-婷-的起点

Spring Cleaning

2011-01-24T20:00:00.001+08:00

Spring cleaning for Chinese New Year indeed is tiring… Together with the help from my cousin, we two managed to clean a lot of things that we don’t want in my room yesterday and today…

Indeed, didn’t I know and realised… I got so many unwanted stuffs and etc…
All my cousin do is to ask me throw everything away and keep saying ‘旧的不去，新的这么回来？’ and even my mum also agreed with her… =X

I realised that I got a lot of rough paper, paper is brand clean… A lot of note pad and planners and not forgetting a lot of Winnie the Pooh stuffs… =/

I can find anything regarding Winnie the Pooh in my room, every corner either from USA, Japan and Hong Kong too…

I have clear my stuffs on my table, book shelves and under my bed… I keep away the majong table that used to be my computer table… Now my room become nicer with a lot of space that I can used to do skipping!!! Ha ha!!! =X
Changed to new bed sheet too! :)

Next stop will be my cupboard, the bags, the old clothes and of course not forgetting the cupboard that is attached to my bed, I think still got a lot of stuffs got to get rid away… =X

Spring Cleaning – Left about 60% to be done…
New Clothes – Done
New pair of shoe – Done
New hairstyle –Undone

Hope I’m able to clear off this coming week!!! (=

Blackberry 9780

2011-01-23T17:34:00.000+08:00

My younger brother finally bought Blackberry... This time round not Starhub's Blackberry Bold 9000 non-camera but from M1's Blackberry Bold 9780 non-camera instead...

After seeing the advertisement on the newspaper, we decided to head down to M1 shop located at IMM today together with my dad... At first, my mum joined us and she last minute remember that her friend is coming over to looks for her so end up she didn't joined us...

Upon reaching the M1 shop at IMM, I was queuing with my younger brother and both of us are served by this guy called DW... Due to my brother's number is a main line under my dad's name and right now he wants to transfer this number under his name, a lot of papers work got to be done and somehow, knowing that under my dad's name there is a supplementary number, he suggested us to come back next week on the 29 January 2010 instead to do the transfer because the supplementary number need main number to support it, if transfer name, the supplementary number got to be auto become main number and of course, the plan got to change...

However, we decided not to do so, I don't mind pay for a week of using main number and etc so that I can cancelled off this supplementary number by end of this month... Whatever we do, we also need to pay $20 for transferring of name...

After that this DW, give us an number to do transferring of name procedures and paper works...
And who know... When we waited for our number to be called by the staffs because of sound of the queuing number by the system was down so the staff got to call the number manual through their mouth...

The best thing is that, DW called our number and he saw us again, I saw him giving us the most 'SIANZ' face... What is this man??? =/

The paper work of transferring name, using corporate plan really so troublesome... Moreover, got to wait for a week in order for all processes to be done and etc... =/

After everything was done, treats my dad and brother for lunch at a Japanese restaurant... Hardly have this chance for some quality time... :)

Having bad sore eye on the left side... =/

Welcome my brother to the Blackberry Club... :)

Birthday Celebration

2011-01-15T23:30:00.000+08:00

Birthday celebration for Jamie together with Chee Keong and Dennis!!! :)

Heavily rain at Jurong West and both Chee Keong and I are late… =/

Had pizza hut, went Starbuck to R & R (Rest & Relax) before heading down to PS for movie, Hello Stranger…

Heard it’s a very nice, funny and romantic show!!! =P

Enjoy arcade with Jamie and together with our combination, we caught a Winnie the Pooh soft toy… (:

I almost caught the stitch soft toy too!!! :(

OK, time for movie!!! :)

TGIF

2011-01-14T10:50:00.000+08:00

Finally!!! It’s Friday… Enjoy it!!! :)

New horoscope

2011-01-13T23:40:00.000+08:00

My horoscope used to be Aries but since 13 January 2011 onwards which mean from today onwards, my horoscope no longer Aries but Pisces. =/

All horoscope up by one level but there is a new horoscope called Ophiuchus (29 November – 17 December). The new name of the new horoscope sound so weird…

After all, I still don’t like my new horoscope!!!

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/new-zodiac-sign-chart-ophiuchus-jan-13-2011

THE 5 PILLARS OF MANHOOD

2011-01-12T22:52:00.001+08:00

All guys should read this! (=

365 DAYS OF LOVE: DAY 284 ~ THE 5 PILLARS OF MANHOOD (HOW MEN SHOULD LOVE & RESPECT WOMEN) by Jaeson Ma on Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 5:48am

WE NEED MEN OF GOD WHO WILL LOVE & RESPECT WOMEN OF FAITH...NEXT STOP "MANHOOD"

I spent the day with a group of men in our house church learning what it takes to be a man of God when it comes to loving and respecting women. In our day an age most men are not men, they are boys. Most guys still want to marry their mom, have a women serve and take care of them, are not willing to take initiative or commit in a relationship, most men are still living in fear, not pursuing their callings for settling for “safe” because its easy. This is sad, upsetting and the standard must change.

Women don’t want to marry boys, they want to marry men. Women don’t want boys they have to put up with, clean up after and take care of, they want to be lead, pursued and taken on an exciting life adventure. If you go to most of the churches in the Western world today, you will find that there are very few spiritual men, instead there are many spiritual women. It’s disappointing, but I hear it from women of faith all the time, “Pastor Jaeson, where are the godly men?”

Today, a good brother and leader in our GBS community Daniel Ra explained what God showed him to be the “5 Pillars of Manhood” in how men must love, respect and serve women. It was enlightening and reinforcing from what I have been teaching men for years when it comes to pursuing a woman of God… of course none of us are perfect, we all have our mistakes, but we must each strive to be better and greater than what we were before yesterday, everyday making an effort to be more like God, to be just like Jesus, to be a man of faith and honor.

