What Direction

"How Could You Do That?"

2012-01-28T01:12:00.000+08:00

I've been thinking about the story of the two monks and the courtesan for quite a while. This one's for the legalistic-minded, modern day Pharisees.

One day, the two monks came to a side of a river and noticed a courtesan. As they got nearer they could see that she wanted to get across the river, but she couldn’t, she had no way of getting across the river without ruining her finery. The young monk is freaking out and inside his head he is saying “Oh my God, there is a courtesan, what do we do, what do we do?” We can’t touch her, what do we do?”

As he is doing this the old monk, without even breaking stride, scoops the woman up and carries her across the river, puts her down on the other side and carries on. The young monk keeps looking back over his shoulder, thinking to himself, “He touched that women, he touched her, what has he done, how could he have done that!”

He was driving himself crazy, until he couldn’t take it any longer and after about an hour he said to the older monk “What did you do, how could you do that?” The older monk says “What?” The young monk replies “You, how, you picked up that woman, you, you carried her across the river!” The old monk smiles and says “Oh are you still carrying her? I've put her down an hour ago”.

Never Once Did I Ever Walk Alone

2011-12-31T15:21:00.001+08:00

Standing at the edge of 2011, I remember the Hand that has held me and everything together, and I thought of this song.

Everytime I hear a great worship song from Matt Redman, I'll remember of God's faithfulness. Matt was from the same university as I am, and we've both come a long way. I still remember someone told me he could only lead our CU worship sessions with 3 chords. Now see how has has gone all over the world to bless many thousands of souls. His heart of worship has still remain although his tunes have gotten better and better. But if you're familiar with his older tunes, you'll know how he has made them fresh in new ways in his new songs. I like how he has remain authentic and true to his brand and style of music. His songs really bring my back all the way to the time how God dealt with me walking in the deserts...

Never Once - Matt Redman

Standing on this mountaintop

Looking just how far we've come

Knowing that for every step

You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground

Seeing just how much You've done

Knowing every victory

Is Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace

Evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Ultimate Rest

2011-10-22T08:57:00.000+08:00

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Look upon our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you. (Psalm 84).

One of my all-time favorite Psalms. Simply beautiful. I kinda miss the longing I used to have, like how I felt what the psalmist experienced. I envy the sparrows and the swallows who are free to be what they are.....

My heart has been set on a journey of a pilgrim, seeking for the ultimate rest, the ultimate beauty. Resting in Your presence, I now understand, is a process of walking through life valleys, not sitting idly. When I pass through Baca (weeping), I'm not supposed to pray for it to be taken away, but to convert my adversities into resourcefulness, so that I'd leave wellsprings of life to bless other thirsty travelers who'd pass through where I'm walking.

How is it that the psalmist can say that it's better to spend one tiny moment in the courts than eternity elsewhere? Is it true such joy can be found? How do I find my ultimate calling like that doorkeeper in Your house? I'd be honored even to be the least of the servants in my King's house.

I'm convinced and persuaded that true religion is about being set free and setting others free. Just like true fasting comes with loosening of chains, untying of cords and setting the oppressed free. But why do I feel chains around my neck and weights on my shoulders? Whose yoke is that? Why do I feel dangerous?

I've not forgotten the dream of the beautiful, bright-colored birds in formation and perfect unison. Dancing in peaceful harmony in one instance, and turning into mean, deadly warring weapons in the next. All in a smooth, seamless transition. All as one unit. All following the voice of one. It was almost forgotten......but still not lost.

Now, if only I can be set free from my inner cage....

Let Your easy autumn rain begins to fall on my holes and emptiness again, where I walk...fill them up to be pools of abundance. Lets see what life this spring can bring...

Life Lessons From Observing Family, Little Children and Myself

2011-08-06T10:28:00.002+08:00

I had a wonderful time catching with relatives back from Melbourne whom I haven't met for years. My wife especially had a great time with my cousin sister and her daughters. Family moments like these are priceless and precious.

I notice that after all these years, some things had never changed in my cousin, even after marrying and having kids. I still notice the "inferiority complex" that's so apparent in her. There wasn't a thing wrong about her: she's good-looking, tall, strong and a great mom. Most of all, she has the most pleasant personality and a warm heart. No thanks to all the upbringing conditioning.

Ever since she was a little girl, she was "slower" in learning, thinking and picking up languages than her peers, and especially compared to her bright and quick younger sister. She was often compared to her sister and was "judged" less intelligent and capable. And she fed on these remarks and grew accordingly. I believe this is the worst type of curse a child could inherit from its parents and family, more than cancer cells. She led her life fulfilling all those prophecies cast upon her...

Let's go back and consider little children. I observed that when my nieces and nephews play, they would often test and go pass every boundary imposed on them, just for the fun of it. And I also suspect, they're curious to see what they CAN really do. Inevitable, their parents would impose "NOs" everywhere. The little ones would know at once where the boundaries are, pause, take a half glance at the "authority" figure, and deliberately break them and see what happens next! I love it!

My wife and I would often give permissions to our nephews and nieces to do and play beyond what they're supposed to, they can climb higher than they're supposed to, swing faster, play in dirty places, scream as loud as their lungs can allow. Needless to say, their parents aren't very happy with us sometimes. But you know what? We still haven't discover where their limits are! They're amazing little creatures.

Sadly, I can foresee the curse cycle repeating all over again. They're gonna be conditioned until they're adults, when they'll stop giving themselves the permission to test boundaries, let alone go pass them. They'll learn they can't have what they want because life is not supposed to be easy, not anymore. More often than not, the new boundaries will be self-imposed. Learned helplessness. The tragedy of life!

The days will come when the light of aliveness in the children's eyes will grow dim as they age. All play will cease. Is there a better choice to live? Why not?

Yesterday, my cousin commented to my wife that I'm so different now from who I used to be. I used to be very much like my dad: cold and indifferent, never make the first move to connect with people. Guests in our house would feel the chill of our presence and get turned off. But now I would greet everyone warmly and initiate the conversations. She was surprised at my change!

I beg to differ. I'm still very much the same cold indifferent guy. A person doesn't just change, I realize that now. In fact, I also realize there is no such thing as "self-improvement" like the thousands of self-help books suggest. The only difference lies in allowing myself to make the choices I want to make, which has made all the difference in the world. I can now choose to do what I wouldn't do long ago, and become who I wasn't, and the beautiful thing is, I don't have to be unhappy about it if not a thing changes! And in the process of doing that, everything changes! And this is an invaluable question to ask yourself (I learned from Michael Neill aka The Supercoach): "What would you want to have if you didn't have to be unhappy about not getting it?" I had to repeat that many times over months before I began to understand what he really meant (you may have to read this paragraph over and over to get it). In short, I can have anything I ever wanted and I can be who I want to be!

I now know that I can't blame my father or my mother or my brother or my sister for who I am and what I do. I can't even blame my own past. I don't have to be unhappy about all that and who I am now. It's all in my conscious choice of what I do. Here and now. And I can allow myself to get what I want. My boundaries are always farther than I usually thought.

What Can I Give, What Can I Bring?

2011-05-21T05:38:00.002+08:00

Maybe there is no better condition or state of the human heart to be in than a thankful heart. Even beyond happy or ecstatic, probably gratitude is a higher and better way to feel and live?

Just last night I was reminded of a song I first learned on the guitar when I was in the UK. And this song 'played' in me again and woke me up 5 something on a Saturday morning and compelled me to write this, when I should be enjoying my bed.

Long before Matt Redman was famous internationally as a song-writer/worship-leader with well-loved and widely-sung songs like Blessed Be Your Name, Better Is One Day and Heart Of Worship, there was another song...a song that was sung across the UK like a gust of fresh air in the worship scene in the mid 90s...a song I heard all the time in every water baptism service....a song sung by all denominations of churches....a song that is probably one of the best that ever came out from the UK worship scene. Because it's so raw, simple and heart-felt. It was Matt Redman's song of testimony, written from a thankful heart. If you know his life story, you'll understand. It's called I Will Offer Up My Life.

I Will Offer Up My Life

I will offer up my life in spirit and truth
Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to You
In surrender I must give my every part
Lord receive the sacrifice of a broken heart

Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring
To so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?
Saviour, what can be said, what can be sung
As a praise of Your name for the things You have done?
Oh, my words could not tell, not even in part
Of the debt of love that is owed
By this thankful heart

You deserve my every breath for You've paid the great cost
Giving up Your life to death, even death on the cross
You took all my shame away, there defeated my sin
Opened up the gates of heav'n, and have beckoned me in

I don't know a greater motivation to Christian action and service than a thankful heart. Not out of obligation of duty, guilt, charity, generosity, or even encouragement. Not because I should, must or even could. But from a realization of the unwavering truth that I was once lost and broken, and then given an undeserved new life that I could not give myself or by anyone else other than the great Saviour and Lord.

This is not an idea that I can psyche my mind like some personal development programs. This is not even how I can choose to feel. This is way better, overwhelming beyond comparison.

Now that we know that we've been bought at a great cost, what do we do with our lives? What can we bring as an offering fit enough for the King who gave us everything and more? We'd normally question life. But after all that has been done by Christ, it is now life that questions us in return. What's our response?

I'm forever challenged by those questions, and the short 'spontaneous' song below (also by Matt Redman).

The Other Side of the River

2011-05-14T08:54:00.008+08:00

I was told last night from someone that she enjoys reading my blog and feed on it like food!

Well, this story is dedicated to her, as she's leaving home for "the other side".

You want more food, here's something to take away and chew on the road. My parting gift for you shall come in the form of a story....

Once there was a man leaving his village for the other side down the long river. The boat journey is slow and lengthy, so he struck a conversation with the boatman.

He asked, "What are the people like at the far side of the river?"

The boatman asked, "What are the people like on the side you came from?"

The man replied, "Oh, they're mean, good for nothing, unfriendly and generally bad people. Some of the worst people I've ever met. I'm really very glad I'm leaving them for the far side!"

The boatman paused and then said, "Oh, I wouldn't be so quick to celebrate if I were you. You'll find that the people on the far side are just about the same".

On another day, another man was also leaving from the same village for the other side of the river. He also struck up a conversation with the boatman.

He asked, "What are the people like at the far side of the river?"

The boatman asked in return, "What are the people like on the side you came from?"

The man replied "Oh, they're so warm, nice, friendly and generally great people. Some of the best friends I've made. I'm gonna miss them so much, I may never meet such nice people anywhere else!"

The boatman paused and then said with a smile, "Oh, I wouldn't worry much if I were you. You'll find that the people on the far side are just about the same".

Throw It All Away

2011-05-02T00:44:00.004+08:00

During the late 90s, I came across an American Alternative Rock band Toad The Wet Sprocket which was around for not very long and was quickly disbanded, to my disappointment. I just loved their brilliant songs, with clever embedding elements of Buddhist philosophy and wisdom.

I haven't listen to their songs for ages but I don't know why, recently my mind suddenly recalled one of their songs Little Man Big Man, which I'd really liked. I just gave a listen to it again tonight.

I guess after a decade, my mind still hasn't come to terms with the questions in the song. What am I, really? Where is the beast lying? Is there a beast hiding?

Another song I'd really love was Throw It All Away. Maybe it's time for me to throw away some stories I'd been sold, especially the ones I'd been telling to myself. I guess this is the end. Start over again.

Help me empty out this house

What I've gathered all these days

And thought I couldn't do without

And throw it all away

That Terrible Voice

2011-04-22T01:09:00.007+08:00

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousands times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours....

Surely it's not difficult for Christians to recognize where the above quote came from. And surely you won't hear a sermon that contains anything close to that these days. Why? The pastor will be crucified by the congregation!

Jonathan Edwards, the great Puritan pastor-theologian wrote and preached the sermon Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God during the first Great Awakening, and this was considered the most well-known sermon in the history of America. This highly controversial sermon was considered offensive and certainly not for the faint-hearted. When it was first delivered in July 8, 1741, many who heard it trembled and cried for mercy. Some fainted. But multitudes ran to the front and were saved that famous day.

But what do the historians and the general Americans know about Edwards? The American textbook referred to him and the great revival in such a way: "The Great Awakening was a brief period of intense religious feeling in the 1730's and '40's which caused many churches to split."

In many books, they gave impressions that Edwards was a troubler of the church and had this gloomy and sullen character, who would preach condemnation to his listeners as God's enemies. But did they ever ask why did Edwards preach like that?

Pastor John Piper wrote a commentary on Pastor Jonathan Edwards and his God-entranced worldview:

Most of us don't know that he knew his heaven even better than his hell, and that his vision of glory was just as appealing as his vision of judgment was repulsive.

What high school student is ever asked to come to grips with what really is at issue here? If the Bible is true, and if it says that someday Christ will tread his enemies like a winepress with anger that is fierce and almighty, and if you are a pastor charged with applying Biblical truth to your people so that they will flee the wrath to come, then what would your language be? What would you say to make people feel the reality of texts like these?

Edwards labored over language and over images and metaphors because he was so stunned and awed at the realities he saw in the Bible. Did you hear that one line in the quote I just read: "Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them?" Edwards believed that it was impossible to exaggerate the horror of the reality of hell.

High school teachers would do well to ask their students the really probing question, "Why is it that Jonathan Edwards struggled to find images for wrath and hell that shock and frighten, while contemporary preachers try to find abstractions and circumlocutions that move away from concrete, touchable Biblical pictures of unquenchable fire and undying worms and gnashing of teeth?" If our students were posed with this simple, historical question, my guess is that some of the brighter ones would answer: "Because Jonathan Edwards really believed in hell, but most preachers today don't."

Just last month, while in the middle of our sleep, a sudden loud, deafening sound tore through the dark, silent night. We have never saw the sky so white and so terrible. It was like our bedroom was invaded by a 1,000,000 watt camera flash coupled with the furious roar of giant loudspeakers! My eyes were closed and yet I could feel the blinding effect it had on my vision! My wife and I instantly jumped up from my bed, and experienced the awesomeness of the lightning and thunder. That lightning struke the house opposite ours and made a hole on the marble floor. That night, we were quite afraid, as we've never been so close to a major thunder and lightning strike.

I had a glimpse of what it means to experience the ancient prophet's cry, "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down" (Isaiah 64:1). That whole day after I awoke, I thought how terrible the Day of the Lord is going to be, when He tears open the sky and come back. Not just that, the Scripture spoke of the voice of the Lord like this, "At the thunder of your voice, the people flee; when you rise up, the nations scatter" (Isaiah 33:3).

How many believers today have the same whole God-entranced worldview like Jonathan Edwards did?

If we Christians believe in all the goodness of heaven, then we must equally believe the horrors of hell. If we love the meekness of the Lamb, then we must equally embrace the majesty of the Lion. If we desire to hear the still small voice, then we must also be ready to behold the awesomeness of His terrible voice.

I always wonder how can people who say they heard the voice of God remain the same, unchanged. How can someone who encountered with the Awesome One ever go back the same way he came from? Really?

I don't know why, but in this Easter season, I long to hear sermons similar to those from Jonathan Edwards, someone who would preach the truth with courage and conviction. I'm not fond of old-fashion preaching, unless it is old all the way back to the time when preachers weren't trained to cloak the truth. Let someone who knows the truth that is sharper than any two-edged sword, wield it like how it's meant to be wielded.

Do I still long for the Day of His coming, when the Bible said His glorious re-appearance would not be missed nor mistaken? One thing I know: it'll be a day of many shocks, that's for sure. Deep inside, I long for everything in the dark to be uncovered, and there shall be no more hiding for the wicked. They can flee all they want like dirty cockroaches, but there's no more escaping, no more dark corners to find refuge in.

How terrible that Day will be for those who don't know Him and those who think they know. Everything will be laid bare, and we shall all see the wonderful and terrible truth. All forgotten and buried deeds and motives will be resurrected. Justice has been delayed, but that doesn't mean it isn't coming. It's better to seek His sweet voice and to hear Him now, than to hear Him at the Judgment throne.

Oh, have a blessed celebration of the Lord Jesus' death and resurrection.

You can hear the sermon audio of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God here. But I prefer the rendition by Max Mclean which many imagine to be the closest to how Jonathon Edwards would preach it. It can be found at Audible.

Power and Surrender (Daisy, Let it Go)

2011-04-13T11:40:00.001+08:00

I've been wondering on God's power to act, pondering at surrounding events in the world we strive in. Does God know? Does He move? How long does He wait?

Instead of God coming through stormy clouds and lightning, I was reminded of this song Daisy.

Common Grace. Yeah, the kind of grace that's for everyone. Like the sun that rises on the rich and the poor, the healthy and the sick, the famous and the unknowns. Like the rain that falls on the righteous and the wicked, the courageous and the cowards, the truth-lovers and the liars. All the same.

Common Grace. I still cannot understand it. Maybe it was not meant to be grasped, but to be let go. Release. There's power in surrender.

Common Grace. Can you believe it? As I'm writing this, the rains starts to fall. The easy rain still falls. But only for a little while more...then comes the Thunder.

Daisy by Switchfoot

Daisy, give yourself away

Lookup at the rain

The beautiful display

Of power and surrender

Giving us today

And she gives herself away

Rain, another rainy day

Comes up from the ocean

Give herself away

She comes down easy

On rich and debt the same

And she gives herself away

Let it go

Daisy, Let it go

Open up your fist

This fallen world

Doesn't hold your interest

It doesn't hold your soul

Daisy, let it go

Pain, give yourself a name

Call yourself contrition

Avarice of blame

Giving isn't easy

Neither is the rain

When she gives herself away

Daisy, why another day?

Why another sunrise

Who will take the blame

For all redemptive motion

And every rainy day

When he gives himself away

Who's the Miracle Maker?

2011-04-09T12:02:00.000+08:00

A humorous yet profound story from Jim Rohn. This is why I love this man.

One fine day a young man was walking past a garden.

It was ill attended and overgrown with weeds.

The young man undertook the care of the garden and over time as he tended it, it grew and flourished.

One day, a passerby saw the garden and commented,

"What a beautiful garden God has created".

The young man, a little puzzled and disjointed by the remark, replied,

"Yes, indeed, if not for God’s miracle of the seeds, the sun and the rain, the garden would not grow. However, you should have seen this place when God was taking care of it by himself".

Are you one of God's miracle makers?

Room 66 (The Parable of the Haunted Room and the Guests)

2011-04-04T17:47:00.003+08:00

There is only one cheap motel among a sea of highly-priced hotels at downtown of NoChoiceLand. This is the story of one of its notorious rooms, Room 66.

