Heavenly Love

I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on God
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.

My reflection for this Christmas: Two weeks ago on 14 Dec, marks my 25^th year as a Christian. I made a personal decision in 1985 when I was still an undergraduate to invite Jesus into my heart… and that was when I really found the true meaning of Christmas…

Not too long ago, a student in her email to me quoted a verse from a favourite book of mine, Tuesdays with Morrie. The quote reads,
"Love wins, Love always wins". The Bible has a somewhat similar verse, which goes “Love never fails…” I pondered over this statement for some time… how does it gel with people who have fallen in and out of love? Many marriages, even those that started with deep love, have failed and ended up in separation and divorce.

Given the worrying statistics on failed marriages, I am truly thankful to God when my wife and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary earlier this year. I am convinced we were made for each other... in thewords of Regina Hill, "when God made her, I have no doubt He knew exactly the time and place where we would meet. When He made the two of us, God knew what was good for us." Over the years, we have shared many beautiful moments. We've walked many roads together... we have travelled many roads, mostly smooth... thank God; but there were times when the journey was a lit bumpy as well… Whilst I consciously try my best to be a good husband and friend to her, I’ve had on few occasions made her angry; made her sad; and made her cry… So, after all these years, I have came to the conclusion that … although love never fails, people do… even the best of people will not be able to live up to our expectations all the time.

If it is not found in marriages, then where can we find the kind of love that does not fail? In my life, I have only encountered one kind of love that never fails… I refer to it as the Heavenly Love…. Why? Because it begins in heaven… in the throne room of God… John 3:16 proclaims, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life...” If you think about it, Christmas is actually a heavenly love story that begins with God's love.. thru' the birth of Jesus, God offers us eternal life…. The best decision I have made is to accept the offer by inviting Jesus to be my personal Savior and Lord.

...Christmas Isn’t Christmas
'till it happens in your heart,Somewhere deep inside you
Is where Christmas really starts;

So give your heart to Jesus,
you'll discover when you do
That it’s Christmas
Really Christmas for you.

Careless Birds

"Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds" - Matt 6:26 (The Message).

Yet another posting on bird photography :). A few weeks ago I had a lucky break... One of my dream shots is to capture a close-up photo of a kingfisher. So far, my efforts at Sg Buloh have not been very successful as the birds are usually too far away... But I had a windfall whilst visiting the zoo. I chanced upon a stork-billed kingfisher on a nice perch which is less than 10 feet away. Hence, I was able to take many close-up shots... and for bonus, the bird caught and ate two live ornamental fishes (which were released earlier by two elderly photographers to bait the bird).

Romance & Courtship: A Bird's Tale

I received several wedding invitations over the past few months. In particular, October 10, 2010 was a very hot date: 10-10-10! My sincere congratulations to those who tie the knots recently or will be doing so over the next few months. As the saying goes,

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" - Eccl 4:9-10 (NIV)

I would like to use some recent photos I took on birds to depict the various stages of romance & courtship. Enjoy!

(1): The story begins with the lonely single, "where are you, my beloved?"

(2) "Here I am, the one that you have been waiting!"

(3) The fun days: courtship & romance; playing and dancing .

(4) The Day: "my beloved is mine and I am his; the banner over us is love!"

(5) The real work begins: "I am watching you... I have high expectations; don't you dissappoint me... & come home early"

(6) The friction starts: "...there, I told you so... why can't you just do what I say?... You never listen to me... You don't love me anymore..."

(7) The cold war: "I am not talking to you anymore..."

(8) Reconciliation: A Happy Family

When I Look at You...

I see a remarkable woman
with a kind and caring heart
who is beautiful in every sense of the word
I see a smile that lights up
the room and laughter
that is truly contagious.

photo: Black Swans (Botanical Garden, Sep 2010)

You are everything wonderful
in this world and if I had
just one wish it would be
that you could see what I see
when I look at you.

author: Elle Mastro

What Drives Professors?

Every morning, I will browse thru the newspaper quickly. I don't have much time to read in detailed all the articles. Today, one particular feature caught my attention... "Two top scientists on what drives them". The two scientists are:

• Prof Emeritus Perry McCarty, a 78-yr old researcher from Stanford University, and
• Prof Rudolph A. Marcus, a 87-yr don from California Institute of Technology.

