20

JUL

HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR

posted on Tuesday, 2010.

I am annoyed whenever someone whom I am speaking to gets distracted or a third party interrupts our conversation. The uncertainty of what I am saying getting through to my listener irritates me. Matter is worse when I am engrossed in my message (pouring my heart out) and I feel the other party is only half interested to listen. But as much as I am pointing this finger, I must confess that I am equally guilty on many accounts to committing the same sin. It is no wonder whenever I get annoyed for not being listened to, the Holy Spirit's still small voice would refer me to such and such a time when I too, have caused the same annoyance on someone else.

All of us have a craving to be heard. Our well-being very much depends on it. It is no wonder that a big percentage of people who committed crimes are those who feel that on one listened to them. They felt rejected; they felt outcasted. Nowadays, people pay big money to attend motivational speaking seminars, in hope that they can acquire speaking skills to get others to listen to them. "The gift of the gap" is much coveted after today. Be vocal or lose out.

However, it is important to note that in the skill of communication, just like we need two hands to clap, we require two main components – the mouth, obviously, as well as its more docile partner, the ears. Face it, no one enjoys engaging in a conversation with someone who does all the talking and does not give you the chance to vocalise. We run far away from people like that. Thus, it is important that we know this important value of listening.

Wow, that is a long intro, thanks for listening... the common saying is: "We hear but do we listen?" How much do we pay attention or take heed to what others are saying? It seems that we only listen to what we want to listen – our ipods, our TVs etc... Anything outside our sphere of interest we are quick to cut off, or worse, label it as "nag"... By instinct, we are quicker to speak than listen. Why do we prefer talking than listening? For one, talking is therapeutic. We communicate our feelings through words. And if we have a good listener, we feel uplifted, as if the other party is sharing this feeling with us. Listening on the reverse, requires us to share the load with the speaker. It actually requires more effort. It involves the heart.

Do you know that the greatest listener of all is God? The first expression of love God has for us is in listening to us. We always take that for granted. Think about it... for every prayer we utter, He listens. For every cry we or heartbreak we lament, He listens. For every thanksgiving or worship we offer, He listens. He is the greatest listener! There is no one quite like Him. He guarantees a hundred percent listening ears whenever we go to Him. He takes joy in every topic we present. I ask myself: Does God ever get bored with what I am saying? NEVER! But do I ever get bored listening to others? Sadly, yes. God can easily set up angelic hotlines and have angels listen to us. But He is a personal God. He wants to get involve with me on a personal level. He is always there to listen. And if I am willing, He will speak to me too. How awesome is that?

In this busy world we are living in, we often neglect listening to people, especially those close to us. "Sorry, daddy's busy with a report tonight, can't talk to you, son..." One of the greatest culprits which break up families today is the lack of communication, or rather, the unwillingness to listen anymore. This dark avenger is the author of the generation gap. We allow this to happen when we deem our businesses more important than our relationships. We have a lot to learn. Let's look at an interesting account in the gospel of John chapter 20. In verses 11 to 17, Mary was alone in the tomb of Jesus after his body went missing. After the angels spoke, Jesus appeared to Mary. It is vital that we understand at this point that Jesus has just been resurrected. He was actually about to go on His way to God, the Heavenly Father, to present Himself as the ultimate sacrificial offering. We know this when He said, "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father..." (v17). Now dig this: Jesus was on His way at the most crucial point of His mission to present Himself to His Father. God's acceptance of Jesus would seal the great salvation plan for mankind. How important was this point of time to Jesus! YET, He stopped to listen to the wailing Mary, and talked to her. This blows my mind! At the most critical point of His mission, Jesus stopped and listened to an individual. Let us reflect: do our businesses take precedent over the people we love? Rather, can we spare a few minutes aside from our works, our tiredness, our distractions just to listen to them? Jesus did. That is why I know He loves me. That can be why our children or loved ones know we love them. That can also be why people know that we care – when we care to take the time to listen. To relate to people, we need to listen to them. In the word "communicate", the letter "u" (you) comes before the letter "i". To be more like Jesus, we definitely need to listen more. Great friendships are established this way.

Let's talk. Why don't you begin? Bless.

25

APR

LOBSTER MAN FROM MARS

posted on Sunday, 2010.

