April 4, World Stray Animals Day - I love Cesar!!

World Stray Animals Day: Why This Cause is So Important to Me

Cesar’s Video for
World Stray Animals Day

By Cesar Millan

I was very honored to be asked to be the ambassador for World Stray Animals Day and I wanted to take a moment to explain why it means so much to me.

People see stray animals going through garbage on the street looking for food and they would just rather not see them. They don’t make the neighborhood look nicer—they just seem like they’re dirty and spread disease. They don’t really care where they these animals go, as long as they’re gone.

But you see, in many ways, I was a stray. I came to America. I had practically nothing. I didn’t know when I was going to eat. I didn’t know where I was going to sleep. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me. I knew I was good inside, but I was here in a strange place away from the family who loved me and I didn’t speak English and couldn’t talk to the people around me. It’s a scary thing to sleep on the streets and not know what the future is going to bring.

I was very lucky, because I was able to improve my situation by educating myself, learning the language, and developing my talents. I was even more lucky because people like Jada Pinkett had faith in me and reached out to help me raise myself up and become who I am. Things were bad, but with the help of good people, they got better for me.

But here’s the big difference between me and strays. I chose to come to America and I knew it would be a rough beginning and I went into it with my eyes open. The 600 million stray animals who live on the streets around the world didn’t make that choice. They were thrown away by their owners, born on the streets, or just simply got lost. They didn’t create their situation. They just have to live with it, or is more often the case, die with it.

Anyone who knows my philosophy, knows I only like to support no-kill animal shelters because I can’t stand the thought of euthanizing a dog simply because it's unwanted. But an even crueler form of euthanasia is what these animals face on the streets. Starving to death. Dying of untreated injury or disease. Dying painful deaths at the hands of cruel humans.

In Los Angeles this week, two dogs were found with their heads cut off and thrown into dumpsters. I’m happy the City Council has offered a reward to find out who did it. But it proves that cruelty to animals can happen in anyone’s backyard, even mine. It’s a problem that needs to be addressed locally and globally.

I think most people look at stray animals and see them as a nuisance. But these are actual living feeling beings that lead incredibly brutal and painful lives. And it’s largely because of things that we humans have done.

When I rescued Argos in Spain he had been abused by hunters who had broken his leg and used electrical tape to bind his mouth shut. He was scared and alone. Now he’s happy and one of the most valued members of my pack. He’s a wonderful companion and you only need to look at him to see the gratitude in his eyes. I know I have a friend for life in Argos.

I needed help, I’m sure each of you has needed help at some time. We all need help. And these animals most definitely need our help.

Wednesday, April 4th is World Stray Animals Day. There are over 600 million stray animals all over the world who suffer lives of misery—starving, cold, sick, and abused. It’s why I wanted to be involved with this day and why I made this video.

You can find out more about what you can do at www.strayanimalsday.org

Click here to see the video I created for World Stray Animals Day.

Chinese New Year fire crackers

Today is the ninth day of the Chinese Lunar Calendar New Year. Wow, some Chinese say that this day is even "bigger" than the original Chinese New Year. Indeed. I saw so many more people selling firecrackers along the roadsides, market.. despite the police patrollng... ahem hem... wonder wonder.. anyway, it's not my thing to wonder about it.

So indeed, as the clock struck midnight yesterday, I could here all the loud bangs. Poor my doggies n kitties, they're trying their best to hide somewhere.. unfortunately.. there's no cave in my house. So I managed to capture a sequence of the fire crackers near my house with my ipad (ipad does a fabulous job at capturing quick pictures).

Wow.. when I look at the pictures, it's a bit scary. It seem like explosions, big explosions, which explodes into meteors of fire which disappear into the darkness of the night as stardusts.
Man's creations... but how much more wonderful is God's creation? ;-)

Praise God in everything... A very happy CHinese New Year to everyone... especially to my dear readers. ;-)

Walking my dog is fun (though it could have been better!)

I walk my dogs daily. They're mutts. It's a pleasure to walk them - I get to breathe the fresh air, without getting bored (coz they're always up to something), I get to see what's going around my neighbourhood... talk to my neighbours... and just refresh myself.

