Take up your own cross

I've came across this cartoon strip on an E-mail send to me by my sister.
It's reminds me that when I had decided to follow Jesus and take up my own cross, I should do it all the way. I shouldn't have one foot on Christ and the other on the world, thinking that I can enjoy the goodness of both sides. In the end, I would not be able to pass the judgment that God had in store for us.








"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23
I've highlighted "deny" and "daily" to remind us that when we decide to come after Jesus, we should no longer be self-centered but God-centered, and from that day on it is going to be an everyday event that means no weekends no public holiday, we are going to live that kinda of lives as long as God allow us to live.

Watching too much TV = Not happy folks

I refer to November 22 2008 The Straits Time article on page C15, "Happy? Then you're not watching much TV."

The article is a reference to New York Times, it stated "That the University of Maryland analyzed 34 years of data collected from more than 45,000 participants and found that watching TV might make you feel good in the short term, but is more likely to lead to overall unhappiness. The pattern for daily TV use is particularly dramatic, with 'not happy' people estimating over 30 per cent more TV hours per day than 'very happy' people. Television viewing is a pleasurable enough activity with no lasting benefit, and it pushes aside time spent in other activities - ones that would provide long term benefits in one's condition. In other words, TV does cause people to be less happy (the above studies also involves married couples)"

Some people might argue that, "Hey, I'm not an unhappy dude and I think I'm happy married with my partner, and if I don't watch TV where could I get the latest news?" Had a discussion with the wife, and she pointed out that as watching television is a usually 'a one sided affair' and rarely do we need to communicate to the other party when we are watching, except asking few random questions to catch up on the missed story lines. This causes us to interact less with each others, and could in turn drift each other apart. If communication is not an important factor in our life, then why do we spend so much time on SMS, phone calls and even dating before we get married? I do not think that just seeing each others or holding each other hands or messaging sweet words are enough to know the other party well to have a commitment in life. 

With the above said, so what do happy people do that unhappy people don't do or does less? The study state that, "Happy people and married couple pend a lot of time socializing, going to church and reading newspapers."

An Israel king (King David) wrote this about God," 

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their face shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who take refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!" Psalm 34:4-9  

R u Ananias and Barnabas

Who are Ananias and Barnabas? Their names first appeared in the Book of Acts in the New Testament, they are the one that overcome their scruples and hesitations, and that the initiative to befriended the used to be Saul the persecutor. Ananias introduced Saul to the fellowship in Damascus, and Barnabas did the same thing for him later in Jerusalem. If it were not for them Saul might not be able to fit into the Christian community and enjoyed the Christian fellowship, the whole course of church history might then be different.
Therefore let's stretch out our hands and be the Ananiases and Barnabases to the newcomers in our church, embrace them in our fellowship and make them feel at home. Isn't that what the Christian community is about? To share and love together in Christ our Lord.

Taiwan Trip (the remaining days)

Well what could I say? There's juz so much to say, enjoy and of course eat in Taiwan (for my wife and sister they'll probably put in shopping in the list that I had here). Girls really love shopping, there are those who goes right to the items that they like grab them and pay for it straight away, there's those that will try on that particular items tons of time and ask if they look good in it (after the comments either good or bad) they look at themselves one more time in the mirror and pay for it. And for cos there are also those who will bargain to death (usually for that few cents worth) for the items that they might not even need it and be happy about their achievement for a couple of days. Don't really understand women.
Well the remaining photos could be seen in my Picasa, enjoy the photos.

Leah is so cute, this is a photo of her trying to close her eyes. After coming back from Taiwan, it seems that she learns stuffs faster. Now she can walk pretty well without much help from us. and do some neat tricks.
Till date the tricks she can do;
- Close her eye
- Yawn
- Laugh (fake laugh)
- Cry (fake cry)
- Rub her tummy
- Brush Teeth
- Roar like a lion
- Fake Sleep with snore

Live Demo on the things that Leah can do.

Leah Showing us how to catwalk.

Taiwan Trip Day1 (28th Oct 08)

This is my third time to Taiwan (the previous trips were sponsored by NS as I've to go training there, thanks alot NS). We'll be taking boarding at T3, the flight timing is 8:35am. That will mean we'll have to check in by 6:35am, and in-order to get there on time the family had to wake up at 5am (that doesn't include Leah she has the privileges to sleep till 5:45pm). The cab my mum book will come to fetch us at 6am. Very rush lar... and Ya thanks UJ and PF for your prayer and sending us off.

Our prince and princess in our family, and in the background is my brother-in-law(the one with the white t-shirt carrying the bag pack). Already in the transit hall, having our burger breakfast.






The Koi Pond and Butterfly garden in T3

Woke up too early, now sleeping in the bassinet on the plane. (the warning wrote maximum weight - 16Kg) Leah not that heavy lar.







Little Tristan also sleepy during the flight, resting in his mummy lap.






Drinking the water that was served together with my meal.







She's either very happy going to Taiwan or happy with the service of SQ.






Finally after 4hr, we finally reach our destination (Taipei), First day went to eat 蚝啊面线 and 臭豆腐, the see the hand over parade, and of course Taipei 101 and 西门盯. That end day 1 of Taipei...






There's gg to be too much fun photos on the first day, if you are interested go check it out here.

Vweekly

Woh!! Been a week since I'm back from Taiwan, still feeling very tired everyday. I could go to sleep at 9pm or 9.30pm and wake at 8.30am still feeling very tired. Not sure if the body is trying to catch up with the lack of rest when I'm in Taiwan, or juz that I had too much sleep.
Will try to post some photos and thoughts on the Taiwan trip later on.
Thought of the day, Taiwanese are really into politics and it's not juz about their country they had quite a view on ours' too (our tour guide and some Ah Pek we meet when we are in 淡水). Their views are.. may I put it as not as mainstream here.
My sis send me an E-mail she had received titled " The HDB Flat Pricing Scam" (if you are interested in the mail, I'm willing to send it to anyone). Makes me wonder if I'm really paying a higher cost for my humble 3 room flat. But I've really have to thank God for the house as it's really is a blessing from Him (read my previous blog about this God blessed house). That brings me to a blog by Mr. Brown titled "Primary School textbook: Singapore gahmen houses everyone" which states that a certain primary school textbook tells us that we are not homeless as our government provide affordable housing for us.