Steve Jobs passed away this morning.
While addressing the graduates at Stanford University in June 12, 2005, he said ,
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." Steve Jobs
Herein lies a great lesson in life. We don't need to wait until something happens that we begin to relook at what really matters in life. Steve Jobs followed his heart...look what he has left behind as his legacy.
The Bible teaches us many lessons on our heart. Someone shared Proverbs 4:23 with me just last week.
"Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. " NKJV
So, while pondering, be sure to look at what matters!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Have A Reality Check
I have always wondered how I will react when faced with a life threatening situation. Shock; bewilderment; unbelief or the feeling that the world just crumbled under my feet?
In the span of 2 weeks, I have come to know of 1 death and 2 confirmations from close friends/relatives of cancer related illness. It is not a death sentence, that I know. However, I am sure that when we are confronted with such a situation, a lot of things would be going through our minds. Will I survive? How long ? What next ?
Whatever the questions that will come, one fundamental point will surface - it will entail a shift in focus - a life changing one. I am sure your priorities will be changed. Things that seemed important just awhile ago no longer holds you.
I have to say this : I will not know how I will react but I have learned from my personal journey that it will bore down to one thing : faith !
Our faith in God will determine how we face the impossible situations of life. We must learn to stand in the shadow of our Savior, trusting Him to work through the trials we encounter, through the extreme circumstances we cannot handle. He is still the God of impossible situations. He still does what no earthly individual can do. Trust Him to do that!
In the span of 2 weeks, I have come to know of 1 death and 2 confirmations from close friends/relatives of cancer related illness. It is not a death sentence, that I know. However, I am sure that when we are confronted with such a situation, a lot of things would be going through our minds. Will I survive? How long ? What next ?
Whatever the questions that will come, one fundamental point will surface - it will entail a shift in focus - a life changing one. I am sure your priorities will be changed. Things that seemed important just awhile ago no longer holds you.
I have to say this : I will not know how I will react but I have learned from my personal journey that it will bore down to one thing : faith !
Our faith in God will determine how we face the impossible situations of life. We must learn to stand in the shadow of our Savior, trusting Him to work through the trials we encounter, through the extreme circumstances we cannot handle. He is still the God of impossible situations. He still does what no earthly individual can do. Trust Him to do that!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
What Matters?
I have been asked numerous times, " Who is your choice for President? ". While I contemplate to answer the question, a number have given me their choice of candidate and why they are putting their votes behind the man.
In this posting, I will not be putting a name forward but rather try to put my own 2 cents's worth of justification for a man or a system that seems to work. This is not a political post.
When I was growing up, I witnessed first hand the chaos created during the Chinese/Malay riots in the 60s. It was a dark moment in my young life when I saw my parents' distressed faces and that of those in our village. Every one was awake at night just so that they will not be caught by a surprised attack from the other side. This was a period of instability where school was disrupted often because of strikes/riots. After the PAP government came into power, the focus has shifted somewhat to development and nation building. The government has been largely successful and people has benefited much from its transformation. That is also why all these years, it has always been a 1 party government. However, grumblings has quicken lately on host of issues, from foreign talents to ministerial salaries, the list goes on. With the latest GE 2011 results showing the opposition gaining ground, in both the no of votes and wards, it does shows a growing discontent for all things PAP. Did they go horribly wrong ?
Paul in his writings to Timothy admonish them to pray for the government that "they will have peace...." (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Our focus then is to pray and ask God to put in place one that will be able to give us the comfort of a peaceful existence, one that will be able to allow us to carry out the great commission without fear of reprisal. Our personal choice then should be governed by this principle, and not of likes or dislikes, or along partisan lines, or herd instinct.
Being a beneficiency of the system, I am proud of what we have achieved as a nation and I will vote with a clear conscience of who I think will be able to carry out the duties of a President best within his mandate which I think has somewhat been blurred along the way.
In this posting, I will not be putting a name forward but rather try to put my own 2 cents's worth of justification for a man or a system that seems to work. This is not a political post.
When I was growing up, I witnessed first hand the chaos created during the Chinese/Malay riots in the 60s. It was a dark moment in my young life when I saw my parents' distressed faces and that of those in our village. Every one was awake at night just so that they will not be caught by a surprised attack from the other side. This was a period of instability where school was disrupted often because of strikes/riots. After the PAP government came into power, the focus has shifted somewhat to development and nation building. The government has been largely successful and people has benefited much from its transformation. That is also why all these years, it has always been a 1 party government. However, grumblings has quicken lately on host of issues, from foreign talents to ministerial salaries, the list goes on. With the latest GE 2011 results showing the opposition gaining ground, in both the no of votes and wards, it does shows a growing discontent for all things PAP. Did they go horribly wrong ?
Paul in his writings to Timothy admonish them to pray for the government that "they will have peace...." (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Our focus then is to pray and ask God to put in place one that will be able to give us the comfort of a peaceful existence, one that will be able to allow us to carry out the great commission without fear of reprisal. Our personal choice then should be governed by this principle, and not of likes or dislikes, or along partisan lines, or herd instinct.
Being a beneficiency of the system, I am proud of what we have achieved as a nation and I will vote with a clear conscience of who I think will be able to carry out the duties of a President best within his mandate which I think has somewhat been blurred along the way.
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