Both have won numerous research awards in their field, including a Nobel prize for Prof Marcus. Both were in Singapore and had an interview with the Straits Times. Below are extracts from their interview which caught my attention:

Q: "What do you love about your job, doing both research and teaching?"

Prof McCarty : "Research has always been a passion with me. I like the thrill of discovery, ... However, I like teaching very much as well, as it provides the opportunity to pass on new concepts to those who will put them into practice. One of the greatest pleasure is to watch the many successes of former students. There are few greater rewards."

Q: "You are still doing research now at your age?" (87)

Prof Marcus: "Yes, very much so, 24/7. Most of the time, in fact. And even before I fall asleep I'm thinking of some problem, usually."

Q: "Do you view research as work?"

Prof Marcus: "Not as work, but it is work; but I don't view it that way. I view it is as: Here is something I'm trying to get an answer to, I try various ideas, I do a lot more reading... I view it as a challenge, now it turns out it is work."

"You have to go into things deeply, you can't be superficial. And sometimes, you have to go through the details to make sure you get the science right, and keep track of all sorts of things, so that is not very pleasant, but you have to do it, so you do it. Overidding all that is when something comes out, you get an answer that seems reasonable, it could be a tremendous satisfaction."

Q: "What gives you the most satisfaction?"

Prof Marcus: "One is getting successfully to a problem. Another, which is related to it, is getting new insights into a problem that I haven't had before, I finally see it in some way and understand it better."

"Being able to explain to students something which is fairly complicated and try to get the essence of it. And I still teach courses, so that's certainly something. Working with students and doing research, I get tremendous enjoyment out of that."

I couldn't agree more with what both professors had shared. Their sharing echoes the beatings of my heart. I am passionate about my research... I also enjoy teaching tremendously... I put in a lot of efforts for both, 24/7 but I don't see that as work....Nothing gives more satisfaction than being able to explain something complicated and seeing students' eyes opening to appreciate the real value of what they learnt... The true legacy of my time in NUS would be the success of my students (not my research papers & accolades).

If we emulate the two distinguished professors' spirit and passion towards research and teaching, we will never have to work another day. You will find that work, whatever our chosen field, despite the hard labor, can be fun, satisfying and rewarding.

A Drop of Water

Quote & Photo of the Week

"How could drops of water know themselves to be a river? Yet the river flows on" - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

photo: Botanical Garden (Jul 2010)

"Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man's life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self" - B.R. Ambedkar

Cherish The Seasons

Yesterday, a friend from church shared a profound statement, "Every moment is beautiful. Treasure it." This afternoon, I took time to reflect and do some study on what it means to cherish the moments.

"We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends, and living our lives.” - Maya Angelou

photo: harvesting apple (State College, 2008)

Below is a tragic poem (by Jason Lehman) on a man who never got what he wanted.

It was spring, but it was summer I wanted,

the warm days, and the great outdoors.

It was summer, but it was fall I wanted,

the colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.

It was spring, but it was winter I wanted,

the beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.

I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted,

the freedom, and the respect.

I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted,

to be mature, and sophisticated.

I was middle-aged, but it was 30 I wanted,

the youth and the free spirit.

I was retired, but it was middle age I wanted,

the presence of mind, without limitations.

My life was over, but I never got what I wanted.

The author, John Mason, exposits that God is a God of seasons. Ecclesiates 3:1 proclaims, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven". Distinctively different things happen during different seasons.

There is a wintertime in God. It is a season of preparation, revelation and direction. It is also the time when the roots grow. God wants to establish the right foundation in you during this season. But there is no harvest now.

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There is springtime in God. It is a time of planting, hoeing and nurturing. In other words, hard work. God wants you to work your plan. But there is no harvest in springtime.

There is a summertime in God. Summer is a time of great growth. Nowis the time when activity, interest and people begin to surround your God-given idea. For all the activity of summer, there is only a minimal harvest. But then comes autumn.

This is God's harvest time. It is during this season that the harvest is reaped in much greater proportion than the work, activity or idea expanded. But most people never make it to the fall. Often, they end up quitting along the way because they don't know what season they're in.

When you understand that God is a God of seasons, it prepares you to do the right thing at the right time. It inspires you to persevere to the fall. God's Word is true when it says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Gal 6:9).

reflection: if you pluck the blossoms, you must do without the fruit.

source: John L. Mason, An Enemy Called Average

The Cry of Blind Bartimaeus

"What do you want me to do for you?", Jesus asked him.

