The latest installation of Major General Ferguson and his "Prime Minster's Private Army" which has increased to include two Irish Provos, Sean Dillon and Daniel Holley, and British army Major Harry Miller and Major Giles Roper fighting against British Muslims who have joined the Taliban in the American war in Afghanistan which eventually pitch them against Al-Queda.
I like Jack Higgins' writing because it is often fast paced and involves heroes and heroines that are tough and resourceful. In one sense, it is like the Western stories where the gunfight solves most of the problems. Higgins also writes like "Papa" Hemingway which is delightful.
if you want to know, yes I have read all of them. And enjoyed them greatly too.
Today in church, while preaching in a Presbyterian church, I mentioned Reformation Sunday. It is not a tradition in this church to celebrate Reformation Sunday (more hereand here). I mentioned that oft repeated joke that we are Protestants and are still protesting.
During refreshments after the service, I get to talk to some of the members. One of them said that Protestants should not longer mean protesting. Protestants should mean professing and testifying. I like that thought.
SOULWORK Insignificant Is Beautiful Why exactly do we want to make a difference in the world? By Mark Galli
...the search for significance, especially if it requires changing the world, can blind us to the everyday tasks, the mundane duties, and the dirty work that is part and parcel of the life of discipleship.
Os Guiness gave a great talk at the Veritas Forum. The Journey: A Thinking Person's Quest for Meaning Os Guinness University of California, Los Angeles 7 April 2010
Take the wave now and know that you're free, Turn your back on the land face the sea, Face the wind now so wild and so strong, When you think of me, Wave to me and send me a song.
Don't look back when you reach the new shore, Don't forget what you're leaving me for, Don't forget when you're missing me so, Love must never hold, Never hold tight but let go.
Oh the nights will be long, When I'm not in your arms, But I'll be in your song, That you sing to me, across the sea. Somehow, someday, you will be far away, So far from me and maybe one day, I will follow you, And all you do, 'Til then, send me a song.
When the sun sets the water on fire, When the wind swells the sails of your hire, Let the call of the bird on the wind, Calm your sadness and loneliness, And then start to sing to me, I will sing to you, If you promise to send me a song.
I walk by the shore and I hear, Hear your song come so faint, And so clear, And I catch it, a breath on the wind, And I smile and I sing you a song, I will send you a song... I will sing you a song, I will sing to you... If you promise to send me a song.
Rumours were spreading that Abba Isaac is dying. His disciples gathered from far and wide to bid farewell to their teacher who have enriched their lives. They gathered inside the same old thatched hut beneath the great sand dune in the Egyptian desert where Abba Isaac had lived most of his life alone as a hermit before he started to spiritually form his disciples. A well which supplied life giving water was still there near the hut. The arriving disciples drank deep of the cool water which also brought back memories of their time with Abba Isaac. The hut is actually a simple lean-to. There was no furniture as long as the disciples could remember. Abba Isaac sat on a piece of cloth which serves as his seating mat in the daytime and his bed at night. The only other thing in the hut aside from the body of Abba Isaac was his well thumbed and dog-eared Bible.
“Your holiness,” one disciple greeted another, “I did not know that you are a disciple of Abba Isaac. I heard you are building another palace in Rome. What is the news from the Vatican?” “Your eminence, the news from Rome is good,” replied the other disciple, “congratulations to your promotion to the Most Right Canon of the Church of the Cold and Rainy Isles.” “It is God’s will that I take over leadership of the church. Ah, here’s Ah Beng. How are you dear brother?” The disciples embraced each other, the finery of the clothing and accessories of the first two disciples contrasted sharply with the simple garb of Abba Ah Beng’s monk robe. Another disciple appeared and was greeted joyfully even though he was wearing only a loin cloth. It is Abba Anthony who chose to live as a hermit in a tomb. “How is Abba Isaac?” asked Abba Anthony looking at the still frail figure on the mat. “Not good. The doctors said he could go anytime” answered one of the disciples. “I am going miss him,” whispered Abba Ah Beng watching the gradually slowing breathing of the man on the mat. “Without him, I will not be who I am today,” continued Abba Ah Beng thinking of his loin cloth and Sow Lin Monastery.
