pearlie gates

The Gallery, Chiang Mai

2011-12-21T10:05:00.005+08:00

This was a photo I took with my iPhone 4 that turned out better than I had expected. I initially took a photo of only the building, which I found uninteresting. It was then that I thought having a motorcycle whizzing pass in the photo would give it some movement. It wasn't hard, there were many of them anyway, motorcycles.

Wish I fished out my DSLR though...

pearlie

Retelling the Christmas Story

2011-12-16T23:58:00.000+08:00

In my recent silent retreat, I was given the Jesus birth narrative to do a contemplative prayer on, which I did and it was an amazing experience and encounter with God. I wanted to record it down, and when I began to do that, I ended up re-telling the story of Joseph and Mary, and the birth of Jesus, found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20.

Since it is the advent and soon Christmas season, I have posted it here, and I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing and learning from it. I would not have believed that I could learn so much, both spiritually and theologically, by re-telling a biblical narrative.

I have tried to keep it as close as I can to geographical and cultural setting. If you find any misrepresentation in there, I would appreciate if you would let me know.

Merry Christmas!
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And They Laid Him in a Manger
The story of Joseph and Mary, and the birth of Jesus
Dramatized and retold by Pearlie Ng
Painting: His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful by Simon Dewey

Joseph ran into the house looking harried and said to his wife, now heavy with child, "Mary, we need to be going now. Caesar came out with a decree that we should all be registered."

It was only about eight months ago that Mary was found to be with child, and Joseph's world was turned upside down. Mary was betrothed to him when that happened. He had begun to love Mary and her gentle soul. He didn't know what happened, or how Mary could have done that, or whose baby that was. But he had decided that he will not put her to shame but to divorce her quietly.

That was when the most unexpected happened. An angel of God appeared to him in a dream and said to him, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

When Joseph was awaken, he was shaken. It was too clear and distinct to be just another dream.

Conceived by the Holy Spirit? Save his people from their sins?

Joseph could not fully understand what that means but the rest of it was as clear as day. And as he pondered on those words, do not fear, take Mary as your wife, call his name Jesus, he decided to do as told.

He knew he will be laughed at, for marrying an impregnated girl. But he decided that he will trust in God and do his biding, come what may.

That was more than eight months ago.

"Slow down, honey. Where do we need to go? We need to be what, registered?"

"Bethlehem. We need to go to Bethlehem to be registered, since I am of the house and lineage of David."

"Oh Joseph dear, do we have to? I don't think I can go so far in this state. The baby is about to come."

"Yes, we have to go. And yes, I realized that it will be difficult for you to travel so far, which is why we must start off now. We will go in a slow and steady pace and hopefully arrive on time."

"Alright, but I think that place will be packed with people returning for the census. I'm afraid there might no longer be any place for us to stay when we get there. What are we going to do?"

"Don't you worry about that for now, dear. Let's just get you to Bethlehem," Joseph said as he smiled and planted a kiss on Mary's forehead.

So they got themselves ready, donkey and all.

"At least we still have that donkey. I could not imagine how you would have to walk the distance," Joseph said as the tied the remaining bundle to the saddle.

They did not bring much, just enough for the trip. But Mary had reminded him to pack enough cloth and some swaddling cloths for the baby, just in case.

The journey was arduous. They had to stop more than usual to give Mary some needed respite. Joseph was glad that they started the journey way ahead of time. It would normally take them four days to get to Bethlehem. And it is already the seventh day, but they are almost there.

"Are you feeling alright, dear?"

"Oh, I'm fine. It is just that this baby must be having a ball in here with all the movement I am giving him. He keeps kicking me!"

"I think he wants to come out to see what's happening," Joseph laughs, "anyway, we will be there real soon. I can see wisps of smoke from here. We should arrive this evening. And I guess you are right, it will be a challenge for us to find a place. But let's trust in God."

They arrived in Bethlehem at dusk. The place was still quite alive at that hour. Many people were already there. They were out and about setting up their place and getting ready to settle for the night. Joseph gingerly led the donkey with Mary along, trying not to bump into anyone.

"Mary, there's the inn there. I think it is the only place in this town for us to get a room. Let's go find out."

They headed towards the inn. A couple of children running whizzed passed them as they came to the door.

"Hello! Any rooms for rent? Hello! Anybody there?"

"Oh hi! I'm the innkeeper here and it has been crazy these few days, you know, getting these people all settled down. And their demands! Oh! They do think they can get anything they want as long as they shove money in my face! Thank goodness, this census thing don't happen so often! Oh I'm sorry! Pardon me. What can I do for you? If it's a room you want, I'm sorry I'm out. I've ran out of rooms since Day One, and I have to tell you that this is the only inn here. Which is why most people arrived way ahead of time and I have been at their beck and call ever since. Will there ever be rest for me? No!"

"There are no more rooms?"

"No! There is no more place. Even the few good souls that offered their spare rooms in their houses around here are also all taken up. I'm so sorry I can't help you. You will have to find your own way. I'm sorry I got to go, I have this family who keeps asking for new sheets as if I am not already washing enough."

"Wait! You need to help us. Look, my wife here is heavy with child and she will deliver anytime. So we need a place, any place."

"Ah."

"Please, help us. Don't you have any place left?"

"Well, you seem desperate. I would not want to do this to anyone, seriously -- but you are desperate now, aren't you?"

"Yes, any place will do as long as there is a roof above our heads and a place for us to rest."

"Alright, since you asked for it. I have the stable there. I know, it is not ideal, but it is still a place you can use, if you want. Sorry, I have to go now. Did you hear that? They are yelling for me. They need to be taught some manners!"

As the innkeeper rushed off leaving them at the door, Joseph looked dejectedly at Mary.

Mary smiled.

"Alright, alright, I can hear your I-told-you-so. But let's go check this place out, shall we? I don't think we have a choice."

The stable was quite decent viewing the situation that they were in. It was not big, a place enough to house three sheep and their lambs. But there were just one, with her two lambs, lying by one side of the stable. Their heads bobbed up with inquiring eyes as Mary and Joseph walked in.

"I think this will do," Mary said.

"You sure, sweetheart? Well, we can clean up this side of stable and lay it with some fodder here, cover it with the cloths you made me bring, God bless you," Joseph looked lovingly at his wife.

"We should put these wooden blocks around it to hold it all up."

"Good idea! It will also tell the sheep there -- Shoo! No offense but this is our place now. There you go, how's that?"

"It looks good, honey."

"Okay then, we're set. The sun has gone down. Let's light a candle and get settled in, and have our dinner. We have not eaten will all the excitement, or frustration should I say...Oh dear! What's wrong, honey? Are you okay? Tell me. Oh! You mean the baby is coming? Oh! Oh! Baby is coming! Baby is coming! What should I do? What should I do?"

And so the baby arrived.

As the little one was placed on the tired mother, she cleaned him carefully and wrapped him in swaddling cloths. Joseph watched his wife and son in awe, he has become a father. He remembered the words of the angel.

That which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins...save his people from their sins..save his people from their sins...save his people...

"Joseph! Joseph!"

"Oh! Sorry, I was just thinking. You need anything?"

"I am wondering where the baby should sleep tonight. This bed of fodder we have does not seem safe enough for him. It's too flimsy for a newborn, and I can't put him on the ground."

"Hmm..."

"And I can't stay awake the whole night carrying him, I am just too tired..."

"I know, sweetheart. Let's see...Hey, how about this thing over here?"

"What thing? The manger?"

"It is sturdy. It is made of stone after all. We can clear out all the grass. I'll go get some water, wash it and clean it a bit. Dry it and layer it with cloth, the whole lot that you made sure I brought along. We'll make it comfortable, and I think he will just fit in nicely. What do you think?"

"Yes, I think it will work. Let's try it."

And so they did, and they laid him in a manger.

Mary let out a deep breath. It was done. The baby was born.

She has been keeping it all to herself through the ordeal. Mary was one who treasured and mulled things in her heart, unlike her husband who preferred to talk about it. They had been discussing about his dream many times already, but she has yet to say much about Gabriel's visit. Joseph did know of it. She just have not said much about it yet.

Now with the baby here, albeit in a manger, she remembered Gabriel appearing to her and the fear she had when he did, and the shame she suffered in consequence.

Gabriel had said to her, "you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

All she could think of then was the impossibility of it, since she was, and still was, a virgin. The angel had told her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her, and the power of the Most High will overshadow her. The child will be called holy -- the Son of God.

It is still quite mind-boggling but she had submitted to God. She knew she will be the talk of town, but it was worse than she had thought. She could not walk in the street without being sneered at. The men will usher their families away from her, the women would not even look at her and the children would point and laugh at her.

Which is why she felt so thankful for Joseph. He had every right to divorced and leave her, but he did not, and he had protected her the whole time, encouraging her and reminding her time and again of his dream and her encounter with Gabriel. He often brought her to visit Elizabeth, her relative, which made feel better when she was in her company.

She gazed lovingly at her husband who was at that moment, baby-talking to his son, to God's son.

She then began looking at the place around her and felt a sudden sadness. Tears began to well up in her eyes, and before she could help it, she was weeping.

"Mary? What's wrong? Are you in pain?"

"No, honey. I'm alright. It's just that..."

"Yes, tell me. What's wrong."

"I mean, look at this place! From what you've told me and what the angel has told me, this is the Son of God. And look what have we have to receive him? A stable? A manger?"

"Mary..."

"I know we don't have a princely bed to lay him in. I know we don't have much to give him. But we don't even have a bed, for crying out loud. A manger! A manger, Joseph! We have nothing but the worst place to put him in!"

Mary crumpled down, sobbing and shaking in tears.

Joseph held her close, trying his best to comfort her.

Minutes passed and Joseph said quietly, "You know back home when we were getting ready and you were worried about getting a room, and I said to trust in God? I think that's just it. There is nothing we can do but to trust in Him. Think about it, we planned nothing of this. Not the conception, not the census, not the fact that there is simply no room available, and definitely not the birth. As you have told me Gabriel has said that this is the Son of God, and as such, God is definitely in control, no question about it. He could wait till we are back home, but he did not. The baby came. So he must have planned this. Don't worry honey, God knows what he is doing."

"I suppose so. But still, a manger? Who puts a baby in a manger?"

"I don't know, honey, I don't know," he sighed.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps outside the stable, and someone talking hurriedly in whispers.

Mary looked alarmed.

"You stay put, honey. Let me go check."

Joseph peered out the door and found three men, looking very excited. One of them saw Joseph and asked hurriedly, "you have a baby in there?"

"Huh?"

"A baby! Do you have a baby in the stable?"

"Yes, but..."

"And the baby is lying in a manger."

"Yes, and..."

With that he began to exclaim, "We found him, Eythan, we found him! We found him, Tomer! Praise be to God, we found him! I was right, didn't I tell you? There is a stable here if we want to look for a manger."

"Excuse me, but may I know what is happening here?"

"May we come in? May we come in? We will tell you all that we have seen. I will tell you all that we have seen. You wouldn't believe what we have seen!"

"Well, alright. Do come in. But I see that you have brought others with you."

"What? No, there is only the three of us. We were watching the sheep and...Oh, I see. Looks like we have awaken the neighborhood. Look what you've done, Tomer. Anyway, may we come in?"

"Of course, of course, come in. Take a...a seat."

The three shepherds scuttled into the stable. There wasn't much room for them, but nothing would have stopped them. The people who were attracted by the commotion came as well and curiously watched from the door.

"Look, Eythan! Look, Tomer! The baby! In a manger! Just as the angel has told us. Look!"

"What angel? Could you tell us what you saw?" Mary inquired.

"It is not only what we saw, but what we heard! It was amazing! Alright, let me start from the beginning. We were out in the field, Eythan, Tomer and I, keeping watch over the flock as we do every night. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared before us. We were so afraid. He was glowing, shining! He told us not to be afraid. He said that he has brought us good news. You could have seen our faces, we were stunned. Eythan was shaking, wasn't he Tomer? Good news? What good news, I had wanted to ask, but I was frozen, speechless. He said that today a Savior is born, who is Christ the Lord. Christ the Lord! Imagine that! We've just been told that the Messiah has come! And he said there is a sign. He said we will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. Yes! A baby! In a manger! Then you wouldn't believe what happened. Just when we are hearing and trying to understand what the angel had just said, there was suddenly a whole lot of them, the angels. They were shining, it was almost like daytime! And they burst out in the most glorious sounds I have ever heard in my whole life! There was music! They were singing! It was glorious, spectacular! Then? Then they were gone. Whoosh! Just like that. We were lost for a moment but I immediately told Eythan and Tomer that we must go over to Bethlehem and see for ourselves this thing that has happened. We've been practically running for an hour until we came to your door wondering if indeed we will find an infant in a manger. And we did! Would you believe it? We did! And here he is, here he is...Christ the Lord...Messiah."

The air was still. It was suspended. The shepherd's account has mesmerised everyone there: Mary, Joseph and those by the stable.

After awhile, the shepherd said that they had better get back to the field where they left their sheep and hopefully still find them there. As they left, they were in high spirits, praising and glorying God for what they have heard, found, and experienced.

"Do you know what just happened, Mary?"

Mary looked at Joseph and nodded her head.

"Did you hear what the shepherd has said? The angel told him that they will find a sign, a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger! Think about it. Would they have found him if we have him in a bed? There will be countless babies in their beds in this town. And even if the Son of God would be laid in a crib in the palace, would the shepherds be allowed in to see him? Now I'm thinking about what was said to me in my dream. The angel said that he will save his people from their sins. His people include the lowly people like us, like the shepherds. He has to be found in the worst place, like you said, the most lowly place, or he wouldn't be found by us at all."

"Yes, Joseph. I do see it too. We did not give him the worst. He actually chose his place to be in the worst."

Mary treasured up all these and continued to ponder in her heart.

What will the future days be for this child, Jesus? How much worse will he be choosing for himself?

Little did Mary know at that point that Jesus in the manger will soon be Jesus on the cross.

© 2011 Pearlie Ng
All rights reserved

This is My Body, This is My Blood

2011-12-10T01:00:00.001+08:00

One of the interesting experience I had during this silent retreat was the mass services that I have been attending. First, I must highlight that all the silent retreats that I have attended, four so far, were ran by Catholics. It is only because I only know of silent retreats organized by them. I don't seem to find any details about the ones ran by Reconre, and I have not encountered any other people who do them in Malaysia.

