These cuties remind me of my nephew & niece back in Kuching...
(Sorry, topic not relevant...hehehee).
What a cute animal!!!!!!
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Part 3: LIFE ON EARTH IS A TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT
Life on earth, according to the Bible, is brief, temporary and of transient nature.
Compared with eternity, life is extremely brief.
Earth is only a temporary residence.
You won’t be here forever, so don’t get too attached.
David prayed: Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be. Help me to know that I am here but for a moment more.”
We’re just passing through, just visiting earth.
“I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.”-Psalm 119.19.
If you call God your father, live your time as temporary residents on earth.
God says that His children are to think differently about life from the way unbelievers do.
Phillipians 3:19-20:
19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…
There is far more to life than just the few years we live on this planet.
Once you fully grasp the truth that your identity is in eternity and your homeland is heaven, you stop worrying about “having it all” on earth!
God is very blunt about the danger of living ‘here and adopting the values, priorities, and life-styles of the world around us. When we flirt with temptations, God calls it ‘Spiritual Adultery’.
“ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God”.
-James 4:4
We are Christ’s ambassadors. Sadly, even many people who think of themselves as followers of Jesus Christ often forge this spiritual truth.
Peter wrote:
“Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” – 1 Peter 2:11
This world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it.
Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.
God warns us to NOT get too attached to what’s around us, because it is all temporary. Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all its contains will pass away.
(See 1 Corinthians 7:31).
With all the fascinating attractions, mesmerizing media, and enjoyable experiences available today, we are constantly entertained, amused and catered to. Hence it’s easy to forget that the pursuit of happiness is not what life is all about!
Only as we remember that life is a test, or trust, and a temporary assignment in preparation for eternity will the appeal of these ‘good’ but secondary things lose grip on our lives. We are preparing for something even better.
“The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.”
-2 Corinthians 4: 18.
The fact that earth is not our ultimate home explains why we experience difficulty, sorrow, and rejection in this world.
It also explains why some of God’s promises seem unfulfilled, some prayers seem unanswered, and some circumstances seem unfair.
In order to keep us from becoming too attached to earth, God allows us to feel a significant amount of discontent and dissatisfaction in life – longings that will never be fulfilled. We’re not completely happy here because we’re not supposed to be.
Coz we’re created for something much more wonderful!
Likewise, a fish would never be happy living on land because it was made for water. An eagle could never feel satisfied if it wasn’t allowed to fly.
You will have many happy moments on earth, but it’s nothing compared with what God has planned for you.
“We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”. – 2 Corinthians 4:18.
It is a fatal mistake to assume that God’s goal for your life is material prosperity or popular success, as the world defines it.
An abundant life has nothing to do with material abundance, and faithfulness to God does not guarantee success. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort!
He’s more interested in what you are becoming than in making life easy for you.
Remember, life is a test.
St. Paul was faithful to God, yet he ended up in prison.
John the Baptist, and millions of faithful people have been martyred, have lost everything, or have come the end of life with nothing to show for it in the world’s eyes.
But in God’s eyes, the greatest heroes are not those who achieve prosperity, success and power in this life, but those who treat life as a temporary assignment and serve faithfully, expecting their promised reward in eternity.
Your time on earth is not the complete story of your life. The rest of the chapters must wait until Heaven.
When life gets tough, when you’re overwhelmed with doubt, or when you wonder if living for Christ is worth the effort, remember that you are not home yet!
There may not be recognition, cheering crowds, red carpet for you on earth, but keep the hope alive that all these are temporary and of NO eternal values.
Part 2: LIFE ON EARTH IS A TRUST
God has entrusted to our care and management:
Our time, energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships and resources.
They are gifts. We are stewards, or managers of whatever God gives us.
God is the owner of everything & everyone on earth.
We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth – God just loans it to us while we’re here.
When God created Adam & Eve, He entrusted the care of His creation to them & appointed them as trustees of His property.
“God blessed them and said to them: “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground: - Genesis 1:28.
Part of our purpose today is to manage and take care of God’s creations on earth. This role has never been rescinded.
Everything we enjoy is to be treated as a trust that God has placed in our hands.
