Merdeka...

Oh man, I'm so exhausted! Just came back to the hotel. Sigh, have to work even on Merdeka Day. *sniff* *sniff*. Had to listen to this trainer for the whole day, I'm so confused now because I've just got so much to digest today. Am dead tired but still have some work to finish before tomorrow. Partly, because I'm fasting again. Was so tempted to have some Vietnamese food with my colleagues but thank God, I managed to fight against it. Yawn.. too tired to write now... Anyways, Happy Merdeka Day to you if you are reading this! Merdeka! Merdeka!

NECF Merdeka Rally...

Praise God! It was a wonderful time of praise and worship at Wisma MCA yesterday! God's people gathered together as one nation and as one voice to pray and intercede for our nation Malaysia. We arrived at 1.30pm for sound check and only ended 15 minutes before the event started at 4pm. Frankly speaking, I did not have a good feeling about the stage sound that day because I could hardly hear myself. However, God has His ways of turning things around even when situations are against you. I just want to thank God for everything that He has done yesterday. I'm so encouraged to see so many people at Wisma MCA yesterday. The crowd were lifting up their hands in worship and I believe that every song spoke directly to their hearts. We did a presentation and we played "Cover the Earth", the crowd enjoyed it so much that we had an encore! Praise the Lord. It's really a powerful song. And I'm glad that I could be a blessing during this event. But what really challenged the people yesterday was the sermon when God spoke to the hearts of many and to ask the question of whether we are willing to lay down our lives for our nation Malaysia. The time is now for us to pray and travail and reach out to our nation! As the people gathered to pray in small groups, I can't stop but just observing all those who were praying. People with different backgrounds and denomination, just seeking and crying out to the Lord to heal our land and believe that the walls of this nation would crumble down in the name of Jesus! It was definitely something that I really would remember for a long time to come. So, are you willing to lay down your life for this nation?!

For You...

Thank you for sharing your heart with me. I don't know where to begin and I do not even know if you are reading this. But I am glad that you shared what you have to share with me today. I know that words are not good enough to tell you how special you are to me. You know that you can run to me and rest assured that I would always always be there for you. As I ponder on what you have told me, my heart sank when you said that things might be different. If I were to live my life again, I would live it differently. I would have treated you better and I would have cared for you more. It's really funny how the world is. I really do not understand it or why God place me here. I don't even understand why things are not as simple as they should be. How I wish that life was much more simpler. I hate myself. I hate myself because I can never be good enough. Everything I do never seems to be right. But thank you, thank you for seeing me as who I am and accepting me even when I'm not at my best. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and crying with me when I'm in pain and when my heart was broken. You were always there for me and I truly cherish those moments that we had together. I'll never forget the kindness that you showered upon me. You have been the source of encouragement when I needed it and you never fail to impress me. As tears roll down my cheek, I'd like to say that I'm truly sorry if I have ignored you or placed you second in any way. I have never meant to hurt you. Deep down inside me, you have a special place in my heart. No one can replace you! No one! I do not hold the future in the palm of my hands. I do not know what might happen next. But one thing I do know, that we are... friends for life and friends forever...

A friend sees the best in you, even when you're not showing it...

A friend knows when you need someone to talk to, when you need to be alone, and most important, the difference between the two...

A friend can tell when you need a hug and doesn't hesitate to offer one...

A friend makes you laugh when you see little to laugh about...

A friend will always come to your defence, no matter how often called upon to do it or how unpopular it makes her or him...

A friend believes you first and rumours second...

A friend never passes up the chance to encourage you...

A friend shares with you, even chocolate...

A friend tells you when you're about to make a mistake...

A friend is someone you can always depend on, even when you don't deserve it...

A friend brings out the best in you, but doesn't insist on the credit...

A friend understands you, even when you don't...

And that friend... is YOU!

Are You The Bass Guitarist???

You can call me a "bassist" or even a "bass player" but never a "guitarist" or worse, a "bass guitarist"! That's the worst insult you can ever give a Bass Player. It's really strange that people still can't differentiate between a person who plays the guitar and a person who plays bass. Sometime ago, my keyboardist's dad came over my place to grab something from my other housemate, he asked me if I was a Christian before. I told him, "Uncle, I am from your church lah! I play bass!". The worse thing is that he didn't even noticed that I was in the same band as his daughter! Well, today, he calls me the non-Christian or "the convert". He's a cool dude! Thanks -[ Aleph-Tav ]- for the lovely gift. Gonna keep it somewhere where I can see it everyday and remind me of you. ;)

Public Internet Booths and Women...