Anyway, about the Catholic mass, I recognise the sensitivity of the Catholics with regards to non-Catholics who attend mass, and I know that it is common practice that most priests do not allow non-Catholic to partake in the bread and wine. I accept that - because I do not subscribe to the doctrine of transubstantiation and therefore I am okay not taking it, which has been the case for the first two retreats.

During the third retreat, the father commented to the non-Catholics that if we would choose to receive it, we are invited to do so. He said the choice was ours. I did not and the reason was theological. I felt that if I choose to take it, then I will be subscribing to the dogma of transubstantiation because it will be given to me as such, based on the belief of the attending priest.

But during the this retreat however, things turned out very differently. During mass on the first night of the retreat, I automatically remained in my seat when the retreatants proceed to received the bread and wine. Nobody said anything, the priest was silent about it, and I let it be, as being the common practice of non-Catholics in a mass.

The next morning however, when I had my reflective session with a Catholic sister, she asked me very inquiringly, "Don't you take Holy Communion together with people in your church?"

"Of course! I do! I do not take it in a Catholic mass because..."

"Because you are sensitive to the feelings of the Catholics." she finished for me.

I just nodded. She continued saying that she has spoken to the father about it and that it was okay if I desire to join them in receiving the sacrament. I thanked her for it and left the matter at that.

But I found myself in a dilemma. I had not tell her that though one of the reasons why I did not partake with them was because I respected them, the bigger reason was because of my theological stand. Like I mentioned, I felt that if I were to take it, it would seem like I am subscribing to the doctrine of transubstantiation. But she had approached it from the perspective of the body of Christ, that we come together to partake in the holy meal as a family in the Lord.

I never felt so torn between. It felt wrong taking it and it felt wrong not taking it. As the time for mass drew closer and closer, I began to feel quite panicky. What should I do? Should I take it, or should I not take it? Or should I just not attend mass?

I started writing my thoughts down. I write for therapeutic reasons. I write to feel better, I write to still my thoughts, I write to manage and to put in place my one million and one thoughts.

And as I do so, the body of Christ begin to win over theology. But as I walked to the chapel, I was still undecided. As mass proceeded on, and as I begin to pay closer attention to the words uttered, I finally set my mind and stepped forward to partake in the holy meal together.

And that in itself is a very refreshing experience. I still do not believe or subscribe to the doctrine of transubstantiation, and it did not matter. What was special was that it has brought me to look at the Holy Communion anew. For the Methodists, we see it as the Holy Mystery of the Real Presence. Whilst it has not literally turned into the body and blood of Jesus, it is more than a symbol, more than a remembrance. It is a Means of Grace. It is a holy sacrament that brings us into the holy presence of God through his grace and mercy.

I will not partake it anymore as before, I was serious about it but yet I can't help it but to say that it was in a sense of nonchalance in comparison to how the Catholics do it.

I will now partake it with more seriousness, more awe, more wonder, and in worship to my Lord Jesus Christ.

We will have the last mass service for the retreat later today. This may be the last mass I am permitted to partake in and as such, I will savor it and savor in the special and holy presence of my Lord.

Thanks be to God.

pearlie

Holding the Moment Still

2011-12-09T10:38:00.002+08:00

Time really have no mercy. It simply does not travel at the rate you want it to. I have been in the mountains of Chiang Mai for the past few days, and just when I was relishing the fact that I have a long 5-day silent retreat for myself, I am already in the last day.

It is still morning and I just had a very good session with my spiritual director, and I look forward for the day today.

I want to try to hold every moment still, to suspend it.

Impossible, I know, and yet I hope that the more mindful I am of it, the longer the moment will stay. This last day of retreat may just feel like it lasted a really long time.

pearlie

Feeling guilty?

2011-11-30T22:08:00.003+08:00

The project that I was working on has been completed. I was taken in on a contract basis, and I am not engaged in anything for now. There are no projects running at the moment.

I am talking the opportunity to a long deserved break. I worked a full month December last year, which has not happened before, and being contracted, there weren't many off-days I could take. And so, I think this long break is a well-deserved one.

Except that it suddenly feels weird not being at work, and feeling a bit guilty.

pearlie

Parents' duty to their children

2011-11-27T16:40:00.008+08:00

Pastor Marvin spoke on "Raising the Next Generation for Jesus" and I think it is an important and timely message.

To working parents, I am sure this is quite hard to hear. We relegate the duty of caring for our children to the babysitters, and daycare centres. We let the televisions, computers and iPads babysit out kids these days.

I am not saying that it is wrong to do so. We are thankful for the availability of these services especially when working parents do not have family nearby to help. And televisions and gadgets have their own good uses.

But what is important though is how we relate to them everyday. Do we spend time listening and talking to them as the main activity of the moment? And do actually listen to them, rather than only spewing out instructions after instructions, order after order?

Instead, we need to both make time to actively teach them about God and His Word, and to live our lives according to God's way and truth so that we are good witness of Jesus to them. It must be clear in our mind that it matters to them how we relate to each other as husband and wife, how we relate to our own parents, how we perform our work, how we talk and communicate with others, how we manage our finances, how we spend our free time -- basically how we live our lives.

And what Pastor Marvin did at the close of his sermon was excellent. Back in those years when I was teaching in Sunday School, I found that it was, and still is, the most neglected ministry. Teachers were not trained, they themselves were not very serious about it and the way I see it, most, if not all, handled Sunday School lessons like kindergarten lessons, with what Pastor Marvin termed as handing out "morality lessons". I did what I could in teaching them about Jesus, but what was lacking was the support and the active push from the pastor, the shepherd of the church. And that was what Pastor Marvin did and I thought that was superb.

He made time to introduce materials that the church will use in 2012, and how parents will be supported by the church in providing them and their children the platform to be saturated in the Word of God. And I was also delighted that the materials used are those under John Piper's ministry, Children Desiring God.

I actually felt the excitement by just listening to him and what the church will be doing in 2012.

pearlie

The Sabbatical Cycle

2011-11-22T17:15:00.003+08:00

My husband pooh-poohed it as a normal tendency for us to see patterns in all we do, but I see it as something quite interesting nonetheless.

I have been working for 20 years now and as I began to reflect on what I have done and what lessons I've learnt in these periods of years in different organisations, I saw that I have have been at work in 7-year cycles with prominent breaks at the beginning of every 7th year.

This I feel is reminiscent of the Sabbatical year cycle, even though I do not take year-long breaks (except for the first cycle, which I did).

And so, as I enter into the 4th cycle, I'm taking a deliberate break to reflect, recollect and regroup myself in preparation for it.

And I am reminded of the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, which I will receive from the LORD, as a commitment to Him that He is the Lord of all, He is the source of all good things, He is the purpose of life:

The LORD bless you and keep you
The LORD make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you
And give you peace

pearlie

2011 STM Graduates from the Methodist Church

2011-11-16T18:12:00.006+08:00

Front row (left to right)
Rev Dr Philip Siew (Director of Advance Ministerial Studies)
Rev Dr Anthony Loke (Director of Communications & Promotions)
Rev Dr Ezra Kok (Principal)
Rev C. Jayaraj (President of the Tamil Annual Conference)
Rev Dr Hwa Yung (Bishop of the Methodist Church, Malaysia)
Rev Dr Ong Hwai Teik (President of the Trinity Annual Conference)
Dato’ Dr Alex Mathews (Council Member from the Trinity Annual Conference)
Rev Dr Wong Tik Wah (Dean of Students)
Rev Dr Joseph Komar (Tamil TEE Director)
Miss Ho Gaik Kim (Chapel Warden)

pearlie

Grace Notes: The Evidence of Grace

2011-11-14T17:17:00.005+08:00

Grace Notes together with The PJ Philharmonic Orchestra had worked together on a praise and worship piece entitled The Evidence of Grace to raise funds for the El-Shaddai Refugee School. It was organised by Migrant Ministry Klang and held in Harvest Christian Assembly Klang on Saturday, 12 Nov 2011.

Grace Notes has worked very hard on this, and in record time, compared to the other events we have taken part in. We took about a year to prepare for the previous big events. We only had a little more than 2 months for this one - and it was indeed stressful, and more so for Joanna, our conductor. Towards the end, we were literally meeting for practices every other day! It was truly all through the mercy and grace of God.

I do not think we did that well. But all in all, it is for the glory of God in His majesty. However, it was the journey that meant a lot to me and which I have thoroughly enjoyed. It was the learning, the going out of tune during initial practices, the frowns, the laughs, the frustrations, the accomplishments, the fellowship, the learning to bear with one another, that made it all worth it.

The one technical thing I have learnt from this round is the ability to sing more consistently in the lower register. The soprano part in this piece is quite challenging, with the lowest note being a Bb3 and the highest a B5. So it is good for me that I broadened my range as well.

On the spiritual end, I was quite moved by it on the whole. My favourite song is "I Can Only Imagine" - envisaging how it will be like when I am there. The song that brought me closer to God though was "Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord", reminding me to always be aware of God's presence in my life and to always keep my spiritual eyes open to the mercy, grace and love of God, open to obedience to Christ, and open to the needs of other people.

This video was created by Eddie Loh, a good friend of mine who was so willing to do it even though it was on a last minute request. The three of us, Eddie, his son Nicky and I, spent Sunday and Monday last week taking photographs and videos of a Myanmar church service and of Myanmar families in their homes in Kampung Jawa, Klang. However, I did not take any photographs this time - I left it to Eddie and Nicky. I was basically the driver.
(Note: the track used in the video above is the original from Word Music.)

The video was played during the song, "I Can Only Imagine", a wonderful song about how it might when one is in heaven and about to see God. If you notice the song lyrics, while they are mainly around the expectations and the imaginations of an individual, you will hear how it takes after Revelations in picturing how worship will be like in eternity in the presence of the Father and the Son - "Worthy is the Lamb, Praise the Great I AM! Hallelujah!"

pearlie

Book Review: Falling Upward by Richard Rohr

2011-11-11T13:34:00.001+08:00

I was attracted to this book first by the title and then by the cover. And then I thought I have for myself a wonderful book when I read its introduction - it promises a lot of things I was looking for.

But alas it feel from the sky to the very depths of the underworld. I could not continue with it and stopped at Chapter 6 with 6 more chapters to go.

I was indeed looking forward to read about what it means to build a life in Christ. I did know from the start that Richard Rohr is a Catholic priest, but little did I know he is as one Amazon reviewer termed him as a "progressive Catholic". I would say that he is pluralistic more than anything.

His views about how life in reality is true and I agree with him. I also agree with him that many areas of our lives and the church needs to undergo a more radical transformation than they have. But I could not agree with his means, and his treatment of theology and Scripture. He gives statements that are blatant and I could not agree with his explanation and justification.

For example, his treatment of sin is rather light, with statements like "you cannot avoid sin...anyway". I find it too absolute - cannot...anyway. Yes, it is difficult to avoid sin, but something we can do and should strive to do.

In reference to Paul's "It is when I am weak that I am strong", he writes, "he was merely building on what he called the 'folly' of the crucifixion on Jesus." Merely?

He writes that Jesus praised faith and trust more than love. Really? Where in the Bible did he find that?

He writes, "People who know how to creatively break the rules also know why the rules were there in the first place." Excuse me?

He writes, "You must first eat the fruit of the garden, so you know what it tastes like." If he is referring to the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden...I really do not know how to respond to that. I suppose I can, in a tirade, but I am just rendered speechless for now.

And this is among the last ones that made me stop reading the book: he writes, "There is not one clear theology of God, Jesus, or history presented, despite our attempt to pretend there is."

I rest my case.

pearlie

It is oh so comfortable

2011-11-10T23:11:00.004+08:00

Some of you may remember Daniel Radcliffe's splurge on a $17,000/RM60,000 mattress some years ago. Don't ask how I got to notice that piece of news, or actually even remembering it - I was a keen follower of some tweets back then I suppose, and I was on a search for a mattress in the past few weeks.

My husband has finally indicated that we need to change our pre-historic mattress and I have been mattress hunting ever since, and it has never been so confusing. Well, how often do you buy a mattress anyway. Ten years? Twelve years? Twenty years?

I did not know where to start. I did not know what was in the market. I did not know what is which and which is what. All I know was spring mattresses. But spring mattresses were the rave back then ten twenty years ago. Is it still the kind to go for?

Apparently not. Foam has been upgraded to memory foam and natural latex is back in business.

My first encounter of a natural latex mattress is quite amusing. Most mattresses sold here are locally manufactured and the only place I could find any reviews or recommendations of brands was the LowYat Forum, which wasn't much of a help as the information were scattered, incomplete and scant. So I dropped into a store just to have a feel of what's available. I remembered reading in the forum that King Koil mattresses were among the more popular ones, and so I requested for a view and a quotation. As I was about to leave, I sat curiously on a Getha mattress - I have seen it being advertised extensively for the past few years. I went, "Mmm...this is so comfortable!"

I knew then what I wanted. A latex mattress.

My subsequent search in the Internet was more helpful. I found some articles explaining the different types of mattresses currently available, and what I should do in choosing and deciding on the right one. I came away with several conclusions:

(1) The kind of mattress one should get depends on one's preferences, and of course, budget. There isn't any one best mattress for all.

(2) The key in choosing which mattress to buy is to lie on the display units of your choice for 15 to 20 minutes in your most preferred sleeping position, and if you still feel good after that, the bed is for you. Be prepared to visit the stores in your most comfortable clothes, save your pyjamas.

(3) It is very important to get a good and suitable mattress so that you get really good rest and sleep every night, since you will be using it for at least 10 years. So don't simply settle for any one. Get the best your budget can allow you.

(4) Most mattresses come with a 10-year guarantee. Find out all the information you can get about the warranty.

(5) Mattress purchases usually come with free gifts. Make sure you get your worth of extras without the extra cost.

My next visit to a store was when I was window-shopping with my mom. It so happened that we passed by a dedicated Getha showroom. I tried most of the mattresses there, which were so comfortable, and I took note of two which I preferred, priced at RM5000 and RM5800. It was above our budget though.

The third store I went to, sealed the deal. It was quite a random visit but it so happened that they carry another natural latex brand, Naturatex. They also have the memory foam type, which I tried but did not like. I finally settled on a Naturatex with a RM3290 price tag, which is well within our budget.