The 5 Pillars of Manhood…

1. Lead - A man must be a leader in a relationship, in a marriage, in a family. There are no excuses. A woman doesn’t want to make the decisions for her man, she wants her man to lead in the relationship. A man must take initiative. A man of God is leader, not a follower, a servant, not a slave, a hero not a coward. A man of God knows God and therefore knows himself. He should be the leader spiritually first, emotionally, mentally and physically he should set the standard for others to follow.

2. Protect - A real man of God will protect his partner. That means he is willing to lay down his very own life, needs and wants for the protection of the one he loves. Every decision he makes when it comes to a relationship has her protection in mind. A woman needs to feel secure, that she is protected and safe with her man. She doesn’t need to second guess, wonder if she will be okay, or have her heart and mind played with. A real man of God will not only protect his woman physically, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. He always has the highest good in his mind for her safety, well being and wholeness. This is for the Christian guys out there, don’t emotionally rape a sister, play with her heart and tell her you are just her brother or friend. That is BS. Man up. You either pursue a woman of God because she is God’s precious creation, or you don’t try touching it at all, or play with their hearts emotionally, unless you are willing to be up front and clear with your intentions and the direction of the relationship from the start. Emotional rape is as painful to a woman as physical rape. Women are emotional beings and their hearts are not to be played with. Protect your sisters heart.

3. Provide – A real man of God will do whatever it takes to provide for his significant other. That means monetarily in finances, in basic needs and as well as what she desires. When a man asks a father for his daughter in marriage, the father will not ask, “How are you doing spiritually first?” No, the first thing the father will ask is, “How will you provide for my daughter?” Because part of being and becoming a man is providing for others, especially your wife and children. If a man can’t provide, he isn’t a man. God gave us hands and we must put our hands to work, no excuses to be lazy, God made us to rule the earth. Women are not be treated as toys, trophies or a luxury item, women are God’s highest creation, the very image of God.

I tell men all the time, “Treat your woman like a queen and you will live like a king.” Don’t be cheap brothers, you need to go all out when it comes to pursuing a woman. This is not a one time thing, but a continual practice. Women were created for beauty. They were created beautiful, to feel beautiful to be treated beautiful. You don’t handle a rose without care, it is the same with a woman of God, you treat her with the utmost care, honor and respect. Practically, that means you don’t take a woman to Denny’s on a first date, you take her to a place that hurts your wallet, but it’s worth it because she is worthy.

Also, men must also provide for women emotionally. When a women asks you, “How are you doing?” She is really asking, “How are you being?” Meaning, what are you feeling, thinking, seeing, being about at the moment. To love a women we must provide at every level – basic needs all the way to providing for them mentally, emotionally and spiritually, if not their hearts will die. Be a man, provide for your women.

4. Integrity – A true man of God is a man of his word. Too many men in our culture break promises, play with women’s hearts, date girls as if it was a game, and have no respect for women at all. This is disgusting. In old times, when a man said “You have my word!” that word was bond, it was as if an actual contract had been written, because your word was your reputation. How many men do we know today who say one thing, but do another? Men who do not keep their word, their promise or follow through with their verbal commitments. In our culture we don’t take words seriously, but in God’s world words are everything. Blessings and curses come out of the same mouth. What comes out of our mouths determines what is truly in our hearts.

What a woman wants is a man of integrity. Someone who says what he does and does what he says. Someone they can trust at their word. So as a man you must come through. Words means nothing if they are not backed up with action. Don’t sorry unless you mean it. Don’t say sorry unless you are able to back up your apologies with doing the right thing. Integrity is doing what is right, whether people are watching or not. Integrity is what you do when no one is looking. Does your woman trust you completely? If not, it is a question of integrity. Don’t tell a women you love her unless your love shows, words carry weight. They either carry false weight or real weight, a woman knows when a man means what he says.

So live by your words, live by action, be a living proof of your values, convictions and commitments. Don’t get involved in a relationship unless you are sure this what you want and what God is leading you both to do. I’ve had my share of mistakes in the past, where I got into a relationship without thinking about the consequences, protecting my sisters heart and the fear of the Lord from the get go, I’ve had to make amends and face the results of my sin and foolishness. Trust me brothers, don’t do what I’ve done in the past, don’t play games, don’t feed your fleshly desires, rather seek God, seek the best interest of the one you are pursuing, be honest, forthright from the start about your commitment and your vision for the relationship and stick to your word. Be a man of integrity.

If you pursue a women, it should be with the intentions of marriage. If not, stop playing yourself and her. It’s not about finding the right woman, it’s about being the right man. That starts with first knowing God in order to know yourself, then you will know how to love and respect a woman.

5) Courage - You are not a man until you climb the great wall of China! This is what it says at the actual great wall. Well, I have climbed the Great Wall of China so I guess I must be more of a man than others, just kidding. What is the greater underlying message here? It is a message of courage. It is a message of adventure. A man of God is a man of courage, a man of adventure, a man who is willing to take risks and do the impossible. Men were born to live a life of great adventure. Men were created to fight battles. Men were created to rescue beauties. Men were created to live.

Sadly, most men are not living. Most men are cowards, fearful and afraid of failure. Imprisoned by their own thinking and what others think about them. Many men are just boys waiting for their mother’s approval, or the approval of others in society. Most men I know are people pleasers, not God pleasers. They are more afraid of how others may reject them or not accept them if they choose to take the road less traveled.

All men die, few men truly live.

Women don’t want nice guys or good boys, women want men on a mission, men on adventure, men who are dangerous. This is why many women are drawn to bad boys because bad boys live with a sense of risk, danger, mystery and unknown. Men were created to live fearless and to live by faith. But if you walk into a church today what you find are a bunch of boys playing with their toys, working at predictable jobs, and living boring lives. It’s sad, but most guys get their sense of adventure from playing video games or watching TV, what happened to our men?