What does women and Public Internet booths have in common? I'm not sure but I definitely get into trouble when these two come together! The last time I was at the airport, a lady was waiting impatiently for me to finish my session. This time, it was different. I was standing behind a booth and when the patron finished his session, I proceeded towards the booth only to be stopped by this big fat old lady who demanded that I give up my booth because she was there first. Yes, she was there first... but she was hogging another booth on the other side! Well, being the nice guy I always am, I gave in . Well, I always believe that the smaller and more manoeuvreable ship should give way to the bigger ship. I'm still dumb-founded as to why I am always placed into these situations. Oh, Lord, help me! Today, I took an early flight to Singapore to conduct a training. It's the first time that I am not fully prepared. But thank God, I managed to "bluff" my way through and sounded pretty convincing to the customers. I just said a simple prayer asking God to help me as I really didn't know what I was talking about. Well, here I am, all finished for the day. Hallelujah! John Maxwell is coming to town! Yippie! I'm so excited. I'll probably go for his Leadership Seminar in September. Gonna burn a hole in me pocket but I know it's gonna be worth it! Anybody wanna join me? Cheers for now, got another 2 minutes before my session ends! See you guys back in KL! [Edit] Oooohh.. I'm flying back to KL by Japanese Airlines. *evil grin* Just saw some of the air hostess passed by. It's gonna be a good 55 minutes flight for me. Muahahahaha!

Without Love...

All I say is ineffective...

All I know is incomplete...

All I believe is insufficient...

All I give is insignificant...

All I accomplish is inadequate... For...

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

But where there are prophecies, they will cease;

where there are tongues, they will be stilled;

where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child,

I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;

then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-13)

What I Learned Today...

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered

...love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives

...do good anyway.

If you're successful, you'll win false friends and true enemies

...succeed anyway.

The good you do today will perhaps be forgotten tomorrow

...do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable

...be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest man with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest man with the smallest mind

...think big anyway.

People favour underdogs but follow only hot dogs

...fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight

...build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you help them

...help them anyway.

Give the world the best that you have and you will get kicked in the teeth

... give the world the best that you have anyway

If better is possbile, then good is not enough...

As I reflect on what this insightful quote says, I just realise how much I need to change and how much I should push forward. I'm always affected about what people say or what people think about me. Sometimes, I end up hurting the people close to me because of my own weaknesses and sometimes even my strengths. I have only myself to blame. Frankly, it's tough. It's really tough when things do not go your way and sometimes you get misunderstood. But after reading this quote, it has given me the strength to continue to do what I do best. To know that I am unique and that I am loved by God. It doesn't really matter what people think about me or what people say about me. My significance is in Jesus and in Jesus alone!

Oh Lord, I cry out to you...

You know my heart and my desire...

I have failed You so many times...

But each time, You pick me when I fall...

I cannot comprehend everything...

It's just so tough and so complicated...

My heart cries out...

My soul yearns...

Each passing day, my heart aches...

Oh Lord, I want to place my assurance in You...

For You are my refuge...

My salvation and my comfort in time of need...

Oh Lord, strengthen me...

As I push forward to win the race...

Help me to focus on what is important...

Thank You for embracing me...

Your wings protect me...

You love me like no other...

Thank You Jesus!

Amen.

It's really strange where God places you each time. And each time, it's a trial and each time, God strengthens you. Many times, it's due to the fact that I lack the skill of understanding the people around me. I fail to understand others because of :-

Fear, when we fail to understand people, we usually react by becoming fearful. And once we start fearing others, we rarely try to overcome our fear in order to learn more about others.

Self-centeredness, we are not self-centered on purpose but it's just the way we humans think of our own interest first. Jesus said, "Love your enemies as you love yourself."

Failure to Acknowledge Differences, we tend to see things at our own perspective. And many times, we fail to see from the other person's perspective. Once you learn to appreciate other people's differences, you come to realise that there are many responses to it.

Failure to Acknowledge Similarities, we all have emotional reactions to what's happening around us. Sometimes, it's not our differences with other people that we don't understand. Knowing what people need or want is the key to understanding them.

I hope you have learned something like I did. May my experiences be a blessing to you and that you would learn from them...

The Mother of All Chocolates...

OOooooo.. Just had the best chocolates in my entire life! It's called Royce. It's only available in Takashimaya, Singapore. It's packed in a heat-resistant bag with a gel pack to keep it cool. The packaging is just pure awesome. It comes with a little toothpick thingy so that you don't need to dirty your hands. It's been dubbed the Rolls Royce of Chocolates 'cause it melts in your mouth.

It comes in 16 small little pieces covered with chocolate powder. Oh, it's just soooo delicious! If you ever get a chance to go to Singapore, you have to try one of this! You'll never regret trying one! Some flavours include Champagne, White, Banana, Cocoa, etc. For about S$15, I think it's well worth the money...

Menara KL...

