Resolutions & Review

My goodness, can you believe it, another year has gone! How time flies!

Photo: "slowing down" to enjoy

the beauty of God's creation

I was going to write about New Year’s resolutions, but I couldn’t think of any until my wife reminded me of a resolution I made some years back.

On Dec 31, 2004, I received a traffic summon for speeding along the 4-carriageway Upper Bt. Timah Road, which had a speed limit of 50 km. I was caught by a policemen hiding with a mobile speed camera The summon costs me $170. But what hurts most was not the money but having a perfect 18-year driving record tarnished - 8 demerit points! The timing of the traffic summon, which came through the post, was an absolute year-end spoiler, coming exactly on the last day of 2004! So, thanks to the Traffic Police, I made a ‘fine’ New Year resolution to “slow down”. Since then, I have consciously kept to the speed limit and ignored the many vehicles, even the heavier and supposedly slower ones, breezing past.

So, I thought I might instead have a little review of the year. But then, most of what we have done (since August) have already been documented in this blog. Nonetheless, Bill Bryson, the author of “Notes from a BIG COUNTRY” wrote that one of the more dismaying aspects of writing for print is that “as soon as you make a statement – it will generally be contradicted by developments.” I can testify to this.

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In my first blog in August, I wrote how safe our neighborhood was such that most people don’t even bother to lock their doors. Well, wouldn’t you know it, but a few weeks after that blog, some “punks” went through our neighborhood in the early morning and left a trail of vandalism. Of all the houses in the neighborhood, they picked on ours! They plucked out the plants from a flower pot, turned over the garden bench, and took away the rattan “mail” basket and my wife’s favorite sandals. One of our neighbors also had his driveway lamp smashed! On the advice of our neighbors, we reported this incident to the police. We also decided to place our important documents in a safe deposit box at a nearby bank. Anyway, State College is still a relative safe place. Crimes are a rarity here, so even little incidents get reported in the local news.

Well, how do the Americans celebrate on New Year Eve?

We went into a wine shop and were amazed, not only by the number of shoppers, but also the amount of liquor that was sold. A number of shoppers have their baskets/trolleys filled with many bottles of spirits! So, if Thanksgiving is associated with “turkey”, Christmas with “gifts”, then the best association with NY Eve is “drinking”!

Proverbs of the Day (20:1, 23:20):

“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise”.

“Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”

In these two proverbs, God is not against drinking and partying. He wants us to enjoy life, but to be alert to the dangers of having too much wine; it dulls the senses, it limits clear judgment, it lowers the capacity for control, it destroys a person’s efficiency. The soothing comfort of alcohol is only temporary. To make wine an end in itself, a means of self-indulgence, or as an escape from life is to misuse it and invite the consequences of the drunkard.

Whilst the world drinks to forget, we drink to remember!

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Photo: Frozen pond at Penn State
What do we intend to do today? We plan to visit the First Night® State College, which is well known for its outstanding displays of carved ice sculptures. The event, which runs for the whole of today till midnight, features musical and theatrical performances in downtown churches and theatres, indoor and outdoor resolution sculptures, and art workshops for young people downtown and at the museum. For the athletically inclined, there is even present a 5K Resolution Run, or ice skating.

Truly, they have something for everyone. While outdoor events are free, a $8 button provides general admission to all indoor performances. First Night is an alcohol-free event that offers the community an alternative to the traditional New Year's Eve revelry.

I am intrigued to note that there is also going to be a Burning Man Resolution Sculpture. He will collect our wishes, regrets, and resolutions that we didn't keep. The Burning Man will live up to his name when we ignite him at 11:15 p.m. in Central Parklet. On his short journey from wood and fabric to charcoal, he'll dispose of all of our loose ends from the past year.

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Have a Happy New Year!

Sources:

1) LAB, p. 1109

1) Bill Bryson, Notes from a BIG COUNTRY

2) http://www.firstnightstatecollege.com/index.html

"The Day After"

The day after Christmas I asked my wife, "Darling, is it me or have you noticed the many commercials on weight management program and exercise equipments?". Somehow these commercials, which appeared to go into hibernation during the month leading to Christmas, have suddenly returned with a vengeance!

