Why I Remained in the Faith

This is a short response to a blog I read recently "Why I Left the Faith".

respect is given to the author by all means,

and these are just my personal opinions.

x

along my 19 years of life, I have met all sorts of people,

Christians and no longer Christians.

and no, not all Christians are saints.

nor is anyone else in the world for that matter of fact.

so yeah, if you're hoping for glowing faces with angelic sounds when you walk into a church...

well, yeah that only happens in a Mr. Bean movie.

x

Faith is a very abstract thing.

it's hard to imagine what faith can do. or what it holds.

like the Bible says 'a faith like a mustard seed, and you can move mountains'.

tell that to anyone on the street and they'll probably tell you,

move a mountain and then I will trust in your faith.

well, that's the thing.

more often than not, we base our faith on the faith and actions of others.

I am no different. in fact, dare I say, it is human to do so.

we need to see, to believe.

but more often than not it is when we build our faith on the basis of another's faith,

we tend to fall when the other falls.

x

humans will always be humans.

humans will always be imperfect.

I guess that's why the Bible said :
Trust the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3)

and not Trust your pastor/cell leader/church elder with all your heart

in fact, Proverbs 146:3 says to no put our trust in human beings, who cannot save.

again, don't get me wrong.

but human are capable of mistakes, at some point in time.

Christians or any other religion in life.

x

but when you build your faith on what you experienced,

that's when things get interesting.

because you would have known that it happened, for reals.

I mean, remember Peter - the guy who walked on water?

its just so hard to believe it now.

but i'd bet Peter is still talking about it now in heaven.

ask for your own 'walk on the water' stint.

experience it yourself.

i'm not asking you to have faith blindly,

in fact God tells us to 'prove all things; hold fast that which is good'.

* you might want to read this *

http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=444 

x

there are times in my life when I don't understand.

life is not a bed of roses for me.

or anyone else.

but time and again, I experienced the little rewards of faith.

and time and again, I am reminded of his faithfulness.

like the times when he stalled the bus every time I pray for it.

or like the lovely gift I received just at that time of sadness I went through.

x

life won't be all perfect once I become a Christian, oh no.

and no, God does not answer all my prayers.

I mean, I still get my tyre punctured.

I still lose things.

I still make wrong decisions.

but He is the one who is willing to forgive and guide me back, time and again.

x

I can never know what you have been through

at the other end of the keyboard when you're reading this.

or the events or people you have met that might have 'caused' you to lose your faith.

but be sure that i'm hoping that someday, you will find your faith.

*

the text above is solely based on my personal opinion, and you of course will be entitled to yours.

have a great week ahead!

 

5 reasons why you should move out

Okay, maybe I did not move out.

I was forced out of town, by my dreams, in a bid to pursue further education.

 

My point is, there should always be a point in time when you live on your own, at least once.

Well, maybe not literally (I live with my aunt),

but at least away from people you're dependent on.

Here's why.

 

1. Learn.

Being alone will 'force' you to learn, in a good way I hope.

And it's always the learning process that helps you become independent and responsible.

Not saying that I am.

Cause i'm still learning.

It's hard, but if you're learning, someday, it'll become part of life.

 

2. Responsibility.

Oh the R word which is heavier than it already sounds.

But yes, it's one thing you'll be forced to learn.

From filling up your car's gas tank, the dreaded car wash trip,

or even going out just to get some takeaways.

I will admit that I am a tad bit forgetful sometimes. Okay, maybe a little more than sometimes.

But nevertheless, oh how I've learnt.

 

3. Money!

Remember the days when you're done with your meal and

you just walk out feeling the breeze when your parents foot the bill?

Well, walk out now and you'll probably have to face the walk of shame as the waiter calls after you across the restaurant and escort you back to the cashier....

*well, don't ask me how I know, just don't.

Also, you'll start to wonder why are the RM50s in your wallet are vanishing

faster than Dominos can deliver your pizza.

