| Rating: | ★★★★ |
| Category: | Books |
| Genre: | Religion & Spirituality |
| Author: | Andrew Shanks |
Just looked at myself in the mirror the other day. Man, love-handles sticking out like handle bars. Really gross. Spurred me on to go jogging just now. Man, am really outta shape. Only jogged from 25+ mins from my under HDB flat to Admiralty MRT station. Figure it to be less than 2 "click" (kilometres). ARGH! Guess flat-footed people really cannot run. well, that's my usual excuse la. I prefer swimming to running, so given a choice, I'll swim rather than walk.
After running to Admiralty, I really cannot stand it. Decided to walk all the way home. Took the long route actually, go past the church building site. They are laying the foundations, as can see a few huge granite blocks onsite. Then walked further up and went past the Singapore Sports School. Saw a "chio bu"** as I walked past a primary school, brightened up my warm down*.
In the end, I took 1 hour to walk back to home. This is not good...
*yes, it doesn't take a lot to make me contented... :p
** Amazing! there's actually a Wiki entry for "chio bu"! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiobu
Went out with a friend to have dinner with him. Well, more of I watched him have dinner, as my mom insist on me having dinner with her beforehand at home. Had a good 3 hours of talk and drink with him, as it's been quite a while since I caught up with this dear friend.
One of the things that came up was about my jobless state for the past 11 months. My friend is totally amazed that I can stand not doing work for such a lengthy period of time. Truth be told, I'm also amazed that I can stand the length of time at not being employed. Brings back to my mind on a conversation I had a few days back with some friends, on what are the greatest bane to people my age these days: singlehood and lack of employment.
As we talked, I sensed that my friend has really got caught up in his lifestyle of work. In a sense, I felt he had to keep on working so as to keep providing his needs. Words like "personal wealth", "spending habits of the poor, the middle class and the rich" came up a lot. I heard him talk about providing for his parents, and clearing all the debts and stuff. Somehow, just sense a bit of weariness as he talked about it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing him for working hard. In fact, I should take notes from him on all the sound financial advice and work ethics that he gave last night. But at the same time, a phrase my pastor used in sermon on sunday came back to mind. "Beware the barrenness of a busy life!" I think my friend did suffered a bit from work-fatigue. Am glad he talked about him taking a break in April with his family. Think he really enjoyed that time of short break away from work, even though he admits going with a holiday with your parents ain't the most relaxing thing to do!
Just want to encourage those who feels overstretched in life: Seek your rest in God.
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1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.
Taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=62&version=31&context=chapter