Picture: Courtesy of trashyourtv

Americans are really spoilt for choice - in terms of the number of channels they have on the tv. On a quick count, I can get access to 80-90 channels on our tv. So, my guess that the remote control is the most utilized electronic gadget in a typical American home would not be far off. You will also not get any prize for guessing where the term "couch potato" comes from.

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I am astonished to hear that the average American watches over 4½ hours of tv every single day! That adds up to 31 ½ hours every week, 5 ½ solid days per month and more than two whole months every year. By the age of 70, that is over 13 years watching television! Aren't there more important things you would rather be doing with this time? Imagine what you could do with all this time. (refer: http://www.trashyourtv.com/). Parents, beware of what you children are watching!

• Children are exposed to 50,000 tv commercials a year.
• Children witness 14,000 sexual references a year.
• Children witness 16,000 tv murders by age 18.

Except for the news, weather channel and some game and cook shows, which my wife likes, we don't watch the programs on tv. I find it a test of my patience due to the frequent and lengthy commercial breaks. Also, many of the programs are not very wholesome. Instead, my wife and I watch dvds, which we borrow from the library.

Anyway, over the Christmas holidays, we managed to catch the perennial rerun of "Home Alone!" on the tv. On the recommendation of a close friend, we also watched another classic film, "A Christmas Story". It is a funny and entertaining film (produced in 1983, I think) about a boy who wished (and schemed) for a "pop-rifle" for his Christmas present. It is a family movie that everyone can relate to. A reviewer commented that "it is about childhood memories and the feelings they evoke". But the most incredible thing I find about the show is that it was actually aired on the same channel (TBS) continuously for 24 hours starting from Christmas eve! Apparently, the 24-hour marathon screening has been an ongoing tradition for 11 years, since 1997!

Our pastor, Dan Nold, gives the church members a weekly update. From his most recent sharing, you can catch a glimpse of what the days after Christmas are like for the typical American families:

I don't know how you feel in the days after Christmas. But isn't a shame that what is anticipated for so long should be over so quickly?

It does not take long for the magic of Christmas to turn into the reality of “the day after.” The carolers have sung their last song. Christmas gifts are fast becoming January’s bills. Soon the decorations will go back in the boxes and finally the Christmas tree will be placed by the road. That's always the last thing to go in our house.

Yet, in spite of the shopping, in spite of staying up till 2:00am Christmas morning to wrap presents that will be unwrapped six hours later in the space of twenty minutes, so that we can travel four hours to spend the day with forty people we haven’t seen for a year, there’s still something potentially very special about Christmas. If we can find our way through all the wrappings and trappings, we can reach a special place. It will take more than a day to find it, but it wil l last longer than a day when we reach it.

What if Christmas were a way of life, rather than a day of the year?

"Forced" Growth

The other day, I asked my blog consultant a riddle.

What is tiny, shiny and highly treasured, but first has to be cultivated under stress?

Winter in Pennsylvania can be cold! Although we have yet to experience the worst of the winter, the average temperature outside is between 0 to 5 degrees Celsius during the day. On certain nights, it can get so cold that leaves turn into ice!

But I have also come to understand that frost and winter are necessary for some flowers to grow. For the first time in my life, I bought and planted some tulip and daffodil bulbs in the garden. That was way back in October and the ground where the bulbs are planted is now covered in snow. Although this situation may appear doomed to a novice gardener, it is just the right condition for the bulbs. From what I read, the bulbs need to have a certain amount of time in cold ground to “force” their growth. And in the south where it may not get cold enough, it is recommended that the bulbs be stored in the fridge for 4-6 weeks before planting.

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If everything goes well, the colorful tulips and daffodils should bloom in early spring.

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Proverbs for the Day (24:10):

Photo: Courtesy of theflowerexpert

If you falter in times of trouble how small is your strength!

When we face hardship and discouragement, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture. But we’re not alone; many have already made it through life, enduring far more difficult circumstances that we have experienced.

Times of trouble can be useful. They can show you who you really are, what kind of character you have developed. In addition, they can help you grow stronger. Suffering is, indeed, the training ground for maturity. It develops our patience and makes our final victory sweet.

When Jeremiah questioned God because of the troubles he faced, God asked how he ever expected to face big challenges if the little ones tire him out. Don’t complain about your problems. The trouble you face today is training you to be strong for the more difficult situations you will face in the future. .

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"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out,

how can you compete with horses?