On a rainy Friday night, a young lady booked Room 66 for the weekend. That night, she encountered strange and disturbing phenomenas. She couldn't sleep all night. She's convinced that the hotel room is haunted by ghosts. She changed her room first thing next morning to another down the corridor.

On that Saturday evening, a young man booked Room 66 for one night. Soon he was sound asleep and had the best and longest sleep of his life. He woke up happy when it was noon, almost time to check out. As he was leaving, he bumped into the young lady along the corridor.

Curious about the smile in his face, the lady asked the man if he saw the same ghosts that attacked her. "What ghost?" The man said there's no such thing there. At first, the man thought the lady was suffering from some kind of delusion. After a prolonged heated debate, he began to reason why she was attacked and he wasn't. The long list ranged from gender, to the rainy night, and to the states of her emotion.

An old man walked past the both of them, he was about to be checked into Room 66 when he overheard their conversation. The young lady related to the old man what she witnessed and the ordeal she went through in Room 66. The young man brushed her aside and commented on what a great experience he had at Room 66.

The old man thought for a while and turned to the lady "I believe you. I know why you were attacked." And then he turned to the young man "I believe you. I know why you weren't attacked."

The old man turned back to the lady "The reason why you were attacked is because they attacked you". And then he turned back to the young man "The reason why you weren't attacked is because they didn't attack you".

The old man then counted how much money left he had in his pocket, looked at his watch, made a couple of phone calls, weighed up his options and made his decision.

The old man was wise enough not to get into the debate on the whys and the hows. He didn't see the point. He validated both the differing views and made his decision based on his priority, affordability and options.

How we evaluate things, people and circumstances are often in the seeing (Btw can you tell the number 66 look like a pair of eyes?). What the young lady and the young man saw were both valid. Their judgments were based on what they saw and experienced. One room. Two different experiences. Both are correct. Just because the man didn't see any ghost doesn't mean they weren't there. Who knows?

The choices we make are different for different individuals. What is ok for me may not be ok for another. What is right for another may not be right for me. At the end of the day, knowing what we know, we must all face and answer the inevitable question when we make our decision "Is that ok for me? Can I sleep with that?" :)

Do I have to say that the above motel and characters are fictional and the product of my imagination? But the ghosts that we all face everyday are most definitely real! ;)

What's Your Faith About?

2011-04-02T01:06:00.018+08:00

If there's an "About" page for your faith, how would you write it? How would your articulate your deepest beliefs? Are your words based on certain popular spiritual leaders that you follow? Are they based on some cotton candy books you've read? Or maybe based on your own personal experiences?

After talking to a young leader in a college cell I shared in tonight, I'm reminded once again the power of simplicity, in the fundamentals of our beliefs, teachings and lifestyle.

There will always be the hypes, fluffs, and cotton-candy trends surrounding our spiritual beliefs and faith. Let's face it, after they go away, more will come. Depending on who you listen to and follow. Over the years, I've grown ashamed to be associated with certain unnecessary circuses that surrounds the essentials. But the simple truths that first drew me many years ago are still deeply rooted within. There are things I'll never be ashamed of.

If you're told to fit your faith in just one song, how would you write it, sing it?

Tonight, as I came home, I was reminded by a great rock song I used to love, Creed by Petra (CCM legends), based on the forgotten Apostle's creed. If I'd write a one-page of "About" for my faith, this would be it. Every word in the song is powerful and still (even more) relevant today, has stood the test of time and trials, and there's no fluff in it. I'm not ashamed of these words...I'll hold steadfast to them.

Creed by Petra

I believe in God the Father - maker of heaven and earth
And in Jesus Christ His only Son
I believe in the virgin birth
I believe in the Man of Sorrows bruised for iniquities
I believe in the Lamb who was
crucified and hung between two thieves

I believe in the resurrection on the
third and glorious day
And I believe in the empty tomb and the
stone that the angel rolled away
He descended and set the captives free
And now He sits at God's right hand
and prepares a place for me

(Chorus)
This is my creed - the witness I have heard
The faith that has endured
This truth is assured
Through the darkest ages past
Though persecuted, it will last
And I will hold steadfast to this creed

I believe He sent His Spirit to comfort and to reveal
To lead us into truth and light, to baptize and to seal
I believe that He will come back the way He went away
And receive us all unto Himself, but no man knows the day

I believe He is the Judge of all men, small and great
The resurrected souls of men receive from Him their fate
Some to death and some to life, some to their reward
Some to sing eternal praise forever to our Lord

The Parable of the Cancer Patient and the Doctor

2011-03-18T23:17:00.000+08:00

This parable is fictional which took place in a fictional hospital with fictional characters in my head. I just had to write it down!

Suppose a patient arrives in a hospital because of a swelling in a certain part of his body. The abnormal growth causes great discomfort to him. Upon diagnosed by the doctor, his worst fear is confirmed, "You've got cancer!".

Now, this doctor is world-renowned for his great works and research in the industry. His consultation and expertise are much sought after by clients around the world. He wrote quite a number of best-sellers on various health subjects. He is so good in his field that his opinion and wisdom are never challenged by his peers or the public.

Now, the patient is shocked upon hearing the dreaded C word, it's like a death sentence given to him. He is desperate to make things right but doesn't know what to do next. He asks the doctor on how to get the cancer cells out of his body, or eliminate them entirely.

Cool as he always is, the doctor advices the patient that there is no need to be alarmed. Since the unwelcomed cancer cells are already there in his body, and their presence and effects unavoidable, he may as well make his life as comfortable as possible. Let them (cancer cells) live together in harmony with his remaining healthy cells in his body. The doctor is sure the "bad" cells are not uncontrollable, and therefore, drastic measures are not needed. Not yet anyway. Let's not be hasty he says, while giving his patient some mild medication and a set of procedures of "new exercises" to do regularly. If it ever comes down to the point of uncontrollable, he'll come up with tougher, tighter procedures and disciplines for the patient's body to get used to.

The patient thinks the doctor obviously know what he is talking about. After all he is the No.1 expert, without question.

Don't you think this is such a happy story? Awaiting for its inevitable fantasy-like "live happily ever after" ending? You think?

"Pain is Temporary..." (It's Not About The Bike)

2011-03-06T20:07:00.020+08:00

I just finished the book "It's Not About The Bike" by Lance Armstrong and Sally Jenkins over the weekend. Although I'd bought and had a copy with me for two years, I somehow wasn't motivate to read it until last week, after I realized Lance is also an INTJ (a MBTI type) like me. There aren't many INTJs I can choose to model after. After all, this is the rarest of all of the 16 MBTI types and I'm particularly particular about choosing a model.

I've tons of other books and things to read and do, but thought why not give this book a couple of minutes of reading and see how far I'd like to go. What's this guy's story? I already knew what Lance is all about: his survival from cancer and comeback to triumph in seven Tour de France championships. I knew the story in this book had inspire millions. But I'd never approach reading an autobiography from the angle of MBTI type, especially a fellow INTJ. This would be the first.

The first paragraph of the first page caught me instantly, which begins like this...

"I WANT TO DIE at a hundred years old with an American flag on my back and the star of Texas on my helmet, after screaming down an Alpine descent on a bicycle at 75 miles per hour. I want to cross one last finish line as my stud wife and my ten children applaud, and then I want to lie down in a field of those famous French sunflowers and gracefully expire, the perfect contradiction to my once-anticipated poignant early demise.

"A slow death is not for me. I don't do anything slow, not even breathe...."

...and with that I decided I'd never put down the book until I'm done with it.

The book didn't just inform or entertain me. Inspire would also be an understated word to describe it. I just needed a book like this for this particular time in my life.

First, a few words on INTJs. Not all INTJs are the same, but some of the typical INTJ traits are obvious: fiercely competitive (in a chosen endeavour), dead stubborn and determined (once we make up our mind on a matter) and we 'mastermind' our own outcomes and destiny (that was crucial for Lance's survival from cancer as we'll see). That would also mean we don't automatically respect authority for what it is. The right to lead and govern has to be earned by being competent, not by default. Respect should be earned by what you know and become, not what title or position you possess. So INTJs may be perceived to be aloof and detached, but we're never apologetic about that!

It does help for Lance to possess a gifted athlete's body, with a VO2 max (a gauge of how much oxygen you can take it and use) which is exceptionally higher than an average athlete (though there were a couple of other champion cyclists who beat him in this measurement). And his body could generate very little lactic acid (a chemical produced when your body fatigues, causing your lungs to burn and muscles to ache) than most people, which helps in any long endurance related sport. Basically, he was born with an average capacity for breathing and could endure more physical stress than most people. This is only the physical variable in the overall equation.

Lance (only child) was raised by his single mother, growing up with many odds stacked against them. They faced much pain in the early days, and his mom gave him two very important advices that would define him:

"Make every obstacle an opportunity. Make every negative into a positive."

"Son, you never quit".

When his mom remarried a guy named Terry Armstrong (that's where Lance got his name), his step-dad would ill-treat and abuse him. Those pains would go a long way to channel Lance's rage into explosive fuels for sports. He started as an triathlete (swimming, running and biking) and would later focus solely on biking. And he was so good at it...and enjoyed the pains and sufferings....

"What makes a great endurance athlete is the ability to absorb potential embarrassment, and to suffer without complaint. I was discovering that if it was a matter of gritting my teeth, not caring how it looked, and outlasting everybody else, I won. It didn't seem to matter what the sport was— in a straight-ahead, long-distance race, I could beat anybody.

If it was a suffer-fest, I was good at it."

He already made quite a name for himself as a cyclist when cancer struck. I guess the 'cancer part' of the book gripped me so strongly that I virtually felt 'pain' while reading.

"I THOUGHT I KNEW what fear was, until I heard the words You have cancer. Real fear came with an unmistakable sensation: it was as though all my blood started flowing in the wrong direction. My previous fears, fear of not being liked, fear of being laughed at, fear of losing my money, suddenly seemed like small cowardices. Everything now stacked up differently: the anxieties of life— a flat tire, losing my career, a traffic jam— were reprioritized into need versus want, real problem as opposed to minor scare."

Lance couldn't believe it when he got testicular cancer. He thought he would die. He never felt fear and cry like he did on the first day of the diagnosis. Later he would discover that the cancer was in stage 3 (advanced), and had spread to his lungs and brain. As though those weren't enough, he learnt that he wasn't covered by health insurance as he was in the midst of a transition in changing employers-sponsors!

Like an INTJ whose back is against the wall, what did Lance do? He researched long and hard, and gathered all information and knowledge he could find (books, magazines, Internet etc.) on cancer. He was determined not to be a helpless and passive patient, but would master the subject and overcome the illness. Together with his mom, they would read on everything from diet to yoga to all kinds of medication and treatment. He basically wouldn't lie low, he would fight, and determine to get rid of what was invading his body and life. It became his new race, the race for his life! He even taunted the cancer in his body.

"THERE WAS A disquieting intimacy to the idea that something uninvited was living in my head. When something climbs straight into your mind, that's way personal. I decided to get personal right back, and I began to talk to it, engaging in an inner conversation with cancer. I tried to be firm in my discussions. "You picked the wrong guy," I told it. "When you looked around for a body to try to live in, you made a big mistake when you chose mine.""

Lance had been perfectly acquainted with pain and suffering, they were nothing new to him.

"The physical pain of cancer didn't bother me so much, because I was used to it. In fact, if I didn't suffer, I'd feel cheated. The more I thought about it, the more cancer began to seem like a race to me. Only the destination had changed."

Lance would ask every opinion he consulted "What are my chances?" He'd had surgery on his testicle first. And later carefully chose his surgeon that would open up his skull to invade his brain. And his choice on how he wanted to proceed with chemo not only saved his life, but his biking career which was virtually over. His doctor gave him 50% chance of living, but would reveal (much later) the truth was actually only 3%! Sometimes a good doctor lies. He'd always engage (even challenge) with the doctor and nurses on what they were doing to him and why. He'd even analyse all the stats of the results and tests. He became a student of cancer, not a victim. He'd take responsibility for his life and well-being.

Of course, he didn't know whether he'd live or not. He made a deal with the cancer...

"I tried negotiating with it. If the deal is that I never cycle again, but I get to live, I'll take it, I thought. Show me the dotted line, and I'll sign. I'll do something else, I'll go back to school, I'll be a trash man, do anything. Just let me live."

And we all knew what was the outcome: he kicked the cancer's ass big time. The authors did a great job in describing the long and painful recovery process in great detail and how he connected with other cancer patients, which would later set the stage for his own cancer foundation. He also had to deal with all his fears and nightmares about the cancer creeping back into his body. and all the doubts and phantoms he was struggling with in his head.

While sick, his team that signed him had written him off as a 'dead man' and cut off his pay considerably except a small amount, for charity sake. But his sponsors like Nike, Oakley and Giro stuck by him and never terminate his contract, which they had the right to. He later pledged his loyalty and vowed that he'd be their athlete for life. I thought this was a typical INTJ trait. You see, we never forget....the good and bad guys....we never.

Then there was that infamous, big comeback.

Lance was born again....but he was a wreck at first. Lance was fortunate to have close friends and people who believed in him, his ability to make a comeback after a life-threatening disease, and rediscover his winning self again. I thought he was really blessed to have people who dared to challenge him, even conspired to bring him back when he had decided to quit cycling. You see, if an INTJ makes up his mind, it's futile to confront his decision directly. Instead of meeting him head on, they cleverly plotted and "tricked" him.....and the final thing that re-ignited the fire, was to provoke him back into action. INTJs never turn down a challenge, but it has to be raised intelligently, and they have to perceive the challenge as worthy. I feel that's the key!

I never knew Tour de France is such an interesting race because I never understood it, until I read this book. The peloton (formation of a group of cyclist) interests me most and all its varied strategies. Lance put it 'like a high-speed chess in action'. He described the various terrains and stages in Tour de France and their challenges, his meticulous preparation and training regime details, his team mates, their individual specialties and team strategies, and his bike, its technology and race equipments. Lance participated in the Tour before his cancer but never won the whole race, only stages. This time, Lance is back leaner, meaner and fearless, after the cancer which ate away the excess part of his being which he didn't need to carry anymore. He trained like there's no tomorrow. I was hooked to this part of the book like I was addicted to drugs!

Also, I now knew Tour de France is a team event and how it works. The grueling race lasts three weeks and will push the cyclists to their utmost limits, as individuals and also as teams. His team mates laid down their lives for him.

"Anyone who imagines they can work alone winds up surrounded by nothing but rivals, without companions. The fact is, no one ascends alone."

But there were times when his team fell away and he was all alone and vulnerable from his rivals, for many hours. But that suited Lance perfectly, as INTJs excels as an individual more than in a team. We find strength and resourcefulness in our inner world. And of course from provocations from rivals.

"My mother told me...if you're going to get anywhere, you're going to have to do it yourself, because no one is going to do it for you."

His heroic comeback was sealed as he won the 1999 Tour de France and he defended his title the following year. At the time of writing of the book, he had also secured bronze in the Sydney olympic, after another heroic mini-comeback from a broken neck suffered in an accident. And we all knew he would write more books and won five more Tour de France, retired and then made another comeback to raise cancer awareness and then retired again recently in February 2011.

Other significant and interesting parts in "It's Not About The Bike" include his love life and how he had his first child through IVF.

My conclusion after reading the book is, there's nothing to model after another fellow INTJ, because we already have what we have within (although each is unique). But I can take courage that if it's possible for Lance to overcome all the odds in the world, then it's also possible for any fellow INTJ to triumph in their personal battles.

My one word or theme that I choose to describe Lance is COURAGE. From now onwards, whenever I seek for the voice of courage, I'll search for Lance's. And it'll help by remembering more quotes from the book. These are among my favourites:

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. That surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, stays with me. So when I feel like quitting, I ask myself, which would I rather live with?"

"For most of my life I had operated under a simple schematic of winning and losing, but cancer was teaching me a tolerance for ambiguities."

"I wanted to live, but whether I would or not was mystery, and in the midst of confronting that fact, even at that moment, I was beginning to sense that to stare into the heart of such a fearful mystery wasn't a bad thing. To be afraid is a priceless education."

"I believed in belief, for its own shining sake. To believe in the face of utter hopelessness, every article of evidence to the contrary, to ignore apparent catastrophe - what other choice was there? We are so much stronger than we imagine, and belief is one of the most valiant and long-lived human characteristics. To believe, when all along we humans know that nothing can cure the briefness of this life, that there is no remedy for our basic mortality, that is a form of bravery. To continue believing in yourself...believing in whatever I chose to believe in, that was the most important thing."

"THE TRUTH IS, if you asked me to choose between winning the Tour de France and cancer, I would choose cancer. Odd as it sounds, I would rather have the title of cancer survivor than winner of the Tour, because of what it has done for me as a human being, a man, a husband, a son, and a father."

"We each cope differently with the specter of our deaths. Some people deny it. Some pray. Some numb themselves with tequila. I was tempted to do a little of each of those things. But I think we are supposed to try to face it straightforwardly, armed with nothing but courage. The definition of courage is: the quality of spirit that enables one to encounter danger with firmness and without fear."

"The one thing the illness has convinced me of beyond all doubt— more than any experience I've had as an athlete— is that we are much better than we know. We have unrealized capacities that sometimes only emerge in crisis."

"So if there is a purpose to the suffering that is cancer, I think it must be this: it's meant to improve us."

"I am very firm in my belief that cancer is not a form of death. I choose to redefine it: it is a part of life. One afternoon when I was in remission and sitting around waiting to find out if the cancer would come back, I made an acronym out of the word: Courage, Attitude, Never give up, Curability, Enlightenment, and Remembrance of my fellow patients."

"But if there is one thing I don't want to hear, it's that I can't do something. Telling me that is the best way to make sure that I'll do it."

"I had learned what it means to ride the Tour de France. It's not about the bike...."

Thanks, Lance Armstrong. You're an INTJ legend!

"There Are No Good Guys"

2011-02-13T07:18:00.008+08:00

Just finished watching the finale of the TV series 24 Season 8 (Final season) over the Chinese New Year. I had watched each and every episode of all 8 seasons (probably the only TV drama series which I watch EVERYTHING).