I was in a good mood yesterday. It led me to be cheeky and came up with the title of this blog. I felt this way because I went to church in the morning to donate my blood. I knew I did something good. The seemingly small amount of blood that was taken out of me could actually save someone's life. I am thankful to our Creator for this magnificent gift of life that flows within each of us. But what has this got to do with the Lobster Man from Mars? Ha!

This title is actually taken from an old funny 1989 movie with the same name. But before I get to the point, my main point is: we are all linked by blood. Specifically, all humans share this common life-sustaining substance beneath our skins. Beyond our differences in personalities, characters, beliefs, races, cultures etc, when anyone, anywhere or at anytime happened to puncture his/her skin, the colour we all see is red. There is no exception.

There lies a choice we can make. We can choose to see how different other people is to us – the sad fact is, we are more prone to notice the negative aspects in them. Or, we can choose to look deeper, that we are actually the same. Jesus revealed this similarity among humans in John 8. When the adulterous woman was about to be judged, He said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (v.7). The people who judged this woman unwillingly accepted this truth, and left. Ouch.

In order to reach out and be a community church, we have to look beyond the upper layers of superficiality. We need to be identified with people around us, to express the fact that we are very much like them. I believe that it is only after this point that people are willing to see that we have something good to offer – a relationship with God. After all, whether we are white, black or yellow on the outside, we are all sustained by the colour red within.

Unless if you are from another planet, or if you are a lobster, because the colour of its blood is blue. Get it? Bless.

7

FEB

THE UNBEARABLE

STATE OF BEING

posted on Sunday, 2010.

I am really glad 2009 is over. It was a tough year for me and there were many breaking points. Like many others, I hope the arrival of the new year brings with it changes for the better. Job-wise, there are some turning points, and I accredit them to the mercy and goodness of God. To be fair, in general, it seemed to me that the worst are behind me. Then again, I will never know, will I?

The trials I faced last year reminded me of a sermon I heard Pastor Peter Wee preached many years ago before he went on the mission field. The highlight of that sermon was a prayer that went something like this: "Lord, if I can't change the situation I'm in, I pray that you will change me..."

During the course of 2009 when I faced hardships, I find the most common prayer I cried out was for God to undertake, intervene, and make right what seemed to be wrong. Now I believe many of you can identify with me, right? It is after all an instinctive human reaction when experiencing pain to want to ease the pain. That was why I prayed that way, for God to ease my pain. But we all know we can never dictate how God chooses to answer one's prayer; and often, He has His own timing. That put me through many scary "valleys of the shadow of death", and may I remind you, they hurt...

I was driving one day when the song "Lord Move, Or Move Me" by FFH came on. The first stanza of the song mirrored the exact sentiments I was facing. Then I was hit by the chorus:

Lord move in a way, that I've never seen before
Cause there's a mountain in the way and a lock on the door
I'm drifting away, waves are crashing on the shore
So Lord move (move), or move me.

Lord move, or move me. It was a really hard prayer to make. There was this constant apprehension of whether I can take the pressure/pain/stress. Actually, I was sort of like screaming: "LORD! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!" You know what I'm sayin'?

One thing I've learned in life is that we are really bad judges of how much we can actually "take it". Take my daughter for instance. When she was to take her chickenpox jab a few years ago, she was totally freaked by it. I mean, she was scared stiff. She has this notion that the injection needle was going to hurt her more than the cat-of-nine-tails (the whip the Romans used on Jesus). Her only comfort at that point when the needle contacted her was me hugging her and assuring her that it would be alright. And she made it through the jab. She was actually braver than she thought! I hate to admit this, but in a parallel context, I was very much like my daughter. When facing my problems, the fear, the crying and the "Daddy, please hold my hands" were also there. Can you remember the last time when you had to go through a really bad patch? Can you recall how amazed you were when the crisis was over and you wondered how you ever got through it? The fact of the matter is, we are all stretchable. The human spirit is capable of feats above what we think we can endure. And God in His infinite wisdom knows exactly how to stretch us to meet our potentials, for us to become His glory, for us to grow...

It is ok to be afraid. We are humans after all. I learned that my Saviour, like us, during the hour near His death prayed that "this cup be passed" from Him. He can identify with us. That's why He promised never to leave us, to be with us till the end of our time. But it is in this face of fear that we must summon up the courage to allow God to do that which is needful in our lives. He is good, and He knows best.

Only then I understood why God often did not make situations better for me. He has a choice: a better situation, or a better me... Guess which will He choose? I'll try not to get in the way. Bless.

