Intriguing!
Rome Sweet Home - Scott and Kimberly Hahn
The Myth of More
Joyfully Single in a Couple's world - Dr Harold Sala
Here and Now - Henri Nouwen
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
You should be loved
"If you think you should be loved just because you are you, you've missed your vocation. You should have been God." - author unknown
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
What do you see?
Why do we close our eyes when we cry, pray, imagine and kiss? It's because some things are not seen by the visible eye, but felt by the soul. - author unknown
Monday, March 21, 2005
Rebellion
When Pilate asked the crowd whom they wanted to be released, Jesus or Barabas, they all shouted 'Away with this man (Jesus), and release unto us Barabbas'. Did they really know who this 'Barabbas' was... or were they just rebelling because they just didnt want Jesus released.
rebellion.
It's interesting what people go through to make a statement. Stage a protest, burn a flag, throw a bomb, fight in the streets, write a song, stage a concert, get signatures, mass emails, starve, lay naked in the street...
For me, for as far as i can remember i rebelled against the world by not eating a certain food. That food, though gave me nutrition, tastes good... became my enemy, became the most disgusting thing in my mouth. It's unexplanable. Beyond logic. But just yesterday, i realised it just was not a matter of choice for me. I did not just decide one day that it would become my number one enemy.
As a child, i did not have the emotional or language skills to protest. It has become so clear to me now, that i was trying to make a statement. A silent one. Not to get attention from the adults around me, but in my little mind, i have 'won' against those who are forcing me to do something against my will. But to this end, I have indeed lost. I have deprived myself.
Question is: I still find those foods unpalletable, has it become just a matter of habit? Or am I still protesting?
Some of you might think that everyone has something they don't enjoy eating.
To me, I have to make a fresh start, a new decision, a new re-wiring in my mind to stop this non-life-giving action. Not to force myself either, but to learn to enjoy. I know myself sufficiently to say that I can be very adventurous, scaling mountains, kayaking in the ocean, living and working in other countries. If i can be adventurous with the new things, i believe i can be adventurous with the old. To embrace this 'enemy' tenderly to my bosom, and say 'I loved you all this time, it wasn't your fault, it was just me'. It will take time to develop a new friendship with this food, but we will become good friends I'm quite sure.
Please pray for me.
rebellion.
It's interesting what people go through to make a statement. Stage a protest, burn a flag, throw a bomb, fight in the streets, write a song, stage a concert, get signatures, mass emails, starve, lay naked in the street...
For me, for as far as i can remember i rebelled against the world by not eating a certain food. That food, though gave me nutrition, tastes good... became my enemy, became the most disgusting thing in my mouth. It's unexplanable. Beyond logic. But just yesterday, i realised it just was not a matter of choice for me. I did not just decide one day that it would become my number one enemy.
As a child, i did not have the emotional or language skills to protest. It has become so clear to me now, that i was trying to make a statement. A silent one. Not to get attention from the adults around me, but in my little mind, i have 'won' against those who are forcing me to do something against my will. But to this end, I have indeed lost. I have deprived myself.
Question is: I still find those foods unpalletable, has it become just a matter of habit? Or am I still protesting?
Some of you might think that everyone has something they don't enjoy eating.
To me, I have to make a fresh start, a new decision, a new re-wiring in my mind to stop this non-life-giving action. Not to force myself either, but to learn to enjoy. I know myself sufficiently to say that I can be very adventurous, scaling mountains, kayaking in the ocean, living and working in other countries. If i can be adventurous with the new things, i believe i can be adventurous with the old. To embrace this 'enemy' tenderly to my bosom, and say 'I loved you all this time, it wasn't your fault, it was just me'. It will take time to develop a new friendship with this food, but we will become good friends I'm quite sure.
Please pray for me.
Friday, March 18, 2005
First week in the Philippines! YAY!
March 9 marked the start of a new season, new phase. It marked the start of my life for the next two years in the Philippines.
Life here is surprising pleasant. Being a city girl helps. Malls are so huge, it puts Mah Boon Krong (in Bangkok) to shame. Everything one needs from toothpaste, to shampoos, to conditioners, to talcalm powder comes in sachets. Less wastage, no bottles to occupy space.
Our community make up of people from 4 nations, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Although there are only 7 of us so far, we're waiting for more to come. Each one have left their jobs and family to join in the cause. Each one commited to serving in their own capacity and talents. More of what we do later.
Thank God for the diversity, meal times can get very interesting since meals are prepared by us. One day there was a salad looking dish. It tasted like tuna, looked like something Delifrance would put in between the fococcias, and tasted fantastic. Until i found out it was Jackfruit... my 'favourite' fruit. Now, i have to re-wire my brain. We thank God for providence, for every morsel of food set on our tables, looking at the many in the squatters who eat only what people hand out to them.
More later...