“Which of his disciples do you think Abba Isaac will consider his most successful disciple?” asked the disciple who was addressed as his holiness. “You, of course,” promptly answer the disciple who is the Most Right Canon. “Must be both of you,” commented Abba Ah Beng, “for you are both powerful, rich and famous.” “Obviously, not me as I have renounced the world and survived on alms given by the villagers,” said Abba Anthony. There was silence as the impact of what they have said sunk into them. As one, they look at Abba Isaac.
The old man had a sallow pale complexion and was extremely emaciated. They could make out the outline of his ribcage. As they watched each breath became shallower and shallower. At times the disciples could not see any breathing movement.
“I shall build a cathedral in his name,” declares the disciple who was addressed as his holiness. “Abba Isaac’s legacy will be in churches and feasts observed in his name.”
“I shall establish a seminary in his name and build a statue of him in the courtyard. Future generations of theological students will walk pass him everyday on their way to classes,” said the Most Right Canon. “We will publish all his teachings so that scholars can study them.” Abba Anthony said, “I am the most sorry of this great man’s legacy because I have nothing but myself. Even then, I am a sorry example of manhood, being beset by guilt, unholy desires and attachment to things. My only consolation is that I am a sinner saved by grace.”
“I want to have a relic from Abba Isaac for my monastery. I shall enclose it in a golden receptacle and place it on an altar in the main worship hall,” said Abba Ah Beng thoughtfully. “Maybe I should take his right forefinger as that was what he frequently used to wag at me,” thought Abba Ah Beng as he reached instinctively to touch Abba Isaac’s hand.
“Aahhh!” shouted Abba Isaac suddenly, jumping up into a sitting position. “Wah!” yelled the disciples simultaneously. “We thought you were dead!” said Abba Anthony breathlessly.
“Dead!” glared Abba Isaac, “can’t a man sleep in peace without his disciples burying him?”
Reflection Questions
When we think of legacies to leave behind we usually think of physical legacies such as properties and wealth. What are the other types of legacies we can leave behind?
What are some of the spiritual legacies we can leave behind?
How can we ensure that the legacies we leave behind will endure and have eternal value?
Dear God,
We confess that we are much too attached to this world and the things of this world. Often when we think of legacies, we think only of physical ones. Help us now to invest in and develop spiritual legacies that will be of value eternally. May we devote all our mind, might, passion, energy and emotions to pursuing these spiritual legacies.
The atmosphere was heavy with heat and excitement as the disciples were on two boats, helping the local fishermen to pull in their nets. It was Abba Ah Beng’s new spiritual formation project to get his disciples involved with the local communities in the villages surrounding Sow-Lin Monastery. Whether the local communities wanted to be ‘involved with’ is another matter. It was late afternoon and the reflection of sunlight on the surface of the sea was dazzling.
“Watch it!” shouted disciple Ah Lek as he avoided the elbow of disciple Ah Kow which was on a collision course with his nose. “Ouch!” yelled exchange disciple Iskandar from the Middle East as the netting rope burned his fingers. This is the first time disciple Iskander was on a boat. The land he came from was mostly desert. “There must be a lot of fish in the net. It is so heavy,” panted another exchange disciple Muthu who was more skilled in fishing as he slowly pulled the net into boat. “Jiayou! Jiayou!” cheered disciple Ah Lian from the shade of the cabin as she urged her fellow disciples to work harder. “Careful, the floor is wet and slippery,” warned disciple Ah Lek as he turned, slipped and fell overboard. “Monk overboard!” shrieked disciple Ah Lian in her high-pitched voice. There was a commotion as the disciples rushed to the aid of their fallen comrade which nearly overturned the boat and ended with disciple Ah Lek entangled in the net along with the fish.
