What comes after the tears?

Regrets - many of us experienced that at different point of our lives. I just did! I didn't get to visit my cousin and say goodbye to him before he went home to be with the Lord.
As long as I can remember, growing up was always like 7 in e family, my parents, both my grandmas, my brother, me and my cousin! He stayed with us whenever he didn't have to travel, you see, he was a sailor. Childhood memories of him bringing us toys, clothings, accessories whenever he came back from a long trip always warm my heart. He loved music. In fact, it was because of his love of music that I started playing the piano. It all started when my mother and my uncle each bought a piano, even before I was conceived! Mum was hoping that after I was born, I would pick it up, as no one in the family was musically inclined, except my cousin Joseph. Whenever he was in town, piano practice became a chore! He would sit right next to me and forced me to practice. I remember the time when he wanted me to learn the song: The Maiden's Prayer, I cried, cos my fingers were not long enough to press all the octaves (I was only 9), so I had my neighbour to help me 'pull' and stretch my thumbs and pinkies apart everyday. Ouch! But the satisfaction was whenever I started playing the piano, my dad and cousin would close their eyes and enjoy the music! It was years later that I started loving music! And I have to thank my cousin for that! I am where I am today serving God because of this love of music! What a deep impact that was!
When we last visited him, he was already hallucinating, telling us that he was being locked and trapped inside the house. He wanted us to help him get out. But yet, he talked sense at times, especially everytime when we prayed for him. Before we left, he begged us to stay and keep him company. He told us he was lonely and afraid. He said he had no one beside him. His eyes were filled with plea. My heart ached! We had to leave!
What now? Now that he's gone? I wished I was there yesterday! I wished I knew he was going! I wished! But what now?
Well, after the natural process of grieving is over, we have to pick ourselves up and move on! Not that we want to forget him, but like one of my dear friend mentioned before,now we have to make everyday of our lives count! Making it worth! Making a difference! I want to impact someone else's life too, just like my cousin. At the end of the day, what would my life count for depends on how I live it now!

My Sister's Keeper - review

It's a little bit social and a little bit leukemia awareness.
I was very excited when I realised that there was going to be a movie on this popular novel by Jodi Picoult. The movie followed mostly closed to the original novel but added it's own twist at the end, I guess it was to make it more appealling to the movie-goers. Cameron Diaz played a very convincing role as a mother, one who would do anything to protect her child, although one wonders if one was in her shoes, would one have reacted the same way too? Conceiving another child for the sake of saving one seems a bit complex, intriguing and troubling. The climax of the movie started when Anna decided to sue her parents and wanted to have the legal rights to her own body as she was tired of always being put under the knife to help her sister. But it doesn't end there! Throughout the movie, you could see the inner struggles every family member went through as they learn to accept the different believes and opinions of each other. There were times of joy, sadness, pain, helplessness and even strength portrayed as the characters developed throughout the movie. The movie kept having flashbacks and one has to get used to and knowing when is the 'present' and when is the 'past'. On the whole, it was a good movie but not one that draws you emotionally and deeply. I would rate it as 3.5/5

What 'Friendship' means to me:

Came across some beautiful quotes about 'Friendship', something I treasure very much. To all my friends, this is for you:
1. A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. ~Douglas Pagels
2. Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things. ~Author Unknown
3. The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you. ~Elbert Hubbard, The Notebook, 1927
4. True friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable. ~Dave Tyson Gentry
5. The language of friendship is not words but meanings. ~Henry David Thoreau
6. My friends are my estate ~Emily Dickinson
7. A friend is one who walks in when others walk out ~Walter Winchell

Emotions - a roller coaster ride!

