August 2011
Saying… “I’m Sorry”
We sometimes assume that we have fully repented and made amends when we have said we are ‘sorry‘. But there is a side to being sorry that is more serious than mere polite apology. And there are circumstances in which much more than ‘casual regret’ is called for.
The Meaning Of Love
For a long long time, I often wonder if people fully understand the ‘TRUE’ meaning of ‘LOVE’ not only in the secular world but sadly also in Christian community. After our fellowship last night it confirmed to me that not many do. It is sad especially when it is from the people who ‘POSED’ to be a servant of God.
How Do You Communicate Love?
Last Tuesday I was privileged of being able to attend the bible study at sister Gina and brother Albert’s place. I truly enjoyed it and have learnt a lot from it by just listening to other people’s view on whatever subjects we are discussing. One topic that we were sharing is the area of LOVE. Allow me to take my view that day further in the hope that we can come into a much deeper understanding of what I was trying to explain.
Pain Is Part Of Life…
“Pain and death are part of life. To reject them is to reject life itself.” – Havelock Ellis It’s very easy after suffering an incident that caused pain, to just give up and say we won’t ever go there again. Maybe it’s a relationship issue and we just want to crawl into an imaginary shell and hide from the world and the thought of any future romance in our lives.
My Friend Harry
I have met Harry when I first arrived in Australia almost 19 years ago. During that time I was living on my own and he use to clean the glass at this place where I worked. He had long wild grey hair and long grey beared, always wore a flannelette or dirty white shirt and brown pants with holes in it and he always carry a few white shopping bags with him – full of his belongings. All these years that I knew him I never once saw Harry wear a pair of shoes. Rain or shine, Harry will be barefooted. This is all he wears for these many years I’ve known him.
When to Say It – & When to Be Silent
As was observed in Ecclesiastes 3: There is a “time to every purpose..” And there are times when some things should be said, and times to keep silent. There are times when we are tempted to make cutting comments, when the quality kindness (and good sense itself) would suggest that we keep silent.
The Place To Begin…
“The Past isn’t here to speak for itself, and hence gets a better reputation that it deserves.” Strange is this quality of human nature, which decrees that unless we feel a future before us we do not live completely in the present… (Human nature)…always must look forward.
Don’t Worry if You Have Problems
I know, I know…your first reaction would be; ‘IT IS EASY TO SAY UNTIL YOU ARE IN THE MIDST OF A REALLY BIG ONE’. But let’s face it, the only people I am aware of who don’t have troubles are the ones who are dead – it’s as simple as that! If you’re breathing, you will always have some form of difficulties and troubles. It’s the way of life. And believe it or not, most of your problems may actually be good for you! Allow me to explain.
Endure… For Days of Happiness
There is a short sentence from Vergil that says: …. “Endure, and keep yourselves for days of happiness.”
“Don’t worry, be happy”
ONE time while driving to the province with my nephews and nieces who were then still small, we happened to follow a tricycle carrying two pigs. I didn’t give it much thought until one of my nieces said: “Hey look how good the owner is to take his pigs around for a ride and for sightseeing!” That very moment, I realized how “adult” I had become, seeing those pigs as nothing but dead meat, while my niece saw in them live tourists! I saw the owner as an impersonal user, while my niece saw him as a thoughtful father. We both saw the same reality, but we had two entirely different perceptions!
Bend, But Don’t Break!
Although my memory is not that good but one thing I always remember until now is the lesson our teacher taught us while I was in grade two. It was the story of the ‘Mango Tree and the Bamboo’. On that story it told us how the proud Mango Tree always fell or break during typhoon seasons but the humble Bamboo always survived and remains standing. One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream, and listen to the chirps of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees. I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their upright or original position after the wind had died down.