Orbs - Angels or A Load of Balls?

It wasn't until recently that photos with strange looking balls of light became a hot topic of discussion among some of my friends. According to them, these orbs are apparently angels sent from heaven to look after us. They claim that orbs can be easily seen around holy anointed people, and are especially prominent during times of worship or deep prayer...

Or around yours truly... =)

When I first heard about it, my initial reaction was pure skepticism. It wasn't something that I've noticed before, and even if I did, I would never have thought it had anything to do with angels. These are the kind of orbs that people would usually associate with those shown on paranormal documentaries of spooky cemeteries and haunted homes.

And admit it, when you first saw my photo, it wasn't the thought of why I was taking a photo of myself wearing a Mexican hat indoors that first crossed your mind. It was those strange looking balls that were seemingly floating around me.

As a Christian, it was never about the things that I could see that increased my faith. It was the things I couldn't see, like the love, kindness, peace and joy of the Lord that makes my life so worth living. But as a man of science, I can't help but be aware of the underlying principles of the everyday phenomena.

Take the case of a rainbow... How can a small drop of water create such a magnificent sight in the sky? Thanks to science, we've now come to understand that the white warm glow of sunlight is actually made up of a wide range of colours. A rainbow basically forms when sunlight gets separated out into its different colours when it passes through a rain drop. This is a perfect example where a complex phenomenon has a very simple and elegant explanation.

How about orbs then?

Orbs are simply the distorted out-of-focus images of tiny particles being caught in the flash zone of the camera. When a photo is taken, the camera automatically focuses its lenses to capture the distant object. If dust particles are present in the air, they are usually too small to be seen by the camera's photo sensors. However, if they are really close to the lens, they can produce a distorted circular image on the resulting photo. This effect is similar to that caused by dust on your glasses when you're out in the sun.

To prove my theory, I carried out a simple experiment with my Olympus digital camera. The next 3 shots were taken with the camera mounted on a tripod during the afternoon. The 1^st shot was a control shot, the 2^nd was taken just after I ruffled my hair and the 3^rd was taken right after beating 2 pillows together like a madman.

Control Shot

Ruffled Hair

Beating 2 Pillows

I don't know about you, but this experiment proves to me that orbs can be caused by dust particles in the air. It also proves that I really need to wash my pillows and switch to an anti-dandruff shampoo.

So why don't we see this effect in the more expensive professional SLR cameras then? Most compact digital cameras have the flash unit located just right next to the lens. While this may help in taking photos at dimly lit areas, it has a profound effect on the dust particles near the lens.

The flash overwhelmingly illuminates the surrounding dust particles near the lens at about 10 times the brightness of the Sun, and this can be easily captured by the photo sensors in the camera. Professional photographers use SLR cameras with sophisticated lenses and dust covers to overcome this problem. Furthermore, their flash units are quite a distance away from the lens opening, so the dust particles around the lens aren't as brightly illuminated as compared to the compact cameras.

This is the simple and elegant scientific explanation. But how about from a Christian perspective?

Orbs are no doubt a fascinating sight to a believer, especially when captured during moments of worship and prayer. Sometimes preachers use this as evidence of God's support of their ministry. And sometimes the presence of orbs brings a source of hope to those who see photos of their loved ones surrounded by them.

But the fact is, orbs do not pass the 3 rules of discernment.

Firstly, it does not glorify Jesus Christ. It turns the supernatural into something paranormal and mystifying. Orbs reduces the glorious nature of God and His angels into something that only a digital camera can see, but something His own creation cannot. It says nothing about Jesus but boasts about our ability to finally see into the spiritual realm with a man-made device.

Secondly, it does not increase or edify one's faith. To believe in orbs actually destroys the roots of faith. Our faith should be rooted firmly in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, that by His perfect sacrifice, our sins are now forgiven; and that by His resurrection, we can now lead an everlasting life with our Father in heaven. Our faith should not be based on something that appears randomly in dusty places. In some cases, the presence of orbs can even promote fear because it can now be used as a spiritual yardstick to judge if someone is praying enough or worshipping properly. I know this is ridiculous, but a dusty unkempt church building could very well appear to be more "holy" than a clean and tidy one.

Finally, it is not biblical. There is no verse in the bible that comes even close to suggest that orbs are angelic beings. Some dare to quote from the Book of Ezekiel and claim that the orbs are actually the wheels of the four living creatures. I wonder why have they chosen to focus on Ezekiel 1:16 which describes the wheels that sparkled like chrysolite but totally ignored Ezekiel 1:13 which tells of the fire that moved back and forth among the creatures, which was bright, and had lightning flashing out of it.

Surely the lightning and bright fire should be more noticeable than the sparkle? o_O

I didn't write this article to embarrass my friends or insult their spiritual discernment. If I have, I am truly sorry. I don't deny that God and His angels can use orbs as a means to manifest themselves, but there is a point where being too spiritual actually becomes silly.

My aim is for this article to create awareness on the deception currently plaguing the Church and hopefully this will help others discover the error of their ways. As a Christian myself, I believe that my friends will do the same for me if my spiritual walk is in error.

