Giving things that matter priority

Feeling a bit emo of late, probably cause the "I'm leaving soon" feeling is really kicking in! But I've been very drawn to a particular piece of literature from Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith. I felt my heartstrings tug when I read it.

Here is what it read.. pg93, Have a Little Faith - Mitch Albom

From a Sermon by the Reb, 1975

"A man seeks employment on a farm. He hands his letter of recommendation to his new employer. It reads simply, 'He sleeps in a storm.'

"The owner is desperate for help, so he hires the man

"Several weeks pass, and suddenly, in middle of the night, a powerful storm rips through the valley.

"Awakened by the swirling rain and howling wind, the owner leaps out of bed. He calls for his new hired hand, but the man is sleeping soundly.

"So he dashes off to the barn. He sees, to his amazement, that the animals are secure with plenty of feed.

"He runs out to the field. He sees the bales of wheat have been bound and are wrapped in tarpaulins.

"He races to the silo. The doors are latched, and the grain is dry.

"And then he understands. 'He sleeps in a storm.'

"My friends, if we tend to the things that are important in life, if we are right with those we love and behave in line with our faith, our lives will not be cursed with the aching throb of unfulfilled business. Our worlds will always be sincere, our embraces will be tight. We will never wallow in the agony of 'I could have, I should have.' We can sleep in a storm.

"And when it's time, our good-byes will be complete."

This isn't just simply about living your life to the fullest, it is about giving things that matter in life priority, it is about seeing the bigger picture in life and letting the small things that bug you go. It is about consistency, about discipline and about hard work, reaping what you sow. I think this message can be applied to many aspects of a person's life, especially at this point in my life, where I'm going to pursue something I desire so dearly and feel so passionate for.

This serves as a reminder to me, to keep my focus and to understand that no matter how emo or how "I don't want to go" I feel, I have to. Simply because God has called me for my duties and I have to give Him my very best because He deserves nothing less than that in His service. I feel a lot more at ease now that I've got my focus right. I will not focus on the emotional emptiness that I may feel when I'm there, but the overwhelming grace that I AM there. I will not see it as if I'm leaving, but I'm returning in a few months time.

With this new perspective on things, giving things that matter priority so that life will be without regrets, I am sure I'd be able to conquer any mountain that is before me. No matter how long the journey, I will carry on and persevere because I know, HE overcomes!

Beauty and the Geek

Don't judge a book by its cover. Easy to say but often hard to do.

Every single day, consciously or subconsciously, we judge. We judge people we meet, strangers along the streets and even those seated around us. We judge the way they speak, what they wear and the depth of their conversations. We judge their sincerity of speech, by listening to their tone and pitches and we judge their hypocrisy, or not, by their actions. I am guilty as charged for judging. As much as I make it a conscious effort not to, I still, in some way, sum a person up.

This is probably one of the reasons why I'm so particular about first impressions, because you don't get a second chance at that. People will remember the first time they met you and the impression you gave them, no matter how brief the acquaintance, they WILL remember.

But my question is, what's the benchmark for all the judging? Do we categorize the people we meet according to the social categories of "Geek", "Nerd", "Hot Chick", "Bimbo" and what ever else there is? Here's my take on this.. Yes. I do categorize people by the first impressions they give me but trust me, they're not based on physical benchmarks. I don't particularly fancy judging people by appearances basically cause I don't have a baseline for beauty and it's true! (my friends can testify! They have since discounted my views for hot hunks).

So you may ask me, how then do I "judge" or categorise people? Well.. Basically, I trust my gut instincts. Whether it is telling me to flee from the person or whether it tells me to get to know the person better. For now, my instincts have yet to fail me. =) I'm glad.

Above all that, I believe we shouldn't judge a person just based on looks. What's making me blog about this? Well.. I caught re-runs of Beauty and the Geek and I felt so bad for one of the contestants. The "Geeks" had a make over and were put up for auction. So there was this one particular guy, well.. let's just say he's on the heavier side, but he is a fantastically funny shy guy, with the nicest and most adorable personality and.. no surprises, he got the lowest bid!

So here's the point of this blog. Do we judge people just at face value. How thin/slim/skinny, pretty/beautiful/hot, hunky/muscular/fit, handsome/charming/good looking and well.. it goes on. Am I guilty of this? In all honesty, I think at times, I do, but that said, I do make it a conscious effort to see beyond physical appearances and attractiveness. I believe everyone was made to be beautiful and special, especially if we see it through God's eyes. If God could love us for our many imperfections, why can't we try to love others too?! Right?