If you stumble in safe country,

how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?"

- Jeremiah 12:5 -

BTW, the answer to the riddle is "PEARL".

Source: LAB

Christmas isn't Christmas

It’s Christmas morning! I woke up at 7.00 am. No, I didn't run downstair to check if Santa has left me a gift! Instead, I went through my usual morning routine - switch off the night lamp, wash my face, make myself a cup of hot mocha, and go down to the basement for a quiet time of reflection, bible reading and prayer.

Photo: Courtesy of allthingschristmas.

What are we doing later today? The Ambrose family has invited us over to their home to spend the day and have a simple meal together.

This morning, it occured to me that we've celebrated Christmas in England, S'pore, Australia and now in the US! Our observation of the celebration in the US:

• The festivity is prolonged; starting from Thanksgiving in Nov, and ending with the New Year’s Day in Jan. A lot of the fun is in the anticipation part, tree trimming, shopping, baking, caroling, and waiting!
• Thanksgiving is focused on the family meal (turkey). The highlight of Christmas is the gift exchanges. During Thanksgiving, every supermarket went on sale, but during Christmas, it is the retailers’ cash registers that are ringing continuously.

Last Saturday, we went to the mall to buy a gift. We were amazed! The mall, which is usually deserted, was packed with shoppers. There were queues everywhere, even in the toilets! Not unlike Singapore. So, if you asked us, we prefer "Thanksgiving" to "Christmas" in the US.
Photo: Edible ginger bread/candy house
Here, there is no Boxing Day! Americans spent the Christmas day unwrapping the gifts and saying polite “thank yous” to uncles and aunties for their gifts that they may not be too excited about, but still having to pretend that the gifts were just what they had wished for! (My guess is that gift wrap was invented by someone who is giving a present that he doesn’t wish to be around when the recepient opened it later :-) .

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There is no church service on Christmas day. Instead, our church had a carol and candlelight service on Christmas eve. We sang the usual Christmas carols but was disappointed that our favorite Christmas carol was not sung. In fact, I realized that it has not been on air over the radio. Perhaps, it is not a song that is familiar with the Americans (I have to check this out).

Anyway, I checked you-tube if it has a video clip of the song, but no. From my web search for the lyrics, I realized that Disney has a version of it in an album on Christmas but the song has been shortened (and modified...):

Christmas isn't Christmas,
Till it happens in your heart,
Somewhere deep inside you,
Is where christmas really starts,
So, give your heart to people,
You'll discover when you do,
That it's Christmas ... really Christmas... for you!

Can you spot the difference? See the original version below.

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!

Disney has substituted “people” for “Jesus”! Truly, this reflects how much the world has commercialized Christmas. For Christians, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Every family have their own Christmas traditions… well, for me and my wife, ours’ is a simple one … we sing the carol (the original version!) together on Christmas day. We don’t exchange gifts but wish each other “Jesus” because we know that when we wish our spouse “Jesus”, we have wished him/her everything!

Anyway, if you are interested, here is the remaining part of the song …

Jesus brings warmth like a winter fire,

A light like a candle's glow,

He's waiting now to come inside,

As He did so long ago,

Jesus brings gifts of truth and life,

And makes them bloom and grow,

So welcome Him with a song of joy,

And when He comes you'll know, that..

Christmas isn't christmas

'til it happens in your heart.....

So, over this Christmas, we wish you "Jesus". That He will bring His gifts of warmth, light, joy, truth and life into your household. Like the shepherds and the wisemen on the first Christmas,
we hope you will welcome Him with a song of joy!

Beautiful Feet Sharp Mind

It is written in Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news". In our case, I should say "... those who brings us good stuff"! Our friend, Jennifer visited us in December and brought us more "stuff" from Singapore. She also helped to bring some books home for me.

Photo: Tussey Mountain ski slope

In addition to some bakwa and pork floss, this is the list of items we asked her to bring for us:
(1) TAHO - Lemon Chili Sauce
(2) TAHO - Chincalok Chili Sauce
(3) BABA's meat curry powder
(4) canned fried dace with black beans
(5) Yeo's spicy anchovies

(6) pandan essence
(7) green coloring

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Items 6 and 7 are for baking pandan cake! We can find most things here but not pandan leave. Hence, the essence! We have since used it for sweet potato, red bean and honey dew sago 'tong-suey'.