Finally! Abimelech is back! I missed him sooooo much and finally he is back in my arms, sparkling clean. I think the dry cleaners did an excellent job. Applause! I went to KL Tower for a buffet dinner last night. Wow, it was utterly awesome! I can't imagine that the KL skyline is so beautiful! I was at the Realto Towers in Melbourne but this definitely beats it hands down. It's actually my first time at KL Towers. I've been dying to visit KL Tower for God knows how long. Finally found a reason and there I was, at the foothill of Menara KL...

The food was excellent, you can choose between a Asian or Western cuisine for your unsatisfiable appetite. The oysters were mouth-watering but it was all gone by the time I went for a second helping. The people there gobbled up everything like ravenous wolves. Oh well, I had my fair share of Norwegian Smoked Salmon and which was good enough for me. It was a fun time, we went around taking pictures of everything from hand-made waxed figurines to a miniature model of KL Tower. If you ever have a change to go to KL Tower, I'll urge you to do so. It's a great place to hang out.

The Best Things In Life Are Nearest..

Breath in your nostrils,

light in your eyes,

flowers at your feet,

duties at your hand,

and the path of right just before you.

-Robert Louis Stevenson

A Friend Is One Who...

...follows through with what he or she says

...understands and inspires

...sacrifices for the other

...invests in another

...joyfully gives and serves

...respects and honours

...is courteous

...builds character

...loves at all times

...challenges growth and maturity

...tells the truth and restores dignity

...keeps a promise

...shares dreams

...keeps in touch foerver

...is forgiving

Just want to share with you my devotion and my thoughts as I read through about building strong relationships...

"Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day and would not let him go home to this father's house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt." - 1 Samuel 18:1-4 (NKJV)

How can we build a solid relationship with our friends? There are 5 steps to building a strong and solid relationship with the people around you. They are :-

- Respect

- Shared Experiences

- Trust

- Reciprocity

- Mutual Enjoyment

Respect, when it comes to relationships, everything begins with respect, with the desire to place value on other people. The thing about respect is that you should show it to others, even before they have done anything to deserve it but at the same time you should earn his or her respect as well.

A tip for guys, if you want your woman to love you, "Love a woman till she respects you". Love her in your work, your ministry, your hobbies, etc.. so that she will see a respectable man in you. A woman can easily love you, but to make it last, is if she respects you. (Thanks Paul for this profound statement!).

In 1 Samuel 18:1b (NKJV), it says "and Jonathan loved him as his own soul". In Hebrew, the word "loved" is "ahab" which is translated to as "act of being a friend".

Shared Experiences, respect can lay the foundation for a good relationship but it alone is not enough. You can't be relational with someone you don't know. It requires shared experiences over time.

"And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt." - 1 Samuel 18:4 (NKJV)

Trust, when you respect people and you spend enough time with them to develop shared experiences, you are in a position to develop trust. Trust is essential to all good relationships. Without trust, you cannot sustain any kind of relationship.

"Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul." - 1 Samuel 18:3 (NKJV)

Reciprocity, one-sided personal relationships don't last. If one person is always the giver and the other is always the receiver, then the relationship will eventually disintegrate. There has to be give-and-take so that everyone benefits as well as gives. Show others how you care for them. An act of kindness always touches the heart especially when in hardship.

"So Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you." - 1 Samuel 20:4 (NKJV)

Mutual Enjoyment, when relationships grow and starts to get solid, the people involved begin to enjoy each other. Just being together can turn even unpleasant tasks into positive experiences.

"I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; You have been very pleasant to me; Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women" - 2 Samuel 1:22 (NKJV).

As yourself these questions :-

- How have I been treating my friends around me?

- Have I been spending time and conciously building solid relationships?

- What can I do to improve?

Fasting...

On Wednesday, we had Jesus Heals Rally where Pr. Jean Lim prayed and healed the sick. It was a really great experience to see a woman of God like her at work. God is really using her in a magnificent way. The real highlight for the evening was when Datuk Chua Jui Meng told us his testimony. It was just awesome! You would have to listen to this man speak! Gosh, I would not have called it a testimony as it was more like a sermon, which lasted 45 minutes! But it was a great testimony, he spoke about how he encountered God and about God's divine intervention in his son's escape in a kidnap attempt. It is just so amazing how God can use great leaders of our nation to touch the lives of unbelievers. He was once a minister of men, but now he's a minister of God. *awed* Today, my 3-day fast and prayer ends! Can't wait till I break fast tonight!!! I'm gonna have a good Bak Kut Teh! You see, on Wednesday when I started fasting, I was really tempted to have Bak Kut Teh because I saw Matthew having some. I almost lost it and I stood up and was about to walk towards the stall to order one but my fellow Christian friends stopped me(thanks G9, Jon and Matt, you guys are the best!). I would have compromised and ordered a bowl of delicious Bak Kut Teh for myself just to satisfy my physical needs. But it's been great, since the first day, I've not had that problem anymore. Not eating for 3 days is pretty tough but it really strengthens my Spirit Man. I feel so psyched for this weekend's celebration as I'll be playing bass! I'm looking forward for a great worship experience and an encounter with God. I believe God is gonna do something great in DUMC...