It just arrived awhile ago, it may not be RM60000 worth but it is oh so comfortable.

pearlie

After all these years

2011-11-09T18:24:00.001+08:00

Someone posted an old group photo of us when we were back in Primary 5, and God bless her because of that, I had lunch with a really old friend this afternoon. We have not met for 31 years!

It was delightful that we caught up again to exchange memories, to share stories of our lives, to talk about our families and our dreams.

Now how often does that happen? Well, maybe more now that we have the good ol' Facebook.

pearlie

125 volumes of commentaries and references literally at my finger tips

2011-11-07T13:29:00.004+08:00

I just found out that the Bible✙ app by Logos in my iPhone and iPad now reads all the electronic references and commentaries I have purchased from Logos.com. Wow!

The thing was when I last downloaded and installed the app, the only commentaries available for use in mobile devices were those like the NICOT/NICNT, which cost about RM5000 for 40 volumes.

With the access now enabled, I am now carrying more than 125 volumes of work in my devices. I have 58 volumes of the Word Biblical Commentaries, 49 volumes of the Tyndale Commentaries and 18 volumes of the Essential IVP Reference Collection.

I am now very, very tempted to get the Bible Study Library at RM830. I am not a very fervent user of my BibleWorks, but I do wonder how the Logos one match up to it.

pearlie

Oh! For a good night of sleep

2011-11-02T14:49:00.003+08:00

I slept so well last night after telling myself off for the late nights I keep ending up having, and not that I am doing anything useful at all. I told myself that I must at least get to bed by 10:00pm.

Last night, I finally listened to myself and did just that. It still took me about an hour to wind down and I fell asleep at about 11:00pm, which is nevertheless a record by far.

I had problems sleeping recently, so much so that I reinstalled a sleeping pattern monitoring app back into my iPhone and had it monitor my sleep cycles. The next thing I did was to cut off on coffee and tea consumption after 12:00pm, not that I am very successful with that though. And now to get to bed by 10:00pm.

Results? I had it from a bad nights most of last week,

to a great night last night.

I could not even believe it when I saw the graph this morning.
It looks like going-to-bed-at-10pm is a habit I will need to build and maintain. And the amazing thing is that my brain actually felt much more industrious today.

I know...it is common sense, but I think it all began with the invention of the light bulb, the television, the internet, right down to the iPhone and iPad, that are keeping me up most of the nights...bad...I know.

I am going to have to give up a lot of things I enjoy doing at night before I go to sleep.

pearlie

Check out the Sleep Cycle app.

Centering Prayer

2011-10-20T21:32:00.005+08:00

Lately, I have been trying out a more contemplative prayer way by spending 15 minutes in the morning just being quiet. I am not sure if it is some kind of centering prayer, but what I try to do is to be still and spend that 15 minutes of quietness focused on God. The time usually pass by very quickly, which may be a sign that it will be good to increase the length of time slowly but surely.

It is not easy to keep complete focused all the time, but it still is a very good, peaceful and deliberate time of being in God presence. I do not desire to "empty" my mind in the quietness, but rather to fill it with thoughts of God. So, I began to pick favourite bible verses to dwell on, letting them sink in.

But I realised something today. I found that most of the verses that I have been choosing so far for the quiet meditation are those that focused on me in relation to Him. I do not think it is all wrong, I am after all desiring to have a closer relationship with Him. And so I chose John 1:1-4 today, though I was not so attentive today.

Nevertheless, I must say, it should come with more practice.

pearlie

iPhone apps: Kobo vs. Kindle

2011-09-17T23:17:00.008+08:00

I last posted in November 2009 that I still can't get the hang of e-books. It's almost two years now and here I am not only stating that I am a confirmed e-book convert but trying hard to help a friend with hers too.

I was having a chat with Stella last week when she told me she purchased herself a Kindle. I asked if she realised she will not be able to buy e-books for her Kindle so easily. She did not. She was not happy to find that out and so I offered to help her figure it out, which I did.

Then I thought I could do the same with the Kindle app for my iPhone, since I am not too happy with Kobo now (long story, how it happened). And I now I am a happy Kindle customer. The Kindle app may not have the nice-to-have features like statistics and awards, but I find it better than Kobo.

Here are my takes in comparing the two apps:

Category	Kindle	Kobo	Prefer
Performance	Kindle performs better. It has less waiting time and moves to a new chapter like another page.	Kobo has a few seconds of waiting time from a chapter to another.	Kindle
Turning the pages	It does not give you a book-like page turning. It swipes. I did not like it at first but soon got used to it.	I like Kobo that it emulates a real page quite well. I do prefer this on Kobo.	Kobo
Search function	It has the so-very-important search function.	Nada. Go figure.	Kindle
Reading between devices	Kindle synchronises reading seamlessly between devices and backs up notes and highlights via Whispersync. It actually asks you first before the syncing to ensure you want to do it. I find that smart, so it does not automatically go to a page I do not want when I change devices.	It does not sync between devices and I lost ALL my book highlights and more importantly, my notes. How that happened I'll tell later, when I feel less traumatised.	Kindle
Storage of books	I am able to archive books in Kindle, so I can choose to keep a selected number of books in my devices.	I had wondered what will happen if I had the 1 million free books Kobo say they have. How will I fit all of them in my 32g iPhone.	Kindle
Reading in landscape	I like the way the iPad displays the book in landscape mode. It columnise the book into two making reading much easier. It really feels like I am reading a book book.	Kobo does it all in one huge column.	Kindle
Highlight and notation	Access to the highlights and notes in Kindle is just two taps away.	You need three in Kobo. May not seem like a big difference but in an intense flow of reading a book, it does.	Kindle
Dictionary	Oxford. Access right on the page you are reading, hence it might be truncated but most of the time, it is sufficient.	Webster. In the iPhone it brings you to a new page with white background. Irritates the eyes if you are reading white on black.	Kindle
Screen orientation	Kindle's screen orientation lock is very intuitive and can be performed in the midst of reading.	You need to taps a few times to change the orientation settings.	Kindle
Screen brightness	You need to close the Kindle app, do it at Settings in iPhone and get back in.	You can change the brightness of the screen right there on the book. Very useful.	Kobo
Reading Progression	Kindle kept it simple. One progress bar in any page you are reading. It is good, important really, to know how far you are at any one point.	One factor that really irritated me about Kobo in iPhone is its indication of how far you have read into the book. It only show your progress within the chapter. You have no any idea how much into the book you've read. It may be better in iPad but I still could not figure what it actually shows.	Kindle
Interface	Kindle's interface could be improved. It will be nice to have books in shelves. Not necessary, but nice to have.	I like Kobo's interface and it looks better. Books can be displayed in shelves. Display of books can be customised, new folders can be created. It logs your activities, reading patterns, it keeps track of which book you have finished. The awards a' la FourSquare are pretty cool, not necessary, but cool.	Kobo
Text	Kindle fully justifies the text in the page leaving big gaps in some of the lines.	Kobo is easier to read with word-hyphenation. I don't mind that it is not justified.	Kobo
Copy and paste	A hard-to-get thing but still, I wish I had it. Kindle allows me to share selected text in Facebook or Twitter. Now, why would I want to do that?	Kobo does not have it too but at least it allows me to email selected text, albeit limited. I email what I need to myself but it is a long piece, it is quite troublesome.	Kobo
Score	9/14	5/14	Kindle

In conclusion, I prefer Kindle. It's simpler and cleaner. Though I wish that:-
- I have the copy and paste function
- I can also upload non-Kindle books
- I have the Kindle e-Reader text-to-speech capability

pearlie

Be a fountain of blessings!

2011-09-07T13:37:00.001+08:00

Today's devotion by Oswald Chambers is a continuation of yesterday's. I find it so good and true, and I'm including it here.
____________________________________________
Fountains of Blessings by Oswald Chambers

The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life —John 4:14

The picture our Lord described here is not that of a simple stream of water, but an overflowing fountain. Continue to “be filled” (Ephesians 5:18) and the sweetness of your vital relationship to Jesus will flow as generously out of you as it has been given to you. If you find that His life is not springing up as it should, you are to blame— something is obstructing the flow. Was Jesus saying to stay focused on the Source so that you may be blessed personally? No, you are to focus on the Source so that out of you “will flow rivers of living water”— irrepressible life (John 7:38).

We are to be fountains through which Jesus can flow as “rivers of living water” in blessing to everyone. Yet some of us are like the Dead Sea, always receiving but never giving, because our relationship is not right with the Lord Jesus. As surely as we receive blessings from Him, He will pour out blessings through us. But whenever the blessings are not being poured out in the same measure they are received, there is a defect in our relationship with Him. Is there anything between you and Jesus Christ? Is there anything hindering your faith in Him? If not, then Jesus says that out of you “will flow rivers of living water.” It is not a blessing that you pass on, or an experience that you share with others, but a river that continually flows through you. Stay at the Source, closely guarding your faith in Jesus Christ and your relationship to Him, and there will be a steady flow into the lives of others with no dryness or deadness whatsoever.

Is it excessive to say that rivers will flow out of one individual believer? Do you look at yourself and say, “But I don’t see the rivers”? Through the history of God’s work you will usually find that He has started with the obscure, the unknown, the ignored, but those who have been steadfastly true to Jesus Christ.

Source: www.utmost.org

pearlie

Shine, Jesus shine through me

2011-09-06T13:14:00.000+08:00

My devotion this morning was a good one from Oswald Chambers: The Far Reaching Rivers of Life.

I have only very recently thought of myself being a river where God's goodness can flow through. I think it was from an mp3 sermon by John Piper that taught me that truth, and I am thankful for it. And here again in this morning's devotion, I am being reminded again that I must stay close to the Source for this river to flow and be a blessing to the people I come in contact with. I must never let any emotions or experience block the river from the Source. I must always stay close.

Chambers also commented rightly that, "God rarely allows a person to see how great a blessing he is to others," and I thought that is wise, lest we be proud of who we are or what we've done.

In the midst of the devotion, I was reminded of the song: Shine Jesus Shine, and it took on a fresh meaning for me, though it would be better if it went "shine through me", rather than "shine on me".

Lord, The Light of Your Love
Lord, the light of your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness shining
Jesus light of the world shine upon us
Set us free by the truth you now bring us
Shine on me, shine on me

Chorus
Shine, Jesus shine
Fill this land with the Father's glory
Blaze, Spirit blaze
Set our hearts on fire
Flow, river flow
Flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth your word
Lord, and let there be light

Lord, I come to your awesome presence
From the shadows into your radiance
By the blood I may enter your brightness
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness
Shine on me, shine on me

As we gaze on your kingly brightness
So our faces display your likeness
Ever changing from glory to glory
Mirrored here may our lives tell your story
Shine on me, shine on me
Shine Jesus shine

~ by Graham Kendrik (1987)

pearlie

I forgot to breathe, eat, sleep, mull, write and pray

2011-09-05T08:28:00.000+08:00

I had a great week off, being the long Hari Raya-Merdeka break last week, and I've taken the time to do and catch up on quite a bit of stuff, one of which is my sleep debt. Too bad sleep cannot be deposited but it can be owed, cause I slept quite a lot! At least for the first couple of days, and then I'm back at my bad habit of staying up late. But I made sure that I settle the debt the last two days over the weekend.

But one thing I have not been doing, i.e. updating my blog. I was too caught up with the break. Well, in that case, there is one even more important thing I have not been doing - keeping my prayer and quiet time. I notice that this is always the case when I get long breaks. I get lost in the flow of all the things I want to do that I can't do on ordinary days. That is bad, I still need to breathe, eat, sleep, mull, write and pray; and not play all the time.

But the break is over, sadly and gladly, and I'm back to life, back to reality, contentedly back to the quiet spot where I meet my God everyday. I'm sorry for my absence in the past week.

pearlie

The Economist: The minister of magic steps down

2011-08-27T08:43:00.007+08:00

I was reading with the headlines yesterday about the resignation of Steve Jobs, but no one but the The Economist has captured the sentiments so well - "The minister of magic steps down."

I wish him well.

Apple and The Economist: two of my all-time favourite corporations. One with amazing products and creativity that propel and stimulate my days, and the other with amazing writing and creativity that propel and stimulate my mind.

Click here for The Economist article.

pearlie

It all comes to nothing

2011-08-26T17:54:00.003+08:00

I really do not like working with MS Powerpoint - it is really limited to be used to generate documents but that is what I have been using for almost a year now. It is a requirement and a norm here to submit documents and deliverables in MS Powerpoint format.

I missed using MS Word and Excel.

Therefore, I was pretty excited to start working to analyse an Excel sheet this morning, and that is practically what I have been doing the whole day.

But alas, no matter how good the tool is, it is still the content that counts. I could not get any valuable analysis or conclusions out of the Excel sheet because of the poor quality of data and hence, nothing to include into the Powerpoint document I am suppose to update.

As such, I have been working hard for one whole day but nothing came out of it. Which means, in the eyes of others, I have not done anything.

However, at least I can proof that the answer to the question cannot be derived from that particular set of data, and there isn't any other data available. This will justify the use of a higher end model based on some assumptions.

That is at least one thing profitable out of my day, but as far as the Excel sheet is concerned, I had fun!

pearlie

I used up all my sick days...

2011-08-25T17:36:00.000+08:00

The Bitbook (like Facebook or Twitter) of the Bitizens from Tiny Tower, the iPhone game am still at, is quite entertaning. This for example, is hilarious:

"I used up all my sick days, so I'm calling in dead."

pearlie

A Prayer

2011-08-24T17:30:00.001+08:00

Psalm 25 (ESV)
Teach Me Your Paths

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
Indeed,none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For your name’s sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who is the man who fears the LORD?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.

Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.

Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.

pearlie

My day of languages

2011-08-23T13:18:00.000+08:00

If I were to mark each day of my life with a theme -- well, I actually have been doing that in a sense with the title of my daily posts -- then today will be the Day of Languages.

It began when we had a discussion among my colleagues about the Malay language - one of them commented that it does not have an original word for "bag". It uses a loanword: beg.

Later, I remembered Pastor Marvin (of Pantai Baptist Church or PBC, where I am attending for now) had announced that he will be speaking on the topic of the Bible this coming Sunday, in conjunction with the 400th year of the publication of the King James Version of the bible. I am looking forward to hearing it. Other than its spiritual aspect, the history and the technicalities of the Bible takes a very special place of my interests.