Bless you my friends, and may this passage from 1^st Timothy edify you and keep you in Shalom peace always.

1 Timothy 4:1-16
¹The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons...

⁶If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. ⁷Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly...

⁹This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance ¹⁰(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. ¹¹Command and teach these things. ¹²Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity...

¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Beyond Our Needs & Wants

Needs. Wants. Require. Desire. 4 words that every economist loves to talk about. It's also the same 4 words that advertisers love to muddle up. We are fortunate to live in a country where our basic standard of living is considered royalty by the poorer half of the world's population. But still, we seem to be living in lack.

If you're expecting me to go on rambling about the difference between our needs and wants, then you are assuredly mistaken. The world knows what the difference between those two words are. From childhood, we've been indoctrinated with the concept that a need is something we cannot live without and a want is something we desire, but not essential for survival. So from the start, we've been taught to associate meeting our needs as a responsibility, but fulfilling our wants as a selfish desire.

Look at the US, they are facing a mortgage crisis. At home in Australia, the credit card debt has gone up to $40 billion. I've spent tons of money on clothes, but sometimes when I look in my closet, I still don't know which clothes to wear. Any parent who has bought toys for their children should know that toys are not essential for their survival, but their rooms are still filled with those colourful little squiggly things anyway.

However what happens when we apply this principle to the relationship between God and Man? I need Him. I want Him. I require Him. I desire Him. You might think that the differences between these 4 words are not significant when it comes to God. But you'll be surprised on how much it speaks about your understanding of the Lord's presence in your life.

In the NKJV Bible, the word "want" occurs 116 times. The most famous mention of it of course is in Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." This gives us an impression that "want" is not a character that we should have when the Lord becomes our Shepard. Is David implying that we should not want or desire anything?

When we let the Bible interpret the Bible, in Psalm 34:10, David writes "The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing." The Hebrew word for "want" in Psalm 23 and "lack" in Psalm 34 is the same word, חסר khaw-sare; which means to lack, be without. David was not saying that he shall have no desires, but he was referring to not be without.

The Greek word for "need" is chreia, which can mean usage, employment, demand or requirement. Notice how similar the word sounds with "career". However the word for "want" in Greek is boulomai, which means to will deliberately, have a purpose, to desire.

To need God implies that we require something from Him. But once that need is satisfied, we no longer have any use for Him, until the next lack arises. I challenge you this, rather than instilling such a wavering attitude in ourselves, we should be having a desire for our Lord regardless of our circumstances in life. During times of abundance, praise Him, and times of lack, trust Him. Our bank balance or emotional state at any moment shouldn't change the fact that He is a very real part of our lives.

There is an aspect of want that is not obvious; a want does not have any reason to exist besides satisfying one's own desires. However, as much as we can choose not to buy that 60 inch plasma television that we want so much, a want is still filled with a free choice. Anytime a want crosses our minds, a choice has to be made. How much more does it say about your relationship with God if you choose to have His presence in your life, rather than having no choice but to?

Other notable occurrences of "want" are in Galatians 3:2, "This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?";

2 Corinthians 5:4, "For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.";

John 5:6 , "When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”; and

Exodus 12:48, "And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land."

The last example is particular interesting. The "stranger" does not need to keep the Passover, but if he chooses to do so, all the males in his household have to be circumcised. Now all you guys out there will know that this procedure isn't exactly a walk in the park. As a matter of fact I don't think you'll be walking around that much after either.

There is no such thing as an atheist in a sinking boat. For anyone to say that we should live a life just always needing God, it either must be really comfortable living in a sinking boat, or they must not have experienced life in the water-tight hull of the Ark at all, which is our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is this free choice that differentiates a need and a want. Yes, we need God's wisdom, we need His favor, we need His grace and love. But when it comes to the presence of the Lord, I don't just want to need Him in times of need, I want to want Him even when my needs are met. Free choice is the one thing that sets a believing believer apart from an unbelieving believer. A believing believer saw the choice that Jesus made by sacrificing Himself to be hung on the cross. An unbelieving believer knows Jesus Christ hung on the cross, but doesn't know what that has got to do with him.

If you don't agree, maybe it's worthwhile asking God to not fulfill the prayers of your needs so that we will always need Him, because inadvertently that is what's you're implying.

I carried out an informal survey at work and asked my colleagues if they preferred their partners to say "I want you" or "I need you"? Out of 11 ladies surveyed, 6 chose "need" and the remaining 5 picked "want". The age group of those surveyed was between 30 and 60. They are all mothers; 3 of them are nurses, 5 administration staff, 2 scientists, and 1 psychologist. The gender bias can be easily explained by the fact that I'm the only guy at work. If you include me in the survey as well, the score is dead even.

While this result does not give weight to either side of the argument, it does imply that the world is also torn in half when it comes to knowing the difference between a need and want in relationships.

But the most important question is, are you?

Don't just need God when times are tough. Don't just seek His presence when there is no one else to fill the void. Invite Him in the midst of your friends and your career. But most importantly, want Him, because He first wanted you.
_______________________________________________
This article was written in response to the discussion I had a couple of weeks ago at a cell group meeting. May this enlighten your confused minds and edify your weakened spirits, my dear friends.

