iced kid - the warmth of friendship

49

2012-01-20T21:18:00.002+08:00

a beach was washed up with many starfishes. a boy walks along the beach and throws the beached starfishes back into the sea one by one. a man saw this and told him: "there are too many of them, you won't be able to save all". throwing another one into the sea, the boy replied: "well, it made the difference to that one"

a common story, yet so meaningful. you may not be a big difference to the world, yet you can be a world of a difference to someone.

chance encounters. i believe that they are not by chance, but instead pre-determined by God for us to make a difference in the lives of others. sometimes we tend to dismiss such encounters but in doing so, we also tend to overlook the potential that such encounters can be.

God instructs us to not ignore strangers, for by entertaining strangers, we may be entertaining angels. when you ignore someone, you may be also ignoring his or her pain, sorrow, troubles. in fact, it may not be a complete stranger, that relative you only meet occasionally, that classmate you have been with for many years yet never talk with, that casual friend you say hi to every week.

a simple innocent question can be the catalyst to so much more. don't look down on something simple like just asking "how are you". it can work wonders, you just do not see it at the present.

in fact, you can also gain so much from helping others. any interaction is beneficial in both ways (and it works the same if it is harming instead). how so you ask? you develop as a person. there are just some things you can't learn in school. why do you think there are so many "educated" people holding degrees who don't know how to be a decent person?

so always look out and be aware of your surrounding people. who knows? you may be the starfish who needs a boy.

every encounter is an opportunity

48

2012-01-03T13:17:00.002+08:00

new year. time for a resurrection of this blog =)

as we reflect upon the last year, we are bound to see many achievements, many milestones that we have reached. for some, it may be reaching (finally) a certain age. for some, running a marathon. for others, winning a competition. for me? growing deeper in God's word and living purely by His grace and in faith (in other words, zen mode)

but if we are to examine closer, looking between our achievements, at the gaps, we are also bound to find areas where we feel we could have done better, or regrets, or missed opportunities. for example, that trip which you were unable to make, that event you failed to take part in, that grade you were so close in attaining.

yet, you know what? those seemingly blotches on the year's records are there for a reason. from them, we can derive lessons, we can grow stronger. but most importantly, God has plans for them.

there's this story about a man who had an undeveloped plot of land. he wanted to build a house on it, but somehow adversities prevented him from doing so. a corrupt construction company (alliteration =D), insufficient materials and financial worries, just to name some examples. a month after he finally gave in the towel, he was strolling along the land when he suddenly tripped over something hard. digging deeper, he found a pot of gold.

yes, the story is a bit far-fetched but not entirely improbable. after all, parting the sea? surviving inside a whale? those seem far-fetched too. sometimes God doesn't want us to do some stuff simply cause He has other plans for us. and we all know that God's plans are perfect. in other words, we have an exchange, and get something better in return.

so looking forward to this new year. don't be disappointed when things don't go the way we want them to. look on the bright side and constantly honour God with our work.

Father Lord, I pray that You reign sovereign in my life. I pray that in everything I do, I do them in Your name. Every decision I make, every step I take, I want to commit them into Your mighty hands O Lord. I want to keep trusting in You always, to have an unwavering faith. Every aspect of my life, studies, relationships with family and friends, I surrender them to You. Also, use me Lord, in whatever plans You have for me. For Your kingdom Lord, Your will be done. Amen.

God takes things out of our hands so He can fill them with better things

47

2011-06-23T14:08:00.002+08:00

happy fathers' day!!! and nope, I am not late or mistaken or confused. because everyday should be a fathers' day no?

let's face it, our fathers have done a lot for us. working hard to support the family, making sure food is always provided on the dinner table, ensuring we get a good education. they handle so many things at one time, you just wonder, how is it even possible. in fact, our fathers are just superheroes. you look at them and you just know - i am saved, nothing will go wrong.

so how can they deserve only 1 day of recognition??? that is only 3.65% of what they deserve (in case anyone was wondering, that's 1/365, why? figure it out yourself). we should appreciate them always.

appreciation does not need to come only through making breakfast. fathers just want to know that they're doing their job, to care for the family. a simple phrase like "i love you" goes a long way. yes, it might seem very awkward when you're grown up (i.e. teenage), but would you rather say it when it's too late or say it now, so your dad will know.

daddy, you're more than my role model, you have molded me, helped me become who i am today. i don't need to make you proud because i know you are already proud of me, that's how strong your love is. so i will work hard and show the world what a great daddy i have.

i love you dad

46

2011-06-07T10:52:00.002+08:00

we all want recognition. that's human nature. we dream for that moment, on stage, getting recognized publicly for the work we have done. or maybe just getting praised by our friends. but more often than not, that recognition doesn't come.

the grass always seem greener on the other side. it seems like it's always our friend that gets recognized, getting the opportunity to go on stage to shake hands with so-and-so guest-of-honour, always being the talk of the town among friends. if they deserved it, we're happy for them. but if we deserve just as much or are even more deserving, our viewpoint is completely (surprisingly?) overturned. we feel hurt, jealous, angry even. we think: how come i'm not the one up there?

the thing is, is that what we are working for? fame? glory? all these should be just a bonus, not our ultimate aim. why study so hard? is it to get on the dean's list? or is it to honour your parents? why do we put in so much effort in doing things for a friend? is it to get praised by others "wow, you are such an awesome friend"? isn't it about the friend? how did it become about you? that's the danger of becoming obsessed about personal glory.

when others get recognition, we should be happy for them. yes, we might be more deserving, but are they any less deserving? are we downplaying their achievements? how selfish can we be?

furthermore, as Christians, we must realise that we are living for the glory of God. same as "thy will be done, not mine", it should also be "for thy glory, not mine" when we go about our daily routine, it should be gaining recognition for God through our actions. how can we place ourselves above God?

and yes, the above may sound very sacrificial. but know that there will always be someone who appreciates what we do, not only God, but friends, family. it may not be public, but people still treasure us and what we have accomplished. think about it, once you stop focusing on the recognition, when it does come, it will be even the sweeter.

what you do for yourself will only last as long as you live, but what you do for others last an eternity

45

2011-05-29T23:31:00.002+08:00

one of the worst thing to experience in a football is losing to a last minute goal. imagine the whole team pressing, limiting the opposing team to half-chances, then just one defensive lapse and all the hard work gets undone. that's pretty much like life.

you work hard, being very disciplined, managing your time strictly. then somehow, we have this tendency to self-implode, lapsing into a momentary period of sianness and aimlessness. it could last a few days, week long, worse, weeks. sometimes, we get so discouraged, so frustrated that we allow ourselves to get into such a mess.

but it is how we channel this frustration that makes the difference. we cannot just lie down and let ourselves get beat. it just leads to a vicious cycle of discouragement that leads to more discouragement. we must tell ourselves to get up, regroup, and get back on track.

sometimes all we need is a break from our hectic lifestyles. using the football analogy, a team cannot keep pressing, the players will run out of energy eventually. a break to recharge, renew, refresh. go take a walk, go out with friends. however, one must take care not to take too excessive a break.

don't be too hard on yourself. let's face it, the past has already happened, you can't change it anymore. don't cry over spilt milk, instead, push on, make up for what you did (or did not do) and things will change for the better.

think not what i could have done, think what i should do now

44

2011-05-08T22:49:00.003+08:00

mothers, always caring, always loving, always there. since the moment they gave birth to us, they expect nothing but the best for us. that is why we are deprived of the junk food we crave food and forced to consume the icky, yucky but healthy vegetables.

a mother's love is so powerful that she is willing to sacrifice so much for her children. what better example than the upcoming final installment of the blockbuster movie series? here's a clue, it starts with "H" and rhymes with "hairy bottle". the story of how a mother's love protected her son, the so-called chosen one, from the clutches of death by a so-called cant-be-named one is well-known. in the story, another mother's love for her daughter (aka chosen one's girlfriend) enabled her to defeat Bellatrix.