March 9 marked the start of a new season, new phase. It marked the start of my life for the next two years in the Philippines.
Life here is surprising pleasant. Being a city girl helps. Malls are so huge, it puts Mah Boon Krong (in Bangkok) to shame. Everything one needs from toothpaste, to shampoos, to conditioners, to talcalm powder comes in sachets. Less wastage, no bottles to occupy space.
Our community make up of people from 4 nations, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Although there are only 7 of us so far, we're waiting for more to come. Each one have left their jobs and family to join in the cause. Each one commited to serving in their own capacity and talents. More of what we do later.
Thank God for the diversity, meal times can get very interesting since meals are prepared by us. One day there was a salad looking dish. It tasted like tuna, looked like something Delifrance would put in between the fococcias, and tasted fantastic. Until i found out it was Jackfruit... my 'favourite' fruit. Now, i have to re-wire my brain. We thank God for providence, for every morsel of food set on our tables, looking at the many in the squatters who eat only what people hand out to them.
More later...
Sunday, March 06, 2005
What is love?
How do we show it?
Surprising our loved ones with expressions, gestures, gifts.
Spouses pledge to love one another 'till death do us part'. Each has a responsibility to stand by each other. Whether the expectation is:
• pleasing each other with actions that the other expects ,
• providing financial need ,
• abiding by unwritten rules, etc
This is also true of parent-child. So if, these expressions of love are not in place, it can be read as an absence of love. Even a rejection of the others' love. etc
The Asian concept of fillial piety has been set firmly in place for thousands of years. So as a 'banana', a very 'yellow' asian look with a very 'white' outlook in life, what am i supposed to do? or be?
The question really is:
How do I love with a universal love? Unmistakable. Acceptable. Enough. Is it ever 'enough'
Why do I worry about whether it'll be taken the wrong way. Perfect love casts out all fear. Problem is nobody can have perfect love or express it except the One who is pure LOve! So, are we adequate? YES! Are we loving beings? YES! Do we want to express it? YES! IF others cannot understand what we do as love, are we still able to love and accept them? YES! Then why am I so disappointed when they don’t understand? Because I wish they knew how much I love them (still). That’s tough.
Surprising our loved ones with expressions, gestures, gifts.
Spouses pledge to love one another 'till death do us part'. Each has a responsibility to stand by each other. Whether the expectation is:
• pleasing each other with actions that the other expects ,
• providing financial need ,
• abiding by unwritten rules, etc
This is also true of parent-child. So if, these expressions of love are not in place, it can be read as an absence of love. Even a rejection of the others' love. etc
The Asian concept of fillial piety has been set firmly in place for thousands of years. So as a 'banana', a very 'yellow' asian look with a very 'white' outlook in life, what am i supposed to do? or be?
The question really is:
How do I love with a universal love? Unmistakable. Acceptable. Enough. Is it ever 'enough'
Why do I worry about whether it'll be taken the wrong way. Perfect love casts out all fear. Problem is nobody can have perfect love or express it except the One who is pure LOve! So, are we adequate? YES! Are we loving beings? YES! Do we want to express it? YES! IF others cannot understand what we do as love, are we still able to love and accept them? YES! Then why am I so disappointed when they don’t understand? Because I wish they knew how much I love them (still). That’s tough.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Mother Teresa
'I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that
He didn't trust me so much.' --Mother Teresa
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Celebration of Life
On March 4, many moons ago...
Mum pushed for 21 hours, she said...
Granny passed away in 1990...
Blowing candles off a cake seem to mark the start of a new year, a new chapter, a fresh start, but why wait till the anniversary of my mum pushing me out.
Everyday is the first day of the rest of my life! YAY! So i've decided, no cake this year. Besides, we're almost all diabetics in the house.
Mum pushed for 21 hours, she said...
Granny passed away in 1990...
Blowing candles off a cake seem to mark the start of a new year, a new chapter, a fresh start, but why wait till the anniversary of my mum pushing me out.
Everyday is the first day of the rest of my life! YAY! So i've decided, no cake this year. Besides, we're almost all diabetics in the house.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
So this is it?
It's two days to my birthday. I miss my community in India. There would be a cake with the diplomatic number of candles. AND i get to hear all the nice things they've been wanting to tell me but never got round to... in public! It's called 'honouring' and this year I will be thinking of them, hopefully they'll think of me too.
One week more in Singapore and then off to the Philippines. What will i do there? Who will be there? Only God knows. I'm going to start packing my luggage and clean up my room. The last time i sacrificed sleep to finish packing/cleaning till 5am the morning i flew... i'm going to be smarter this time :)
One week more in Singapore and then off to the Philippines. What will i do there? Who will be there? Only God knows. I'm going to start packing my luggage and clean up my room. The last time i sacrificed sleep to finish packing/cleaning till 5am the morning i flew... i'm going to be smarter this time :)
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