The Lord be with you always...

Stairway To Heaven

How many people can you fit on a stairway?

This many...

But how many people do you want to fit on your stairway to heaven?

At any given moment in time, we are surrounded by people, those who we see everyday; at work, at church or at school. There are a couple of them who we get along so well with; and there's those few, who we pray that our path's will never cross.

But just ponder over this for a while. How many of them so called friends that you know, truly want to know you? It is one thing to remember their names, but to know their ways is the real challenge. I sometimes wonder if socially we are becoming too superficial, that we stop just short of establishing meaningful relationships, with friends, with family and even with the Lord Himself.

Someone once said to me he didn't like going to a large church because there were just too many people and he couldn't make any friends. This reminded me of the story of a salesperson who was sent to a faraway island to sell shoes. A month later, he came back not having sold a single pair of shoes. "Boss, you forgot to tell me that the natives don't wear shoes! How do you expect me to sell any?", he complained. The silly salesperson didn't realize that he was sent to an untapped market and if he had taught the natives how to wear shoes, he would have struck it rich.

Likewise, a large church shouldn't be a deterrent to us in making friends. Rather it gives us a huge opportunity to easily make contact with a large number of people we've never met before. If only we opened our eyes to see past our own need for attention and make an effort to get to know the person sitting next to us. Sometimes, a simple hello is all it takes for someone to believe in the love of Christ again.

One truly memorable moment of my life was during my time in Singapore on the Mass Rapid Transit train. You know its really amazing when you can have 50 people packed into a train carriage at peak hour, but not hear a single conversation amongst them. Maybe a off-pitched snore once in a while or the distinct plonk when a tired forehead gracefully meets the hard reality of the glass window. Even the library during exam season has more audible activity than the public transport system. Even here in Perth, everyone has their white wires dangling out of their ears, that sometimes I end up talking to the old lady in her Porta-pram, who can't really hear me anyway.

How many people do you want to fit on your stairway to heaven? I guess it's a good time to start getting to know Someone today...

Jesus...

Anberlin - The Unwinding Cable Car

When I first heard this song on the radio, my ears latched onto it like a kitten with a fresh ball of string. There are not many times where I get epiphanies outside the confines of the shower, and this was one of them. I caught a glimpse behind the meaning of life itself, something that both philosophers and theologians alike have struggled for so long to understand.

For many, life is a fight for survival. For some, it's a time of service to the poor. For a few, it's a time of discovery.

For me... It is a moment of praise for the One who brought me here.

Anberlin - The Unwinding Cable Car

Emotive unstable you're like an unwinding cable car
Listening for voices, but it's the choices that make us who we are
Go your own way, even seasons have changed just burn those new leaves over
So self-absorbed you've seemed to ignore the prayers that have already come about

This is the correlation of salvation and love
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart
With quiet words I'll lead you in

Backing away from the problem of pain you never had a home
You've been misguided, you're hiding in shadows for so very long
Don't you believe that you've been deceived that you're no better than...
The hair in your eyes, it never disguised what you're really thinking of

This is the correlation of salvation and love
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart
With quiet words I'll lead you in and out of the dark

You're so brilliant, don't soon forget
You're so brilliant, grace marked your heart
You're so brilliant, don't soon forget
You're so brilliant, grace marked your heart

This is the correlation of salvation and love
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart
With quiet words I'll lead you in

A Passion...

The Lord dropped a passion of Astronomy in my life, so I could see the beauty of creation, in the vastness of space.

A passion of Cooking; to feel the beauty of inspiration, especially when watching the bread rise.

A passion of Molecular Biology; to be awed by the beauty of nature, even in single-celled organisms.

A passion of Physics; to experience the excitement of experimenting, even when the Law of Gravity told us we couldn't fly.

A passion of Computer Science; to appreciate the beauty of simplicity, in the complexity of programming code.

A passion of Fertility Science; to experience the miracle of life, when nothing else seems to work.

And a passion of Christ; to see the glory in a Man who gave up all, so others may live...

Version 7.0

“

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.

”

-C. S. Lewis

It has been a tad more than 3 years since I've started this blog, and I'm glad to say that Version 7.0 is finally here! It all started off when a couple of my friends *cough* Qiong *cough* WeiJia *cough* coerced me into writing an online journal, something which I never had the patience to do. Somehow my folly revealed itself again when my same 2 friends got me to join Facebook. Hmmm...

From its humble beginnings, it has now expanded to a collection of 3 separate blogs; this, Ropheka the Bible Blog, and the Wine Blog, which was once a university project but has now expanded to an on-going dream to catalogue the finest mid-value wines in Australia. ^_^

In my last post I promised that Version 7.0 is gona be Bigger, Better, Faster and Easier on the eyes. Well it's true, kind of. There's that BIG CROSS that jumps out at you as soon as the page loads. It's better because all my posts are now organised by themes. It's faster too because you'll be so busy admiring the beautiful cross that you won't notice the page loading. And finally, it's easier on your blinkers because I finally got rid of the hideous lime-green background! ^_^

When I came across this quote from C.S. Lewis, I realised why I eventually settled on this design. I wanted this version to be original and different so I started playing with different colours and patterns, but they just didn't sit well with my spirit. Then it dawned on me that this blog is meant to be a reflection of my life and a window to my world, not some souped up decorated porthole.