So, that's it! We should have enough stock to last till June. Hopefully.

Proverbs for the Day (13:20)

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

You can tell a lot about a person by the friend she has. Our friends and associates affect us, sometimes profoundly. Be careful whom you choose as your closest friends. Spend time with people you want to be like – because you and your friends will surely grow to resemble each other.

In my world, co-authoring is normal. But an often asked question is, "how do you decide who to co-author with?" The answer would depend on your objective. If you want to progress, then, "find someone who is smarter than you to work with." But if you want to regress, then work with someone (well, you know...). The same principle applies to tennis, golf, soccer, or any other games. To improve, you must play/spar with someone who is better than you.

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On this note, we will be visiting New Orleans (Jan 2-7) where I will be presenting a research paper. The ASSA conference, which is held annually on the first weekend of the new year, is attended by the top brains in various fields of economics in the world, including those in finance and real estate. In the presence of greatness, one can either feel inspired or intimidated! For me, I attend these conferences with the view that "friends who bring their ideas together can help each other become sharper." .

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Proverbs (27:17) reads, "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." There is a mental sharpness that comes from being with good people. And a meeting of minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity, refine them, and shape them into brilliant insights. This requires discussion partners who can challenge each other and stimulate thought - people who focus on the idea without involving their egos in the discussion; people who know how to attack the thought and not the thinker.

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Reflection: Where do we go when we need advice? Besides going to our friends, we should also seek out older and wiser people. Wise people have experienced a lot of life – and have come through. They are not afraid to tell the truth. So, who are the wise, godly people who can warn you of the pitfalls ahead?

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Source: LAB (p. 1087)

Love Feast

Our Life group, which meets every sunday evening since September, held a pot-luck "makan" session at Bill & Barb house on Dec 9. This would be our last meeting for the year. Also, it would be the last meeting for Gerardo, who will be returning home to Columbia. A professor with a university in Bogota, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior and lord several months ago after initiating a conversation with Bill and me on why and how we became Christians.

For the potluck, my wife prepared fried noodle, whilst I contributed roast chicken (marinated with curry powder, tumeric & lemon grass).

As usual, we were the first to arrive at the host house. My wife took the opportunity to help Barb decorate some "Christmas Wreath" cookies that she was making from rice cereal.

Secret Santa Story (SSS)

Giving money away to strangers on the street — how tough can that be? You walk up to someone and say, “Hey, how ya doing? Here’s a $100 bill.”

I have just heard an inspiring story today. It's true - I have verified the story on the internet. It is about a guy in Kansas City who had, from 1979 through 2006, made a practice of anonymously handing out small amount of cash, typically in the form of hundred-dollar bills, to needy people. His acts of kindness were not restricted to the Kansas City area. He traveled to other metropolitan areas during times of local tragedy, such as New York (Sept 11, 2001), and to Mississippi (Hurricane Katrina, 2005). Over 28 years, he gave away a total of $1.3 million anonymously.

He successfully kept his identity hidden until 2006. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he chose to reveal his identity as part of an effort to encourage others to practice philanthropy. His name is Larry Stewart. Now, his story is even more remarkable. Stewart has grown up in poverty in a small town in Mississippi. As a young adult, he was fired two years in a row in 1978 & 1979; would you believe it, both times, just before Christmas? After losing his job, he lived in his car. Then came the day that planted the seed of Secret Santa.

Cold, hungry, homeless and broke, Stewart went into a restaurant and ordered a big breakfast. With no money in his pockets he concocted a plan of petty crime to get something to eat and then pretend he had lost his wallet. He had no idea what was in store for him. The owner came from behind the counter and bent to the floor near Stewart’s feet. “You must have dropped this,” he said, handing Stewart a $20 bill. Stewart vowed that day the he would help others whenever he could.

He made his way to Kansas and eventually made a lot of money in business. But Stewart didn’t wait until he became rich! Around Christmas of 1979, still nursing his wounds of unemployment, he was having dinner at a drive-in during a very cold day. Noticing a carhob (a waiter, often on rollerskates, who brings food to people in their car) working outside, Stewart recalled, “It was cold and this car hop didn't have on a very big jacket, and I thought to myself, `I think I got it bad. She's out there in this cold making nickels and dimes,. I gave her $20 and told her to keep the change. And suddenly I saw her lips begin to tremble and tears begin to flow down her cheeks. She said, `Sir, you have no idea what this means to me.'