A man of faith will sweep a woman of God off of her feet. He will challenge her to go the distance in God, in their relationship and in life. A man of courage is someone who in the face of fear still chooses to move forward with trust in God, setting out to obey God’s voice at whatever the cost, because that is what matters the most. We need men who have hearts fully alive, hearts full of passion and are on a mission to change the world. There is a high cost to being a man of courage, there is a price to pay if we want to be a real hero, it means we are willing to go against the grain, follow God against all odds and live a life of honor, courage and righteousness.

When a woman finds a man of courage, it will encourage her to be all that God has created her to be. As a man, your goal is not how your woman can serve you, but how can you serve your woman? As a man, your goal is not how a woman can serve your destiny, but how can you do all that you possibly can to release the fullness of God’s glory and destiny in her.

Men take the lead, protect at all costs, provide in every way, live by your word and live a life of adventure with the Holy Spirit — obey God, not man and you will be the man of God you were created to be — and your woman will love you for it.

11.01.2011

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

Today, it’s seem like special date… Five 1…

10 months later, another special date with Six 1…

And…

I think I’m going fall sick soon!!!

NO WAY!!!

A Word about TEMPER

2011-01-10T23:00:00.000+08:00

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

More than half of us are bad-tempered---at least an English social scientist tells us so. He claims that this is no mere general statement and no bit of guesswork; he gives us the figures for it. He arranged to have about two thousand people put unconsciously under espionage as to their ordinary temper, and then had careful reports made of the results. The calculations of the returns has been announced, and is decidedly unflattering to the two thousand tempers that were thus put to the test. More than half of these people---to be entirely accurate, 52 percent of them---are set down as bad-tempered in various degrees.

The dictionary has been well-near exhausted of adjectives of this order, in giving the different shades of bad-temper: aggressive, angry, bickering, bitter, capricious, choleric, contentious, crotchety, despotic, domineering, easily offended, gloomy, grumpy, hasty, huffy, irritable, morose, obstinate, reproachful, peevish, sulky, surly, vindictive---these are some of the qualifying words. There are employed, in all, 46 terms which describe a bad temper.

We do not like to believe that the case is quite so serious---that many of us are unamiable in some offensive degree. It is easier to confess our neighbor's faults and infirmities, than our own. So, therefore, quietly taking refuge for ourselves among the 48 percent of good-tempered people---we are willing to admit that a great many of the people we know, have at times rather ungentle tempers. They are easily provoked; they fly into a passion on very slight occasion; they are haughty, domineering, peevish, fretful or vindictive!

What is even worse, most of them appear to make no effort to grow out of their infirmities of disposition! The sour fruit does not come to mellow ripeness in the passing years; the roughness is not polished off the diamond to reveal its lustrous hidden beauty. The same petulance, pride, vanity, selfishness and other disagreeable qualities are found in the life, year after year! Where there is a struggle to overcome one's faults and grow out of them, and where the progress toward better and more beautiful spiritual character is perceptible, though ever so slow—we should have sympathy. But where one appears unconscious of one's blemishes, and manifests no desire to conquer one's faults---there is little ground for encouragement.

Man-like it is------to fall into sin.

Fiend-like it is------to dwell therein.

Saint-like it is------for sin to grieve.

God-like it is------for sin to leave.

Bad temper is such a disfigurement of character, and, besides, works such harm to one's self and to one's neighbors, that no one should spare any pains or cost to have it cured! The ideal Christian life is one of unbroken kindliness. It is dominated by love---the love whose portrait is drawn for us in the immortal thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." That is the picture of the ideal Christian life!

We have but to turn to the gospel pages---to find the story of a life in which all this was realized. Jesus never lost his temper. He lived among people who tried him at every point---some by their dullness, others by their bitter enmity and persecution---but he never failed in sweetness of disposition, in patience, in self-denying love. Like the flowers which give out their perfume only when crushed; like the odoriferous wood which bathes the axe which hews it with fragrance; the life of Christ yielded only the tenderer, sweeter love to the rough impact of men's harshness and wrong. That is the pattern on which we should strive to fashion our life and our character. Every outbreak of violent temper, every shade of ugliness in disposition, mars the radiant loveliness of the picture we are seeking to have fashioned in our souls! Whatever is not loving---is unlovely character.

There is another phase: bad-tempered people are continually hurting others, ofttimes their best and truest friends. Some people are sulky---and one person's sulkiness casts a chilling shadow over a whole household! Others are so sensitive, ever watching for slights and offended by the merest trifles---that even their nearest friends have no freedom of fellowship with them! Others are despotic, and will brook no kindly suggestion, nor listen to any expression of opinion! Others are so quarrelsome that even the meekest and gentlest person cannot live peaceably with them! Whatever may be the special characteristic of the bad temper, it makes only pain and humiliation for the person's friends!

A bad temper usually implies a sharp tongue. Sometimes, indeed, it makes one morose and glum. A brother and a sister living together are said often to have passed months without speaking to each other, though eating at the same table and sleeping under the same roof! A man recently died who for twelve years, it was said, had never spoken to his wife, though they continued to dwell together, and three times daily sat down together at the same table!

Bad temper sometimes runs to sullen silence. Such silence is not golden. Generally, however, a bad-tempered person has an unbridled tongue and speaks out his hateful feelings; and there is no limit to the pain and the harm which angry and ugly words can produce in gentle hearts!

It would be easy to extend this portrayal of the evils of bad temper---but it will be more profitable to inquire HOW a bad-tempered person may become good-tempered. There is no doubt that this happy change is possible in any case. There is no temper so obdurately bad---that it cannot be trained into sweetness. The grace of God can take the most unlovely life---and transform it into the image of Christ.