Mothers are just so amazing. You would think that when we reach teenage or adult years, when we stop thinking the world of them, start ignoring them and going our own ways, that they will be quite relieved to just get rid of us after taking care of us for almost 2 decades. but no, that's not true, mothers continue to take great care and concern for us, losing sleepless nights about our well-being and future. isn't that just laudable?

we love you, mothers. because you make this world go round, you build the backbone of society and most importantly, you are OUR MOTHERS.

happy mothers' day!!!

43

2011-04-23T12:18:00.002+08:00

Father Lord,

Reflecting on Easter Weekend, it made me realise just how big a sacrifice it was. For You to send Your son Jesus down to earth to die on the cross for humans like us, to bear the weight of the world's sins upon those shoulders. How great, how awesome, how almighty is Your love for us.

I pray that even as I go about my daily life, I'll be constantly reminded about You and how You saved us. I pray that I will rejoice in our salvation and be a blessing to others. I pray that I can show the love that You've shown us to others who need it.

In all that I do, I pray that I will not rely on my own strength but to lean on Yours. Not my will but thy, not my glory but thy.

Father Lord, let my life be a living testimony for You.

Amen

42

2011-04-21T23:13:00.002+08:00

many of us are rushing, scrambling to get to that place, to reach our destination. but amidst all the buzz and busy-ness, how many of us actually pays attention to the process?

we have our goals, our targets we want to achieve. and sure, we craft out a proposal, an action plan that will help us achieve that end. but after that, most of us just take this journey for granted, as just a mean to an end. we should change our mindset, and treat the journey as an end in itself

take for example eating a simple meal. yes, we eat the meal, but are we enjoying the meal? every bite, every chew, every swallow. do we enjoy the company we have during our meals? or are we just concerned about finishing our meal so we can go on to do other stuff.

when we start adjusting our focus, and immerse ourselves more in the process, the experience is ultimately far more enriching. the result itself won't matter as much (whether that's a good thing is up to you to decide). it will be the bonus, the icing on the cake.

most importantly, it's the process which helps us develop and grow as a person. it's the process that bonds us. it's the process that defines us.

so why not give it a try? don't be so achievement/results-oriented. be process-oriented =) and you'll find life is so much more meaningful.

without the journey, there can never be a destination in the first place

41

2011-03-20T21:05:00.002+08:00

i love my family =)

there is just something about family that cannot be replicated by friends. maybe it's the blood tie that gives rise to such an emotional attachment.

being with family means comfort, a sense of security, a refuge for a soul troubled by the world. family is so important, and our Lord modeled the way when He arranged for his mother to be taken care of by John when on the cross.

family has seen you brought up from young. family has moulded your values, taught you to live and be a good man. family has provided for you when you were helpless. family is... awesome =)

this post goes as a shout out to my family: daddy, mommy, siblings, relatives. you guys are the best!!

FAMILY - Father And Mother, I Love You

40

2011-03-12T23:51:00.002+08:00

what is our purpose in life?

somedays, we feel like we are just going through the motions, living with the flow. we feel aimless. a floating body in the midst of life.

but that's not true. we are created for a purpose. we are placed here on earth to do something. what is important is that we know what that thing is.

is it the "A" in the exam, A levels maybe? is it the body you dream of (six-packs and bulging biceps)? the gold/champion title in that competition?

but what is going to happen once we fail in those, are our lives just going to crumble right in front of our lives? we must realise that all these are just short-term goals, that there is 1 aim that is infinitely above all.

and that is to do God's will. to listen to Him, to be His friend. after all, He is the one who gives us the strength and motivation to do the other goals above (Phillipians 4:13). He is the one who allows us to be a shining light.

I thank you God for just being there in my life.

39

2011-02-21T23:43:00.001+08:00

Faith is trusting that God will work out when everything else seems to not. Faith is doing things that God tells you to do no matter how ridiculous you think they are. Faith is saying "i know God loves me and won't do anything to harm me" when you're bankrupt or injured or just being persecuted.

God is the best thing to ever happen to you. Not American Idol, not any other things. And even though there are many material things we can be happy with, they cannot compare with the treasures that await us in Heaven.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper and not to harm you" (Jeremiah 29:11) Even in the worst of situations, it is for the best of us.

Life may seem unfair at times, we may not get what we deserve sometimes, but in the end, we get the most out of who we are. How you react to circumstances speaks volumes about yourself, and are you happy with what you see yourself?

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us - Romans 8:18

38

2011-02-06T23:21:00.002+08:00

before you send an sms, an email, what do you usually do? you double-check, ensure that there is no typo, or that the opposite party would not misunderstand. now why can't we do the same when talking to each other?

before each word leaves our mouth, shouldn't we think twice before speaking?

the reason we usually double-check before sending an email is because once we click send, it is permanently embedded in cyberspace. no way of totally removing it. so what about words that come out of our mouth? you think there's no record of it, but it can and does leave a permanent effect.

say something hurtful, and the person on the receiving end will hurt on the inside. it's worse cause we cannot see it physically. the pen is mightier than the sword, words can leave a lasting impression, words can be damaging. think about how many reputations can be spoilt by just mere words, gossips.

words hold tremendous power, for evil and also for good. a simple encouragement, a "good job" goes a long way in making a person feel good. humans naturally want to hear positive things about themselves.

so think twice before speaking, let your words be a positive impact, not the other way round.

Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean'. - Mark 7:15

37

2011-01-29T22:44:00.002+08:00

Leadership is a delicate issue. When young, you think that leadership is about being the best. In some ways, this is true. After all, how can you lead if you don't know what's the right way forward.

But as time goes by, you come to realise that leadership is not just a privilege, it's a responsibility. Leadership is not (just) about how good you are, it's about the people you're leading. Leadership is about people relationships.

A leader is nothing without his followers. Why did Obama spend so much time and effort campaigning? Both personally and online. A leader must always put the well-being of his followers as priority, always hope for the best for them. In some ways, leadership may become a burden, but if the result is seeing people becoming better-off, what a happy burden it is to bear =)

Inspiring a shared vision is easier said than done. Trust is not free. You don't go around leading people expecting them to just trust you. Trust has to be earned.

To all leaders or would-be leaders, I wish you all the best in your leadership journey. It's tough (stating the obvious) but it can be infinitely rewarding =D

people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care

36

2010-12-29T13:58:00.002+08:00

when things are falling apart...
when everything you work for seems to be failing...

then maybe you're working for the wrong thing.

even though the world may overwhelm me, i know You will never fail me

35

2010-11-07T23:40:00.002+08:00

life is just a roller-coaster ride, series of ups and downs.

when life hits you hard, the only way is to brave the storms, look towards the calm ahead, and thank God for all the blessings in life.

thank you God =)

"life will knock us down, but we can choose whether or not to stand back up" - The Karate Kid

34

2010-10-08T23:40:00.004+08:00

inspiration.