13

JUN

A Place For Number 2?

posted on Saturday, 2009.

I came across an old American Avis rent-a-car ad. The ad inspires me and set me thinking a whole lot (a little background info: Avis was the second largest rent-a-car business in the world then behind Hertz). The fact of the matter is, who remembers the number twos? When Michael Phelps won all eight Olympic gold medals in Beijing, do you know who were the runner-up silver medalists to all eight events? What about the American Presidents? Through the years, do you know who were its Vice Presidents? Get the picture? Legendary stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld joked about runner-ups being the greatest losers in the world. I mean, in a 100m sprint race, how would the silver medalist describe to anyone that he lost the race by a tenth-of-a-thousandth second? How fast is that?

The plight of being number 2 is worsened by the hype the world places on the winner. It is truly a winner-takes-all world we are living in. Like the lyrics of the song, there's indeed "no time for losers". Do you recognise a number 2 in your life? Is it a talent you have? Or a role you are playing? Or worse, an affection you don't seem to get enough of from a loved one?

"I am a substitute player in the soccer team. I only get to play when someone from the first team gets injured or couldn't play..."

"No matter how hard I try, the boss always gives the best opportunity to Jake, the best salesman in the office..."

"My parents love my younger sister more than I do..."

Take heart. Thankfully, there's a place for being number 2 in the kingdom of God. Look at Andrew in the Gospels. He was always being labelled as "Simon Peter's brother". Poor guy, some people didn't even know his name – "Look, there's Simon Peter's brother..." In his family, Peter had always been number 1. He was more dynamic, vocal, aggressive and definitely stronger. I imagined their mother would always say, "Why can't you be more like your older brother?" Familiar?

What inspired me about Andrew is, despite living in his brother's shadow, he knew his place. He had a heart for God. He believed that the truth he found about the Christ was so good a thing that he evangelised by bringing people to the messiah. Let's examine the evidences.

We know that Andrew had a heart for God because before Jesus came into the picture, Andrew was already a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:35-37). He was seeking the truth. His early evangelistic stints included introducing Peter to Jesus (John 1:41-42) and later, bringing some Greeks to the Lord (John 12:20-22). He did all these way before Jesus ever commanded anyone to "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"! From the records of church history, Andrew died a martyr preaching the gospel. He was not prominent, but he knew his place in God.

In my life, I have my fair share of being number 2. By number 2, I mean any other number other than number 1. I remembered coming in second in my first and only attempt at the church's singing competition many years ago. The winner was a brother who had a remarkable voice. He was the number 1 singer in church back then. He was also the one who had brought me to church. I looked up to him and he was a good spiritual older brother to me. Though I loved to sing, I remembered I could only fantasised about being in the singing opportunities that were offered to him then - the solo parts in the choir, song numbers during special events etc. But I thanked God that one of the earliest godly lessons I learnt was to know my place, and make God my portion. Because God is my portion (Psalms 15:5), I was happy being number 2.

As I found out, God has plans and purposes for me being number 2 as well.

So, going back to the Avis ad, I must say they recognised their position as number 2. They worked hard from that place. To me, it is truly a lesson we can learn in life. Let's not blame anyone nor anything for who we are. Accept our place in God. Who knows? Maybe one day we may be number 1. Until then or never, there are great things we can do, right here, right now. Bless.

"The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:

Thou maintainest my lot."
Psalms 16:5

03

MAY

Ordinary Colors

posted on Sunday, 2009.

I love photography. It is an expression to me. Through the lens, I attempt to reflect this beautiful world which the good Lord has created. However, due to the commitments in my life, I do not have the luxury of time to go around scenic spots to fulfill this craving. When I do have the time to do so, it is usually at a time and at a place that is not conducive for photography. So, I make do... whenever I can, I'll pick up my camera and go where ever it is convenient. So, what shall I shoot today?