It reminded me of two books I have read before -- The Story of English by Robert McCrum and In the Beginning: the Story of the King James Bible and How It Changed a Nation, a Language, and a Culture by Alister McGrath -- that the work of both Shakespeare and the KJV bible is "regularly singled out as one of the most foundational influences on the development of the modern English language" (1). As such, the King James Version serves as a polished jewel in the crown of English language and culture (2).

However, I began to think that with the mark of the 400th year of the KJV, wouldn't the modern version of the English language be considered a very young language? What with the Chinese language that I believe is more than a thousand years old? And I have always thought that the Malay language is a very young language, but English too?

I do know that the modern English language has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, which began in the early 5th century.

I shared this with a friend who goes to PBC too and he did not quite believe me when I told him he would not understand Old English. So I showed him The Lord's Prayer in Old English (3):

Original and Translation
Fæder ūre þū þe eart on heofonum
(Father of ours, thou who art in heaven,)

Sī þīn nama ġehālgod.
(Be thy name hallowed.)

Tōbecume þīn rīċe,
(Come thy riche [(kingdom])

ġewurþe þīn willa, on eorðan swā swā on heofonum.
(Worth [manifest] thy will, on earth as also in heaven.)

Ūrne ġedæġhwāmlīcan hlāf syle ūs tō dæġ,
(Our daily loaf do sell [give] to us today,)

and forgyf ūs ūre gyltas, swā swā wē forgyfað ūrum gyltendum.
(And forgive us of our guilts as also we forgive our guilty)

And ne ġelǣd þū ūs on costnunge, ac ālȳs ūs of yfele.
(And do not lead thou us into temptation, but alese [release/deliver] us of [from] evil.)

Sōþlīċe.
( Soothly.)

So in that sense, English isn't so young - it has been evolving for 1500 years till what it is today. A fully developed and perfected language takes a very long time.

A perfected language is one that has a letter of every single sound, one with words that are very original and one that has a wide vocabulary to cover a wide scope in the articulation of meanings. I do not think the Malay language is that fully developed, not even English but it is better, comparatively. I am not sure about the other languages, but I was told that the Arabic language is considered a highly perfected one, as well as Korean.

I went to check out the ages of language and found quite a comprehensive list here in Wikipedia. And I am surprised to find out that Old Malay is as old as Old English, 683AD and 650AD respectively.

Here some familiar ones:
* Greek - 1425-1375 BC
* Old Chinese - 1200 BC
* Aramaic - 950BC
* Hebrew - 950BC
* Korean - 100BC
* Arabic - 512AD
* Old English - 650AD
* Old Malay - 683AD
* Japanese - 700AD
* Old Hindi - 769AD
* Old French - 842AD
* Italian - 960AD
* Middle English - 1066AD
* Thai - 1292AD
* Korean (modern?) - 1446AD
* Early Modern English - 1470AD

Modern English is almost at the last of the list, albeit incomprehensive. And I did not realise that the Greek language is so old, older than Hebrew. But of course that will be Old Greek as compared to the current Modern Greek, which has evolved from Koine or Common Greek, what is used during the New Testament time, i.e. the language of the written text of the NT extant that we have now.

Indeed, a very interesting day of discovery for me.

pearlie

(1) Alister McGrath, In the Beginning, (New York: Anchor, 2001): 253
(2) http://www.sovereignword.org/index.php/defense-of-the-traditional-bible-texts-and-kjb/233-thomas-holland-crowned-with-glory-chapter-05-the-english-jewel
(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English

Gaps in my brain

2011-08-22T09:17:00.000+08:00

Why is it that you find what you are looking in the last place you look?!

My memory is failing me. I spent the whole evening looking for my computer charger cord. I tried tracing my steps to no avail. I finally checked in the most unlikely place and there it was. Then I remember putting it into a paper bag. I packed the paper bag aside forgetting what was in there.

I leave gaps in my brain.

pearlie

Restoring, bearing and sharing in a local church

2011-08-21T15:20:00.000+08:00

The sermon today completes the exposition of the Epistle to the Galatians. Paul in the last chapter sums up his overall theme and message of the epistle, i.e. the gospel is not a religion. It is not some laws and regulations that you can adhere to and as a result gain acceptance. The gospel is the salvation of God that happens at the very core of our being, that we are first accepted because of Jesus and as a result we desire to keep his commands.

What struck me though was the pastor's exhortation from Gal 6:1-10.

The passage can be summarised as follows:
(1) Restore your relationships with one another (v.1)
(2) Bear your burdens with one another (v.2-5)
(3) Share your blessings with one another (v.6)

The thing is this: in order to carry out all three, one has to be attached and active in a local church. Walking in the Spirit also means walking in the faith community, where there is mutual accountability of one another.

I am in a lurch at the moment - not being sure of where and how things will and should be concerning a local church. I am praying about it and hope to resolve the matter soon.

It is just that once you have been in a situation where you have been affected by church politics, you'd want to keep your distance and not be that involved again.

But I suppose this is why restoring, bearing and sharing with one another is so important.

pearlie

One Down, One More to Go

2011-08-20T22:52:00.003+08:00

I finally sat down to work on my assignment. I have been procrastinating it like there's no tomorrow. I am glad I got down to work on it today from 11am to 11pm and completed the one on the Gospel of Mark, with another one to go.

I should hit the iron while it is still hot, which means I must do this again tomorrow. Though I would need more than a 12-hour stretch to complete the second one on 1 Peter.

pearlie

Actually, that's not in the Bible (CNN Belief)

2011-08-19T11:24:00.002+08:00

I found this article in CNN Belief blog. What do you think?

Actually, that's not in the Bible

By John Blake, CNN

(CNN) – NFL legend Mike Ditka was giving a news conference one day after being fired as the coach of the Chicago Bears when he decided to quote the Bible.

“Scripture tells you that all things shall pass,” a choked-up Ditka said after leading his team to only five wins during the previous season. “This, too, shall pass.”

Ditka fumbled his biblical citation, though. The phrase “This, too, shall pass” doesn’t appear in the Bible. Ditka was quoting a phantom scripture that sounds like it belongs in the Bible, but look closer and it’s not there.

Ditka’s biblical blunder is as common as preachers delivering long-winded public prayers. The Bible may be the most revered book in America, but it’s also one of the most misquoted. Politicians, motivational speakers, coaches - all types of people - quote passages that actually have no place in the Bible, religious scholars say.

>>more

pearlie

The Feeding of the 5000 according to John

2011-08-18T11:02:00.003+08:00

The sermon text this past Sunday was taken from Matt 14:13-21 about the feeding of the 5000. I obtained an article from ATLA Serials, but based on John 6:1-15 by Gail R. O'Day, Professor of Preaching and New Testament in Candler School of Theology.(1)

I made a parallel comparison of the feeding account:

(Click on image to enlarge)

The professor's take on the John passage is interesting. I agree with her that comparing with the Synoptic Gospels, John tend to leave a lot of gaps and include several mentions that are not in the Synoptics:

1. The Passover was at hand (v.5)
2. The testing of Philip (v.6)
3. It was a boy who has the 5 loaves and 2 fish (v.9)
4. Jesus gave thanks for the loaves rather than saying a blessing (v.11)
5. The people saw it as a sign that Jesus is the Prophet who is to come into the world (v.14)
6. Jesus withdrew because he perceived that the people are about to come and take him by force to make his king (v.15)

Let me see what we have here:

1. The Passover
John mentions the Passover all across the Gospel (John 2:13, 23; 6:4; 11:55; 12:1; 13:1; 18:28,39; 19:14), unlike the Synoptics where it is only mentioned in the Passion passages, except Luke who related the journey to the Passover feast when Jesus was 12 years old.

In my view, the Gospel of John is not structured chronologically and hence his mention of the Passover, which is not limited to the Passion narrative, is a significant sign pointing to Jesus as the Passover sacrificial Lamb of God. And it is only in the Gospel of John, not the Synoptic Gospels, where John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36).

2. Testing of Philip
I am not too familiar with the disciple theme in the 4 Gospels, except maybe in Mark where the disciples were unaware and blind to who Jesus is until Peter's confession in chapter 8.

What I am beginning to discover in John is that Jesus' focus on the disciples is in the revealing of Himself as the Messiah. This is in line with the general theme of the Gospel of John, the book of signs, i.e. the revealing of the Son of God, who is Jesus.

Right from the first miracle at Cana, the purpose of the miracle was accomplished as John said, "This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him." (John 2:11) We must take note that in this first sign or miracle, no one else other than Mary, the servants and the disciples knew about it. And John stated that Jesus has manifested his glory, and as a result his disciples believed in him.

At the end of John's Gospel, we find the account of doubting Thomas, not mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels. The disciples have met the risen Jesus except Thomas and when he was informed of it, he did not believe until he saw and touched Jesus' wounds. Jesus' respond to him and implicitly to us is so profound: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (20:29)

3. The Boy with 5 Loaves and 2 Fish
I find it interesting that only John mentions the boy. I believe countless sermons have been preached and Sunday School lessons taughton the generosity of the boy with the bare minimum he had, and lowly kind of food too. O'Day validly commented that the Gospel does not say that the boy offered his food to Jesus. Andrew just pointed out that a boy had them and that Jesus later had the food, which he distributed.

I may be wrong but I think the focus here is still on the disciples. Andrew is inadvertently saying that they have the food but it is not enough for so many people, and the food belongs to another person anyway. It shows the lack of faith in the disciples in who Jesus is.

4. The Giving of Thanks
I am not sure if there is much of a significance between the saying of blessing and the giving of thanks for the loaves and the fish. O'Day referred it to the difference in relation to the Eucharist, but I don't see the point there.

5. A Sign that Jesus is the Prophet
This is the very character of the Gospel of John, with it being called amongst others, the Book of Signs, by some scholars. John has used the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 as a sign to show that he is the Messiah, Christ, Son of God and the Light of the world.

6. The people wanted Jesus as king
Jesus is the promised Messiah but in the form of a suffering servant, the Lamb of God. The people wanted a second David instead, a political king.

What I learnt:

The Gospel of John is really about who Jesus is and who is this Jesus we should believe in, and what we should do about it. John says in 20:30-31, "Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

And the Feeding of the 5000 passage in John accomplishes that very purpose - the display of who Jesus is and the requirement of our faith in him as the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (note "sin" in singular form).

As Philip got tested, so will we be tested in our faith in who he is. We do fall into the temptation of taking Jesus and wanting Jesus to be other than who he is, the Christ and the Son of God. We do fall into the danger of limiting him to our needs and desires, as if his only job and purpose is to fulfill us in our small and insignificant lives.

He is more than that! Jesus is the Son of God, worthy of praise and worship. As much as we are given the right to a relationship with him, an intimate one no less, we still must treat it with seriousness, and approach him with awe and reverence, respect and honor.

He fed the 5000, now he wants to feed 7 billion.
With the bread of life that only he can give.

pearlie

(1) Gail R. O'Day, "John 6:1-15", Interpretation April 1, (2003): 196

Tiny Tower

2011-08-17T12:21:00.002+08:00

My son introduced me to this game and now I am kind of hooked on it. It is something like Farmville though simpler and not as complicated, and not so much of a time waster, albeit still a potential. I wonder how many floors I'll build before I am done with it. I've built the 9th.

pearlie

p/s (24/8/2011) I am not at Floor 24. Getting a bit tired of it already.

Why the change?

2011-08-16T12:14:00.000+08:00

The route that usually take me just 15 minutes to get me to where I am headed is now taking me almost an hour. Sigh...

pearlie
Photo (c) 2008 drouu

Logorrhea

2011-08-15T08:12:00.000+08:00

I learnt a new word: logorrhea. It means speech that is pathologically incoherent and repetitious. It's wearisome volubility.

And I had to suffer a big share of it today. It was painful.

pearlie

The Body, the Church

2011-08-14T08:10:00.000+08:00

My family church celebrated its 44th anniversary today. Grace Notes was invited to sing and so I was there. It has been awhile since I have attended Sunday service in this church and even though I spent more than half my life there and even though I call it my family church, I did not know half the people in the service.

It has now became a reality to me that the church is the faith community and not the structure. The longer you spend away from the community, be it physically or even mentally, the further you will feel in relation to it.

pearlie

A Thousand Words #137

2011-08-13T08:44:00.001+08:00

pearlie
Photo (c) 2008 Zsuzsanna Kilian

"...but in spiritual matters you will think yourself into cotton wool" (Oswald Chambers)

2011-08-12T14:39:00.002+08:00

God as always has his way with me. I had prepared some devotional readings for Grace Notes to use every Wednesday to set us first in the presence of God before we practice and rehearse our songs. I have been taking it from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening: Daily Readings but have recently changed the source to Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest. The readings are shorter but the language is quite up there. So I spent some time looking through each of the ones I've selected to simplify the language where I can.

Chambers is wonderful with his words and lessons. I was being chastened and corrected by most of them, even though my intention of reading them was only for editting purposes. The Lord has indeed spoken.

These two hit me quite hard today:

_______________________
Imagination V. Inspiration
(Sep 14)

"The simplicity that is in Christ."
2 Corinthians 11:3

Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly for a long while, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think a spiritual muddle clear, you have to obey it clear. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will think yourself into cotton wool. If there is something upon which God has put His pressure, obey in that matter, bring your imagination into captivity to the obedience of Christ with regard to it and everything will become as clear as daylight. The reasoning capacity comes afterwards, but we never see along that line, we see like children; when we try to be wise we see nothing (Matthew 11:25).

The tiniest thing we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is quite sufficient to account for spiritual muddle, and all the thinking we like to spend on it will never make it clear. Spiritual muddle is only made plain by obedience. Immediately we obey, we discern. This is humiliating, because when we are muddled we know the reason is in the temper of our mind. When the natural power of vision is devoted to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the power of perceiving God's will and the whole life is kept in simplicity.

____________________
The Unheeded Secret
(Oct 19)

"My kingdom is not of this world."
John 18:36

The great enemy to the Lord Jesus Christ in the present day is the conception of practical work that has not come from the New Testament, but from the Systems of the world in which endless energy and activities are insisted upon, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation, for lo the kingdom of God is within you," a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives in the shop window. It is the innermost of the innermost that reveals the power of the life.