“What do you have that you did not receive?
And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
(as if you have accomplished something on your own). – 1 Corinthians 4:7
“The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are His” – Psalm 24:1.
Our human nature says, “If I don’t own it, I don’t have to take care of it”. But God expects us to live by a higher standard: Because God owns it, I must take the best care of it that I possibly can.
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” – 1 Corinthians 4:2.
In the story of the talents, a businessman entrusts his wealth to the care of his servants while he’s away. When he returns, he evaluates each servant’s responsibility and rewards them accordingly.
At the end of your life on earth you will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well you handled what God entrusted to you.
That means, EVERYTHING you do, even simple daily chores, has eternal implications.
Money, as most people fail to realize, is both a test & a trust from God.
He uses finances to teach us to trust Him.
He watches how we use money to test how trustworthy we are. Money can be the greatest test of all.
“So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches” (of heaven). – Luke 16:11.
God says there’s a direct relationship between how I use my money and the quality of my spiritual life!
Is the way you manage your money preventing God from doing more in your life?
Can God trust you with spiritual riches?
Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded;
And from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked”
-Luke 12:48.
Life is a test, and a trust. The more God gives you, the more responsible He expects you to be.
Part 1: LIFE ON EARTH IS A TEST(Excerpts from ‘What On Earth Am I Here For’ by Rick Warren)
God continually tests people’s character, faith, obedience, love, integrity, and loyalty. Words like trials, temptations, refining and testing occur more than 200 times in God’s word.
God tested Abraham by asking him to offer his son, Isaac.
God tested Jacob when he had to work extra years to earn Rachel as his wife.
Adam & Eve failed their test in the Garden of Eden.
David failed his tests from God on several occasion.
Others who passed personal tests of character:
Joseph, Ruth, Esther, Daniel, Job etc.
Character is both developed and revealed by tests, and all of life is a test.
You are always being tested.
God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflicts, illness, disappointment, and even the weather!
He even watches the simplest actions such as when you open a door for others, when you pick up a piece of trash, or when you’re polite toward a waitress or attendant.
We don’t know all the tests God will give you, but we can predict some of them, based on the Bible.
You will be tested by major changes, by delayed promises, by impossible problems, by unanswered prayers, by undeserved criticism, and even by senseless tragedies.God sometimes tests our faith through problems. Hope ~ by how we handle possessions, and love ~ through people.
One very important test is how you act when you CAN’T FEEL God’s presence in your life. Sometimes God intentionally draws back, and we don’t sense His closeness.
A king named Hezekiah experienced this test.
The Bible says, “God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and see what was really in his heart”. – 2 Chronicles 32:31.
Hezekiah had enjoyed a close fellowship with God, but at a crucial point in his life, God left him alone to test his character, to reveal a weakness, and to prepare him for more responsibility.
When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development.
Everyday is an important day,
and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to develop your love, or to depend on God.
Some tests seem overwhelming while others you don’t even notice.
But all of them have eternal implications.
God wants you to pass the tests of life, that’s why He never allows them to be greater than the grace He gives you to handle them.
God keeps His promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
Every time you pass a test, God notices.
He makes plans to reward you in eternity.
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him”
-James 1:12
Why I choose this topic? Nothing controversial, juz a thought that the tongue is a very important 'tool' that we own and cherish. To cherish our tongue, we have to be cautious of how we move it and wag it (careful with our speech, that is). Afterall, we have only one tongue.
Some people even pierce their tongues...for styles maybe, even pleasure and way of life.. but to me it must be sheer painful, so no thanks. I can't even begin to think of how I'd eat and drink or brush my teeth and even talk with something (a foreign matter) being stucked on the surface of my precious tongue.
We can sing and talk and express ourselves because of our tongues, among others. When I was a little girl, I used to stick out my tongue at my big brother who was a terrible teaser. He made me cry often, and got all the fun from it by himself (by the way, he's now a very gentle and responsible 39 year-old dad to 4 children, who scolds his children for being naughty...hello???).
