Enlightment

This morning, I received a link from Cindy. It's a song called "You are for Me" by Kari Jobe. Listening to this song over and over again with my eyes closed, I felt that God was right beside me. I was quite sure He was and He whispered to me to "Hang on" like what my mom have been telling me the last few days. I think I felt him patting me on my head before He left. Imagination? I have no idea.. but it felt really real.


Then, tears just run down my cheeks. It's a mixed feeling but I am pretty sure I felt the feeling of relieved being in there. No more giving up to depression for I will hang on. For He will not forsake me in my weakness, I should not be giving up this easily.


I also know that He is not the only one who will not forsake me in my weakness. My mother, my brother, my relatives have been there by my side too to help me overcoming this obstacle. Of course, to my dear friends too. Thanks for not forsaking me in my weakness. I really am grateful that you guys tried to cheer me up in every way!~ ♥

He's like Superman. Always There.

Moments ago, I almost came close to fainting.
I was deeply panicked and I could not find what I was looking for.
My mind was blank.
I could not retrace my steps.


I called out to You for help.
I believe that You would never ever disappoint me.
You didn't.
You answered my call and helped me.
You showed me the way out from a lost wood.


I found what I needed and I'm eternally grateful.
For Your help and for Your love to me. :)
Praise to you, God. I love you very much.

Stop. Take a Look. Think.

I let you guess. Is this sunrise or sunset?

Pretty right? Ok.. Actually, it's much more beautiful in real life than the picture. And it is sunrise... What I am trying to say here is that "Stop. Take a look. Think". We move too fast and rush over things in life.

Sometimes, we think that what we are doing is right or wrong. Is this my road or just a road I'm walking on? Is this road leading me to a good life? I guess most of us worry too much about "me" and missed out on the beauty of nature itself. Its effects are just breath taking.

God created nature for us to enjoy, for us to appreciate. Take a stroll on the beach and let His magnificent work sweeps you away. While you're doing that, think not of yourself but of how beautiful life can be. Frustration, stress.. all will just puffed away!

I spent the last day of my vacation to the beach sitting down on a swing under a tree, looking at the sunrise. I guess that moment is the time that I stopped thinking of myself and of all that I am worried about and just relax, have my breakfast under the tree with such magnificent view.

Spend a day or two away from all your work, your city life and away from all the things you should be worrying about. There's more to life than our career, our study life.

STOP... TAKE A LOOK... and THINK...

Mom enjoying the swing under the cottage..

Movie nights in the cottage, cinema style...

Place Your Faith in God

This week, instead of 5-days of lecture, we had 6. Kind of sucks since one particular lecturer added her hours from 4 hours to 6 hours per week, then always take our lunch break time by adding half hour of 45 minutes more. Even one of my coursemates had this statistics on how his time was taken up per week in total.

It's tiring physically, mentally and spiritually for all of us. It's not like I'm complaining. I understand that her high expectation for us will bring us great benefit someday but the courseworks load that crashes between all the lecturers are beating us down. Sometimes, it is necessary to let us take a break from the pressure or we will tatally crack up. S-E-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y. Practically, you can hear the class whine about exhaustion and bringing the super moody face to lectures.

After today's lecture, I went out for lunch. There's this sight which aches my heart. Salesman. It is hard to see them going around, pleading for people to buy the products so they could mantain their job. The economics downfall has really taken a big toll on many people. Many people are jobless out there and some barely could support their live by their current salary. Even graduates that hold a degree certificate on hand would have to face the fact that degree means nothing nowadays as it is not easy to score a good job at hand.

In my mind, I thought of how nice would the world be if those who are rich are willing to donate to the poor but the true fact is that life is cruel. Mom told me once that in this type of situation, as much that we do hope that we could help them (e.g: buying their products so that they could meet the quota to keep their jobs), there is a limit on how much we can help. Unless like I'm super rich, there's nothing much that can be done except to pray for them. Place faith in God as the road is not a smooth highway.

Life is a challenge but remember this when you feels like losing your way and faith:

In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Psalm 56:4

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

PAYING IT FORWARD

Today I've learned something, something so obvious, so precious yet many have not discovered. Paying It Forward.

'Pay It Forward' is actually a novel written by author, Catherine Ryan Hyde and others to help in inspiring students that it is possible to help change the world. The story is about a 12-year-old boy named Trevor McKinney that believed in the goodness of human nature. He was determined to change the world for the better thus creating the concept of paying it forward. Help one who will help another. A chain of good deed that comes from even a small favor.

Let's say that a stranger or a friend comes up to you and helps you, even in a small way of helping to carry your stuff or guiding you through your assignments. Paying it forward means the act of helping another when someone helps you even in the simpliest way. An act where you repays their kindness by helping others who are in need. Help others but expect nothing out of them. Touch their heart and change their opinion of the world by your unobtrusive acts of kindness.

Imagine that you helped three person. Say this to them: "Repay my kindness by helping another three person that needs your help. Pay it forward." When that three person helped another three each, we are actually spreading the positive way of making the world a better place to live in. Sooner or later, the chain spreads through. This will goes on and on. See? Even a simple deed can help a lot in any way.