"Lord, I want to see", he replied.

It has been a while since I updated this blog. This reflects how busy my life has been. Also, I have diverted my free time to a new hobby - photography. But today, I would like to take time to share a meditation on Luke 19: 35-43. Note that the same account is also reported in Matthew (20:29-34) and Mark 10: 46-52. Matthew records that there were two blind men, while Mark and Luke mention only one. This is probably the same event, but Mark and Luke singled out the more vocal of the two men (ref: LAB). In Mark, we learnt the name of the beggar is Bartimaeus (the Son of Timaeus).

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy (pity) on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Contemplation

1. Every miracle is a sign! (i) That the Kingdom of God has come with power, (ii) God’s compassion revealed in Jesus Christ. Note Jesus has more compassion than any of his followers have. Jesus stopped! To care for the blind.

2. Misery is the object of mercy. Honestly, we lacked depth in our worship/prayer because we’re not deprived. M. Henry wrote, "there are many occasions where deprivation and sickness will for a while supply the outer circumstances…" Beggars, usually disabled in some ways, have little hope of escaping their degrading way of life. He shamelessly cried out for Jesus’ attention. But we are too respectable to make a scene - we don’t like drawing attention to our lack or openly admit our needs. We prefer to work within our comfort zone. Recall that “the wine has run out!” was the setting for the first miracle by Jesus.

3. It is good to be inquisitive. Those who want their sight should make so much better the better use of their hearing. When they cannot see with their own eyes, should by asking questions, make use of other people’s eyes.

4. He did not let the opportunity slip. This is a divine appointment. Rebuked, but he shouted all the more!

5. Seeing with your eyes doesn’t guarantee seeing with your heart! The blind man called Jesus “Son of David”, which is a title for the Messiah (Isaiah 11:1-3). This means that he understood Jesus to be the long-awaited Messiah. What irony! A poor and blind beggar could see that Jesus was the Messiah, while the crowd who see Jesus physically couldn’t see this. Note they called him “Jesus of Nazareth”.

6. He received double healing: (i) physical healing – he received his sight; (ii) spiritual healing – your faith has healed you. It is wholeness, not just health that is our deepest need. Desire a spiritual blessing, not just a physical blessing. C.f. Luke 17:11-19. “Where are the other nine?” The leper who returned to praise God has a deeper experience than the others. It is not enough to come to Christ for healing, but when we are healed, we must continue to follow him; that we may do honour to him, and receive instruction from him – M. Henry

Exercise: Feel the whole story from Bartimaeus' perspective: the long years of despair and frustration; the quickening spark of hope based on stories he would have heard; the courage and desperation behind his full-throated shout for help; his total disinterest in respectability and social proprietary - if he could be healed...

Let yourself be Bartimaeus, cry out to God for the healing you need. Respond with trusting openness, like Bartimaeus, to his power to break into difficult parts of your life.

reference: LAB, M. Henry commentary & R. Warren's An Affair of the Heart

Nature Photography 101

Nature Photography @ Singapore Botanic Gardens: For novices to digital photography – start with capturing nature at the Botanic Gardens! See the sights the Gardens has to offer, appreciate plants at the same time. A collaboration with the Nature Photographic Society, Singapore, this 6 half-day course will expose participants to a wide variety of skills and passion.

I had my first lesson on nature photography today! I signed up for the above course which involves six 4-hour lessons divided into two parts: 8.00-10.00 am theory; 10.00 am to 12.00 noon practical. The setting is at the Singapore Botanical Gardens. Over 6 weeks, I will be learning with a group of 30 participants tips on landscape, insects & plants (macro) and aviary photography plus a session on post-processing using photoshop.

photo: dragonfly @ Botanical Gardens

The theory session for today was a bit overwhelming as the instructor was a pro who is really passionate and particular about photography. He showed us his portfolio of photos on birds, animals, etc. Many of which were published in professional magazines. He also travelled around the world to take photos; most of which you know you will never be able to capture because they take a lot of skill, huge investment in lenses (one of his lenses cost S$15,000!), and patience. He uses the analogy of a fishman to describe patience; he chooses the right spot and waits for the right moment to capture the best shot. Sometimes, this could take hours or days. In contrast, a hunter goes from one spot to another to choose his subject.