As in all moral changes, however, grace does not work independently of human volition and exertion. "I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me!" Colossians 1:29. God always works helpfully---with those who strive to reach Christlikeness. We must resist the devil---or he will not flee from us. We must struggle to obtain the victory over our own evil habits and dispositions, although it is only through Christ that we can be conquerors. He will not make us conquerors, unless we enter the battle. We have a share, and a large and necessary share, in the culture of our own character.

The bad-tempered man will never become good-tempered until he deliberately sets for himself the task, and enters resolutely and persistently upon its accomplishment. The transformation will never come of itself, even in a Christian! People do not grow out of ugly temper into sweet refinement---as a peach ripens from sourness into lusciousness.

Then the thing to be accomplished, is not the destroying of the temper; temper is a good quality in its place. The task is not destruction---but control. A man is very weak---who has a strong temper without the power of self-control. Likewise is he weak---who has a weak temper. The truly strong man---is he who is strong in the element of temper---that is, has strong passions and feelings capable of great anger---and also has perfect self-control. When Moses failed and broke down in temper---in self-control, he was not the man to lead the people into the Promised Land; therefore God at once prepared to relieve him. The task to be set, therefore, in self-discipline is the gaining of complete mastery over every feeling and emotion, so as to be able to restrain every impulse to speak or to act unadvisedly.

We represent Christ in this world. People cannot see Him; they must look at us---to see a little of what He is like. Whatever great work we may do for Christ---if we fail to live out His life of love, kindness and patience---we fail in an essential part of our duty as Christians.

Nor can we be greatly useful in our personal life, while our daily conduct is stained by frequent outbursts of anger, and other exhibitions of bad temper. In the old fable, the spider goes about doing mischief wherever it creeps, while the bee by its wax and its honey, makes "sweetness and light" wherever it flies. We should be bees---rather than be spiders; living to turn darkness into light---and to put a little more sweetness into the life of all who know us. But only as our own lives shine in the brightness of holy love, and our hearts and lips distill the sweetness of patience and gentleness, can we fulfill our mission in this world---as Christ's true messengers to men.

Then there is need of a higher standard of character in this regard, than many people seem to set for themselves. We never rise higher than our ideals. The perfect beauty of Christ should ever be envisioned in our hearts---as that which we would attain for ourselves. The honor of our Master's name---should impel us to strive ever toward Christlikeness in spirit and in disposition.

In striving to overcome our impatience with others, it will help us to remember that we and they have the common heritage of a sinful nature. The thing in them which irritates us---is, no doubt, balanced by something in us which looks just as unlovely in their eyes and just as sorely tries their forbearance toward us!

Very likely, if we think our neighbors are hard to live peaceably with---they think about the same of us! And who shall tell in whom lies the greater degree of fault? Certain it is, that a really good-tempered person can rarely ever be drawn into a quarrel with anyone. He is resolutely determined that he will not be a partner in any unChristian strife. He would rather suffer wrongfully, than offer any retaliation. He has learned to bear---and to forbear. Then, by his gentle tact---he is able to conciliate any who are angry.

A fable relates that in the depth of a forest, there lived two foxes. One of them said to the other one day, in the politest of fox-language, "Let's quarrel!"

"Very well," said the other; "but how shall we go about it?"

They tried all sorts of ways---but in vain, for both would give way. At last, one fox brought two stones.

"There!" said he. "Now you say they are yours---and I'll say they are mine---and we will quarrel and fight and scratch! Now I'll begin.

"Those stones are mine!"

"All right!" answered the other fox, "you are welcome to them."

"But we shall never quarrel at this rate," replied the first.

"No, indeed, you old simpleton! Don't you know, that it takes two to make a quarrel?"

So the foxes gave up trying to quarrel, and never played at this silly game again.

The fable has its lesson for other creatures, besides foxes. "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you," Paul tells us, "we should live peaceably with all men."

A wise man says, "Every man takes care that his neighbors shall not cheat him---but a day comes when he begins to care---that he does not cheat his neighbors. Then all goes well." So long as a man sees only the quarrelsome temper of his neighbor---he is not far toward holiness. But when he has learned to watch and to try to control his own temper, and to weep over his own infirmities---he is on the way to Christ-likeness, and will soon be conqueror over his own weakness!

Life is too short to spend even one day of it in bickering and strife! Love is too sacred to be forever lacerated and torn by the ugly briers of sharp temper! Surely we ought to learn to be loving and patient with others---since God has to show every day such infinite patience toward us! Is not the very essence of true love---the spirit that is not easily provoked, that bears all things? Can we not, then, train our life to sweeter gentleness? Can we not learn to be touched even a little roughly, without resenting it? Can we not bear little injuries, and apparent injustices, without flying into a rage? Can we not have in us something of the mind of Christ, which will enable us, like him, to endure all wrong and injury and give back no word or look of bitterness? The way over which we and our friend walk together, is too short to be spent in wrangling.

Happy in Hope, Patient in Pain, Constant in Prayer

2011-01-09T22:54:00.000+08:00

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.( Romans 12:12)

Here in verse 12 is a description of the Christian life: rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, constant in prayer. And, of course, in the wider context of Romans we know that this joy is in Jesus, and this hope is for Jesus, and this patience is from Jesus, and this tribulation is with Jesus, and this constant prayer is through Jesus to God the Father. So it is not hard to weave this passage together with the Christmas events of Jesus’ birth--—and the aim of that birth and his life and death and resurrection and reign today at God’s right hand in heaven.

Verse 12: All This for Love!

Before I talk about tribulation and hope and joy and endurance and prayer let me connect all this with the main focus of verses 9-11. Verse 9 focuses on love: “Let love be genuine.” And we saw how abhorring evil and holding fast to what is good is essential to love. Then verse 10 intensifies that call to love with the strong words of family affection--—“Love one another with brotherly affection”--—and shows how loving to give honor rather than get honor is part of that love. Verse 11 we will come back to on another day. But it draws out the zeal and fervency of our love and how it is a service to the Lord.