Practicing this concept will make people to be alert about those in need and those who helped them, who spread kindness to them. Nowadays, it is risky to help strangers but let your own good intentions guide you on your actions. Let this concept shapes people to become more grateful even for the smallest act of kindness from others.

Many do not know how much that their help would benefit this world. Help others who are in need and guide them to help others. Learn and spread the good value of 'PAYING IT FORWARD'. Make this world a better place. You can lend a hand to change the goodness in this world. Believe it, you can do it.

To learn more about this, please visit the following website:

http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org

Seven Deadly Sins

Have you heard of the seven deadly sins? Well, I've read a novel recently about it and found out that it is related to Christianity. Seven deadly sins:

1. Luxuria meaning Lust

2. Gula meaning Gluttony

3. Avaritia meaning Greed

4. Acedia meaning Sloth

5. Ira meaning Wrath

6. Invidia meaning Envy

7. Superbia meaning Pride

This seven deadly sins also known as the cardinal sins. According to famous Wikipedia, these sins destroyed the life of grace, and created the threat of eternal damnation unless either absolved through the sacrament of confession, or forgiven through perfect contrition on the part of the penitent.

Deadly Sin #1: Lust

Lust or lechery is the thought of obsessive or excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature. Unfulfilled lusts can lead to sexual or sociological compulsions and/or transgressions including sexual addiction, adultery, bestiality, rape, and incest. Be thankful for your spouse. It is said that people commits adultery because they are seaching for that 10% of satisfactory where as their spouse if providing them that 90% from the beginning of their marriage, be it good or bad.

Deadly Sin #2: Gluttony

Gluttony is the act of excessive eating or drinking that can lead to the point of waste. Thomas Aquinas stated a list of six ways to commit gluttony, including

Praepropere, eating too soon;
Laute (washedly), eating finely;
Nimis, eating too much;
Ardenter, eating burningly;
Studiose (keenly), eating daintily;
Forente (boringly), eating wildly.

Deadly Sin #3: Greed

Greed is also another deadly sin of excess, appearantly similar to lust and gluttony. Greed is applied to desire to the acquisition of excessive wealth. Examples of greed activities are such as bribery, scavenging, hoarding, theft, trickery, and manipulation that results in gaining desired by the wrong way. Greed can alter humanity and leads to treason, deliberate betrayal and disloyalty. Wealth is materialistic possession. Rather than chasing this unworthy possession that you can't even bring to your bed on the day you rest in peace, pursue those possessions that can be cherish forever. Possessions such as love and spiritual ones.

Deadly Sin #4: Sloth

Earlier of the century, sloth is known as sin of sadness and despair. Dante refined this further, describing sloth as being the "failure to love God with all one's heart, all one's mind and all one's soul." As for modern days, sloth is closely related to laziness which is dislikes of work especially involving physical movement. God gives us specific talent, skills and abilities in each unique individual. Failure to utilize it fully could be labelled as sloth. This sin is actually the least deadly sin among all seven deadly sins.

Deadly Sin #5: Wrath

Wrath is excessive anger which can leads to vengeance, destruction and suffering to others. Uncontrollable anger and hatred can be categorized as wrath. The transgressions borne of vengeance are among the most serious, including murder, assault, and in extreme cases, genocide. Excessive anger or hatred, whether it is related to selfishness or the other way around is another deadly sin. Be patience and be cool. When you feel like turning into Hulk, pin-point that wrath is one of the seven deadly sins. Count one until ten, breath in and breath out. Wrath does not solve anything. Vengeance does not solve anything. Seek for advise or see

Deadly Sin #6: Envy

Envy which can be described as the resentful or unhappy feeling of wanting somebody else's success, good fortune, qualities, or possessions. Those who commit this sin those who commit the sin of envy resent that another person has something they perceive themselves as lacking, and wish the other person to be deprived of it. This sin is usually described as the pleasure of seeing another suffer. Envy leads to unsatisfactory which leads to someone doing bad or bad-mouthing of another, later to gain sinful pleasure of seeing others brought low. Be humble and be satisfied of what is gained, whether it is worth to what you have contribute. God is the witness of your deed and he will reward you in future.

Deadly Sin #7: Pride

Pride. Yes, pride is one of the deadly sin. It is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins, and indeed the ultimate source from which the others arise. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to give compliments to others though they may be deserving of them, and excessive love of self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God). Pride is good but excessive pride is not the same. Be proud of what you think you have done best and be satisfied.

Overall, be moderate and be satisfied. If you can master this two thing, you will be far away from these seven deadly sins. Seems easy since it is only two thing to master? Try to master it first. Things are never that easy.

Upon the seven deadly sins, the opposite, the good:

Lust --> Chastity (plainess or simplicity)

Gluttony --> Temperance (self-restrain)

Greed --> Charity (generosity)

Sloth --> Diligence

Wrath --> Patience

Envy --> Kindness

Pride -->Humility