I benefited more from the practical session. We had to take close-up photos of dragonfly at a pond, but I was limited by my camera's ability (the best I could take was the shot above). To take really close-up picture of the insect, a macro lens is required. It costs about S$800 t0 $2,000, which I will need to invest in if I want to take macro pictures. For today session, I managed to borrow a close-up lens from one of the instructors to take a few shots. It was challenging as we had to use manual focusing. I am pleased with my maiden effort into macro photography. As it is sucking the flower, note the eye of the dragonfly staring at you as though it is asking, "what are you looking at? Don't disturb me!"

photo: "what are you looking at?"

London:Fish & Chips

Fish and chips is Britain's national dish. According to a travel guide book, it was introduced to London by Murano Jews. It has since been Britain's fast-food since the mid-19th century. Britons consume some 300 million fish and chips meals per year. Unlike crisypy french fries, the English chips are limp but they burst open with flavor when eaten with salt and malt vinegar.

photo: fish & chips (Rock & Sole Plaice, London)

Our first meal in London, thus, has to be fish and chips! After checking into the hotel, we went to join the huge crowd outside Buckingham Palace to see the Queen, who was celebrating her official birthday. After that, we head for our fish and chips at Rock & Sole Plaice (47 Endell St., near Covent Garden). It was recommended in the guidebook. We met another couple from Singapore at the restaurant. I could recognized they were Singaporeans by their Singlish!

As we were not that hungry, my wife and I shared one order with an extra side dish of mushy peas (yummy, my favorite!). For the fish, we had a few choices, such a cod or haddock. We went for the later on the recommendation of the waiter as well as the guidebook which quoted a local saying, "haddock is for heroes, cod for zeroes". Overall, it was a good meal, but we agreed that we had better fish and chips in the past. It was nevertheless an enjoyable experience eating "al fresco", taking in the sights, sound and fresh air.

reference: Lonely Planet

On the Road: England & Holland

We will be traveling from June 11-21. Our itinerary:
Jun 12-13: London, England
Jun 13-16: Reading, England
Jun 16-17: London, England
Jun 17-20: Rotterdam, Holland
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Our time in London will be free and easy. We do have two appointments to meet up with friends. Otherwise, it is pretty much taking it easy. We will probably not do much of the touristy stuff as we have been to London a few times. But time flies, the last time we were here was in 2000. Exactly, ten years ago!
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Our second stop is Reading (above photo), which is about 30 mins train ride from London. It is around halfway to Oxford. It is essentially a university town and my main purpose is to visit University of Reading, where I will be giving a research seminar as well as a workshop for PhD students. Then it is back to London again for another night.
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Our third and last stop is Rotterdam (right photo) in Netherlands. Here, I will be joining up with a group of academics for an international real estate conference. Rotterdam is about 30 minutes from Amsterdam airport by fast train. It is essentially a port city.

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With our trip coinciding with the World Cup, it will be interesting on match day. English and Dutch are fervent supporters of their national team and it may just be worth the while to join the crowd to watch a live match in the local pub! That's provided they are not playing an Asian team. I recall in one of the previous World Cups, the boyfriend of a student who was travelling in Europe was physically assaulted by a group of football hooligans when the local team lost to South Korea. Apparently, they can't differentiate Chinese from Koreans.

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Which team am I supporting? Traditionally, I go for Brazil. But this round, I am placing my bet (literally) on Spain. If it wins, the retailer from whom I purchased my new digital SLR camera will give a 50% refund. That's $900!

Facebook | Your Photos - Zonal Connect

Facebook Your Photos - Zonal Connect

The Fullness of Life

I have recently acquired a new hobby. As a gift for myself on my birthday (May), I bought a digital SLR camera - Canon 550D at just below S$1,800. To learn how to use the camera, I have signed up for several photography courses. In Jun/July, I will be attending a nature photography course organized by the National Parks and the Nature Photographic Society of Singapore. It will be held over 6 half-Saturday (8 am -12 noon) which involves 2 hours of theory lesson in class and 2 hours practical at the Botanical Gardens.