So when we get to verse 12 we have the dominant theme of love ringing in our hearts. That is the essence of the will of God back in verse 2. That is why we must be transformed in the renewing of our minds--—to know in each situation what love looks like (which is not easy since there is always more than one person to be loved, and what one person needs from us will usually keep us from giving what another needs). Oh, how much deep transformation we need to find and follow the way of love!

This chapter is all written to help us do that. So verse 12 has a banner flying over it: All this for love! All this for love! “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer”--—all for the sake of loving each other and loving our enemies as we ought. In this way Christ--—the ground and goal of it all--—becomes more visible and more real and more convincing in the world.

So how do all these things relate to each other: love, joy, hope, endurance (or patience), tribulation, and constancy in prayer?

Tribulation

Let’s start with tribulation. Tribulation is unique in this list. Love, joy, hope, patient endurance are all things we experience or do. But tribulation is something that is done to us, or happens to us. Love, joy, hope, patience are all virtues--—they rise in the soul by God’s grace as something morally good. Tribulation is not a virtue. It’s not in the category as a moral act of the soul. So tribulation is different.

We start with this because this is the environment where all the virtues happen. Tribulation is the normal experience of believers in this life. Some tribulation we share with unbelievers (like sickness and calamity and death) and some is unique to believers (like persecution for Christ’s sake). But my main point here is that tribulation is normal and to be expected in this world. It’s the setting for all our love and joy and hope and patience and prayer. Affliction is where we live. If you don’t live there now, you will. Learning that this is normal will be a great help to you when it comes.

Jesus was the best man who ever lived. None of us has any right to experience less affliction than he did. If we experience less, it is mercy. We don’t deserve the peaceful lives we have. They are merciful gifts. For Jesus it was affliction from the beginning. His birth was scandalous (conceived before marriage). It was in an animal feeding trough. It was threatened and hated by the political powers (Herod). He barely escaped death as a child and had to become a refugee in Egypt. And so it went until he was accused of sedition against Caesar and crucified.

That is the way Christianity began. Jesus said, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household” (Matthew 10:25). Paul taught all the young churches he established, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Peter taught the churches, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). It isn’t strange. It’s normal. It comes with the fallen, sinful, futile world. “We ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23).

The affliction of our lives extends from cancer to calamity to conflict to death. These are all normal and they are part of what we must live with on our way to heaven. That is why Paul says here in verse 12, “Be patient in tribulation.” Let’s be biblically balanced in our celebration of Christmas. It is good news of great joy (Luke 2:10). A Savior has been born, Christ the Lord! But it is also a call to suffer with Christ. The baby Jesus grew up and said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:34-36).

So the “great joy” announced by the angels is a very embattled joy. It is a joy to be fought for and a joy always under attack. Always threatened by tribulation. And the call of Romans 12:12 is not to rejoice without tribulation, but to rejoice in spite of, and even because of, tribulation.

Romans 5:1-6

The three are woven together for us not only here but in Romans 5:1-6 (hope, joy, tribulation--—and endurance). Let’s read these crucial verses that Paul is calling to mind again here in Romans 12:12:

Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings (=afflictions), knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:1-6)

Here it is plain that Christian joy and hope and patient endurance are not in freedom from tribulation but in spite of and even because of tribulation. Verse 3: “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance. . . .” Paul doesn’t just tolerate tribulation, he makes it serve the Christian. He turns it from master to slave. What Satan means for our destruction, God means for our good. In the very act of trying to destroy our joy, Satan is made to drive the root of it deeper into God.

Our Joy Is Rooted in Our Hope

Let’s get a good look at this root of joy. We see it when we distinguish joy and hope and see how they are related. Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope.” It looks like hope is the soil or the rock in which joy is rooted--—the ground where joy grows. Notice the similar phrase here in Romans 5:2, “Through him [Christ] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Our joy is rooted in our hope. That is so crucial to see! What does it mean?

It means that for the Christian things may go really bad right now and yet not rob him of his joy. The joy is the joy of hope. Christians set their hearts on how good it will be in the age to come and in the presence of Christ after death. This is why Christians can rejoice in tribulation and not just in health and peace and security. Tribulation drives the roots of joy down into hope. The future joy streams back into the presence and lightens every load.

The Ground and Goal of Christian Hope

What is the ground and goal of Christian hope that makes joy in tribulation possible? Do you know what I mean by “ground and goal”? If we were part of the Union cause in the Civil War we might say, “Ulysses Grant is our hope for victory.” In that sentence Ulysses Grant is the ground of our hope, and victory is the goal of our hope. That’s what I mean. So what is the ground and goal of Christian hope?

The Ground of Christian Hope: The Righteousness of Christ in Justification

Romans 5:1-2 give the clear answer: “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That is the ground of our hope. God declares us righteous (justification) on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness. Verse 6: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” That’s the ground of our hope.

How are you going to face God someday? What will you plead? Your conscience whispers now what it will scream in that day: I am not good enough! There is only one basis of acceptance with God. There is only one way to be accepted with God, only one way to the hope of eternal life--—namely, justification by faith alone on the basis of Christ alone. That is the point of Romans 5:1 and 6. That is the basis of our hope.

The Goal of Christian Hope: The Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ

The goal or the object of our hope is at the end of verse 2: “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” The ultimate hope of the human heart is not forgiveness or justification or heaven or freedom from disease. The ultimate hope of every heart is the glory of God. You were made to see and savor the glory of God. Christmas happened, Good Friday happened, Easter happened so that sinners might not be incinerated by the beauty of God but might see it and savor it with ever-increasing joy. Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope.” Romans 5:2 completes the thought, “Rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

This is the ultimate experience that will wipe away every tear. This will rectify every wrong. This will make you say that it was all worth it, no matter what you suffered. Listen to the way Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “This slight momentary affliction [=all this life’s afflictions] is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” This was the hope that sustained Paul’s joy in affliction. He preached to himself (and we must): this affliction is not meaningless, it is not absurd, it is not cruel, it is not pointless. No, it is working for me an experience of the glory of God that will outweigh every moment and every degree of suffering in this life.