Oh well.. Beauty and the Geek served as a good reminder, to see beyond the looks and stereotypes and to appreciate the person beneath all that skin deep beauty.

Have a Little Faith - Mitch Albom

I'm halfway through Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith. As always, it is an awesome read. Halfway through it and I'm actually thinking and asking myself questions.

When someone says, your god and my god.. Is it the start of a subtle distinction and segregation? If a Christian tells a Jew, "May your god and my God bless you", are we actually talking about a different God here? There are some questions that I don't have an answer for, or rather, I don't have enough knowledge and experience to answer them. Why is there segregation within the Christian faith itself? Do we not read the same word and sing praises to the same God? It doesn't matter if you're Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian or Charismatic, bottom line is, we have the same values and we have the same faith, it's just that we worship in a different manner. Shouldn't we start celebrating the fact that WE are one in HIM, rather than saying, your church and my church? We are after all, all children of God.

There is one part in the book that I absolutely love.. the part where he talked about love and commitment. Where commitment was once a positive word and yet, now, it's one that people avoid, in faith and in marriage. Yet when one fails to commit, they just simply miss what's on the other side.. - A happiness you cannot find alone. How true.

Another part of the book that I really liked was his sharing with the Reb about happiness.. the secret of happiness. "Be satisfied. Be grateful. For what you have. For the love you receive. And for what God has given you." It's something that seems like common sense, something that all of us have heard for a million times and know by heart.. Contentment. Yes. We know it by heart but do we put that to practice? I can't say that I do all the time, or at least, I try my best to remember and thank God for all that He has blessed me with.

This book is about a person's last days, a Rebbi's last days and his interactions with the author in preparation for his eulogy. We may not have that many life experiences and I do believe that we can always learn from another person's life. Their views, their perspectives and their wisdom. This is one book I'm contemplating buying for all my friends. This is seriously one good read!

2010 for me

Awesome! 2010!

To think my first days of this new year were spent in a foreign land, sadly- yet aptly- since I'm going to spend the bulk of my days in a foreign land I have to call my second home. Yes. I am excited and I can't wait for class to start. I am yearning to learn everything I have to to be an outstanding dentist, to take in every bit of knowledge from people who are willing to impart. I can't wait to live my life differently, I can't wait for my dreams to come true.

Taiwan was a good ten day break for me, for me to sort my thoughts. I know my focus and I hear the calling within my heart, stronger than ever. There were a couple of things that I took home from Taiwan, first, the culture shock, second, how awesome our government has been and still is, third, the reality that in a month, I'd be doing what I've always wanted to do and lastly, how much I yearned the company of a companion.

Yes.. It's not the premature biological clock that was ticking, it is the li'l thing that beats inside of me that's craving for love. I miss having company, having a person I can call to share my deepest thoughts. I miss having someone hold my hands and rub them when I'm feeling cold, lying in his arms and feel completely safe. I miss having someone to think of and yearn for, I miss the attention and the care, I miss having him complete my sentences and read my thoughts before I can say them. Damn it. That's what Taiwan has done to me.

That aside, I just caught Invictus. I LOVED the show, I loved the message behind it, I loved the Mandela quotes and most of all, I love the way it made me feel. Everything is possible, with God. To want more than excellence, to strive for more than your best. I have been thinking of my 2010 resolutions, and I think I just found it. To give more than my best and to not just meet expectations, but exceed them, in every aspect of my life.

This movie meant a lot to me and somehow, somethings in me are settled. Things that bugged me now seem so clear. That's it. Enough is enough. I have my life to lead and better things to do. This is a new start, a new beginning for me, this is my future and my dreams that I am going to fight my darnest for. This is it, all or nothing. With God's strength, I'm going to give it my best. In faith I claim!

Twenty Ten and Taiwan!

It's just a few days away to TwentyTen and I am both ecstatic and apprehensive. I am super excited that school is starting, this may sound a bit geek-ish, but I can't wait to get back to studying again and learning things that I love, but at the same time, I'm apprehensive cause when 2010 Jan comes, it would mean that I am exactly 4 weeks away from leaving. It is because I know, when the 5th Feb comes, I would be the one crying so badly.

I don't exactly know how things will be in Perth, whether I can find friends as awesome as the ones here. I know God will provide in all things and I'm going to try to carry this Godly confidence with me there. I need to, because I know, only with HIM, can I achieve.