In May, we celebrated our 18th anniversary! To celebrate, we took a “local” holiday. My wife didn’t want to travel as we are already going abroad in June (Europe) and July (HK). So, we decided to book a room at the Fullerton Hotel, which I found a bargain thru the internet. For $288 a night, inclusive of buffet breakfast, river cruise + F/B voucher of S$88 (which can be used for dinner). They allow late check-out till 3 pm. For an extra S$50, you get to upgrade to a room with the view of the Marina Bay. The upgrade was worth it as the room at the 7th floor comes with a balcony and overlooking the integrated resort and the Singapore flyer. It was also two rooms away from Room 777, which is the very room the late Goh Keng Swee and Hon Sui Sen occupied as Finance Minister during the early days of Singapore independeence.

Below is a photo I took using the new camera.

Finally, I would like to share the following prayer (twice I received it recently; first from my wife on my birthday, and second from the church elder during the contact group dedication):

“When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

(Ephesians 3: 14-19; NLT).

PEACE

“Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

When I was about to graduate from the university, I went for a job interview with a prestigious MNC. During the interview, the MD asked, “What do you treasure most in life?” Very assuredly, I said, “Peace.” He replied, “You can’t find peace in this company.” Without pausing, I countered, "I disagree. Peace can be found anywhere. It is found within one’s heart!” Sure enough, I didn't get the job. On hindsight, I could have been more agreeable during the interview process. But I still hold the belief that peace is found in one's heart!

Anyway, this posting is not about job interviews, but rather on the subject of peace. Do you want to worry less? Imagine never being “anxious about anything”. Seems like an impossibility, right? We all have worries at work, in our homes, at school. So, how do I cope with worries?

One motto which carried me through my university days was “aim for the best; expect the worst”. The second half of the motto was my in-built mechanism to handle stress, worries and disappointments. Since the worst is expected, everything else will turn out better! It is quite similar to what one real estate entrepreneur said, "if you can live with the downside risk, the upside will take care of itself".

Since I became a Christian, I learnt there is a better way to cope with worries and face an uncertain future. As the scripture (Philippians 4:6-7) suggests, I now turn my worries into prayers. Whenever I start to worry, I stop and pray. God may not always remove the issue (or problem) that causes my anxiety in the first place. Instead, He promises a “peace which surpasses all understanding”; a peace that the world cannot provide; a peace that guards our hearts (our feelings) and our minds (our thinking) regardless of circumstances, people, or things that would otherwise steal our joy; a peace that doesn't mean the absence of trials on the outside, but it does mean a quiet confidence within.

photo: Miami (april 2010)

True peace is not found in positive thinking, in the absence of conflict, and in good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control and He cares for me.

On the Road: Miami & Naples, Florida

From Palm Sunday (my last blog entry) to palms on the beach!

It is the time of the year again for my annual migration to the US to attend the American Real Estate Society (ARES) Meeting. This year, it will be held in Naples, Florida. Prior to that, I am visiting Florida International University (FIU) which is based in Miami. This will be my first visit to Miami, but my second trip to Naples, which I first visited in 2001.

In Miami, I will be staying at Sofitel Miami, which is close to the airport and FIU. It overlooks a blue lagoon (see photo on the right). The ARES meeting in Naples will be held at charming The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. It is Southwest Florida's only resort with its own 18-hole golf course.

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Facing the Gulf of Mexico, there is nothing much to do in Naples besides lingering on the gorgeous white sand beach (see photo below) and play golf (which I don't). Rather than being fronted by tall condominium buildings, the backdrop for the beach here is all the mansions along Millionaires' Row. Everything in Naples is laid back. But the guide book warned that this is not a place where little ones will have fun. Leave them at home. Also, it's not a swinging singles scene whatsoever. More of a romantic spot for couples.

It will be a busy meeting for me this year. I present a seminar at FIU, followed by three research papers at the ARES meeting. On top of that, I have to read a paper for a colleague and chair a session. These together with catching up with friends in the real estate academia circle as well as working on research with collaborators, will leave me little time to enjoy the beach.

Palm Sunday

Sunday church service (Mar 28): the preacher exhorted the congregtion to develop a 20/20 vision. One statement which I noted in my journal is,

“Life is like that… We see many things. We don’t always see clearly. And we don’t think about what we see.”

After the service, I saw a young child holding a palm branch. I was reminded of Palm Sunday; the day Christians remember and celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We are told in the scripture that as he entered the holy city, mounted on a donkey, Jesus was given a rousing welcome. A great crowd came to watch him, they waved their palm branches, and shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! Blessed is the King of Israel!" (John 12:13).

