A Perspective of Things I

Today, I would like to start with a perspective of ...Eternity. Big word, huh? What's eternity? Forever forever-ness? Never-ending end? Here's one such mental picture to help us grasp it:

"High up in the North, in the land called Svithjod, there stand a rock. It is 100 miles high and 100 miles wide. Once every 1,000 years a little bird comes to this rock to sharpen its beak. When the rock has thus been worn away, then a single day of eternity will have gone by".
- Henry Willen Van Loon
(extracted from "A Life Well Spent" by Russ Crosson, Chp 1)

That's the most humanly comprehensible picture I can find, I suppose. It's mind-blowing, isn't it? Anyone wants the job of that poor little bird? Every 1,000 years he will have to fly here & polish like 'siao'. The idea of big rock, small bird, and all the polishing of beak ... and the rock must be worn out, before a day is over is crazy! What a powerful picture. It is going to make "Hi, how's your day?" very very difficult question to reply, you know.

Unless you believe in God, this idea is of no significance value and meaning to you. Once we understand that God is more concerned about the eternal than the temporal, we will, hopefully, begin to face some unique challenges in several areas of our lives, like financial plans, money, family, recreation, work and time. Basically, one word: Choices.

Yes, I am convinced that a glimpse of Eternity not only will help determine our ways of life and choices, not only does it help in our decision making to know what counts and is important (to God), it also helps us to understand where we are going (direction/ focus) and how long we have (urgency).

What really matters to me? What counts? What will make a difference? I have very few idea now but much burden to reflect. But this I know: I have only one life, and it will soon be past. I want to do it right the first time, everytime. I want to live by design, not by default.

Rev. Randy Alcorn is the pastor at Western Baptist Seminary. He wrote in his book, I quote :
"Someday, this upside down world will be turned right side up, and nothing in all eternity will turn it back again. If we are wise, we will spend our brief lives on earth preparing and positioning oursleves for the turn."
(extracted from 'Money, Possessions, and Eternity' by Randy Alcorn)

How do we position ourselves for the turn? For a start, I guess we can do it by constantly focusing on the eternal (people) in the realm of the temporal (materialism). To me, it means spending time with my wife and son, despite of the pressure to earn a living or earn a name in the secular market. That to me has eternal value; that to me has a perspective of things. That's what I mean by "Hor ehh..."

Love Letter

My Dear Wife,

I love the way you remind me. I admit that sometimes I get so caught up in my own world, my own work, and my own responsibilities that I forget to inquire about how you are doing. Please forgive me. It's not that I don't care, or even that I don't want to hear. It's just that I get preoccupied and neglect what's really important to me: YOU.

Help me if you can, my darling. I would welcome a gentle reminder that you need to be heard, need to express what's going on with you. You must know that to me, your voice is the sweetest thing to my ears and the gentlest touch to my heart. I will do what's most important to you, that's is to love you in my action. And above all else, please know and be assured that I really do care.

Because I Love You,

Your Husband.

Evil Words

By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach.
- Winston Churchill

P.O.W.

A prisoner of war is a man who tries to kill you and fails, and then asks you not to kill him.
- Winston Churchill

Definition of a Politician

A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen.
- Winston Churchill

Old is When ...

"OLD" IS WHEN... Your sweetie says, "Let's go upstairs and make love," and you answer, "Pick one, I can't do both!"
"OLD" IS WHEN.. Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot.
"OLD" IS WHEN..... A sexy babe catches your eye and your pacemaker opens the garage door.
"OLD" IS WHEN.... Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.
"OLD" IS WHEN..... You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.
"OLD" IS WHEN.. You are cautioned to slow down by... the doctor instead of by the police.
"OLD" IS WHEN... "Getting a little action" means I don't need to take any fiber today.
"OLD" IS WHEN..... "Getting lucky" means you find your car in the parking lot.
"OLD" IS WHEN..... An "all-nighter" means not getting up to pee.

Don't Believe Everything you Read

"If you believe everything you read, better not read."
- An old Japanese proverb