There is this uncle who's always watering his plants and always wave his hands to me (I don't know his name yet!), there's this uncle who's always gardening.. and there's this rich man who does gardening on his own... there's this uncle who always ask the same question everytime he sees me, "Taken your meal? Me not yet wor... go eat with me la..." and there are these aunties who always spend their evenings walking around the field... this uncle with his barking schnauzer... this neighbour who always let his dogs walk freely around him then go hunting for the dogs when they run away - especially the black intact male. Haha.

However, not everyone who comes my way are pleasant. There are a few who always give the same joking remarks like, "Why keep a mutt??" or "Why you keep two dogs? So free hah you..." or "Hey, I'm planning to make a soup out of your mutt today..."

There are also those whom do not make any noise, but the look in their eyes are just as annoying. Snobbish look, the look like "Hey, hey, don't come near me.. Your dog bites." Even an aunty who keeps a cocker spaniel - she's one of my top annoying neighbour. Everytime we walk our dogs, and we're like 10m from each other she'll flash her glare at me, and shouts, "Hey go walk away! Don't come near my dog!"

Of course, by arguing and justifying myself with her is a total waste of time. After all, my walk with my dog should be a pleasure. Often I'll meet joggers who usually distant themselves and jog away from me/my dogs, or give the "Japanese-eye-look" or the "Don't-get-near-me-look" and jog away. So I'm used to making my dog stay or walk away from joggers when I see them.

Just now when I was walking Kim, I saw a jogger, who puts on this serious mask on his face. As I was pulling Kim away from him, Kim kept rushing toward the jogger, which really annoys me, for I did not want to offend people. What surprised me was, instead of giving those weird looks or running away from me, this jogger actually smiled and laughed and even played with Kim. I was shocked.

I'm sure Kim felt accepted and contented today. As for me, I'm glad there's a rose among the thorns.

Unity is not unison. It is working together, complementing one another

Unity is not unison. It is working together, complementing one another in order to achieve the common goal.

We see so many divisions in so many organizations today, including churches, bodies of churches - the same thing actually happened 2000 years ago during the apostles' time.

That's where Paul addressed the following letter to the Philippians,
"I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are
in the Book of Life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Philippians 4:2-5"

Paul knew the importance of teamwork, so he encouraged two women who had been quarreling to make peace. Euodia and Syntyche, members of the Philippian church, had created some division by their disharmony. Paul uses them as examples to launch into an entire chapter on peace. He doesn't ask these women to act uniformly, but rather to be of the same mind.

The term he uses connotes harmony. Singing in harmony doesn't mean singing in unison. Players should play different positions on a team. Harmony means their efforts complement the efforts of others, rather than conflict with them.


Source: EQUIP

Japan’s nuclear plant operator pays ‘condolence money’ - Japanese culture (bowing down)

One thing I really liked about Japanese and Koreans is their polite culture - bowing down, in respect and in apology/ regret. I believe this culture was part of the Chinese's until recently, all that's left in the Chinese, is... you only see them bow before their idols/ ancestor/ in funerals.

There's so much meaning in such a simple gesture. It is a act of humility, of sincerity. A person who's proud and floating on air can't easily bow to the people around them. Bow down in sincerity.

A priceless gesture, an honoured culture.

Tokyo Electric executive vice-president Takashi Fujimoto (second left) bows with the company’s operating officers at the news conference at the company headquarters in Tokyo, April 5, 2011. — Reuters pic

japanese boy teaches lesson (tsunami, earthquake, refugee, food distribution)

japanese boy teaches lesson (tsunami, earthquake, refugee, food distribution)

Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/

)

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=467066&type=Opinion

Japanese boy teaches lesson in sacrifice

Created: 2011-3-24 0:17:31

EDITOR'S note:

THIS letter, written by Vietnamese immigrant Ha Minh Thanh working in Fukushima as a policeman to a friend in Vietnam, was posted on New America Media on March 19. It is a testimonial to the strength of the Japanese spirit, and an interesting slice of life near the epicenter of Japan's crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. It was translated by NAM editor Andrew Lam, author of "East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres." Shanghai Daily condensed it.

Brother,

How are you and your family? These last few days, everything was in chaos. When I close my eyes, I see dead bodies. When I open my eyes, I also see dead bodies.

Each one of us must work 20 hours a day, yet I wish there were 48 hours in the day, so that we could continue helping and rescuing folks.

We are without water and electricity, and food rations are near zero. We barely manage to move refugees before there are new orders to move them elsewhere.