It was a while before the local fishermen were able to rescue disciple Ah Lek and brought the fishing boats with their catch to the shore. “So many fish! So many fish!” chanted the happy fishermen. Abba Ah Beng beamed and said, “God is good and has blessed us with a bountiful harvest.” “How many fish are here, I wonder?” mused disciple Ah Lek who did not seem worse for wear despite his dip in the ocean except for a distinctive fishy pong that seem to surround him. His fellow disciples were trying to hold their breath and turning blue, or breathing into small linen that were dabbed with fragrant medicated oil. “153!” exclaimed disciple Ah Lian triumphantly. “What?” shouted all the disciples and Abba Ah Beng simultaneously. “How do you know the exact number of fish caught?” asked Abba Ah Beng after they have all recovered from their initial surprise.
“Gospel of John, chapter 21,” replied disciple Ah Lian with a smug smile on her face, “read it in my Quiet Time this morning.” “Ooo…,” said the disciples as their contorted expressions reveal their inner struggle to remember the chapter.
“Ah, now I remember,” said disciple Ah Kow. “It is about the time when the disciples went fishing after Jesus died. They caught nothing until the resurrected Jesus came along and told them to throw the net to the right side of the boat. They obeyed and they caught…caught…153 fish.” “Clever!” “Actsy!” “Show off!” were some of the comments from his fellow disciples.
“Very good, Ah Kow,” said Abba Ah Beng with a gleam in his eye. “Now, tell me why the number of fish caught is exactly 153?” Suddenly the disciples were looking everywhere except at Abba Ah Beng as they tried to avoid eye contact with their teacher. “Remember that they were not catching any fish and were about to give up until Jesus came along and they obeyed him,” continued Abba Ah Beng.
“Remember, my disciple,” said Abba Ah Beng switching to his teaching mode and even the sound of his voice became modulated, “that success and bountiful harvest come from obedience to the commands of Christ.
“God loves all of us and wants us to love Him. He wants to bring more people into His church. The number 153 is his code for His intention to grow the church,” said Abba Ah Beng.
“Hmm?” grunted disciple Ah Lek as he suddenly realized that he was sitting alone and his fellow disciples were keeping a discrete distance and were standing upwind from him.
“In the book of Genesis, God opened Rachel’s barren womb and she gave birth. Rachel named her newborn Joseph (Gen. 30:24). Joseph means ‘May the Lord add to me another son’ showing her desire for another son. As you know, Rachel and Leah were in a reproductive competition to see who will give birth to more sons. When Joseph came of age at 17 years old and was kidnapped (Gen. 37:2), he became symbolic of God’s ‘increase another son’ who was Benjamin.
“God uses the same symbolism to show that he will ‘increase another son’ to Jesus’ disciples after the resurrection. The other ‘son’ will be the Gentile nations who will come to follow Jesus through the actions of Jesus’ disciples in obeying His Word and spreading the Gospel. If you add 1+2+3+4+5+ all the way to 17, you get?”
“153!” shouted Ah Kow who was very adept at working with an abacus. “Exactly! In letting Jesus’ disciples catching exactly 153 large fish, God was revealing to them that a new ‘son’ will soon be joining them. All He required of them is their obedience.” Abba Ah Beng stopped as the mouth watering aroma of freshly BBQ fish replaced the fishy smell of disciple Ah Lek. “Remember, it is in obedience to Christ that the disciples were successful in catching fish. Now, let’s eat!” said Abba Ah Beng to the cheers of his disciples.
Reflection Questions
1.The key to success and abundant harvest in John 21 is obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ. Why do you think to be obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ is so important?
2.God has left many clues in the Bible of His intention to save all people, not just the Jews. What are some of the examples of these clues that you can think of?
3.Being obedient means sharing the Gospel. What are some of the ways you can think of to share the Gospel with your friends, neighbors or colleagues at work?
Dear God,
Thank you for your love for all the people. It is wonderful that you have hidden the clues to your redemption plan in the Bible showing us that it is your purpose all along to save all people. Help us to read the Bible carefully so that we can understand your master plan. Equip us too so that we can become agents of yours and serve you in this plan of redemption.
Seth Godin argues the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a human social unit from the distant past: tribes. Founded on shared ideas and values, tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make big change. He urges us to do so.