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

- Everlasting Lord by Chris Tomlin

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord" - Psalm 31:24

33

2010-09-07T11:39:00.002+08:00

sometimes... things don't work out the way you want them to. sometimes... things happen that upsets everything we believed in. sometimes... things happen that we start questioning God.

foolish as that last thought is, it does apply to many of us. we worship everyday, praising God and believing in Him. yet it is so easy for our faith to waver when unfortunate incidents occur.

it is time to change that mindset. we need to have an unshakable confidence in God's ways. Look at it this way, God has already given us His one and only Son, what makes you think He will not give us other things? and these things are the best for us, that is sure.

"for I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to PROSPER you and NOT TO HARM you" - Jeremiah 29:11

32

2010-08-22T23:31:00.002+08:00

over the past few weeks or so, i came to realise that there are always reasons to be happy.

life is stressful, and increasingly so. the human mind can only contemplate so many things at one time, and with the influx of technology and advancement leading to a faster-paced world, info overloads (=stress) are common.

often, we get so stressed out we fail to notice things around us that don't change, things take can put a smile on our face. simple things that will always be there. the innocence of a child, the friend who's always there, the caring family, the long-forgotten music left deep down in your library, the place you have never been to in a long time.

so take a time out (take a kit kat =P) from your work from time to time. all work no play makes Jack a dull boy (sorry Jack). life is always here, you can never run away from it, so why not just approach it with a positive attitude and make your life (pun unintended) so much easier?

want one more reason to be happy? "never will I leave you; never will I forsake you - Jesus" - Hebrews 13:5

31

2010-08-05T23:43:00.002+08:00

what will you do if...

your bank decided to give you $86400 a day, promising it will appear in your bank account without fail each morning. however, as with everything, there are conditions.

1. You can only spend the money straight from the account.
2. You cannot transfer the money to other accounts or withdraw it to keep.
3. Whatever you don't spend for that day is taken away by the bank (i.e. every morning, you start with "only" $86400)
4. Most importantly, the bank can decide to end this anytime they wish, without warning.

what will you do? no doubt you will want to spend all the $86400 in the day, buying stuff you wanted, buying gifts for loved ones, friends and family, go do things you never had the financial opportunity for.

sounds too good to be true? look at it from another perspective then.

everyday, we get 86400 seconds, what we don't use gets wasted, but without fail, we get 86400 seconds each day. however, without warning, our life could end, and there will be no more seconds for us.

everyone agrees that time is much more precious and valuable than money. so why then aren't we making full use of our time? to do stuff we wanted, to care for our loved ones?

think about it....

never leave that till tomorrow what you can achieve today - Benjamin Franklin

30

2010-08-01T23:50:00.003+08:00

Your faithful love
Has always been there for me
The greatest love
That I've ever known
What can I give to You
For all You've given to me
You gave it all
And You are all I need

You are my King
You are my God
The praises I bring
Come from my heart

This is for You,
For all You've done for me
And I want it to show You
How much You mean
My God, My God

how much of your actions actually show how much God means to you?? or for the fact, your loved ones?

you say you want to do this for a certain someone, well, are you walking the talk??

lighting a fire is easy, the hard part is to keep it going

29

2010-07-25T15:39:00.002+08:00

human nature is essentially selfish, that's what econs teach us to assume.

and it's hard not to be, we want recognition, we want achievements, we want results, we want things for ourselves.

and sometimes, when you try to do something for others, often others won't or are unable to appreciate it. that is very discouraging.

it's not like we don't want to help others, but being humans, whenever we do something, plan something for others, however minor, being recognised for it is very fulfilling. it makes us feel like we actually accomplished something meaningful.

however, we must recognise that Jesus himself didn't come to earth to claim glory for Himself, He came for others, to save those who have strayed. And if we are to grow more in His image, we must learn to put self-interest aside for others.

take heart, my fellow brethen. even if our works go unnoticed by humans, there is always one who takes note and smile in pleasure. that person is God. and what is more fulfilling that God's approval??

Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in His good time He will honor you - 1 Peter 5:6

28*

2010-07-24T18:23:00.003+08:00

when being fine is a lie.

somehow, someway, everything is going to be all right. i want to know how, i want to know the way.

sorry for the emo post, contradicting my philosophy for my blog posts. being inspirational is hard when you are not feeling all well inside, when you know everything is of your own doing. why can't i be a better person???

LORD, i need you more than ever now.

be an example to all in what you teach, IN THE WAY THAT YOU LIVE, in your love, your faith and your purity. - 1 Timothy 4:12

27

2010-06-16T22:52:00.002+08:00

you realise that as you grow older, you get to know more people, your circle of friends get wider. and unfortunately, the amount of time you have does not change.

somehow, it is inevitable that some of these friends will drift away as time goes by. however, newton's law dictate that (ok, maybe it doesn't) there will also be close friends who continue to stick by you, supporting you.

the importance of friends can never be fully explained. i really cannot imagine my life with the absence of friends. they are always there to help, to lepak with, to play with, or just simply to be there.

of course, all these is not undermining God. God is our true friend, omnipresent. and he uses the people we call friends to fill up our lives, He meant it for that purpose.

i am very blessed to have good friends, good influences, inspirations. and i can only hope to be one to others too. i want to dedicate this to my friends: you all have been absolutely awesome, and i really want to thank you all for.... a lot of stuffs =) but most importantly, for being my friends.

a picture is worth a thousand words, a friend is worth way much more

26

2010-04-01T23:13:00.005+08:00

friends will fail us
teachers/mentors can fail us too
technology will fail us
even our own brains and bodies will fail us eventually

but i know for sure GOD will never fail us.

when things are going wrong, just do your best, do what you can (and what you ought to do) and God will do the rest.

for in Him, all things are possible

25

2010-03-27T23:47:00.000+08:00

choices, dilemmas, we face them all

choosing between 2 or 3 options can lead to frustrations, stress. sometimes, you don't even know what to do anymore. face it, life is tough, and as you get older, it will only get tougher, more important choices have to be made.

so then how do you make the right choices? by calculating opportunity costs? using PPC graphs? actually the most important thing is not the actual choice you make, but making a choice you feel strongly for (believing that it is the best for you) and sticking with it. what's the point making a choice if you are only going to spend countless hours thinking and rethinking it?

and enjoy the choices you made, yes sometimes it gets frustrating, messing up your life during unexpected times, but look at it this way. indecision is actually a decision not to make a decision, it will only mess up your life further.

look at the silver lining. consider the options you have, how many other people would want to have those options? be fortunate that you can actually choose these options.

most importantly, believe in yourself

Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart; do not depend (only) on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

24

2010-01-16T17:19:00.002+08:00

in life, it is all too common to be facing troubles, obstacles. these are all part and parcel of human life.

when faced with an obstacle, one can choose to do two things: evade or charge head on. firstly, evade. sounds so much easier to do, but how long are you going to keep on evading? sooner or later the problem is going to come back. take for example, that piece of project or assignment, so tough, but you still have to complete it; that argument with a friend, does that mean you don't talk to him/her anymore?

