I would like to share with you a story found in the book "MANAGING YOUR EMOTIONS - Overcoming Negative Emotions For a Life of Abundance" by Benny Ho. It is a very good and easy book to read and understand. You may like to read it one day =)
This is a story of a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him to hammer a nail into their backyard fence each time he got angry. On the first day, that little boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Gradually, the number dropped. The boy found out that it was easier to control his temper rather than driving the nails into the fence!
Finally, the day came when the little boy did not lose his temper at all. He went to tell his father and his father suggested that he pull out one nail for each day he did not lose his temper. Days passed and the boy was soon able to pull out all the nails. He quickly went to tell his father about it.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said to the boy, "You have done well, my son. But look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same again. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like the nails did. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It will not matter how many times you say 'I am sorry'; the wound will still be there."
WOAH! I found this short story very impactful. Indeed, when we get angry, we usually react by saying unkind words or react violently. Each time we do that, we are like the boy driving a nail into the fence. No matter how many times we apologise or try to make it up to the person you hurt (pulling out the nails), the hole will always be there. Yes, the person may forgive you, but can you forgive yourself everytime you see the hole? Therefore, i urge you to control your anger as anger can cause you to regret for a lifetime. The same applies to me. God bless! =)
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Reflections on Love Will Guide You Home Musical
After such a huge production, i feel that i should pen down the process of it. Before that, i just want to say something, I AM SUPER HAPPY TODAY! I actually reconnected with my long lost friends from my previous church through facebook. Glad that they are doing good =) Will catch up with them one day!
My Role in this musical:
Basically my role in this musical is a Stage Manager (SM). Basically what a stage manager does is to ensure the welfare of the casts, cue-ing of actors/actresses on stage, cue-ing of lights and sounds and do things for the directors (if needed). And my role in the SM team was to ensure the welfare of the casts and the cue-ing of actors/actresses on stage. =)
How i joined this musical:
Initially, i saw the recruitment on my church weekly bulletin and i had the urge to join. However, as i knew nothing about a musical, i hesitated. I did not even know what a SM does! I soon forgotten about the whole musical thing. Only after a few days, Evangeline (church friend) asked if i wanted to join as they needed people, seeing that they really needed people, i agreed. That was how it all started...
The whole process:
At first, i thought i would be in a sub-committee or a sub-sub-committee as committee members are usually adults, plus the fact i volunteered late. There was a meeting scheduled the next day (if i am not wrong), so i just tagged along. To my surprise, i was in the committee team! What a refreshing discovery! I was shocked! I started to get excited about the whole musical. This was near the end of school and beginning of the end-year holidays.
However, my enthusiasm started to die down as other activities came in. First there was my mission trip, followed by different church activities and the REAL program (1 month learning programme in church). All these started to give my boring life some... life. Nevertheless, i was still required to go help out at the musical such as meetings and taking notes for actors/actresses as they go through their character. It was quite boring as i just had to stare at them and take notes. Plus, i had to email them the notes. It was not what i had expected, i did not expect such things to happen in musicals but it did. I began to feel that such things were more of a chore rather than something exciting. However, i kept reminding myself that i joined because i love God! So, i dragged myself to the meetings and stuff. As time gone by, it started to get me excited again! The main reason was i actually experienced how people started to develop their character and how they evolved it. They got better and better and it really makes me excited to see everything starting to piece together.
Honestly, back then, i thought the SM just had to take notes for the casts. (quite dumb i guess...) Nevertheless, i still participated though i disliked it most of the time. However, as time went by, the actors/actresses did not practice alone or in groups any longer, they started going on stage. The stage set that was ordered was also delivered. Everything was set for a performance! Only from that day on did i realise the magnitude of the Musical. And only on that day did i truly comprehend what a SM had to do. However, as i was at first under the welfare side of the SM team, i assumed i just had to make sure everyone was in tip top condition. After a few rehearsals, i was actually given the role to cue the actors/actresses on stage! How cool! It is tiring! Running everywhere to find the people and ensuring they are all ready to go on stage (e.g. costume).
To cut the story short, the show ended wonderfully with 15 salvation! Praise the Lord! God is good!