About Seth Godin
Seth Godin is an entrepreneur and blogger who thinks about the marketing of ideas in the digital age. His newest interest: the tribes we lead.
Abba Ah Teng has been standing on one leg on top of the Banyan tree in the marketplace for the last ten years. He stood there under the hot sun in summer and the bitter cold in winter. He has to brace himself against the strong monsoon winds that lash the tree. At night he has to sleep while keeping his balance.
“Why does he do that, torturing himself so?” asked the people in the marketplace. “Abba believes that God will be pleased and glorified by his sufferings,” his disciples explained.
“What a holy man,” the people will think, “and God will so pleased!”
How much is too much Internet use? When you feel more comfortable with your online friends than your real ones, or you can’t stop yourself from playing games, gambling, or compulsively surfing, than you may be using the Internet too much. Or even worse, are an Internet addict.
Steven Pressfield is one of my favourite authors whose books I always look forward to reading. In this wonderful post My Life as a Mad Man on his website, he offers a great advice on professionalism,
A pro turns up his nose at nothing. A pro respects everyone and everything, however humble. A pro keeps his eyes and ears open. All things are fascinating to the professional, because he understands how much thought and effort go into even the most unassuming articles (and jobs and concepts and people, including ourselves) in our lives.
Chest compressions should be the first step in addressing cardiac arrest. Therefore, the American Heart Association (AHA) now recommends that the A-B-Cs (Airway-Breathing-Compressions) of cardiorespiratory resuscitation (CPR) be changed to C-A-B (Compressions-Airway-Breathing). The changes were documented in the 2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care, published in the November 2 supplemental issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, and represent an update to previous guidelines issued in 2005.
The reputation of Abba Ah Beng as a spiritual master with great wisdom, skilled knowledge and mastery of the Bible spread far and wide. One day, there came to the gates of Sow-lin monastery, a young man who has been searching for truth, happiness, joy, and the right way of living. After many years of travelling, many diverse experiences, and many hardships, he realised that he had not found any answers and that he needed a teacher. So he came to Abba Ah Beng. On seeing Abba Ah Beng, the young man immediately he went to him, threw himself at his feet, and said, “Please, Master, be my teacher.”
“Well, you can join my disciples in their classes,” Abba Ah Beng began but was rudely interrupted by the young man. “No! I do not want to be taught in class like your disciples. I want to be taught by you directly.” “I am sorry then because you will have to seek your guidance elsewhere,” Abba Ah Beng dismissed the young man.
The young man is still determined to be taught by Abba Ah Beng so he knelt just outside the front gate of the monastery, refusing to move until Abba Ah Beng acceded to his request. It was during the winter season and the disciples from the monastery helped the young man by passing him bowls of hot porridge and occasionally digging him out of the snow. After about 10 days the young man fainted and there was a commotion as the excited disciples wondered whether they should do CPR and volunteered disciple Ah Lian to do the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
With Abba Ah Beng’s permission, the young man was brought into the monastery and nursed back to health. One day, Abba Ah Beng sent for him. “So are you still keen to learn from me?” asked Abba Ah Beng stroking the few strands of salt and pepper coloured hairs that make up his beard. “Yes, I do” said the young man. Abba Ah Beng thought deep and long. Then he looked up at the young man with a gleam in his eyes.
“I normally teach and spiritually form my disciples following my monastery’s curriculum for Christlikeness. However I will make an exception in your case and make you my personal assistant. You will make appointments for me on my iPhone diary which I do not know how to use and remind me of them.”
Happily the young man accepted the post, thinking that the great spiritual master will give him extra teaching in between his busy schedule.
Wherever Abba Ah Beng went, his new personal assistant went with him. But although the Abba spoke to many people who came to him for advice and counsel, he never spoke to his personal assistant. And he continued to teach his disciples but the young man was not invited to the teaching sessions. After three years, the young man was so disappointed and frustrated that he could no longer restrain himself. One day he burst out in anger, saying to Abba Ah Beng: “I have sacrificed everything, given away all I had, and followed you. Why haven’t you taught me?” Abba Ah Beng looked at the young man with great compassion and said: “Don’t you understand that I have been teaching you every moment you have been with me? When you bring me a cup of tea, don’t I drink it? When you clean my desk, don’t I say: ‘Thank you very much’?”