From then onwards, at Christmas, Stewart would search for people in threadbare coats and old cars. He found them at thrift stores and coin-operated laundries and gave them cash. Stewart’s Santa currency usually was $100 bills. The only thing Santa asks in return is that recipients of the money do something nice for someone else. But he always said the amount wasn’t important. He just wanted recipients of his gift to pass something along to others, even it were only $5 or simple gestures such as opening the door for a stranger or taking cookies to a shut-in. That's what got Stewart started in the first place.

Stewart died earlier this year (January 12, 2007) from cancer, aged 58. But his legacy continues. This year, several businessmen have announced that they will be filling the shoes of Secret Santa. Stewart's dream, when he was alive, was to have a Secret Santa in every major U.S. city, something those who are carrying on his tradition hope to achieve. His inspiring story has also been captured in a book! You can also goggle and find US newspapers covering his good deeds and his death!

Secret Santa's story is one of true hope - “He lit a candle every Christmas that was so bright, every one could see.”
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Reflection: I have no idea why Santa did it? What did he get out of it? But I believe he must be one of the most happiest people in the world when he was alive. How do I know? Because the Bible says that generous people are happy people! It seems like a paradox, but its true, "if you want joy, start giving!". We have heard of the saying, "it is more blessed to give than to receive."

For Christians - The Christmas story is truly one about giving - "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life!" (John 3:16). God is exceedingly generous. I believe He is the happiest being in the whole universe because He outgive everyone! How about embracing the spirit of giving this Christmas season. As Secret Santa would say, "it is not the amount, but the simple gestures". You will be surprised how small seeds of kindness can grow and multiply.

So, let me repeat the question I posed at the beginning. "Giving money away to strangers on the street - how tough can that be? You walk up to someone and say, "Hey, how ya doing? Here's a $50 bill."

References:
A new Secret Santa and others carry on Larry Stewart’s legacy of giving, By D. Bradley The Kansas City Star (Dec 1, 07) .
Secret Santa hands out $20,000 in Phoenix, J. Villa The Arizona Rep. (Dec. 5, 07)
Secret Santa Millionaire Philanthropist Larry Stewart Dead at 58 (Jan 13, 07), Fox News
Wikipedia

Evergreens

Last weekend, we visited another Christmas tree farm with Jennifer, our friend from Singapore. Somehow, I never get bored looking at Christmas trees. Do you know why I admire them so much? Because they are dress in my favorite color, evergreen!

In the winter, the greens are the first to go! By now, all the trees are naked - with only their skeletal branches to show. But now is the time for pine trees to stand out. Someone wrote, "if it weren't for the evergreens, my eyes would see nothing but ... soils and bricks".

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Although they are rarely noticed at other times, you can be sure that the evergreens have always been there! Truly, the evergreens possess a virtue which is worthy of my admiration .... Consistency!

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I would like to share four short video clips I took at the tree farm. They cover the whole process from unloading the tree to wrapping it.

(1) Unloading the tree

(2) Measuring the height of the tree

(3) Preparing the tree base

(4) Bundling the tree

What will guard you against foolish extremes? What characterizes those who are habitually successful in sports or sales or some skill? What single quality in a business builds respect deeper than any other? What brings security in relationships? What makes us choose a particular brand name over all others? What draws you to the same restaurant time and again? What do you want most from your paperboy … or milkman … or postman?
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The questions are different, but each answer is the same.

CONSISTENCY… Steadiness. You can count on it. It’ll be there tomorrow just like it was yesterday… free from silly moods, sudden changes, or fickle fads. Early in the day or late at night, consistency stands firm… When the majority is tired and irritable, consistency is stable and resilient… reliable, faithful, … trustworthy… solid.

CONSISTENCY … A living model of patience, determination, and strength – regardless of shifty, rootless times… It knows little ups and downs, highs or lows, blue Monday or holiday hangovers. It hates tardiness and absenteeism. It thrives on sacrifice and unselfishness. It’s an obvious mark of maturity. It’s hanging in there day in and day out in spite of everything that could get you sidetracked.