My tongue also endows me with a very 'kampung' taste bud. I eat raw chilly to accompany my food and dishes such as sambal belacan, tapioca leaves, bamboo shoots, dayak mustard (ensabi), petai, cencaluk... hahaha, and the list goes on. Yes, I have a taste for bitter/bittersweet food. 'Town' food don't fancy me that much. As a little girl, I ate a lot. I was and still am not a choosy type, I ate whatever was set on the table, even when it means salt & chilly blended together. Being born in a poor family and lived such a modest life in the 80s, I had nothing much to complain and couldn't afford to be selective. (There are 8 of us, and my dad's salary was only one quarter of my current salary. But quite amazingly, he managed to put us all through school, altho' he couldn't afford to accomodate us higher levels. Even then, we're most grateful. Thanks dad).
So....the tongue. We use it for all kinds of purpose. Now, I'd like to remind myself of the danger of misuse of the tongue. I myself tend to forget it, and struggling to remember the implication of the words we use in our daily lives. So here goes:
“ A slip of the foot you may soon recover,
but a slip of the tongue you may never
get over” – Franklin.
“ If anyone considers himself religious
and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue,
he deceives himself and his religion is worthless”
- James 1:26
Some people even pierce their tongues...for styles maybe, even pleasure and way of life.. but to me it must be sheer painful, so no thanks. I can't even begin to think of how I'd eat and drink or brush my teeth and even talk with something (a foreign matter) being stucked on the surface of my precious tongue.
We can sing and talk and express ourselves because of our tongues, among others. When I was a little girl, I used to stick out my tongue at my big brother who was a terrible teaser. He made me cry often, and got all the fun from it by himself (by the way, he's now a very gentle and responsible 39 year-old dad to 4 children, who scolds his children for being naughty...hello???).
My tongue also endows me with a very 'kampung' taste bud. I eat raw chilly to accompany my food and dishes such as sambal belacan, tapioca leaves, bamboo shoots, dayak mustard (ensabi), petai, cencaluk... hahaha, and the list goes on. Yes, I have a taste for bitter/bittersweet food. 'Town' food don't fancy me that much. As a little girl, I ate a lot. I was and still am not a choosy type, I ate whatever was set on the table, even when it means salt & chilly blended together. Being born in a poor family and lived such a modest life in the 80s, I had nothing much to complain and couldn't afford to be selective. (There are 8 of us, and my dad's salary was only one quarter of my current salary. But quite amazingly, he managed to put us all through school, altho' he couldn't afford to accomodate us higher levels. Even then, we're most grateful. Thanks dad).
So....the tongue. We use it for all kinds of purpose. Now, I'd like to remind myself of the danger of misuse of the tongue. I myself tend to forget it, and struggling to remember the implication of the words we use in our daily lives. So here goes:
“ A slip of the foot you may soon recover,
but a slip of the tongue you may never
get over” – Franklin.
“ If anyone considers himself religious
and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue,
he deceives himself and his religion is worthless”
- James 1:26
So if you love yourself, please love your tongue and careful not to utter careless words which can hurt yourself and others.
Rasa nak berblog dalam Bahasa Malaysia pulak. I terai, hehehe.
Sesekali mata memandang ke luar, kelihatan kibaran bendera-bendera M'sia & Sarawak menghiasi bangunan kompleks Mahkamah Bintulu, disapa angin laut Cina Selatan. Telah lebih 7 bulan aku berada dan berkhidmat di sini, menongkah arus perjuangan sebagai seorang penjawat awam yang mencari rezeki di rantauan. Tidak terasa tempoh 15 tahun (genap pada 1 Oktober ini) aku 'membawa diri' jauh dari kampung halaman tempat aku dilahirkan. Kuching seakan asing bagi diriku.
Sejak usiaku menginjak 21 tahun, aku telah melangkahkan kaki keluar dari bumi kelahiran yang telah mewarnai kehidupan kanak-kanak dan remajaku. Selebihnya, aku jalani di Miri selama 14 tahun, dan kini di Bintulu. Adakalanya aku rindukan suasana di kampung. Kuching, meskipun asing bagi dunia dewasaku, tetap abadi dan manis di dlm jiwaku.