The Delicious Bak Kut Teh on Wednesday

About Hebrew, Maturity and John Maxwell...

I just found a Hebrew word for Blog! Blog in Hebrew is "ןומשר". Ok, don't ask me to pronounce it. But it's just so cool, that they even have a word for Blog! Haha... amazing! I was sharing with my MAG the other day about "Maturity". Since most of them are still in college and high school, I felt this was something good to share. Maturity itself is not governed by age. I encouraged them that maturity is a process and a choice. You can choose to be matured. Though age plays a part because of your life's experiences but that doesn't mean that you grow wiser because of how many years you've lived. I challenged them that they can choose to be matured even when they are young. "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12 How can you be more matured? - Have a teachable heart - Have a hungry heart - Willingness and desire for change - Allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your life I bought the whole set of John Maxwell's REAL 101 Leadership Series yesterday! Yippie! REAL stands for Relationship, Equipping, Attitude and Leadership.

John Maxwell is one of my all-time favourite authors. He has challenged me to greater heights in my walk as a Christian, not only in my leadership skills but also how I should live my life. He'll be one of the guest speakers for Hillsong Conference 2005! Too bad, I'd only be attending the 2006 Conference because it's Hillsong's 20th Anniversary. John Maxwell is a leader of leaders and his award-winning books and New York Times Bestsellers include, "Developing The Leader Within You", "Developing The Leaders Around You", "Failing Forward" and "21 Irrefutable Laws of A Leader" are amongst the best leadership books in the market. If you've not heard of him, you do not know what you are missing out! Go out and get a copy of any of his books, you'll not be disappointed! Here's my collection of John Maxwell's books *grin*

One, Two, Three Pull...

I've been having this flu for almost a week now. Can hardly breathe when I'm in my office because it's sooooo cold there! Brrrrr... That's why I decided to work from home today. *grin*. Today starts our 3-day fast and prayer and Jesus Heals Rally. I'm believing that God will do many miracles these three days. And one of it would be for my back and my health :) Gosh, feeling hungry already... Yesterday, I went to church for our weekend celebration rehearsal. Drove into the car park and I pulled the central lock and "Pop!" ... yup, you guessed it... I broke it!

Now, I can't lock my door when I'm on the inside. *sniff* *sniff*...

My Mistake...

Looks like I made a big boo-boo. -[Aleph-Tav]-'s hippo is a HE and not a SHE. It's my bad.

Now, now, this does not mean that Abimelech is gay!

Abimelech Goes On Vacation...

Today, Abimelech will be going on a holiday! *sniff* *sniff* Miss him already! He'll be going to the launderette for a first class spa and treatment session. Gosh, wish I had that luxury! And he brought a friend along...

It's none other than Miss Hippo! -[Aleph-Tav]- and I thought that they both need a bath. So bringing them to the dry cleaners would be a good idea. I just hope that they'll do a good job, I wouldn't want Abimelech returned to me in stripes instead of spots!

I've added a new commenting system on my blog, HaloScan. Gosh, I didn't know that it'll remove all the previous comments! Well, no worries, you can help by adding some comments. It seems much easier to comment with HaloScan since you don't need to login to BlogSpot first. Thanks, James, I stole this from your site, muahahahaha!

Okay, I've gotta get back to work now. Here is another picture of Abimelech & Ms. Hippo again! (They are sooo cute!).

...And She Received The Flowers!

And the beauty that received the flowers was none other than... My mum! Isn't she a babe?! Yup, she's the one I was thinking about when I taking my shower the other day. Gosh, I really miss her. She's got this funky hairstyle. Short and spiky, like mine. *grin* This was what happened... I couldn't decide on the right flowers to give her, so I got my dad to go to a florist back in Ipoh and ask them to deliver it to them. My dad was asking me all sorts of questions, who's the girl? what do you want to write in the note? I love you? Do you need me to send the flowers to her personally?! I just sent an SMS to my dad later to inform him that he should get the florist to deliver the flowers to our home. And this was the message :- "Mum, you hold my world in the palm of your hands. Appreciate you for being the loving and caring mum you always are. I love you! Your son." Later in the afternoon, I got this SMS from my mum, "Wow! You really put Mum to tears. Your touching words and thoughtfulness got me off the ground. Normally I will say why spend the money but not this time. Told dad it's all worth it. Tq son. I love you. The bouquet is very beautiful too. Tq again. God bless you." Mom, if you are reading this, I'd like to say a very big Thank You for all the wonderful things you have done for me. Words can't express how much it means for me to be your son. I'm so blessed! When I tell my friends about the things you do for me, my friends would say, "Wow! You're mum is soooo cool!". And I'd like to affirm that again to you, "Mum, you are the coolest mum I can't ever ask for!". ...and in conclusion, nobody actually knows what flowers they were! My dad just bought them but never bothered to ask the florist what they were! Haha! But well, it's the heart that matters, isn't it?! *grin*

With All I Am...