The young man could not grasp what his Abba was saying and became very confused. Then suddenly Abba Ah Beng shouted at the top of his voice: “When you see, you see it direct.” At that moment the young man whose name is Augustine realised that he had received the best teaching in the monastery.
“There he is,” shouted disciple Ah Lian, as Abba Ah Beng walked wearily through the Sow-lin Monastery gate. “Abba, how was your journey?” Abba Ah Beng smiled lovingly as his excited disciples clustered around him, shouting and dancing with joy at his return. “You have been away for six whole months!” exclaimed disciple Ah Kow who was jumping energetically. “Yes, tell us what you saw,” inquired exchange disciple Iskandar. “What did you bring me?” asked disciple Ah Lek eagerly.
Abba Ah Beng lowered himself onto his favourite stool underneath the Frangipani tree. The tree was in bloom and the fragrance of the flowers embraced them like a warm comforter on a cold winter’s night. The Abba looked frail and exhausted. His winkles seem to have deepened with age in the past six months he had been away and his eyes have a haunted look which his disciples had not seen before.
“Thank you,” Abba Ah Beng said as he accepted a cup of cool water from the spring in the back gardens. “It is good to see you again, my beloved disciples.” Abba Ah Beng has a distinctive way of speaking that comes from reading too much of the King James Bible in its first edition.
“As you know I have been on a long quest to seek the famous City of the Word. I have tracked the foothills of the Himalayas and braved the jungles of Sarawak to track down this elusive city. After many adventures, hardships and dangers, I finally found the fabled city. It lay in the East from which much wisdom has been arisen.
“It was a bright cool morning when I finally entered the city gates. There was a cool breeze and the sky was bright blue. In the background, I can hear the beautiful singing of the thorn birds. The people of the city came out to greet me. They are extremely friendly and gracious. I was welcomed with food and drinks and a place of rest. The people are happy and they have a peaceful look on their faces. However I noticed that all the adults have only their left eyes and their left hands. I also noticed that they all discretely gazed at my right eye and right hand.
“ ‘Is this the City of the Word where the people are blessed by their obedience to the Scriptures?’ I asked them. ‘Oh, yes,’ they replied happily, ‘we are that city and in our obedience to Scripture, we are not longer cursed by evil. We are happy and God has blessed us abundantly.’ ‘Then what happened to your right eyes and right hands?’ I asked the Chief Priest who was among the first to welcome me. ‘Don’t you know, Abba?’ answered the man in surprised.
The Chief Priest then led me to their temple which was built in the exact centre of the city over a river which flowed through the city. The people were following us and soon it became a big procession. There was a hush as we entered the temple. Ahead at the front of the temple on the altar was an opened Scripture. The Chief Priest led me to the open book and asked me to read. I read, ‘And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.’
Then I understood. ‘You plucked out your right eyes and cut off your right hands yourself!’ ‘Yes,’ answered the Chief Priest proudly, ‘All of us are now safe from evil except for the children who are too young to know better. What about you, Abba? Will you like to save your soul from hell by the way the Scripture taught?’
“I told them that I would like to pray and meditate before my commitment to that course of action as the sky was darkening towards evening. After a simple meal, they directed me to a simple cell which is to be my lodging for the night. I waited for them to fall asleep, then crept out of the cell through the window, climbed over the city wall and ran as fast and as far as I can from this City of the Word. I am so happy to finally see the walls of the monastery and your faces,” concluded Abba Ah Beng. There was silence after that as the young disciples tried to understand the horror of what they have heard.
“I thought that the City of the Word is a holy city and the people who lived there are blessed,” mused disciple Ah Kow.
“Yes,” said Abba Ah Beng wearily, “the City of the Word is a holy and blessed city. But you see, I went to the wrong city!”