 

4. Thankful.

Trust me, no matter how grateful you previously were,

you will be even more thankful now.
The mighty Internet or the brilliant invention of Skype,
the founder of telecommunications.

Especially if you've never said Thank God for Penang Char Koay Teow,

you will once you're reunited with it.

Not forgetting the people you've once taken for granted before this.
 

5.  Decide.
Decisions, decisions.
Finally, you will learn how to make em, and be responsible for them.
life is always easier when someone else makes the (major) decisions for you
and you can just flow along.
but then you'll reach a point in life
when you can't just tell the waiter
"i'll have anything",
*I mean, unless you're the reason why people hate working in the service line*
just as you did to your father when he asks you about dinner.

x

Nevertheless, it's not that scary once you've tried it.
but like every life-changing decision,
it takes courage, something which I am still gaining everyday.
and so will you, if you're willing to take a leap and
follow the winds of life to wherever it may lead you to.

 

x

 

lots of love,

 

They love me; they love me not.

 

"Loves me, loves me not..."

Remember that thing we do when we're small?

 

 

when we pick the petals of the flowers, hoping that the last petal will end at "loves me"

so that yay, someone loves me.

 

x

 

truth is : we still do it now.

minus the flower - maybe.

 I mean, let's be honest.

everything we do, it's all for the love of someone else.

 

especially with social media around,

every like, every status, every photo.

when you're hoping for

 

 

but in reality...

 

 and if you come back after 2 hours without a facebook notification, you go :

 

 

now don't get me wrong.

I'm an avid social media myself.

there's nothing wrong with that (I guess)

x

what i'm trying to say is that sometimes,

its like the way we pluck the flower petals when we were small,

trying to see if (someone) loves us or not -

in the midst of chasing the idea of adoration by everyone else,

we may lose the beauty of things around us;

or sometimes destroy beauty (of some sort) in order to reach the beauty everyone else paints,

- just like the flower's petals we plucked.

 

 

 

 



Only read if you're in need of a boost in life!

 

 

Hey there!

If you're reading this you're probably in some kind of rough patch huh?

 

sometimes you just feel like the world is moving and you're in it but not part of it?

 

something like ^ this

 

Well, listen to this while you read me okay?

 

 

bytheway, this post is totally dedicated to Jason Mraz and his lovely song - 3 Things

 

to sum it up,

its about the three things Jason does when his life falls apart.

1. (cry and) move on

2. be grateful for every phase of your life

(pleasant or awful, there's bound to be lessons worth learning eh?)

3. being optimistic (?)

 

x

 

now for my three things I do when I feel down or am having tough times :

 

1. watch funny vids or movies, read (lame) jokes

the proportion should be based on your level of sadness

- the sadder you are, the stupider the videos should be, trust me.

even if you laugh reluctantly, the laughs will fill and clear your lungs, nothing feels better, really.

 

like this :

 

or this :

 

2. talk

a friend, family, your idol in your wall posters or even your plush toy

*just make sure you close those windows

getting it out of your system is better than holding it in.

you're just human, not a blackhole.

 

 

P.S. - and hug someone if you have to

 

3. take a break

go out!

 

 

go for a walk, shopping, drive, eat, have a vacation, read a book - whatever.

and in contrary to natural instinct, go out, a lot to get your mind off it.

 x

you can and you will get through this. trust me.

also, do share your three things you do when you're down!

bonus :

 

 

 

 



Just a little optimistic.

We all know the "half a glass : is it full or empty?" theory.

the thing is I was told a couple of times that I was too optimistic with life.

so, I guess this shall be my reply to that!

 

i always think of the word optimistic as being cheerful about the future

and not the unrealistic kind who...yeah, you know those.

 

 

no. no. no.

I believe that being optimistic is one who chooses to see the good rather than the bad.

I mean. if life is going to happen anyway,

why fret and welcome it unhappily?

 like Proverbs 18:14

 

"The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?"

x

my mother once told me :

you only look at the things you can change,

- i.e. the future, crossroads, choices you can make, situations you can control;

whereas for things you cannot change,

- i.e. your race, place of birth, past

don't bother.

and I somehow try to live by that.

why ponder over things that cannot be changed?