We have to get rid of the plague of the spirit of the religious age in which we live. In Our Lord's life there was none of the press and rush of tremendous activity that we regard so highly, and the disciple is to be as His Master. The central thing about the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship to Himself, not public usefulness to men.

It is not its practical activities that are the strength of this Bible Training College, its whole strength lies in the fact that here you are put into soak before God. You have no idea of where God is going to engineer your circumstances, no knowledge of what strain is going to be put on you either at home or abroad, and if you waste your time in over-active energies instead of getting into soak on the great fundamental truths of God's Redemption, you will snap when the strain comes; but if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in God on the unpractical line, you will remain true to Him what ever happens.
_________________________________

pearlie

A song to laugh at myself

2011-08-11T08:56:00.002+08:00

Sing a song of sixpence
My day was in a daze
Four and twenty hours
Being stuck in a maze
Oh I feel so stupid
What have I here to bring
Won't it be a humbling thing
To set before the king

Don't mind me - it's just one of those days and I am laughing at myself...

pearlie

The Whole Earth Had One Language

2011-08-10T22:52:00.001+08:00

I was "chatting" with a good friend via emails when he brought up the topic of languages, of how he was revising his skills in the Tamil alphabet, something he had not done since childhood. I told him that I too am limited in the usage of the Chinese language, and isn't it interesting that we all now speak in one global language, English.

I began to wonder: if God dispersed the people of the world by language, what happens now that almost the whole world is using one language?

Gen 11:1-9 (ESV)
1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one anotherís speech." 8 So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

The reason why God dispersed them was because they wanted to build a name for themselves (v.4). They wanted glory and honour. Their desires were akin to that of Adam and Eve's, i.e. to be lords of their own lives.

God dispersed them because not only will they do that but they will want more - human will never be satisfied with their current status, it will not be enough. Just imagine if God had not dispersed them, how the world would be like if there were only one nation. I think it will be the same or worse. There might not be any racial disputes, but there will still be much war and strife.

So God dispersed them and after the dispersion, God chose from all the nations, the nation of Israel, to teach them the way of God and to lead them into a dependence on God and God alone, and through them, to teach the world at large on the dependence on God. But Israel failed and in their disobedience, they ended up dispersed.

Then God sent his Son, and through the work of the cross, believers came together as one body to form the Church. But as we see it, the Church has its dark ages as well and in no time, we were also dispersed with differences in doctrines and denominations.

I began this train of thought with the question of what would be next now that we have one global language? It turned out that language is not the issue. When God first dispersed the human race, it was because of what they desired to be. So God dispersed them by introducing different languages, resulting in different nations. With that, the nations developed differences in culture, lifestyle, beliefs and history over the centuries, and with it, strife and discord. So even if we speak one global language now, it will in no way unite us. The only thing that can unite us is the love of God, through His Son, Jesus.

There will be a last dispersion - the dispersion on Judgement Day, and what will segregate us then will be the Book of Life, of the Lamb. Either we are with Jesus or we are not. This segregation will be the final one - whether we are good and faithful servants in Jesus or we are not, whether we are covered by the blood of the Lamb or we are not.

pearlie

Dying to self?

2011-08-09T08:17:00.001+08:00

Someone said this to me sometime ago as something I needed to do - die to self - and I have been keeping mindful of that lately.

However, I know that we weren't commanded to die to self in the Bible. It is the denying of ourselves that was the command. It is the denying ourselves of our desires of the flesh and being dead to ourselves. We are alive because Christ is risen, we are not dead.

It may be just a matter of semantics. I found someone writing about it here.

What do you think?

pearlie

A daily reminder to myself

2011-08-08T08:23:00.003+08:00

pearlie

The Circle of My Relationship with Jesus

2011-08-07T12:36:00.004+08:00

I completed my retreat today - I have mixed feelings about it.

For one, I signed up for a silent retreat but it turned out not a silent one. Silent retreats are a blessing for introverts like me who sometimes feel drowned in the sea of extroverts, God bless them, they are everywhere!

The theme of the retreat was Friendship with Jesus Through Spiritual Exercises. I tend to be careful about the theme of friendship in relation to Jesus. If I am not mistaken, Jesus does not call himself our friend. He only called us his friends.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
~ John 15:12-17

I have not done much exegesis on this passage yet, but what I can say is that Jesus in calling us his friends is related to his work on the cross, where he laid down his life for us. This friendship is not reciprocal nor chummy, which is the danger if we see too much into Jesus as our friend. The context of friendship, I believe, is only in relation to him giving up his life. The language in the passage do not portray Jesus as friend - a friend as we understand it (1) do not command as Jesus is doing here and (2) friends choose each other to be friends, but we did not choose Jesus but he chose us.

I have not fully digested what I read here but it might be useful if you want to think about it more.

With regards to the spiritual exercises, it was described in the website that spiritual exercises will be introduced in the retreat but only one format of exercise was used. It was alright, really - it is quite a good structure though I'd rather have some variety. I know I sound like a whiner, but doing 12 exercises for 3 full days using the same format is really a bit much for me.

But I have had a good experience with God nonetheless. Each of the exercise were accompanied with a symbol and I thought that was good as it will help connect us to the experience we had in each exercise.

The spiritual exercise involve:
1. Preparation - before my prayer place, I consider ____ (e.g. how God created life). I make a gesture of reverence and humility.
2. Opening Prayer - With simple words, I offer my ____ to God/Father/Jesus/the Holy Spirit (e.g. offer my whole life).
3. Desire - I desire to ____. (the one intention of the exercise, e.g. know the the life-giving God).
4. Prayer - imagination contemplation of a related Scripture passage.
5. Conversation using the symbol.

The symbols were presented in the friendship theme but I am going to change it into a broader relationship perspective. Another observation is that I find that not all of the symbols were directly applicable. I don't know...I do not want to have such a critical spirit but yet, these things matter to me. So I am going to make changes as well.

The Circle of My Relationship with Jesus

Water
The Spirit hovers above the water to symbolise God who is the creator

Earth
Life that is brimming in the soil to symbolise Gos who is the life giver

My Grandma's Thimble
(anything that belongs to your grandmother or your birth certificate)
The link to my ancestors in our genealogy to symbolise my link to Jesus

Mirror
My image in the mirror to symbolise God creating me in his image
(I do not know how to change this. This is one exercise that I had the most problem with. I could not carry out the spiritual exercise because I could not relate the image I see in the mirror,i.e. my face, as an image of God. And if the mirror symbol is picked up from 1 Cor 13:12, we have to realise that mirrors at that time are made of cast metal or bronze, i.e. the image that you see will be dim and unclear, and the context of the mirror here is not related to us being created in his image. What do you think will serve as a better symbol?)

Bread
The body and the blood of Christ in the coming together as one body of Christ

Ointment
The ointment "in the alabaster jar" to symbolise that Jesus accepts us

Seeds
The word of God that God sowed on us as soil to symbolise listening to God

Ring
The ring that the forgiving father gave to the prodigal son who returned to symbolise forgiveness

Oil
The healing oil that symbolises God's healing power

Towel
The towel that Jesus used to wash the disciples' feet to symbolise servanthood

Fruit
A fruit to symbolise that I am merely a branch of the vine who is Jesus who is the source of everything I have and need

Cross
The cross of Christ where Jesus carried my guilt and shame

New Clothing
New clothes to symbolise that I am a new creation and risen with Christ into a new life

Candle
Fire on a candle to symbolise the Holy Spirit who is now in me, renewing me everyday in Christ, and bringing the symbols into a complete circle.

pearlie

Grace and Power

2011-08-06T00:28:00.000+08:00

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Cor 2:9

pearlie

He gave me...

2011-08-05T23:43:00.001+08:00

Beauty for ashes
Eternal life in Christ
Quiet moments with the Father
Unity of the body of Christ
Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
Everlasting love of God
Truth in the Holy Scripture

pearlie

Why do you think God created the universe?

2011-08-04T23:05:00.003+08:00

I know I did say in May that silent retreats will be an annual thing for me but it looks like I am taking on one more this year. It was the experience that I had in May that prompted me and also it was the topic of this retreat that attracted me - Friendship with Jesus, through spiritual exercises.

I must say that I was not in agreement with quite a lot of things during my first silent retreat here last year because the topic was with regards to teaching and doctrines. The Catholic father did have views I did not agree with. But I thought it may not go so wrong with spiritual exercises - as it was in May and I hope the same for now.

The spiritual exercise we did this evening was a meditation on the Holy Spirit who hovers over creation, with a purpose to know and recognize our God as the creative God.

The exercise taught and reminded me of two things and more:

1. God created space
Not space in the sense of the universe, but space in the area we now have. I have not thought about God's creation in that way before. First, it was nothing (cannot imagine how it was like) and then there is space, where things and live exist.

2. God created the universe
Yes, God created the universe. That is so fundamental as far as Christians are concerned, but during the meditation, I began to wonder why would God create the huge almost unlimited wide expanse of a universe and then created human being and other living things in one small teensy weensy, itsy bitsy bit of space in the universe call earth? Isn't that an overkill? Why not just have earth, and the sun and moon at the correct distance as they are now?

Why I think he did that is because of at least these three reasons.

One, because he is a mighty and infinite God, how else could he have done it but to create an almost infinite space?

Two, he is a creative God, and he wants to create.

The third reason, I think, has to do with us. If the first reason is true, then why did he create us so small? Imagine us big and huge with great supernatural powers. No, instead God created us small with limited powers and capabilities. But really, that is only true on the surface in a relative sort of way. We may think we are not big and huge but compared to a lot of living things, we are. We may think we do not have many powers but compared to the other created being, we have this higher level of consciousness and intellect. We are after all created in God's very own image, not physically since God is spirit but somehow in his likeness. What is significant though, is that God knows that given the choice, which we were, we will choose to rule our own lives and our own world and forget him as our creator and forget that we are merely created beings, which we did, hence Jesus and the cross. But are we lord enough or god enough to rule over the whole of universe? We do not even know where it begins and where it ends. The moment we think we found out, we realize that there is much more beyond. So, I think, God created the universe to put us in our place.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
~ Psalms 19:1

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
~ Romans 1:20

I need to know my place. I am special because I am created in God's image, as you too are. But I am a created being, as you too are, submissive to the creator God.

pearlie

A Thousand Words #136

2011-08-03T08:40:00.001+08:00

pearlie
Photo (c) 2007 Jose Bernalte

Word Removal Tool to Aid Memorization

2011-08-02T08:59:00.003+08:00

Do you take the effort to memorize bible verses?

The younger you start the longer they stay in your brains. The few verses that I memorized in my younger days are still with me, but the ones I have memorized later in my life have disappeared.

The church I now attend does a bible verse memory execrcise every Sunday, by the pastor before he begins to preach. And I have picked it up again, using the Bible Verses app in my iPhone, which is good because apparently the act of memorizing using a word removal tool really aids in memorization, not flash cards.

For a web-based tool, I think this should be available - www.mybiblememory.com

pearlie

Enjoy Your Assignments

2011-08-01T08:36:00.002+08:00

I need to kickstart my assignment engine so badly. I have 2 more assignments to pass up before I could graduate.

I had initially decided to tackle the question on the differences and similarities of the portrayal of Jesus in Matthew and Luke - but I somehow could not get it started.

I tried. I read, I researched, I started on the assignment but it got nowhere.

So I thought I had better look for an option. I started thinking about this other question about looking for the themes of Mark in its prologue, and before I knew I was enjoying my assignment again. When I told Melissa that, she laughed at me commenting that people do not enjoy assignement - but I do! And when I don't, something is not right somewhere as it happened with the Matthew-Luke question.

I am now deciding on the 2nd assignment - should I take the one on apostasy in Hebrews or social discrimination in 1 Peter? The Hebrews one sounds more enjoyable.

pearlie

Fasting

2011-07-31T08:48:00.001+08:00

The holy month of Ramadhan starts tomorrow where all Muslims will fast on food and water and anything sensual from sunrise to sundown. With this, the pastor gave a sermon on the Christian fast based on Matthew 6:16-18 focussing on these questions:

* Should Christians fast?
* Why do we fast?
* How should we fast?

Should Christians fast?
We should fast because Jesus expects us to. In Matt 6:18, he said, "and when you fast...", and not "and if you fast". So fasting is something we should do.

Why do we fast?
Matt 9:15 sets the reason for fasting.

And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridgegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast"
~ Matthew 9:15

We fast because the world and the Church misses Jesus. We deprive ourselves so that we will be satisfied with him.

How should we fast?
We see in Matt 6:16-18 that Jesus is not so concerned about how we do it but rather, how we should not do it.

The most important is that we do not fast to be seen by others, i.e. not to get admiration and praise or even to have others think well about us. It is not so much having to do it in secret and if found out, woe to us, but it has to do about having a right intention of fasting and even if others found out, it does not matter how they look at us.

It is to fast not to be seen by men but to be seen by God.

There are no rules and regulations to the Christian fasting - other than our intention - no set times, no set kind of food or things to fast from, etc.

What we need to fast on are the things that have a hold on us, on the delicacies of life, from our incessant nibblings of the world. And when we fast, we fill our "empty" spaces with the presence of God.

We fast to feed on God.

pearlie

A Thousand Words #135

2011-07-30T11:43:00.002+08:00

pearlie
Photo (c) 2007 Leannz0r

Why must we perform, achieve? Why can't we just be?

2011-07-29T12:55:00.000+08:00

As I begin my day this morning, being mentally tired after a long work week, I began to think why is humankind so obsessed with performance? Why must we always do, perform, achieve? Why can't we just be?

It has been ingrained into us the "need" to be better. We are to meet standards, to achieve and even exceed the targets of our KPIs (key performance indicators). I know all that, it is part of my work in HR consulting. But why?

Why can't we just be who we are? Sure, you may say that we need to progress and be better, but why? Why can't we just be?

Let's imagine how it would be if we do away with being better? We just stay and be who we are. Yes, we may do things and be productive, but not for the sake of being better but just do and produce things, just read and accumulate knowledge, just live and let live, just be who we are.

I know, that is where it begins to sound weak and even ridiculous. We surely are imperfect - just look at us and humankind in general. Looks like it's a must and even mandatory for us to be better than what we are now.

Still, that begs the same question: Why?

I have two observations.