Into Your hands I commit again All I am for You Lord You hold my world In the palm of Your hand and I am Yours forever

Jesus I believe in You

Jesus I belong to You

You're the reason that I live

The reason that I sing

With all I am

I'll walk with You Wherever You go Through tears and joy I'll trust in You And I will live In all of Your ways And Your promises forever

Jesus I believe in You Jesus I belong to You You're the reason that I live The reason that I sing With all I am

I will worship I will worship You I will worship I will worship You

Flowers... Flowers... Flowers...

"Flowers are a waste of money!", someone told me once. The only time I actually bought flowers was many years ago, was a bad experience, so don't ask... and because of that, I've never really thought about sending flowers to anyone anymore. Until, recently... I was having my shower and I thought to myself, "Hmmm, I ought to send her some flowers, but what flowers should I give her?". That was when my mind started to drift and I started to ask questions like "Why do women like flowers?", "What flowers do they like?" and "What would they think if I were to send them flowers?". Someone told me to send her "Chrysanthemums". Gosh, she'd probably think I'm asking her to kick the bucket. But really, what flowers do girls really like? Roses? Daisies? Tulips?... Nope, I won't reveal her name until she receives those flowers from me. However, I still can't really decided what flowers to give her... Maybe you can help me decide...

Silly Yahkid Stories Part II...

One day, a fine young man was strolling down the streets of Singapore looking for some food to eat. He past by a bakery store and thought he'd grab some buns. Now, when it comes to Mandarin, he's not all that proficient. But nonetheless, he told himself, he'll try his best to spark up a conversation with the lady at the counter by ordering some buns. "Now," he thought to himself, "I want two buns and I know in Mandarin, it is 'yi' (一), 'er' (二), 'san' (三)... ". "So, if I wanted one, it would be 'yi ke' (一顆), and two would be...'er ke' (二顆)". And with full confidence, he said, "wo yao er ke" (我要二顆). Translated as "I want two of those" The lady looked at him and said, "wr ke?!, ni yao liang ke, shi ma?" (二顆?! , 你要两顆, 是嗎?). "2nd brother? (sounds like), You mean two buns, is it?". You see in Mandarin, 'er' (二) is used only for counting, like for digits. While 'liang' is used when you want to order two buns!! When he said "er ke" (二顆), it sounded like 2nd brother (二哥). "Se, se" (是, 是), he acknowledged. He paid for the buns, embarassed, he left the bakery. That unfortunate guy was none other than... me! Yes, now you know how bad my "Manda-win" is...

Evil Abimelech...

Lauster saw this on my wallpaper...

Do you see what he saw?

Silly Yahkid Stories Part I...

One day while I was in Hong Kong, I decided to visit their local KFC. The menu was quite different from the one that we have here. I placed an order and I got my 2-piece chicken with fries. I looked around for an empty table and sat down. I said my prayers and was about to start my first fast food meal in Hong Kong. There were two packets of tomato sauce and one sachet of pepper. Hmmm... I thought to myself, no chili sauce. Maybe our dear residents of Hong Kong do not favour chili sauce. Oh well, I could live without it. I could probably just add pepper to my tomato sauce. So I squeeze the tomato sauce onto my plate and picked up the sachet of pepper, shaked it, tore it open and started shaking it onto my tomato sauce. Strange... nothing came out! I shaked it again... Nothing came out! Hmmm... I looked at the sachet of pepper and it read, "Wet Towelette"...

The Perils of a Bad Back...

I did some window shopping yesterday for a new bed and a new chair for my home. I went to IKEA twice. Once in the morning, yup, I only went to work in the afternoon *grin*. And the second time after dinner. Can't seem to find a suitable bed. So far, the only bed that I felt was okay in IKEA is called ROBIN and comes in two shades birch white and birch blue.

Yes, -[ Aleph-Tav ]-, it's the SAME one that you have! The rest are either two low or too high. Well, since I was at IKEA and gonna spend RM60 for the delivery, I thought I might as well make full use of it and get myself a new chest of drawers and a new shelf. It all came up to about RM1,000 for everything. Gosh! Now, I'm thinking whether I should just sleep on the floor. *despair* I went to Diethelm the other day to look for a chair as well. I'm pretty set on getting the half-leather office chair that cost about RM800. I'll be going there again sometime today or tomorrow to check on it for a second time and make the purchase. So hopefully, this would help on my sore back. So for you guys who don't have a problem with your back, here are some guidelines to help you so that you would not end up like me!