Sesekali mata memandang ke luar, kelihatan kibaran bendera-bendera M'sia & Sarawak menghiasi bangunan kompleks Mahkamah Bintulu, disapa angin laut Cina Selatan. Telah lebih 7 bulan aku berada dan berkhidmat di sini, menongkah arus perjuangan sebagai seorang penjawat awam yang mencari rezeki di rantauan. Tidak terasa tempoh 15 tahun (genap pada 1 Oktober ini) aku 'membawa diri' jauh dari kampung halaman tempat aku dilahirkan. Kuching seakan asing bagi diriku.
Sejak usiaku menginjak 21 tahun, aku telah melangkahkan kaki keluar dari bumi kelahiran yang telah mewarnai kehidupan kanak-kanak dan remajaku. Selebihnya, aku jalani di Miri selama 14 tahun, dan kini di Bintulu. Adakalanya aku rindukan suasana di kampung. Kuching, meskipun asing bagi dunia dewasaku, tetap abadi dan manis di dlm jiwaku.
Zaman Kanak-Kanak (1972-1984)
Ketika kecil, aku seorang yang minat belajar dan bermain. Keduanya seimbang. Aku sangat gemar bermain pondok-pondok. Segala macam produk semulajadi dan hasil bumi kujadikan 'props' utk berlakon di dalam permainan pondok-pondokku. Contohnya rumput dijadikan sayur, kertas kalendar dijadikan wang (merah bernilai RM10, hitam RM1); kocek seluar buruk ayahku yang telah terpakai turut menjadi mangsa; kugunting dan jahit menjadi beg. Kekadang aku memanipulasi alam sekitar seperti bermain tanah liat dengan alasan hendak membuat labu sayung (sejenis pasu yang direka oleh orang Perak). Waktu itu RTM sering menyiarkan dokumentari mengenai seni kraftangan, antaranya Labu Sayung, Ukiran Kayu, Keris, Batik dsbnya. Terpengaruh dgn apa yg kulihat di tv, dan terpesona dgn keunikan dan keindahan labu sayung, aku sanggup mengotorkan tangan dgn tanah liat yang tak seberapa liat (sebenarnya di kawasan rumah kediaman kami hanya terdapat tanah gambut yang berwarna kehitaman). Impian utk memiliki labu sayung sebenar tercapai apabila di tahun 2007 aku telah pergi ke Kuala Kangsar, Perak. Itulah daerah kelahiran labu sayung. Di sana aku membeli dan membawa pulang beberapa biji labu sayung utk diberikan kepada kawan-kawan dan sbg koleksi diri-sendiri. Kononnya air yg disimpan dan diembunkan di dalamnya agak baik utk kesihatan jika diminum. Tapi aku sendiri x pernah mencuba, sekadar dijadikan hiasan.
Begitulah. Zaman kanak-kanak dan remaja memang indah. Bermain di dalam hujan sambil menyanyikan lagu Taman Rashidah Utama (Wings) dlm nada tinggi. (Aku juga peminat Dato' Shake, Sudirman, Francissca Peters dll). Pergi ke sawah yang letaknya 2 batu (dulu x pakai km) selepas balik dari sekolah dan di hujung minggu. Menolong ibubapa menanam padi dan menuai, tapi kebanyakan masa dihabiskan dengan bermain di tepi bendang melihat ikan, siput gondang emas (pernah makan...rasanya seperti siput laut tapi kalau disuruh makan sekarang, aduh! tak sanggup), mencari jering dan rebung di hutan, memetik miding dan pucuk paku, bermain dgn biji getah, mengutip buah 'helikopter'(dalam bahasa tempatan 'engkabang'; sejenis pokok yg buahnya berbentuk bujur seperti gasing dan isinya dikeringkan utk dijadikan minyak. Bila matang buahnya akan gugur ke bumi dlm keadaan berputar-putar seperti helikopter). Pernah sekali buah ini jatuh betul2 di atas kepalaku. Bull's eye! Seperti ditindik manja dgn jarum, kerana hujungnya agak tajam, tetapi tidaklah sesakit mana). Banyak sungguh kenangan manis waktu itu. Aku dan adikku Nicholas mmg nakal tapi bukanlah sampai tahap ganas...cuma kami gemar bercakap merapu dan menukar lirik lagu dan mereka-cipta 'jokes' yang jika difikirkan semula, betapa kreatifnya dan tak tergapai oleh akal dewasa ini.
