Yes, I have to say that some of us are hooked on Facebook while others are always looking at the latest gadgets and technology. It is true that we have all somehow became the victims of technology. Not that we have not benefited from it, but because it offers too many benefits that it also offered some serious side-effects as well.
I remember those days that we have no pagers or mobile phones. There was only a land-line to call to home. Those were the days that we fix meet-ups or catch-up times with merely phone calls or we would fix the appointments way ahead. We used thick planners or notebooks (not laptops) for planning. But we enjoyed every bit of it. In schools, we see love letters tucked under the desks of the ones that we admired, notes of thanks to those that we want to appreciate etc. But somehow, technology has already erased them all.
Where had the punctuality gone to? Where have the notes of love and care went? They have all replaced by smses of “I’m sorry, will be late” and e-cards with little words.
I believe that if technology continue to be so convenient for us that we have also conveniently shown love through the “easier” means, the society would become colder and there would be of less human touch.
Balance it all up and I think it will do us good. And yes, love and care can never be replaced by superpoking each other.
Labels: thots
It is kind of weird because I realised that I have a compassion for a pretty neglected group of people. These people are those who left their homes in their countries and come over to this small little island call Singapore to work. Therefore, they are called "foreign workers".
Nope. They are not the foreign expatriates that stay in nice service apartments nor do they have their families with them at this point. They are workers from Thailand, India, Blangadesh, China, Myammar, Sri Lanka etc. These are the workers that we see working on the roads, construction sites etc.
My dad used to be a driver ferrying these workers from destination to destination to work. So I thought that they are just another group of people that are uneducated, rough, boor etc. However, when I shifted from Ang Mo Kio to Yishun in 1998, my dad engaged some of these workers to help us in shifting the house. There and then, I realised that some of them are very nice people. They are not educated but they are humble and hardworking bunch, wanting to earn an honest living here for their families back in their countries.
I applaud their courage to leave their homes so that their families can have a better life back home. Now, I look at them as people who love their families, persevering and wanting to work hard for a better future. Who says that education is everything? In fact, some of the 'boors' that I've met might be people who are from the more educated or wealthier backgrounds. But surely, not all people respond these ways.
Some churches in Singapore charter buses for these workers to their services on weekends. I think it will really be nice if a ministry like this can be started here in Hope. God don't just love the professionals. God loves everyone the same. Hope to see this group of people knowing the Lord in ways that we can provide.
There are still so much room for growth, won't you agree with me in this? =)
Labels: compassion, people, thots
Few weeks ago, I was doing a sharing with my CG on the ability to adapt to changes. However, after speaking so much, I knew that I am still adapting to rapid changes in my life. For the past 6 months, changes are more than just a constant. Major or minor, there were just too many to count. I was thinking... have I grown immune to changes or have I not realized that the changes were coming so fast that perhaps I have even overlooked them.
I looked within my heart and my life. Being an outspoken and easy-going gal, I do not mind changes at all. In fact, I support them! However, I thought through and realized that there might be side effects of changes sometimes. In fact, stability could be quite a key to holding changes well in my life. I need to be stable, immovable and firm.
Just as God is stable, immovable and firm in His promises to us, even in the midst of changes in this world. That is the wonder of God. He is just who He is. :)
At the end of the day, we all have to finish that very special race that God has marked out for us. The weather may change. The other runners may slow down. Some even surpasses us. There might even be injured ones along the way. But to the runner that focuses and runs with perseverance, no injury or side factors will deter him or her to finish the race!
Just as the saying goes,
"Start the race well and end it even better!"
Labels: ~r.e.f.l.e.x.i.o.n.~, thots
Looking back to 2006, I felt that I have grown so much more than 2005. 2005 had been a tough year for me. Not that 2006 wasn't any tougher, but it seems that I have learnt to take things with a better stride than before.
I've got to know friends around me in a deeper way - no more surface friendships. But also, I have also got to know that no one is perfect. Haha.. you might be wondering why am I saying all this when I have already knew this long time ago. But true enough, I have understood this statement in a clearer manner. No one is perfect. Indeed, someone, everyone or anyone will always try to put up the best front when with people. I know that not everyone does that. But somehow, there is an inclination within human likeness to hide our flaws, hoping that the person sitting or standing next to us will not discover our weaknesses or even so-call the 'darkest secrets'.
