I'd Like to Thank God, Thank my Manager...

Man I haven't blogged in ages... seems these days I lack the motivation. No, its not just the exams; it ought to be that but I know its not that only. Feels like everyone's got a plan, but all I want is to throw some big party and stay in the here and now. Not that this particular time is all too crash hot; no rest for me, not until Christmas I think what with this whole thesis. I should thank God that it is extended for as much a time as it has... never really gotten around to it though. Sour.

Glad to hear some traffic around here too. Its always nice to see that the words I write, or the pictures I post are being seen and read by people. To all of you: thanks! tag or no-tag, still muchly-appreciated! :)

So after this thorough discussion about my blogging habits, I shall launch into another thorough discussion about the concept of relativity...

Yeah right. Ha. Ha. Dry.

I must say though I am so grateful for this wonderful bunch of people that tolerate me on a day to day, week to week basis; to my family at home, my family away from home (all of you, you know who you are, I hope!), and even the people who made the library look like a social gathering (:D): really thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for being tolerant of me, for caring, for loving, for that odd sms and even the calls, for the sweets and the cupcakes, the stickies and the slurpees, not to mention the bak ku te, for the couch to rest on and the floor to sleep on, and sometimes even the bed too, for the smile that takes away the pain even if its just for a while... where will I be this past year without all of you?

I hope this post finds you well, if you indeed do read it. Even if you don't, I'd say a prayer for all of you, but I'd not know where to start. Guess God knows... heh. Regardless, may you deepen your relationship with Him even more this coming holidays (yes, the exam period will end one!)!

Hmm, how did this post become my Grammy's winning speech? Feeling the sentimentality coming on I think after a round of listening to my beloved Eagles. Can never get enough of that Tequila Sunrise...

An Optical Answer

Here is the answer for that other post... quite an interesting thing right?

Our eyes often deceive us. In this case, it was merely the perceived shadow on the blocks that made it look like different colours. Merely. It doesn't take much for us to be deceived. Where then can we rely on truth?

Sometimes, what we see is what we get. But most times, what we see is hardly anything to go by. Because we are all flawed. We are all blind to some extent.

Greatest Moments

Perhaps the greatest moments in history and in human consciousness are the same moments that will be remembered for their supreme hardships, their incomprehensible atrocities, their utter hopelessness, and the type of enduring peoples that stuck up their noses and carried on through.

And only during such times are the acts of good men and women ever seen at the forefront. Only during trying times are heroes both named and unnamed emerge. It is only during these times that we are able to discern the righteous from the wicked, the upright and the liar.

It is during these times that we are able to see that indeed the Lord is good.

An Optical Question

What do you all think of this? Do you think that A and B is different colours, or the same? Answer in a few days time. :)

Image taken from NASA Picture of the Day.

A Solar Eclipse

This image is of a solar eclipse sometime in August 11, 1999. I can't remember where it said it occurred already, though I don't think it would be hard to track down where from records readily available on the net; like I said, solar eclipses are rare events, and even more rarer for a one like this; this sort is called a total solar eclipse, one of three types. Those red fringes are actually the corona (outer layer of the sun) that are usually not seen due to being blanketed by radiant light from the sun. Coronal loops flare up on the surface creating those flame like shapes. They are like tongues of fire shooting up from the surface of the sun at incredible speeds. The moon having blocked out most of the light allows us to see these emissions clearly.

Bear in mind that one should always have proper eye protections ready at hand if one wants to go observe a solar eclipse. At certain points during the eclipse, the light from the sun can still harm our eyes.

Hee, I sound like a regular astronomer... I wish... :)

*edit* I remembered where I'd gotten this image from: the image was originally taken in France, and I'd gotten it from good old wikipedia! hehe. However, I also know that it is in one of the picture of the day webpages from NASA.

A Lunar Eclipse

This is a composite image of a lunar eclipse. The moon moves into the area where the earth's shadow (umbra) is, and gradually turns red due to refraction of light through the earth's atmosphere. I must say that I haven't had the privilege of watching a lunar eclipse unfold very often in my life. Probably only about three times over the past ten years? What I really want to see is a solar eclipse; rarer and much more dramatic. I have never seen a full solar eclipse before, only a partial one. And that was only once!

Brokeness

Psalms 51:8 simply says:

Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice.


What else can one say? To rejoice in brokeness... what other philosophy on earth advocates total surrender? Yet it is so real. Not like the pretentous non-sense of self-help manuals, or even the ancient ways of Buddhism, superstitious beliefs of Taoism, or the self-righteousness of Islam.

I'd realise that in that last statement, I'd just blatantly smeared millions of people's beliefs. But I make no apology. The truth hurts, but it shall set you free.

That last quote, contrary to many secular beliefs, is a Christian principle. Oh man, the truth hurts.

When all the worshippers gather...

At placement right this moment, and got time to kill. Which is a strange thought really as I would tend to feel that every waking moment is as precious as sapphires at this time of year. This weekend is going to be somewhat exciting and appears to be something that I can get passionate about; it seems like a long while since I'd had that feeling. Ministry day, or in this case, Worship Day, is normally meant for the introduction to the ministry for 'initiates'/newcomers. This time round its alittle more than just that.

It shall be a time of sowing, with the prospect of reaping in the future.

It shall be a time for the older to instruct the younger, part of building up.

It shall be a time when a fire is started and spread, so that things not of Him shall be burnt away leaving what is essential in its wake.

There is alot to be learnt about worship in a day, but worship is such a simple matter in some sense; we'd just like to think that it is so ever complicated. Pray for this day. Pray for revival.

Commentary on the last post

shoot i realised suddenly that I can write!

man you'd wouldn't believe it but I churned that load out from last post in 10 minutes max. The little bit of emotional teary moment notwithstanding.

and its not like its total garbage and hobpotch of unintelligible nonsense that doesn't carry any meaningful story or message. It can rightfully be called alittle piece of literature I'd say. Maybe I'm just being pretentious. Preposterous.

Regardless, I'd meant every word of it. Including the part about suicide and controlling death. I'd being there. Sounds foolishly idealistic if you'd ask me now; a vain fantasy that amounts to little real value.

And even though every word of it rings true to me at this moment, I know its selfish to even think that this is the end of the world for me. God knows how many others go through the same pains and cry out to Him around the world in one milisecond. And He alone knows how many others go through alot worse. But to each his own I suppose; someone very wise once told me that thought the world may be worse off than you are, what you experience is just as valid and meaningful than everyone else, its just a matter of perspective. I was for awhile dumbfounded and an awkward silence ensued. But now I get it.

By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did; by faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; by faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family; by faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later recieve as his inheritance though he knew not at the time, obeyed and went; by faith Abraham, even though he was past age - and Sarah herself was barren - was enabled to become a father because he considerd Him faithful who had made the promise; the list goes on, but the point is all of them were still living by faith when they died. They did not recieve the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Each person here experienced different circumstances. No one can compare each. But to God they placed their lives and trusted. And God was well pleased, because they had faith. Strange that this last passage could very much have being about people I know today as opposed to people who were alive thousands of years ago. Yes its a passage in the Bible of all books... for some this may come as a surprise; its adapted from Hebrews 11.

We need faith in the lift engineerer whenever we use a lift; what's stopping us from having faith in the God who created the universe whenever we do life and life do us in? Its a simple paradigm shift. By faith...