I am currently in Fukushima, about 25 kilometers away from the nuclear power plant. I have so much to tell you that if I could write it all down, it would surely turn into a novel about human relationships and behaviors during times of crisis.

People here remain calm - their sense of dignity and proper behavior are very good - so things aren't as bad as they could be. But given another week, I can't guarantee that things won't get to a point where we can no longer provide proper protection and order.

They are humans after all, and when hunger and thirst override dignity, well, they will do whatever they have to do. The government is trying to provide supplies by air, bringing in food and medicine, but it's like dropping a little salt into the ocean.

Brother, there was a really moving incident. It involves a little Japanese boy who taught an adult like me a lesson on how to behave like a human being.

Last night, I was sent to a little grammar school to help a charity organization distribute food to the refugees. It was a long line that snaked this way and that and I saw a little boy around 9 years old. He was wearing a T-shirt and a pair of shorts.

It was getting very cold and the boy was at the very end of the line. I was worried that by the time his turn came there wouldn't be any food left. So I spoke to him. He said he was at school when the earthquake happened. His father worked nearby and was driving to the school. The boy was on the third floor balcony when he saw the tsunami sweep his father's car away.

I asked him about his mother. He said his house is right by the beach and that his mother and little sister probably didn't make it. He turned his head and wiped his tears when I asked about his relatives.

The boy was shivering so I took off my police jacket and put it on him. That's when my bag of food ration fell out. I picked it up and gave it to him. "When it comes to your turn, they might run out of food. So here's my portion. I already ate. Why don't you eat it?"

The boy took my food and bowed. I thought he would eat it right away, but he didn't. He took the bag of food, went up to where the line ended and put it where all the food was waiting to be distributed.

I was shocked. I asked him why he didn't eat it and instead added it to the food pile. He answered: "Because I see a lot more people hungrier than I am. If I put it there, then they will distribute the food equally."

When I heard that I turned away so that people wouldn't see me cry.

A society that can produce a 9-year-old who understands the concept of sacrifice for the greater good must be a great society, a great people.

Well, a few lines to send you and your family my warm wishes. The hours of my shift have begun again.

Ha Minh Thanh

My dog eats his pooh vs swallowing down nasal discharges

My dog eats his pooh vs swallowing down nasal discharges - they're different, aren't they?

I dislike going to the doctor, no matter what illness i've got. I don't like to get my body checked, to be diagnosed, and to be given certain medicine which could harm my livers and etcetera... (but then again, on the other hand, sometimes even simple viral or bacterial infection will also harm my liver and etcetra, so... it's a lose-lose situation when one falls sick). Only God's healing hand produces a win-win situation to me. haha. ;=) So I'd rather pray and allow healing take place on its own. However, of late, there have been times when I succumb to external / surrounding pressures or the excruciating pain due to the sickness, then I'll knock on the clinic's door.

Recently a good friend of mine recommended a certain doctor near my place. I visited him once when I had a bout of severe poisoning - I thought my kidneys were shutting down.. but when I met him, he made a few serious checks and explained, "it's only the ligaments pulling, due to the strains in the intestines." I could only hope and pray that he's right. My will's not done yet.

Anyway, 3 days later I recovered. Just a few days ago, after taking some hot n spicy food, my eyes start to swell a bit, my nose get runny abit. By the third day, my voice was "cloggy" (any better vocabulary for this adjective?) and when I went to work on the fourth day, I felt like I could faint anytime of the day. My nasal discharges were thick green, the phlegms I coughed were thick green. I could almost imagine the greenish phlegms lining up the alveoli in my lungs. oops. to cut things short, I took half day mc, and went to see this doc.

So as I walked in the consultation room (after more than half an hour's waiting?), I complained about the fever, lost of voice, bad flu, choked up frontal sinuses, I was almost in tears. It was really miserable a flu. He looked concerned, "What's the colour of your phlegm?"

I told him my phlegms are thick green and running nose with all greenish discharges. With an amused look, he chuckled, "Everything green?"

At this point, my amygdala almost blurted, "Yah, and it's tasty too..." However, thank God the message got truncated at my association cortex and I compared what my clients complained often, "My dog always eats his pooh... is it really that tasty?"

Ouch... what would this doctor think of me if I did not filter this sentence? Will he compare me with a dog?? So my association cortex edited this answer to a simple "yah, yah, haha..."