why do we have problems? isn't it easier to live carefree and trouble-free? nonsense. with that kind of mindset, do you think edison would have invented the light bulb? that so many piece of innovations will still be here? these things are here because people actually decided to confront the problem. obstacles are there to make us grow, they're stepping blocks to success.

if you run a bit, then just stop cause you are a bit tired, how do you expect to improve your stamina and endurance? remember, God will not set us anything too tough for us to handle, it is now all up to us, whether we want to handle it or not.

all we need is a little faith

23

2010-01-01T13:47:00.001+08:00

time flies. nothing is ever the same.

well, all the more we should treasure the moment. 2009 just went pass us. a lot of stuff happened. sure, disasters happened, many bad memories. but, as the saying goes, there are two sides to a coin.

how many new friends did you make this year? how many gifts did you get? looking back, i daresay you will find many great memories.

as we look towards year 2010, may all your new year resolutions come true. may you all never be deterred in your quests to strive for better.

and even when roadblocks are met, meet them with a will to overcome and never give up. disappointments are bound to arrive, there is no perfection, but just push them aside and move on.

when hurt is felt, be grateful that you still have the sense of touch. when bad grades come about, be thankful that you have the chance to study.

here's just wishing everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

experience is a good teacher

22

2009-11-25T21:41:00.002+08:00

everyone wants to achieve something. but why is it so often that many people fail in doing just that?

it is not important how you start, but it is how you finish. true, but the most important thing is to START!

we keep on saying we are going to change who we are, we want to be better, and so on and so on. but what do we do about it. relax around hoping that the change fall from the sky? fat hope.

once you start the engine running, the rest of the journey will be smooth and easy. this does not apply everyday, but generally, people find that when they make the decision to get up from their bed instead of continuining to lie down (note: OWN will), they will be feeling good for the rest of the day.

we are always saying "don't worry, i will start tomorrow". well, when is that tomorrow ever going to come? if you want to do something, start NOW. for instance, you want to start running the next morning, if you are not going to sleep early now, how are you going to wake up in time?

true, we make mistakes when we attempt anything, we are not perfect, but at least we do not commit the biggest mistake of all, not trying. when you try, you have a chance of succeeding, when you don't, what chance is there?

change only comes with action

21

2009-11-16T21:31:00.002+08:00

"one for all, all for one"

one of the most common phrases used in cheers and encouragement. why? easy, it is impactful, meaningful and most importantly, easy to remember.

now when we say meaningful, do we really understand what the phrase means?

there are two parts to this phrase, "one for all" and "all for one". simple enough? =) the first part is what almost everyone succeeds in doing, one giving his all to help his team to glory and such.

but what i want to emphasize on is the second part. "all for one", ever wonder what it means? it is about everyone doing their best to help a person to achieve his best. how many times have we ever practiced that?

in class, it is not unusual to see someone ostracized from rest, ridiculed cause of getting the lowest grades in class or because of his body size. in groups, how often have we seen the same situation occuring?

excluding someone does affect him. if there is no one there to help him, how is he expected to improve? all for one? it is time to practice what we preach.

simple things like a word of encouragement, a helping hand goes a very very long way in helping someone. the person just have to feel that you are there for him and that is all that matters. all for one? let's make it a reality.

the team is as strong as the weakest member

20

2009-09-10T11:18:00.002+08:00

hillary challenge has ended. will not be posting about what happened, can refer to francis' blog for that - http://thepresent-isagift.blogspot.com =)

i guess in any competition, in anything we do, there are lessons we can learn from, hillary challenge is no exception.

friendship is something most people take for granted. but often, people find that friendship is something most people count on to pull them through.

when one is down, hurt, sad, depressed, one longs for someone else's support, encouragement, or just simply the presence of someone else. conversely, when one has achieved something, succeeded, accomplished, one longs for someone else's appreciation, someone to share one's joy with.

i really saw this in our team during the whole duration of the 3 days 2 night super tiring competition, we were there to push each other on, serve as encouragement to each other, joke with each other. ah, the bliss of friendship.

of course, friendship is not only limited to competitions. in our everyday life, in our work/school, in our leisure time, we need friends. life without friends is just so sad.

but there are loners in this world, people say. people can live without anyone else's support. what about hermits, the ones who live by themselves on the mountainside? true, there are exceptions to everything. the question here though, is whether you want to be like them? think about it

do treasure the friends you have around you, the good friends that is. (note: the term "friends" in this post do not apply to bad company). life is so much more meaningful with them as a part of it.

shared joy is double the joy, shared pain is half the pain

19

2009-08-21T23:09:00.002+08:00

life is never the same. Like the machine in the hospital that shows the pulse of the patient, there are ups and downs in life. Thus came the phrase: life is never a smooth-sailing journey.

one might wonder, what cause these ups and downs? i feel the answer lies within us, who we are, what we have. everybody have their weaknesses, this is expected, because nobody is perfect. BUT, similarly, everybody will also have their strengths. never thought of it that way before?

some people might be stronger than others, some smarter than others, some more technically skilled, some more artistic. though some "seems" more all-rounded than others, others may have hidden talents they never knew of. you just have to work hard and find them.

nobody likes being teased about their weaknesses. nobody likes having their strengths ignored and unappreciated too. spare a thought for others. in the news, people are making their worries about a heartless society known. by just making the effort to praise someone for his strengths, and help someone with his weaknesses (note: him is a general term), it will make a world of difference in his life. and as many people will testify, this is a give and take relationship, you will be amazed at how good you will actually feel after helping others.

in a soccer team, you cannot expect a top striker to be able to play defence. in order to succeed, you need a team where one person's strengths help make up for the other team members' weaknesses and others' strengths help make up for that person's weaknesses. this philosophy can be applied to us too.

if you're physically strong, help the weak, not bully them. if you're smart, help the not so smart, not make fun of them. if you're fortunate, help the less fortunate, not ignore them. after all, you want to be helped too, don't you?

with great powers come great responsibilities

18

2009-07-15T23:20:00.001+08:00

if you read through interviews in the newspapers, the most common question that pops out would be "if you get to live your life again, what would you change" and the usual reply would be "nothing, i am happy with what i am"

cliche maybe, but if you think about it, has quite a deep meaning.

the events that happen in our lives, both good and slightly worse, helped shaped us to who we are today. it is because we went through the experiences in our lives, that we are able to be simply ourselves.

think about it for a moment, if we never face failures, how will we learn perseverance? if we have never fallen before, how will we learn about getting back up? if we never face rejection, how will we understand the true feeling of success?

basically, we should be grateful for what we have been through, for they are what shaped us.

having said that though, it does not mean we should be too comfortable with ourselves. how many football teams do you know that have consistently won the championship with the same players every time? most probably none, even if manchester united did win the league a few times with the same few key players, they still needed to have fresh back up players, that's why they have macheda the previous season and chris eagles two years back.

being too comfortable with yourself can be compared to being complacent. it will only lead to your downfall. we must always strive to be better men, to constantly improve oneself. only then will we truly enjoy life, past, present and future

to truly appreciate life, you must first appreciate yourself

17

2009-07-03T14:13:00.004+08:00

almost everything said or written has a double meaning, it could be an intended pun or just simply a phrase

like when you say that you are grateful for achieving so much. some people may take it as you demeaning those that did not achieve as much as you. then when you say the opposite, like say you being humble. some people may take that as suanning.