It has been a couple of years now since I have embarked on this journey of trying to make interesting images out of ordinary things. Actually, I don't quite have a choice as I have explained earlier. Yes, I am definitely still attracted to beautiful scenes and things. But the challenge of looking at ordinary things differently and taking the time to observe hidden beauty through them have been rewarding to me where photography is concerned. Objects and scenes which I have taken for granted in my daily life begin to shed new lights on me. The rustic wall which I usually pass by on the way to lunch suddenly looks photogenic. The dirty construction site which I drive by on the way home so frequently suddenly beams with colours. The old warehouse building next to my workplace suddenly packs so much character in its bright yellow facade. The list goes on. The world around me has taken a new dimension... photo-worthy. Since then, I have started a collection of my favourite images entitled "Ordinary Colours". A few of them are on display here so that you can have a better idea of what I'm driving at. Look at them. They are really ordinary things aren't they? Padlocks, construction helmet, old brush, door handles, hydrant, sewer cover etc... They may not be award-winning images, but they have given me a level of fulfillment which can't be easily described in words. Above this, God has through them taught me a very valuable lesson.

You see, just like the many ordinary things in our lives, there are scores of ordinary people whom we encounter daily. Sadly, we often take for granted their existence – "oh, just another life that passes my way...". But I learn to often times just pause, and observe them, as if to examine if there is a side or an angle to them that will look good in a photograph. A side perhaps that exhibits a strong colour, or a character, or even a charm. Click.

It takes very little effort to spot bad traits in a person. I am very guilty of that. But I am thankful that the loving God whom we serve takes great pain to observe the good in me and whatever potentials I have. I am what I am today (not that I am anything much) because God has through His mercy and grace given me the time of the day to be what I am good at. He believes in me. He loves me. Likewise, I owe this obligation to that person I encounter, to give him/her the time of the day, to observe and see the side that he/she is beautiful in. It is not easy isn't it? Because I have to look harder, like viewing through my camera, I have to see through the Spirit's eyes, and hang on the faith that God makes everybody unique and beautiful.

Is there someone who gets on your nerves easily? Or what about someone you meet regularly but whom doesn't stay much in your thoughts? Too many to count? Why not start somewhere? I imagine I'd take out my camera and observe. Often times, I'd hear myself saying, "Now there's an angle to this person that is beautiful." Bless.

25

APR

The Gift of Pain

posted on Saturday, 2009.

I was in pain last weekend. It was because of basketball. You see, ever since 4 years ago after a new 3-on-3 basketball court was built next to the flat I am living in, life had since taken a new twist. Weighing close to a whopping 100kg back then, I remembered praying for the slightest interest in doing anything that would help me fight the "tyre-around-my-waist" problem. It was a miracle how God managed to put the interest of basketball in me. What started out as a "I'll just practise shooting the ball in the ring and sweat a little" had since evolved into a competitive, full-contact sports for me. The good side to this is, the "tyre-around-my-waist" has now weigh 11kg lighter, and, I have made a lot of friends in the process of playing the game. The bad? I still can't dunk... (yeah right, keep dreaming...) For my friends and I, most of us having a family and working hard, the weekends have always been that point in the week which we look forward to – to rendezvous, have a couple of competitive games, exchange pointers and just talk about basketball.

Then it happened. Last Saturday... I was jumping for a rebound and landed my left foot with a bad twist. The sprain left me limping as my concerned team mates enquired after me. Praise God it wasn't that bad. Though I was able to continue after some rest, my effectiveness on the court was greatly reduced. Back home, I started a massage routine with a bottle of chinese medical rub and immediately noticed a swell around the affected ankle. The funny thing is, the pain did not bother me so much. I was actually more disturbed about the possibility of me not being able to play on Sunday because of the sprain... It was then an evil thought came to my mind. What if, there is a way to numb the pain so that I could continue to play the next day? Next came the rebuke from the Holy Spirit. I was instantly reminded of the horror story I had heard about a pro basketball player who sprained his ankle but had wanted so badly to continue playing in an important game. He insisted that the team doctor numbed his pain so that he could continue. Due to the absence of pain in an already damaged area, the pro ended the game with a badly fractured ankle. In fact, he was never the same again after that. The damage had decreased his efficiency even after proper treatment. Sad isn't it? If only he would listen to his pain and rest instead, he would have been successful in so many more important games after that one. If only...

Yes, I repented there and then about my evil thought. As I experienced God's forgiveness once again at that point, a new train of thought engulfed me. I looked at the little swell around my ankle and started to praise God, my creator. Suddenly, I was so overwhelmed by the ingenious way God has created our body. We are built with a highly-complexed nerve system that warns us whenever something is wrong. Just like my ankle, when it is damaged, the nerves around it warned me that repair was needed; and that I should "take-it-easy" in order not to damage it more. Now how amazing is that? Just think about it; pain is actually put in place to warn us and prevent us from getting into a worse situation.