Sometimes it feels so fun when you can just talk like a child, without any care of the consequences.
It's the same as when you're a student, your stature and language would not mean as much as when you're a working adult.
That goes for a grown up too. Every word that comes out from our mouth - should be filtered, for they will definitely bear consequences, some in ways that we may never know.

Be sure that the words that come forth from your mouth edifies and encourages the listener. I'm learning this. ;=) (which is so difficult to do!!!)

The biggest sin - disunity of the church/ christians (destined to soar)

The biggest sin - disunity of the church/ christians (destined to soar)

At the end of a devastating three-year drought, all Israel assembled at Mount Carmel. There Elijah boldly challenged them to watch a contest between the prophets of Baal and himself.

After the prophets of Baal exhausted themselves in vain to persuade their god to answer by fire, it was Elijah’s turn to call upon Jehovah.

But before he did, he first rebuilt the altar of the God of Israel: “And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob . . .” (1 Kings 18:30–31).

This act of Elijah is of great significance. These 12 stones speak of the unity that was required before he—or anyone else—could see God’s work accomplished. Then Elijah could only go as far as two sentences into his prayer before the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust and the water in the trenches.

Jesus’ disciples might have felt small compared to the mighty prophet Elijah. However, Jesus told them how they could have the same presence of God and experience His powerful answers to their prayers: by being united in their hearts. “If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19–20).

I hope that you will not miss the seriousness here. The work of God goes forward through unity. Without it, what happens to God’s purposes here on earth? Consider this quote from Paul Billheimer’s book Love Covers:

The most important, momentous, crucial, but the most ignored, neglected and unsolved problem that has faced the Church from its infancy to the present throbbing moment is the problem of disunity. . . . The sin of disunity probably has caused more souls to be lost than all other sins combined. Possibly more than anything else, it is the one thing that binds the hands of the Holy Spirit and thwarts His work of convincing of sin, righteousness and judgment.1

Without any doubt, disunity is one of the most powerful weapons Satan uses to hinder the work of God. We should guard against it at all costs.

So often we get caught up in the face value of our lives and situations that we don’t even realize how demons are blowing things out of proportion, twisting the facts and manipulating situations all with the aim of creating disunity. Yet when we respond in a godly manner, we thwart Satan’s tactics. Christlike attitudes will save us from words and actions that would have caused rifts in the Body of Christ. What are the thoughts and attitudes that keep us from responding in Christlikeness and the spirit of unity?

A judgmental spirit. Having a judgmental spirit means we have a critical and unloving attitude toward others. We think we have the only right answers. We measure everyone and everything by our standards while our critical and unmerciful attitude toward others is just as displeasing to the Lord as the sin we see in them.

Jesus vividly illustrates this contrast by comparing our judgment with that of a man who tried to remove a speck from his brother’s eye while having a log in his own. He goes on to tell us that such a self-righteous attitude has severe consequences: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1–2).

Lack of brokenness. Unless we are willing to give up our own ambitions, we cannot be one with the other members of the Body of Christ. If we are so adamant about our rights and our ways, we are not able to live and work together in God’s kingdom.

Each one of us has to come to a place at which we recognize the depths of our self-love and then repent and be willing to say, “I am sorry.” As long as we are unwilling to admit that we are wrong, we are weak and there is no unity among us.

Unwillingness to become servants. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5, kjv).

Do we serve others because it is convenient or when we know we will be praised? Or will we serve simply because it is our privilege to take a low position?

The way we respond to Christ and humble ourselves before Him is reflected and judged by the way we respond to others around us. Jesus said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40).

It’s easy to climb up the ladder; the hardest thing is to go down by choice. I believe this is where we are tested—to see if we are willing to humble ourselves and maintain unity by serving others.

Clouded vision. Like soldiers on the battlefield, if we fall down, we continue on. We don’t walk out of the battle. When we face difficulties—times of misunderstandings, differing opinions, disappointment or missed expectations—our vision can become clouded, and we forget the war that is raging.

But Paul urges us, “Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). We are in a battle for souls, and our unity is so crucial to accomplishing this purpose. So don’t let the times of difficulty blur your vision. Remember why you were enlisted.

The destiny of nearly 3 billion unreached people hangs in the balance. Yet not a day goes by that we don’t hear of disunity in the Body of Christ, whether it’s among individuals, denominations or mission groups. So often division takes place over such small issues that are not at all crucial in order to maintain fellowship in Christ. Do you know how 115 The Weapon of Disunity splintered we are? We are one Body, one Church, yet we have more than 3,000 different denominations.