I'm glad that the ground-breaking, "real-time" TV series has finally come to an end (end of an era in network broadcasting). I had thoroughly enjoyed the previous seasons, particularly its Emmy Award winning Season 5. This is the TV series where the world is in danger, but saved and lost and saved again, all in one day (24 hours)! But it has become more and more unbelievable in recent seasons, all their brilliant story plots exhausted, most of their greatest characters (heroes and villains) killed or ousted from the story. And when will the terrorists ever learn that there is only one way to defeat the US, and that is to kill off one man: Jack Bauer. But Jack never dies, not in the hands of Islamic terrorists, Chinese, Russians, even his own fellow Americans (including the unforgettable, evil American President!). He has survived every kind of danger, from countless of bullets, stabs, tortures, even radioactive radiation. He simply never dies. Unbelievable! If you put him half way around the earth, bury him alive deep in the grave, he'll somehow crawl and find his way back and keeps fighting. How many times has he quit, only to be caught up in more actions, again and again?! So many of his closed ones and beloved colleagues murdered throughout the seasons. One can only wonder how much pain this man can take. How much is enough?

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

I knew that Season 8 would be the last and kinda hope that Jack Bauer is killed, martyred, dying for what he had been fighting for all these years. I thought that would be the only fitting end. The first half of the season was ridiculous and forgettable, littered with some non-logical and absurd plots. Maybe it's because fans of the series are too familiar with plots like planting a mole in the CTU and cripple CTU headquarter with EMP blast, and more assassination attempts and nuclear threats (yawn). And what's up with the moron new CTU director? Some plots are simply unbelievable eg. President Taylor turning corrupt; totally inconsistent with her heroic character in Season 7. But still, we cared for Jack's character. How many times have he saved American and the world, but nobody remembers (most never know) and soon everyone would be going after him for his unconventional mode of justice. All the new characters were forgettable, save for a couple of the old characters that really shined late in the series eg. the unique Chloe O'Brien who was promoted to provisional CTU Director, and the return of the evil, selfish and narcissistic President Charles Logan (one of my all-time favourite TV series villain) as an apparent aid to President Taylor for world peace.

Therefore, it was a relieve to see Jack Bauer to be "cut loose" after his love interest was murdered by a sniper assassin. Jack went on an unforgettable rampage, held no prisoner, killed everything in his path like an unstoppable force of nature, leaving blood in his trail while gaining evidence to expose truth of the corruption at the highest level in the US and Russian governments. Not that truth matters anymore, because the fight had become intensely personal this time. He admitted he was going on the path of no return, no more saving grace this time. Though brutal, it was a joy to see Jack Bauer at his absolute best, kicking ass with no apologies! He gutted the sniper assassin like a pig with his intestines spilled out on the floor (to retrieve the swallowed mobile SIM card) after telling him "You don't know pain", and later skewered the Russian foreign minister with a fire poker after taking out his entire team of bodyguards. If fans of 24 thought they'd seen everything before, they may be pleasantly surprised that there a couple of thrills and shock values left in this final season.

My favourite scene (perhaps best in the entire eight seasons of 24) was when Jack became a one-man armored army in the black hockey mask (normally used for horror not action movies) when going after Charles Logan. The look on Logan's face is priceless! The masterful takedown of Logan's limousine was truly memorable...it's 24 at its absolute brilliant best!

I'm badder than Ironman, Batman and Jason (Friday the 13) put together

And there are the contentious themes that made 24 what it is. They had me thinking all these years: What (how much) would someone in power do to achieve his end? What is doing the right thing? How much sacrifice is necessary? What is true justice? What is really the lesser of two evils? What does serving a cause really means? How far would you go? What if you're wrong? What if nobody knows? Or cares? How much of the law can be ignored (even broken) to uphold true justice? Who (and when) can be above the law? Can torture and killing be justifiable under the cause of the greater good? How bad must you be to do good? How much blood is necessary for peace?

But then again, all these themes have been exhausted till dry by the series. Though it's all relevant in the real world (only that they don't all happen in 24 hours), nothing is new anymore. Towards the end, everything was simply (fittingly) summed up when Agent Cole said this to Chloe when they were going after the rogue Jack Bauer to bring him down, "There are no good guys". That one line says it all. Nobody's good. Not Jack Bauer, who was justifying violence and vengeance under the guise of justice. Not even President Taylor who would cover up everything and condone killing to achieve the bigger prize, namely, the elusive world peace as her great legacy.

There are no good guys anymore. No one is above reproach. Our beloved hero has truly fallen from grace. Surely there's no pardon and no way back this time? Let it come to a fitting closure. Please.

I was kinda disappointed that the attempted execution on Jack Bauer was intervened by the repentant President Taylor at the last second (unbelievable again!). Why wasn't I surprised! This time, Jack cannot be allowed back at US soil ever again with the full force of America hunting him down (deja vu?!), but he was allowed time to run. In the poignant ending scene showed Jack's last meaningful relationship with Chloe, who watched his back in CTU all these years...somehow I truly felt sad that a great TV series has finally ended.

Then I found out why the writers of 24 didn't kill off Jack Bauer's character. They're coming out with a movie franchise. Oh no!!!

All Of Me

2011-02-02T09:45:00.000+08:00

I woke up with this beautiful song haunting my mind. Another golden one from Stryper. But this is the newer, "unsweetened" (Stryper fans would probably know what I mean) version from Michael Sweet himself.

All Of Me

All my life

Searching for the one to share

The space within my heart

To stand right by my side

Then you came to me

Shining like a morning sun

You gave your love to me

And I knew you were the one

The one to share my life

To make all the wrong so right

We will live as one

For all eternity

You and I

I'm giving you all of me

Cause you gave me all of you

I'll love you forever

For you my love so strong

I'm giving you all of me

Cause you gave me all of you

We'll stand together

And our love will always carry on

Where Does Your Help Comes From?

2011-01-26T12:56:00.009+08:00

"I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?"

(Psalm 121:1)

The psalmist who wrote this was probably on a journey of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; and he probably uttered this prayer of supplication while feeling inspired looking at majestic mountains along the way.

For me, it was when in the middle of the night, scared, my eyes fixed on the impossible mountain of work, I uttered those immortal words. Never had a deadline literally felt like a line of death, of which my lonely poor soul was felt being dragged slowly towards it, like a lamb to be slaughtered. For the past month, my soul woke up every night in search of something to cling on to...anything tangible, but felt nothing except an ancient promise.

I recently relived my own 'mini Garden of Gethsamene' every night for at least two weeks, as I prayed for 'the cup' to be removed from me. Deep down I knew it was more possible for me to triumph over the impossible than for the mountain to be removed. Only, I cannot do it alone. Not by myself. Not by my men who I couldn't trust.

Maybe now I understood why the psalmists of old would think of God both while waking and sleeping, day and night. Could I somehow find a way to grab hold of this ancient Force? If the ancient Word is truly true and infallible, could it still be true that "He who keeps you will not slumber, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep"?

As my half-tortured mind pondered on that half-awake, I gave thanks that I knew something (Someone) that millions of people don't. I wondered how many people in the world keep lying awake at night with torments of the soul and mind, how do they cope? How do they keep their sanity? How do they survive through the night? What about those who don't even have a bed?

Anyway, I wrote before that we could think of God as a worker in our lives instead of we as God's workers. What a shift in paradigm! For once, I had to live this truth, not just say it! I thanked God that while I could merely utter prayerful words (though desperate) on my bed, I knew God was already busy working every night in preparing the day and the way for me. He was doing all the harder work for me. I believed it. I had to!

"Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus" I prayed then...

I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself for getting into that situation. But I did wonder why I had been attracting similar situations (and evil people) like an unbroken pattern. What had I done? Then I heard someone said that sometimes the best reason may not be in the past, it could be in the future. Yeah, a future reason! All these situations are serving me, conspiring in my favour for a future work that's yet unseen. Another paradigm shifted again!

That deadline did come and surprisingly, peacefully. But, like the skilfully crafted plots in any good scary movie, the twist and turns came in places and times I didn't expect, but not unprepared. And like those great movies I used to laugh over, there was always another scare after the final scare. But thankfully, like those feel-good endings, the characters in the movie came together for good...even the villains who turned good. Apparently. Hopefully!

My church's theme of the year is 'Triumph in the midst of Trials'. Couldn't be more apt to describe my start of the year. I conquered every hurdle at my workplace, even the last huge one, while breaking old records (by a long long way) and setting new records in the process, profiting figures that had not been seen before, and brought huge transformation and reformation in the end! Undeniable miracle! Unprecedented outcome! Yeah, the word is unprecedented, by any standard, by my workplace and colleagues, and especially by my own!

Now, every night, my grateful heart still awakes and utters "Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus"...

(A Story-telling preview, to be written in a future blog post)

I realized as I struggled to be authentic (interestingly, someone said that word also means to author) in writing the story of my life...there's another Author waiting to pen down his words, those that only he can write. He would if he's given permission, and is called upon.

There is no wasted pages in the hands of the Master Author. He doesn't need any help in the story-telling process.

I can only turn my book over.

Now help me get out of the way...

I Miss The Rain

2011-01-11T23:53:00.000+08:00

It's the new year, and it seems that life and things just move endlessly forward. Can I permit myself to look back, to long and linger in the "past rain"? Is it okay sometimes to nurse a wound here and there, just to acknowledge where they come from and hear what they have to say?

This song brings me back to my college days. Back at the times when I had no care, when I thought failing an exam meant the end of the world. How little I knew the meaning of responsibility!

I used to try to save the world...now, if I can only save a little of myself...Oh Lord of the rain!

I MISS THE RAIN by BRIDE

THERE'S A PLACE I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO
TIME SEEMS TO STAND STILL
WE RAN WILD, WE HAD NO CARES
TAKE ME BACK TO THAT PLACE
I WISH THERE WAS A DOOR THAT I COULD WALK RIGHT THROUGH
TO ESCAPE THIS LIFE
I WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT WE HAD
TIMES WERE BETTER THEN

I MISS THE RAIN, I MISS THE RAIN
MY HEART'S BEEN DRY LIKE THE TEAR IN MY EYE
I'VE BEEN HURTING FOR YOU AGAIN
I MISS THE RAIN, I MISS THE RAIN
MY HEART'S BEEN DRY LIKE THE TEAR IN MY EYE
AND THE PAIN THAT I FEEL, LORD I MISS THE RAIN

IT KEEPS ME YOUNG WHEN I REMEMBER
IN MY MIND THE PAST STILL LIVES

I'VE HELD ON TO EVERY THOUGHT
IT KEEPS ME SO ALIVE
THE FUTURE HOLDS NOTHING FOR ME
IF I CAN'T HOLD YOU
I USED TO TRY AND CHANGE THE WORLD
NOW I CHANGE A LITTLE FOR MYSELF

I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE FAR SADDER THAN I
THEY LOST THINGS THEY CANNOT REPLACE
LIKE THE BEAUTY IN THEIR EYES
BUT THROUGH IT ALL ONE THING IS CONSTANT AND REMAINS
THE LOVE OF GOD ERASES ALL MY PAIN

Honestly, After Two Decades

2011-01-07T00:33:00.001+08:00

Tonight, as I was searching for some songs in my PC to calm and lift me up, I found the folder 'Stryper' and I thought 'why not?' As I played them, I was instantly transported back in time when I first knew my First Love, twenty years ago. Although I'm a Digital and Visual person (in NLP terms), music never fail to trigger certain powerful, inspired states in me. Music is my best anchor (another NLP term), ever!

I first loved Stryper's (the Christian rock band got their name from Isaiah 53:5) songs when I was a schooling teenager kid. Ahh...their slow ballads never fail to give me the goosebumps and move me to tears. I used to adore Michael Sweet's special voice, so unique unlike any other male voices I've heard.

Many things change in twenty years (I mean, look at their hairstyle), but surprisingly, some hardly change. There's also a place in my heart that remains the same, and my First Love knows how to access it.

This is Honestly, from the album To Hell With The Devil, a record I must have listened to thousands of times over the years. It's like my First Love still singing to me...reminding me...because I often forget.

Call on me

And I'll be there for you

I'm a friend who always will be true

And I love you, can't you see?

That I can say "I love you"

Honestly

Good to hear that Stryper has reunited after many years and touring around many countries.

Thanks for bringing me back to a special secret place I used to know. Although I can't turn back time, I can always go back to that place. Thanks for this song, among many other special songs.

What Scared You This Year?

2010-12-29T16:48:00.000+08:00

Two more days to end the year 2010. At the beginning, I resolved that I would leave my familiar shell like a hermit crab to venture and try new things. If they don't scare me, then I haven't done anything, I haven't gone far out enough. Not many would understand this.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained" or "Nothing ventured, nothing lost"? I decided to follow the former phrase this year.

Sure, there are a few things I did that really scare the hell out of me. I'd bitten too big a chunk than I can chew sometimes.

Now, standing at the edge into the new year, I can only look back with a grateful heart and even afford a few laughs. Someone once said ‎"If you’re going to be able to look back on something and laugh about it, you might as well laugh about it now."

And I also like this quote from The Alchemist, "Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity."

One more last hurdle before I embark on another new journey...

I'm at this bolted door,

But I'm coming through without permission

If I go, they say I'm wrong

If I stay, there'll be no song...

- Delirious' The Mezzanine Floor

So, what did you resolve to do with yourself this year? Did you do it?

What scared you?

Happy New Year!

Reason of the Season?

2010-12-25T16:48:00.000+08:00

Here's a short, thought provoking video drama clip of the meaning of Christmas, which was brilliantly improvised for my church's Christmas production today.

The One Ultimate Thing

2010-12-14T21:39:00.004+08:00

Assume you can have any one wish you ask for in life, unreservedly given and that money is no object, what's the one thing you'd ask for?

If you're given only one arrow and are guaranteed to hit any target you desire, what would it be?

What would you do? What would be your pursuit? Your ultimate goal? Where would you be?

Not long ago, I had a conversation with a millionaire friend who's looking for a job (he owns companies and properties!), just to keep himself engaged in his daily life, to rescue himself from boredom and uselessness. Nobody would offer him a job because no one takes his request seriously! With all the 'success' and everything that he has, he doesn't know what's his life's ultimate aim is. And I also personally know many who could only wish they can make enough money to free themselves from the oppression of their employments. Who is worse off? I mean, what do these people live for anyway?

Three thousand years ago, there was a renown king, who had everything and more, wrote this immortal request:

"One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after,
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple." (Psalm 27:4)

Why on earth would a famous king who owns great palaces to have this unconventional desire to dwell in the house of the Lord? Why would someone who could have anything beautiful in the world would long to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord anyway? And to inquire in his temple? He had all the best men in his kingdom ready to die for him. What did he really mean? What drug was he on?

I began to grasp a little of what King David meant when reading the preceding and subsequent verses in Psalm 27. I've never understood this Psalm in my life the way I'm experiencing it now. What a beautiful Psalm! It's so beautiful because David wrote it under the most intense and darkest of circumstances. After all, he had an enemy army encamped against him to his left and right, evildoers who were thirsty after his blood.

What was the secret of his unshakeable confidence and fearlessness? What gave life to his song?

Ah, like a heat-seeking missile locked unto its target, the king had his ultimate prize fixed firmly in his sight. The once shepherd boy had never outgrow his one ultimate desire in life, especially not in his most pressing hour. The man after God's own heart (this is what God called him) was seeking after God's presence!

In another Psalm (probably the most famous of all poetry), he wrote,

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." (Psalm 23:5,6)

I've been meditating on the famous twenty third Psalm all week, and I could never have understood it in circumstances different from the one I'm in right now.

I need to go back to the times when I used to love spending time at the green pastures and still waters. By that it doesn't mean I've to live a "quiet" life, although that would be very nice! Because only there will I find my ultimate one thing. Or maybe....I'll truly learn how to say..."I shall not want"!

"You're not the devil. You're practice!"

2010-11-20T21:59:00.001+08:00

I appreciate a lesson I'd learned from the movie Batman Begins which I now use regularly. In fact I only caught it on my third viewing, sometime early this year. In the movie, Bruce Wayne deliberately got himself thrown into a prison so he could fight criminals behind locked doors. Well, that was probably one extreme way to reach his purpose...but there was something precious which I've kept with me ever since.

Man (whispers to Bruce): They are going to fight you.
Bruce: Again?
Man: Until they kill you.
Bruce: Can they kill me before breakfast?

Big man: You are in hell, little man. And I am the devil.
Bruce: You are not the devil. You're practice.

(Bruce fights with men)
(Gunshots)

Guard (while carrying Bruce away): Solitary!
Bruce: Why?
Guard: For protection.
Bruce: I don't need protection.
Guard: Protection for them (pointing to men groaning in pain).

Ever since then, I always use that quote to remind myself when I face adversities or adversaries: They're not the devil, they're just practice. I've lost count how many times that one quote has helped to lift me up from the floor.

Today at my work place, a sales consultant was really down after being verbally assaulted by an idiotic shopper who had no intention of buying anything at our retail store. His sole purpose was to heap insults and "pee" on a particular brand (world renown) which my colleague represents. One minute into their conversation, I knew this guy was a trouble-maker. But I didn't stop nor interrupt them. Ten minutes later, I could see the physiology of my colleague changed into someone who was totally battered. He told me he just wants to quit working for that brand, and that he's in need of counselling ever since he became its specialist.

I really felt sorry for the sales consultant as this incident wasn't his first time, and it definitely won't be his last. I took him off the sales floor to have a drink outside. Everyday we have thousands of shoppers in our store, and every salesman probably talk to at least a hundred of them daily. During my observation over three weeks, I could see that less than one percent of shoppers really do have the intention to cost trouble. About five percent unintentionally cause problems, and some are just plain rude. And then there are the skeptics and there are those who perceive sales assistants as "stalkers"! But most are normal shoppers and many are happy buying customers. Many of them are even repeated customers. I mean, our sales reports don't lie, the numbers are there. The millions that we make in our monthly sales revenue (should) keep everyone in the company and the business partners happy.

So I suggested to the consultant that he could view such trouble-makers as just an insignificant statistical number which is part of the overall business. I said "that guy is just your practice" because I know over time, he's gonna make many customers very happy, so why focus on the few insignificant morons and let them knock him down. I also found out all these while, he had low self-confidence and self-esteem as he possess very little academic qualifications and being stepped upon and ill-treated by all his past and current employers. I advised him to focus on honing his selling skills. I'm both convinced and persuaded that if one could successfully learn how to handle customers' objections and face rejections courageously everyday, there is nothing too difficult for him, he'll be unstoppable in any chosen endeavour. The mastery of this ability has very little to do with formal education. I think this is a good place to insert another one of Jim Rohn's famous quotes, one of my favourites:

"Formal education will make you a living, but informal education will make you a fortune".

Everyday, for the past three weeks I observe how the top sales people in my company engage in selling and serving their customers. Initially I couldn't understand why would their past customers keep going back to them to buy computers, often times buying a few over a ridiculously short period of time. Just didn't make sense to me! I patiently observe the differences of the top sales men from the average. One of them even revealed to me a few secrets on how he "catch his fishes". Those lessons are too lengthy to fit into this post. By the way, I had learned none of them from my so-called high and expensive formal education, I'm learning them from these so-called under-educated but hungry colleagues. A few of them sometimes earn (commission) higher incomes than their managers! I'm now sharpening my skills with them every day.