Reflections:
1) God works in mysterious ways. Though i did not intended to join, i was actually in the main committee and i had an important role in the Musical.
2) I actually learnt how a Musical works and the church compound better.
3) Through this Musical, i could see God at work, not only through the Musical but also in my life. He was there for me when i needed Him. He did not leave me. He continued to support me and provid for me. His unconditional love is really unexplainable.
4) Though the Musical was awesome (i heard from feedback), i knew only God could bring 15 souls to Him. Only He could have done so. Thank God for the 15 saved souls and let the Heaven rejoice!
5) As the cue-man, i would NEVER see the show at all. I was actually quite sad because you would work very hard but you would not see the product of the whole production. Till now, i have not even seen the whole Musical... Now wating for the video recording to see the show... Excited!
6) I really met a lot of new friends and 1 or 2 close ones! You know who you are! ^.^ Thank God for you!
7) I really saw how different people worked together and how everyone plays an important role no matter how small it is. No role is insignificant.
My Role in this musical:
Basically my role in this musical is a Stage Manager (SM). Basically what a stage manager does is to ensure the welfare of the casts, cue-ing of actors/actresses on stage, cue-ing of lights and sounds and do things for the directors (if needed). And my role in the SM team was to ensure the welfare of the casts and the cue-ing of actors/actresses on stage. =)
How i joined this musical:
Initially, i saw the recruitment on my church weekly bulletin and i had the urge to join. However, as i knew nothing about a musical, i hesitated. I did not even know what a SM does! I soon forgotten about the whole musical thing. Only after a few days, Evangeline (church friend) asked if i wanted to join as they needed people, seeing that they really needed people, i agreed. That was how it all started...
The whole process:
At first, i thought i would be in a sub-committee or a sub-sub-committee as committee members are usually adults, plus the fact i volunteered late. There was a meeting scheduled the next day (if i am not wrong), so i just tagged along. To my surprise, i was in the committee team! What a refreshing discovery! I was shocked! I started to get excited about the whole musical. This was near the end of school and beginning of the end-year holidays.
However, my enthusiasm started to die down as other activities came in. First there was my mission trip, followed by different church activities and the REAL program (1 month learning programme in church). All these started to give my boring life some... life. Nevertheless, i was still required to go help out at the musical such as meetings and taking notes for actors/actresses as they go through their character. It was quite boring as i just had to stare at them and take notes. Plus, i had to email them the notes. It was not what i had expected, i did not expect such things to happen in musicals but it did. I began to feel that such things were more of a chore rather than something exciting. However, i kept reminding myself that i joined because i love God! So, i dragged myself to the meetings and stuff. As time gone by, it started to get me excited again! The main reason was i actually experienced how people started to develop their character and how they evolved it. They got better and better and it really makes me excited to see everything starting to piece together.
Honestly, back then, i thought the SM just had to take notes for the casts. (quite dumb i guess...) Nevertheless, i still participated though i disliked it most of the time. However, as time went by, the actors/actresses did not practice alone or in groups any longer, they started going on stage. The stage set that was ordered was also delivered. Everything was set for a performance! Only from that day on did i realise the magnitude of the Musical. And only on that day did i truly comprehend what a SM had to do. However, as i was at first under the welfare side of the SM team, i assumed i just had to make sure everyone was in tip top condition. After a few rehearsals, i was actually given the role to cue the actors/actresses on stage! How cool! It is tiring! Running everywhere to find the people and ensuring they are all ready to go on stage (e.g. costume).
To cut the story short, the show ended wonderfully with 15 salvation! Praise the Lord! God is good!
Reflections:
1) God works in mysterious ways. Though i did not intended to join, i was actually in the main committee and i had an important role in the Musical.
2) I actually learnt how a Musical works and the church compound better.
3) Through this Musical, i could see God at work, not only through the Musical but also in my life. He was there for me when i needed Him. He did not leave me. He continued to support me and provid for me. His unconditional love is really unexplainable.
4) Though the Musical was awesome (i heard from feedback), i knew only God could bring 15 souls to Him. Only He could have done so. Thank God for the 15 saved souls and let the Heaven rejoice!