My dear brothers and sisters, we cannot afford to be playing games. May the Lord give us the courage, clear thinking and brokenness to walk together in unity.

Will you lay down your own agenda for the sake of the many who are waiting to hear the name of Christ?

Destined to Soar © 2009 by K.P. Yohannan

If you would like more information about Gospel for Asia, please visit our website. www.gfa.org

Faith and reason go hand in hand — Ronald Benjamin (Malay language bible seized by Malaysian government)

Faith and reason go hand in hand — Ronald Benjamin

March 18, 2011

MARCH 18 — The government decision to release the Malay version of the Bible with conditions such a stamp with the Home Ministry seal and a serial number reveals the inner character of a government that is beginning to lose a sense of decency and civilised behaviour towards Malaysians of the Christian faith.

This is the reason I have been always sceptical of the 1 Malaysia slogan which is crafted through a political conceptualisation with an electoral strategy in mind, to win back lost votes, but beginning to lose its credibility due to overbearing, deceptive public relations exercises, besides failing its stress test on issues of great universal significant such as freedom of religion.

Freedom of religion is not merely the right to freely practise a religion, it is a dignified right of individuals to search for spiritual truths and meaning of life without restriction and boundaries. Search for the truth and making decisions on faith are a fundamental human right.

History would attest that the control of people’s minds would always be counter productive because we live in a complex world where individuals, with various degrees of cultural upbringing and thought patterns that are evolving, are the decision-makers of their own destiny.

People cannot be restricted to any ideology because God is beyond rigid ideology. People can be persuaded but not forced into submission especially if it is related to faith which should be chosen in freedom.

It is puzzling that the ideological religious establishment in Najib’s government has little sense of conscience and truth while they call themselves religious. This makes the government less credible to speak about Muslim rights in other countries.

Just imagine the type of demonstration that would have taken place if this issue of dictating the labelling of a religious book had taken place the other way round. It is worthy to note that an Islamist party such as PAS has taken a broader view of this issue.

Solutions to religious disputes would take place when faith and reason are connected, where the self evident truth of do unto others what you want them to do for you is present.

In the Malaysian context the beauty of religion has been diluted to ethno-religious, ideological dominance and political construct that makes a broad dialogue of reason an uphill battle. It is hoped that an amicable solution to this crisis can found with humility and reason.

* Ronald Benjamin reads The Malaysian Insider.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

Source: The Malaysian Insider

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/breakingviews/article/faith-and-reason-go-hand-in-hand-ronald-benjamin/

What Kind of Book Are You Writing? becareful you speak

(Becareful what and how you speak, this speaks for me as well)

What Kind of Book Are You Writing?

Mary Southerland Today's Truth
"I will be careful how I act and will not sin by what I say. I will be careful what I say around wicked people. I became very angry inside, and as I thought about it, my anger burned. So, I spoke" (Psalm 39:1, 3 NCV).

Friend To Friend
A young lady named Sally relates an experience she had in a Seminary class taught by Dr. Smith, a teacher who was well known for his elaborate object lessons. One particular day, Sally walked into the classroom and instantly knew they were going to have a lot of fun. On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table was a large stack of darts. Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of a person they disliked or someone who had made them angry and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.

Sally's girlfriend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother who was a constant irritation. Sally drew a picture of a former friend who had betrayed her. As Sally remembered the pain and hurt of that broken friendship, she put a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. When her picture was completed, Sally sat back and gazed at her work, pleased with the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts. Laughter and shouts of success rang out as each dart found its target. Some of the students threw the darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally was looking forward to her turn but was disappointed when Dr. Smith called time and asked the students to return to their seats.

As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covering His face.

Dr. Smith quietly said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40, KJV). No other words were necessary. The tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ.

Words are like seeds. What we plant will grow. The words we speak are powerful and will either build up or destroy. Words can diffuse anger and turn tragedy into triumph. The right word, spoken at the right time and in the right way can bring peace in the midst of confusion. God gives us "spiritual radar" so we can assess a situation and speak the right word for that circumstance, but how often do we speak before we check the radar?

· A judge utters a few words and a guilty man is taken to death row.

· A friend speaks a word of encouragement and a desperate heart finds hope.

· A mother lashes out with angry words and the light in her child's eyes is gone.