What would the world be if there were no emotions in it? Can you picture a mother who doesn't feel any fear when she can't find her child? Or a husband not feeling jealous seeing his wife holding another man's hands? Or a loved one has still not arrived home after many hours and not be worried about it? Or a student waiting for his results without any anxiety? Or not being angry at someone snatching a bag from a helpless old lady? Yes, what a disaster! But then again, these are negative emotions! Emotions affect our reaction, decision and choices! Most of the time, these negative emotions also bring us emotionally, mentally and even spiritually down!
But are emotions bad for us? NO! God made us filled with feelings! Feelings of emotions!
Then what should we feel? The Bible says in Philippians 4:8

'Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think his dabout these things.'

Who knows? Maybe things are not like what it seems? Maybe the mother is not fearful because she knew that the child is safe with his dad? Or the husband is not jealous because his wife is holding her father's hand? Or the loved one has not reached home yet because he had a flat tyre? Or the student not anxious because she studied real hard? Or that the thief who snatched from the old lady was stopped by the police just around the corner?
I remembered an old song: ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE!!! In this dark and gloomy world, we need to be different because we know where and who can we go to for LOVE, JOY and PEACE as our domineering emotions!
Lord, teach me to constantly look towards you, to show forth Your love, Your joy and Your peace by displaying all these Positive emotions in and through me!

Regrets?

Have you ever wanted to do something and by the time you did it, you'd regret it afterwards? I have.
You see, I came across the Samsung website and saw that I could upgrade my phone's system. Being curious and not wanting to let slip this opportunity, I upgraded my phone. I followed diligently the instruction given and was very pleased when everything went smoothly! Imagine the shock when I started scrolling through my phone and found out that everything was back to factory setting, with an upgraded system! Everything was lost! All my contacts, my files and folders, my documents, my calendar appointments, EVERYTHING!!! Then I tried calling it back from the laptop by sync-ing it, but even those on my laptop was gone! I regreted it so much cos it'll take me many weeks to start all over again!
But after the initial heart-breaking feeling is over, you start to wonder, maybe it's really time to just move on, and use this time to start getting in touch with people, start talking to them, using the excuse of wanting their phone number to start getting to know them better, etc.
Well, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God!

Never live in regrets, just move on and see the beautiful rainbow after the rain!

Patience - Fruit of the Spirit!

Patience is a virtue. Patience is part of the Fruit of the Spirit. Patience is a test of character.
But yet, to acquire Patience itself needs patience too. Too many times in life, the moment you think you've 'collected' enough, situation just 'conveniently' swing by to test your patience and most of the time, that small level of patience seems to be at the edge of snapping.
You need patience for everything. Patience when you are learning new things/skills, patience in office or school, patience when dealing with people, patience when parenting, patience when at the cross road junction waiting for the traffic light to change, patience when we feel hurt or misunderstood, patience when we are in the wrong and need forgiveness, patience even when waiting for our cup to be filled with water when we need a drink!
Sometimes I really wonder, is it really working? To hold on to my patience, and pray that the situation will just get better? or just let myself go and pick up the pieces after the big explosion? I guess that is the time when we have to weigh the consequences, bite the bullet and let God's peace and patience and L-O-N-G S-U-F-F-E-R-I-N-G take over.
I need patience to be patient!

Looking at even the most minute things in life requires of it, Lord, I need more patience! Teach me Lord!

What is your cup?

A cup is a type of container from which a drink is consumed. It can be coffee, tea, milk, fizzy drinks, herbal tea or even just water. But I just learned from someone that she actually uses different cups for different drinks. A glass cup is used for drinks like milk or bandung, cos you can actually see the purity of the drink before you bring it close to your mouth. But once you use a cup for coffee, that cup should not be used for any other drinks, as we do not want to mix the taste of other drinks into the cup. How true it is, that we never really see a cup as close as that.

But what about us? Are we a 'cup' that is used for many different kinds of 'drinks'?

We need a daily filling of the Lord's presence and His Holy Spirit. But along the way, there seems to be many kinds of 'rubbish' in the world that flood our mind. Do we use e same 'cup' to fill all those too? Are we mixing the different kinds of 'drinks'? Are we polluting our mind and heart?

Let's be a designated cup, only to be used for one kind of drink! Cheers!