It will only seep you of your energy like a smartphone battery.

x

besides, how else will you live life if it's not for a better tomorrow?

remember "its gonna be okay in the end, if its not okay, its not the end"?

things may seem grey, now.

but hey, it's gonna be alright.

it has to be.

and hope will keep you going, if nothing else.

x

 

x

look, i'm no superhuman.

in fact, I am very much human, like everyone else.

I still worry, regret, feel remorse, get upset.

but that doesn't mean I have to stay that way.

bad things and good things both happen.

and if I don't focus on the good things but rather the bad ones,

it's gonna pile up.

and soon, my pile of bad stuff will be so high, there will be no more room for happy stuff. 

x

so, I'd like to think of optimism as a way of life.

not just some airheaded lunatic who walks on air and doesn't have her feet on both ground.

bad things still happen optimistic or not.

and like the story which says that

if you're always looking at the ground
(as in the path you're walking now - the present)

or if you're only focused on looking backwards

you'll miss the scenery in front,

and soon, that scenery will be the next thing you miss and regret not seeing.

that's just it, if you indulge in regret, you shall live in regret.

yes, I am optimistic, but like every good thing,

I am just a little,

just a little optimistic.

 

* I found this on favim.com and I think it is very inspiring. cheers!

 

 

Chapter 9/12

Anddddd its September. Already!

*4 more months to Christmas!

 

 

Anyways, I've been meeting situations and people and situations the past few months.

and I guess I kind of figured out one of the rules to being happy.

 

* i mean we all know rule #1 is keep smiling

 

 

and rule #2 is eat.......

 

 

anyways

 rule #726152538 to being happy :

stop looking back

x

way easier said than done. I know.

 

*trust me

 

but I like to think of humans like little containers where there can be so much sadness one can take.

don't get me wrong.

you can fret,

 

 

you can cry,

 

 

 

you can be angry.

 

 

but after that's that, don't look at it anymore.

and you are never ever the only one.

unfair things happen to everyone.

a bad day isn't a bad life.

really.

 

so I will say what everyone says. move on.

not because everyone said it.

but because you really should.

for the sake of sanity and happiness,

both yours and the ones around you.

you can trust me on this on.

 

Bonus : if it gets really hard....do like Taylor did, shake it off - EXO style!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



July the 21st

What a week!

And last week in particular was one which was a mini-wake up call

for me (and many others) I believe.

I started the week with Cecelia Ahern's The Gift (though I only officially finished it today),

and then the MH17 tragedy happened,

and then TFIOS happened...

but I guess what i'm trying to say is that - time is precious.

I am afraid I will become someone who - never lived life, I guess.

and I know many others share my fears.

 

x

 

to quote a little passage from The Gift (another brilliant book) :

"One thing of great importance can affect a small number of people.

Equally so, a thing of little importance can affect a multitude.

Either way, a happening - big or small- can affect an entire string of people.

Occurrences can join us together.

You see, we're all made up of the same stuff.

When something happens, it triggers something inside us that connects us to a situation,

connects us to other people,

lighting us up and linking us like little lights on a Christmas tree,

twisted and turned, but still connected to the same wire.

Some go out, some flicker, others burn strong and bright,

yet we're all on the same line."

- Cecelia Ahern

 

x

 

together, even if you're not Malaysian,

we grieve for the loss of MH17.

but I guess it is also important that we do not just treat it as another tragedy.

or like The Gift as just another good read.

and TFIOS as another touching love story.

the lessons are real.

time is real.

and it is fading, evaporating even as I type these into words this very second.

 

and maybe yes, ambitions are important,

money (in this world) is too,

but a very recent talk with an uncle made me realize this :

he said

"you can gain all the money in this world if you're hardworking enough,

but you can never gain back the time you spent on earning it.

the evening dinners with families and friends,

long laughs and weekend roadtrips,

at the end of it all - was it all worth it?"