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Monday morning (Mar 29): I was impressed to devote this holy week to reading, studying and meditating on Jesus’ last week on earth. Sometimes, we can become over familiar with a story such that we no longer pause to think deeper. From the scripture in John 12:12-21, I identified the different groups of people mentioned in the passage. Note their postures:

(1) The crowd – they are those that have come to celebrate the Passover feast; they are not inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are mostly country people; but devout Jews. Matthew Henry commented, “these were not the rulers, nor the great men, that went out to meet Christ, but the commonality.” In other words, they were ordinary people. What was their posture? (i) They had palm in their hands, which is an emblem of victory and triumph; (ii) they cried with a loud voice. In their exhortations, they acknowledge our Lord Jesus to be the king of Israel, and that he comes in the name of the LORD.

(2) The witnesses – they spread the word! What is the reason that instigated the crowd to come and pay respect to Jesus, though the government was so much against him? It was because of the miracle he had performed recently – he raised Lazarus from the dead. No doubt, the city heard about it; the report of it was in all people’s mouth, which is traced to the eye witnesses. It is probable that those who had seen the miracle did not only assert it to those who asked them, but published it unasked.

(3) Jesus – He rode on a donkey, which is a lowly animal (contrary to war horse). The slow-paced animal is symbolically linked humility and peace. Still, this is much more of state than he used to take; he used to walk on foot, but now he was mounted. Nevertheless, a commentator wrote, “according to the fashion of this world, to be introduced thus was a rather disparagement than an honour to the King of Israel, ... His kingdom is not of this world, and therefore come not with outward pomp.” In our modern day context, a car is not just a car. It is a status symbol… Mercs, BMW, Volvo, Jaguar… Jesus rode a colt – less than 1 horsepower! In comparison, a 2,000 cc car today is equivalent to approx. 150 hp.

(4) The Pharisees – consider their indignation; they rage. Their envy made them fret. They were determined to “go after him”, only to see the crowd has “gone after him.” Note that the word “go after” have opposite meanings (“catch” versus “follow”) depending on our posture. Matthew Henry commented, “considering how great these Pharisees were and what abundance of respect was paid them, one would think they need not grudge Christ so inconsiderable a piece of honor as was done him; but proud man would monopolize honor, and have none share with them (like Haman).”

(5) The Disciples – did not understand what was happening. Only after Jesus was glorified, did they realize… Jesus’ words and actions took on new meaning and made more sense…. As we journey through life, we missed many things along the way… But as we grow older, we’ll look back and see God’s involvement more clearly than we do now… We need a 20/20 vision!

(6) The Greeks – their address to Philip was short, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus”. Not satisfied being in the crowd and seeing Jesus from afar, they desire a personal converse with Jesus… They acted on their desire and approached Philip… (Note: it is good to know those who know the LORD. We should improve our acquaintance with good people who may lead to our increase in the knowledge of God).

As we prepare our hearts for this season, in prayer and penitence, may we adopt the same posture of the crowd, the witnesses, Jesus, the disciples and most of all, the Greeks:

“Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”

reference: Henry Matthew & LAB.

Hanoi, Vietnam

"The Vietnamese nation was born among the lagoons and marshes of Red River Delta around 4000 years ago, and most of its independent existence has been ruled from Hanoi, Vietnam's comparatively small, elegant capital lying in the heart of the northern delta." -Lonely Planet

photo: Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi (Mar 2010)

My wife and I visited Hanoi last week. The air tickets came courtesy of the airmiles redeemed from SIA. Although Halong Bay was highly recommended as a-must-see sight off Hanoi, we decided we wanted to have a relaxing itinerary; literally doing nothing, except to "jalan-jalan and makan" (malay word for "walking and eating").

We stayed in the bustling Old Quarter, the city's commercial heart. As noted in a guide book, Hanoi is bursting at the seams. Almost everyone else zips on motorbikes. From a conversation with a local, I understand that the ratio of the no. of motorbikes to the no. of adults in Hanoi is 1.3!

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Walking on the narrow street in the Old Quarter is a challenge for visitors from places with orderly traffic system, such as Singapore. Everything spillovers onto the road, as the pavements are often occupied with motorbikes. Pedestrians are, thus, forced to walk on the narrow & tumultous streets, competing with the motor vehicles, each honking their own way thru' without any regard for traffic rules. The air is distinctively polluted with traffic fumes and dust, evident by some locals wearing masks.

photo: our favorite pho in Hanoi

Our main agenda in Hanoi, as stated earlier, was walking and eating. However, since walking on the Hanoi streets is not pleasant, the highlight of our trip was reduced to eating! But, afraid that our stomach may not be strong enough, we were careful not patronize any of the stove-and-stools food stalls or street kitchens scattered throughout the city.