So, for my dejected colleague, I hope he realized that by practicing selling really well, he can one day "free" himself to do whatever he chooses to do. But for things to change, he has to change how he view himself, not the cruel world out there. Sadly, today is also my last day working together with him as I just received the call for relocation to a bigger store next week. Bigger store = more problems coming my way....I really meant more practices!

Four Major Lessons In Life (Part 4 - Fall)

2010-11-10T09:22:00.001+08:00

"Last, is the fourth major lesson in life to learn: learn how to reap in the fall, without complain. Take full responsibility for what happens to you. It is one of the highest forms of human maturity: Accepting full responsibility. It's the day you know you've passed from childhood to adulthood. And learn how to reap in the fall without apology. Without apology if you have done well, and without complain if you have not. That's the best of human maturity. I'm not saying it's easy, I'm saying it's the best.

There's a hymn that says 'It's not my mother nor my father, not my brother nor my sister, but it's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer'. See, I used to blame everything outside for my lack of progress, until I found the problem was inside. For a big share of my life, I kept looking for the answer to do well outside, and I found out the answers were inside. Success is not something you pursue, success is something you become.

You see, it's not what happens that determine the quality or the quantity of your life. It's not what happens. And the reason is because: what happens, happens to about everybody. The sun went down on all of us last night, a common event. And I found out the same things can happen to two different people, but one gets rich and the other stays poor. Why is that? It's because it's not what happens but rather what you do about it. There is an important phrase for your written and mental note: It's not what happens, it's what you do that makes the difference in how your life works out.

Anything can happen, right? I've heard all of the stories. Hey, I've been one of the stories. We could all tell stories for days on end. Anything can happen. Have you heard of Murphy's laws? Surely you have. One of the laws was, if anything can go wrong it will. That's one of the laws, anything can happen. I've fallen out of the skies so many times.

Everyone's got the same happenings. Someone says 'but you don't understand the disappointments I've had'. Come on, everyone has disappointments. Disappointments are not special gifts reserved for the poor, everybody has them. The question is: what are you going to do about it?"

These excerpts were taken from a Jim Rohn's audio program The Art of Exceptional Living. Listening to it is more interesting then reading these excerpts because of Jim Rohn's unique delivery style. This guy really had an authentic style. Read his book 'The Seasons of Life' for more insights on the four major lessons.

I think it'll take me years to truly take them all in. But hey, at least I know what to look for and do during 'my seasons'. I'll have no complains if I don't do well, and no apologies when I do.

Four Major Lessons In Life (Part 3 - Summer)

2010-11-07T00:05:00.002+08:00

"The third major lesson in life is: learn how to nourish and protect your crops all summer. Sure enough, as soon as you've planted, the busy bugs and the noxious weeds are out to take it. And here is the next bit of truth: they will take it, unless you prevent it. And that is the third major lesson to learn. Major skill to develop: preventing the intruder from taking the goods.

Here are two key phrases to consider under the third major lesson. First, all good will be attacked. On this planet, all good will be attacked, and don't press me for a why. I was not in on some of the early decisions. So I don't know why. All I know is it's true. Let reality be your best beginning. Every garden will be invaded, not to think so is naive.

Here's the second phrase: all values must be defended. Social values, political values, friendship values, marriage values, family values, business values. Every garden must be tended all summer. If you don't develop this skill, you'll never wind up with anything of value."

To be continued with the final part, Part 4 - Fall...

Four Major Lessons In Life (Part 2 - Spring)

2010-11-01T23:40:00.000+08:00

"Here is the second major lesson in life to learn: learn how to take advantage of the spring. Spring is called opportunity. And uniquely enough, spring follows winter. And pray tell how often? Is it reliable? Can you count on it? Well six thousand years that we know of, that's pretty reliable. And what a great place for spring, right after winter. If you were going to put it somewhere, that's the place to put it. God is a genius. Hey, day follows night. Isn't that terrific? Opportunity follows difficulty, expansion follows recession, and all with regularity. You can count on it.

However, make a special note of the two words: take advantage. That, is what we must learn to do: take advantage. Just because spring comes, is no sign you're gonna look good during the fall, you must do something with it. In fact, everyone must get good in one of two things: planting in the spring, or begging in the fall. So take advantage of the day, take advantage of the opportunity. And read every book you can get your hands on, to learn how to take advantage of the spring.

And one more thought: get busy quickly on your spring, your opportunity. There are just a handful of springs that have been handed to each of us. Life is brief even at the longest. The Beatles wrote 'Life is so short....', and for John Lennon on the street of New York, it was extra short. But it is short. Elton John sings, 'She lived her life like a candle in the wind...'. Life is fragile, life is brief. Whatever you're going to do with your life, get at it. Don't just let the seasons pass, pass, pass."

To be continued with Part 3 - Summer...

Four Major Lessons In Life (Part 1- Winter)

2010-10-31T16:17:00.002+08:00

I've listened to this part of an audiobook by Jim Rohn a few times, and I'm still digesting the parts where he taught about the seasons in life. I recently got one of his classic books "The Seasons of Life" for RM10 from a book sale. I've bought books that cost far more which were rubbish, but this little gem cost me only RM10! I finished the whole book during my quiet trip at Cameron Highlands. And last night I was listening to the audio book part on the seasons, one more time. This time, I'm writing it down here for my record.

"The four major lessons. It is so important to study the majors. Have you ever notice that some people don't do well, because they major in minor things. Whatever you do, check at the end of the week, the end of the year, and make sure you're not spending major time on minor things. Otherwise, you'll wind up with a below average life.

Now, before I get into the four major lessons, here are two phrases to consider. First, life and business are like the changing seasons. That's one of the best ways to illustrate life. It's like the seasons, the change. Frank Sinatra sang "life is like the seasons". Here is the second phrase: you cannot change the seasons, but you can change yourself.

Now, with those two key phrases in mind, here are the four major lessons in life to learn.

The first is, learn how to handle the winters. They come right after fall with regularity. Some are long, some are short. Some are difficult, some are easy. But they always come right after fall. Remember, it isn't going to change. Now, there are all kinds of winters, right? The winter when you can't figure it out. The winter when it all go smashed. We call it 'the winters of your life'. One writer call it 'the winter of discontent'. The winter when it turns upside down, when it all goes wrong. There are economic winters, social winters, personal winters. When your heart is smashed into a thousand pieces. Winter time, disappointments. Disappointment is common to us all. So learn how to handle the winters. You must learn how to handle the nights, they come right after days. You must learn how to handle difficulties, they always come right after opportunities. You must handle recessions, they come right after expansions. It isn't going to change.

So the big question is: what do you do about the winters? Well, you can't get rid of January simply by tearing it off the calendar. But here is what you can do: you can get stronger, wiser and better. Make note of the trio of words: stronger, wiser, better. See, the winter won't change, but you can.

Before I understood this, when it was winter, I used to wish it was summer. I didn't understand. When it was difficult, I used to wish it was easy. I didn't know. Then Mr Shoaff (mentor) gave me the answer from a part of his very unique philosophy, when he said, "Don't wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom."

To be continued with Part 2: Spring....

The Call

2010-10-05T12:41:00.011+08:00

I've just watched The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian last week and I thought it was a great film! I know, I'm super outdated! When it came out to the big screen two years back, I didn't hear very good reviews and there were 'bigger' movies out then, so I somehow gave it a miss. Though the movie wasn't as big an epic as other war movies, but I thought the story was really good. Shouldn't have doubted C. S. Lewis' brand of storytelling. But I guess why this story came to me now wasn't a coincidence at all. At such a time as this!

There were a few parts that personally hit me, and probably none as big as this: when Lucy the youngest of the Pevensie siblings saw Aslan the great Lion, her brothers and sister couldn't see and didn't believe her except probably Edmund, the second youngest. Was it because of her simple, child-like faith? And soon High King Peter and the rest were doing battle in their own might, wisdom and experiences, as though Aslan were never there. Inevitably, the cost was great, casualties were high. Haven't we all been guilty of that? But brave Lucy chose to take the path of the Lion even if she had to do it alone. In time to come, in their most desperate hour, the rest chose to have faith in Aslan and finally saw him in the final battle. Lucy was proved right and because of her bravery and conviction, saved the whole Narnian Kingdom.

Though Aslan's parts were very few in the film, they somehow had a huge impact in me, beyond what I can write here. It's just his awesome majestic presence, yet so gentle and friendly to a child. Never too late, and always in control, he'd have the final say on all things. And somehow that beautiful song (The Call) at the finale was very meaningful to me in more ways than one. It represented some things going on inside of me.

Here's a of a live performance by Regina Spektor who wrote and sung that song.

The Call by Regina Spektor

It started out as a feeling

Which then grew into a hope

Which then turned into a quiet thought

Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder

Til it was a battle cry

I'll come back when you call me

No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing

Doesn't mean it's never

Been this way before

All you can do is try to know

Who your friends are

As you head off to war

Pick a star on the dark horizon

And follow the light

You'll come back

When it's over

No need to say goodbye

Now we're back to the beginning

It's just a feeling and no one knows yet

But just because they can't feel it too

Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger

Til they're before your eyes

You'll come back

When they call you

No need to say goodbye

Crucifying Christ

2010-10-02T12:17:00.002+08:00

Can't remember where I read it, but someone said if Jesus would to come into our world today like He did 2000 years ago, and preach the same radical brand of gospel, the Church wouldn't be able to bear Him and would crucify Him like how the Jews did.

I thought that was probably true! Just that although Christ is not physically here with us, His prophets are probably the ones being "crucified". If we do it to His servants, we're doing it to Him.

Saul of Tarsus was apprehended by the Light Himself and was accused of persecuting Christ. Saul thought he was doing his God and religion a favour by persecuting the "false" apostles. But when did he ever persecute Christ, right? Oh yeah??!!! Who are the Sauls of today?

Would we recognize Christ if He shows up? He seems to always show up at the most unexpected time in the most unsuspecting circumstances. Thief in the night He is, according to Scripture! Would we recognize the Intruder?

Would we kill Him?

Would you? Would I?

Even Eagles Need A Push

2010-09-25T23:15:00.000+08:00

This evening I came across an inspiring anecdote which is an excerpt from the book Even Eagles Need A Push by David McNally. I decided to Google it and found this video on YouTube. Watch the clip below and learn.

It moved me when I read it because I've experienced 'the push' before, from important people in my life. You're blessed if you've someone to apply 'the right pushes' in your life. The fear of falling always come before the thrill of soaring. How true!

The Empowering and Paralysing Effects of Belief

2010-09-23T12:59:00.000+08:00

Beliefs are powerful. They determine how you perceive everything.

"As you woke up this morning and moved out into the day, you did so by gathering up a host of beliefs to take with you. You then put them on as spectacles through which to view the world. You have beliefs about yourself...about other people...about work, play, recreation...etc. You have beliefs about the world: politics, education, justice system, other countries, wars...etc. You have beliefs about about a thousand different concepts: time, history, the past, the future, personality, destiny etc. Further because you 'have' these beliefs, you operate from them as one uses a map to navigate territory. Beliefs are mental maps govern our life..." Michael Hall.

Can we change our beliefs like changing spectacles? Most certainly can.

The famous Placebo effect is probably the most convincing evidence for the power of beliefs. Placebos are pills containing sugar or starch that contain no active agents. Yet research has shown time and again that people perceive them as therapeutic and actually get well. Ask those con men selling snakes oil! But Placebo do have a very important place in wellness if used correctly and effectively.

Beliefs are also paralysing. Many times we unconsciously use them to filter out the greats from the goods, and waste away many wonderful possibilities. Beliefs can stop us from growing as much as they can benefit us.

Here's a story from Abraham Maslow: A patient wouldn't eat because he believed that he was a corpse. After spending much time and energy trying to convince the patient that he wasn't a corpse, the psychiatrist finally asked him if corpses bled. The patient said he didn't believe they did, so the psychiatrist asked him to participate in an experiment that involved pricking the patient with a pin. The patient started to bled, and in astonishment said, "Wow! Corpses do bleed after all!"

That was probably funny for you as it was for me. But if we examine many of our beliefs closely, we're sometimes not that different from that patient, you know?

He Who Works For You

2010-09-15T08:06:00.001+08:00

"From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him."
-Isaiah 64:4 ESV

I woke up this morning to this precious promise. What would I do without the promises? What could I grasp and hold on to but them?

"a God besides you..." implies that the God of Israel is unique, because He acts, unlike the mute, deaf and blind idols in all of Israel that couldn't do or say anything.

I also like the Authorized Version that says who worketh for him that waiteth for him. Imagine employing someone who works for you tirelessly without taking days off, without going to sleep, yes 24/7. Besides, he has prepared all the solutions to your problems even before you know you're gonna have them, and provided endless resources to everything you'll ever need!

The promise in this verse comforted and answered the prayer I made last night. And while at it, I'm praying today the whole chapter of Isaiah 64 for my country on the eve of our first ever celebration of Malaysia Day, "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence......"

Yes Lord, tear open the skies and come!
Let all see, not just some,
Make known Your Name,
And show them why You came!

Big Wave, Little Wave

2010-09-07T23:29:00.002+08:00

Tonight, I was reminded of a prayer (or question) I prayed (or asked) five years ago while on my honeymoon at Koh Samui, Thailand. We stayed on a lovely resort called Rocky's Resort. During that time (probably still true for me now), I told my new wife that this resort was probably the best that I've ever stayed in my whole lifetime of travelling (I'd been to many countries before). It's named Rocky's Resort because certain parts of the beach (Lamai Beach) at the front of the resort had rocky formations. I had many fond memories of this wonderful trip at this beautiful island (and the smaller islands up north especially Koh Tao was a real gem), but tonight I'm suddenly reminded of a prayer and its unique answer.

One of the rooms we stayed (yeah we switched rooms to experience the difference types of views because I couldn't make up my mind at the time of booking) in was the Beachfront suite. Right outside our suite was the rocky beach itself. One early morning, I woke up and sat on a big rock and prayed/asked something of God's ways. After a while, I was bored and was just observing the unusual waves raging and crashing each other randomly, different sizes and intensities at all angles. I was playing a "guessing" game in my head to see which wave would make it to the shore from a certain distance. The waves' propagation were unusual and irregular (sounds like a Physics class, huh?!) due to the spread of the rocks.

Some waves were intense and fast and I thought they would make it to the shore but somehow lost steam halfway. Some waves were huge and strong, I thought they would obviously go all the way but to my disappointment, were easily cancelled out by other waves due to their irregular rhythms and angles. As my eyes continued to follow many of them, most never reach the shore and I thought those that reached were products of some random combination of chance. Then somehow my eyes caught a small wave. My first judgement was: it was too small and weak, it would lose its steam, get swallowed up or cancelled by bigger waves. "Surely it can't", I thought. But to my amazement, it soon met another small wave at the same angle and became one. Before it lost its momentum again it met another small wave, consolidated and gathered speed and amplitude once more. This happened several times before it finally crashed the shore. I thought the answer (came with bonus explanation) to my prayer then was as obvious and clear as my former Physics teacher's lesson!

What a creative God I pray to! His ways are mysterious and often hidden. Be careful of how we easily judge things (or people!) we thought are strong or weak. What's obvious may not often be. Don't be surprised if the strong horse that you've placed your bet didn't last the race, and the one that you thought wouldn't, wins it!

Now that I'm thinking of the beaches I've been to, I really miss my beach holidays!

Lamai Beach

Calm waves at Rocky's

Beachfront suites in the background

Are You A Lighthouse or A Weather Vane?

2010-09-01T23:56:00.045+08:00

I just realised that I've blogged here for over two and a three quarter years already! I've changed my blog header picture, to symbolize and reinforce the purpose of this blog. Why a lighthouse? A solitary lighthouse in a dark, stormy night? I'll let Robert K. Cooper explain:

"It's easy to act as if you are a weathervane, always changing your beliefs and words, trying to please everyone around you. But we were born to be lighthouses, not weathervanes. Imagine a vertical axis running through the center of your heart, from your deepest roots to your highest aspirations. That's your lighthouse. It anchors you in the world and frees you from having to change directions every time the weather shifts. Inside this lighthouse there is a lens and a light. The light represents who you are when nobody else is looking. That light was meant to keep shining, no matter how dark or stormy it gets outside...when you find that light inside you, you will know it. Don't let anyone else dim it...and one more thing: remember to look for the light inside others. If at first you can't see it, look deeper. It's there."

Robert K. Cooper in his book The Other 90%.

And I pray,

May my light never be darken

May my lens never grow dull

Never let Truth out of my sight

May my sword be sharpened

Until all fightings are lulled

Until the end of all might

Forbid my pride be made swollen

Nor my supply be too much nor be null

That I may get out of the way of thy True Light

That suddenly reminds me of a favourite song of mine, May The Words Of My Mouth by Tim Hughes, to add the following part to my prayer,

Lord, will You be my vision

Lord, will You be my guide

Be my hope, be my light and the way?

And I'll look not for riches

Nor praises on earth

Only You'll be the first in my heart

Amen.

What Would You Do With Freedom?

2010-08-31T15:19:00.004+08:00

My country Malaysia is celebrating its 53rd Independence (Merdeka) Day today on the 31st August. Merdeka means freedom. What does freedom mean to us citizens these days?

Whenever I think of the word "Freedom", my mind would instantly associate with the unforgettable cry of William Wallace (Mel Gibson) just before he was executed by the English soldier in the movie Braveheart. For some reasons, I just love epic war movies and Braveheart is one of the best. It was a hit long (1995) before LOTR and Gladiator.

Although I love the fighting sequences in these films, the parts that I love most are the ones just before a major showdown, when the lead commander would usually rouse his army of warriors with a battle 'speech'. No, these are more than pep-motivational talks. They can influence the morale of the entire army and determine the outcome of the battles. I would love to write more on this someday, but today I'll just copy Braveheart's battle speech here.

Just a brief background. It was a time when the scattered Scottish clans gathered to fight against the English rule, only to discover that the English army was much larger than what they thought. Most of the Scots were not trained for war anyway. Some were too old, others too young. Some were already making their way home upon seeing hopelessness. Prior to that day, most Scots had only heard stories of William Wallace, who fought and won a few skirmishes here and there. Their messiah hero was about to show up and lead them into their first major battle. Then they saw that Wallace was just an ordinary man, just like one of them. What did William Wallace say to them? How did he persuade them to stay to fight the impossible battle? And die for Scotland?