It’s the stuff most mothers are made of when their little ones get sick … and missionaries who lose themselves in their labor even though it yields limited fruit. It reveals itself in faithful employees who show up on time, roll up their sleeves, and commit themselves more to doing the job than watching the clock… diligence, … dependability, … discipline.

Source: C.R. Swindoll (1983) Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life, pp.19-20.

Lion (or Lame?) Excuse

Like the Merlion of Singapore, the Nittany Lion shrine is an icon here! Sculptured by Heinz Warnecke from a 13-ton block of limestone, the shrine was a gift to PennState university from the Class of 1940. Since its unveiling in 1942, the sculpture has been one of the most visited and photographed sites, not just on campus, but also the entire of Pennsylvania. Note: Mountain lions had roamed on the nearby Mount Nittany until the 1880s, when they became extinct.

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The Nittany Lion Shrine

Proverbs for the Day (22:13)

The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!" or, "I will be murdered in the street".

This proverb refers to an excuse a lazy person might use to avoid going to work. The excuse sounds silly to us, but that's often how our excuses sound to others. Don't rationalize laziness. Take responsibilities seriously and get to work. If a person is not willing to work, he or she can find endless excuses to avoid it. But laziness is more dangerous than a prowling lion.

A windsock

This reminds me of Ecclesiastes.

"Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap." (11:4)

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Waiting for perfect conditions will mean inactivity. If we wait for the perfect time and place, we will never begin. If we wait for the perfect job, we will never gain experience. If we wait for a perfect partner, we will never commit. Whilst we should not take uncalculated risk, we don't wait for conditions that may never exist.

So, go out today; stop giving excuses and start taking some risk. Have faith! Have an adventure!

Source: LAB, pp. 1107 & 1142.

Credit Card

I was astonished to hear on the radio this morning that the average outstanding balance on a credit card in the US in 2006 was US$9,659! (In 1990, it was US $3,000). Note that this is the average figure! Given that there are those (like me) who hold several credit cards but rarely use them and pay the outstanding amount promptly at the end of each month to avoid paying interest, this suggests that the distribution is skewed to the right. In other words, there are those who owed the credit card companies much more than the average US$ 9,659!

Haystack for the winter

Proverbs for the Day (21:20)

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"In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has."

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This proverb is about saving for the future. It's about examining our life-styles and spending patterns.

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Simply, the wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets. Easy credit has many people living on the edge of bankruptcy. The desire to keep up and to accumulate more pushes them to spend every penny they earn, and they stretch their credit to the limit. But anyone who spends all he has is spending more than he can afford (LAB; 1104).

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A wise person puts money aside for when he or she may have less. God approves of foresight and restraint. Afterall, He has placed in our brain the frontal lobe (c.f. my previous posting on Phineas).

Phineas the Fish

Let me to introduce you to Phineas, the Siamese fish. Owned by our landlord and left to our care, Phineas is very easy to maintain - feed it every other day and change the water as and when the tank becomes cloudy. He likes distilled water, though!

Can you imagine living like Phineas? On the plus side, you don’t need to worry about what you will eat or wear! But, no playmates and others to talk to? From a human perspective, the life of a fish seems so meaningless; swimming from one end of the tank to the other. Well, thankfully, Phineas does not think so because he has been wired to live in the present. No worry, no anticipation of what will happen next!

Daniel Gilbert, the author of Stumbling on HAPPINESS, which I am currently reading, share a gory but true story to highlight a key difference between the brain of human beings and animals - unlike animals, our brain have a huge frontal lobe - the part that helps us to live for the future. Co-incidentally, the guy in the story is also named Phineas! http://www.randomhouse.com/kvpa/gilbert/

PART I
Phineas P. Gage was a foreman working on the construction of a railroad track outside the small town of Cavendish, Vermont. One of his duties involved filling the hole with gunpowder, adding a fuse, and then packing in sand with the aid of a large tamping iron. On a lovely autumn day in 1848 (Sep 13), Gage was momentarily distracted and forgot to pour the sand into one hole. Thus, when he went to tamp the sand down, the tamping iron sparked against the rock and ignited the gunpowder, causing the iron to be blown through Gage's head with such force that it landed almost thirty yards (27 meters) behind him. The three foot (1 m) long tamping iron with a diameter of 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) weighing thirteen and a half pounds (6.12 kg) entered his skull below his left cheek bone and exited through the top of his skull, boring a tunnel through his brain and taking a good chunk of frontal lobe with it.

