In the Face of Negativity

The world is full of negative views. As an extention to the previous post, I shall practice what I preach by defying the negative views of this world.

The world likes to put down dreamers. Joseph was a dreamer who dreamed that one day he'll be some ruler. His brothers immediately put him down (and brothers are supposed to be close to each other!!!), and even tried to kill him. Along the way he met other obstacles like being sold to the Ishmaelites, being thrown into prison, etc...

However, if not for meeting those obstacles, he wouldn't have been some great lord of Egypt, second only to the Pharoah. All he had to do was to have faith in God's plan for him.

It's that easy.

God gave us a spirit of power, the power to achieve anything and everything we set out to achieve. Yet the devil tries to implant negativity into our heads, constantly telling us that we are not good enough. How the devil does this, perhaps by giving us an inferiority complex, by asking people close to us to tell us to "give ourselves a reality check (which is wrong because in reality, we are capable of anything and everything)", or just directly placing obstacles in front of us like bad results and so on.
Thus, my aim is simple, nothing lower than 45 for IB.

Call me a dreamer if you want. However, I must say that I'm a very firm believer of dreaming (dreaming is different from arrogance). If not for chasing seemingly unattainable dreams, I wouldn't have got into ACS Independent after PSLE and O levels. That was quite a big achievement for me already, for everyone knows how hard it is to enter the IB programme. Besides, I believe that being an IB student, all of us should be aiming for 45 points (which we are capable of), or else we should start considering what on earth are we doing in the programme.

Still not convinced? How about this - Einstein was a dreamer, Thomas Edison wass a dreamer, Muhammed Ali was a dreamer, Michael Jordan was a dreamer ... Just name me any successful person who is not a dreamer. None.

And they didn't start off well to begin with. Einstein had to copy his friends' notes just to attain a pass in his university exam, Thomas Edison failed 1000 times, Michael Jordan and Muhammed Ali had physical obstacles (being physically unfit for your dream...fancy that?) themselves as they were told they were to small to be playing in their own competitive fields.

All those people had a chance of turning back... and with good reason too! But yet they kept on trying, beacuse they had a passion. A passion to follow their dreams, no matter how far off they seem.

And if they can do it, so can we. They're just humans, like us, there's no difference at all...really...

It's time to make a check on our lives: Are we limiting ourselves?

Are you limiting yourself?

Defiance

Not all forms of defiance are bad. Some are actually good, such as defying the world and society's views.

In John 15:18-19, Jesus said "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

The world hates God because they choose sin over God.

In Galatians 5:19-21, the evil deeds of the world are shown very clearly "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like."

In order to defy such views of the world, we have to show the fruit of the Spirit, as shown in Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

Someone once said that "knowing that the world hates God, the great temptation for Christians is to compromise to try to appease the haters. But as Jesus taught, a man cannot serve two masters."

So you have to pick a side...

Which side will you pick?

Father I don't know what You are planning for me...

I'm lost...

I need Your assurance...

Set me apart, I know You're drawing me to Yourself...Lead me Lord i pray

Untitled

I seriously wonder if you notice the increase in the gap between us, the less enthusiastic replies and how disgusted I feel when ...

I've given away enough...

X and Y

The following story is entirely fictitious. As Mark Twain says,"Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot."

There are 2 science teachers. One is an ownage teacher. He knew his content inside out and he knows how to teaach his concepts well. Lets call him X. Another is a not so well to do teacher. He does not know his content well, but he reads up a lot on high level science journals. Lets call him Y.

Now Y goes and tells all the science teachers to read up on the science journals he has just read. Nobody knows what Y's intentions are, but X sees it as an insult to his intelligence. Firstly, he's already the best science teacher in the school. Secondly, he probably knows about it already. Thirdly, why does Y keep stating how good those science journals he read are, when X himself already knows it. All he had to do was ask X.

Now X starts producing his own science notes for the students. Y thinks a concept is wrong, when the concept was just not seen clearly by Y. Y goes up to X and tells X that it's wrong. X tells him that he know's his stuff and that he already checked through the notes to make sure it's correct. Y shows him that point. X sees it and says it's correct. Y says no and then pulls out some science books.

Y says "Hey, Campbell Soup, Goods Services Tax, Silver Bird, etc say so! (Names of books censored for obvious reasons LOL)"

X looks at the books. The books themselves are also wrong. X knows this. He's done enough research in his field to be convinced that his answer is right. Yet Y continues insisting that the books are the best and that if the book does it means that it's the best explanation. Then he insists that X changes his concept...

Y also gives his students a scolding when they refer to X's notes. Then he tells them that X's notes are not a reliable source of information. Then he asks them to refer to his high level books instead. Then X finds out. Gosh...

END OF STORY...

If you were X...

While it is good to be open to many points of view, what if someone like Y comes up to you and shows some book and tells you that based on the book, you are wrong, even though the book is clearly wrong.

You know your stuff already, but Y keeps asking you to read his high level journals. This is like telling you straight in the face "Hey, your concept is wrong. You're not better than the book".

Alright, while the book or journal may be better than you in science content, you don't like to feel insulted by someone who has more faith in some book than in his colleague.

And of course, if you already know it and you've displayed how well you know it, what if Y actually asks u to read the journal on it. That will be annoying indeed.