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During the day, we went hunting for "famous" local eateries and sampling their specialties, such as the ubiquitous pho (beef) noodle soup; and bun cha (char-grilled pork served on cold rice noodles with minty salad greens). Other Vietnamese specialities we tried include: banh cuon, a snack consisting of almost transparent rice-flour pancakes stuffed with minced pork and black mushrooms (very similar to "chee cheong fun" commonly eaten in Chinese dim sum) ; cha ca, fried fish with a lot of fresh dill and eaten with cold rice noodles. For those who may be turned off by the unpleasant surroundings of the local food joints, Quan An Ngon would be a good option to sample upmarket street food. It is essentially an an open-air food court, frequented by both locals and tourists, with a more pleasant environment.

For dinner, we opted for a more western setting of spanish and italian food. We ate at the restaurants around St Joseph's Cathedral, which is a stone throw from our hotel, Golden Lake Hotel. The tapas, pizza and wine were ok but relatively expensive as compared to the dirt cheap prices we paid for lunch at the local eateries. On Sunday, Mai & her family treated us to an international buffet at an upscale restaurant. Located in a wealthy suburb in the south, it is close to a big mall in Hanoi. Effectively, there are two sides of the world in Hanoi - one for the ordinary folks, where you pay in Vietnamese Dong, and the other for the wealthy locals and international tourists

Below are some photos we took on the trip;

“The real test of friendship is:
Can you literally do nothing with the other person? Can you enjoy together those moments of life that are utterly simple? They are the moments people look back on at the end of life and number as their most sacred experiences.”

- Eugene Kennedy

Bad Apologies!

I'd "rather die" than say sorry - Zinedine Zidane (Mar 2010)

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"Never apologise and never explain... it's a sign of weakness." - 1949 film, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

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Footballers, whether they like it or not, are role models by virtue of their high profile. Over the past few weeks, two incidents involving famous footballers (both were captains of their respective national teams) have hogged the headlines.

The first incident involved France legend Zinedine Zidane, who headbutted Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final - an action which saw the France captain duly dismissed. That was to be the last game of his distinguished career. Italy went on to win the World Cup in a penalty shoot-out. In a recent interview (March 1, 2010), while Zidane admits he regrets what he did, he insists he will never apologise to Materazzi because of the insults against his mother that he claims provoked the headbutt.

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The second incident involved Manchester City's footballer Wayne Bridge's refusal to shake hand with John Terry (Chelsea's captain), who had had an affair with Bridge's ex-girlfriend. Both were once best friends and teammates at Chelsea FC and England. As a result of the scandal, John Terry was removed as the team captain of England. Wayne Bridge, on his part, made himself unavailable for the World Cup citing John Terry’s failure to apologise as the main reason. When John Terry showed no signs of remorse in the statement he issued the day he was stripped of the England captaincy — and in his conduct towards Bridge himself — the Manchester City full back realised living in such close quarters to his one-time friend and colleague for the duration of a tournament was going to be impossible.

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Hard to Say Sorry: Most people find it difficult to say sorry. As Gary Hayden wrote in his recent featured article in the Straits Times on Feb 25, 2010, "some people never accept blame and never apologise." In his article, Hayden highlighted some examples of bad apologies as well as how to say sorry.

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Bad apologies are annonying and more likely to incense someone than it will placate him. Three examples of bad apologies highlighted by Hayden are:

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(1) Insincere apologies - whenever a politician is caught with his hands in the till or a sportsman with his pants down, an apology will almost certainly ensue. However, we are left wondering whether the person concerned is sorry for what he did - or merely sorry he got caught. More often than not, we suspect the later.

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(2) Half-baked apologies - these are often phrased using the passive voice. So instead of admitting "I made a mistake", we say "Mistakes were made". Instead of saying "I am sorry I wrecked your car," we say "I am sorry your car was wrecked". At the heart of these ineffectual apologies is an unwillingness to be fully responsible for what has happened.