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

It's July already?

Time is really wheezing by so fast.

Last I remember I was still writing 2013 in my dates

and now we're in our third quarter of 2014?

and as life is always a great teacher

(regardless if you're willing to learn or not)

anyways, for the past few months

I've learnt a thing or two about people.

so, here it goes.

 

1. strangers are just friends we haven't met

thanks to a certain bus-stranded-midway incident,

I've realized that sometimes we choose to shut people out.

instead of talking and learning about another's life,

we'd rather read a book, or put on your earphones, or fake sleeping, whatever.

okay, maybe it may be weird talking to strangers but the point is,

everyone can have friends,

only if you make an effort.

and who knows?

once you try, life may throw in a surprise or two along the way.

 

x

 

2. people rely on people

sometimes, we can find ourselves relying too much on people

-friends, mothers, fathers, lovers

that doesn't make you a sad person,

its just a habit I guess?

but as much it feels good to be able to rely on someone,

people disappoint, sometimes.

plus, it is important to never let someone affect you.

and you as in

your thoughts,

your emotions,

your principles,

your dreams.

and selfish as it sounds,

yes, life is about you and the choices at the end of the day,

no blame-game, for that i'm sure.

 

 

x

 

3. people talk

so maybe you made a mistake,

so what?

live it, learn from it and move on.

no biggie.

people tend to talk.

and sometimes, you've got to choose which one you should listen to.

I once read somewhere that

"we are all imperfect people, living in an imperfect world, trying to chase perfection."

 

well guess what,

 

 

let them talk.

and someone once told me that there is a reason why a car's rear mirror is smaller than its front,

because life is meant to be looked forward to.

 

lastly,

 

 

 

Welcome July!

 

xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life as we want it

we always try to be the authors of our lives,

and yes, there are things that are predestined,

but I believe that no one is ever granted a bad life,

regardless of your circumstances.

x

I may not be able to tell you how,

(if only I knew how)

but I can tell you a short story I came across.

x

recently, I was having lunch at a busy coffee shop.

there were two particular stalls that were busy with people queuing just to place their orders.

I stood near one of the stalls and soon I began to notice

that the couple running the stall was screaming their heads off at each other.

"get the soup", "where's the next order", "my grandma work faster than you"

yes, the heat is almost unbearable, the pressure is high,

the queues are getting longer by the minute.

so the screams were totally understandable, right?

x

that was when I noticed the other stall.

even though they were just as busy,

the atmosphere was of a different tone.

the couple spoke softly and patiently,

they laughed when either on of them made a mistake,

and smiled at customers who were complaining that the line was too long.

x

then I realized that yes, there may be times your surrounding determines your happiness - times when you allow that to happen.

both are in the same circumstances,

same heat, same long queues, same pressure -

but the way they addressed it was different.

as much as circumstances may affect your life,

you are the ultimate author of your life.
x

 

 

 

 

 



Life : Lessons from "How to Fall in Love"

I have just finished Cecelia Ahern's "How to Fall in Love"

and I must say that it was a great book.

more often than not, we look for things to fall in love with.

ambitions, people, hobbies, places.

but we tend to forget to love ourselves.

this book is worth the read because it opened my eyes to see life in a whole new light.

hence, this post! : some (beautiful) quotes and life lessons I learnt from Cecelia Ahern.

 

1. "Just so you know, suicidal is not a feeling. It's a state of being.
Sadness is a feeling, loneliness is a feeling, anger is a feeling. Frustration is a feeling.
Jealousy is a feeling. Suicidal is not a feeling. You can have suicidal thoughts.
But a thought is merely that : a thought.
Our thoughts are ever changing, because we put them there.
Once you grasp the difference between suicidal thoughts and your feelings, you will start to understand your emotions. You can separate your suicidal thoughts from your feelings."