In my world, the truth is simple. It is Christ and Christ alone.

The cross is not Christ, but it represents what He has done for me in my life. The original image is a long exposure shot of a hand-held light captured in the dark. How apt this picture is as a reflection of my life! The glow of light which symbolizes my life was swinging around aimlessly in the dark, not knowing where I was going. When I found Christ, I looked back and realised that my journey, which had been outlined by the glow of light, was actually cumulating to bring me back to the cross. And like how I inverted the dark colours of the image to a white background at a flick of a switch, He changed my darkness into light.

I don't know if many out there realise this, but the cross that we wear around our necks was not meant to be a fashion statement or a fanciful piece of artwork. It was used as a torturing device. Imagine if Christ had died on an electric chair or on the gallows, would we be dangling a metal chair or an ornamental noose around our necks today? However we can take comfort in knowing that the same cross that hung Jesus Christ was the same cross that God used to offer His Son as a perfect sacrifice for us all. The cross that we take for granted today was used to reconcile us back to our Father, having obtained redemption through Christ's blood, by the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

It's tragically beautiful! ^_^

Be blessed my friends! May your darkness be turned to light; your sorrows to joy; your tears to laughter; your hopes into dreams, and your dreams into reality...

Love never gives up. Christ never fails...

The Bible Wall

6 months ago, the Lord gave me a vision. He showed me a beautiful white wall, spanning metres across, further than I could see. And on it were the books of the Bible, neatly laid out across the entire surface.

When the vision passed, I opened my eyes and in front of me were boxes stacked up everywhere. All 70 of them... I had been sharing apartments with friends for the past 10 months and my room literally had the walking space of a shoebox. I would stack boxes up towards the ceiling to save space, only to find them tumbling down in the middle of the night. That was why I never took up architecture. ^_^

As I sat on my bed looking at the boxes perched precariously towards one side, grief suddenly overcame me. I didn't know what was going on but it was as if my mind just snapped. My room became a prison and I had nothing to look forward to when I came home. I had been living in a cell for almost a year and I just wanted to give up.

Then the vision came. Innocently, not realising that the Lord is the LORD, I asked the Him how it was possible for me to live in a place, with a wall large enough to fit the all books of the Bible?

His answer was short and simple, "You'll be surprised..." And indeed I was. ^_^

2 months later the Lord found a place for me a couple of minutes from work. It had just been recently built and when the owners were about to place an ad in the papers, the Lord conveniently plonked me right at their doorstep.

It was perfect. Except for the air-conditioner that wouldn't switch on and the fridge door that wouldn't close, but let's not go there. ^_^

348 pages and lots of sticky tape later, the Bible wall was finally finished. All 27 books of the New Testament on 1 wall.

Now my next challenge - the rest of the 39 books of the Old Testament.
Lord, I need a larger wall... Help! ^_^


Thank you Father... Love never fails.

You never fail.

Sometimes I wonder...
I wonder what the Lord has in store for me.

Sometimes I wait...
I wait for the Lord to show me the way.

Sometimes I worry...
I worry if I have the strength to carry on.

Sometimes I hope...
I hope that He'll come and take my problems away.

Sometimes I fear...
I fear that I may make the wrong choices.

Sometimes I realise...
I realise that God can turn the wrong choices into something good.

Sometimes I laugh...
I laugh at the moments when I almost fell.

And sometimes I smile...
I smile when the Lord reminds me of all the times He has picked me up.

All the while I notice...
That things may not go as well as it seems, but

Every time, You're always there for me.


Thank You, Jesus...

What's Happening @ The Bible Blog

Why did Jesus Christ sit down at the right hand of God?

When I was young, I didn't know why Jesus sat down next to God when He was received up into heaven. I used to think He did it because Jesus is the Son of God, and if your father is God, then you'll surely get to sit down right? ^_^

Nice try Andy... =)

Well, if you don't know why, the answer is right there in...

Read on @ Ropheka

5 years ago, on this very day... I can still remember.
One Tuesday night, in the month of September...

I came back home but no one answered the door.
There was a silence that I've never heard before.

Suddenly the door swung open and my sister told me to come in,
Hurry she says, not even asking how my day had been.

I watched in horror as one of the buildings was burning.
Watching the news, not even sure of what I was hearing.

Seconds later, it all became clear to me...
When another plane flew into the tower, for the whole world to see.

All the souls that were lost, may they rest in heaven.
That day for me, was my September 11...


This is not a message to promote hate to anyone, to any group or to any religion. The world has persecuted each other enough for the past 5 years and I don't wish to add to it. However this goes to show one thing...

People die in the name of God. But no one wages war in the name of Jesus.

Jesus never fails... Love never fails.

You gave me a job when I wasn't looking.
An open door when there wasn't any...

I was willing to settle for anything, even less.
But You gave me a chance to work with the best.

I know it was You because I had nothing to give,
But they took me on anyway...