• When you get up from your bed; face the ceiling and bend your knees first, turn to the side and have your feet on the ground before pushing your body up.
• Keep your weight down; excess weight exerts a constant forward pull on the back muscles and stretches and weakens muscles in the abdomen.
• Avoid staying in one position for long periods of time; inactivity causes muscle tension and weakness.
• Sleep on a firm mattress and use a pillow under your head just big enough to maintain the normal cervical—neck—curve. Avoid use of oversized or several pillows.
• Exercise regularly; exercise promotes strong and flexible muscles that keep you upright in a proper postural position.
• Protect your back by using good body mechanics; bend your knees when picking something up or putting it down; carry a heavy object by using two hands and keeping the load close to your waist.
• Wear comfortable and well-supported shoes. Avoid continuous use of high-heeled or platform shoes, which distort the normal shape of the foot and throw the back’s natural curves out of alignment.
• Walk with good posture; keep head erect with chin parallel to the ground, allow arms to swing naturally, and keep feet pointed in the direction you are going.

Eat This...

TIP : Move your mouse over his face...

Does Evil Exist...

Does evil exist? The university professor challenged his students with this question. Did God create everything that exists? A student bravely replied "yes, he did!" "God created everything? The professor asked. "Yes sir", the student replied. The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil". The student became quiet before such an answer. The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth. Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question professor?" "Of course", replied the professor. The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?" "What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold? The students snickered at the young man's question. The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Everybody or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat. The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?" The professor responded, "Of course it does". The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present." Finally the young man asked the professor. "Sir, does evil exist?" Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. "These manifestations are nothing else but evil." To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light." The professor sat down. The young man's name was Albert Einstein...

Playing Truant...

It was 11.00am. I saw my manager leave the building. Great, I'm about to sneak out and head towards Low Yat Plaza to do some shopping. Muahahaha! Two of my colleagues were interested and wanted to hop onto the band wagon. Okay, that was fine with me and we only left around 12.30pm because my colleague had some odds and ends to tidy up before we left.

We left my office building heading towards KL and I took the Parliament way via Jalan Damansara. Bad mistake! We were stuck in a jam. Took us 1 and a half hours to reach Low Yat! It was already 2pm and I was getting a little anxious. Wondering if our manager was looking for us or not. We had lunch and went to the 2nd floor of Low Yat to do some shopping.

Great, we left at 3.30pm and only arrived back in the office at about 4pm. My heart was pumping by then. "Oh dear, this was too much, a 3 and a half hour lunch. She's gonna grill us alive!". So we sheepishly entered the office and...

My manager was not in!

She was not back till 4.30pm. Phew! I gave her a where-did-you-disappear-to-for-so-long look. Muahahaha... she didn't know that no one was around either. Looks like not only do employees try to play truant, managers do as well! I left the office at about 4.45pm today. Yeah, yeah... jealous, leh?

Got home to do some cleaning because I'm a friend staying over for the night. Vacuumed the carpet, mopped the floor, washed the toilet and sprayed Lysol all over the place. *grin*.Talking about friend staying over, I've gotta pick him up now! Gosh, I almost forgot about him! Catch ya guys later! Buh-bye!

How Abimelech Came To Be...

On a bright sunny morning in Ipoh, I brought my parents to lunch in Jusco, Kinta City. Thereafter, we went for a walk and I was looking for new pillows for my car. I stumbled upon this cute little hippo-giraffe soft toy in Memory Lane with my dad. It was love at first sight! It would be just nice for my car! My car is brown and dull, and yellow seems to fit right in! It's a hippo with an identity crisis.

I knew I had to get it but my mom was around! I knew she'd be nagging all the way home and I decided not to get it without her prior permission. I was pouncing back and forth in front of the shop while waiting for my mother (she was in the next shop browsing). The shop assistants were smiling at me as I waited anxiously for my mom. And there she was! I immediately grabbed her and pulled her into the shop. She looked at it and said, "It's nice but....", oh, no... I knew my mom didn't like it.

But I got it anyway!

Huay Sien was talking to me one day and asked if my hippo had a name and I told her that I never thought of it before. Only girls name their soft toys! One fine day, I came across this video clip where a hippo was singing to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" while his friend, a dog, starts dancing. "Ah Whim Ba Wek, Ah Whim Ba Wek..."

I showed this to my dad one fine day and he really loved it. In fact, he started whistling the tune wherever he went that day. While I was doing some work on my notebook, I heard him singing the song and he went, "Abimelech, Abimelech!". I was on the floor laughing when I heard that! That's when I decided to call my soft toy, Abimelech.