Walaupun di kampungku tidak terdapat bekalan air paip, aku tidak dapat bayangkan bagaimana di zaman kanak-kanak dan remaja, aku mampu melaluinya dengan penuh selamba. Jika tiada hujan dan tangki air kosong, kami akan berjalan sejauh kira-kira 200-300km utk mandi-manda, mencuci pakaian serta mengisi botol air ke sebuah anak sungai yang berada di tengah2 kampung. Di situ terdapat pancuran air, di mana hampir kesemua orang kampung pergi utk menjalankan aktiviti seharian yang bersangkutan dengan air. Mandi-manda bersama, tanpa berebut-rebut dan tanpa segan-silu. Hmmm...betapa 'jujur'nya kehidupan di zaman itu. Ada yang mencuci lampin anak-anak dan membuang 'bahan sisa' nya ke dalam sungai sehingga terapung-apung di permukaan air...dan mata kanak-kanakku hanya memerhatikan tanpa byk emosi.
Zaman kanak-kanak penuh ceria dan cerita. Walaupun tetap ada saat duka. Teringat lagi di suatu ketika di Darjah 6, aku telah lulus satu tahap pembelajaran agama di gereja. Kami dikehendaki memakai gaun warna putih. Namun kerana keluargaku tidak mampu, aku dibenarkan memakai gaun berwarna biru. Gaun itu tetap kupakai walaupun aku kelihatan lain dari yang lain... Aku mengaku, di usia yg hampir mengerti dan hampir mencapai akil baligh, aku tercuit rasa malu kerana dilihat berbeza; salah satu tanda bahawa keluargaku tidak mampu. Namun itu semua telah berlalu, aku sendiri tidak mengenangnya lama. Kerana meski keluargaku antara yg paling susah, aku telah menjadi pelajar terbaik di kelas kerana meraih 3A 2B di dalam Penilaian Darjah Lima waktu itu. Justeru keputusan akademik yang agak baik, aku telah terpilih utk melanjutkan pelajaran di Kolej Datu Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah, sebuah kolej asrama penuh pada tahun 1985. Di situlah zaman remajaku bermula...
....Akan bersambung....
Have you ever felt like you're searching for something,
and yet not knowing what it is?
That's how I feel right now.
and yet not knowing what it is?
That's how I feel right now.
Just when you think that you 'have it all' (duhhh...at least the essentials), it's then that u feel that raw nagging, tugging at your soul.
Maybe that's what they call the primitive void. There's a
void in each and every individual, regardless of who she or
he is. Millionaires experience it, priests feel it deep inside.
It's an empty space no human being or material possession
can fill nor fully satisfy. We're created for it. Destined for it.
Maybe that's what they call the primitive void. There's a
void in each and every individual, regardless of who she or
he is. Millionaires experience it, priests feel it deep inside.
It's an empty space no human being or material possession
can fill nor fully satisfy. We're created for it. Destined for it.
I just want to keep searching for that 'thing'.
In my 36 years of roaming this planet, I have experienced
In my 36 years of roaming this planet, I have experienced
joy, pain, victory, defeat etc in my life.
Lifting a trophy or prize in a karaoke competition can be a grand occassion...
but it fades after a while and everyone seems to forget that
moment of glory of yours. So momentary isn't it?
Passing an exam or receiving award for 'Perkhidmatan
Cemerlang' also can be overwhelmingly uplifting. But they too, will
pass and forgotten. So what lasts forever?
I guess that's what I'm searching for.
Something that lasts forever, to fill that empty, special void inside.
Cemerlang' also can be overwhelmingly uplifting. But they too, will
pass and forgotten. So what lasts forever?
I guess that's what I'm searching for.
Something that lasts forever, to fill that empty, special void inside.
So it means that I'll have to keep on searching :-).
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