so how are we supposed to speak without hurting others? the truth is you can't. you cannot control what other people is going to react to your words. actually, what matters in this case is your intent.

with great power comes great responsibility. we are given the great power of expressing ourselves, we should be careful in how we utilise that power. the same phrase may mean different things, but what do you mean by saying that phrase?

when you say the phrase with a good intent. it will naturally be felt by the other person, don't ask me why, it just does. it is like how you can easily detect sarcasm from another person. it is the same thing, works both ways.

so in fact, you need not worry about how others will react if you meant it with a good intent. however, if you have a bad intent, then woe to you, you will get a bad reaction from others.

it takes two hands to clap. when other people are saying those phrases, we should not over-react to them too. there are many things in the world we cannot control, such as what others are going to say to you. we may be able to predict, like how Light Yagami did in Death Note, but in the end, it is still the other person's choice whether they want to say it or not.

but, there is definitely one thing we can control, and that is how we are going to react to the situations we face, the words told to us. before we react, we must think carefully, put ourselves in the other's shoes, think about what the person was actually trying to say. you know after all, there are people who have a hard time trying to express themselves.

live your life with a good intent

well intentions help reduce tensions

16

2009-06-26T17:33:00.003+08:00

winning isn't everything, or is it?

that actually depends on who you are competing agaisnt. yourself or others. when competing agaisnt others, obviously winning isn't everything. if it was everything, then the world would be a sad place. look at it this way, in a competition, let's say the Olympics, only 1 person can be a winner in a race, so does that mean the rest are nothing, nobodies? what a joke.

anyway, the main point i am trying to push through here is this, we are constantly fighting battles everyday, without fail, the most important battles we fight are always with ourselves. are we winning them? you may be a loser on the outside, getting second place or worst, finishing in last place, but are you a winner in your heart?

even abraham lincoln himself, one of the most successful American presidents of all time, lost so many times in his life. he failed in business at 22, defeated for state legislature at 23, failed business again at 25, his sweetheart passed away when he was 26, suffered a nervous break at 27, defeated for speaker at 29, defeated for congress nomination at 34, lost renomination for Congress at 39, defeated for senate at 46, defeated for vice-presidency at 47, defeated for senate again at 49. despite ALL these setbacks, he turned out to be a president who won the people over.

he was a winner in his own heart. even though he failed times and times again, he knew deep down inside that he was a true winner.

when setbacks come, what do we do? do we just sit down and feel sorry for ourselves, or do we rise up again and push onwards towards our destinations. you know the term "destination" is derived from the term "destiny", whether we reach them or not is our destiny. and our destiny is decided when we decide whether we are a winner or a loser.

forget what other people say, forget what failures you may have, you are what you believe you are. when you start winning your personal battles, your doubts, your limiting mindsets, then you will emerge stronger than ever.

you don't need achievements to be proud of yourself. in the words of Lightning McQueen and Hudson Hornet, a trophy is in the end, just an empty cup. achievements won't last, a record will always be broken by another person, once these are gone, if your life is centred around achievements, you will "die".

you should be proud of simply who you are. everyone is a winner, it is just up to them whether they want to accept that or not.

only you can be you

15

2009-06-21T22:51:00.003+08:00

happy fathers' day.

today marks a special day for fathers all around the world. it is a day where the whole world, from the north pole to the south, recognises the contributions of and celebrates one of the greatest characters in history, the father.

this day serves as a timely reminder of how much our fathers have sacrificed for us. even as we are busy working for our future, chasing our dreams, we must never forget the person who made it possible in the first place.

when we were young, he guided us, he disciplined us when appropriate. he taught us to become fine young people, modelling the way for us to follow, but our reaction to that is not deserving of them always.

we say fathers are too irritating, that they interfere too much, that they would not leave us alone. but we must think of the rationale behind that, it is only because their care for us is so much.

in a father's life-movie, the child is always the main character, but in a child's, the father can only be a supporting character. how can? the list of contributions of the father towards his children is so long: he provided the food on the table for you to satisfy your hunger, he provided the funds for your education, he provided the gadgets for your relaxation etc.

in fact, we should not only honour our fathers on this day only, it should be done practically everyday! if our fathers can show so much love for us, why can't we do the same for them? so people, take some time to show your appreciation for your fathers. and once again, happy fathers' day to all the fathers out there.

a child is always asking for a present when his father had already given him the best present ever, a father's love

14

2009-06-16T14:40:00.002+08:00

jordin sparks have this hit song: one step at a time. a lot of people enjoy listening to it, however not all of them really understand what the song is trying to say.

in life, there are a lot of things that people want to accomplish. most people would just leap straight into whatever they want to do. this however usually lead to failures.

a baby needs to learn to walk before he can run, which in other words, take one step at a time. don't be so hasty in your approach, take things slow and steady.

while learning to walk, it is confirmed not a first time success one, the baby won't know how to walk immediately after trying it once, he will fall a few times before managing to walk.

similarly, when trying out something new, we have to be ready to encounter many setbacks, many instances where we will "fall". when these times come, we must be ready to stand up again and continue to try over and over again. it's tedious, yes, but we cannot just sit down and cry, no success is going to just fall down on you from the sky.

sometimes to make a great leap forward, one has to take two steps back

13

2009-06-10T14:42:00.002+08:00

every action has its consequences. wait, the term "consequences" always carry a negative connotation. let's put it this way, every action has its results. sounds better? ah, whatever.

so anyway, what am i trying to put through? with every action that one does, it will impact someone, it may be the one who performed the action, or the one whom the action is performed on.

but is the impact beneficial? let's go back to before the action is taken, when the decision to take the afore-mentioned action is being made.

when a person makes a decision, he will obviously calculate the impact of that decision, the question is, what exactly is he calculating? or rather, who will benefit from that decision?

i'm sorry if this post is too long-winded, kind of difficult for me to organise my thoughts properly. so when you make the decision, are you doing so to benefit yourself, or to benefit others?

people say, what's the point, if the decision you take benefits everyone, it's ok right? wrong, this goes back to your principles, what is your main drive to make the decision, selfish gains or selfless help.

only you know yourself, and your motive for the decision you make. basically, what i am asking for is just to stop being selfish, open your eyes, look at the world around you, there's a reason God put people to live together. if you only think about yourself alone, i tell you, you are missing out on a lot.

now let's look at this scenario: you live in exile, secluded from the rest of the population, you think it's because you do not want to trouble anyone, so selfless right? well, what about the people who care about you, who are worried about your disapearance.

so before you make any decision, people, think through it, think about the people it will impact, and be a little less selfish.

the decisions you make will come one full circle, will it haunt you, or celebrate you? you DECIDE

12

2009-05-24T10:42:00.004+08:00

humans are very powerful, if you realise.

powerful not in terms of what comes out of your body, physical strength that is, but instead what comes out of you mouth.

the pen is mightier than the sword, many a times we have heard that quote, but do we truly understand it? my interpretation of it is that words are always more powerful than just brute force.

why? you ask. look at people like counsellors and friends, how do they encourage and support others? by action? no, by words. words have a great impact on everybody. don't tell me you have never been given any encouragement and felt good before.

however, there are two sides of a coin, words not only heal, but can also be used to destroy. physical wounds are just on the surface, technically, or to be more specific, physical wounds are there, they can be seen, but to hurt someone by words is much worse, you cannot see it, but you feel the full effect of it.

so people, you must realise that you have more power on your hands than you actually know, exercise that power carefully, because life is fair, if you misuse that power, retribution will come sooner or later, after all, other people have the same power too.

wounds caused by fire go away after time, but wounds caused by words take forever to heal

11

2009-05-02T15:41:00.003+08:00

Haha, crisis after crisis keeps coming. Don't blame me for laughing, I just find it a bit amusing, that's all.