· A wife offers a word of forgiveness and a marriage is saved.

· A gossip makes a phone call and a reputation is destroyed.

· A teenager says "no" and changes the course of her life.

It has been estimated that most people speak enough words in one week to fill a large book of 500 pages which, in the average lifetime, would amount to somewhere around 3000 volumes or 1,500,000 pages. What kind of book are you writing today with your words?

Let's Pray
Father, I need Your help. I want the words I speak to encourage and build up the people in my life. Forgive me for the hurtful words I have spoken. Teach me how to speak the right words in each situation and how to think before I speak. And Lord, help me keep my mouth shut when I need to!

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read Colossians 4:6 (NLT) "Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone."

Is there a meaning to life? The purpose driven life.

Many people ask - is there a meaning to life? Let's hear what this brilliant man has to say...

"This life is not all there is. Life on earth is just the dress rehearsal before the real production.
You will spend time on the other side of death - in eternity - than you will here.
Earth is the staging area, the preschool, the try out for your life in eternity.
It is the practice workout before the actual game;
the warm-up lap before the race begins.

This life is preparation for the next."

-Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life)

There comes a moment (Winston Churchill)

"There come a moment in everyone's life,
a moment in which that person was made for.
If he seizes that special opportunity,
he will find that he will fulfil the mission for which he is uniquely qualified.

In that moment, he will find it has been his finest hour"

Winston Churchill

Is Life Worth Living - Times and seasons (rat race)

Life is full of disappointments. You expect a relationship to happen ,but when it does not, the clock seems to stop. Yet time still goes on.

There is a time for you to digest your experience,
a time for you to learn,
a time for you to reflect,
a time to develop and further redefine what God is doing in your life.

Do not be caught up in where you should be.
Do not be in the rat race chasing goals.

BE IN THE RIGHT RACE.

Thoughts aplenty but not ready for jotting them down.

There are so many things that I wanted to write about.
Thoughts about the supernatural... moral issues. cosmic.. celestial.. nature.. mother nature... the holy bible.. prophesies fulfilled... emotions.. death.. funeral.. birth... love... relationships...

In the morning while running my errands, words kept filling up my mind and thoughts, I wanted to share them in my blog.


While driving to work more words came filling up mythoughts..


While I work, during the few seconds where my mind relaxes, deep thoughts visited my mind, even when they were just a matter of seconds..



While driving home from work, emotions and thoughts stir around, and I've decided that I would really like to blog them down.



Few hours later when I finally have the luxury to check my email and visit the blogger page...



Guess what?


My mind is empty.



No words.



Kosong.

Pure shiba inu for adoption or buy at cheap price

"Pure Shiba Inu for adoption or buy at cheap price" or

"Champion shiba inu at a reasonable price for sale"

I'm sure if I post something similar to the above titles in facebook, i'll be getting tons of reply enquiring and bargaining - they're all interested.

What if I add "mixed" or "cross" i.e. Shiba inu cross for adoption, FREE - whatdo you think the response would be? Yes... there will be zero response. They may say, "Cute dog!" but no body will offer to adopt him.

That's mankind. We look and judge according to outward appearance and status. Fame, beauty and wealth are all tat matters to most people. However, God says otherwise in His Word, “For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

How true it is! A word said 2000 years ago is still true and applicable today!

Judge yourself today. Do you remember people by…

1. Their outward appearance – their costume, jewelleries, handbags, shoes etc?
2. Their wealth – the credit cards they use, houses, cars, how many times a year do they travel for holiday etc?
3. Their status – do they carry a reverend, datuk, tun, tan sri, dr before their surname? What area do they live in? What breed of dog do they buy/keep?
4. Their fame – how many people know them? Their popularity?

Or do you remember people by…
1. How they talk/ treat the less privileged people/animals?
2. Are they “in-touch” with charity organizations?
3. their integrity? Life principles?
4. Their character/ attitude?

Judge yourself today.

Please be honest upfront, do not overpromise. you become...

Please be honest up front, do not give empty promises, don't over promise, don't give promises or words on things which you have no control in, else you become a liar!

That's what I can't tolerate in many people these days. When you requested certain things from them, he/she promises quickly, "Sure can, no prob, no problem at all,I can do it for you, just leave it to me." Very well. It was not even an obligation, just a simple request, and he/she promised to do it for you.