One, all this race for higher and better performance points very clearly to the existence of one perfection, one standard, the best, not the creme of the crop, not the top performers, but the One. And for it to be the One, it has to be a Supreme Being, not a plethora of gods, but one God.

Two, all this race to meet that perfection is because of the Original Sin, the greatest sin of the humankind: wanting to be god. Our relationship with God became severed because of that act, and as much as we strive and work at being good, we will never be satisfied. We want to reach perfection. We want to be perfect. We want to be god. To put it milder, we want to run our own lives, with our own standards, with our own ethics, with our own effort, to say that we have done it. In short, we want to be the controller of our own lives, to be our own god.

But what about us Christians?

Our severed relationship with God is reconciled. Knowing that we are not able perform and achieve that reconciliation - we are far from being perfect and not even close to reaching Him to begin with - He came to us instead as the Perfect Son. He reconciled us to God by paying the debt for our sin, the sin of wanting to be the god of our own live,s which leads to a life without God and that means death.

So Jesus died that death for us and He was severed from the Father at His death. But He is God and God is life. Death does not have the hold on Him and He was risen. And with Him, we also rise from our death and become reconciled to the Father.

With that reconciliation, we are letting go the desire to be our own god, and let God rule our lives.

Being imperfect beings who spends more and more time daily with the perfect God in obedience, we will become more and more like Him and thus, more and more perfect.

So perfection comes through obedience, not striving. There will no longer be a race and struggle to perform. Instead, we will be more eager to obey.

How will this be played out in our lives, at home, at work, at study?

Yes, we still work to meet the standard and targets given to us, by others and even ourselves. It is our duty and prerequisite to live here on earth. But it will not be done as a blind endeavour for more and more, or for the sake of having more, being more and taking more.

The reason to achieve, to perform and to be better is done as an obedience to God. That will involve surrendering to God, offering as a worship to him in what we do, trusting in His grace to be sufficient, loving one another in living our lives.

If only we can station that into our hearts, minds and soul, can we release the temptation to gain for the sake of self.

We do not have to be better, we only need to obey and through that obedience, we will be better.

With that worked out in my mind, it will certainly make me look at work more differently now.

pearlie

John Stott

2011-07-28T08:59:00.002+08:00

John Stott has gone home to be with the Lord. He was a great man and had touch so many lives in Christ through his work.

Christianity Today published an extensive eulogy of him here. I don't have to say more, it's all there.

He is with the Lord, how wonderful is that.

pearlie

For when I am weak...

2011-07-27T23:39:00.003+08:00

2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Most Christians would be familiar with these words of Paul. It sounds simple and easy, but it's not.

I know how is it to be weak. We have our own degrees of struggles and pain, our own degrees of weakness. I do not experience or know your struggles nor do you mine. It is therefore unprofitable for anyone to compare, to belittle the pain of others or God forbid, to be glad that we don't have it as bad as others. We face our own struggles. We know out own struggles.

And Paul says, "For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Paul's context of strength is without a doubt the strength of God. It is only in our weakness that our flesh, our self-dependence is subdued for God's strength to finally work in us.

However, when reality strikes, it does not seem so easy. I can describe and explain how I am weak, but find it hard to tell you how I am strong. Yes, I have faith but it seems weak in the arduous pain I feel. Yes, I have the grace of God but I succumb to self-pity and self-worthlessness. I do not feel strong, I feel weak.

But praise be to God and Jesus Christ my Lord that it does not depend on how I feel. It relies on the very utterance of God. When he says when we are weak, then we are strong, it shall be so. Nothing we say or feel is going to deny it. The only requirement is our surrender to him and to take him at his word, he is trustworthy.

For when I am weak, then I am strong. Amen.

pearlie

Because of His GraceSongs He chose for me

2011-07-26T09:22:00.003+08:00

I did not have a good day today. I usually do not listen to the radio or anything during my commute, and if I do, I usually hook my iPhone onto the stereo and play songs randomly from a collection of 500+. This time I uttered a prayer to God that he will minister to me from the songs played, and these were his selection for me, which was perfect.

1. Through the eyes of a child, Sandi Patty
2. Not my own, Twila Paris
3. Be still my soul
4. I say grace, Hayley Westenra
5. Only by grace

1. Through the eyes of a child
It's such a never-ending story
When you contemplate the world
Of all the ways that serve to hurt our fellow man
Is the answer oh, so simple
That we've forgotten how to love?
When we wring our hands and seek to understand
Are we blinded by the force of our own needs
To solutions that should be plain for all to see

Chorus:
Through the eyes of a child there is innocence
Through the eyes of a child all is love
May the light of Jesus help us to see
All the world through their eyes
There's compassion enough for the deepest hurts
With mercy to heal every pain
And the hope for each tomorrow
When we find the grace to see
All the world through the eyes of a child

We're so full of misconceptions
Teaching prejudice and hate
As we educate our children at our knee
And yet the nature of the young heart
Is to hold out loving hands
To believe that there is good in all they see
Is the leading of a child the light we need
To bring us to the place we're meant to be

2. Not my Own

I am not my own
I am bought with a price
I am not my own, not my own

I am not my own
I cannot hold to pride
I am not my own, not my own

Take this false desire
Burn it in Your righteous fire
I am not my own, not my own

This is not my home
This is not Paradise
This is not my home, not my home

This is not my home
I have been far and wide
This is not my home, not my home

Make this longing true
Turn my wistful heart to you
This is not my home, not my home

When I turn to find Your eyes
O Lord, O Lord
I begin to realize
Once more, once more

I am not my own
I am bought with a price
I am not my own, not my own
Take this false desire
Burn it in Your righteous fire
I am not my own, not my own
I am not my own, not my own

3. Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

4. I Say Grace

You know sometimes I feel like I,
I gave it my hardest try
Is anything left? I lost it on the last roller-coaster ride

When I get cold - This is what I say
When my baby asks; 'How was your day?'
I say grace

Took a rock from the garden I made here
In the backyard with a little love and some care
I come here when the world gets too crazy
I come here when I'm just feeling sad

We all need a place we can go where
You pick your dreams out of thin air
I work in this garden of faith every single day

I say grace for the blue painted sky
I say grace for my lucky stars that shine
When I look back on the road that I've traveled down
I say grace for the love that I have found

Used to want to be at the top of the ladder
Even when you leap, you just come back down
When time gets a hold of my horses
I think I'll just laugh and go for the ride

Now while I look out my window
Where I planted my heart and my soul
It does a girl a world of good
To watch her garden grow - I

I say grace for the blue painted sky
I say grace for my lucky stars that shine
When I look back on the road that I've traveled down
I say grace

I've been through the hardest of seasons
Holding my heart in my hand
But every kind of thought has a reason
Now I understand

When the roof caves in - lets the sunshine in
Life is beautiful - now at the end of the day

I say grace for the blue painted sky
I say grace for my lucky stars that shine
When I look back on the road that I've traveled down
I say grace

I say grace
I say grace

5. Only by Grace
Only by grace can we enter
Only by grace can we stand
Not by our human endeavour
But by the blood of the Lamb
Into Your presence You call us
You call us to come
Into Your presence You draw us
And now by Your grace we come
Now by Your grace we come
Lord, if You marked our transgressions
Who would stand
Thanks to Your grace we are cleansed
by the blood of the Lamb
Lord, if You marked our transgressions
Who would stand
Thanks to Your grace we are cleansed
by the blood of the Lamb

pearlie

I keep seeing red today

2011-07-25T09:17:00.000+08:00

pearlie
Photo (c) 2007 Sachin Ghodke

Good works, naturally

2011-07-24T19:00:00.003+08:00

The sermon today brought up the tension between faith and works based on the exposition of Gal 5:1-6, where Paul says that if the Galatians were to depend on circumcision, they will never be free. If they do, two things become very clear - (1) they will not need Christ and (2) they will be obligated to keep every bit of the whole law and not just parts they like. The thing is that we are never perfect enough to fulfil the entire law, which is why the only way is to depend on Jesus's work on the cross for only he is perfect to fulfil all the requirements.

But of course that does not mean that we no longer need to produce good works. Good trees will certainly bear good fruits, it is just natural. So in the same way, when we live a life that is in Christ, the result is good works produced naturally. Our works in Christ is a "because of", not a "so that".

pearlie

Pluck - Musical Arson

2011-07-23T16:03:00.001+08:00

I came to know about "Pluck - Musical Arson" by chance last week. Calvin knew about it from school last year, and thought it might be quite good. So we decided to buy tickets and go watch it.

It was simply brilliant!

It is a classical music performance with a twist. It is pure talent with plain humour. They make it look so easy, playing the violin, viola and cello. It is second nature to them. And it was the most entertaining classical performance that I have attended, from the start to the end.

They are performing in PJ Live Art Center until 31 July 2011. Check them out here.

pearlie

Today is Pi Approximation Day

2011-07-22T09:35:00.004+08:00

22/7 is pi approximation.

Pi approximation is the approximation of the mathematical constant pi.

Pi is the 16th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the letter P.

P is the first letter of my name, Pearlie.

Pearlie is happy today.

Today is 22/7.

pearlie

Perfect Parenting?

2011-07-21T08:20:00.003+08:00

Times published an interesting article: Working moms vs. stay-at-home: what's better for kids?. "Are working moms somehow lacking as parents compared to stay-at-home mothers? According to a new demographic analysis from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the answer is a reassuring no. The study found that working doesn't lower the quality of parenting overall — or even worsen the load of parental stress."

But the study also found out having a considerable length of maternity leave matters.

I've always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. I feel that I could be a better mom by being at home, having more time to spend with the family and caring for the home. But we cannot afford it and I was back into the workforce since my son was 9 months old. But that desire to be a stay-at-home mom stayed with me, and only until recently had I begun to accept reality.

This also reminded me of the illustration the pastor used in his sermon this past Sunday. I googled it and discovered that he actually sourced it from the book Freakanomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Levitt is described on its jacket as a "rogue economist (who) explores the hidden side of everything".

Levitt generated a list of factors that correlated strongly with good school test scores and this is what he found mattered and what did not about parenting.

Matters: The child has highly educated parents.
(Ok, I consider myself that)
Doesn't: The child's family is intact.
(We are intact)

Matters: The child's parents have high socioeconomic status.
(Medium, I'd say)
Doesn't: The child's parents recently moved into a better neighbourhood.
(Ours is okay)

Matters: The child's mother was thirty or older at the time of her first child's birth.
(Yup, I was)
Doesn't: The child's mother didn't work between birth and kindergarten.
(Oh, I did)

Matters: The child had low birth weight.
(Oh no, he was heavy alright)
Doesn't: The child attended Head Start.
(What's that?)

Matters: The child's parents speak English at home.
(English is our first language, doesn't matter that we are Chinese)
Doesn't: The child's parents regularly take them to museums.
(Er, nope)

Matters: The child is adopted.
(No, he's not)
Doesn't: The child is regularly spanked.
(Used to!)

Matters: The child's parents are involved in the PTA.
(No PTAs in the schools he attended, and I'd most probably won't be much involved if there were)
Doesn't: The child frequently watches television.
(Moderately, he's ALWAYS at the computer, does that count?)

Matters: The child has many books in their home.
(Yup, loads!!! haha)
Doesn't: The child's parents read to them nearly every day.
(Used to and frequently too. When he was a baby, I even read my books and The Economist aloud! Now, I read the Bible to him every other day)

His test results? Not so good, some quite bad. But I'm not giving up hope that he'll do better.

pearlie

Oh no, Amazon has eaten our beloved Book Depository!

2011-07-20T09:49:00.007+08:00

I was in STM this morning and while having breakfast with Kar Yong and some fellow classmates, I learnt that Bookdepository has been acquired by Amazon. And I share the same dismay with Guardian that Amazon has eaten our beloved Book Depository.

It is the only decent place we can buy books online at a better price and free shipping. We do not yet know what Amazon will do with it. But as business and competition goes, I am imagining they'd, as Guardian so aptly put it, eat it up, gobble it all and they are done for...we are done for.

Boo hoo.

pearlie

Be careful how you text

2011-07-19T15:29:00.002+08:00

I think you would agree with me that SMSes, or any kind of text messages for that matter, make a poor medium of communication. Yes, it is convenient and it serves me well as I'd prefer to text than to talk but if we are not careful in the way we make our messages, it may do more harm than good.

A very good friend of mine sent me a "Dead Pearlie," some time ago, God bless him, I had a good laugh over it. That was nothing.

But the SMS I received today was worrying - someone important to me asked to see me urgently - which got me so worried the whole day. In the end, when we finally met in the evening, it was just the usual. A whole day of worrying for nothing, but I'm thankful that things are still in order.

pearlie

Let the Weak Say, "I am Strong"

2011-07-18T15:11:00.001+08:00

This was the closing song from yesterday's Sunday worship and it stayed with me today as an encouragement to remain in the Lord.

I searched YouTube but could not find any good ones until I found this. It gave me goosebumps, it was very well done.

pearlie

What is my worth tied to?

2011-07-17T14:28:00.001+08:00

Today's sermon was from Gal 4:21-31, where Paul used Sarah and Hagar as allegorical examples of who we call our spiritual parents (v.24).

What struck me was this: God was not for the fertile Hagar but barren Sarah. It is apparent historically through the reading of Scripture that we are not worthy because of who we are or what we can do and achieve. We are worthy only because of Jesus.

This lesson is timely for me - I wrote about my "Great Fulfilment" and Jesus as supremely valuable as he is, in the last two days. They bear the same question: what is my worth tied to?

In my weakness and in my flesh, I've tied my worth to what I desire to be and my worth is to be realised when I achieve it, only that my standard is ever moving higher and higher as I strive at it, and in the end I would never have realised my worth. This is what I mean when I call it The Great Fulfilment.

This explains why I am always living a defeated life - I am never good in what I do, I am not accepted as who I am, I am not appreciated for what I have done. In short, pride. I've tied my worth to myself, what I see as good and acceptable; to the world, what I take as what they see to be good and acceptable.

How foolish. I need a shift in my thinking and conviction.

I must be identified with the barren Sarah, who bore the son of promise and not the fertile Hagar who bore the son of flesh (v.23).

I am to tie my worth to Jesus, to his righteousness, of which I am robed with (Isa 61:10), and he is good and acceptable, without question. What I can never be good in, or accepted as or appreciated for is good, accepted and appreciated in Christ Jesus.

