I've been thinking about a million and one things (again)...
It seems that, in the christian walk, God is always calling out to us and beckoning us to take up the roles and responsibilities that He has called us towards.. And yet it always feels like its so hard to do... but at the end of the day there is this very real and strong hope that God is always providing for us, equipping us. I say hope, but this hope is not a wistful longing, but a powerful confidence that God is who He is.
There is thus no longer any reason to think that we are not worthy, for God himself has defined us to be worthy. Which one of us then has the right to think any lower of ourselves than God does of us, when He is the one who redeemed us.
You were bought at a price.. Don't you think that He would know that price full well, having paid that exorbitant amount for you?
Tremendous consequences.. for words simply cannot describe the full blast I feel when I think of the word 'redeemed'. Funny how we often sing it in songs like My Redeemer Lives, and yet gloss over it..
That hints to me that our mental picture could be extremely myopic. Imagine the raw unharnessed potential of every single believer. But lest we run ourselves in circles, it would do us good to remember that everything has its basis in rock solid humble obedience.
(Joh 14:15) If you love Me, keep My commandments.
---------
Just a reflection more for myself actually... Something I keep having to remind myself about, even though it speaks to clearly to me. Maybe some of you guys can read it, and be encouraged too..
I wanted to post something very nice about circles and triangles that I learnt in my lecture today, but i think it will have to wait... At least until I can find a not-so-boring way to present it...
(Its really cool!)
(really!!)
(i don't think you've seen it before!)
(i'm really tired as you can tell)
I found out recently that I actually consider my room a very protected and secret place.... Its a place where I just shut the door and sit in my fort of a table and work.. However even in the midst of the emotional comfort of my dungeon, I think I will try to surrender all my thoughts to Him.. There's no sense thinking about things that have no real value... Why not focus on Him? (easier said than done but i guess you would understand the motivation for the effort)
So... like so often I've written before...
Onward.
Monday 25 August 2008
Saturday 16 August 2008
Learning processes
After some deliberation I have decided to blog about how I learn and a bit about how I think. Perhaps this may help some of us.
When I was younger I was kinda pampered and kept in a very safe environment, and things just happened as they did.
When I got to school, however, things came as somewhat of a shock to me, and i had to change my mindset over some time..
Some things I have clarified in my head. The parts in brackets can be read later, as they are a rephrasing of the statements given. This should enhance our reflection.
1) Anyone can be right. (I can be wrong) (So can you)
This is not very evident. We usually dump information from people we dislike. However, we have to clench our teeth sometimes and accept that even people we utterly despise can say something right.
Yes. Any idiot can be right, and if your pride is in the way you will end up looking feeling ashamed or dumping truth.
2) Being right does not mean that people will agree with you. (I may disagree with people who are right)
This is more obvious than statement (1). Many times we KNOW we are right, but some people just don't want to listen. Often, people need to understand why you are right, or 'get' it.
Understanding takes on certain forms.
Some people need logical steps for understanding. Some people are not concerned with logic and are more concerned with emotional support.
It is possible to feel that you 'get it' without actually thinking it through. That means it is possible for everyone to 'get it', agree with you and you can still be wrong. Numbers don't quite matter here.
My point here is to lay out the differences in the way people 'get it'. Not to claim superiority of either one. Equating logic with emotional support, however, can lead to disastrous consequences.
3) Being shown to be wrong does not mean that people can do it right. (Just cause i point out wrong, it doesn't mean it will change)
This has links to (2). Many times when I carry out a task I can see which parts are done wrongly. However, that doesn't mean someone knows how to do it right.
4) Doing things wrong could have some causes, roots and explanations. (There could be underlying causes for my behaviour)
Sow a habit, reap a ........
You get the idea.
5) Doing things right could also have causes, roots and explanations. (There may be things that right someone's behaviour)
Note that (3), (4) and (5) say that if someone shows me that I did something wrong.. it stops there. unless I actually think about why I behave that way and work out the causes for it.
I think this lends clues for our personal growth.
(1) and (2) are very effective when we listen to sermons or talks. Are we taking in the truth?
(3), (4) and (5) are very effective when we have just learnt a lesson. How will that lesson change us?
I hope this makes sense.. My mathematical proofs in school are quite poor, so hopefully it all works out.
Onward.
When I was younger I was kinda pampered and kept in a very safe environment, and things just happened as they did.
When I got to school, however, things came as somewhat of a shock to me, and i had to change my mindset over some time..
Some things I have clarified in my head. The parts in brackets can be read later, as they are a rephrasing of the statements given. This should enhance our reflection.
1) Anyone can be right. (I can be wrong) (So can you)
This is not very evident. We usually dump information from people we dislike. However, we have to clench our teeth sometimes and accept that even people we utterly despise can say something right.
Yes. Any idiot can be right, and if your pride is in the way you will end up looking feeling ashamed or dumping truth.
2) Being right does not mean that people will agree with you. (I may disagree with people who are right)
This is more obvious than statement (1). Many times we KNOW we are right, but some people just don't want to listen. Often, people need to understand why you are right, or 'get' it.