Christians are a people called apart for God because they are a people who are saved by God, who knows the Word of God, who loves the people of God, who loves those who do not know God, who lives their lives with integrity, who experiences joy, and who are free.
Text (Jeremiah 35:14)
Jonadab son of Recab ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather's command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me. (NIV)
Background (Jeremiah 35:1- 18)
JER 35:1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: 2 "Go to the Recabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the LORD and give them wine to drink."
This Sunday I am planning to preach on Jeremiah chapter 35 and this hymn comes to mind. I will use this as my closing hymn. Always have tears in my eyes and a choke in my throat whenever I sing this hymn.
Wonderful arrangement and orchestration. Can see the deep emotion on the faces of the musicians.
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing By: Robert Robinson, 1735-90 Come, Thou fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. While the hope of endless glory Fills my heart with joy and love, Teach me ever to adore Thee; May I still Thy goodness prove. Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I’ve come; And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood. Oh, to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be; Let that grace now like a fetter Bind my wandering heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above. Oh, that day when freed from sinning, I shall see Thy lovely face; Clothed then in the blood washed linen How I’ll sing Thy wondrous grace! Come, my Lord, no longer tarry, Take my ransomed soul away; Send Thine angels soon to carry Me to realms of endless day.
This is the cover of the 4 October 2010 issue of Time Magazine, Asia Edition.
And this is the cover of the 4 October 2010 issue of Time Magazine, Asia Edition in Malaysia which I received today, about 2 weeks after its publication date.
I wish to thank the workers of the Censorship Board of Malaysia for their hard work with black markers.
Anyway, it is a good article.
How the First Nine Months Shape the Rest of Your Life
What makes us the way we are? Why are some people predisposed to be anxious, overweight or asthmatic? How is it that some of us are prone to heart attacks, diabetes or high blood pressure? There's a list of conventional answers to these questions. We are the way we are because it's in our genes: the DNA we inherited at conception. We turn out the way we do because of our childhood experiences: how we were treated and what we took in, especially during those crucial first three years. Or our health and well-being stem from the lifestyle choices we make as adults: what kind of diet we consume, how much exercise we get.
But there's another powerful source of influence you may not have considered: your life as a fetus. The kind and quantity of nutrition you received in the womb; the pollutants, drugs and infections you were exposed to during gestation; your mother's health, stress level and state of mind while she was pregnant with you — all these factors shaped you as a baby and a child and continue to affect you to this day.
Hang charming bells to listen musical chimes of the Christmas vows to bring happiness, cheer and spirit of celebration. Usually in Church, bells are jingled after prayers and to announce birth of Jesus. Color these beautiful lovely pictures of Christmas Bells Coloring Pages by clicking and downloading for further applications.
Watch the Santa cart full of gifts for kids. The beautiful reindeer run cart fly in sky as well as runs on snow to reach various people's homes and shelter. Share these Santa Cart Coloring Pages with your dear kids to give them chance to fill colors in these blank coloring sheets. Old Santa claus wearing red coat and sitting on his cart to spread magical blessings and happiness.
Enjoy and pamper your kids to make efficient utilization of the holiday season of Christmas by doing their favorite activity of coloring and painting. So, here we are giving some exclusive pictures and designs of Christmas Holiday Coloring Pages for little kids and children to add colors in the blank sheet.
I have been playing first, second and third person shooter games on my xBox and PS3 and I am kinda proud that I am gradually improving as a shooter in these games.Recently I was playing Halo: Reach
After finishing Halo: Reach, I thought I will play another type of game and selected a shooting game using airplanes.
H.A.W.X.2 is a really challenging game for me to play because it demands much more hand -eyes coordination than the people shooters. Flying planes at high speed and shooting is much more difficult and challenging.
Playing H.A.W.K.2 is difficult. I am struggling and only managed to complete Mission Ten so far. Have I reached the limit of my ability to play this type of games because my reaction time due to my age is too slow? Have I reached my limits in terms of reaction time and hands-eyes coordination?
Personally I do not think so. I am not ready to give up yet. I still think you can teach old dogs new tricks.