If I were Y,

It would be simple. I'll go on reading my science books. But I'll have more faith in my own colleague than in some book. A case of priorities misplaced. I'll show X the respect he deserves...

Reflecting
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Just as a mirror reflects your physical self, your WHOLE life should reflect your God.

If the mirror does not reflect your physical self at all angles, everything is wrong with the mirror, because the function of the mirror is to reflect the physical.

If your WHOLE life does not reflect your God in all aspects, everything is wrong with your life, because the function of your life is to reflect your Creator.

What do you see in your reflection? Do others mistake you for Jesus? If not, something is wrong in your life today.
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That was from Minyang's blog.

I find myself lacking in many aspects, for I know that in me also lies the capability to sin, no matter how hard I try to live my life for Jesus. I always find myself time after time again putting my own interests first, instead of God's.

My actions have lately made me put many things and many people before God. The time will soon come (maybe it has already come) when I will learn not to put people as my pillars, and instead put God as my pillar. No one will be there for you forever 24/7, for everyone has their own interests to pursue. Friends and family will always come and go as they like ... not that I wanna sound offensive, but everyone has their own lives to run. Only God will be there for you 24/7.

And I really feel stupid for putting temporary pillars before the permanent pillar of God.

Forgive me ...

In my heart, I still want the temporary pillars ... It's my own human desire to want. Even though I know that the Lord is my shepherd, I'm only human...I still want things...I know it's not good...

I'm confused...

Jesus take the wheel, take it from my hands, for I can't do this on my own ...

Duality Continued

There is good and there is evil… right and wrong… heroes and villains. And if we’re blessed with wisdom, then there are glimpses between the cracks of each where light streams through. We wait in silence for these times when sense can be made… when meaningless existence comes into focus, and our purpose presents itself. And if we have the strength to be honest, then what we find there staring back at us is our own reflection, bearing witness to the duality of life. That each of us is capable of both the dark and the light… of good and evil… of either, of all. And destiny, while marching ever in our direction, can be rerouted by the choices we make. By the love we hold onto and the promises we keep.

Adapted from Heroes

If I could turn back time

I would've done something differently...

I didn't realise how important you are to me ... till now ...

Don't do this to me ... Don't go ...

Stay ...

What are YOU holding on to?

Says it all really...

For now, I'd like to say that I'm glad I can hold on to my integrity, despite the pressures from all sides. So what if I've got what I initally had craved for, while succumbing to the temptation of losing my integrity? It's only physical... and it'll be stupid to gain something which can be lost to lose something that should not be lost under ideal circumstances. The trials of earth are small compared with the triumphs of heaven.

One day, when I go up to heaven, and I look back at what happened... I can be happy that God will be proud of me for this, for I did what Jesus would've done too :D

Thank you Jesus. You've made my paths straight.

Law of Diminishing Returns

Tell me, is this the law of diminishing returns at work?

Equal quantities of one variable factor are increased, while other factor inputs remain constant, ceteris paribus, a point is reached beyond which the addition of one more unit of the variable factor will result in a diminishing rate of return and the marginal physical product will fall.

Or im simpler terms, the same thing applied more and more will result in a decrease in effect. Which is why we get bored of old toys, which is why we get bored with old games, which is why we get bored with repetitive stuff...

Which is why we get bored with our friends?

Please. Tell me you're not driftng away...

Tell me tha the Law of Diminishing Returns does not apply to us...

And tell me that it does not apply to you and your friends too ...

Thank you Lord, for being my best friend time after time. No matter how many times You see me, You never get bored of me and still spend your time with my everyday issues even though You have the whole universe to rule. Sure it helps to be omnipresent, but I'm deeply honoured that someone so powerful as You would lower yourself down to my position and be with me no matter what. I'll never have another friend like you Lord...I want to be able to show this love to others, and that others will take after me as well. I'm lost now. Very lost. Do give me your guiding light. Amen.

What's Best?

Last saturday, whilel I was not at home, my sister sent me an sms telling me that one of my pet terrapins (I named it LC after a very close friend of mine) has escaped its tank and went missing. On hearing this, I was really sad. In fact, I didn't know how on earth LC could've escaped the tank, and if so, how it could survive such a fall and the unfamiliar environment of the living room.

I prayed hard that harm would not befall LC. Even though I only bought him for a week, there was really a strong pet-owner bond.

Luckily, my grandmother was able to find LC and put him back into the tank. I heard that he was covered in dust and did not really look in quite a good shape. Nonetheless, it was never ever this happy to be back in that tank. I went to buy a new and bigger tank after that.

Anyway, we humans are like LC. We think we know what's best for us, which may different from what God has in mind for us. We can try to go for what we want, but if God doesn't have that in mind, we would likely end up in danger. Falling off the tank, getting trapped in harsh and unfamiliar environments. Yes. That's what happened to LC. Now multiply that on a bigger scale and that's what would befall us humans should we choose to reject God's plan. When we reject His plan, He will be sad that we are lost. But the thing is, God loves us so much that He won't let us rot and die. He will come looking for us (He sent Jesus to die for us), and if we want to return to him, He will be more than glad to welcome us home, regardless of what we've done.

I would like to thank God that LC is okay now and for this unique learning experience. And yup. LC is adapting well to the new tank.