Understanding takes on certain forms.
Some people need logical steps for understanding. Some people are not concerned with logic and are more concerned with emotional support.
It is possible to feel that you 'get it' without actually thinking it through. That means it is possible for everyone to 'get it', agree with you and you can still be wrong. Numbers don't quite matter here.
My point here is to lay out the differences in the way people 'get it'. Not to claim superiority of either one. Equating logic with emotional support, however, can lead to disastrous consequences.
3) Being shown to be wrong does not mean that people can do it right. (Just cause i point out wrong, it doesn't mean it will change)
This has links to (2). Many times when I carry out a task I can see which parts are done wrongly. However, that doesn't mean someone knows how to do it right.
4) Doing things wrong could have some causes, roots and explanations. (There could be underlying causes for my behaviour)
Sow a habit, reap a ........
You get the idea.
5) Doing things right could also have causes, roots and explanations. (There may be things that right someone's behaviour)
Note that (3), (4) and (5) say that if someone shows me that I did something wrong.. it stops there. unless I actually think about why I behave that way and work out the causes for it.
I think this lends clues for our personal growth.
(1) and (2) are very effective when we listen to sermons or talks. Are we taking in the truth?
(3), (4) and (5) are very effective when we have just learnt a lesson. How will that lesson change us?
I hope this makes sense.. My mathematical proofs in school are quite poor, so hopefully it all works out.
Onward.
Monday 11 August 2008
Thursday 7 August 2008
My room
At long last I finally got down to doing it..
(sorry mandia)
Its in a total mess as you can see.
My fav part is that the laptop is by the side. This frees up my writing space totally.
On a side note.. I've been thinking very quickly these few days. Its either the massive amount of issues coming along to hit me, or that I'm feeling less stressed and more adjusted.
Perhaps its a mix of both.
School beckons. 5 core mods, 1 gem.
Onward.
(sorry mandia)
Its in a total mess as you can see.
My fav part is that the laptop is by the side. This frees up my writing space totally.
On a side note.. I've been thinking very quickly these few days. Its either the massive amount of issues coming along to hit me, or that I'm feeling less stressed and more adjusted.
Perhaps its a mix of both.
School beckons. 5 core mods, 1 gem.
Onward.
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Redang
I didn't say much about this, but I almost lost my phone on my trip!
We woke up at about 7 in the morning after an all-night bus trip, and I groggily followed samson out of the bus, almost tripping on myself, when suddenly I had a mental alarm go off in my head
CRAP!
something's wrong.
what's wrong?
i don't know.
something isn't quite right.
The moment I patted my hands on my side pockets I knew what had happened.. I left my phone on the bus seat..
But to cut a long story short, I had kinda given up on the phone and made up my mind to still have a good time.. We were walking around waiting before checking in when suddenly we spotted one of the guys who was on our bus
"Hey one of you left your phone on the bus right? Yeah its with me wait here.."
whoa. Thats like.. 1 in a million...
I won't spoil the testimony, but I'll just show some pictures.
The wind is amazingly strong on the top deck of the boat, but Calvin's hair is impeccable. Calvin is seriously the coolest man.....
The great naval general Samson inspects his boat.
This one doesn't quite need a caption.
Guys before snorkelling
Girls before snorkelling
The cool guy (Calvin not me) in action again
Chilling at the beach listening to the live band
Estella looking like she's about to be kissed by a toilet brush.
The weirdest ferry ride on the planet, only because of the videos they played during the ride. Yuck. I want to dip my head in dettol.
But all in all it was a great trip.. The sand is really amazing and you'll start to wonder why you even bothered bringing slippers..
If only I stayed in a place like that..
We woke up at about 7 in the morning after an all-night bus trip, and I groggily followed samson out of the bus, almost tripping on myself, when suddenly I had a mental alarm go off in my head
CRAP!
something's wrong.
what's wrong?
i don't know.
something isn't quite right.
The moment I patted my hands on my side pockets I knew what had happened.. I left my phone on the bus seat..
But to cut a long story short, I had kinda given up on the phone and made up my mind to still have a good time.. We were walking around waiting before checking in when suddenly we spotted one of the guys who was on our bus
"Hey one of you left your phone on the bus right? Yeah its with me wait here.."
whoa. Thats like.. 1 in a million...
I won't spoil the testimony, but I'll just show some pictures.
The wind is amazingly strong on the top deck of the boat, but Calvin's hair is impeccable. Calvin is seriously the coolest man.....
The great naval general Samson inspects his boat.
This one doesn't quite need a caption.
Guys before snorkelling
Girls before snorkelling
The cool guy (Calvin not me) in action again
Chilling at the beach listening to the live band
Estella looking like she's about to be kissed by a toilet brush.
The weirdest ferry ride on the planet, only because of the videos they played during the ride. Yuck. I want to dip my head in dettol.
But all in all it was a great trip.. The sand is really amazing and you'll start to wonder why you even bothered bringing slippers..
If only I stayed in a place like that..
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