That is our hope. Its ground is the blood and righteousness of Christ by which we are justified through faith. Its goal or object is the glory of God that one day we will experience in the face of Jesus Christ.

Rejoice in Hope

Then Paul says in Romans 12:12 and 5:2, “Rejoice in hope.” Christian joy flows from this hope. Or you could say, Christian joy is directed toward this hope. You might think: This is too limiting. Shouldn’t we rejoice in some good things now? Is all our joy a rejoicing in hope? I think there are two ways to answer that question. A shepherd way and a wise man way. The Shepherds had little or nothing. The wise men had gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There is a way to rejoice in hope when you have nothing. There is a way to rejoice in hope when you have much.

The shepherd way is this: if tribulation is normal, then Paul needs to stress that joy will flow from hope not present good times. The present is hard. And again I say, if you don’t think this is true, you will someday. And if life is hard, we can either give up on joy or we can get it from hope. Paul would not give up on joy. He commanded it over and over. “Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Rejoice in hope echoes Paul’s conviction that life is hard. Tribulations are normal. But a glory is coming that will make it all worth it.

The other way to explain this phrase--—“Rejoice in hope”--—the wise man way, is to say that even in those seasons when pleasures abound, they all point to the Creator and goal of pleasure, Christ himself. Christ will be experienced most fully in the future. We enjoy his fellowship now in measure. But then face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). All future joy will be found in Christ. And all present joy points to that future of fullness in Christ. If it doesn’t, it is an idol. So I say with the apostle Paul, whether in pain or in pleasure “Rejoice in hope”--—the hope of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Now finally link the last three elements: patient endurance, love, and prayer to each other and to rejoicing in hope. Romans 12:12 says, “Be patient [have endurance] in tribulation.” Hebrews 12:2 shows how this relates to hope and joy and love. “[Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy [there’s the joy!] that was set before him [there’s the hope] endured the cross [there’s the love]. The greatest act of love that ever was--—the death of Jesus for sinners like us--—was endured by future-sustained joy, that is, by rejoicing in hope. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross.”

Summary

So I would sum up all of the elements of Romans 12:12 like this: Tribulation--—trouble, calamity, conflict, cancer, death--—these are all the normal conditions of life in this fallen world. But Christ has come at Christmas. He has broken into our tribulation and taken it on himself. He carried our sin, and bore our curse, and absorbed God’s wrath, and became our righteousness, and conquered death and hell and Satan, and opened the door of paradise for all who trust him. He made his glory the center of that paradise so that we would have the highest pleasures possible (John 17:24). In this hope we rejoice with joy unutterable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8), now, in spite of and even because of our tribulation which drives our joy down into the roots of hope. And in this joy we endure with Jesus in all the sacrifices of love.

The Present and the Future

So don’t make the mistake of thinking that future-oriented, future-sustained joy limits present usefulness. It doesn’t limit it. It liberates it. If your future is glorious and sure (which it is in Christ!), you don’t live for money or power or fame. You don’t have to grasp and snatch and chase pleasures that are slipping through your aging fingers. You are free to live for others now. You are free to be another kind of person than the kind that lives for this world. If your hope is glorious and sure, you will seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other basic things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). Your love will be genuine. It will be radical, risk-taking, sacrificial because of the joy set before you.

Prayer

And what of prayer? Romans 12:12 ends, “Be constant in prayer.” Well, next Sunday is the beginning of our annual prayer week. So I leave the answer till then. Suffice it to say: by prayer we will see and savor the greatness and preciousness of our hope (Ephesians 1:18). So as you gather for Christmas, pray for yourselves and for your loved ones and for the world, that God would reveal to you and to them “what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” That will feed your joy. Joy will sustain your endurance. Endurance will carry your love. And the glory of Christ will shine this Christmas.

Value of Friendship

2011-01-08T22:50:00.000+08:00

"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost." - Charles Caleb Colton

BOTH Aristotle and Cicero saw friendship as something that was special and important. It represented, at its highest and best example, a form of love known as philia, for the ancient Greeks and amicitia by the ancient Romans.

Friendship for the ancients binds us together at the highest level of our common humanity.

Friendship is for most of us one of the most important and poignant relationships we can have. The observation that he or she "has no friends" is often one of the most cutting and chilling things a person can say of another. As soon as it is said we imagine having no friends and the sense of loneliness and despair that follows is palpable.

Friendship it appears provides our lives with meaning in a day-to-day sense and gives us an avenue to express love, affection and commitment in ways that allow us to express higher and more humane values.

You cannot stress too much that imagining a life without friendship is chilling. Friendship in its simplest form can be one of the purest and most decent relationships we can have. It civilises us and helps us to realise that the highest part of our humanity does not seek advantage, pecuniary gain or profit. The value of friendship, its worth, so to speak, is found in itself. It is a good in itself. The selflessness that comes with good and proper friendships, the sense of warmth and affection are what makes many of our lives so much more bearable.

One sign of a good friendship is the fact that good friends are there for us in our time of need. "A friend in need is a friend indeed". We help our friends selflessly when they are in trouble. We concern ourselves with their woes, we ask after them in times of stress.

Sartre's often misunderstood dictum that "hell is other people" suggests another way of viewing friendship. Sartre's dictum if taken literally and incorrectly does give us a sense of the alternative view that can inform concepts of radical individualism.

After all, why concern ourselves with others if they will eventually let us down or worse? Why develop friendships whose fundamental return is a sense of our humanity, and the reciprocity of affection and the chance for us to selflessly help others in need? Seems like a big burden doesn't it? Where is the return? What do I get out of it? What does it profit me?