All I did was seek You and pray,
And a job I now have today.

Thank You for blessing me with these wonderful people,
What You did was nothing short of a miracle...

It's such joy to work with you guys, my second family.
Bless them Lord for they have been such a blessing to me...


No... We're not like this most of the time. We're like this ALL of the time... I think it must be something in the coffee...


Miffy, Sam & Brooke - Our front desk Medical Secretaries - Our first line of defence. Trust me, you don't want to make them angry, so pay your bills on time ^_^


Nurse Co-ordinators Denise & Joan (with Brooke) - The brains behind the scenes. With over 50 years of working experience between them, they don't look a tad beyond 35 you reckon? *score brownie points*


Nurse Co-ordinator Eileen & Sonographer Chelsea - Our ultrasound specialists, where they boldly see where no man has seen before...


Bio-Chemist Allison (with daughter Miffy) - My teacher, the one who taught me everything else the university failed to teach. From running the complex chemi-luminescence machine to what girls really want... What will I do without you???


Embryologists Tara & Sue - What you girls do in the lab is nothing short of a miracle. Really enjoyed working with you Tara, even though you were with us only for a short while.


Yours truly, (with Eileen's son James) - Bio-Chemist and the only representative of the male species at work... "James, hurry up! Finish your university and come help me!"


Greetings from all the ladies and the "boy"... ^_^

Well folks, here it is... I couldn't think of a better day to launch it than on my birthday ^_^ Ropheka@blogspot is officially up and running. Its something I've always wanted to do and its finally here.

Ropheka is a Hebrew word and can be literally translated as "My Healer" or "The One Who Heals". As you can tell, it will be everything about Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

So I hope you will join me and enjoy this journey together with me as I find out more about the Man who gave it all up, to save you and me from a lifetime of suffering, to bring us an eternal life full of joy and happiness.


This is the story of His Finished Work...

ropheka.blogspot.com

1 Peter 2:24
"... who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed!"
______________________


Remember those times when you wonder if God had heard you? Prayers for Him to bless you with a parking lot, repair broken relationships and those for Him to rescue you from the snarls of the evil one...

But sometimes it seems as if He didn't hear your prayers... Think its because you didn't pray enough or misbehaved recently? Then know this...

Your Lord hears all your prayers! Every cry every sigh, every tear every fear, He knows all! ^_^

Its when we confuse our relationship with God, with religion, that everything seems to be conditional. We don't receive results because we didn't pray hard enough... We've got to do this to get that....


"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

If God gave His Son freely to die on the cross for us, for Him to withhold healing, peace or prosperity from us means that He values them more than His Son... And we all know that is so not true... For it is by His Grace; His undeserved, unmerited favour, that we receive all these things... ^_^

Think about it... If we so instinctively fear that God remembers all the bad things we do and hears all the curses we utter...

Then how about your prayers? =)


"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12)

What began as a fine cool morning would quickly turn to one of the most horrifying days of my life.

How quickly a moment can turn into despair...
How fast life can spin out of control, catching you unaware.
What happened on Sunday I could never again bear.
Life is so fragile, so please please take care...


Sunday - 19 February 2006 - 6:15am
Woke up with a stuffed nose. Had left the window open. Found myself tightly wrapped in my blanket like a tortilla. My left nostril conveniently sticking out of the cosy protection of my down feather quilt. Left it to face the harsh cruel world of the freezing morning air by itself. Thought twice about going to work.

6:40am
Cursed the guy who invented the snooze button. Had to leave in 20 minutes. Those close to me would know that I take much longer than that to get ready. Marry me and you'll find out why ^_^

7:10am
Kissed the guy in the mirror goodbye. Did a quick calculation in my head. Work was 30kms away. Car goes at 100km/h. Will take 18 mins to get there. 2 mins to get up the lift with time to spare to adjust my hair. Man, even that rhymes... ^_^

7:15am
Everything's on schedule. Traffic's quite light. Anyone driving at this time either works in a lab at Joondalup or seriously needs a life ^_^

7:18am
Why is everyone slowing down? If you're going to drive on the first lane at less than 100km/h at the freeway... You really need a... *what on earth?* 0_0

7:18am + 1s
Saw a car swerve widely onto the dirt towards the median rails. What happened in the next 3 secs will change that driver's life, and mine forever...

7:18am +2s
Driver overcorrected and the car swerved back onto the road at a right angle. The car has now lost traction and is sliding across the 3 lanes. (2 seconds...)

7:18am +3s
Now the car is sliding uncontrollably towards a concrete support pillar of a flyover bridge. Stop the car... stop it now!!! My heart yells. (1 second...)

7:18am +4s
Car impacts the concrete wall with so much energy that it continues flying down the road 4-5m, only to ram straight onto a streetlight, completely severing it from its base. Try hitting the steel frame of a streetlight when you walk pass one, and imagine how much force it would take to break it in two.

Car finally rolls to a stop... 0 seconds.

7:18am +5s...
All the cars around me immediately pulled up by the side of the road. We must have stared at the crash for like another 3 seconds, trying to comprehend what just happened.