5) As the cue-man, i would NEVER see the show at all. I was actually quite sad because you would work very hard but you would not see the product of the whole production. Till now, i have not even seen the whole Musical... Now wating for the video recording to see the show... Excited!
6) I really met a lot of new friends and 1 or 2 close ones! You know who you are! ^.^ Thank God for you!
7) I really saw how different people worked together and how everyone plays an important role no matter how small it is. No role is insignificant.
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Woodcutter's Wisdom by Max Lucado
Hello! Sorry for not blogging for very very very very very very very longgggggggggggg! Time to make this blog alive again! Haha! Let me share with you a short story by Max Lucado and what i felt through this story.
Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.
People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. "This horse is not a horse to me," he would tell them. "It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?" The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.
One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. "You old fool," they scoffed, "we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you've been cursed with misfortune."
The old man responded, "Don't speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I've been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?"
The people contested, "Don't make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse."
The old man spoke again. "All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don't know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can't say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?"
The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn't, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.
After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn't been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. "Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us."
The man responded, "Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don't judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?
"Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don't say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don't."
"Maybe the old man is right," they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money.
The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments.
"You were right," they said. "You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever."
The old man spoke again. "You people are obsessed with judging. Don't go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments."
It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.
"You were right, old man," they wept. "God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son's accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever."
The old man spoke again. "It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows."
The old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life's mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgment on life's storms until we know the whole story.
I don't know where the woodcutter learned his patience. Perhaps from another woodcutter in Galilee. For it was the Carpenter who said it best:
"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." (Mt. 6:34)
Reflections:
What really struck me the most is not the part where blessings may be a tragedy and vice versa. What really struck me the most is the part about being judgemental. I realised that almost all of us (including me) like to jump to conclusions when we see a scene even when we do not know what is going on. I realised that the only one who is fit to judge is the one who knows everything, who is God. Only God deserves to judge because he is Sovereign and He knows everything. I pray that God will mould me into someone who will be less judgemental regardless of the situation. I hope you will make the same prayer too. God bless! =)
Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.
People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. "This horse is not a horse to me," he would tell them. "It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?" The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.
One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. "You old fool," they scoffed, "we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you've been cursed with misfortune."
The old man responded, "Don't speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I've been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?"
The people contested, "Don't make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse."
The old man spoke again. "All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don't know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can't say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?"
The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn't, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.
After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn't been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. "Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us."
The man responded, "Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don't judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?
"Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don't say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don't."
"Maybe the old man is right," they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money.
The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments.
"You were right," they said. "You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever."
The old man spoke again. "You people are obsessed with judging. Don't go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments."
It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.
"You were right, old man," they wept. "God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son's accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever."
The old man spoke again. "It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows."
The old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life's mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgment on life's storms until we know the whole story.
I don't know where the woodcutter learned his patience. Perhaps from another woodcutter in Galilee. For it was the Carpenter who said it best:
"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." (Mt. 6:34)
Reflections:
What really struck me the most is not the part where blessings may be a tragedy and vice versa. What really struck me the most is the part about being judgemental. I realised that almost all of us (including me) like to jump to conclusions when we see a scene even when we do not know what is going on. I realised that the only one who is fit to judge is the one who knows everything, who is God. Only God deserves to judge because he is Sovereign and He knows everything. I pray that God will mould me into someone who will be less judgemental regardless of the situation. I hope you will make the same prayer too. God bless! =)
Friday, March 5, 2010
God came to show LOVE not give out punishment!
I was sitting on the MRT when this suddenly came into my mind.
I imagined what i would do to someone if that person betrayed me or even do something worst to me. The first thing that came into my mind was PUNISHMENT! Slap that person! Make him/her suffer! Revenge! That was when the Holy Spirit intervened. The Holy Spirit asked me, "Is this the right thing to do for a Christian? Was that why God sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins?"
I was speechless! God sent His one and only son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins so that we may feel God's love! If God wanted to punish mankind, He could have easily done that long time ago! But He did not! God acted in LOVE! In the same way, we should show love and mercy to people as we are here to LOVE and not here to punish people! God bless!