The swine flu outbreak, coupled with the rojak food poisoning cases. People everywhere is now concerned, some paranoid about personal, location hygiene.

I believe God makes everything happen for a reason. People say swine flu is bad, how does it have a reason? to kill people? is God that merciless?

No actually. Personal hygiene, location hygiene, all this should be practiced in everyday life, no? I believe God made this swine flu outbreak happen to serve as a timely reminder.

We have been so comfortable for so long that we start neglecting the simple things that we should constantly observe.

Bleh, anyway, just take care of your personal health people, don't get sick. Nobody wants to.

things don't always happen our way, but they happen the right way

10

2009-04-21T21:00:00.002+08:00

don't expect to see a new post each week XD kind of having other priorities now.

anyway, just intending to share 10 suggestions for self-image (contains some editing by me), sent to me by eugene. coincidentally, this is my 10th post. yay.

1. Hate your sin, but never hate yourself.
2. Be quick to repent.
3. When God gives you light, walk in it.
4. Stop saying negative things about yourself. God loves you, and it is wrong to hate what He loves.
5. Never be afraid to admit a mistake, but NEVER assume that everything is YOUR fault.
6. Don't meditate on your actions, right or wrong, that will just keep you focused on yourself, when you should focus on God.
7. Take good care physically, make the best out of what God has given you, but refrain from being obsessed.
8. Life is a learning journey, but education should never be a point of pride. God use you not for what's in your head, but what's in your heart.
9. Talents are gifts, not something that can be manufactured, thus never look down on others that can't do what you do.
10. Weaknesses should never be despised, they are there so that you know you are not perfect, and must depend on God.

Basically, your first priority should always be on God. God made you, He gave you everything you have, your body, your belongings. If you hate all these, then isn't it common sense that you would hate the creator also?

Ok, let's think about it this way, if someone you love gives you something that's useless to you, someone who you think highly of gives you something that you don't need, would you keep them? or throw they away?

It's not that you can't, it's just that you didn't.

9

2009-04-12T22:18:00.002+08:00

been quite a while since i blogged. things been getting in the way and well, just didn't feel like turning on my computer. it's just that we seem to be relying on technology so much, and what's ironic about it is that technology is there so that our lives become easier, but instead it only makes our lives so much more busier, with things becoming more fast-paced, people expect us to work twice as fast too. efficiency? like real. i bet our work-to-product ratio is still the same as those old times. trust me.

call me traditional, call me backwards-looking. i wouldn't mind. in fact, why am i wasting my time doing these stuff, blogging, using technology now. haihz, i guess technology does have its advantages, you can't fault that.

anyway, during these two weeks, quite a few things happened. been blog-surfing one day, and well, reading about other people's achievements, other people obtaining things that you can only dream of, i guess you can't help but get demoralised.

well, i was rather down, seeing other people achieving so much more in so less time, bleh, my condition that time was quite pathetic.

then, i thought to myself, with some encouragement from some friends, that i was quite stupid to think that way. let's look at it this way.

一山还比一山高, there will always be someone better than you. similarly, if that's the case, then there will always be someone that's worse off than you, correct? then if you think that you suck, then aren't you being unfair to those that didn't get the chances you got.

in fact, for me, getting a scholarship at a relatively young age to one of the top schools in singapore is already a privilege no one else has. so you should count yourself fortunate for those small things that you get that other people cannot.

think about it, even if other people are "better" than you, then surely just emoing and doing nothing about it will just ensure that they stay "better" than you. so stop belittling yourself, and get out there and improve yourself.

everyone has the potential, the Bible also states that God gave everyone specific gifts, so even if that someone is "better" than you, you can be sure that you are "better" than him in another aspect.

you are someone that you think you are

8

2009-03-30T00:02:00.002+08:00

stumbled on this story in a chain mail. haha who says all chain mails are crap? do take your time and look through them before making decisions.

anyway, it's a story about love. not boy-girl love but family love, very touching.

it's in chinese, and my chinese is not that good, so i cannot make a proper translation of the story without spoiling it's meaning. but i will try to provide an adequate english synopsis. do pardon me for my poor translation.

*note: english synopsis at the end.

当在外地出差的我坐飞机赶回来时，十个月的儿子新新已经被推出抢救室。医生说持续的高烧也许损伤了脑神经，我要有心理准备接受可能的后遗症。

老公两天后才从国外回来。出院后，我们常常测试新新的听力和视觉，没有发现任何异常。我们终于放下忐忑的心。可渐渐地，我发现他开始瞪着无神的眼睛发呆，或者呈现一种令我不安的笑容。当和新新一般大的孩子开始迈着步子，清脆地喊着爸爸妈妈的时候，新新依旧呆呆坐在那里，傻傻地笑着。抱着他四处求医，结论同出一辙：新新的智力将会停留在幼儿期，除非发生奇迹。

那是段痛不欲生的日子，抱着孩子寻找各种可能的奇迹，秘方、偏方，甚至针灸。那长长的针如同刺在我的心尖，汗和泪伴着孩子凄厉的哭声一起落下。我多么希望这只是一场梦，梦醒后充满灵气的新新在对我甜甜地笑。我开始幻听，总感觉新新在喊妈妈。

我深深自责为了事业没有照顾好儿子，却不敢留在家里面对。每天下班后沉默地搂着他，日复一日，泪流尽了，心也似乎麻木了。老公也因为家里气氛沉闷，渐渐变得很少回家吃饭。

婆婆来看我们，说把新新带走，让我们再要一个孩子。我不假思索断然拒绝，我不能那样做!他没有选择地来到这个世界，又因为我的疏忽变成这样，已经够不幸了!把新新紧紧搂在怀里，我不要别人分享对他的爱！
新新两周岁生日那天，我才惊觉老公已经不再陪我们一起吃饭了，怕失去他的恐慌开始噬咬着我，使我觉得难以呼吸。直至深夜，一身酒气踉踉跄跄的老公才踏进家门，我已经荒芜的泪水终于又奔涌出来。老婆，我们再要一个孩子好吗?我狠狠点着头，与他紧紧相拥，抵死缠绵……

我又怀孕了！抚着逐渐隆起的小腹，有些苦涩的甜蜜。我仿佛比谁都期待这个孩子，却又在内心里抗拒这个孩子。看到新新向我伸来的手臂，我的心又涌起巨大的痛楚：新新，这个世界，除了妈妈谁还能爱你!