How long would friendships last if these were the measures by which we judged their worth? Already we have concepts which seem to provide more pecuniary and instrumental rationales for human interaction. The term "networking", for example does not seem to sit easily with friendship even though we may inadvertently make friends in the process of trying to network. How horrid would it be if all our relationships were forms of networking?

Those like me who recoil in horror at the thought that friendship could be reduced to networking and that our social relationships are all reducible to gain, advantage or career promotion will find that in our contemporary world, true friendship is all the more valuable.

The value of friendship lies in its imperviousness to instrumental utility or advantage.

How many of us have friends who always get themselves in trouble? How many of us find ourselves listening to friends and consoling them even when deep down we are at times annoyed?

The thought that we ought to drop our friend because they are too difficult or worse still that they may not advantage us is for most of us simply dishonourable. A friend is a friend and that's it.

"Friendship" as the 18th century author Susannah Dobson reminds us produces "active benevolence". Selflessness, care and compassion are the cornerstones of a decent society. If we lose these things, all perhaps is lost.

The roots of our desire to ensure that society is just, sustainable and decent can be found in the everyday relationships many of us have hitherto taken for granted. Friendship, properly understood which develops benevolence and care is one important educator in the development of non instrumental relationships among us.

Finally, while our philosophical discussion of friendship as a good in itself is important the more positive and practical social effects of friendship should not be ignored. Again as always educational institutions and the practices and dispositions they cultivate play a guiding role. Education

Director-General Tan Sri Alimuddin Dom, for example recognises the value of friendship in schooling as critical for social unity in a diverse society (http://www.nst.com.my/ nst/articles/13racers/ Article/).

The practice of making friends and developing friendships in schools, especially across ethnic and religious lines is a key part of a school's hidden curriculum. The power of encouraging friendships as a positive educator should not be underestimated in schools.

The practice of active benevolence in schools lays the foundation for the rest of society. As with many other things, positive character and dispositions begin both in the family and in the school.

The practice of friendship and the "active benevolence" it develops is a critical foundation for a positively developed 1Malaysia.

The practice of friendship so it seems may be more important to nourishing the roots of national unity and solidarity than we first imagine.

The positive social capital formed by the act of friendship between students of diverse backgrounds in schools can have critical import in Malaysian society. Conversely a failure to develop friendships among students, especially across ethnic lines may have negative repercussions down the track.

Perhaps if we remembered this we might pause for a while and make sure that in our rush to network and advantage ourselves, we reserved time for our friends.

The ancients recognised friendship as crucial to and important in their societies. We are equally bound to recognise its significance as well.

You never know, when the chips are down you might need a friend one day.

Usher Appreciation Night 2010

2011-01-07T23:30:00.000+08:00

Today is Usher appreciation night 2010 for all the Jurong West Saturday service 1… Group 11 and Group 12 combined together to organize such a wonderful event…

We not just appreciating one another for their faithfulness and etc but we also appreciated our team IC and our section IC for their day in and out of serving…

Totally enjoyed it… :)

Once again, I’m surprised that… I’m awarded as the following:

‘THE EARLY BIRD AWARD’

Thank you for the award. Totally cannot imagine that I have won as still got others reached earlier than me to serve in the house of God too!

Thank you God for this happy family! :)

Hey Mingli, thank you for been the most cheerful team IC I ever had! I hope I can get to know you better though we seldom chat up often! May you have a great and blessed 2011 too! =]

LOVE

2011-01-06T22:58:00.000+08:00

Love, my child, is not demanding

It’s not simply getting your way;

It is trying to be understanding

To love in all circumstances, come what may.

Love is not possessive

Cramping another’s style

It is giving others their freedom

To express their uniqueness with a smile.

Love, my child, is not envious

It is sharing a common brokenness

Knowing humanity is imperfect

Yet there is much to love and respect.

Remember, my child, to make your yoke light

Like Jesus, forgive and forget

Love is kind, patient, enduring

Remember, child, always to be caring.

Love is not self-vanity

Pandering to your little ego

For Jesus, love is humility

Making sacrifices for the good

Of our vulnerable, flawed humanity.

Love is of GOD, GOD is LOVE,

Abundant blessings flow

Whatever you receive

Remember, child, gratefully to give.

How You Handle Burden In Life?

2011-01-05T23:30:00.001+08:00

Hmm….

2011-01-04T23:12:00.000+08:00

Today, is the first day of school re-open for all students…
A nightmare for working adults once again… =X
Cause got to squeeze bus or train with them…

Thanks God that wherever I works, they is always direct bus and I don’t need to take train to work…
I love bus more than train… (=

It’s have been a week plus since I use Window 7 PC in the office already…
Sometimes, I love it, sometimes, I just dislike it… =/
Most of all, I got used to it…
My boss asked me to love my desktop more… =X

Be Awesome Always

2011-01-03T22:48:00.000+08:00

Don’t forget to be AWESOME always! :)

Happy New Year Part 2

2011-01-02T23:00:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, despite of having less than 8 hours of sleep, thanks God that I didn’t have any panda eyes and giving me a power of strength and energy to keep myself stay awake for the past… Erm… 15 hours or so???

I was awake around 12 pm yesterday though I’m slept around 9 am yesterday morning… Get up, wash up and ready to go church to attend first service of 2011… :)

Took Usher group, section photo upon reached church and now currently waiting for my section IC to upload the photo in Facebook!!! (:

Pastor Kong was preaching about Visions and Dreams for service of 2011…
Awesome sermon…

“FAITH is SPIRITUALIZED IMAGINATION!”

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” Albert Einstein.

DREAM is the substance for the life’s GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS!!

