Picture taken at HIPPOS Boardgame Cafe@AMK on Valentine’s Day during our first-ever cross Unit networking event!
More photos here>>>
Month February 2008
Physical versus Spiritual Attraction
Here’s a dissertation which I think is worth a read to provoke our mindset or attitude in determining the main factor which appeals most to us when we look for in a partner.
What is stronger sexual/physical attraction or spiritual attraction?
If you watch commercials on TV, go to the movies, read magazines or have any contact with the current culture, one would say that sexual attraction is king.
One would easily come to believe that sexual/physical attraction must be the main attraction point between people. Even those who agree that physical attraction is not the core of a relationship will often say that physical attraction must first be present to attract people together and then the spiritual attraction and bonding happens.
As I look at the major romantic relationships that I have had in my life, while I was physically/sexually attractive to each person, I would have to say, that the people whom I were attracted were more attractive because of who they were and not because of how they looked. (….cont’d)
Read the rest of it here>>>
Some Relationship Jokes
Here are some funny jokes on romance and marriage to get us into the lighter mood of Valentine’s Day:
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Marriage is when a man and woman become as one; the trouble starts when they try to decide which one.
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A man is incomplete until he is married. After that, he is finished.
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Every man wants a wife who is beautiful, understanding, economical, and a good cook. But the law allows only one wife.
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Married life is very frustrating. In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.
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When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: either the car is new or the wife.
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First Guy (proudly): “My wife’s an angel!” Second Guy: “You’re lucky, mine’s still alive.”
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A little boy asked his father, “Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?”
And the father replied, “I don’t know, son, I’m still paying for it.” -
Love is blind but marriage is an eye-opener.
I will trust in You
“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 9:9-10 (NIV)
Trusting God with Our Lives
Funny isn’t it, how we listen to our doctors’ prescription for us to whatever remedy/operation that is fitting for our sickness?
Funny isn’t it, how we can hand over our hard-earned money to our financial advisor to invest in stocks and bonds in a volatile market?
Funny isn’t it, how we believe our Prime Minister on his upbeat message on our economy in spite of the clear signs of a gloomy recession heading our way?
I guess most of us trust these people as it is their profession. They are expected to know how to solve these problems.
However, sad but true, they too can make mistakes that would implicate our lives.
Trusting ourselves
In our lives, who do we trust to lead and guide us in navigating the storms of life or to get us out of a difficult situation or to rectify a wrong?
Do we have someone whom we can turn to when we need to solve some of these issues in our lives?
I think that is a very important question that each one of us have to come to terms one way or another. And the right answer would determine how we end our life journey: well-wasted or well-lived.
I am sure that most of us would trust ourselves above anything or anyone else; in our ability, experiences or on our resources such as wealth, material possesions or people.
But then again, ain’t we grossly limited and falliable?
Trusting God
Similarly as how we trust so easily these people, we can also trust God if not more, in leading our lives.
Not only it is His “profession” to lead us as our Shepherd, but it is also His responsibility as our Father . Therefore it is both on a “professional” level and a personal level that He relates with us.
Therefore we can expect and trust God to fulfill His role to perfection if we allow Him to cos HE IS perfect and He is GOD after all. And He doesn’t make mistakes.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5-6
My prayer:
God teach me more to trust You fully. Help me surrender my everything to you; with my heart, ambitions, possessions and life subjected to Your will and purpose.
Amen.
Gong Xi Fa Cai-恭喜发财!
Taken with my adorable nieces, Jacklyn and Jaime during one of my family’s Chinese New Year visitation.
My Doodling:
Will be out of town and heading to Desaru over this CNY period for a group retreat. So to all my friends, besides watching those kilos (haha), I wish you a Blessed Chinese Lunar New Year!!!
The Starfish Story: You Can Make a Difference
The following is one of my favourite stories (author unknown) that never fails to inspire me in sustaining my belief in what I do as a Christ-follower, regardless of how insignificant it may seem to the eyes of others.
While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.
He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
The old man smiled, and said, “I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”
To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, “But, young man, do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
A Reunion with an Old Friend
Last night, I was reunited with an old friend who was arrested with me for the same offence in 1996.
He was released just 3 weeks ago as he was convicted for some other offences after our release. I was really elated to see him after so many years!
Read about our case here>>>
The BEST news was when he shared with me how Jesus found Him and saved Him when he was serving his time! And now he is with a prison after-care cell group in FCBC.
To think that in the past, we were at the same ABC coffeeshop talking about getting high, girls and our fights. But this day, we are talking about GOD!
Awesome! What a drastic but welcoming change!
Only Jesus can truly change lives!
Our RESPONSE-ability is Our Responsibility
During one of my regular jogs last Saturday, I started my route with the weather bright and sunny.
But without any warning, it suddenly poured heavily.
I was presented with two choices: (1) to forgo my weekly goal and return home, or (2) to work through the present circumstance and still achieve my weekly goal.
I was glad that I chose the latter and still achieved my goal despite the abrupt problem that I encountered.
Encountering problems
Similarly, life often presents to us problems that come in many forms or proportions that threaten to change our progress in life towards our goals.
At such times, these emerging problems could be unexpected or out of our range of control. This may include a retrenchment exercise, being betrayed by someone, hit by an illness or accident and the list goes on.
Looking at problems
In life, there are mainly two ways that people can approach problems.
One way is to see problems as problems. So the only response to this would be to carp, condemn and complain. Then give up and remain status quo.
The other way is to see problems as God-given opportunities. This would provide us the confidence to respond by facing the adversity as we KNOW that He is in control and faithful.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4
And more importantly, we UNDERSTAND that beyond the problem, there is a higher purpose to accomplished- the moulding of our character towards Christ-likeness.
Solving problems with God
This God-given “problems”, in whatever situation actually provide us with opportunities to learn from, to evaluate and re-strategise or to apply and test our acquired knowledge and skills.
This way (the second) reflects adaptability and flexibility to work through the problem in order to achieve the goal.
And as a saying goes, “pessimism is seeing opportunities as problems, while optimism is seeing the opportunities in problems.”
Therefore, it is obvious that our progress in life is largely determined by our choice of approach towards problems. Cos even if we cannot control the constant emergence of problems in our lives, but what we have is the ability to control our response to them.
Our RESPONSE-ability is our responsibility.
Andrew: Inside & Insights 