 

I know this is a long one, but I do think this is an important one.
it doesn't matter if you are the one who are having those thoughts or
if you know of someone who does.
more often than not, the person does not see it as a thought.
you see, if it is treated as a feeling, i.e. anger, you will deal with your anger.
instead of feeling suicidal and clueless as to what is the root of those thoughts.
and like what Cecelia Ahern wrote :
"get to the bottom of those thoughts, challenge them and regain control."
*hugs

2. "where would we be without tomorrows? what we'd have instead are todays.
and if that is the case, with you, i'd hope for the longest day for today.
i'd fill today with you, doing everything I've ever loved."

the essence is to live life to the fullest.
one of my mantras which I wish I can live to achieve.
to be with the ones you cherish most,
to do the things that make you happy.
what more can one ask of life?
also, sometimes we're too busy planning for tomorrow,
chasing after tomorrows,
without even knowing if we'll get to tomorrow,
but so much that we missed out on today.

3. "But you can't chase happiness.
Joy happens spontaneously - it's not some generic by-numbers formula that you follow."

this is true.
sometimes, I wonder if happiness has become something we seek after
according to other people's formulas?
if people have fast cars - we need those to be happy.
if people have private jets - we need a bigger one.
or even by reading some blogs, or books - 25 ways to feel happy.
really?
what if I don't like the smell of flowers that is supposed to make me feel happy?
what if I don't want to eat chocolates to feel better?

4. "Life is a series of moments and moments are always changing,
just like thoughts, negative and positive.
And though it may be human nature to dwell,
like many natural things, its senseless,
senseless to allow a single thought to inhabit a mind
because thoughts are like guests of fair-weather friends.
as soon as they arrive, they can leave."

yes, we do like to dwell in our past, both bad and good.
and I do believe that it is human to regret and to indulge in reminiscence.
but it is also important that we move on.
at least for the sake of peace and sanity,
and even if it takes half a lifetime,
I believe that as long as you're moving on,
you're living life.

x

 

5 things to learn about KL through a Penangnite's eyes.

KL is rather intriguing, I must say.

and may I now start on the 5 things I have learnt about KL recently!

 

1. no where is near in KL

30 minutes is considered near in KL, far in Penang.

Oh how I love my small small Penang.

Nuff said!

x

 

2. KL is (geographically) confusing

Okay, maybe not to everyone.

I had this friend telling me the other day that he was going to KL,

and I was like, we are in KL?

and he was like, no we're in PJ.

PJ, Cheras, Damansara, aren't they all KL?

 x

 

3. expensive =/= tasty

in Penang, if your (hawker) food is really expensive,

the chances are high that its tasty and worth the price.

in KL, the chances are your food is just, pricey.

nevertheless, KL food is awesome!

x

 

4. ditch the hokkien

if you're a penangnite (and a hokkien), you'll definitely need to remember this.

classic example :

I ordered "barley peng" - iced barley, and the guy was like what?

think i'll just stick with ribena.

x

 

5. traffic is clear on weekends

maybe i'm the only one that finds this weird but why is the traffic clear on weekends?

idk. in contrary Penang's traffic worsens every weekend.
UPDATE : I TAKE THIS BACK
I recently barely made it out of Midvalley alive on a Saturday so obviously the clear traffic thing is only near where I stay. xxx 6/3/15

x

 

 

 

 

Miss me Post!

Hello there!

Missed me?

 

 

today, what do you live for?

everyone lives for something.

big cars, loved ones, better life?

x

but i know that there are people who find it difficult to live on.

the ones who find it hard to look forward to a new day every morning.

so if you really think that you have nothing to live for now,

 

at least live for the sunrises and sunsets,

 

 

live for the roadtrips and late night talks,

 

live for the warm hugs on winter nights,

 

live for the pretty clothes you're gonna have,

 

live for the flowers in your hair.

 

 

x

my point is : if you think that you have no reason to live on today,

create one.

 

then if ever you're feeling like giving up,

remember the reason you are to live for,

and strive to see the reason come to past.

 

in the meanwhile,

if you really need a reason to live,

live to see more photos like this.