Imagine a world without pain. We won't know the kettle is hot and our fingers will be badly burned. We won't know when we will any stomach-upset and crudely, will pass out in our pants. We will definitely burned our tongues while drinking hot soup. We won't even know when a mosquito stings us. The list goes on and on... Simply put, without pain, we won't be fully human.

So, the next time whenever we feel any pain and tempted to curse the day, pause, and thank God for this wonderful gift called pain. Remember, it could have been worse.

"I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:

marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth well."
Psalm 139:14

17

APR

E=MR2

posted on Friday, 2009.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to be familiar with Einstein's famous formula E=MC2. The equation is a proven law of physics. At my level of a non-rocket scientist, though I cannot comprehend the profoundness of this law, the equation relates to me more like an icon, because it is so well-known.

This brings me to my main point. The sermon which Pastor Dale preached on Easter Sunday has a great impact on me. The truth about each of us, who constitutes the church, needing to be missional, relational and resurrectional, was driven deep within me. How apt, how practical, how appropriate and how convicting are these three points. However, I must state that the reason I bring this up is not to discuss further the essence of the sermon. I feel inadequate to do so. But I thought I would like to share an equation which will help me remember these three vital points. This equation, no doubt will help me, and hopefully you, remember God's word. Borrowing from Einstein, here goes:

E=MR2

E = Evangel

M = Missional

R2 = Relational & Resurrectional

01

JAN

To Change Is to Grow...

posted on Thursday, 2009.

"Change" is a scary thing... more so when you are getting old. I know I am getting old cause the teens I played basketball with in my neighbourhood court started to address me as "uncle" – "Uncle, I'm open here, pass me the ball!" Sigh...

Why is it scary? For one, we get uncomfortable adjusting to new things. Every so often, just when we are getting used to doing something and perhaps doing it well, "change" comes along and forces us to another field. Mind you, it is not just a guy who is getting old like me who is complaining. Just look at my nine year old daughter; she frequently complains about aches in her calf muscles. Being concern like a father should, I did some googling about her problem and found out that she is undergoing a process called "growing pains", where her body and particularly, muscles, are adjusting to her rapid physical growth, and the pain is just part and parcel of that constant change at that age. Uncomfortable, but needful.

Back to me. Apparently, our body's rate of reaction slows drastically as we age. Thus, it is a common fact that "older folks" find it harder to meet up with change. IT IS SIMPLY HARDER FOR ME TO CHANGE AT THIS AGE (did I say that a little too loud?)!

I believe by now you must be dying to ask me, "Why are you talking about "change", then?" Believe it when I tell you, it is all because of this blog... yes, this blog which I am suppose to submit. You see, I heard and read a lot about blogs; and as far as I have understood in my myopic world, blogs are mainly for young people. Youths who have lots of time on their hands and who want to let the whole world know who they are. Me? I don't even have time for myself, let alone blogging. What am I suppose to write about? Which aspect of my life am I suppose to talk about? Am I supposed to provide pictures as well? There you are: "change" staring me right in the eye. Oh give me a break; I am already 41 years old...

Then the Holy Spirit, the gentleman He always is, reminded me of something which I have read some time ago: "The illiterate in the 21st Century are not those who can't read nor write. They are those who refuse to LEARN, UNLEARN and RE-LEARN". The still small voice said, "You are never too old to learn. And while you are at it, unlearn if you need to. Re-learn goes without saying..."

My eyes are then directed to my Saviour. When He walked this earth two thousand years ago, the Bible said in Hebrews 5:8 "Though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered". The key word is "learned". Jesus learned when He walked this earth. Imagine, the Son of the Almighty God had to learn. But how do I know that He learned till the last day of His life on earth? At this point, the Holy Spirit reminded me again that Jesus is a prayerful man. Whenever He went to pray, He was learning from His Heavenly Father. And we know very clearly that He prayed even to his last breath. He learned to live the perfect life. The only one in history who has ever done that.

Me again. So this is my first essay for this blog. See, it is quite long - another character trait of "older folks". Since I am in the graphic design industry, I have came up with a typography image of the word change. My prayer is that I will not be afraid to change. It is uncomfortable but needful (have I said that before?). While my physical being will stop changing for the better one day, I know for a fact that my spirit being has to keep growing, even unto my last breath. For to change is to grow. Bless.