Did a car just skid off the road? Will the driver just walk out and sweep the dirt of his jacket? It was only until we saw the sight of a man running straight towards an overturned car that woke us up from our period of denial.

Ever noticed in the movies that time always seems to slow down during a dramatic event? (all thanks to the director's wilful editing) It happens in real life too. Everything went silent as well. It's like the mind shuts off the other senses when it tries to make out an image of a crushed up car with a person in it.

As I approached the car, I could see a bloodied arm from the driver's side window. I've always wanted to see the bottom of a car, but not like this. My initial concern was whether the car was gona blow up. That subsided when a man who seemed to know what he was doing checked to see if the car engine was still running.

The man who first ran towards the car was now halfway in it. Could see that he was trying his best to keep her conscious. Yes, we now all found out that the driver is a girl. There wasn't any space for another to help. The car was so crushed on the driver's side that I couldn't even imagine how anyone could survive.

One of the guys now went to direct traffic around the car, while some of the others and I went to clear as much debris from the road as we could. The last thing we wanted was glass being sprayed all over us by a passing car.

Prayed in the Spirit the whole while. I knew I wasn't trained in first aid and there was nothing I could do but pray. Thank God for the gift of tongues because I couldn't imagine myself praying properly in English after seeing a car which now resembled a crushed aluminium can.

7:21am
Nurses arrived. Was amazed how fast they responded especially on a Sunday morning. Could have been off-duty nurses. Nevertheless, praise the Lord for placing them there at the right place and the right time.

7:24am
To what seemed like forever, the police, ambulance and fire brigade arrives. Our part was done and it was time to let the professionals do their job.

One of the officers approached me to take my statement down. It was this moment when I started to recall that fateful 3 seconds, that my heart grieved silently under that detached facade. Prayed for a couple more moments before committing her to the Lord and driving off to work.

I wondered if there was anything else I could have done? Let's just say for the rest of the drive to work, I was bombarded by the evil one with thoughts of not doing enough or not responding fast enough. My heart was burdened with guilt and confusion. I wondered why I had to be there at that place at that time. I wondered if I left my house earlier, I might have been driving next to her, or might have not seen it at all. But why then and there?

It was at that time that the Lord told me that I was there for a reason. So were the others. Everyone knew they had a part to play. From the brave soul who went straight into the car without checking if the car was on fire, to the rest of us who were picking up debris, and to that one man who walked 20 metres down the road to direct traffic by himself. As for myself, I just prayed.

Our wise Lord then answered my question with a question. "What if the reason I had you there at that time and at that place because I knew you would pray for her?" My heart filled with joy and peace again. The Lord had anointed each and one of us to perform a special role.

Some of us would like to think that praying at that moment would be considered a passive act and something one would do as a last resort, but the Lord explained to me that a prayer was equally as effective, if not more effective, in helping that driver than what the others did. Without prayers, the girl's life was in the hands of mortal men and man-made equipment. But with the Lord's help, He can guide the firemen to break open the wreckage easily and bring her out safely without causing further damage to her body... He can protect her in ways we'll never know. Hey, He can even raise the dead! ^_^


Life can be so unpredictable,
You never know what turn it'll take...
All of the things that happen to us,
Caused by the very decisions we make...

If you do not yet know our God, our Father,
All alone in this world you'll be...
Come under His wings of protection,
His love so great you shall see...

He is our Saviour, our Shepherd.
Let Him embrace you now, for your sake...
Our lives are too short, too precious,
To leave to this world to break...

Let the Holy Spirit fill you now,
With love, peace and joy...
Let the finished work of Jesus Christ,
Reveal to you a life to enjoy...

To all the men and women that day who so bravely risked their lives, to uphold another who was in greater need. The Lord bless you and keep you in love, joy and peace forever. ^_^

"I think a man only needs one thing in life. He just needs someone to love...
If you can't give him that, then give him something to hope for...
And if you can't give him that, just give him something to do..."
- James Liddle - Flight of the Phoenix


This entire month has been one rollercoaster ride after another. When you realise that u've got only a month to live, your whole perspective of life changes. Every thing that you've once taken for granted comes back to you in a whole different light.

Fresh air... I used to work way after closing hours, tidying the shelves, arranging everything to point in the same direction... But now I find myself getting out at 5.30pm sharp, dropping everything I have just to bask in the glow of the sunset and to suck in the wonderful Australian air. And just for that couple of minutes, u forget about the hundreds of flies stuck to the back of your shirt (let's not spoil the moment here shall we ^_^)

Fishing... Where do I start? ^_^ Used to think it was a waste of time. Old geezers with too much time on their hands trying to catch fish stupid enough to bite on some lifeless bait... Well, lets just say that I am one of those geezers now eh *grin* I never knew that my Father could use fishing to teach me an important principle of life... Its not about patience, its not about skill and its certainly not about the equipment. Its about trusting Him once you cast your line into the water. I'm not talking about sport fishing where u know where fish are and how they would react when someone tries to rip their jaw out with a hook. Its the plain old school style where u only have your rod, line, bait and iPod.

