The right time

There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (The Message)

There's definitely a right time to decide to do the right thing. Don't procrastinate - value life, act responsibly... and act quickly!

Winning with

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)

In John C. Maxwell's Winning with People, the Lens Principle says that who you are determines what you see. This includes how you see yourself, how you see others, and how you view life and the world around you. And finally, who you are determines what you do in life. And who you are is determined by five things: genetics, self-image, experiences in life, attitude and choices about those experiences, and friends. Anyone of these can be a positive or negative influence in your life.

Awareness Test

God Foreknew...

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
Romans 8:29-30 (The Message)

phooey

I'm feeling restless ennui, is like a cheem, ang-moh way of saying sian.

Confess the positive, shake off the sian-ness, sputter less saliva when talking to girls...

Came across the above book today - wonderful collection of photos showing Viet street life with sprinkles of historical and cultural nuggets. Mmmm... if only one day I can produce such a book of my own.

Occurred to me today: It's when we're down or sick that we especially value love and concern when it's shown. Bro's fever the last 2 days made me remember how Mom used to towel us to cool the fever and I'd feel especially loved.

A Teary Weekend

No one has greater love... than to lay down... his own life for his friends.
John 15:13 (Amp)

Good Friday - Jesus died and buried.

Watching Him inexorably dragging the heavy cross to Calvary, Roman soldiers mocking and reviling, followers pleading and crying... It's more than a moving sight; even my 4th viewing didn't keep the tears from welling up.

Why this way, God? popped into my mind. Why such a tragic and wretched way to go?

I've never experienced the deep stab of betrayal or unbearable loss of loved ones. And how painful memories can keep one from letting go.

But I've suffered pains of my own and thankfully have given it all to Him.

Easter Sunday - Jesus resurrected and risen.

A new life, newfound self and renewed purpose.

Thank God for His grace and mercy!

Action

We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction.

Douglas MacArthur (1880 to 1964)

how could you...

Express, in words, a love that is eternal?

No chord or lyric can fully convey one's emotions - fears, anxieties included...

A Lot

"A Lot" conjures up...

1) Abundance of financial blessings and peaceful joy that follows

2) Messiness or confusion - especially when repeated in succession

3) Equities trading for the retail investor

4) Person who talks too much

Emplacement

Lesson to learn: Place people in positions that allow them to operate in their strengths. Too often we do so out of need, rather than through wise discernment, leading to disappointment when people fail to perform.

Personal desire also comes into play, especially when you're personally challenged to make a decision - soon.

Colleague surmised 2 key questions:
1) What are your strengths?
2) What makes you happy?

*are you pondering what I'm pondering?*

Kicking & Pushing

Second biathlon of my life completed. Timing TBC. Swimming felt tedious and inefficient but running was awesome - despite wine at Corby's wedding the night before :)

Onwards here I go!

One click

One click, I lay and do falter
One love, I wish I knew
Don't judge me again,
Spare me as You see my life before
One word, too many I utter
One heart, broken anew
Use me I cry, Your mercies follow me
Though I forget...

Stay Positive

Time seems taken up by circumstances beyond control. It's frustrating to say the least. Especially when one buzzes from one place to another, only to realise you're at the wrong place! One almost wants to bawl and stamp one's feet...

For now it's... decisions... precision... apprehension... profusion... 'nuff said

On a positive note, got me-self a guitar. Now it's back to the perspiration mantra: All strings work for good to those who love his/her guitar and are called to callused finger stubs.

*TWANG*

Whump!

Heaving into a tuck-jump, the Whump comes sooner than you think.

Jump beyond the natural, into that uncomfortable zone of unhabitual & uncertainty.

Certainly character - not comfort - is what matters. More than that, it's about rising up in faith.

En route home, Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson ranged out over the airwaves - lyrics appropriately so.

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway

Leadership

It's said, a leader is one who's cool-headed, warm-hearted, and hot in the hands.

Certainly, if one is to stretch others, one must be stretching oneself.

Purpose seems to elude me for now...

tickle-me

Fren: yay! washing machine stopped! ...am so lazy to hang those clothes to dry

Ed: heard of this song, Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone?

Ed: haha, poor clothes wringing away....

All Things

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

the battle is the lord's

During the Civil War, the town of Moresfield, West Virginia was on the dividing line, and seesawed back and forth between Federal and Confederate troops. In one old house which still stands today, an elderly woman lived alone. One morning Yankee troops stomped up on her porch. Though at their mercy, she remained calm and invited them to be seated at her table.

When breakfast was set before them, she said, "It is a custom of long standing in this house to have prayers before meals. I hope you won’t mind." With that, she picked up the Bible, opened it at random and began to read from Psalm 27 (KJV):

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ²When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. ³Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident... ¹³I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. ¹⁴Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

When she finished, she murmured quietly, "Let us pray." As she prayed, she heard stealthy sounds of shuffling shoes. When she ended with "Amen," she opened her eyes. The soldiers were gone! Her lack of fear had made them fearful of lingering any longer!

Learn to fly

By The Beatles

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.

Black bird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
all your life
you were only waiting for this moment to be free

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise,oh
You were only waiting for this moment to arise, oh
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Lev Borodulin (1923 - ?)

A great photographer who defined Russian photography. Particularly remembered for his sports photography, moved to Israel in 1972. Read more here.

Intrigued I am, of course. Perspective & ability seem to elude my attention thus far. Time to re-chart attitudes...