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(3) Back-handed apologies - worse, these are really non-apologies. Instead of saying "I am sorry I offended you, ", we say "I am sorry you took offense". The implication here is that you ought not really to have taken offence and Ihave not really done anything wrong but I had better apologise anyway or else I may never hear the last of it. Other examples of backhanded apologies, which subtly shift responsibility onto the victim, include "I am sorry if anyone misunderstood me" and "I am sorry you feel that way".

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An incomplete apology is often, quite rightly, seen as a second insult. In the next blog, I will continue with the tips offered by Hayden on "how to say sorry".

source: Gary Hayden, "Hard to Say Sorry", The Strait Times (Feb 25, 2010); http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1253880/John-Terry-didnt-say-sorry-The-reason-Wayne-Bridge-quit-England.html#ixzz0hM05le1v

Reaching & Touching

We are in a matrix of relationships…. There are many different kinds of relationships. There is that of a man and a woman in marriage. There is, of course, that of a parent(s) and child. Beyond that there are the general friendships of varying degrees of intensity that we all pursue and enjoy. Do all of these relationships have anything in common? Absolutely! - G&G MacDonald

photo: Sunday Service Team @ CEFC (2009)

This year we had a holiday bonanza over this Chinese New Year because it falls on a weekend. As a result, we had four continuous days to break away from our normal routine. My wife and I made a trip back to Kuala Lumpur to visit my elderly parents. Most of the time we spent in KL revolved around family and food; buying, preparing, cooking, eating and washing up.

In addition, I took the opportunity to read an old book which I brought along for the KL trip. If Those Who Reach Could Touch is written by Gail and Gordon MacDonald in 1984. It is a good reminder for me on the importance, principles and practice of developing good relationship. I strongly recommend the book as it is both insightful and practical. Written from a Christian perspective, I think the principles are relevant to our day-to-day relationships.

Reaching out - an impulse basic to human life. From our ealiest moments we reach for security, for food, for help. Later we reach for companionship. Ultimately, we reach in response to the reaching of others: parent to child, friend to friend, stronger to weaker, whole to hurting.

But although we reach instictively, many times we miss our mark. We fail to affect lives. We reach, but we cannot touch. Perhaps, it's becasue we have never learned to touch effectively. Perhaps in the business of daily living we have forgotten how. Or perhaps past experiences have so bruised and blinded us that we are too afraid or too bitter to risk touching. As a result, our relationships have become stunted parodies of the love God created us to live in.

If Those Who Reach Could Touch takes a look at what the Bible says about reaching and touching - how it can be done successfully and why we fail so often. The authors seek to help us understand the ability we have to touch and be touched and show us how to care, to forgive, to encourage, and to confront until our relationships grow to the fruitful, satisfying potential God plans for all Christians.

photo: Christmas (2009)

Summary: Reaching and touching are the building blocks of relationships. …. Generally speaking, everyone reaches but not everyone touches...

Make relationships a priority in our lives…

My Blessings Are So Many

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. Numbers 6:24-26.

photo: rodendrum (State College, 2008)

Over the whole of last year, our church systematically studied the book of Numbers. The weekly sermons were anchored on chapters of the book. Whilst there are many lessons that can be gleaned, one of my favorite verses from the book is Numbers 6:24-26. It reminds us that God is looking out for us. As Max Lucado wrote, "... what the world has overlooked, your Father has remembered, and sooner than you can imagine, you will be blessed by him.

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Further, my meditation today focused on John 1:16: "From his abundance, we have all received one gracious blessing after another." Browsing through my scrap book this morning, I came across a beautiful poem and prayer by Helen Steiner Rice.

My blessings are so many,
My troubles are so few,
How can I feel discouraged
When I know that I have You.
And I have the sweet assurance
That I’ll never stand alone
If I but keep remembering
I am Yours and Yours alone …
So, in this world of trouble
With darkness all around,
Take my hand and lead me
Until I stand on higher ground.
For anything and everything
Can somehow be endured
If your presence is beside me
And lovingly assured!
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Prayer: Father, keep my faith strong, my fervor constant. Although I cannot see you, I know you are always near, always at my side. In every trouble and problem, there is a blessing. It takes patience and perseverance to see it. Improve my outlook, Lord, so that I can see clearly the blessing You have sent my way. Yes Father, your blessings are all around me. I thanked You for your generosity, Your mercy and Your love.

Thank you, Father, for the many blessings – visible and invisible – that You have bestowed upon me.