I think I won't share my darkest secrets to anyone except to those that I felt close to and I feel that I can entrust my life with. And you might be even more surprised not even my closest ones at home know it. I am truly appreciative of what God has done in my life to place people whom I can trust and entrust my life with. I know that even to the point if I'm called back home one day, my buddies will surely take care of my family members. Friendship, perhaps is just one of the areas that I have discovered more. I've learnt to accept those around me for who they are. And even though I know that some I really hate to accept, God just wants me to learn to do things His ways. Well, people relations are always the most complicated stuff in life, isn't it true?
I've also came to terms with myself that I can get pretty ugly when I am very upset or disturbed by people's words and actions. Well, for those who thinks that Tricia aka Yanz is very kind and compassionate, always willing to help... etc (puiz... wanna vomit liaoz...) I have a lousy temperament. Yes, I will declare it loud, again and again. Though after I came to know Christ, I have toned down by almost 60% but I still hold the 40% in me and I need to learn to tame this 40% of temper in me. I know myself very well that if I flare up at some situations, it will be very "Yanz", which all my close childhood friends know of me very well. But if I control my temper and anger, it will be very "Christ", the Christ who lives in me and the Christ who cares for me to love me. Many a times, I know that Christ helped me in my character flaws, to build flaws into strengths.
And I am still a WIP (Work-In-Progress) and I know that God will definitely forgive me even after I get angry or show my frustration for the thousand times. And I will call that "Grace".
Lord, thank you for 2006 and thank you for your ever-sufficient grace.
Labels: ~r.e.f.l.e.x.i.o.n.~, thots
Reading newspapers is part of my job. However, as I monitor my company's news daily, it seems to have more sad news than ever.
I really wonder why are there so many unnatural deaths lately. The local newspapers reported that for the past one month, there were 5 unnatural deaths of men whom died during their sleep.
I wonder to myself if this is a curse or is this a plague.
The more I read the news, the more I feel for the people.
5 souls.. I wonder how many of them know God personally. It strikes me hard that I need to pray harder for my family's salvation. I kept all these news in my heart and mind.
Out of these 5, one of them is actually a neighbourhood GP. He made such a big impact in the lives of the people in Rivervale that 300 over people went to the funeral.
Then, another question in my head came about. How many people have I impacted so far? The doctor has impacted so many lives. Thus... how much more should we as believers do to impact people?
Will there be people turning up for my wake, thanking me for the things that I have done for God and them... I ever wanted to start counting the number of lives that God has used me to bring them to know Jesus. But I think I can't count because I have lost count apparently.
But I want to be used to bring more lives to know God. I felt disappointed at times to see that some whom came to know God in the beginning, experienced His goodness and received His blessings before, have left to love the world more than God our Father, I just can't help but to cry in my heart. How can one self who has experienced so much goodness from Jesus be strandled away even more than before?
Is Christmas becoming an annual ritual of giving away of gifts and presents, asking people to go for Christmas events or is Christmas still that very reason why we believe - Jesus was born so that He can bring us life. Do you still remember all these?
So will lives matter to you more or they are just people that you know?
I really don't know how to end this entry but I can only say that God will never let you go even though you left Him long time ago. Give God a chance and run back to Him bah...
Labels: thots
I've learnt to realise the imperfection of human beings... the imperfection of every single one that God created all to be. Imperfection is inborn. The more we try to 'perfect' the imperfect ones around us, the more we will be disappointed. Many a times, I have disappointed many out there who tried their very best to 'perfect' me. Well, at the very end of the day, I still disappointed them.
It is just the very fact that life still goes on when u live among the imperfectionists.
In fact, when we realise that God's love for the imperfect ones like us is just so deep, so infinite and so indescribable, then we will realise that we need to love as He does.
To be a perfectionist is torturing. Why live like a perfectionist when you know that you will be happier to live as a 'gracist'?
Labels: thots