However, when the time nears, he/she without any sense of guilt/remorse tells me, "You must understand.. this is not within my control.. I can't do it for you." Hey, if you have no control over this, in the first place, please do not promise anything. No one is indispensable. If you just tell me an honest no,I could have found enough time to find another person who could have done the job for me.

That's terrible sales. I'll never go backto the same person. I'll never go back and ask any kind of tiny weeny puny favour from this person anymore.
For example, today I went to a shop where my friend is the boss,I often get discounts of 10-20% from my friend. However today when I dropped by the shop, I found that my friend was not around. So I asked the staff, hey, do I still get discount coz your boss is not around?

The staff answered, "Yes, of course, you'll alwasy get discounts over here." I smiled, relieved that I don't have to come back another time.

I shopped for a while, and upon payment (few hundred ringgit) I realized that there is no discount at all. I dazed at the staff, and she quickly told me, "YOu must understand, I'm not the boss here, only the boss can give you discount."

???!!!

LIAR! If shewere to tell me upfront that she can't give me any discount coz she's not the boss, I would have returned another day when my friend's around. I was not disappointed coz of the few ringgit that I could have saved.

I was very disappointed, because this staff had overpromised, knowing very well beforehand that she will not be able to deliver what she says, yet, she still promises. Just to close the sales.
And that's bad.
It makes her a liar.
A bad sales person.
There is no integrity at work.
I lose trust in her.
I'll never deal with her again in future.

I know there are many salesman/woman out there who do the same thing (esp. in direct sales marketing, insurance etc.), but that doesn't make it right, just because the entire world is doing it.

What is wrong remains wrong no matter what the democracy decision is.

National Geographic bird ash mother wings protect chicks christmas

An article in National Geographic several years ago provided an interesting picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.

At the base of a tree, one ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes. Dismayed by the strange sight, the ranger knocked the bird over with a stick.

To his amazement, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, sensing the impending disaster, had carried her chicks to the base of the tree and gathered them under her wings.

She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. The blaze had descended upon her, scorching her small body, but the mother remained steadfast, willing to die so those under the cover of her wings would live.

God's love is like that. God defined His unconditional and relentless love for us when He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth as a baby. And Jesus said, "Yes!" What an amazing gift!

The love of God for you and for me compelled Jesus Christ to willingly exchange a throne for a manger, divinity for humanity and Heaven for Earth. God's love changes everything and everyone it touches. It protects and breathes life and purpose into every minute of every day.

God's love is a gift beyond measure that surrounds us and covers us when the fire of life rains down. It is God's love and the very reason for the season we call Christmas - or it should be. I know many of you are experiencing those "fires" of life this year. No job and no prospect of one.

Someone you love is very ill or maybe you are the one battling to survive each day. A rebellious child has broken your heart. A secret addiction is slowly destroying your life. Your spouse packed his bags and walked out the front door because he no longer wants to be married.

It is hard to celebrate anything in the midst of such darkness.

I have great news for you, friend. You can celebrate Jesus. Do not believe the lies of the enemy when he tells you that your God has forsaken you. God is with you - Emmanuel.

God understands your fear and loneliness. He endured the cross, completely and absolutely alone because He loves you and because no one can take your place in the Father's heart. No matter where this Christmas Eve finds you - you can celebrate Jesus. Let's Pray

Father, I celebrate You and the love You so freely offer. I may not understand some of the things happening in my life right now but I choose to trust You with each one. My faith is small, Lord. Give me Your strength for each step and help me to remember that You are with me. Lord, today I celebrate Your birth. Thank You for the gift of life and love I find in knowing You. My Christmas gift to You is everything I am, everything I have, everything I hope to be.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Source: Girlfriends in God

December 24, 2010 And Jesus Said "Yes" Mary Southerland Today's TruthPsalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge."

Toying around with small breeds dogs?

This morning as I was walking both my dogs, a neighbour called out to me, "Hey Pam, why don't you toy around with small dogs instead?"

MY dogs are medium sized mixed breed, one being 20kg, the other being 11kg. Both are cute, but sometimes incomprehensivably naughty. Today they were behaviouring acceptably well. I turned to him, "Keeping dogs is not about toying around with their lives. They are not toys. Rather, it is about providing them a safe and good home."

My answer shook him from his relaxed-early-morning grin, "You mean these dogs are stray ar?""Just this one," I pointed to the 11kg Amek.He widened his grin, "You know Pam, in places like Vietnam and Cambodia your dogs will be delicious meals!"I smiled, "I know, which is why I do not see these countries growing/developing."He was again, shocked by my reply.