Here's the movie script of the battle at Stirling:

(Battlefield at Stirling. The Scots and English stand prepared on opposite sides.)


Mornay: Well, what news?

Horseman: We're outnumbered, at least 3 to 1.

Mornay: How many horse, then?

Horseman: 300, maybe more.

Mornay: 300 heavy horse?

Lochlan: We must try to negotiate.

Mornay: Who's in command?  Did he have a scarlet chevron?

Horseman: Aye, he did.

Craig: We can still negotiate.

Young soldier: What are they talking about?

Veteran soldier: I can't hear, but it doesn't look good.  The nobles will 
negotiate.  If they do a deal, then we go home.  And if not, we charge.

Mornay: 300 heavy horse; we have no chance.

(The heavy calvary of the English army appear over the hill and every Scot
becomes scared.)

Young soldier: I didn't come here to fight so they can own more lands;
then I have to work for them.

Veteran soldier: Nor me.  Alright lads.  I'm not dying for these bastards!
Lets go home.

(The two Scots turn and start to leave the field and several others
join them.)

Lochlan: (In desperation)  Stop men.  Do not flee.  Wait until
we've negotiated.

(William and his men into the scene. William's face is painted solid
blue except for a sharp wedge of bare flesh pointing down over his
left eye.)

Young soldier: William Wallace?

Veteran soldier: Can't be.  Not tall enough.

(William and his men ride up to the nobles.)

Stephen: The Almighty says this must be a fashionable fight. It's
drawn the finest people.

Lochlan (To William): Where is thy salute?

William: For presenting yourselves on this battlefield, I give you
thanks.

Lochlan: This is our army.  To join it you give homage.

William: I give homage to Scotland.  And if this is your army, why does
it go?

Veteran soldier: We didn't come here to fight for them.

Young soldier: Home.  The English are too many.

William: Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace.

Young soldier: William Wallace is 7 feet tall.

William: Yes, I've heard.  He kills men by the hundreds, and if he were
here he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes and bolts
of lightning from his arse.  I am William Wallace, and I see a whole 
army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny.  You have come 
to fight as free men, and free men you are.  What will you do with
that freedom? Will you fight?

Veteran soldier: Fight against that? No, we will run, and we will live.

William: Aye, fight and you may die, run and you'll live.  At least a while. 
And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to
trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one
chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take
our lives, but they'll never take our freedom?! Alba gu bra!(Scotland
forever!)

(The Scots cheer "Alba gu bra" repeatedly)

You can also view the video clip of the scene here (recommended especially if you've not watch the film).

That battle sequence that followed is one of my all-time favourites. Yes, including the naked Scottish butts! You can also search in YouTube for Wallace's torturing-dying scene where he yelled "Freedom!" instead of "mercy".

Question of the Day:

Would people trade everything they have for a shot (no guarantees) for what they truly want?

Would you?

It's interesting that Wallace didn't guarantee freedom (though he saw it as the vision for their future), but a chance to fight for it.Wallace showed both conviction (truth, in advance) and courage (spirit) as a warrior leader (may I also add sense of humour, very handy to diffuse and disarm tense situations). Both these qualities must exist together, one is useless without the other.

I came to realise that most people would not give anything to fight even if the victory is guaranteed. Therefore it's not about what's guaranteed and what's not, it's really about both convictions and courage.

You can't say you value something without paying a price for it. And you can't say you're truly brave without knowing what you're really in. It's true that many are hurt and beaten up even before the battle begin, and that may be true for you. Of course there will be those who spread lies, after all they're called liars, are they not? Lies only function as clouds that block the sunlight (truths) for a while, not to hold its unbearable glory that will soon break forth and tear the dark sky apart. And of course the odds are stacked against you, they have to and they always will be, that's why they're called the odds! A war is never a numbers game, it belongs to those who would write stories with convictions and courage. Not to make a name for themselves but for what's most important.

What would you answer to Wallace's question: "What would you do with that freedom?"

Happy Merdeka Day!

What Are You Doing With Your Hands?

2010-08-30T09:51:00.002+08:00

What complaints are you holding on to today?

Meet Liu Wei, a 23 year old guy from China who lost his hands when he was much younger. See (or hear) what he does with what's left of him.

Real talent inspires and contributes...not to show off how 'great' a person is.

I like what Liu Wei said that we always have two choices in life. He chose the higher road. He chose to give even without hands.

What are we holding on to?

What are we doing with our hands?

Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright

2010-08-13T08:59:00.000+08:00

Another of my favourite band of yesteryears. This live version (at Willow Creek) of Every Little Thing still bring me goosebumps.

Then band had disbanded but the effect of what they've done lives on in many thousands of lives they've touched. Thanks for those delirious times in the UK and lifetime of inspirations. Only God knows the extent of your inspiration on my life. Your songs shine like candles in my darkest nights.

Everything must change

There's a mirror showing me the ugly truth

These bones they ache with holy fire

But I've got nothing to give

Just a life to live

If your world is without colour

I will carry you

If you'll carry me

Everything little thing's gonna be alright

Every little thing.....

-Delirious' Every Little Thing

No Second Chances

2010-08-10T15:56:00.001+08:00

Life is full of second chances, right? There's still plenty of time, is there not?

I stumbled upon this video of a song I used to love many years back. This is Whitecross' No Second Chances from their album In The Kingdom (1991). I used to listen to this album hundreds of times every day (maybe there's a slight exaggeration here!) for their great music (loved the lead vocal and guitar) and convicting message.

Let me sidetrack a little.

Listening to this song again flood back much memories. Interestingly, I remembered many "spiritual" adults who used to condemn 'Christian Rock music', especially the heavy ones. Note the enemy's old ploy of distracting the church into passing judgments on disputable matters (Romans 14). Every century and decade has its own variance and themes, but it's the same strategy, same old dirty enemy!

My youth pastor was considered 'radical' because he was an 'evangelist' of CCM (Contemporary Christian Music). My Christian friends those days were shocked that I was an ardent Christian rock and metal music fan. Some younger ones who looked up to me, followed my music path and developed their own musical skills (especially the drums) too. I used to play the drums.

Even at a young age, I could tell the difference what was edifying and what wasn't. Just because the stuffs had secular elements (in this case rock music, many said it's from the devil) doesn't mean they can't be used. I like Jon Foreman's (Switchfoot) comment that there's no such thing as 'Christian music' because Christ came to die to redeem people, not music. So, there's no such thing as christian music, or book, or job or stuffs. Music is a tool, a powerful weapon that can be used to spread the redemption story. A heavier music doesn't make it more 'secular', and the softer ones (esp. those with strings and angelic voices) don't make them more 'Christian' or 'spiritual'. Of course heavy music is not for everyone. I don't really listen to heavy music anymore. I can't find many good ones by Christians these days.

Can Christians still be easily fooled? Distracted into unnecessary arguments? What other forms are there beside music?

Now, let's get back to the essence of the message. Listening to great songs like this hundreds of times as a youth helped to solidify my christian values up to today, apart from Bible studies of course!

This song is based on 'The Rich Man and Lazarus' (Luke 16:19-31). Was a great message then, and even greater message today! The Time is drawing nearer....there's no second chances, don't listen to lies. Don't buy them!

Beyond The Setting Sun

2010-07-27T13:02:00.001+08:00

"I've got a wound that doesn't heal...."

What a great song this is (by Switchfoot, again!). Great music, fantastic honest lyrics that resonates with me. A timely reminder to me again recently, although I must've listen to this song hundreds of times over the years!

Adding to what I wrote in the previous post, our wounds in life are not just meant to glorify God (in whether He chooses to take them away or not), but also to remind us of our direction.

Recently I was reflecting on my blog title: What Direction and where I'm ultimately heading: the place beyond this setting sun (that's what the song is about). Is heaven a destination or a direction? I think for me right now it's a DIRECTION, although without a doubt it's my final home. Why direction?

"Forgetting what is behind and straining TOWARD what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me HEAVENWARD in Christ Jesus" (Philipians 3:13-14).

The verses have the past, present and future all in the right perspective. I recently realized this is the perfect remedy for everything I've been longing for:

1. Forget (and forgive) my past and pain.
2. Work (and live) in the present.
3. Step into my best (awaiting) future, which is the DIRECTION of the One who calls me.

There is a reason why some longings cannot be satisfied in this world. There is a reason why some wounds just won't heal. There is a reason that they still burn. There is a reason that compels us to choose our direction at some inevitable crossroads. Don't lose your directions, don't get lost.

There was another old Switchfoot song that says "We want more than this world's got to offer, we want more than the wars of our fathers. Everything inside screams for second life. We were meant to live for so much more, have we lost ourselves?"

Can God Be Glorified In My Weakness? (Part 1)

2010-07-17T02:24:00.021+08:00

During a discussion in a cell group today, a question was raised "How can we say that God is glorified through our sickness, suffering.....? Surely God can only be glorified when the world see us healed, when God do His miracle thing. Otherwise we won't have a testimony to show about our powerful God".

I also remember a prophet-preacher who once asked "How can God be glorified unless you're wealthy and drive a big car? How can God be glorified to your friends in your small, pathetic, little car?" (I must say I'm exaggerating what he actually said, but not what he intended to mean). Surely a God who said that He provides won't leave you in shame, right?

Back to the basic question: "Can God be glorified in our suffering, weakness even though there seems to be no miraculous answer from His part?" And I thought and searched within for a while and found the answer. It's simple and absolute: OF COURSE!

Of course God can be glorified even if He chooses not to intervene (divine miracles) in our sufferings.

I remember the old story of Fanny Crosby. A life-changing incident happened to her as a baby:

"When about six weeks old I was taken sick and my eyes grew very weak and those who had charge of me poulticed my eyes. Their lack of knowledge and skill destroyed my sight forever. As I grew older they told me I should never see the faces of my friends, the flowers of the field, the blue of the skies, or the golden beauty of the stars... Soon I learned what other children possessed, but I made up my mind to store a little jewel in my heart which I called 'Content'." (Fanny's own words retold by S. Trevena Jackson, This Is My Story, This Is My Song).

Fanny was only eight years old when she wrote this song:

O what a happy soul am I!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.

How many blessings I enjoy,
That others people don't.
To weep and sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot, and I won't.

Someone once asked, "Fanny, do you wish you could see?" She replied in typical style "Well the first face I'll see will be the face of Jesus." Will God be glorified more if He had miraculously healed her? Who knows but God himself! This girl remained blind and went on to write over 8,000 hymns of praise in her lifetime. Those thousands of songs were simply the result of a fire that burned in her heart for Jesus and could not be put out.

I'm not conveying the idea that we should be contended with whatever circumstances that may befall us and not pray for God's power to act. I'm saying our response in worship is the most important thing whether we know what hits us or not. Easy for me to say that, right?!

One of the passages of Scripture that intrigues me (for many years) is from the Apostle Paul "To keep me from becoming conceited.....there was given me a thorn in my flesh (ever wonder where that phrase came from?), a messenger from Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness". Therefore (this is the part I love) I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me....(2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

So, what is this thorn in the flesh that Paul was referring to? There was a book by RT Kendall (one of my favourite Christian authors) who wrote on this subject alone. I haven't read it except for the first chapter given free on the Internet. Many had speculated that Paul's 'thorn' was a physical condition, some said it was a person (someone who strongly opposed him), others disputed that it was demonic harassment. If it was absolutely important to be obvious, the Word would tell us explicitly what it was. RT wrote that not all Christians will have this 'thorn' that Paul mentioned, and we should never hope or look for it! Don't let some preachers sell you the idea of a 'christian thorn'. To some, their 'thorns' could be a serious physical condition, disability, a heavy financial distress, a family member (I suddenly thought of Abraham Lincoln's wife) or human opposition, hellish forces, or could be any of many other possibilities. It's definitely not the common challenges that we usually face; this thorn is really something else. Personally, I pray that I will never have it, and neither will my closed ones. I don't know if you can say only 'special' Christians go through these conditions (I don't know a better way to convey it here right now).

Was it Paul's lack of faith, unrepentant heart, pride (he hinted something about his conceit?), or God's punishment that prevented the Lord from removing his 'thorn'? Who knows but God himself! The one thing that God needed Paul to know was God's grace was sufficient for him, and His power is made perfect in his weakness. Would Paul have been more effective in his ministry of spreading the gospel if his 'thorn' was removed? Again....WHO KNOWS! THAT IS NOT THE POINT!

In the cell group, Job's story was raised "Why did he had to go through the suffering that he did?" In the story, his wise friends came up with numerous theories on why disasters overtook him, his whole family and business. When God finally appeared (that is always the best part!), He rebuked his friends and Job. Out of the storm, God said to Job "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you and you will answer me." (Job 38:3-4). We all thought that Job needed answers, not questions from God! "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation...?" and God began to question Job of all the deepest secrets of creation that nobody could know except the Creator himself. "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?" (Job 40:2). How can we tell God what to do, when to do and how to do them? God went on with another bout of mind-blowing questions too wonderful for Job. At the end Job said "My ears have heard of you, now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in ashes." (Job 42:5-6).

In all that, Job had the right heart and response in worship even though he had no idea he was being tested. None of his close friends or dear wife could persuade him to give up his faith in God. He understood that God should be praised in good times as well as bad times. "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). In Job's case, The Lord gave, took away, and gave back double everything he had at the end. Thousands of years later, people everywhere are still recounting Job's story. If you said that's because Job got back everything doubled, then you may have missed the lesson there.

Can God be glorified in our weaknesses? I hope by now your answer is an emphatic 'OF COURSE'!

Just in case you think I'm 'not balanced', I also believe that God should be glorified in our strengths and triumphs, as we recognize our source. Those who really know me know that I strive very hard to develop on myself, discovering the wonders of God in what He gives and does.

"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness..." (2 Corinthians 11:30). "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10). How different that is from our own way of thinking! I know it's easy for me to say this. But I know it wasn't easy for Paul to have said that and I believe he meant every word with everything he had. By the way, those immortal words were inspired of the Holy Spirit.

How refreshing it is to grasp 'Biblical logic' from our own rationalizing! For me, I know I must cling on to the inspired Word. I must believe it until I act it! Or is it act it until I believe it (like those NLP folks will say)?

(Added in the morning after...)

I slept meditating on that verse "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness" over and over again in my subconsciousness and just now I awoke with a startling question, almost a revelation to me: "Can I recall anywhere in the Scripture about God's almighty, infinite power being described as perfect?" Not in the miracles during the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, not during the times of the OT prophets and judges, not when Jesus performed his healing miracles, not during the acts of the apostles during the infant days of the churches. I could not recall (if you can, please drop me a comment) anywhere else except in this verse.

My next startling question: "If the only time God's power was described as perfect was in our weaknesses, isn't He kind of a sadist, to relish in our pain and degradation?" (Please comment on my outrageous 'argument'.)

Watch out for Part 2. I'm thinking to entitle it 'Apostle Paul vs The Super-Apostles'. Let me get my breakfast.....

Sing It Out

2010-07-13T05:26:00.000+08:00

One of those choruses that's great to sing at the top of the lungs...

I'm holding on

I'm holding on to You

My world is wrong

My world is a lie that's come true

And I fall in love

With the ones that run me through

When all along all I need is You

Sing it out

Take what is left of me

Make it a melody

Sing it out

Sing out loud

I can't find the words to sing

You be my remedy

My song

I'll sing with what's left of me

- Switchfoot's Sing It Out

Where's Your Vision?

2010-07-09T11:23:00.001+08:00

I read this story at the end of the ebook What's Your Target by Roy Palmer.

A young boy travelled across Japan to the school of a famous martial artist. When he arrived at the dojo (school) he was given an audience by the Sensei (teacher).

"What do you wish from me?" the master asked.

"I wish to be your student and become the finest karate student in the land," the boy replied. "How long must I study?"

"Ten years at least," the master answered.

"Ten years is a long time," said the boy. "What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?"

"Twenty years," replied the master.

"Twenty years! What if I practice day and night with all my effort?"

"Thirty years," was the master's reply.

"How is it that each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?" the boy asked.

"The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the way."

What Are You Becoming In Your Pursuits? Behold and Beware!

2010-06-16T12:55:00.005+08:00

For the last half year or so there was one man that have impacted my life and philosophy. That man is the late Jim Rohn. I've been absorbing lotsa stuffs from many sources but Mr Rohn stood up high, head and shoulders above them all. There are good reasons why he's considered one of the most influential thinkers and business philosophers of our time.

I'm recording this here for myself, and for a young man I talked to recently.

In his twenties, when he was broke and aimless, Jim Rohn was blessed with a mentor Earl Shoaff that came alongside and changed his philosophies, and inevitably turned his whole life around. In one of the goal-setting sessions Mr. Shoaff suggested why not he set a goal to be a millionaire among many of his goals, and here's why. Jim was thinking to himself, "Now, the man doesn't have to teach me why. Wouldn't it be great to have a million dollars?" Mr. Shoaff said "No. That's not it. Here's why...." And Jim Rohn received the greatest lesson of his life in one sentence that his mentor was about to give him.

"Set a goal to become a millionaire and here's why.....for WHAT IT WILL MAKE OF YOU to achieve it."

What a brand new way of setting goal, Jim thought. Set the kind of goals that will make something of you to achieve them. Many of Jim Rohn's philosophies are derived from that single sentence.

"If I set this goal and go for it, not only what will I achieve, but more importantly, what will it make of me in the process?"

"Success is not what you pursue. Success is what you become."

"The greatest value in life is not what you get. That greatest value in life is what you become."

"Major question we should ask in our jobs is not "what am I getting here?" Major question we should ask is "what am I becoming here?""

"It's not what you get that makes you valuable. It's what you become that makes you valuable."

I don't know about you, but in my search in my personal journey, this major lesson blew a huge hole right though many things I thought I knew and created a clear path. Thank God it simplified my philosophy!

In spiritual matters, Jim Rohn confessed that he's just an amateur. But he could expound stuffs from the Scriptures so well, better than many preachers I know. He said when it comes to spirituality, the most important thing boils down to these three things: study, practice and teach it. That summary sounds over-simplistic, but it's not.

It's great that he drew references to the Bible on some of the major lessons. Here's one.

"....Here's the last part on goal-setting. Don't compromise, don't sell out. There were some things I went for back in the early years that I paid too big a price for. If I'd known how much it'd cost me, I never would've have paid, but I didn't know. Don't sell out. The ancient phrase said 'Count the cost, count the cost, count the cost'."

