In the Nic of Time

The Simple Life

2009-01-19T22:58:00.016+08:00

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a
visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this
cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily
welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to
offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned
up his long nose at this country fare, and said: "I cannot
understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as
this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the
country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When
you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever
have stood a country life." No sooner said than done: the two
mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's
residence late at night. "You will want some refreshment after
our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend
into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a
fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes
and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking.
"What is that?" said the Country Mouse. "It is only the dogs of
the house," answered the other. "Only!" said the Country Mouse.
"I do not like that music at my dinner." Just at that moment the
door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to
scamper down and run off. "Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country
Mouse, "What! going so soon?" said the other. "Yes," he replied;

"Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."

While I was at Kuala Terengganu to drop my sister back for the new semester it made me realize how simple the life people live there. No big shopping malls, no traffic jams, no Mamaks and 7-11 every corners. Family institution is strong and people are not so individualistic. Such a peaceful and relaxing place to be.

Being a city boy, growing up in Kuala Lumpur has been astounding. Shopping malls and buildings poping up like mushrooms, new roads, new tolls, McDonald's and KFC's going 24-7 and fastfood chains are blooming faster than 7-11. People are in their own world, kids playing PSPs, teens listening to Ipods, parents on phones all the time. Such gloomy and tense feeling every corner.

With all the pursuing of gadgets and knowledge we would become more efficient, more work is done to obtain pride and wealth. But along the way we get lost in relationships, health, our sanity. As the world advance in many ways, social issues like poverty, violence, pollution, injustice, discrimination, crime, as well as abortion and autism to name a few.

We believe that with education and knowledge will make us a better person yet statistic and facts tells us otherwise. We have seen, heard and some of us have experienced the consequence of social ills. Have we lost our way? Should we get back to basics of being human? Is less more?

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

2009-01-01T18:34:00.007+08:00

There was once a young Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was rather lonely for him all day, so he thought upon a plan by which he could get a little company and some excitement. He rushed down towards the village calling out "Wolf, Wolf," and the villagers came out to meet him, and some of them stopped with him for a considerable time. This pleased the boy so much that a few days afterwards he tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help. But shortly after this a Wolf actually did come out from the forest, and began to worry the sheep, and the boy of course cried out "Wolf, Wolf," still louder than before. But this time the villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was again deceiving them, and nobody stirred to come to his help. So the Wolf made a good meal off the boy's flock, and when the boy complained, the wise man of the village said:

"A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth."

Lying was a habit since I was a child. During my primary school days I use to lie to my parents to buy magazines and junk food. The worst part of it was stealing stuff from 7-11 and selling them in school to have more money to spend. I got caught several times stealing and lying from my parents and punishment was painfully memorable.

The moral of the fable was learned the hard way when my parents doubted me even when I started to tell the truth and stopped lying. I only discovered that being honest has it's rewards as I continued to be truthful and my parents began to trust me. After all telling the truth is way much easier then lying.

Growing older now, lying is a whole new level. We lie to gain attention, acceptance, to maintain a secret or reputation, protect someone's feelings or to avoid a punishment. Fabrication, Bluffing, Misleading, Exaggeration, White lies, Noble lies..., all Deceptive. When gray areas surface, tolerance happens. Do we still believe a lie is still a lie?

There can be two alternative consequences of lying: it may be discovered or remain undiscovered. When a lie is discovered, the state of mind and behavior of the liar is no longer predictable. Is telling the truth not that hard after all?

How Man·y Kings

2008-12-16T15:10:00.004+08:00

Been mesmerize by this song whole week. The song is a great display of The Father God amazing love for each of us. A great reminder for the reason of Christmas.

Downhere - How Many Kings
Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe, after all we've projected
A child in a manger?
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl -
Just a child
Is this who we've waited for? 'cause...

Chorus:
How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior
All that we have, whether costly or meek
Because we believe
Gold for his honor, and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he will suffer
Do you believe?
Is this who we've waited for?

(Chorus)
Only one did that for me.
All for me, all for you
All for me, all for you

(Chorus)
Only one did that for me.

im·pa·tient driv·er

2008-12-16T14:30:00.000+08:00

Had an accident while I was on my way to class, it was at a traffic light junction while the light turn yellow and the car in-front of me stop but the impatient me was expecting the car to move. This was not the first time I it happen in fact it's the same junction and situation which had cost quite a few knock on my car. To date I have had a couple of accidents as such since started driving.

The impatient driver in me believes people should drive faster while the traffic light turns yellow and drivers should leave as little gap in between cars to avoid wasting road space which are reasons I break late and bang into bumps.

The guy that I bang into was generous enough to bare more then half of the damage repair which the remaining I've to fork out. I thank God for the minimal price i had to pay but I am even more grateful that God is leading me to change the impatient person I am and the repairing work He is doing to the damaged me.

a·new

2008-12-16T13:50:00.000+08:00

Starting fresh once more with a new blog, wanna do things differently. This blog is going to be a reminder of the steps and lesson learn in my journey of life.

Psalm 78:7 (New Living Translation)

7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.

Ephesians 2:10 (New Living Translation)

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.