Anyway, I'm in Taiwan now, I seriously love the weather! I love it cold! I somehow think that I was born in the wrong climate, given how much I love to layer my clothing. =) But I totally love how it is here, Mea's parents are awesome and super hospitable! I don't exactly like the traffic here though, kind of unruly! Oh well, I'll be spending New Year's at Hua Lian, don't know if there is any kind of celebration there or sorts.

As of now, shopping doesn't feel as shiok as Korea, I don't know if it's cause of the company, I can't exactly shop with reckless abandon with my second brother around! He can be quite a pain in the.. *ahem* when it comes to shopping. Food is actually quite interesting! I do appreciate Taiwanese food, but it can get quite "gelat", too much oil, quite a bit of cholesterol in everything and a serious lack of veg! But I love LOVE the fruits here! I'm looking forward to the next couple of days.. Even though, I must add, I miss doing something LOADS! I need to run!!! I NEEEDDDD to RUNNNNN!!!!! I think running has become more of an obsessive lifestyle rather than a habit. Oh Well.. I'll make up for this lack of when I'm back!

Silly random thoughts

Seven more weeks. I don't wish to count down, but I'm subconsciously counting weeks. My heart's a mess and I suppose it's only normal, I just feel slightly torn. I am truly excited to go, to live my dreams, study what I've always wanted to and strive as hard as I can to be an outstanding dentist in God's name. Yet there is a part of me that can't bear to go simply cause I'll miss the people in my life to bits.



For one, I know I will miss my girlfriends and my whole cell. I will miss the convenience of picking up the phone and dialing my girlfriend's number, talk to her about the little agonising things that life has put in my way, think about life together and updating her about my life. I will miss the late night chats with a dear friend and the smiles he puts on my face. I will miss the afternoons where I hang out in Orchard, waiting for my twinnie for lunch and keeping her company at the Shu counter. I will miss waking up on a Sunday morning and driving down to church, having lunch with the cell and bonding with them. Needless to say, I will definitely be homesick. I will miss my family, the warmth of kinship and the joy of family time, I will miss my dearest boy too!!



I've been listening to Taylor Swift's album, Fearless, there are two songs that I love, You Belong to Me and Teardrops on my guitar. If you take a closer look at the lyrics, you'll realise that at some point in time, that has happened to you, in one way or another. Especially You Belong to Me, it's about a girl who is a guy's best friend and how she is perfect for him, yet the only thing is that he is taken by a seemingly hot girl, but one who is totally wrong for him.



Here's part of the lyrics:



"She wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time



If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You belong with me



Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know?
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me



Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're 'bout to cry
And I know your favourite songs and you tell me 'bout your dreams
Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me



Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You belong with me"



Life does seem to play a practical joke on us, don't you think? Sometimes you're just "the good friend" even though you think the person will be much happier when they are with you. Then you might find the right guy that seems perfect for you and yet it's the wrong time. Or the guy you thought you could spend the rest of your life with turns out to be the wrong guy. What happens then? I don't have an answer, as much as I wish for one.



When I find that guy who makes me laugh, where just the very thought of his voice and him puts a smile to my face, the guy who reads me like a book, looks beyond me and understands the very fundamentals that make me me. I hope when I find him, in God's time, he'll be ready for me just as I would be for him, all in Perfect timing.

Random thoughts on a sleepless night

I don't know why I'm not sleeping yet, but there are just so many thoughts running through my mind that I can barely sleep, and well.. I kinda pulled my lower back muscle, so having that bit of pain while I lie flat. Anyway, that's of no importance at all, I just probably have a bit more time to think about things and life in general. The purpose of life to be exact.

Do we actually know what our purpose on earth is? What we are supposed to do with our life? As Christians, we call this purpose our calling. I thank God that He has in some way given me a clearer picture of what He wants me to do, even though these things are still quite premature but I'm glad He has given me a focus in life and a drive and motivation that will carry me through the next five years. But what happens to those who never find their calling? Or rather, they never find something that they truly love to do. What then happens to them?

Is life just about working hard and earning your keep, buying a house, starting a family and working even harder? What I know is that Life definitely isn't and shouldn't be a constant pursuit of material wants. Even though I know many girls who work really hard to earn enough money for the next designer handbag or would do anything for money just to enjoy this sense of material satisfaction and luxury.

All that I have in mind is that Life should be a walk with Christ. It is one where your purpose is known and you set your heart and mind to achieve it, not for your personal glory but for the glory of God. Life is about believing that God knows best and giving Him full control. As easy as this may sound, it is something that many Christians, myself included, struggle to constantly do. But I know even through these humanly struggles of life, God is never absent and always present. I commit my life to living a life that is pleasing to Him, one that will glorify Him.