposed to end up loving them more.

One thing I'm struggling with is this. We're all flawed in some ways, whether people know it or not, right? So, when we get to know someone else deeper, we spend more time with them... We eventually see more and more of their other side that probably is hidden from normal "acquaintances", right? That would mean their image in our mind becomes tarnished. They become less likable. Most probably less lovable as well. So does that mean we end up loving them less instead?

Do you get my argument there?

For instance, the very first people we love are obviously family, right? But home is usually where all our negative traits are shown. We put on a perfect kid image outside but we hurl insults at our siblings, retaliate disrespectfully to our parents... How is it possible to even be loving someone like that? I can imagine myself being very unloved by my siblings back in the past but only making it so far on our blood relation alone. I mean... How DO you love in those circumstances?

"Love is patient, love is kind." Patience is not a strong trait of mine. Kindness.... Hmmm... To a certain extent? Still working on it though. :\

"It (Love) does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." Not envy your siblings? Friends?

"It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." Sarcasm counts as rudeness, I believe. Self-seeking... I dare say this is one of my biggest weakness! Not easily angered eh... That one already failed like umpteenth time dy. Keeps no record of wrongs. Don't think that's achieveable by own efforts.

"It always protects, always trusts..." I hurt more than I protect and I doubt people easily.

"(it) always hopes, always perseveres." This one I don't really understand.

I realize that I haven't shown my true colours to most people too. If you find me very lovable and likable (not saying that I AM, just saying "IF"), you probably only know me skin deep. Once you reach the point where you're starting to have a hard time liking me... You're probably getting there.

I'm glad that GOD is Love and we're not the ones defining it. Where would we be headed if Man is Love, eh?

I've finished reading P & P by Elisabeth Elliot. She touched on the point of how when we "fall in love" with someone, the person becomes perfect in our eyes, we just can't see any faults in the person. She ties it in with how this is good in the sense that we should view them as they would be when the day comes when s/he is transformed into the glorious body just as Christ's is when He comes again. Good point eh?

Love is easy to say but hard to put into practice.

I don't think I will be pursuing any for a while. Don't think I am capable. Yet.

Thursday, April 08, 2010

I feel some evil rising......

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

07-04-10 (Wednesday) "Is there room?"

After all this while, I begin to wonder... Is there room for selfishness?

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is NOT SELF-SEEKING, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." 1 Corinthians 13: 4,5

Reading "Passion & Purity" has reminded me that the answer is really "No."

... But inevitably, our humanity(i.e. sinfulness) gets in the way and causes us to constantly bring ourselves to the front of the whole picture. We ask things like, "Surely, I deserve at least SOME form of repayment, no?" or "The least he could do was (insert whatever pleases self at the moment), what's so hard about that?"...

Its no easy task. We can't manage on our own. Give us the strength to do this, God!

"Love interprets things in favor of the one loved...
The trouble, of course, is that we must learn to love people.
People are sinners.
Love must be patient when it is tempted to be impatient.
Love must not be selfish, even if other people are.
Love does not take offence, though people are offensive sometimes.
There are wrongs, but love won't keep score."

~ Elisabeth Elliot
Passion & Purity

Thursday, April 01, 2010

02-04-10 (Friday) "Are you here, oh love?"

I've been reading this book "Passion & Purity" recently. I gotta say, it challenged my thoughts in more ways than one.

I think its quite safe to say that the majority of single people always ponder upon marriage and love and wonder when and where theirs is gonna come.

I think I should change to the pronoun "we" here...

So uh... WE think that love is something so beautiful, with our hearts skipping multiple beats over the period of having seen that special someone every time. We think that entering into a relationship is such an experience beyond words, where everything becomes way better than it is now.

And we think that this special relationship, that special someone is what is gonna complete our life. Once we find that person, settle down, get a steady life... THEN we can breathe a sigh and say, "Ahhh... NOW, life is perfect!"

Elliot challenges us/me that we should be comfortable the way we are and not be yearning for love just because WE want it. We tend to think that God wants us to have a life abundant and that means He would will ALL of us to get attached, get serious then get married. Like now.

But what if God has a different plan for you? He very well could have a different one for me. Is it my right to pray against it? To insist that God prepares that lady for me? To prepare me for that special lady? Not at all!

The apostle Paul had a point with what he said about serving God in singlehood compared to being non-single in 1 Cor 7:32-34. A relationship carries with it a heavy load of responsibilities and not everyone enters into a relationship realizing that, especially their first relationships. Yes, I'm generalising but I trust it applies to many. And yes, I DO think that relationships also bring along lots of good stuff, too. I'm just pointing out that the other side of it is usually unthought of UNTIL issues arise.

Anyway... That's all I wanted to share before I leave for OCF EASTER CAMP TOMORROW!!!! More like later, actually. So uh... Have a good Easter break, everyone! And ignore those Easter eggs and bunnies and remember what Easter really means!


"Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."
~ Song of Solomon 8:4b
The Holy Bible


"The only place outside Heaven where you can be
perfectly safe from all the
dangers and perturbations of love is
Hell."

~C. S. Lewis
The Four Loves