"An ancient story said 'Judas got the money'. You may say that's a success story. No, no. It's true thirty pieces of silver in those days was a sizeable fortune. If you say if a guy's got a fortune that's a success story. No, you don't understand. His name was Judas. Doesn't that ring a bell? Judas. You say 'Judas the traitor'? That's right! The traitor got the money. Doesn't that change the story? The answer is of course it changes the story. Interestingly enough when Judas got the money for becoming a traitor, he got the money in his hot little hands and now he's unhappy. Some say if you got a fortune how can you be unhappy? Well he was not unhappy with his money, he was unhappy with....himself. Key phrase: the greatest source of unhappiness is self-unhappiness...."

"Judas was unhappy and thought 'well what I'd do is just take the money back', walked in where he got the money and said 'here, take this money, I'm unhappy'. They said 'Hey Judas, we got what we wanted, you got what you wanted. Out!' They threw him out with the money. Judas wondered what he'd do, he thought, 'I'll just throw the money away'. And he proceeded to throw his fortune away. Why would he throw his fortune away? He was so unhappy with....himself. That's not the end of the scenario. After he threw away his fortune, he couldn't change what he became, a traitor, and now in total frustration he goes out and hang his worthless self. Why such a tragic end? Because he was so unhappy with....himself. He sold out, he paid too big a price. The ancient script summed it all up: 'what if you gain the whole world and it costs you your soul. Too big a price to pay..."

"Don't sell out, don't compromise your values, don't compromise your virtues, don't compromise your philosophy."

"....Two good words from ancient script. One, Behold. The positive word. Behold the possibility. Behold the opportunity. Behold the awesomeness. Behold the uniqueness. Behold the majesty. Behold, Behold. What a good word! But here's another word. Beware, Beware, Beware. Don't sell out...."

Behold! And Beware!

Good Luck? Bad Luck? What Perspective?

2010-06-08T12:35:00.001+08:00

Heard this tale from Dan Millman of a farmer who had a horse. One day, the horse ran away. "Bad luck", the neighbours commented. But the horse returned the next day, with three wild horses following it. "Good luck", others told him. Until the farmer's son tried to ride on one of the wild horses, fell off and broke a leg. "Terrible luck", their relatives lamented. But soon, every young and able men from the village were enlisted into the national army to fight a war. The farmer's son was spared because of his broken leg!

So whether an event that occurs is good or bad depends not on its immediate outcome and consequences. It helps to view the bigger picture, from a broader perspective, in a larger time frame. It helps to look from the eyes of the Almighty, and His timeless Word.

No wonder the Scripture encourages us to "give thanks in all circumstances for it is God's will....", and "all things work together for good....." and "what can men do to us...?"

How blessed it is to be a receiver and a believer of the Word!

Time's Up?

2010-06-01T23:51:00.014+08:00

Came back from our Young Adults' retreat in Genting Permai Resort two days ago. Actually came back rejuvenated though I can't remember when was the last activity I planned for my own benefit.

This retreat is kinda different from the previous ones. More newcomers this round and better balance of relaxing without compromising the objectives. Some things remain the same. The few strong people I can rely on and the same old excuses of why people couldn't come (though with creative twists this round! But it's still the same *yawn*). The usual criticisms are there, but then, many were blessed and that's what really counts.

I guess the biggest difference for me this round is the presence of my senior pastor. Up till the last minute, I wasn't sure if he would turn up for his session (though his personal assistant had confirmed he would come) because of how busy he always is. To my surprise and delight he turned up and decided to do two (instead of one) sessions and stayed overnight (instead of leaving early). He expressed his desire to spend time with us rather than his other ministries. Wow!

In my 20+ years in the church, I've never spent so much time conversing with my senior pastor like in this retreat. There's so much I wanted to share with him, but it was he who did most of the talking and I listening. Here's a man who'd done so much but yet burdened by so much with little time left. He poured out his hurts and regrets like I've never seen before. There are things he'll not share behind the pulpit.

The man is desperate for his sons (spiritual) to inherit his portion and take it to the next level. It's funny that he said the church is many years behind time, as I'd thought the time was already up quite some time ago. Maybe we're in 'injury time'....then it's by the grace of God how long this injury time will last. I felt some sadness as I think of what's gonna take place next. Those ravenous wolves in sheep's clothings....

Only the Redeemer can redeem....time and men. Mice and men.

Who Can Know?

2010-05-28T00:09:00.006+08:00

As I lifted my heavy arms and dusted off my guitar once again to practice for our Young Adults' Retreat starting tomorrow, I looked through some of the songs in my PC. I found a song that I really liked, which never fails to move me. Once again, I put my small life and everything around me in the perspective of my great Creator, the Alpha and Omega.

Watch and listen to the song from YouTube, played during a Soul Survivor event in the UK.

I Stand In Awe - Martyn Layzell

Who can know the mind of our Creator?

Who can speak of wonders yet unseen?

Who can reach the heights of understanding

To play the notes of Wisdom's melody?

Who has weighed the dust of every mountain?

Who has walked the mysteries of the deep?

Who has laid the earth on its foundation?

And who conducts the waves upon the sea?

I stand in awe of You

So glorious and true

I stand in awe

You have seen the end from the beginning

You have been before the world began

You have reached to me within my darkness

And in the light of mercy now I see

I stand in awe of You

So glorious and true

I stand in awe

I read something today. Because of what I've been through lately, that sentence hit me like a ton of bricks:

God's plan is not negotiable. Someone once told us, "If you want to make God laugh, share with him 'your' plan."

If that is true, God must have been laughing all my life.

The Promised One

2010-05-24T21:40:00.001+08:00

I was wrestling with some thoughts yesterday and I remembered about Ishmael and Isaac. Although Ismael arrived first and was strong, he wasn't the one. Isaac was the promised one, the favored son and heir that was chosen by God.

I'm not talking about Muslims vs Christians as I was thinking about something else...and I was reminded and comforted that when something is in the hands and purpose of God, no man can thwart its outcome and destiny.

Blank Piece of Paper

2010-04-28T12:21:00.006+08:00

Almost a dozen years ago, I graduated from my bachelors degree and returned home to my country. Before I plunge into the working world, I spent time catching up with old friends and easing back into the Malaysian lifestyle. I also made a couple of trips to visit my university friends up north in Perak and Penang. One of them was a train ride to Taiping when I encountered an elderly man who decided to sit right beside me even though there were many empty seats around. I had wished for a quiet long ride to be by myself to think. But this man started talking, and he talked to me throughout the whole long trip!

He wasn't very old but experienced in life, obviously rode all the ups and downs along the way. He gave me lots of advices, some nonsense but some wise. One of his philosophical sentences was unforgetable:

'Your life right now is like a blank piece of canvas. You can draw anything on it, anyway you want'.

That was over a decade ago, wow, talk about time travel! But I felt like I haven't drawn anything. I've been practicing but haven't create any masterpiece! Recently, my dentist told me that it's possible that I grind my teeth while sleeping, and my mom said that's due to stress and pressure. I was thinking to myself "What stress? I haven't started anything!"

I read a quote in a Michael Gerber's book this morning:

I believe there are two ways to look at a blank sheet of paper. The first way is that the blank sheet is the most frightening thing in the world because you have to put down the first mark and figure out what to do with it. The other way is to look at it and say, "Wow, I've got another blank piece of paper. This is the greatest opportunity in the world because I can now let my imagination fly in any direction and I can create whole new things." I have spent a good part of my life convincing people that the blank sheet is the greatest opportunity in the world and is not frightening at all.

- Masty Sklar, Executive VP/Imagineering Ambassador, Walt Disney Imagineering

What masterpiece am I gonna carve? Somebody said the only shot you've ever got is the next shot.

Let the writer pens down his best ideas.

Let the alchemist transform the metal into gold.

Let the rainmaker bring in the torrential flow.

What Power? - A Ghandi Quote

2010-04-28T10:12:00.000+08:00

‘You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down, and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of literature.’ Mahatma Ghandi

Gluttony at Jogoya

2010-04-14T10:00:00.004+08:00

Last week, we had a pig-out session at the famous Japanese buffet, Jogoya at Starhill KL. They had a sweet promotion of 'buy 1 free 1' deal for HSBC credit card customers. So each person only paid RM55 for the entire buffet. What was sweetest for me, was my friend Zlwin paid for mine...well, he owed me a birthday treat.

Anyway, a picture speaks a thousand words. Here's 28 of them! Straight from the S90.

Jogoya's Entrance

Sweet, juicy, fresh oysters with Tabasco sauce!

The pretty ladies!

Array of Sushis and Sashimis. Anyway I got a warning for taking pictures at the food stations!

The subsequent pictures were from our own table.

Steamboat in XO Soup!

Enjoying the Steamboat!

Haagen-Daz Ice-Cream! I had at least 10 scoops!

Yummy Desserts!

The colourful alchoholic beverages! No, they're not mine. ;)

Hermann's "Duck Egg"

The Gluttons

Funky Buttons inside the Lift

A Leadership Thought

2010-04-01T19:19:00.000+08:00

Just a thought that I've learned from the projects I've led.

It is okay to make mistake.
But it is not okay to make the same mistake twice.

It is okay to fall.
But it is not okay to fall at the same spot twice.

And it is SUPER NOT OKAY to fall at the same spot where you saw someone before you fell.

Labour in Tras, Adventures up to Sinai

2010-03-23T22:09:00.012+08:00

Came back from a mission trip to the orang asli work in Tras, Raub. It's a ministry under my local church where the indigenous kids are housed (from their villages), and sent to a nearby school. After a couple of times of being chased out of their rented properties, the pastors resolved to own their land. When the place is finished, it should have a hostel, clinic and library. Nearby are estates for fruits like durian, mango etc. Agriculture is also part of their work.

I first scouted Tras and Sinai and met with Pastor Rajan and Pastor Timothy last August. I listened to their vision for this ministry and some of their inspiring stories. They're purchasing the 6-acre land with little money but plenty of faith. One of their ultimate goals is to raise up an indigenous leader to enter the parliament, to serve and be a voice for their own people. I like men with big visions!

I thought this was the ideal place to bring my young adults group to do mission work and maybe grow with their ministry, see the kids grow. Pastor Timothy was right, we don't have to do missions work and experience its adventures in overseas or somewhere far and costly. Everything can be done here locally. It didn't happen last year due to delay in construction timings and materials, but the Royal Rangers from my church managed to send a team during the school holidays to start of something. Since then, many structures were built and completed. And finally, we were there last weekend, just a week before the official opening and dedication ceremony this Saturday. It will be attended by YB Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok who is the Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, and our senior pastor of course.

During our 3 days/2 nights trip, we helped clean the warden's house, rode up to a mountain (Sinai) village to conduct a Bahasa service and partake dinner with the locals up there. But our main work was to cement a stretch of wired fences. This physical works weren't easy for us city boys! In addition we managed to present a short story skit, played and teach the kids. Our very own magician Zlwin also managed to squeeze in a couple of performances, mixed with some closed up delights. I cannot ask for more from my excellent team, who did everything required of them without complain, all the while taking care of the buddies assigned to them.

Recently I got myself a compact camera (1/2 birthday present from wife) after many months of research and contemplation. It's a Canon Powershot S90 gem. You see, I'm tired of stealing others' pictures or waiting for them. Jim Rohn is right, one of the few most important things in life we'll leave behind is pictures. I may write on the other things he talked about on another day. A picture is worth a thousand words. I've gotta make my own memories.

If I've the time, I may write a review on the S90, But for now, I'll let some of my pictures do the talking. These are only a few, many others were uploaded to Facebook.

Intro & briefing by Pastor Timothy

Hermann cleaning the brick walls

The guys getting ready to ride the 4x4 up to Mt Sinai. This has gotta be the highlight of the trip. I witnessed the transformation of strongmen into little boys having fun during the journey up

Posing with the scenic backdrop

View from the sanctuary "hut"

The sanctuary "hut", where we had our Bahasa service and dinner. We could have sleep there overnight...

Serving dinner to the indigenous. The curry wild boar tasted yummy!

Pastor Judin wrapping up the service. He takes charge of the community in Sinai

Laying hands and praying for the locals

Sherene teaching the kids how to do the limbo...

....and "permainan getah"!

Sherene doing what she does best!

I had black pepper wild boar with rice for lunch. Cheap and delicious!

I love the "nostalgic" scene mode in my camera. Gives you a timeless feel to some essential photos....

Enjoying classic wantan mee at Bentung town for brunch

Orang asli house in Sinai

Indigenous kids looking out through their windows at us "orang bandar"

Enjoying a timeless moment!

Our guys labouring to carve their names in history

They got themselves dirty

With all their might!

Capturing the moment in Black & White with just the boys at Tras

The finished stretch of fences we cemented

My friend Zlwin left his permanent mark on the cement

The laborers after their mighty exploits

My moment with Pastor Judin before our departure

A final picture of Sherene with a cute baby named Danny. Didn't know indigenous babies could be so adorable!

Will we go back to Tras? I hope so!

Ajarku Berdiam

2010-03-05T19:17:00.002+08:00

Woke up early this morning with inner turmoils crashing like waves in my head. But I also woke up with a song to silent all that. A popular, lovely song I learnt a couple of years ago, Ajarku Berdiam by an Indonesian group GMB (stands for Giving My Best). I went downstairs, took up my guitar and sang that song over and over again until my soul is quitened down. Thank God for songs like these.

Here is a video of a live unplugged version of the song by GMB. In fact, this was the first version I heard and came to love in their CD.

Ajarku berdiam
Dekat di hati-Mu
Di saat ku berpaling
Ku temukan cinta-Mu

Di sana Kau menanti
'tuk bawaku lagi
Bersekutu dalam
Damai yang sejati

Oo ku damba hadir-Mu
Oo inilah rinduku

Hidupku hanyalah untuk Mu
Segenap hatiku kagum akan kebaikan-Mu
Nafasku menc'ritakan kasih-Mu
Ajarku berdiam dekat di hati-Mu

How Did Tiger Wood's Public Statement Affect You?

2010-02-22T23:27:00.008+08:00

Last week, Tiger Woods stunned the world by issuing a statement of apology for his unfaithfulness and cheating on his family and the world. I'm surprised by the total bluntness of his confession. How often do you see a world champion/top celebrity give such a press statement, expressing his deep remorse and taking full responsibility for his behaviour and the huge impact on the people that believed in him?

It's worth reading his press statement transcript in its entirety, or you can watch the video below which captured most of it.

Is he truly repentant? Or is he sorry for getting caught?

Can a sex addict truly change? Can a man really change his habit, behaviour? Can a tiger loses its "basic instincts"?

Some said this is merely a publicity stunt, to salvage what is left of his relationships, battered reputation and mega-million bucks of sponsorships. And once everything is back to normal and close media scrutiny's gone, he'll get right back to his old sins.

They may be right!

How did you respond to his apology statement? What has it got to do with YOU in the first place, right?

As an idealist and a fan of sports, I truly hope that this great champion will be able to overcome his private inner struggles as victoriously as his public success and eventually emerge as a "total" winner.

As a man, I'm glad he owned up to his mistakes and made a public commitment to change himself.

As a believer in the cross, I pray that he'll find true hope and the way. Buddhism may sound so right in its many forms and christian practices perceived to be hypocritical, but that doesn't change the objective truth about the power in the blood of the lamb and the promises of the eternal Word.

It's far too easy to be cynical and it costs nothing. On the other hand, it's risky to put your trust in an offender believing that he won't let you down again. This is the path of pain. And of faith, hope and love. For someone like Tiger Woods. For someone like you and me.

Iona's Matthew the Man

2010-02-18T23:51:00.000+08:00

Found this old gem of a video song from one of Iona's early albums 'The Book of Kells' (one of their best in my opinion because of its brilliant flow of music and story). Matthew the Man's music and its message are still refreshing to me, still relevant in our messed up world. Joanne Hogg's angelic voice still haunts me. The photo mosaic in this YouTube video put together by a fan is actually quite good. Definitely deserves a place in my blog!

The Golden Calf (The Objective Answer Part 3)

2010-02-03T11:36:00.008+08:00

Actually, I wrote my Part 3 (and 4) to my series of The Objective Answer Part 1 and 2 a long time ago, but I just didn't click that 'Publish Post' buttons. They're still there under 'draft'. Words are very powerful (consequences) and we must dare to own up to everything we say. With great power comes....?

Truth must still be strong, never muddied, but can be repackaged.

Couple of days ago, I saw something I'd never seen before when I read the Bible in Exodus 32. The familiar story of while Moses was up at Mount Sinai with the Lord for forty days and nights, the Israelites became fearful and impatient. And they demanded Aaron, the High Priest to make them another god, an image....

[32:1] When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” [2] So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” [3] So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. [4] And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” [5] When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” [6] And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. (ESV)

I'd never question this before: "Why calf?" Now I see that the calf was meant to represent the Lord (see their good intention). According to verse 4, the calf represented the god that delivered them out of Egypt (see their past triumph/experience). In any case, with a little reference to the New Bible Dictionary, the idolatry at Sinai was "a blending of contemporary, popular bull- and calf-cults, Egyptian and Canaanite alike, with their emphasis on natural strength and fertility".

What struck me this time was the celebration described by Aaron was "unto the Lord". It was an all-out (full of might), genuine (they missed God, remember?), sacrificial (among other sacrifices, they also took off their gold!) worship to the Lord (talk about perceiving God). But God would have none of it, His wrath was burning against the Israelites, was about to wipe them out if not for Moses' intercession on their behalf.

This was the danger. Israelites did not consciously reject the Lord as their God, but they attempted to portray Him as the golden calf. And that was a big no no to the Lord.

I cannot imagine my wife celebrating our anniversary with me, buying me lotsa gifts, but enjoying with the man that she imagine I would be, not the man she really knows. No matter how wonderful the experiences she has had. Doesn't matter how expensive the gifts she brought. I'd burn them...and probably her too....haha, let's not go there.

No wonder Jesus emphasized worship as the right perception of God to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). Both in spirit and in truth!

I was chatting late last night over the Net with my good friend, Pastor Vincent in the UK. As usual, our conversation would eventually lead to wrestling with hard issues. We're both deeply troubled by so many teachings in Christianity today. I won't write here what we had discussed. Not today.

But I must say this: unless you're a spiritual baby, you must take full 100% ownership and responsibility for your spiritual growth and learning. Don't leave your life in the hands of somebody else (remember: even Aaron, the high priest who could enter the holy of holies could mislead his people). But choose your 'anchors' wisely. And don't be afraid to question everything. Why not? On that final day, only you (no one else) have to stand and answer for everything that was given to you. There'll be no one left to blame. You'll soon realise the buck really stops with you.