Its these times where u can only throw the bait into the water and wait... Wait for my Father to deliver... Or for one real stupid fish to swim around. Its these times when u really feel vulnerable and stupid (guys... talking to the fish won't make them bite k... trust me, i tried that). But its also these times when u realise that we're not really in control. Our Father in heaven is. When we try to control our lives, our future, we unknowingly slap the hand of our Father away, refusing His help and wisdom. If only we could learn to cast the line into the vast ocean and let the Lord do the rest... Or u could pray for real stupid fish ^_^

Friends... Friends who once were, now is, and yet to come...
What do I do without them? Oh right, there's still Video Ezy ^_^ Friends are not just people you know... They are people that are willing to go one step further, one cent dearer, one hour longer for you. They are people who don't expect anything in return, except for the annual invite to the front row seats of Australia Day fireworks on my balcony and the occasional jar of salt. So to all my friends out there; who was, who is, and who is yet to come, I thank you all...

Forgiveness... Ah tough one this is...
It is an inevitable fact of life that some point in your life, there will be someone u'll come across that will tick your tocks the wrong way. To some, that person may be a customer who loves to place her wet umbrella on top of my freshly arranged "DRY" stock on my counter top (i forgave her already) or the tailgater who loves to drive his car inches from my bumper... so close that he can use my rearview mirror to arrange his hair (a quick flick on the brake pedal did the trick), but what if that person is your friend? Your loved one? Your family member? Can we actually forgive and forget? First of all we must find out why we forgive in the first place... It's because our Father did it to us. He didn't have to forgive us of all our sins, but He did. He didn't have to love us troublemakers, murmurers and liars, but He did. He didn't have to give His Son to die for us gossipers, hypocrites and fools, but He did. If our Father can overlook the wrong that we did and love us for who we really are, then maybe we should start trying to do the same. Lets have the heart of our Father, full of grace and love overflowing...

I forgive you... For what you did. I do not know why you had to do it that way, but you have your reasons. I leave you to the Lord, for Him to guide you and teach you all things, that you may not make the same mistake again.

The past is the past, its all but a memory to me.
History has become His story to tell, His will I let it be...
For me all I can do is forgive you and move on.
But my respect and trust for you is all but gone...

Forget...
There is a misconception that when we forgive, we also have to forget. There is no verse in the bible that tells us that... Not even close. The Lord only tells us to forgive. Then where did the "forget" part come from? Honestly I have no idea and I think that is what's hampering the forgiving process... I tried to forget and the more I did, the harder it came back. It is only when I told myself to forgive and let the Lord do the rest, the memories did not hurt as much as it did. So now, even though I remember the things that were done to me, I overlook them and accept them as my past. And now come to think about it, it ain't a big deal anymore.. Hey, who doesn't make mistakes eh? ^_^

Oh just in case u thought I was gona *dong dong chang*, oh no no no... I'm still gona be here for a long long time by the grace of God ^_^ Was referring to whether I'll still remain living in Australia. Haven't been back to Singapore for close to 3 years now, so the idea of returning back home is quite erm... Humid. (hey i'm sorry if that's the first thing i can think of k ^_^)

To all of you out there who have helped me get through this ordeal, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The Lord bless you & keep you in Love, Joy & Peace always.

I've been living without the internet for the past 2 weeks... Even resorted to humming the dial-up signal into the phone just to see if I could somehow get a connection... But to no avail... *sob sob*

I finally managed to fit everything into my room. Its quite a sight really... With boxes stacked up to the ceiling like towering skyscrapers, clothes heaped up like soaring mountains, and walking space the size of a minuscule shoe box... ^_^

Will be going down to Albany with my God-family next week *YaY!!!* Thank God for them ^_^
It just happened that I wanted to take a drive down by myself to some place I can't pronounce. Been in Perth for a couple of years straight now and it seems like the daily working + studying, 8 to 6 routine is getting to me. So I was quite surprised when my God-mum Julie (yes... Hi mum! ^_^) invited me on a road trip. Your Father hears all your prayers ^_^

Hey Jess... I hope you're enjoying yourself in Costa Rica ^_^ met any cute guys yet? In case you don't know, yes yours truly is your God-brother now. This means that I can officially make you eat your vegetables. *muahahaha*

Hey Qiong Hui! Oops! I mean Rae... Oops! I mean the girl from RJC-whom-I've-known-for-so-many-years-now-who-doesn't-want-to-be-named... I've got your CHRISTMAS CARD!!! So sweet of you... Thank you heaps!

To all the wonderful nurses and staff at Fertility North Clinic... It has been such a wonderful year working with all you amazing ladies. You all have such passion and love for what you do. I feel so fortunate to be part of this wonderful gender-biased family... (yes, I am the only guy there... Why do I always find myself in this situation? ^_^)

To my dear family back home in Singapore... I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
I could write more here about you... But I think that 4 hour conversation we had over the phone kind of summed up what I have to say... But this I can't say enough... I LOVE YOU ALL!!! *muak muak muak* ^_^

To the Lord, my dear Father...
At the lowest point of my life, I asked You for a family... You've blessed me with 3... One in Singapore who loves me like no other, one at work where all the nurses treat me like their son, and just recently my God-family who have graciously accepted me into their lives...