This is amek, the 11kg shiba inu x miniature pinscher, who's looking for a good home.

I do not like shocking people early in the morning, but neither do I like to entertain insensitive remarks. 4-5 years ago he was keeping a Jack Russel Terrier, and 2-3 years ago he was keeping pekingese/pomeranion (I can't remember clearly) and today he's having a chi hua hua in his home.Although I never liked his "switching/toying" around dogs' attitude, I never commented on it. But today I guess the opportunity came.

Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, The Philippines are countries which are infamous for dog eating.Although God has said in the bible that all animals are edible, I do not think all are beneficial. All things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial.

Use your discernment to judge, think about it. If you have wisdom, use it.

No matter what, an animal who understands the meaning of "faithfulness & love" more than the average human being, do not deserve to end up on the dining table.

A creature who would die protecting his master, should never deserve to end up on the dining table.

An animal who knows how to mourn (sincerely) upon the death/departure of its owner, do not deserve to end up on the dining table.

A spesies which the mankind would call "His Best Friend" should never deserve to end up on the dining table.

**THe mark of civilization of a nation is gauged by the way they treat the animals.

A day of mourning - 12 killed in horror crash near NS-Malacca border

12 killed in horror crash near NS-Malacca border

Today is indeed, a sad day, a day of mourning for Malaysians. Many a times when tragedies befall upon people we know, we can't help but to ask the creator, "WHY?! WHY?!"

We are nothing but merely human beings, created by the creator. We may know the reason one day, perhaps in our lifetime, or after our lifetime on earth? Whatever the reason, it is still a day of mourning for many of us here... :'(

My deepest condolence to the family and friends of the victims... ":'(

Reports by SARBAN SINGH, C. S. NATHAN, MARTIN CARVALHO and FLORENCE A. SAMY

SEREMBAN: Twelve people were killed when a north-bound express bus crashed through the guardrail and ploughed into five vehicles heading in the opposition direction at KM223.2 of the North South Expressway near Simpang Ampat here.

Forty-five others were also injured in the 7.45pm accident, which occured near the Negri Sembilan-Malacca border here yesterday.

Witnesses said the express bus crashed into the rear of a car before the driver lost control of his vehicle and rammed through the guardrail and onto the path of an oncoming bus, two cars and a motorcycle.

The impact caused the express bus to flip onto its side. The bus driver and motorcyclist were among the casualties. The oncoming bus belonged to the Welfare Department.

Grim scene: Rescue personnel looking for trapped victims in the wreckage near the Simpang Ampat toll plaza at the Negri Sembilan-Malacca border Sunday.

Apparently, out of the 45 injured, four have been rushed to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment, 22 were sent to a hospital in Seremban and 12 to another hospital in Malacca.
The express bus had left Malacca about 45 minutes before the accident and was on its way to Kuala Lumpur.

The accident caused a traffic jam stretching for more than 25km along the expressway.
Of the 12 who died, eight were believed to be passengers from the express bus.
One of them was decapitated.

Two others were from a MyVi, which was crushed by the bus, and another from a Honda Accord.
PLUS officials had to divert motorists at the Pedas/Linggi toll plaza as the south bound lanes were impassable to traffic.

A Plus traffic control centre spokesman said the accident occurred at about 6km from the Simpang Ampat toll near Alor Gajah, Malacca.

“The middle and left lanes for the south-bound traffic were blocked by the vehicles involved in the accident while the right lane for the north-bound traffic was closed to facilitate emergency works at the scene,” he added.
Sources said that the department’s bus was carrying delegates for a gathering of former servicemen, which was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil earlier in the day.

“None of them in this bus was injured,” said Malaysia Ex-Servicemen’s Asso­ciation Datuk Muhammad Abdul Ghani.

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/10/11/nation/7201269&sec=nation

Men are just the happier creature

Men Are Just Happier People

NICKNAMES
· If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
· If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Dickhead and Shit for Brains.

EATING OUT
· When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
· When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY
· A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
· A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

BATHROOMS
· A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel.
· The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS
· A woman has the last word in any argument.
· Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE
· A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
· A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

SUCCESS
· A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
· A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE
· A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
· A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP
· A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
· A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL
· Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
· Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING
· Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
· A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!