Is there a golden calf you've been worshipping unknowingly? Better shine some light to see.

Maybe more on this topic some other time.

Winning All The Way

2010-01-25T09:10:00.003+08:00

Just read this excellent, short post by Chris Widener on winning. Totally agree with his idea of winning, and playing to win.

Here's the introduction:

Have you ever heard, “It isn’t whether you win or lose; it is how you play the game”? I’m sure you have. But do you know who said it? Some guy who came in second place!

You see, I have a problem with that statement. It presupposes, or at least strongly suggests, that winning and playing the game “right” are mutually exclusive propositions. Perhaps we ought to have this as our goal as we pursue success: We want to win, but only by playing the game the right way. I totally disagree with the statement that we should win at all costs. Rather, we should do everything we can to win at this game we call life. And we ought to do all that we can to help others win, too.

With that, here are some thoughts on staying in the game—to win.

Any game worth playing is a game worth pursuing to win. If I get into a game, I play to win. What nobility is there in playing like a slacker? What virtue is purposeful mediocrity? None. I live my life to be a winner—spiritually, financially, physically, emotionally, even relationally—in every area of my life.

Read the rest of the post here.

Your Love Is A Song

2010-01-18T23:59:00.005+08:00

I got hold of Switchfoot's latest album Hello Hurricane last month and it had never left my car CD player ever since. It's been the only album I've been listening to. Switchfoot's music and philosophy in life and many things have impacted me so much over the years. This is their seventh album and they've never sounded better!

Jon Foreman (frontman/songwriter) said Hello Hurricane is a realistic and hopeful musical response to "the storms that tear their lives apart". I'd always love and appreciate their heartfelt honesty and passion in their songs. Their driving catch phrase is attributed to Dolly Parton: 'If you ain't crying, why are you singing it?' which means if this isn't a song you want to die singing, you shouldn't sing it.

The words of the title and the birds in the album art have very significant personal meanings to me. I had a dream of birds when I was sixteen which I can still see vividly, its images still burn deeply inside me. The very same year someone gave me a word about the whole nation turning...anyway, those are things I wouldn't write here. Anyway, the picture of birds in the album cover is about the calm before the storm.

I'm not gonna write a review and say how good the latest record is. Switchfoot is already a legend to many. I was searching YouTube for a video of one of my favourites Your Love Is A Song, and I found this to be quite ok. It's a live performance captured upclose on a handycam (quite shaky at times!). I think the birds as the backdrop in the stage setting is so cool, and so is Jon's t-shirt!

In Your Love Is A Song, Jon said he writes about things he cannot understand, like God and girls. But it's mostly about grace.

I've been keeping my eyes wide open

Oh your love is a symphony

All around me

Running through me

Oh your love is a melody

Underneath me

Running to me

Your love is a song...

-From Your Love Is A Song

Here's another one like how it sounded in the CD, with lyrics.

Life Is Like A Cup Of Coffee

2010-01-14T22:46:00.003+08:00

I was really moved by this inspiring video! Really comforting for young adults struggling in this complicated, stressful, upside down world where everyone is competing in a rat race.

Living is simple, but by no means simplistic. This short story will help to keep life in the right perspective. Enjoy life by living simply.

Cost of Worship

2010-01-12T11:49:00.004+08:00

The current religious tension in my country and church burning brought a question to my mind: what is the cost of our worship? The question brings me back over one and a half decade and across many miles to my three years in university.

I remember my first winter in England where I was still searching for a house of worship where I can belong to. I endured through those long hours of walking all by myself bracing through frozebites and physical numbness and eventually discovered that many churches inside England were actually colder than the winter night outside (I'm referring to the temperature of hospitality). That never stop me from walking many more miles to hunt for the "perfect church" that God has prepared for me. That was what I thought. My heart was burning.

To cut the whole long story short, I finally found my place and fulfillment when I became part of a ministry team that cared for other international students. My own needs and preferences didn't matter then. I found warmth in my cookings (both Malaysian and spiritual food) for the hungry. Jesus was right when He said we'll eventually find our lives when we lose them for His sake. And there is no such thing as the perfect church. The treasures we seek are often found in unexpected places, often closer to us than we think.

I still treasure those lonely walks of many miles. Those fogs that surrounded me in the winter became like a shield to my burning heart. Looking back, I now know they prepared me for my darkest hours when I returned home to face an even colder spiritual climate. But I will not kid myself now, cause there'll be darker times ahead.

Blessed are you if you've gone through afflictions of some sort in the past year...cause you ain't gone through nothing yet!

Blessed are you if you have SCARS of some sort...cause you will be like the STARS that shine in the universe! (Phil 2:15 NIV)

What can I do with my obsession?

With the things I cannot see?

Is there madness in my being?

Is it wind the blows the trees?

Sometimes you're further than the moon

Sometimes you're closer than my skin

And you surround me like the winter fog

You've come and burn me with a kiss

And my heart burns for You

And my heart burns....

-From Delirious' Obsession

Laundry Blame

2010-01-06T19:08:00.003+08:00

We did lotsa laundry especially today. In her complain, my wife uttered something really funny:

"It's all because of what Adam and Eve did. Otherwise we won't have the need for clothings, and we don't need to do laundry!"

Hahaha!

I've Never Known A Time Like This

2010-01-03T21:00:00.008+08:00

As I was driving in and around Malacca over the long holiday weekend, I had a Delirious CD playing in my car's music player, and one line of a chorus just echoed repeatedly in my head: I've never known a time like this.....all this time....all this time....

Yeah, as I cross into the new decade, into new unprecedented territories, there indeed has never been a time as extraordinary as this in my life.

These are unprecedented times for mankind. Everything that was made possible at the turn of the millenium is now intensified in the second decade.

Unprecedented opportunities and possibilities. A vacant job these days, could go to someone in Calcutta, Beijing or Minnesota. A team from all these different places can communicate and work as if they're next to one another. They used to marvel that they could be in Tokyo and then London on the same day to attend meetings. Now we can be virtually anywhere in the world at anytime, or all at the same time! It's a borderless global marketplace, economy and audience. People are earning untold, unnumbered sums of money from unlimited number of customers over the web, in their pyjamas. Godly messengers are sowing kingdom seeds quite differently now from those from the last millenium. The Church is truly no longer limited to a four-walled building. And whatever I write in my blogs are read by unnamed global strangers, most of whom I'll never meet. Simply extraordinary!

Unprecedented challenges. It's a double-edged sword. Businesses face competitions from across a thousand miles and from different ethnics and cultures, just as much as from their neighbouring shops. We face targetless enemies from too many corners. Churches once attempted to protect their spiritual sheeps from wolves from other churches just down the road. Parents used to warn children not to speak to strangers in the streets, now they're fending off faceless fiends from the virtual world of the Internet.

Unprecedented knowledge. The knowledge we have on the face of this earth right now has doubled from the last decade. And it's still growing at an exponential rate. Once, they used to carry a few heavy books in their bags, now we own and have access to whole libraries at the palms of our hands, literally! People are much better informed than before, but are they any wiser? Is information our slave or master? Do they free us or hold us hostage?

Unprecedented choices. Adults used to struggle in deciding on when to own their first mobile phone. Now, kids mull over which broadband plan to go with their multi-functional mobile device. The choice of expensive electronic products used to be between a few household brands, but now anything and everything can be customized. And everything can be copied and owned by anyone now at much lower prices. Do I buy from the highstreet mall or from the comfort and safety of my home via the Internet? People used to pay premium prices to see their favourite charismatic leader/guru speak 'live'. Now we can't decide which free e-newsletters of famous leaders to unsubscribe from our cluttered electronic mailboxes!

Unprecedented influences. Everything from the media, to the games, to the entertainment, businesses, and even spiritual are wrestling for our psychic energies. Whether conscious or unconsious, they're specially crafted to draw and engage us, slowly invading our supposedly limitless territories: our minds. They infiltrate to influence your buying decisions, your processes of making choices, they capture your imagination, altering your reality, and then what you think is okay and what's not, what you feel safe and what's not, and ultimately what you know is right and what's wrong.

Unprecedented deception. The enemy crouches at every dark corner, waiting to pounce and devour us, but all very subtly. If the Bible is true, there are many false prophets and teachers around, like wolves and sheeps' clothings in these last days. And they're already in places of worship. If we really really believe the Word is really of God, then should we be concerned as it said the false ones will (or has it already?) outnumber the true ones? Everyone is preaching the truth, but so was the crafty serpent in that Garden, and then again in the wilderness with the Saviour after His baptism.

This is the age when all our senses (spiritual and otherwise) are constantly bombarded, desensitized and numbed by everything and everyone around us. This is the time when we must especially sharpen our senses and minds. Leave nothing to chance. Test everything. Be prudent in judgement, before the final Judgement comes.

This is the time when people are lovers of themselves more than anytime in history. They think nothing for the greater good of others. Selfish desires reign. There is no king in their lives, even many believers.

Over the holiday weekend, I played the popular boardgame RISK with some friends. Classical warfare are waged between countries and continents separated by boundary lines across the world map. What are the lines of modern warfare these days? Where are the battlefields?

Do you have a PLAN as you entered the new year, or did you just stumble into it?

I have a gameplan. I can't wait to play yet I'm still waiting. I drew some lines yet determined to erase others. I'm alive yet I still die.

All this time
Since the day that I was born

I've never known a time like this

I don't wanna let You down

-Delirious' All This Time

Straight As An Arrow

2009-12-29T09:46:00.004+08:00

'The arrow is the projection of an intention into space' Paulo Coelho

What am I projecting into the new year? Into the new decade?

Like archery, there's no point in delaying the shot for the perfect aim. It'll result in accumulation of unnecessary tension.

Once an arrow is released, there's nothing I can do about its flight path. I can only relax and observe. Wait for its feedback.

If it misses its target, I'll just reload with another arrow and re-adjust my aim.

When it hits, I'll do it again until the process becomes a habit. Until there's no more thought. Until my mind, my hands and my bow are one.

The Greatest Journey (Your Christmas Gift)

2009-12-23T11:29:00.005+08:00

I observed that many of you readers of my blog are strangers from different parts of the planet. According to the stats, many of you are interested in my travel posts.

Thanks for dropping by to read. I've a Christmas gift for you. Please read on.

Do you know the Christmas season is about the greatest journey ever made?

He (Christ) had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.

Not at all.

When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!

Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges.

Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.

(Philippians 2:6-8, The Message)

I'm blown away thinking of this, everytime. The greatest journey ever made has nothing to do with distance or geographical locations. It has everything to do with our ATTITUDE (see verse 5 in NIV), or our MIND (other versions).

Christ, in all his eternal glory and power, set aside his "God" status for a "man" status, came to SERVE the ultimate service: dying on the cross. Not one second of his life on earth that Jesus wasn't God. The devil knew this and tempted Christ to show off his power. Jesus never use his power to show how great he was, but always to serve, selflessly. He turned water into wine at a wedding, he multiplied bread and fishes to feed the hungry thousands, he healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead. During his final hours, he could have ordered the legions of angels to rescue (did he even need that?) him from the cross. But the Son of Man chose to serve, right until the very end.

The cross is not so much of the journey to Golgotha, where he was crucified and hung out to die. But the decision to make the journey from preexistence (where he was God), to incarnation (becoming a man, born as a baby), to crucifixion (die on the cross).

He travelled the greatest ever journey for you and for me.

What will you do about it, now that you know?

Will you accept this greatest gift?

My prayer for you is that you'll make this most important journey for yourself.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2010!

Take Up The Sword: Shining Light in Dark Places

2009-12-19T10:49:00.007+08:00

I remembered when Ps Daniel was addressing some hard issues in camp, he said it's time for the church to shine light on the dark areas (secret issues) to bring them out into the open. He gave the illustration of cockroaches thriving in the darkness in the absence of light.

My house has many cockroaches, for some reason (blame the sewage system). I could never kill them all. Sometime back, I realised I began to feel numbed by their presence. I sometimes "pretended" they weren't there even though I could smell them.

Until one day I was too angry to leave things as it was. I declared war on those nasty creatures of darkness. I terminated every one of them mercilessly. But make no mistake, they still come back every now and then. I've to accept that this war will go on until I leave the house one day.

In the same way, sooner or later, every master of the house must take drastic measure to eliminate every enemy of darkness. How long will the master live with them before the whole house stinks? How much stink can the occupants withstand before leaving? How long until too long? Only he can answer that.

"Bah! Can't go out till the light's out"

On the final day, everything will be brought out to the open. There'll be no more shadow to hide under.

"He will baptize you.....with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hands, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire" Matthew 3:11, 12.

On that final day, will you be glad? Or will you be afraid?

Hard Questions

2009-12-16T07:09:00.256+08:00

I'm supposed to be sleeping like a log after the youth camp (especially since I hardly got any sleep there), but I'm up early with my mind racing at breakneck speed again. So much to process. But some things have changed. Many things were said during the camp, but I'll just emphasize and write on one thing here.

Our camp speaker, Ps Daniel Ross urged and gave everyone the permission to ask HARD QUESTIONS. Ask hard questions in the camp during the Q&A sessions (he said the quality of the sessions are determined by the quality of their questions) or when one-on-one with him. Ask hard questions after the camp, to the leaders. Ask hard questions in their walk with God.

Hard questions aren't necessary smart alecky kinda questions.

Hard, because it's serious. So serious that some issues have become taboo subjects. In camp, light was shone on serious issues of like pornography and other habits and addictions.

Hard, because it challenges everything you know (or you think you know). And it pushes you out of your comfortable "play safe" zone.

Ps Daniel pointed out to one of my favourite verses in Acts 17:11: Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessolonians, for they receive the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Ps Daniel said to "question EVERYTHING in the light of scripture". I couldn't agree more. Many times in his messages he said, "don't take my word for it, go read....find out for yourselves....". Even the great Apostle Paul's teachings had to be questioned and tested with the Scripture.

I believe (and saw with my own eyes in too many lives) that the ability to ask great questions (or lack of) can make or break our journey in this life. Especially THIS GENERATION. You are blessed if you have someone in your life whom you can ask hard questions to, and that person is allowed to ask you hard questions in return to check where you are, every now and then. During a workshop, Ps Daniel said this is very crucial.

I believe young people are more than ready (in fact they're craving) for hard questions. They just need the right guidance and mentors. During my University studying days in England, my friends and I would do Bible studies with many chinese christians from different countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan. And they were allowed (strongly encouraged) to ask great, genuine questions from the Scripture texts we were looking at. Not just for the sake of satisfying curious minds, but to question boundaries (many are non-existent!) and everything that they came from. They were all from different countries, cultures, church denominations and personal biases, but every time when we search into the scriptures hard enough, there's UNITY. Objective truth MUST and WILL bring genuine unity. I saw so many lives transformed, as if their eyes were opened for the first time. But tragically many of them would not dare go back to their own countries, their own churches, where they would not be allowed to question like how they did then. When my time there was up, many of my friends questioned me why would I wanna return to Malaysia. Now that was one question I didn't ask myself hard enough!

In camp, Ps Daniel also said that we should submit to the leaders above us, to their stand on many hard issues. To be honest, this was really hard for me. Over the years I've been thrown to the "jungles" and the "deserts". In my darkest hours, no one was with me as I wrestled with tough questions. Now that I've formed my own biases, how could I submit? I struggled with that thought hard. Eventually I had some kinda answer yesterday night.

When I was young, I had to accept everything my mother taught me. When challenged, she said that I should be quiet and just accept the answer as it was. "Just accept things as they are". When older, I told my mom what certain things she did/taught were wrong. I'm glad that her understanding of things have evolved (for the better!) over the years and she admitted so. She's been a great learner herself. In the same way, when I look at myself, I never really have a problem with submission, as long as the one I submit to must learn as hard as me, if not more!

Nobody is right. Nobody knows. Nothing is sound. Everyone moves. Everything has to move...towards objective truths (I'm still thinking of my Part 3 to that).

Ps Daniel did challenged me with a question. It was raining heavily outside with hints of thunderstorm, and the camp's main watergame at the swimming pool was called off. We were at the small field and he popped up the crazy idea of playing ultimate frisbee under the pouring rain. He said something like "Come on man....let's do it....why not play in the rain, that'll be so fun, awesome etc." He came up to me and put his finger on my T-shirt (from Mt Kinabalu) that says "Nothing Is Impossible". Then he said "We can do this...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" And off he ran with Keegan (the South African-Australian dude he brought along to the camp) tossing frisbee to each other, playing like there's no tomorrow. My buddy Jacky and I looked at each other, and promptly took off our tops and ran after them into the field. And soon many began to join us when the rain was dying down.

How cool is that, to have such a pastor in our midst?

And yeah, why play so safe?

Could it be time to pick up my sword and raise the standard again?

The Objective Answer (Part 2)

2009-12-12T07:03:00.009+08:00

How many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows

That too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind

- From Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind"

In his book "Don't Waste Your Life", John Piper agreed with Dylan's 60's smash hit song in explaining on the objectivity of existence and reality, in contrast to John Lennon's "Nowhere Man":

He's a real nowhere man

Sitting in his nowhere land

Making all his nowhere plans

For nobody

Doesn't have a point of view

Knows not where he's going to

Isn't he a bit like you and me?

Those were the heady days of the sixties. When existentialism was the thing people talked and sang about. The meaning of existentialism was that "existence precede essence", to quote Piper. You first exist, and then you create your essence by freely choosing to be what you will to be. There is no "God", "Meaning" or "Purpose" until you create it by your own courageous existence. The later postmodernism era echoed similar themes. Piper said "there is nothing new under the sun, only endless repackagings".

Like Dylan's song, the sky is up there whether we agree or admit it or not. What we think has absolutely no effect on its objective existence. The answer is not up to you or me to invent or create. It's outside of us. It's real and firm. Sooner or later we'll conform and bow down to the answer.

In his journey to stay on the road of objective truth, the writings of C. S. Lewis came with such "blazing brightness" (in his own words) to Piper. Lewis demonstrated that "rigorous, precise, penetrating logic" is never opposed to "deep, soul-stirring feeling and vivid, lively, even playful imagination". Lewis was the brilliant "romantic rationalist". He combined things that we today would think are mutually exclusive: rationalism and poetry, cool logic and warm feeling, disciplined prose and free imagination. During his days, C. S. Lewis had the courage to expose those who opposed the values of objective truth.

