Wednesday, December 19, 2007

To read and not to write

Have you ever wish that people would do what you think they should've done?
Or do things the way you think it supposed to be done?
In other word, to wish that all people would be just like me? Think like me, act like me... how hard would that be?

Here is a awakening thought "Things that thrills me might bothers others"

I believe some or even few people in the world are good listeners, and I'm definitely not one of them. That is why psychiatrist is highly paid to L.I.S.T.E.N.

We are so busy trying to 'write' and ignore the fact that it is important to 'read' too. Sometimes we are trapped in the world of "I know better" "There's nothing wrong in doing things my way".
And mostly it wasn't due to being arrogant or selfish. We are just desperately wanna do things better, which means it has to be done our way.

Maybe it's time for us to increase our reading hours. Instead of 'write' - trying to fix things, to get people to change, we could pause and look at ourselves. We may have to change our own way of thinking. I know it is extremely hard because what we want to do is not necessarily wrong, but it is just not the right thing to do for us and others' sake :)

This is the challenge : Do one thing you don't like per day, and see how it goes!

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

An empty vessel

A lot of times in my prayer, I would ask God to use me. The question is, how much space in my life which I left God to fill?

Lets see... I'm not exactly an empty vessel as I would love to be. I have my own dream, goal, plans to fulfilled. I saw myself in the future as a business analyst who work in a challenging environment. I saw myself serving God from behind the curtain in the church, at my workplace etc.

What if God tells me now, "Leave your job and be a missionaire" Would I be able to say 'YES' undoubtly?

Do we really meant it when we say "God, use me"?

What type of doctor are you?



I've just bought a new j-dorama which story evolves around Usako; a female intern who is working towards her dream to be a doctor. Then in order for her to be a doctor, she has to be trained by doctors from different department in the hospital.

The first doctor was a strict person with great expectation. She was expected to give quick response, which she's not.

The second doctor was a person with eccentric personality who like to spend his leisure time playing the stacko. No one really knows what's in his mind. When he saw Usako who is slow, he finds it annoying and decided to ignore her completely.

The third doctor was a unique 'clown' doctor. He taught his patience to do para-para dance. He plays a board game with his patience using the patience's snacks as the bet. This time, it was Usako who finds him annoying.

The last doctor was a female doctor who cares more about her boyfriends than the patients. She is pretty ignorance and treat her male-nurse as if they were her servants.

There's lot of time when social conflicts took place. The first 'strict' doctor who's so strict that causes her to work even though she had a high fever. She was so afraid that she dares not ask the permission to rest. At last when she told him that she's sick, the doctor was astounded. He could not figure out why wouldn't she tell him at the first place.

The second 'eccentric' doctor who finds her annoying send someone to keep her away from him. He did not let her to assist him and refuse to teach her anything. Story reveals that when he realised how devoted she is, he trust her completely and even willing to sacrifice his career for her learning purpose.

The third 'clown' doctor who she finds ignorance and unprofessional turns out to be the most considerate doctor. She figures out that he believes in healing the body, it is important to heal the mind as well. He believe that laughter is the best medicine and use the his own way to treat his patients.

The last 'beauty' doctor is a person who has different personality from her acts. Though she may say that she cares more about herself but at the end, her patients is her priority.

Which type of doctor are you? Aren't we all acts as the doctors in this world? We says, "we want to help, to heal, to love, to understand those who needs Jesus"

From all the doctors, though they do not have the same personality nor working attitudes but they put their patience above all. Have we put those 'patients' above our needs?

It is easy to judge people on their performance, but have we check our own performance? Can we say, "I have done my best"?

In order to do His works, we ought to work as a part of the body of Christ. And there are people who are strict, playful, eccentric or ignorance; but then could we all accept that His creation is unique in order to complete His works?

Monday, December 10, 2007

God has zero debts


In last 2 months, I often joke around with my fellow church friends who do me a favor, that their reward is waiting for them in heaven. It was the same statement I'll say to myself everytime I felt exhausted during my "working hours". It is the ultimate awakening to go on with what I want to do for my God.


But God reminded me that "GOD does not owe us anything" He'll never say, "I'll pay you back later". He simply does not owe! Everyday His blessing is poured upon me whether I want to acknowledge it or not.

Remember this:

"God does not owe you answers to your prayers. God does not owe you His presence. God does not owe you help when you are in trouble. "


So stay still knowing His blessings is poured everyday in your life until the end of time!

A little box


Last friday, I went to the company Christmas Dinner @ Waters Edge. It's a beautiful restaurant by the sea with Harbour Bridge view complete with sparks from the Luna Park. The party starts at 6.30 and ended 12.00 pm. It was the first company Christmas dinner I've attended and it was awesome!

I realise sometimes I choose to seek Him in my list of options. I choose to seek His presence in the church, I choose to feel His comfort in my fellow Christian friends' arms, I choose to be taught by His words through the lips of people I've chosen etc.

The fact is God works in His way, God is everywhere, God is simply God. I could not put Him in my little box and expect Him to stay there.

God truly shows me His love through my colleagues' gesture, His presence was so thick before the party when me and my colleagues were getting ready, when we're taking photos and even after the party when I was dropping them off. God presence is everywhere, if only I've let Him out of the box sooner.

When I reached home that nite, I opened my little box and threw it away. I've decided to let God be GOD :)

Beyond and over the hill of EXPECTATION


What is it with me and expectation?
I'm dissapointed when things goes beyond it, and I'm thrilled when things goes over the hill.

My life is full of expectation I may say. I have a very high expectation of myself and others. And reality reveals that not only me myself have expectation but there are things that people expect from me too. And then, I still have to ask God 'What is His expectation of me?'

Which concerns me most? My expectation that everyone should work as hard as I do, to meet people's expectation of me which I struggle, or to meet God's expectation?

A lot of words said and events done stuck on my head till this moment. I'm still trying to figure out what went wrong, how could I understand myself and others more. I've read a lot of books to fix myself. But time to time I still feel that what I've done is never enough. And the feeling of giving up is chasing after me.

Today I read someone's testimony saying:
"...I just wanted to share that my personal way to deal with expectations is to just focus on God, trust that He will show me what the priorities are. After all, when is all said and done, other people are just that -people-, and events many times are not as important as they seem. When I'm tired of being stretched to my limits by people and life in general, I take it as God's way of telling me to be alone and spend time with HIM. That puts things into perspective."

Lord, I want to learn to focus on you more and more. I pray that You would take away all the words and events which stuck on my head. Renew my mind, my soul and my strength. Amen.

Monday, December 3, 2007

A minute to spare


I'm feeling re-energised after an awesome weekend with my girlfriends!!

Awesome adj
Definition:
1. whole nite long girls talk
2. 'smoked salmon and scramble egg' bfast at 12 noon
3. pedicure spa in the afternoon
4. fruit salad dinner accompanied with chick flick

I've always tried to apply the principle of J.O.Y in my daily life. Jesus first, Others second, You last. But then I'm still human who could be exhausted and needs a minute to spare on myself.

Even God says, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" How could you love others if you don't love yourself?