What I cannot achieve is achieved in me in Christ, and is thus good and accepted by God, and that is all that matters. What I think and what others think of me do not matter. Only God matters.

And what is wisdom to God is foolishness to the world. Thus, I have no reason to measure my worth through the eyes of the world.

My worth is in Jesus, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

But the tension is this: does it mean that I stop doing or striving? No, I don't. I am to be a living sacrifice for God, an offering to him, and how can I be a fragrant offering if not my best?

So I still do and strive and achieve, offering my best to God as an act of worship. This is separate from my worth that is in Christ.

pearlie

Jesus, supremely valuable just as he is, nothing more, nothing less

2011-07-16T13:28:00.000+08:00

I was reading John Piper's Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God and this portion amongst others, got me into thinking.

"...grace is is God's free giving, and faith is our helpless receiving. When God justifies us by faith alone, he has respect not to faith as virtue but faith as a receiving of Christ. So it is the same as saying that not our virtue, but Christ's virtue, is the ground of our justification...Faith saves because it receives Jesus. But we must make clear what this actually means, because there are so many people who say they have received Christ and believe on Christ but give little or no evidence that they are spiritually alive. They are unresponsive to the spiritual beauty of Jesus. They are unmoved by the glories of Christ. They do not have the spirit of the apostle Paul when he said, 'I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ' (Phil 3:8). This is not their spirit, yet they say they have received Christ. It looks as though it is possible to 'receive Christ' and not have him for what he is...they do not receive him as supremely valuable."

It is not what we do or who we are but the simple act of faith in receiving Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, and it must be accompanied by evidence in our lives that we are spiritually alive, i.e. knowing Christ through his word and obeying him.

And not as Piper has put it, simply receiving him as "sin forgiver (because they love being guilt-free" or as "rescuer-from-hell (because they love being pain free)" or as "healer (because they love being disease-free)" or as "protector (because they love being safe)" or as "prosperity-giver (because they love being wealthy)" or as "creator (because they want a personal universe)" or as "Lord of history (because they want order and purpose)".

We can only receive him as "supremely and personally valuable for who he is", nothing other than to proclaim in the Holy Spirit that Jesus is Lord (1 Cor 12:3) and bearing spiritual fruits as a result.

Have we received Jesus as who he is, nothing more, nothing less? Have I received him for who he is? Do I love him with all my heart, soul and mind that I treasure him above all else, as well as translating that love into obedience and love for others?

I do but I struggle, do you?

pearlie

The Great Fulfilment

2011-07-15T13:09:00.004+08:00

Someone asked me if I am happy with what I am doing now, and my reply was automatic.

"Yeah, it's ok".

"I see, so happy is too strong a word then."

"Oh no, it's not. I'm good."

It was a short exchange but it got me to realise that my level of happiness is indeed really up there. I suppose being an INFP, an idealist, I look to the Great Fulfilment to fully deserve that statement, that I am happy.

The Great Fulfilment is in a sense a nemesis to me. I am usually not completely satisfied with what I do and who I am. I know striving for improvement is something we all must catch on to, but I suspect it is a little bit more than that to me.

Which is why in order to survive, I must always remind myself that I will never get fulfilment from anyone or from anything or from anywhere, other than my heavenly Father.

"I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people will be satisfied with My goodness," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 31:14

"If you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday. And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail."
Isaiah 58:10-11

Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
John 4:13-14

pearlie

If only this fallow ground

2011-07-14T08:56:00.001+08:00

If only this
Fallow ground
Ever so dull
Ever so still
Left unused is
Deigned to be
Until it is
Made into
Brawn yet gently
Endowed with grace so
Dance in the wind
Dance with the King
O what a joy
When it will be a
Nesting ground where good is found

All rights reserved © 2011 Pearlie Ng

And I Quote #1

2011-07-13T23:04:00.002+08:00

Originality does not consist in saying what no one has ever said before, but in saying exactly what you think yourself.
~ James Stephens

pearlie

A day of catching up

2011-07-12T08:48:00.000+08:00

I was very much on my feet today, but I have not been well these 2 weeks and hence it has been tiring. Up and down and in and out attending meetings and a dim-sum lunch with three of my ex-collegues. Definitely a day of catching up.

pearlie
Photo (c) 2007 Janusz Gawron

Be stablished in the faith

2011-07-11T13:11:00.003+08:00

Charles Spurgeon hit the nail in the head for me again this time. Just as I was about to complain about stuff, about people, about life, he kinda slapped me in the face with this one.

July 11 Morning Devotion
“After that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
1 Peter 5:10

You have seen the arch of heaven as it spans the plain: glorious are its colours, and rare its hues. It is beautiful, but, alas, it passes away, and lo, it is not. The fair colours give way to the fleecy clouds, and the sky is no longer brilliant with the tints of heaven. It is not established. How can it be? A glorious show made up of transitory sun-beams and passing rain-drops, how can it abide?

The graces of the Christian character must not resemble the rainbow in its transitory beauty, but, on the contrary, must be stablished, settled, abiding. Seek, O believer, that every good thing you have may be an abiding thing. May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock! May your faith be no “baseless fabric of a vision,” but may it be builded of material able to endure that awful fire which shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite. May you be rooted and grounded in love. May your convictions be deep, your love real, your desires earnest. May your whole life be so settled and established, that all the blasts of hell, and all the storms of earth shall never be able to remove you.

But notice how this blessing of being “stablished in the faith” is gained. The apostle’s words point us to suffering as the means employed—“After that ye have suffered awhile.” It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong, and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Shrink not then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you.
~ Charles Spurgeon

pearlie

Disciple or Fan?

2011-07-10T13:08:00.002+08:00

Today's sermon was on Matthew 10, on Grace and the Cross of Christ. The sermon was simple, with little exposition of the passage, but it still drove home a very important message - are we following Christ closely or are we merely following him from a distance? Are we disciples or just fans?

I call myself a disciple of Christ but I am not always following him closely. I lose track sometimes, I tarry too long sometimes. And I needed to be always reminded of the grace and the cross of Christ.

O Holy Spirit, come abide in me, counsel me and lead me.

pearlie

Bersih 2.0

2011-07-09T08:55:00.001+08:00

Source: AFP

Malaysiakini: Bersih's legacy - the eradication of fear

pearlie

A Thousand Words #134

2011-07-08T08:53:00.000+08:00

pearlie
Photo (c) 2006 Elvis Santana

What Makes a Team Smarter? More Women

2011-07-07T09:46:00.000+08:00

Interesting read in Harvard Business Review (www.hbr.org):

Defend Your Research: What Makes a Team Smarter? More Women

The finding: There’s little correlation between a group’s collective intelligence and the IQs of its individual members. But if a group includes more women, its collective intelligence rises.

The research: Professors Woolley and Malone, along with Christopher Chabris, Sandy Pentland, and Nada Hashmi, gave subjects aged 18 to 60 standard intelligence tests and assigned them randomly to teams. Each team was asked to complete several tasks—including brainstorming, decision making, and visual puzzles—and to solve one complex problem. Teams were given intelligence scores based on their performance. Though the teams that had members with higher IQs didn’t earn much higher scores, those that had more women did.

>continue

pearlie

My Reading Frenzies

2011-07-06T13:12:00.008+08:00

It will only takes one book, the right book, to spark me off into a reading frenzy. The last time it happened was back in 2003 when my good friend Noel gave me Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ that spearheaded me to plow into these books:

2003
1. Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (Apr)
2. Who Needs Theology? by Stanley J. Grenz and Roger E. Olson (May)
3. What about other faiths? by Martin Goldsmith (May)
4. Scaling the Secular City by JP Moreland (May)
5. The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel (June)
6. The Trinity, by Christopher A. Hall and Roger E. Olson (June)
7. Surprised by Joy by CS Lewis (June)
8. Jesus and the Logic of History by Paul Barnett (June)
9. The Complete Worship Leader by Kevin J. Navarro (June)
10. The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis (July)
11. Jesus Among Other Gods by Ravi Zacharias (July)
12. The New Worship by Barry Liesch (Aug)
13. Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (Sept)
14. When Skeptics Ask by Norman L. Geisler and Ronald M. Brooks (Dec)

2004
15. Love in the Hard Places by DA Carson (Jan)
16. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by DA Carson (Jan)

In 2004, the frenzy fizzled off because by then, my focus was diverted to pursuing my Masters in Christian Studies. And I have not had any such reading spree until May this year: My 50-Book Challenge 2011/12

My blog is a good indicator of my reading behaviour. The last time I reviewed a book was back in July 2009 - which means I have not been reading any for the past 2 years! Wow... Yes, I bought books, I skimmed books (for the purpose of my assignments), I referred to books, but I never read (meaning read and finished) any since July 2009. The reason is as mentioned: my master's degree. I completed the last marathon of submission of papers on Mar 26, and now I am back into a reading frenzy.

However, the choice of books this round are very different. My 2003/4 spree were all theological books, more or less. But this time, my choices of books are anything that strikes my fancy. I think it has to do with the book that sparked me of. Back in 2003, I found Case for Christ such an excellent read and with it came a list of recommended reading chapter by chapter - I went hunting for those books. But this round, the spark was Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, a medieval historical novel. After reading it I began looking for recommendations based on that book and the chain goes on, interspersed with more solid books here and there.

I did 16 in 10 months in 2003/4 and currently 8 so far in 2 months. I do not want to stop - it's a 50-book challenge - but I still have two Introduction to New Testament assignments to hand up...

pearlie

A Thousand Words #133

2011-07-05T21:53:00.003+08:00

pearlie
Photo (c) 2008 Andrzej Gdula

Examination Results

2011-07-04T21:43:00.001+08:00

I went to pick up Calvin's mid-term examination results today. He did not do well, but the meeting with his homeroom teacher was good. She was nice and encouraging. She did say that she enjoys teaching my son and he is a delightful boy. I am glad. Just that I do not know what to do with his dismal examination results. It is said that the standards in this school is after all extremely high -- I'm not sure...I do not want to be an exam-oriented parent, but I do not want to be lax either. A tricky balance indeed.

pearlie

A Methodist among the Baptists

2011-07-03T23:01:00.001+08:00

What is a Methodist doing in a Baptist church?

I felt a wee bit out of place when the head of mission of the Baptist World Alliance -- the invited speaker for today in Pantai Baptist Church -- addressed the congregation, "we are all gathering as Baptists, and gathering as a church to proclaim the message of our lives, that is of Jesus and the cross, and Jesus as the risen Lord".

I need some getting used to being referred to as Baptist, which I'm not. But I do not feel that it really mattered, what I am, Methodist, Baptist, or Presbyterian. What is important is that we all belong to Christ, which I do.

The speaker referred to 1 Cor 1, to the Jews and Greeks, with the cross as a stumbling block and foolishness.

And here we are, Methodists and Baptists, and with this I quote Paul, "For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.' "

pearlie

A Warning

2011-07-02T23:14:00.000+08:00

Ezekiel 12:1-16

The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who must go into exile. In their sight dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it. In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk. You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel."

And I did as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight.

In the morning the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, 'What are you doing?' Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.' Say, 'I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.' And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes. And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there. And I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops, and I will unsheathe the sword after them. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.

But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD."

pearlie

A Thousand Words #132

2011-07-01T11:09:00.000+08:00

pearlie
Photo (c) 2005

It's fun, but...

2011-06-30T07:18:00.000+08:00

Have you had a time when you were having fun doing something but yet worried that in the end it will all be rubbish?

pearlie

It is to set us free...

2011-06-29T17:08:00.000+08:00

I am still reading Counseling and Psychotherapy, A Christian Perspective. It is taking me longer than I would have liked -- 16 days and still counting.

Though it is not an easy read, because of its length, it is still a good read. I am at the portion where he goes on a bit more indepth into Christian Counseling and I'd like to highlight this part where he quoted Richard Foster:

"the 'dark night'...is not something bad or destructive...The purpose of the darkness is not to punish or afflict us. It is to set us free...

What is involved in entering the dark night of the soul? It may be a sense of dryness, depression, even lostness. It strips us of overdependence on the emotional life. The notion, often heard today, that such experiences can be avoided and that we should live in peace and comfort, joy and celebration, only betrays the fact that much contemporary experience is surface slush. The dark night is one of the ways God brings us to a hush, a stillness, so that He can work on inner transformation of the soul. . . . Recognize the dark night for what it is. Be grateful that God is lovingly drawing you away from every distraction so that you can see Him." (p.330)

I have always hated it when I am experiencing this kind of darkness where life seems so vain, hopeless and meaningless. However, it is necessary, and as Foster has put it, it does set me free.

pearlie

Interpreting dreams?

2011-06-28T23:51:00.004+08:00

Since reading about Jung, I began to pay more attention to my dreams. I used to have an opinion that dreams are nothing but night escapades for the mind, and nothing more than that.

However, I am quite convinced now that they do represent something. I agree to a certain degree with Jung that dreams represent our inner and outer aspects of our lives of which we are not consciously aware of. And so far, I've actually interpreted two of my own dreams and one of my good friend's.

In Scripture, we find that God uses dreams to speak to his people, to prophecy and also as a form of revelation. Whilst I believe God is still doing that -- I have heard of testimonies that some people get converted through dreams from God -- it has become rarer among us for God to prophecy through us in dreams.

But dreams still form a very important part of us as individuals. We are not aware of our unconscious mind, and it is in our dreams that it relates to us in symbols.

The three dreams that I have interpreted, I did it by relating them to our personal experiences and what certain symbols may mean to us, to see what we need to learn and unlearn from it. I do not refer to archetypes, or universal interpretation of symbols, though sometimes they may help. To me, what we dream is personal to us, unless we have a reason to believe that God is prophesying through us, and if and when that happens, we need to compare it with Scripture.

Anyway, there is this one dream of mine I still have no idea what it means, I dreamt I was in the departmental store trying on a pair of plain black shoes. When I remove it to be tried by someone else, they had hideous black spikes jutting out all over. I then walked to the other stores but they were all out of shoes. It's a weird dream, and I've given up trying to interpret it. Moreover, I've forgotten the context or what was I experiencing when I had that dream and so it is not important anymore, unless of course it is a premonition from God, which is exactly what my friend's dream was. Interpreting that one was downright amazing.

So, I understand some, I don't understand some. It's alright, but all in all, the biggest problem is still remembering them at all!

pearlie

Are they serious?