In the book, Piper went on to write about how his path was led to be a minister of the Word. That meant seminary, with a focus on understanding and handling rightly the Word. He lamented on how groups had turned Bible study in a swamp of subjectivity. People shared their subjective "impressions" on what scripture texts meant to them ("for me....") without anchoring on their original meaning. One of the paragraphs goes like this:

"If there is only one life to live in this world, and if it is not to be wasted, nothing seemed more important to me than finding out what God really meant in the Bible, since he inspired men to write it. If that was up for grabs, then no one could tell which life is worthy and which life is wasted...."

He was entirely serious about the whole objectivity thingy. And so was his determination not to live a wasted, useless life. And his burning passion to warn everyone else.

I've a hundred and one questions in my head, but I'll write more after I return from a camp next week. Plenty of thinking time for you, my friend!

The Objective Answer (Part 1)

2009-12-11T07:08:00.008+08:00

What would you feel if something grab a certain words you've said, and interpret to create meanings which you've never intended?

What would you feel if your business partner signed the same black and white agreement with you, but understands its contents very differently than you do?

And what would you feel if your spouse interpreted the vow "creatively", but far from its powerful, life-binding yet simple meanings.....

Let's put a comedy spin into it. If you're a teacher and you've designed a test paper full of questions with their objective answers. What would you think if your students suddenly feels the "inspiration" to write answers outside the confined A, B, C or D. Meaning, he creates his own answers because he doesn't think the answer is found in your provided options.

Don't laugh. I'm not finished.

So, what would The Author feel if you and I interpret His written Word, according to how we "feel" everytime we take it up and read? According to where we've come from, where we are and where we think we're going? To fit the words of the Master of the Universe according to our tiny circumstances and crisis?

Now, that last paragraph was meant to probe and provoke, nothing more. So is this post today. And my next upcoming post.

It troubles me enough to yank me out of the bed so early to write this.

How Many More Sunsets....In This Life

2009-12-03T09:22:00.000+08:00

As we're celebrating another anniversary my darling, I was counting how many we had, and how many more of these to come...

How many more...sunsets we can view and savour together
How many more...sushis we can taste and devour together
How many more...songs we can listen and sing together
How many more...books we'll read and think on together
How many more...movies we'll watch and talk about together
How many more...passport chops we'll get, as we fly across oceans together
How many more...thrill rides we'll ride, as we scream in fright (you) and delight (me) together
How many more...dive logs we'll write, as we fly underwater together
How many more...stars we'll count, as we appreciate the open sky together
How many more...dreams and nightmares we'll share, as we wake up together
How many more...broken hearts we'll touch, as we labour in love together
How many more...idiotic irritants we'll repel, as we shut them off altogether
How many more...pictures we'll shoot, as we attempt to freeze the memories forever
How many more...crossroads we'll encounter, as we ponder and count the cost
How many more...scars and wounds we'll nurse, as we battle on for forever

My reflections are also expressed aptly in this honest love song, which is ringing in my head now...

I'm coming down like a gunshot

In all these battles I fought

You're the mark I'm aiming for

I was yours

In this life you're the one place I call home

In this life you're the feeling I belong

In this life you're the flower and the thorn

You're everything that's fair in love and war

In this life I'm stubborn to the core

In this life I've been burning after more

We both know what these open arms are for

You're everything that's fair

In this life you're my only one...

-From Switchfoot's "Head Over Heels" (In This Life)

Happy Anniversary, my love!

My Solid Rock

2009-12-01T11:05:00.005+08:00

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
-William B. Badbury (1863)

What a blessed song to my soul! Why don't they write songs like that anymore?

Less Is More, Simple Is Best

2009-11-29T22:00:00.000+08:00

Couple of days back, I put a group of young leaders to a teamwork challenge I made up with a few young adult leaders. This was to prepare them for the upcoming youth camp leadership challenges. They were given forty minutes and a sum of money to buy materials to build a vessel which should float, balance and hold as many pebbles as possible. Till today I'm still suprised by the results. As usual, I learnt something extra myself which I didn't expect from that teamwork exercise.

The night before the challenge, I tested just a couple of significant materials without fancy stuffs (took me less than a minute!), and my vessel could hold at least five pebbles before sinking. With forty minutes and a whole lotsa stuffs and adhesive tapes, only one group (out of four) during the workshop outperformed my test vessel with six pebbles! One of them could hold only two!

Only one team spent part of its resources on offensive and the other three spent everything on defenses. I told my co-facilitators after the workshop that it was a wrong strategy. Only very few resources were actually needed for building, and the rest should've been spent on offensive pebbles to sink other competing vessels.

I made a mental note to myself yesterday: LESS is always MORE. A simple, streamlined vessel will always do better than a fancy, complicated vessel. Just because there are many members in a team, does not mean you need to do a lot and spend excessively, especially on defenses. Many times, you've to look outward, and the old saying "Attack is the best defense" is still true.

One of My Role Models and Inspirations

2009-11-23T23:34:00.009+08:00

Recently, we celebrated my mom's graduation from her Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) course she took. She got first place in her college, what an excellent achievement! And most of her coursemates are half her age. Throughout the duration of the course, half of the class dropped out while she's been scoring an average of 90+ percent everytime! She showed that at 63, age is no barrier to learning and success.

When my mom was a young student at school, she received awards for being the top scorer in subjects like Maths. Her school Principal encouraged her to pursue higher achievements in education. But born in a family where her dad discouraged daughters to study, her progress was restricted severely. Her formal education ended too soon, to her Principal's disappointment.

As an adult my mom would self-learn and pick up many useful tips from practitioners in TCM. As a young boy I didn't understand (many times embarassed) why my mom would ask question after question and bug the chinese physicians endlessly (and shamelessly!). Later I understood the value of persistence. Throughout the years, she had treated us and many others where western's wisdom of health seems so much more inferior (and expensive!) in comparison. Now she has formalized her education, with a valuable certificate for being No. 1. She can choose to make big bucks out of it, but no. She studied it for the joy and love of knowledge and helping people. She's been giving free treatments to family members and even outside strangers at a charity center.

What can I say about my mom? She showed there's really no end to learning, not for knowledge sake alone, but for saving and improving lives. My whole family is so proud of my mom. My inspiration!

"Formal education will make you a living, self-education will make you a fortune" Jim Rohn

Horse Whisperers

2009-11-05T14:46:00.004+08:00

As I was re-reading one of my e-books by Josh Waitzkin (I may write about this guy someday!), I was re-impressed (but much stronger this time) by some truths. I'm sure everyone can identify and learn something from them.

There are two basic ways of taming a wild stallion.

First, is the traditional way of breaking down the horse. You tie it up and freak it out. Shake paper bags, rattle cans, drive it crazy until it submits to any noise. Make it endure the humiliation of being held bondage by a rope. Once it's partly submissive, you tack the horse, get on top of it and show who's the boss. The horse resists, twists and fights, but there is no escape. Then, it drops to its knees in pain, frustration and exhaustion. Finally, nearing the point of death and having its spirit broken, it yields. This method is what many called Shock and Awe.

Second, is the way of the horse whisperers. You can click here to wiki on the first few known horse whisperers. Josh's mom was a horse trainer. She trains them from young by handling them gently. Here's an excerpt:

"My mother explains, "When the horse is very young, a foal, we gentle it. The horse is always handled. You pet it, feed it, groom it, stroke it, it gets used to you, likes you. You get on it and there is no fight, nothing to fight." So you guide the horse toward doing what you want to do because he wants to do it. You synchronize desires, speak the same language. You don't break the horse's spirit. My mom goes on: "If you walk straight toward a horse, it will look at you and probably run away. You don't have to oppose the horse in that way. Approach indirectly, without confrontation. Even an adult horse can be gentled. Handle him nicely, make your intention the horse's intention."

"Then, when riding, both you and the horse want to maintain the harmony you have established. If you want to move to the right, you move to the right and so the horse naturally moves right to balance your weight." Rider and animal feel like one. They have established a bond that neither wants to disrupt. And most critically, in this relationship between man and beast, the horse has not been whitewashed. When trained, he will bring his unique character to the table. The gorgeous, vibrant spirit is still flowing in an animal that used to run the plains."

Are you a teacher? Or an employer? Or a parent? Do you run groups or organizations? Do you lead people?

Which of the two is your primary method?

Are the people under you discontented? Do they leave? Do your students shut you out in their minds? Does your child appears to be rebellious? Is there any connection at all? Do you recognize and encourage their natural voice and talents? Or do you shock them into submission? I know, it's much subtler normally, but I think you get the idea.

Single Passion

2009-11-03T23:44:00.002+08:00

Lord, show me what it means by displaying Your supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.

I'm dying to know. There is no one else like You. So don't let me waste it.

Goodbye PASB, Hello Hurricane

2009-10-20T10:13:00.003+08:00

Yeah, Switchfoot is releasing a new (hotly-anticipated) album 'Hello Hurricane' in November. They've been performing some of the new songs in their tours. And in the many short video clips that they uploaded, they always say Goodbye to the town they were in, and Hello to Hurricane, their next destination eg. "Goodbye Texas, Hello Hurricane".

I'm writing this while preparing for late night trainings for tonight and tomorrow as this is my last week at work in my current job. For some things in life, you've to be brave enough to be put an end to them.

"What's next?" some asked me. I don't know how to answer them. Here in this blog, all I can say for now is that a great storm is up ahead.

This year is probably the most stormy one for me in recent years. I even help planned a "Storm Surfers" Retreat for the Young Adults. But everything I've gone through this year is just a foretaste of what's coming, I believe.

So what's next? Few months back, an elder prophesied over me, and I counted ten parts (ten images) to it. In one of them, he saw me riding a speedboat accelerating straight into a raging storm. That is just one of the many parts...

I'll just leave here with the Switchfoot's upcoming new song (which I've listened and I'm loving it already!) which pretty much summed up my year so far.

I've been watching the skies
They've been turning blood red
Not a doubt in my mind
There's a storm up ahead

Hello Hurricane
You're not enough
Hello Hurricane
You can't silence my love
I've got doors and windows boarded up
All your dead end fury is not enough
You can't silence my love

Everything I have I count as loss
Everything I have is stripped away
But before it started building
I counted up these costs
Ain't nothing left for you to take away

Hello Hurricane
You're not enough...

Goodbye PASB, Hello Hurricane! :)

Thoughts on Learning

2009-10-15T16:59:00.003+08:00

I'm utterly convinced that if babies react to falls, pains and failures like adults do, they'll never walk or learn to find their balance, let alone make sense of the world around them.

So at what age did we all really fall? I wonder.

Ironically, we wonderful adults are the ones teaching the babies to "get up, it's ok...."

I'm also fully convinced and persuaded that every normal child has the potential to be a genius, or is one, until the day they enter formal education. Almost all of them anyway.

Who is there to take the blame? I really wonder.

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers..." James 3:1

Blue Tune

2009-10-08T18:37:00.000+08:00

Is there nothing left now
Nothing left to sing?
Are there any left
Who haven't kiss the enemy?
Is this the New Year
Or just another desperation?

Does justice never find you?
Do the wicked never lose?
Is there any honest song to sing beside these blues?

And nothing is okay
Till the world caves in
Till the world caves in
Till the world caves in...

-Switchfoot's The Blues

Lanta! (Part 4) - Glorious Sun, Glorious Son

2009-09-24T23:50:00.005+08:00

Finally, the sunset pictures! Catching sunsets is one of the primary reasons why I chose to visit Lanta. Stunning sunset sceneries are common sights along the long western beaches of Lanta. But the first two evenings were rainy and cloudy, no chance of sunset. Suki earnestly hoped that I would manage to view sunsets before we left. I did!

It's so hard to select which pictures to upload from over a hundred photos. But here are some of them, unPhotoshopped, only cropped. A big thank you to Zlwin who was so kind to lend me his old prosumer Canon S3. He offered his DSLR but I declined.

The four pictures above were captured at a beach near Saladan town, at the top tip of the island., where we had our wonderful seafood dinner.

The following pictures below were shot at our very own Klong Dao beach at Ancient Realms. While Sherene was at the spa, I was alone with the Son, waiting and praying for the sky to bleed. It was a spectacular transformation.

I was so grateful for that moment, repeating 'Glorious sun, glorious Son' in my mind. How I wished I could fly up there, be one with the sky. That reminds me of a few verses from my favourite song 'Wonderful World' by Chris Eaton:

I am sailing an ocean of love
I am crossing the great big divide
Right out of the depths of despair
You lifted me high

There's a couple embrace on a hill
There's a child on the sand skimming stone
Over the break of the waves
Is the burning sky to which I belong

After all the rain
Comes the dawning of a brand new day
Oh, what a wonderful world
Oh, what a wonderful world

I almost wept at what I saw....simply because I don't have my DSLR anymore. Boo hoo!

I think the dog was bored of sights of sunset every evening

It was weird....while watching sunset in front of me, I suddenly realised the moon was already up, behind me. Rare to see the moon and sun share the same sky at the same time

Our final day in front of the reception with Suki the owner.
Goodbye Lanta, goodbye Ancient Realms, till we meet again!

I'll submit my pictures for the monthly photo contest at Ancient Realms Facebook page. The winner will win a week's free stay. You think any of my pictures stand a chance?

Lanta! (Part 3)

2009-09-12T12:18:00.013+08:00

Been so busy at work, had to delay this post till now. But I had uploaded many pictures to my Facebook account. Will post some of them here with commentaries :)

Beachfront bungalow at Ancient Realm's. One of the few resorts that operates all year round, even during green season

The bed in our room with some fine decorations to welcome our arrival

Why can't everyday be as relaxing as this? Lying and swinging lazily with a good book on a hammock in a peaceful garden with the sound of gentle ocean waves in the background

The Spa! I loved the Thai and aroma oil massages there. One of the best ways to unwind and to release stored up tensions in the body and mind

The two pics above were taken at I-Yarade Residence. It's amazing how we ended up there. We were riding on the motorbike when it started raining. We stopped at this place because it was the nearest shelter. Soaking wet and looking pitiful, I requested to the reception girl for permission to stand outside the place until the rain stopped and for us to dry off a little bit. They gave us the warmest smile of the day and invited us in. One of them even took us on a tour of their 4 or 5 stars suite. Wow, such kind hospitality even to strangers like us!

My darling hasn't cease to surprise me. Discovered that she's quite good on the bike!

One of the few restaurants in Lanta that many were raving about. Since it was green season, we didn't see any customer beside us. We enjoyed the ambience of the rainforest-concept restaurant and the lovely beach, all to ourselves!

Really yummy fried fish

After having so much fun with wife at the strong waves, it was so relaxing to just lie down on the bed of soft sands and let the waves washed me over and over

We rode to the top of a hill to the Viewpoint Restaurant. Had a nice pancake with thirst-quenching fruit juices while enjoying the view of the distant islands. After quite a while, we realised there was a telescope beside our table!

View from the Viewpoint

Lanta Old Town. Where the gypsies reside. They were the original people that inhabited the island. The old buildings made the place looked like Malacca to me!

At a pier just after Old Town

Overlooking the fishing village of the sea gypsies

We actually went diving again! Diving wasn't essential to our holiday plan this round but it was good to have that option. First time diving without Ps John, I told Sherene that we had to be independent, decide on our own where to dive and which dive company to engage. We initially wanted to dive at Hin Muang and Hin Daeng (famous for whale sharks and manta rays especially) but the weather conditions during the low season meant they were not easily accessible, at least beyond our affordability level. So we went to Koh Haa instead which was very near Lanta. Visibility down there was great. Made good use of the dive "stick" given by Ps John.

The lady on the right Bianca, was our operator and personal dive guide from Holland. She's really good in what she does. Gave us wonderful personal service and attention since there weren't many divers that week. Normally there'll be many boats around the island but for that day (and thank God the weather was great), our boat was the only one. We had the deep blue sea all for ourselves!

This was our first time diving in this sorta small speedboat. New experience. There were other new divers in the same boat doing their open water. Sherene and I were considered the experienced ones. Haha. But we barely had time to assemble our gears (had to do it ourselves this trip) because we had to jump first before the new divers. Surprisingly I remembered how to do it easily even though our last dive was a year ago in Manado, and we didn't have to assemble our stuffs then!

My next (final?) post on Lanta will be on the sunset pictures (loads of them!) which I haven't upload to Facebook. I think the process of choosing which ones to omit is longer than the time to upload the pictures!

Lanta! (Part 2)

2009-09-03T18:03:00.003+08:00

At the beginning of our five-day trip, we were disappointed by the conditions of the green season. The weather was very windy and wet, but it gradually changed for the better. Towards the end of our stay, we could go diving and see glorious sunset along the beaches. I even got a little sunburnt, not that I mind! The beautiful thing of the green season was, we had the perfect privacy: private beaches all to ourselves, private restaurants, and a private dive guide. And ohh...I paid the resort at almost three times lower than the high season rate.

Talking about the resort, we stayed at Ancient Realm Resort and Spa. All the raving reviews of Ancient Realm at TripAdvisor.com helped me made up my mind to book for this Lanta trip. It's a charming little boutique resort owned and run by a young couple Clinton (Australian) and Suki (Hong Konger). Unfortunately I couldn't meet Clint who was away at Bangkok. He was very helpful in our email exchanges prior to the trip. But we had the pleasure to meet Suki who provided great hospitality and great tips on the island.

Ancient Realm is located at the famous Klong Dao beach. This Thai-Balinese-Chinese styled eco-friendly resort is very affordable, probably the best value for money of its class. The rooms are fully equipped with all the needed amenities and more. It even has free WIFI access almost anywhere which is rare in Thailand, let alone Koh Lanta. I could use my PDA to surf the Net on my bed, the toilet bowl, the hammock at the garden and the beachfront. They even have cable TV, DVD player with hundreds of DVD titles to choose from. Oh, at the shower area in the bathroom, there's an opening where I could see the moon and stars at night!

Suki's a bartender extraordinaire. For Sherene's massage on the evening before we left, the masseur had forgotten to use the hot and cold stones. Suki was gracious enough to admit the Spa's fault and treated us to free cocktails that night at the resort's '360 Bar'. We contemplated whether to accept that offer, especially after a hearty western dinner that evening. We were glad we did. What a night it was! Sherene chose her usual favourite Margarita and I requested for Campari Orange. Unfortunately their Campari bottle was empty. Suki thought for a little while and said she'd make me a "surprise". Minutes later, she presented me The Zombie! Suki commented there were heavy mixtures of alcohol in it but they're well masked. She was right, I don't normally enjoy alcoholic drinks but The Zombie tasted just great! Suki then taught us and other guests (from Finland and Poland) how to play the drinking game called 'Bullsh*t'...something she brought from Hong Kong. Very simple game of probability, guessing and calling each other's bluffs, but so much fun. All of us absolutely loved it!

(To be continued with pictures and more)