Then, to everyone’s astonishment, he stood up and asked if a coworker might escort him to the doctor, insisting all the while that he didn’t need a ride and could walk himself. The doctor cleaned some dirt from the wound, a coworker cleaned some brain from the rod, and in a relatively short while, Phineas and his rod were back about their business

His personality took a decided turn for the worse, but the most striking thing about Phineas was just how normal he otherwise was. Had the rod made hamburger of another brain part, then Phineas might have died, gone blind, lost the ability to speak, or spent the rest of his life doing a convincing impression of a cabbage. Instead, for the next 12 years, he lived, spoke, worked and travel so uncabbagely that neurologists could only conclude that the frontal lobe did little for a fellow that he couldn’t get along nicely without.

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PART II

In the 1930s, a Portuguese physician named Antonio Egas Moniz was looking for a way to quiet his highly agitated psychotic patients when he heard about a new surgical procedure called frontal lobotomy, which involved the destruction of parts of the frontal lobe. This procedure has been performed on monkeys, who were normally quite angry when their food was withheld, but who reacted to such indignities with unruffled patience after experiencing the operation. Egas tried this procedure on human patients and found that it had a similar calming effect. This won him the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1949.

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Over the next few decades, surgical techniques were improved and unwanted side effects were diminished. The destruction of some part of the frontal lobe became a standard treatment for cases of anxiety and depression that resisted other form of therapy. Contrary to the conventional medical wisdom of the previous century, the frontal lobe did make a difference. The difference was that some folks seemed better off without it.

PART III

Although patients with frontal lobe damage often performed well on standard intelligence tests, memory tests, and the like, they showed severe impairments on any test – even the simplest test – that involved planning. These patients might function reasonably well in ordinary situations, drinking tea without spilling and make small talk, but they found it practically impossible to say what they would do later that afternoon. Now, this pair of observations – that damage to certain parts of the frontal lobe can make people feel calm but that it can also leave them unable to plan – seem to converge on a single conclusion. What is the conceptual tie that binds anxiety and planning? Both, of course, are intimately connected to thinking about the future.

Thus, this frontal lobe – the last part of the human brain to evolve, the slowest to mature, and the first to deteriorate in old age – is a time machine that allows each of us to vacate the present and experience the future before it happens. No other animal has a frontal lobe quite like ours, which is why we are the only animal that thinks about the future as we do.

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Gage kept the rod which damaged him as a souvenir throughout his life, and it was buried with him in death. In 1867, when his skeleton was exhumed, the original rod was thus available with it. His skull is currently part of the permanent exhibition at Harvard Medical School’s Warrant Anatomical Museum in Boston, Massachusetts.

Christmas Tree Farm

One of the favorite Christmas traditions amongst American families is to go out, choose and cut their Christmas tree and bring it home. They will then dedicate an evening for the family to decorate the tree together, which is known as "tree trimming".

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Two Saturdays ago, we took advantage of the sunny weather to visit Altoona, which is 40 mins drive away. On our way home, we visited a Christmas tree farm. Despite the sunny weather, the temperature was freezing cold!!!

Horse carriage to bring customers to the field. The chosen tree will be cut and carted back to the farm house, where it is wrapped and loaded on to the customers' vehicle.

Our chosen one! No, the tree did not follow us home. But it had the privilege of taking a photo with us :-)
On Wed, the Ambrose family invited us to their lovely house for a casual evening of homemade soup for dinner and some tree trimming.
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Below is what our pastor shared he will be doing for this year's tree trimming ....

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"We spend the evening decorating the tree and when it’s done we read the Christmas story. After the kids go to bed, it’s time to sit with a cup of hot apple cider in the living room with all the lights off, except the lights of the tree. I share all that to simply say, this year in that quiet moment as our Christmas starts, I’ll be praying for you, for us… asking God to make this one of the best Christmases ever; one where we are more spiritual connected than ever; one where our hearts are expanded in generosity like never before; one where we make a difference in the lives of people around the world. The best Christmas ever, that will be my prayer for us."

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My wife and I would also like to take the opportunity to wish everyone back home a Blessed Christmas! It will be a White Christmas here in Happy Valley! May grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only reason why we celebrate Christmas! God bless!

