Life..

There were once 2 brothers who lived on the 80th floor. On coming home one day, they realized to their dismay that the lifts were not working and that they had to climb up the large number of stairs. After struggling and making it to the 20th floor, panting and tired, they decided to abandon their bags and come back for them later once the lifts are working again. So they left their bags there and climbed on. When they were coming up to the 40th floor, the younger brother started to grumble and both of them began to quarrel. They continued to climb the flights of steps, quarreling all the way. By the time they reached the 60th floor, both were exhausted and have no more strength to quarrel anymore. They then realized that they had only 20 levels more to climb and decided to continue climbing in peace. They silently climbed on and reached their home at last. Each stood calmly before the door and waited for the other to open the door, only to realize that the key was in their bags, left on the 20th floor ..

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Many of us live for the expectations of our parents, teachers and friends when we were young. We seldom get to do the things that we really like or love. It is under so much pressure and stress. After the age of 20, as we 1st enter university/college, it felt as if most of us have dumped the weight of expectations off our back, and we work enthusiastically to achieve our personal goals and dreams.

But by the time we reach our 40s, we realise that the struggles in life is not as easy as it seems, and start to lose our vision and along with that, our dreams and goal in life. We began to feel unsatisfied and start to complain and criticize anything and everything under the sun; this government lousy lar, that not good lar etc. We are miserable coz we are never satisfied.

Reaching 60, we realize that we have little time left for complaining and we began to walk the final phases of our lives in peace and calmness. What to do? People don't live that long :p We think that there is nothing left that could disappoint us, only to realize at the age of 80 that our greatest hopes and dreams still lay unfulfilled back when we were 20.

Thinking point: It starts with you

Acts 3:1-10

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

There is a saying that the art of communication is very important, be it among ourselves or to other people. There was a story about a blind man, who sat begging for money by the sidewalk. In front of him was a sign, "I am blind, please help me." He has been there for a long time, but only a few people cared enough to dropped several coins into the container in front of him. One morning, a man walking by dropped a large sum of money into the container, paused for a while, then proceeded to take the blind man's sign, turn it around, and wrote something on it. Soon, the blind man started to hear coins pouring into his container, as many people gave. One thing about blind people is they tend to be sensitive in their hearing, so upon recognising the footsteps of the man who came in the morning, the blind man grabbed him and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write on it?" The man answered, "I wrote what you meant, but in a different way. It read, "Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see."

Peter was a short-tempered, brash person who tends to talk or act before thinking. John on the other hand, was more of a reflective person who would think through something before expressing himself. Put 2 such people together and you might witness a clash of egos and personalities sooner or later. If we look at the context of the church today, how can 2 people from seemingly diverse and extreme backgrounds walk and serve together? There are bound to be conflicts, but if not because of this vision, it would have been impossible.

Some people may be able to do something faster and more effectively than others, but when you are assigned the job despite your lesser ability, are we willing to be faithful in such little things to be a blessing to others? On the other hand, there might be times when we felt annoyed at other people's apparent weaknesses / slowness. However, God has given you the best, He puts people in your life to mould and work with you. At the end of the day, you never know that you might probably gain more out of the relationship. John Maxwell pointed out that 'The journey with others is always slower than the journey alone - for the friendship of 2, the patience of 1 is necessary'. Therefore, when we felt like complaining / annoyed over somebody, always remind ourselves that we ourselves are the one that needs to change, whether the other person eventually improves / changes its not up to you to decide. It starts with you, don't point fingers at other people, 10 fingers will point back to you, coz everybody has shortcomings. Learn lay down yourself to appreciate and be a complement to one another, not look at others as a thorn in our eyes.

We might cover up the superficial and pretend as if everything is ok on the outside, but what is actually inside your heart, God knows and He is able to change it. Everything starts with a change of heart. Looking at many problems around us today, if you trace the root of the problem, the origin and what needs to be changed starts from the heart. Example: Some say that better education can eradicate the problem of crime, since most criminals come from lower socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, but its not necessarily true as it can also produce criminals who are smarter at what they do.

When John and Peter looked at the beggar at the Beautiful gate, the person only wanted money. Born lame since birth, he has depended on others throughout his life coz he can't work for a living. Peter and John could have given him money, but they gave him something better, a new beginning in a person's life. Do we dare to believe and claim God's miracle from His word? Maybe we are looking at the wrong places, expecting big things (eg blind seeing and the lame walking) but we missed that every life transformation (big or small) is a miracle. John and Peter may not have much, but they gave what they have wholeheartedly, and in that moment, God accomplished more than they could imagined.

Currently listening: Hillsong - One thing

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And I will seek Your face
Call upon Your name, Jesus
All I want is You, Jesus..

Believe

Currently listening: Hillsong - Believe

3 weeks spent in O&G.. a short time, but not that productive for me, coz need to get my modules done, and exhaustive ward rounds in the mornings and afternoons leave little time for reading up stuff (what more, with the World Cup going on right now :p)

O&G is filled with various characters, you have a medical officer (MO) who apparently doesn't quite like me (he frequently stares at me with a fierce look), you have registrars who clown around and talk nonsense, you have fierce specialists scolding housemen like nobody's business for not meeting their expectations. And then you have.. me - the final year medical student who roams the wards, supposedly to function like a pre-tagging houseman, but due to the high medicolegal risk of the department, ended up wandering around like a blur case.. Of course, conducted a few deliveries along the way.. am thankful for an MO who willingly supervised my 1st episiotomy from beginning to the end. Was glad because I didn't really get a chance in medical school to actually suture a REAL patient, all my sutures were on models (and pork bellies in Melbourne :p).

1 houseman who saw me in the changing room asked me, "You like to hang around in the hospital is it? Coz for most of us, if there is no reason to stay, and it's already 5pm, just go home. Don't really bother giving a f*#%ing s%#t to what goes on.." No wonder a patient's wife walked up to me the other day to complain that doctors in government hospitals don't have this thing called c-o-m-p-a-s-s-i-o-n.

Need to train myself to sleep less and exercise more.

Got reminded that just as I myself would like to have someone believe in me, I too should not stop believing for a breakthrough, be it in certain situations / people. Especially when you are presented with a half-answered prayer, not knowing what to do, and trying to tell yourself not to be distracted by the time factor.