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Courage and Hope

January 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

JRR Tolkien on courage and hope:

FRODO: I can’t do this, Sam.

SAM: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened.

But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. [Read more...]

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Fix You

January 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This is a slight detour from my series of posts about prayer and fasting. Boyce Avenue’s cover of FIX YOU by Coldplay. It’s so good! YouTube Preview Image

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Jonah and the Big Fish

November 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

When people read the book of Jonah, they immediately get entangled with questions about marine ecosystem that they miss the obvious: Jonah’s predictions didn’t happen! God relented and the Ninevites were shown mercy.

Don’t lose sight of the mercy of God just because you can’t understand the outworkings of His power.

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Regurgitate

October 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The early church didn’t have the modern technologies we have today. There were no billboards or direct mail campaigns to announce Jesus was coming. The disciples didn’t tweet or blog the Sermon on the Mount or other messages Jesus gave during his ministry. The one thing the early church did have, however, was captivating stories worth telling. People couldn’t help but tell their friends and family all that they had seen and heard, and proclaim the redemptive work of Christ and the hope of the gospel.”

Tim Schraeder, OUTSPOKEN: Conversations on Church Communication

New Testament people had compelling stories to tell and the world was turned upside down with the stories they proclaimed. This is totally opposite of what people do today. Today, people can talk for hours and write thick books without any compelling, life-changing substance.

Years ago, when you read something that really strikes a chord in your heart, you go for introspection. You toss the idea at the back of your head a hundred times over and ponder on how it can change your life.

Today, when an idea strikes you nicely, you tweet and update your Facebook status. No more rumination, no more thinking things over. We simply regurgitate what came into our systems.

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Reasons Why People Do Not Like Sports

September 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

[from Francis J. Kong's PhilStar Column dated Sept24, 2011]

I was working out in a gym one time, and standing beside me was a tall guy who was smiling at me. Apparently he recognized me. I smiled back and said, “You’re so tall you must be a basketball player.” He replied, “Oh yes. I do play once in a while.”

The gym attendant looked at me with amazement. He couldn’t understand what had just happened. When the tall guy walked away, the attendant asked me, “Sir, you don’t follow basketball do you?”

“Unfortunately not,” I said, “Why?”

And the attendant replied, “That gentleman is a professional basketball player in the country! He’s a superstar – and you don’t know him?! Tsk, tsk, tsk…”

The funny thing is, I used to play basketball for my high school varsity team, until one day I realized that basketball is not for midgets like me. I’m 5’7” and a half.

I remember somebody saying that he doesn’t like sports. “I’ve had it! I quit that business once and for all,” he ranted. “You won’t be able to get me near one of those places ever again!” Here are some reasons why people won’t go to sports games:

Every time I watch a game, people ask me for money!

The people with whom I had to sit didn’t seem very friendly!

The seats are too hard and not at all comfortable!

I went to many games, but the coach never came to call on me!

The referee made a decision I didn’t agree with!

Some games go into overtime, and I get late going home!

The band played some numbers that I’ve never heard before!

It seems that games are scheduled when I want to do other things.

I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.

I don’t want to take my children to any games because I want

them to choose for themselves what sport they like best.

I suspected that I was sitting with some hypocrites – they really came to see their friends and what they’re wearing rather than to see the game.

[By now you must be smiling. These are the same ridiculous reasons why people don't go to church. You can read the whole thing HERE.]

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