You see, in the Bible, there were two Abimelechs. One who seduced Abraham's wife. The second, was an evil king who killed all his 70 brothers to be King. My Abimelech, though not as menacing, proved to be quite a ladykiller. Somehow, all the girls seems to be attracted to him. Gosh, wish I had that type of attention *grin*...

And The Sign Read...

It feels good when you know you don't need to get up at 7am to go to work. But what feels better is the fact that I would be in Malaysia for the next two weeks! Yups, I just loooooove being in Malaysia! Feels good to be home! Took my own sweet time this morning since I would be taking an afternoon flight back from Singapore. Went down to City Hall to have some breakfast and to check out some guitar stuff. But alas, the shop was not open and I had to head back to the hotel to get my bags. My flight was at 1.45pm and I thought I'll try to get an earlier flight. Arrived at the airport at around 11.30am only to find out that there were like another 40 people in front of me before I could take a shuttle. Went over to the counter which says "MH606 KUALA LUMPUR". That's the flight I was booked on. And so, I checked in. Bad mistake. I didn't read the sign carefully! It read "Flight Delayed"! Argh, I have to wait till 2.45pm before my flight leaves. The good news is, they offered me some free refreshments at this place called Food Garden Palms. The bad news, I can't find the restaurant! So, here I am, standing at a Free Internet booth and typing you this post. My legs are getting tired and there is this old lady staring at me the whole time as though I was gonna hog this PC. (Actually, I thought of doing that!). Her arms crossed and her feet tapping. I could feel the vibration from the floor. Well, gotta sign off and be a nice gentleman and offer this to the poor ol' lady behind me. See you guys in Malaysia!

Keeping a Healthy Lifestyle...

I thought this was funny and wanna share it with you.

Many times, when I try to lose weight, I end up gaining more instead. Everytime when I tell myself that I should wake up early and go for an exercise, I end up waking up late for work. This year, I've been really sick. In fact, I think I can call it a year of sickness for me. Since beginning of the year, I caught a bad flu, I had bronchitis and now I have a bad backache. It doesn't seem to end. Last year was pretty good, I was only sick twice. Once in January and once in December. I can safely say that last year was probably the "healthiest" I have been and this year, was kinda the opposite. Funny isn't it? This year, I have been determined to watch my weight and also to keep a healthy lifestyle. I'm asking God for a breakthrough during the 3-day fast and prayer as well as the Jesus Heals Rally this month. So continue to pray for me if you are reading this, that I would be healthy once more and to be sick no more. I believe that Jesus has bore our infirmities and that He has made me a new creation!

Glorious...

Come and make our praise, glorious!

Make our praise, glorious!

To You our only King

All the nation sing

And tell of Your great love

Lifted high upon our praise

Our voice raised!

To make your praise, so glorious!

Every crooked way will be made straight,

Every valley lifted up;

Every mountain brought low for the King to come.

You are Holy, make us holy

Let our praise be true

You are Holy, make us holy Let our praise be true

Let our praise, be glorious!

The Greatest Hero in My Life...

I want to share with you about the greatest hero in my life. I really admire him very much and he has never failed to impress me. Everything that he says just sounded so sweet like honey to the ears and every thing he does, he does it from the heart. It has been countless times when the things he does really really touched me. He has Solomon's wisdom, David's charm and valour, Joseph's never-say-die attitude and Daniel's determination. I remember those times when I was down and out and he's always there to give me a pat on my shoulder and tell me that I'm loved and that it's not the end of the world. Just being by his side, made me feel so secure and comfortable and that no harm would befall me. I wish that I could be half the man he is but I know I am nothing compared to him. My troubles are like chaff, easily blown away compared to what he had to go through in his life. He has taught me a great deal about being street-wise and how I could be smarter in the way I deal with things in my life. Things that I learn from him only makes me stronger and better. He taught me to be a better person and through the things that I learnt from him, it has made me the man I am today. He is a man's man and I really love him for everything he is. I see the way he treats others with love, tenderness and care and I know that I can never be as good as he is in the way I treat the people I love and care for. He has such a big heart for the people he love! He showers you with all the attention and not drawing any to himself. He puts you first in everything and you are always his top priority. When you have tasted his blessings, you just can't help but ask for more. He puts a smile on all the tiny lil' children in the house with his pleasant personality. Somehow, people are drawn to his charm. He's one person that gets more and more attractive when he gets older. If words could only express how much I appreciate him and how much he really means to me. There is no one on earth that could replace him. I'm glad that I have the privilege to know him in my short life. If I was to re-live my life again, I know that he's one person that I would want to spend my life with all over again. As I talk about him, I just can't help but shed a few tears. He has shared my tears and joy and nothing can replace the great moments we have together. He'll always have a special place in my heart. I know that whenever I am in trouble, I can always run to his arms for he will embrace me and tell me that I have nothing to worry about. Although, at times I don't see him as often as I should, he is one person that I miss very very much. I miss the times when he talks to me when I'm all lonely and needing someone to talk to. This person is none other than my dad. Thank you, dad for making a difference in my life. Thank you for you made me see Jesus in you! You are indeed my all-time hero. I thank God for you and I know no one on earth can ever, ever replace you. You mean so much to me, dad and I'll always remember the things that you have done for me. I want to say thank you for giving me the love and care that you have showered on me for all these years. I can never repay you for all the love you have showered on me. I am a stronger and wiser person because of you. Thank you!