Pride & Prejudice

So, what is the outcome of your education? It would be a shame if all it leads to is Pride and Prejudice! The intelligent man is always open to new ideas. In fact, he looks for them. He is continuously seeking and learning.

Proverbs (18: 13, 15, 17) for the Day:
"He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame... The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.... The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and question him."

In these concise statements, there are 3 basic principles for making sound decisions:

1. get the facts before answering,


2. be open to new ideas,


3. make sure you hear both sides of the story before judging.

All three principles centre around seeking additional information (RESEARCH). This is difficult work, but the only alternative is prejudice - judging before getting the facts (LAB, p. 1098). The Proverbs also cautioned that pride ends in destruction, humility ends in honor.

"Before his downfall, a man's heart is proud. But humility comes before honor." - Proverbs 18:12

As I reflected on these proverbs collectively, I am reminded of my own experience when I pursued my PhD. Below is what I wrote then (in 1998), ...

... the experience has also taught me the joy of research, and the importance of sound argument and good scholarship. From one who used to avoid criticisms, I now regard them as an essential part of the research process. As Watson (1987; 4) rightly put it, "a thesis asked to be criticized and it is built with a view to stand criticism much as a ship is built for the open sea". It is also a humbling experience to realize that there is no clear boundary to knowledge; the deeper one gets into a chosen area, the sooner one realizes that there is yet more to be explored.

True Friendship

Proverbs for the day:

"A friend loves at all times,

and a brother is born for adversity" - 17:17

Photo with a few members of the lifegroup we attend on Sunday evenings. From left: Ginger (USA), BMW (S'pore), Hien (Vietnam), Barb & Bill (hosts, USA), Gerardo (Columbia) & me!

What kind of friends are you? There is a vast difference between knowing someone well and being a true friend. The greatest evidence of genuine friendship is loyatly (loving 'at all times') - being available to help in times of distress or personal struggles.

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Too many people are fair-weather friends. They stick around when the friendship helps them and leave when they're not getting anything out of the relationship. Think of your friends and assess your loyalty to them. Be the kind of true friend the Proverbs encourages.

Source: LAB

Self-Control vs Conquest

Proverbs for the Day:

"Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes city." (16:32)

Self-control is superior to conquest. Success in business, school, or home-life can be ruined by a person who lost control of his or her temper.

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When you feel yourself ready to explode, remember that losing control may cause you to forfeit what you want the most.

Nittany Lions Football

Football is very popular throughout North America. In the US, the term “football” is reserved for American football, whilst the more familiar football game that is played in other parts of the world is known as “soccer”. Football, which a collision sport, is played by men, whilst soccer is more of a women’s game here.

A game consists of four 15-min quarters, with an intermission at 1/2 time. Because the clock stops after certain plays, a game can often last 3 hours, and the game is on TV, commercial timeouts are taken at certain intervals.
College Football: Nearly every college and university has a football team, no matter its size, and plays in its own stadium. The largest, most popular collegiate teams routinely fill stadiums larger than 60,000. It is, therefore, not surprising that football is generally the major source of revenue to the athletic programs of schools, public and private, in the US.

To say football is BIG here is an understatement! In PennState, football is a RELIGION! Under the tenure of its legendary coach, Joe Paterno, the team has won two national football championships. The team plays it home game at the Beaver Stadium. With a capacity of 107,282, it is the 2nd largest stadium in the US (smaller than Michigan Stadium by 219 seats), the 3rd largest stadium in North America, and 6th largest stadium in the world! The most incredible thing is that despite the small population in State College, match days are usually a sell out. For one of the games this season, tickets were selling on the e-bay at > US$1,000! Also, I am told that on each match day, the university earns around US$ 2 million!

The weekly autumn ritual of college football includes marching bands, cheerleaders, homecoming, parties, the tailgate party; it forms an important part of the culture in much of small town. A number of local residents will put up a Nittany Lion flag outside their house on matchday! In addition, a neighbor informed me that most local families are die-hard supporters and have a Nittany Lion room in their house. There is also a Nittany Lion shrine in the campus.

Play the video below for a feel of the vibe and energy involved prior to a game outside the stadium.

Penn State's most well-known athletic cheer is "We are...Penn State." Typically, the students and cheerleaders shout "We are," followed by a response of "Penn State" from the rest of the fans.

Reference: Wikipedia