我终于下定决心打掉这个孩子，可检查结果使我震惊：我竟然怀了双胞胎！

2002年的夏天，一对漂亮的小女孩阳阳和月月降临了。满月以后，那对粉雕玉琢的小人，总是甜甜地笑，很少哭闹。只要我一说话，头就随着我的声音转，让我充分享受到做妈妈的喜悦。我已经顾不上新新，无论我多么约束自己，潜意识里我已经开始忽略新新，只把他交给保姆，甚至开始讨厌他那傻傻的样子。

转眼，阳阳和月月会走了。新新一般不注意什么，只是对这两个妹妹格外敏感，常常注视她们的一举一动，似乎带着极大的兴趣，而且不同于平时的眼神。我是不允许他接近她们的，他只能那样在一边望着，可我控制不住阳阳和月月蹒跚迈向新新的脚步，她们同样对新新表现出极大的兴趣。而我却舍不得强迫她们什么，只是一次又一次严厉地对新新说，记住，不许碰妹妹!不许碰妹妹！渐渐地，他对我有了怯意，我却丝毫没觉得有何不妥。

一天，孩子们在午睡，保姆出去买菜，我去储物间整理衣物。突然听到孩子的哭声，我连忙跑进卧室，看到新新正从床的栏杆间缝向外拉月月的两根手指，手指被卡住，新新还在用力向外拉。我一把拉过新新，照着他的手，狠狠拍打，不是告诉你不许碰妹妹，不许碰妹妹吗! 看你以后还碰不碰妹妹!我越打越生气，似乎在发泄对他积累的厌恶。我疯了似的寻找可以用来打他的东西，直到看见镜子里自己魔鬼一样的脸。我终于听到孩子们的哭声，终于看到蜷缩一团哭泣的新新，还有女儿们的喊叫声……
保姆回来了，抱起新新，看着我余怒未消的脸想说什么，我摆摆手让她抱新新回自己的房间。我哄着阳阳和月月，突然看到床上有几块动物饼干，阳阳的手里还握着一块要喂我。我连忙到月月那边，果然月月那边床下有几块饼干，已经被我踩碎了。新新最喜欢吃动物饼干，原来他拉妹妹的手是要给妹妹饼干。我的心被刺痛了，连忙到他的房间，他已经被保姆哄睡了，可还在睡梦里抽搐着。我不禁泛起一阵酸楚，我这是怎么了?我还是他的妈妈吗?

一天，我和女儿们玩着拥抱的游戏。我拍拍手，她们就喊着妈妈，张着小胳膊争先恐后向我跑来，然后我们紧紧拥抱。这么简单的游戏，她们却乐此不疲，一遍又一遍。忽然，新新也张开他的胳膊，向我跑来，含糊地说着，妈妈，妈妈。我简直不相信自己的耳朵!我的儿子，自从来到这个世界，从没开过口!紧紧搂住扑到怀里的新新，我哭了。已经对他沉睡的母爱被重新唤起，儿子，妈妈有多久没搂过你，妈妈对不起你！

我终于开始认真思考我的孩子们，我有一个与众不同的家庭，我竟然有三个孩子！他们正渐渐长大，将来要有他们自己的人生。等我离开这个世界时，只有他们之间才能互相照顾。尤其新新，他需要好多好多的爱。

我不再分隔他们，而是常常告诉女儿们，要好好爱哥哥，因为没有他，就没有她们。我知道她们听不懂，我只希望她们会记住我的话。

我每天陪三个孩子做游戏，唱歌，跳舞，为他们讲故事。而新新，越来越有灵气，不但会叫爸爸、妹妹了，还会含糊表达自己的需要，而且会随着节奏跳些简单的舞步。看着并成一排熟睡中的孩子们，我终于相信这个世界上有奇迹，那就是爱，爱可以创造一切！

阳阳和月月到了上幼儿园的年龄，我也该上班了。为了减少我的负担，婆婆来商量着把新新接走。我犹豫再三，其实按新新现在的情况，勉强可以上幼儿园，可他毕竟和别的孩子不一样，我害怕来自外界给他的伤害。

新新被带走的那个晚上，女儿们不肯上床睡觉，一定要等哥哥回来。她们闪着漂亮的大眼睛问我，哥哥什么时候回来?为什么哥哥不上幼儿园?我的心一凛，回答她们，哥哥生病了，要好长时间才会好。她们又问。他会想我们的，为什么我们不照顾他呢?快让哥哥回来，我们会照顾他的。我的心紧了又紧，你们要乖乖的，只要你们听话，哥哥就会回来。她们终于乖乖睡下，而我在黑夜里挂念着新新。儿子，你好吗？

女儿们只去了三天幼儿园，就说什么也不肯去了，告诉我幼儿园里有好多好玩的玩具，还有好多的小朋友，还学习新歌，认字，英语，她们要等哥哥回来一起去。她们充满期盼的眼睛望着我，还带有小小的挑衅。我讶于她们的执拗，耐着性子哄着她们，可她们却怎么也不肯答应。我沉下脸一手抱着一个，她们哇哇哭起来，妈妈骗人，说只要我们乖，哥哥就会回来，我们都听话了，可哥哥还是没有回来!

我的心猛地僵住了!压抑的眼泪再也控制不住，你们的哥哥，他和别人不一样，他永远学不会那些东西!女儿们为我擦着泪，会的，会的，妈妈，哥哥能学会的，我们会帮助他的!看着她们，我感到了做妈妈的歉疚，我只会一味逃避，以为自己很爱新新，却不如孩子们充满信心去面对。

门铃响，竟然是婆婆送新新回来了!几天不见，新新瘦了好多。婆婆无奈地说，这几天新新几乎没吃东西，也不肯睡觉，只一直哭，喊着妹妹，妹妹。她看了心里实在难受，不得已就送回来了。

女儿们兴奋起来，拉着新新的手，开始讲幼儿园的事情，还催促我为新新换最漂亮的衣服，他们要一起去幼儿园。我找到园长，请求她让我的孩子们在一起。因为按照新新的年龄应该上大班，可他的智力水平还不如小班的孩子。当看到我的女儿们一边一个拉着儿子的手，并挥手和我再见的时候。我相信这个决定是对的，爱会为我们创造更多的奇迹。

每天从幼儿园回来，阳阳和月月都帮助新新复习一天学过的东西，而且不许我插手。我的女儿们是班里最出色的孩子，学什么都特别快，而且记得牢。我知道那是因为她们要教哥哥，所以格外用心去学习。从没看过比她们还有耐心的孩子，轮流一遍又一遍教着笨拙的新新，一个单词往往要重复好多好多遍，甚至梦里还在喃喃。每次新新学会了，她们就会欢呼起来，然后学着幼儿园老师的样子翘起大拇指说，哥哥你好棒，哥哥你真棒！而我的儿子，就看着妹妹，傻傻憨憨地笑着。

老师要求每个孩子学习写自己的名字，这对新新来讲简直是不可能的事情。可一个月后的一天，女儿们兴奋地拉着儿子跑来告诉我，哥哥会写自己的名字了I我将信将疑地看着儿子在纸上歪歪扭扭地写下两个大大的'新'字，尤其敖看到他们练习的本子，我小小的女儿们，竟然知道把哥哥的名字拆成笔划来教，好几个本子写着他们循序渐进的过程，我再一次被女儿们的耐心折服得泪流满面。