2011-06-27T08:38:00.003+08:00

Sitting for hours can shave years off life

I read this article in CNN.com this morning and it freaked me out. But a treadmill office table? Come on...

pearlie
Photo: CNN.com

They make much of you...that you may make much of them

2011-06-26T18:08:00.000+08:00

Today's sermon in church was on Galatians 4:8-20, on not losing sight of the Gospel. There were many points in the sermon that struck me, with the main part being not letting anything divert us from the Gospel of Christ.

Gal 4:17 is also an interesting verse: "They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them."

I think Paul was refering to the false teachers. And to apply it to our times, there are in fact many false teachers or preachers in our midst. The one thing that would single them out is that true preachers instills deep and deeper love within the church but false preachers will "make much of you" to make sure that "you make much of them". And as a result, the making much of everyone will in the long run create strife in the church.

pearlie

Movies Day

2011-06-25T18:00:00.002+08:00

I had the whole morning to myself with Calvin off camping and hubby at the golf course. I ended up paying back some sleep debt and watched two movies.

Tangled

I really loved this animated movie. Great script and storyline. The lantern scene made me cry!

From Prada to Nada

I have a soft spot for rom-coms and even though this one has a regrettable title and some scenes that makes no sense, I still enjoyed it. And Camilla Belle is just too gorgeous.

pearlie

Off Camping

2011-06-24T17:58:00.004+08:00

Calvin stayed back at school today to attend a one-night "camp-in" organised by his Computer Club. This mommy is worried as this will be his first time away from home but his grandmother is even more worried! :)

pearlie

A Thousand Words #131

2011-06-23T22:05:00.002+08:00

What I wish I have now...

pearlie

Coincidence, synchronicity, divine direction?

2011-06-22T08:31:00.000+08:00

I used to remember confiding with my mentor-friend about life, and she will usually remind me that there are no coincidences as far as our lives are concerned if we are in a relationship with God. He leads and guides us and what we see as coincidences may in fact be his promptings and guidance.

I was reading about C.G. Jung and was introduced to his concept of synchronicity. It is "the experience of two or more events, that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance, that are observed to occur together in a meaningful manner." (Do refer to its Wikipedia entry, link provided above, it is quite well explained, complete with very interesting examples.)

Jung, even though was brought up in a Christian family -- an extensive Christian family no less, with his father a pastor and eight of his uncles clergymen -- struggled with its dogmatism and institutionalisation. It seem to me that he has provided a place to develop on "meaningful coincidences" and yet not call it divine direction.

A form of "meaningful coincidence" has been happening to me for the past week. This one particular subject kept coming up in altogether unrelated sources, four at the last count. I did ask God for something and these "meaningful coincidences" started to appear and when I asked God for confirmation, another one appeared.

I can't quite interpret what it all mean as yet. It can go both ways, or another way. Therefore, I am still listening to God.

pearlie

Woohoo!

2011-06-21T22:04:00.002+08:00

I first posted this picture on October 22, 2006 with a Woohoo! on my "Exegesis on Ephesians" paper, and then posted it again on September 12, 2007 with a second Woohoo! on my "Christian Theology 1" paper.

This is my third Woohoo! And it has certainly been awhile.

This third Woohoo! comes in three: an A- in "Exegesis on 1 Corinthians", an A- in "Biblical Theology" and an A in "Major Religion in Malaysia (Islam)".

I am happy, I am dancing. And now, to get myself working on my last 2 assignments.

pearlie
Photo (c) 2006 Yi-Chen Lin

My 50-Book Challenge 2011/12

2011-06-20T18:27:00.017+08:00

I am challenging myself to read 50 books in 2011/12.
Criteria: as long as it is a book of any kind, of any topic, of any genre, be it print or electronic, whatever strikes my fancy.

11. Jonathan Stranger & Mr. Norrell: A Novel
by Susanna Clarke (27-?? August 2011)

10. Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God
by John Piper (15-16 July 2011)

9. Beside Ourselves, Our Hidden Personality in Everyday Life
by Naomi L. Quenk (5-?? July 2011)

8. Stone's Fall
by Iain Pears (1-5 July 2011)

7. Counselling and Psychotherapy, A Christian Perspective
by Tan Siang Yang (14-30 June 2011)

6. Jung - The Key Ideas
by Ruth Snowden (18-19 June 2011)

5. Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women
by Geraldine Brooks (6-13 June 2011)

4. People of the Book, A Novel
by Geraldine Brooks (19 May - 5 June 2011)

3. Cathedral of the Sea
by Ildefonso Falcones (16-19 May 2011)

2. Introvert Power
by Laurie Helgoe (12-15 May 2011)

1. Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follett (8-11 May 2011)

pearlie

The Language of Adoption

2011-06-19T15:02:00.004+08:00

I attended Pantai Baptist Church today. I have a friend who goes there and I have been there several times, though not for Sunday service, and thought I'd go and take a look.

Verdict? I like it there.

Today's sermon was on Galatians 3:23-4:7. It was packed with substance I must say, which it should be, given that the text is from Galatians. The one thing that struck me was the speaker's treatment on our adoption as sons of God. I have never thought much about the concept of adoption as God's son. I have had just taken it as it is, adoption. The speaker however, brought me to a new outlook when he shared about the life of a North Korean girl named Hyun Sook* who was adopted by a family in Atlanta. He said that as an adopted child, you would never have thought that you would be loved by someone. And that struck me.

Not being adopted, I fully know and experience love in my family, in whatever state I am. Hence, the language of adoption does not strike much of an emotion in me to fully understand the significance of being adopted. My thoughts were more in the area of I, being a creation of God, am therefore his child, period. Of course I know that it is because of my rebellion that I am disconnected from God and now by his grace, I am adopted as His son, with full claim to the inheritance that is in Jesus Christ. It is just that it has not dawned upon me the colour and depth of the reality of being adopted as a son of God.

Therefore, with this realisation that I have not experience being adopted, how should I come to understand the full significance of being adopted as a son of God?

I need to re-read Galatians and the passages on adoption.

pearlie

* I have not seen this video yet but this was the story that was shared with us this morning.

The Draw of Books, Printed or Otherwise

2011-06-18T14:12:00.004+08:00

I was in Kinokuniya today and succumbed to the draw that books have on me. I bought 4 of them, one on Carl Jung and 3 by Carl Jung. I may have gone electronic but I still gave in to printed books this round. My excuse was that these books are not available electronically, though I found out later that one of them was and I would have saved RM30 if I have gotten the electronic version. Kinokuniya does not have a return policy and so I am stuck with it; which is still okay because I am already halfway through Jung, The Key Ideas. I plan to finish it tomorrow so that I can get back to Tan Siang Yang's Counseling and Psychotherapy volume.

I'm back to being bookish again after a long draught but hmm...I would never have thought I'd actually end up with these:

Jung: The Key Ideas, Teach Yourself
Ruth Snowden (2010)

Four Archetypes
Carl Jung (Routledge Classic, 2003)

Answer to Job
Carl Jung (Routledge Classic, 2002)

Children's Dreams: Notes from the Seminar Given in 1936-1940 (Jung Seminars)
Carl Jung (Princeton University Press, 2007)

pearlie

Why do I go to church?

2011-06-17T13:58:00.001+08:00

Have you ever wondered why you are at the church you are at? I grew up in a Methodist church I had been attending for years, which was the church my grandfather attended and the church my dad attended. I met my husband in that church, we got married there, and we raised a family within the community of that church.

But soon we found ourselves no longer in a "community" as our friends moved on where their career brought them and where family responsibilities require them. I felt that we could not experience church life as a community anymore. The church became to me a city church where we just attend church once a week and a community spirit was in lack. So we decided to find a church where we can build a relationship within a community and we started attending a church, Methodist, which is just 2 minutes away from our home. We were soon attending prayer meetings and bible studies other than the regular Sunday service.

But for some reasons I'd rather not disclose here, we have decided to move on. And we have been on a limbo ever since. We returned to our original church, but to a preaching point nearer to our home. But somehow, we could not quite fit into the community there. Suffice to say that we could not speak their "language" nor do we have much in common other than the fact that we worship the same God.

Which brings me to a dilemma. Why do I go to church? I have never asked this question that seriously before. It is obvious I "go to church" because I desire to worship the God whom I love. The phrase "go to church" is interesting though because church is not exactly a building but the body of Christ. In that sense, I would say that I gather together with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to worship God together and in doing so I relate to God and to one another in love. And what if I cannot fit into this group of brothers and sisters? It is not that I do not like them, we are just different. Does that warrant a reason for us to find a more suitable group of people to be with, to worship God together with?

pearlie

A Thousand Words #131

2011-06-16T08:22:00.000+08:00

pearlie
Photo (c) 2008 Ignacio Leonardi

Suppressing Anger, A Very, Very Interesting Sensation

2011-06-15T13:21:00.002+08:00

I got really, really angry today but because I was not in an environment where I can release and vent the way I like, I had to suppress it. It was hard but I managed to do so by extracting myself from the situation, take long deep breaths and talk about it in short spurts to someone who knew the context of the situation. I became calmer in 5 minutes.

Then, me being me, I began to analyse myself and found that suppressed anger is indeed a very interesting sensation. I have gotten angry before and I have vented my anger without thinking, but that is with people whom I love and whom I trust (though I would usually regret for venting it). But this is different. I can say that this is the first time I have ever been so mad. But what is interesting is that I analysed it, I made myself mindful of the feelings that I had, and it was interesting. At first I felt like I want to burst out in every way possible, then I felt in control, and then I begin to feel detached and not so angry anymore. But I did feel a bit off though, like I don't have enough blood in my head and I did end of with a migraine-like headache now.

What an experience.

...

However, after writing what I wrote above, it suddenly dawned on me what I read yesterday in Tan Siang Yang's Counseling and Psychotherapy - Sigmund Freud wrote about the defense mechanism that we employ to deal with negative situations we encounter. When we use them "infrequently and appropriately, they can serve a constructive purpose by reducing stress or anxiety and enabling the person to cope more effectively" (p.40, 2011). And it is interesting to note that the defense mechanism which I have opted to use is "intellectualisation". I quote Tan: "Intellectualisation is a defense mechanism whereby a person detaches from a painful emotional experience by focusing only on his or her thoughts and the minute details involved in trying to analyse and explain the negative emotional experience." (p.42, 2011)

How interesting.

pearlie

I'm seriously plagued by this song

2011-06-14T08:19:00.003+08:00

This is the longest I have been ever plagued by a song.

15 June 2011: I still can't get it off my head. The off button is missing.

pearlie

My next read: Counseling and Psychotherapy by Tan Siang Yang

2011-06-13T08:47:00.003+08:00

Counseling and Psychotherapy
by Tan Siang Yang
Baker Academic, 2011

Alex recommended me this book as my next read. I managed to get a copy, an electronic copy no less, and have started on it. I have completed the first part on "Basic Issues in the Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy," which is brief and informative, though that not relevant to me.

I am looking forward to the second portion on "Major Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories and Techniques" which is quite extensive, covering Psychoanalytic Therapy (Sigmund Freud), Adlerian Therapy, Jungian Therapy (my center of interest), Existential Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Reality Therapy, Behavior Therapy (I suppose this is widely used in my HR circle), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (my other center of interest) and Marital and Family Therapy.

The book closes with a third part on "A Christian Approach to Counseling and Psychotherapy".

In my search for an integration between Psychology and Christianity, this book is more than I bargained for. As a layman, I am getting an insight into the profession of a psychotherapist and counselor. It is ironical since in the days of my youth, we are being called "counselors" in church especially in evangelistic meeting settings, whilst I am reading here that counselors are serious business. I wonder if churches still call them counselors.

pearlie

E-books: confirmed convert

2011-06-12T08:55:00.003+08:00

Ever since I have downloaded Kobo into my iPhone exactly a month ago, I have finished 4 books, the latest being Geraldine Brooks's Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women.

I am a confirmed e-book convert.

I am now contemplating which will be my next read. I am thinking I will go for Mark Kurlansky's Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World.

The irony is that I have bought his other volume Salt: A World History in print a couple of years ago and I have not read it.

So there it is. As much as I still love the smell and feel of books, e-books work much, much better for me.

And here is one reason why I like Kobo:

My Reading Life

pearlie

Internet Frustrations

2011-06-11T08:50:00.002+08:00

We have been having problems with our internet connection and nothing seem to work. Moreover, the broadband packages available in the market just do not meet our needs. I just signed up for one with a 3GB limit in data transfer, and we actually gobbled up all 3GB in one night. What now?

pearlie
Photo (c) 2009 Claudio Sepulveda Geoffroy

Integrating Psychology and Christianity?

2011-06-10T13:42:00.000+08:00

I was very interested in the subject of psychology since my younger days. Wish I had pursued it then, but now that I have revived the interest and begun to read and research the topic, I do wonder how psychology and Christianity would fare together. Can I, as a committed Christian, study and practice psychology?

One of my close friends is always worried when I bring the subject up, and he would hand me volumes of Christian writings about humanity and the human soul.

I found this website today that has a very interesting article entitled "Integrating Psychology and Christianity". The writer John Shepard said, "The key question is whether or not psychology is based on a world view which opposes the essentials of the Christian faith. This includes the assumptions of psychology of materialism, rationalism, determinism and relativism, and that humans are not self-aware, responsible and free moral agents. Christians cannot accept these philosophical assumptions and at the same time remain true to their faith."

So far in my fragmentary study of the subject, I have not seen any contradictions yet. I suppose I would when I do, if I do, get to the depth of it.

pearlie

Our Levels of Energy

2011-06-09T17:52:00.001+08:00

How would you draw out your level of energy of the week?

The level of energy between my colleague and I starts at opposing sides, my Monday at the bottom and hers at the top, meeting at the same level on Wednesday and back to opposing sides on Fridays, mine at the top whilst she would have spent all her energy by then. So we complement each other pretty well, energy wise.

I should be loving it today with my energy up but not today. The office is super quiet with majority of people on leave due to the school holidays wrapping up this weekend and I am bored. On top of it I am feeling sick and I am still having the headache which started this morning when I woke up.

It is not a good day…but all is good. No complaints. Just bored.

pearlie

A Thousand Words #130

2011-06-08T10:41:00.001+08:00

pearlie

Photo (c) 2010 Jesse Therrien