When my finances were low... You solved my problem in a matter of weeks, where it would have taken months...
You've opened up doors for me, and by Your undeserved favor blessed me to be where I am today.
I thank You for making my life story a testimony to Your glory and love... It has been an amazing journey my Friend...
And it will always be...

I can't wait for tomorrow,
For today has been great...
Yesterday was not just a memory,
But an experience that You've made...

You carry me through my troubles,
You hold me through my fears...
You lift me through my worries,
Letting me down only to wipe my tears...

Sometimes I lose sight of You,
But You never leave my side...
Sometimes I don't know who to turn to,
Only to find Your arms open wide...

My Friend, my Father,
My Lord, my God...
Thank You for loving me,
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow... And Forever! Errm... *nod!* ^_^

Quick Facts About Your Heavenly Father... #1

 

The name of God Jehovah means "To Be" or "Being". It is usually used as a compound name. For example...

 

Jehovah Jireh - Jehovah Who is our provider...

Jehovah M'Kaddesh - Jehovah Who sanctifies...

Jehovah Rophe - Jehovah Heals...

 

 

Currently Reading: "The Bible Jesus Read" by Philip Yancey

Have to thank Auntie Julie for lending me this enlightening book to read. I'm not really into books so I was really surprised to find myself drawn to this interesting paperback. (Sad to say, the only books I've read from cover to cover were my cooking books... ^_^)

I love the fact he stated that the Old Testament shows a gradual but certain movement towards grace. Many do not realise this but the Old Testament is full of examples showing God's grace and mercy to His people, but it's a pity a lot of us (including me in the past) kept on focusing on God's supernatural ability to destroy heaps of people in ways the modern army could only dream of. Can't say I really agree with everything in this book, mainly because I believe firmly in the finished work of Christ.

In the first few chapters, he states Romans 11:22 which is about Paul telling us Christians about considering the kindness and sternness of God. He stops there and concludes that he would rather not only consider the kindness of God, but rely on God's self-revelation; potentially opening himself up to the sternness and judgemental of God. Trouble with this is Romans 11 talks about Israel's rejection of Jesus Christ and His grace. The severity of God only falls on those (Israel) who have rejected God; those who have broken off due to unbelief and as a result were hardened to the Good news of God's Son. Furthermore, Paul says that if you continue in His goodness, goodness will fall on you. This sounds very familiar to the Good news of Jesus Christ, don't you agree? ^_^

(*Note: when Paul writes that we continue in His goodness, it should not be mis-read as continuing to do good. You see, good works and behaviour comes out from knowing God's goodness. Basically, it's a fruit of experiencing the goodness of God. What that verse was implying is that if we allow ourselves to continue allowing our Father to let us experience His goodness, goodness will fall on you. If you don't agree with my point, just reflect back on the words, "His goodness" and let God reveal the truth to you. Trust me it works, because He revealed it to me. ^_^) Oh and also, I don't think God's covenant people Israel will stay in God's sternness for too long cause Romans 11:30-32 says that through their disobedience, we (all of us) have obtained mercy. And by the mercy shown to us, they (Israel) also may obtain mercy. Man... I like this chapter! ^_^

Nonetheless, this is only one of a few (I'm surprised that there isn't much more) things that I don't look eye to eye with. Its not a big deal, but I'm glad that the Lord revealed to me his intention for Romans 11 not as a judgement verse, but rather one to affirm and encourage His children (you and me ^_^).

Upon reading further, I've grown to love and respect the way Philip conveys his message across to the reader because he's not restrained by old traditions or religiosity, but rather follows God's inspiration and revelation. Any hint of religious thinking or old pious dogma always tends to send warning lights flashing in my Spirit.

Very soon I found myself reading this book with a peace in my soul so much so that I kinda enjoyed it

(Great job Philip... you've succeeded in making me fall in love with a bundle of literature) ^_^

A Prayer for you Computer People...
Psalm 23 - Version 2.0 -

The Lord Is My Programmer, I Shall Not Crash...

He Installed His Software on the Hard Disk of My Heart...

All of His Commands Are User Friendly...

His Directory Guides Me to the Right Choices for His Name's Sake...

Even Though I Scroll Thru the Problem of Life, I Will Fear No Bugs...

For He Is My Backup...

His Password Protects Me...

He Prepares a Manual Before Me In The Presence Of My Enemies...

His Help Is Only a Keystroke Away...

Surely Goodness and Mercy Will Follow Me All the Days of My Life...

And My File Will Be Merged With His and Saved Forever...

Amen.

To fill a hole in my heart...

Loneliness creeps in after a while.
Time slows down but I still try to smile.
Being hurt by someone close is bad enough,
Living alone in this cold room is going to be tough...

The warmth in my life was taken away.
Even though the love was gone a long time ago...
At least I had a reason to convince myself,
That my life had a beautiful glow...

Now my heart lies naked on the cold hard floor.
I wish someone could save me from this misery and more...
By faith I know my heart will heal.
In God, my heart will find the strength to feel...

Though my heart feels lonely and abandoned,
Its full of joy and contentment...
My love shall now pour to the rest of world,
Who I know appreciates me more...


Thank You Lord for all You've done...