一天，我去接他们。走到教室门口，听到有个孩子喊着，你们的哥哥是个傻孩子！我一惊，连忙走进去。我示意正要阻止的老师，决定让孩子们自己去面对。只见阳阳憋红了小脸对那个孩子说，我的哥哥不是傻孩子，他是天使，他丢了翅膀，来到我们家，变成一个世界上最好的哥哥，他只不过还没习惯人间的生活。孩子们发出'哇'的惊叹声，你们的哥哥竟然是天使哎！老师含着眼泪搂过阳阳，对孩子们说，新新是我们班的天使，他会爱我们每个小朋友，还教会我们如何去爱别人。回家的路上，我的心被女儿编织的故事激荡着。我问她们为什么那么爱哥哥，她们一起回答，因为没有哥哥就没有我们啊!忽地泪又盈满我的眼，原来她们已经牢牢记住了我的话，那么小，就学会了爱和感恩。他们是上天赐给彼此的天使，也是上天送给我最珍贵的礼物。因为他们，我才知道，做妈妈是那么值得骄傲和幸福！

(end of story)

it's basically from the point of view of a mother. she has this son, who had high fever while he was a baby, and thus brain cells "died" and he was "dumb", couldn't learn anything, including how to speak.

she, the mother, was very protective of him and cared a lot about him, didn't want to bear another child.

however, one day, she gave up on him (this might be a bit exaggerating) and bore twins, both girls. she separated her daughters from her son and treated them differently, sort of.

the daughters went kindergarden, and the mother started to work to help in expenses. so, the grandmother helped to take care of the son, bringing him to her home.

the daughters were puzzled and wanted to know why the son is never with them, never go school bla bla. and they pon kindergarden (cause earlier the mother promised them that the son would come back if they did their things and went to kindergarden)

the son on the other hand didn't eat, sleep, was crying out for his sisters at the grandma's house (he learnt to speak with the daughters around, or something like that)

so no choice, grandma brought him back. he went to school, same class with the daughters. and the daughters spent countless hours teaching and revising with him all the stuff that was taught.

there was this incident in school, where a classmate told the daughters that their brother was stupid. one daughter, while red-faced (not angry), replied that their brother was an angel, who cut off his wings and came down to earth and became the best brother one could hope for. he's just not used to the human's way of life.

the mother and teacher were there to witness the incident, by the way.

the mother was touched by her daughters' love for their brother and felt guilty for her not having the same love for her son. and she started to care more about her son. and she was proud to be their mother.

(end of synopsis)

i'm sorry if my synopsis lacks the punch of the original story. it is really inspiring.

love makes all things possible. if you look at the world today, all conflicts stem from the lack of love. wars, economic crisis, environmental dangers... all these can be resolved if we love our planet, the people around us.

how many of you actually thought about how much your siblings, or your parents love you? how many of you actually ignored them? well, i am not afraid to say that i am guilty of these stuff, and i am definitely not proud of shunting their love.

sure, having friends are great. who wouldn't want friends? but friends can be made everyday. family? you only have one.

next instance you talk to your family member, what would you say this time?

love makes the world go round

7

2009-03-26T20:35:00.002+08:00

bleh, performances in exams were dissapointing. very dissapointing.

can't say that i expected to get very good results anyway. didn't prepare as well as i would like to.

gah, just got to work even harder then. *mugger mode activated* lol

anyway, tomorrow going to play agaisnt ncc for inter-ug soccer. well obviously we are the underdogs. but God can make the impossible happen. amen to that.

as long as we do our best, there's always the possibility of winning. ALL THE WAY!!

anyway, stumbled upon an interesting article in the newspaper today. basically this is how it goes:

today is yesterday's tomorrow that i was worrying about. and it turned out today was quite cool. so i am not going to worry about tomorrow, because i might not even get to see tomorrow..... and it goes on, can't remember the rest

haha, it just means to stop worrying about things, and have fun in what you are doing now. who knows? studying might actually be fun XP

yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, today is a gift, that's why it's called the present - kung fu panda

6

2009-03-22T20:49:00.004+08:00

anyway, here's the dance video.

just watch it in full screen if you can't watch it clearly here.

enjoy

5

2009-03-22T20:26:00.004+08:00

arts festival is over. my final competition for the unit. over, just like that.

haha, time sure flies.

it was cool. the feeling, the environment.

open category was fun, dissapointed that we didn't win, but it's ok. it was a new thing, people enjoyed it, most importantly, we enjoyed it.

dance was ownage i guess. though it was my worst performance (as in for myself), the rest rose to the occasion. sort of covered up for my mistakes XD

victory was made all the sweeter because we had tough competition from other schools. really hats off to them for raising their game, constantly challenging us. their dances were great too.

other results: photo 2nd, drama 1st. drama was also ownage due to john super imba script-writing

quite dissapointed in video. but seeing it as being quite last minute and stuff, i guess expectations weren't high, but still, not getting into top 3 kinda sucks, especially when you are in charge of it.

but, that's over. time to look towards the future and build upon it. it was a new start for me personally, first time making a video, and being in top 5 is good already.

oh and another thing happened. our ROLE MODEL, SUPERBOSS of the unit, saved a bird. haha it fell into the drain, the big, humongous kind. and he went into the drain to save it.

what happened next? they brought it back to school, provided bread and water. and just now, when i went to check in the afternoon. it was gone. yup, dunno what happened to it. hopefully it was able to fly and flew off. all the best to that bird XD

good characters achieve success, but great characters bounced back from setbacks and move on

4

2009-03-15T22:49:00.002+08:00

back in malaysia. for holidays.

liverpool won man u 4-1. how do i feel? what do you think? yay, my team lost, i am soooooo happy. lol....

haha, kind of expecting it nevertheless. just a gut feeling. don't ask.

arts festival auditions was held yesterday. dance and open category was generally ok. judges gave good feedbacks. hope that can qualify for the finals.

looking back at the past term, quite satisfied, hopefully an improvement from last year, but i still felt that i could do so much more better.

met up with friends today, lepak, makan, chat. ooh and lee chong wei beat lin dan (finally) to win swiss open.

works been flowing in, even though it's term holidays, ah well. exams coming straight when school restarts also. got to manage time well. priorities.

time that goes past never comes back

3

2009-03-11T21:18:00.002+08:00

to someone

i'm sorry for shouting at you, there were no excuses, no reasons for that.

it was the spur of the moment and i got out of hand, i deeply regret that.

maybe these are just words, but hopefully you can understand the feelings i am conveying.

i hope that you will accept my forgiveness and that our friendship remains strong.

strongest ships in the world are friendship and leadership, treasure them well.

2

2009-03-05T23:31:00.002+08:00

K, so here's an update.

Things been going on well, not as well as I want to, but hey, why worry about it? It's past. A bit of screw-ups here and there, but still quite good.

Well, looking towards the future, many tests coming up, as well as competitions. Time-juggling will be a challenge, one that I am looking forward to XD

life is too short for us to be wasting it weeping and worrying about things

1

2009-03-01T22:52:00.002+08:00

decided to delete all my posts. start all over again.

guess it has something to do with the life i am living now. needed to stop, reflect, think and do things all over again with a refreshed attitude

so here's to a successful year ahead. lol

though it's kinda late for this kind of posts (people normally post these at the start of the year) i believe that during the course of the year, we should always stop once in a while, then decide if the route we are taking now is the what we want to take.

yup, so my life is now like this blog, a blank canvas, slowly being decorated and filled up.

every day is a brand new day