I imagined what i would do to someone if that person betrayed me or even do something worst to me. The first thing that came into my mind was PUNISHMENT! Slap that person! Make him/her suffer! Revenge! That was when the Holy Spirit intervened. The Holy Spirit asked me, "Is this the right thing to do for a Christian? Was that why God sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins?"
I was speechless! God sent His one and only son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins so that we may feel God's love! If God wanted to punish mankind, He could have easily done that long time ago! But He did not! God acted in LOVE! In the same way, we should show love and mercy to people as we are here to LOVE and not here to punish people! God bless!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
How great is God's love!
Imagine you are on a beach and you are stepping on the cool white sand~ Now, i want you to look for a particular sand! Possible?!
Alright! Let me make it easier for you! Go and find someone who is 187cm tall and weighs 52kg!
It is like finding a needle from a haystack! THAT IS WHAT GOD DID FOR US! The universe is so huge! Like ultra huge! Yet, God purposely searched for the panet earth, searched for your country and then search for YOU! God did not search for you and leave, He searched for you and even sent Jesus Christ, His son who did no wrong, to die on the cross for us so that we may be with Him!
John 3:16 (New International Version)
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God did not stop there! He continues to loves us and cares for us till we meet Him in Heaven. It is hard to love someone but it is harder to love someone forever! God bless!
Alright! Let me make it easier for you! Go and find someone who is 187cm tall and weighs 52kg!
It is like finding a needle from a haystack! THAT IS WHAT GOD DID FOR US! The universe is so huge! Like ultra huge! Yet, God purposely searched for the panet earth, searched for your country and then search for YOU! God did not search for you and leave, He searched for you and even sent Jesus Christ, His son who did no wrong, to die on the cross for us so that we may be with Him!
John 3:16 (New International Version)
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God did not stop there! He continues to loves us and cares for us till we meet Him in Heaven. It is hard to love someone but it is harder to love someone forever! God bless!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
God's goodness
As you can see, i have not blog like SUPER LONG! GOSH! Busy busy busy... Its really like "Be Under Satan's Yoke" Super tiring!
However, i would like to thank God in this post! Though this week, it has been super busy, time with God was super little but He was still there to protect me and provided me with what i needed. He always made sure i had time to rest and had enough energy to do things. He ensured i was not too burdened by too much stuff and He gave me friends which makes me feel happy. Life in Junior College is much more happier as compared to life in secondary school. =) Thank you Lord for your goodness to me! Thank you for your grace! Love you Lord! =D
However, i would like to thank God in this post! Though this week, it has been super busy, time with God was super little but He was still there to protect me and provided me with what i needed. He always made sure i had time to rest and had enough energy to do things. He ensured i was not too burdened by too much stuff and He gave me friends which makes me feel happy. Life in Junior College is much more happier as compared to life in secondary school. =) Thank you Lord for your goodness to me! Thank you for your grace! Love you Lord! =D
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Best title ever!
Person A: I have the best title ever! I am officially "The World's Richest Man!"
Person B: "Tsk!" Only that? I am called "The Smartest Person on Earth!" It is the best title ever!
Me: So good! However, both of you are wrong! I have the best title ever! I am called "A Child of God!"
Person A & B: "HUH?!" What is so good about that title!
Me: I get to live in heaven forever! Plus, i get to be loved by God, the Creator of everything! Being with God and being loved by Him is better than anything else on earth!
Person A & B: Really?? What do i need to do?!
Me: You just need to accept Him as your Lord and Savior and ask Him for forgiveness for your sins!
Person A & B: It is that simple?!
Me: Yup! That title is free and it is for everyone!
Person B: "Tsk!" Only that? I am called "The Smartest Person on Earth!" It is the best title ever!
Me: So good! However, both of you are wrong! I have the best title ever! I am called "A Child of God!"
Person A & B: "HUH?!" What is so good about that title!
Me: I get to live in heaven forever! Plus, i get to be loved by God, the Creator of everything! Being with God and being loved by Him is better than anything else on earth!
Person A & B: Really?? What do i need to do?!
Me: You just need to accept Him as your Lord and Savior and ask Him for forgiveness for your sins!
Person A & B: It is that simple?!
Me: Yup! That title is free and it is for everyone!
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