5 Types of People:

Those with NO DREAM
Those with LOW DREAM
Those with WRONG DREAM
Those with VAGUE DREAM
Those with GOD’S DREAM

Thought of the day: “Which type of people are you???” :)

First photo of the year… :)

It’s having heavy raining after service… Totally can’t get out of my way to meet my Usher friends for dinner at Marina Square…

While waiting for CK’s reply in BBM and at the same time, waiting for the rain getting smaller, Kelvin asked me whether resolution for year 2011???

Hmmm… I can say that I yet to pen down my resolution for year 2011 and things I wanted to achieve for this year…

Hopefully, I’ll planned by this week and take action soon!!! (=

Meet up with my Usher friends at Marina Square, Just Acia…

After dinner, we walk around Marina Square before heading down to Esplanade to have some chocolate drinks… :)

Suckao!

At the same time, got to know CY’s fiancé!!! :)

Everyone are tired… All of us took cab home!!! =X
Thank you for the fellowship!!!

Reached home at 12 am and little ting still not yet sleep at the time I reached home… =/

Barely 25 months old, she know how to pray!!! So cute when she pray though her Chinese pronunciation not so steady yet but still she is cute!!! =D

As for today, just staying at home to rest as been out for the past 2 days and came home so late…

My mum cooked Laksa today… :)
Totally blessed…

Watched Rush Hour 1 and 2 through Starhub’s Cable TV in the afternoon…

Eat-Sleep-Play-Watch!!! ‘Enjoying’ life in this windy Sunday!!! =D

Happy Birthday to you, my aunt!!! Praying for you always!!! Love you!!! :)

Time to sleep!!! Working tomorrow!!! Good night and sweet dreams, people!!! :)

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T09:00:00.000+08:00

A brand new year and I deleted all away my past post and tried my best to love blogging again and update what is happening in my daily life… :)

Grandmother, if you are still around, I just wanted to hug you, kiss you and say: “Happy 90th birthday, Ah Ma!!! and I love you!!!” I miss you so much!!!

I have a great New Year celebration with my dearest BFF on 31 December 2010 despite having a super big and windy rain in the afternoon whereby my top is wet, my jean are half wet, my hair is wet and messy, my shoe is wet so do my bag…

Went Cineleisure to have lunch with Jamie and CK together with CK’s friend… After our lunch, we play Saboteur and despite of forgetting how to play, I manage to win most of the round… =X

We end up build the pathway to no where
towards the gold located. =X
However, Jamie and I are the winner
for this round. LOL!

After playing the game, CK and his friend went off first… As for me and Jamie, we went to The Heeren as Jamie going to find her friend who working there… It’s so happened that I saw both my ITE Malay classmates over there too and three of us had a small chat…

We continue to walk to Paragon and had a drink at Starbuck as our movie started at 9.20 pm…

A Christmas present from Doreen Ng
Bring it out to be environment friendly and
at the same time using the free $6 worth
of free drink voucher too! :)

By the time we finished our drink, it only 7.30 pm and we decided to walk over to Far East Plaza to have an ‘short’ shopping before heading back to Cineleisure to catch our movie – Meet the Parents: The Little Fockers at around 8.30 pm…

Back to Cineleisure, while waiting for the Cinema Hall 2 to open and to allow us to enter, Jamie and I sit near the escalators and something happened…

One lady who bring out a red wine out with her, the paper bag that she put her wine, suddenly torn from bottom and her newly and yet to open wine breaks into pieces…

Red wine split all over on the floor and people still blindly walk pass and step it on the red wine… This is proof that some Singaporean don’t open their eyes big enough to see what is happening in front of them… =/

The cleaner quickly clean the floor with new toilet roll… The cleaner is like wasting the toilet roll… 3/4 of the toilet roll been donated to the floor… =\
Seeing how the toilet roll ‘suck’ the red wine, it’s so disgusting and looks like ‘blood’… =.=”

The movie we watching! :)

The show is so funny and Ben Stiller is quite good looking!!! =X
After movie, we headed to Kbox at level 8 as we reserved a place to sing and at the same time, do our count down there… :)

Our room number… Not sure why give
Jamie and I such a nice room number!!! =X

New Year countdown pack given by Kbox!!!

At 11.55 pm, they invited us to join them for count down but Jamie and I decided not to join the crowd… We continue our singing…

At 1.30 am, the staff came and asked us to pay for our bills… When the staff came in with my credit card and receipts to ask me for my signature, instead passing me back my credit card on my hand, she just ‘throw’ on my table… What a ‘attitude’…

At 2 am, the same staff told us is our last song and told her that I Thursday called for booking and the staff told me that I can sing until closing (which mean 6 am in the morning)… She told me that she will go check it out and etc but end up never come back…

5 minutes later, another staff came in and tell us the same thing – this is our last song, I told him the same thing and he also do the same thing like what the previous staff told me that they will go check it out, end up never… =/

In order, not to spoilt our singing and mood, I decided to wait outside for the staff to see what is the outcome of their checking…

This time round, the supervisor came and we have a talk… I told him that on Thursday I make a booking and told the staff over the phone that I watching movie before that and will came in around 11.30 pm and I did asked him how long I can sing, he told me till closing instead of till 2 am…

I even told him that if I know is till 2 am, my friend and I won’t spend $50+++ each just to come Kbox to sing just for 3 hours… I told him next time if there is another event and etc, please asked your staff to tell them properly over the phone is till 2 am not till closing…

End up, the supervisor apologise the miscommunication and etc, allowed us to sing till 6 am and instruct his staff won’t came in and disturb us… =X

We sing till 5.30 am and went for breakfast at Mcdonalds… Catch the first train at 6 am and it’s totally packed at City Hall MRT station…

End up, I took bus home instead as I don’t wish to squeeze with so many people in the train…

Reached home around 7.45 am, wash up and now it’s time to sleep!!! Going to wake up few hours later to attend first service in Church…

After service, going dinner with awesome friends!!! (:
Good night to me, good morning and Happy New Year to others!!! :)