I just need to spend one moment with you Somehow it's a brand new world I'm passing through You lift me high and you let me see Over the walls that surrounded me Don't need to prove myself Just need to show and tell It's you in me

Crimes & Back Pain...

I was reading the newspaper today. Every page that I read, I kept seeing the words, "Death", "Murder", "Crime"... What is the world becoming? My heart dropped when I read all the articles. The acts committed by these individuals are appalling and really saddens my heart. I grieve over these henious crimes and the tragedy that has struck our nation. Lord, we come before you, as Malaysians, to confess our sins before You and seek forgiveness for innocent blood that have been shed in our land. God, we ask that you cleanse us by the blood of Jesus, and we seek Your divine hand to help rid us from all manner of evel that is plaguing our nation! God, we seek breathrough in this, as we pray for peace in this land and claim that John 10:10 - that the reason the Son of Man came was to give us life - and life to the full. And we claim this for Malaysia! For every person, creed or tongue! Lord, we pray for the victims who survived the ordeal and the loved ones of the victims. Let them turn to the God of all comfort - in their trauma, receive Your healing of their wounds; in their pain; Your comfort and strength, and in their hopelessness, new hope and life in Christ. In the Mighty Name of Jesus, we come against every demonic spirit behind every form of violence and oppression, and command them to flee from our nation. We declare peace and fear of God to every people in our land. In Jesus Name I pray... AMEN! .................................. Went to see an orthopedic specialist today. Found out that my left foot's reflexes are not that good. Could be due to the case of slip disc that I had when I was 15. Been having this back ache for over 10 days now and it's still not completely healed yet. The doctor feared that it might be an occurence of my previous case. But he gave me some medicine for another 10 days because it's still too early to do an MRI scan. According to him, if I do have another slip disc, I might not be able to go through another operation again as the risk is very high for someone who has underwent surgery for this spine once before. I'm believing God amidst all these and I'm believing in a breakthrough this year. It's been a year of sickness for me (Flu, Bronchitis, Back Pain, etc) and I'm praying for a year of breakthrough. My friend Paulos prayed for me over MSN today! I thank God for such a wonderful friend and brother-in-Christ! He's an awesome dude and plays P. Ramlee very well! This is his prayer, thought I'd pen it down :- Paulus says: SHUKAIARIRAIAIIRIAIRAIRA. Father, I pray for my dear brother Ian right now O Lord. That the blood of Your Precious Son Jesus will be poured out unto him O Lord. That healing would come right this instant to relieve the pain Ian is experiencing right now. Because God my brother Ian lives according to your statutes.. and he has hidden Your word in his heart.. that he might not sin.. and Father we want to cast out any spirit of infirmity that is afflicting my brother right now. In the name of Jesus.. I take authrotity to cast out the discouragement and depression he is feeling O Lord.. because we know that the pain we feel now is temporary O Lord.. and it will go away because You, O Lord in Your great and divine purpose will HEAL my brother... so that He can once again.. walk and move around to carry the gospel You have commissioned to. That indeed Lord the healing he recieves is no less or more than the miracle of the healings and miracles you have executed as said in Your WORD O Lord. We lay claim to the truth that You have written in Your word that Lord you have come to heal the sick and downcast... Holy Spirit come and fill Ian and give Him the peace that only you can bring. You are the keeper of His heart O Holy Spirit.. Fill Him now till over flowing.. . Lord Your promises I seal in JESUS most precious and Holy Name. AMEN!! Flying to Singapore this morning... YAWN!! Gotta wake up at 5.30am. Will be back this Friday. Cheers for now! God bless!

My Significance...

What is real significance? Pr. D puts it really well when he spoke on purpose driven life and how some of us view our significance. We view our identity and significance through:- - our ancestry - our background - our job - our position - our titles or degrees - our possessions - where we live, people we mix with and places we frequent - what other people say, think or write about us We should however base our identity through Christ... I sometimes find it hard, as I still do base my significance on worldly things. But that's really the beauty of it all. That God still loves me for who I am. And as I die to myself day after day, He continues to mold and sculpt me into a better person. I'm glad I'm not perfect, or I'd be stealing the glory from Jesus. I thank God for His grace and what I lack, He supplies. I know one day, I'll look back and realise that it's not how I started but how I finished. Thank you Jesus for Your love to me!