Showing posts with label Muses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muses. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Monday, May 28, 2007
Successful?
Abundantly blessed in my job with superiors who are objective, great working colleagues, big wide open spaces and lots of facilities in my working environment and in an office away from my boss :p , not to mention lots of friends who have proven to be there for me when I had been down and a recreation that I really enjoy, I praise and thank God that He has put me into an enviable position where I feel I have everything I desire, success from my POV.
If there is one challenge I have to learn to manage, it is the fact that work had gotten so much busier and had become so much more hectic that I don't seem to have time for anything except work and recreation.
Yet even in this fully blessed position, I'm counting the costs, costs that may have become too great to bear. My increased workload means that I am either napping or doing work on the MRT while on my way to work which had taken away my only quiet time for prayer, bible reading or time to catch up with friends via smses to find out how they are doing; I feel tired and have low energy all the time and though I feel care for my friends, it feels so much harder to get involved in their lives, find out how they are doing to pray for, care for and think of practical ways to help them.
Whatever I have, are all blessings for God and I'm fully thankful for them. Yet, I also start to realise, how the fuller meeting of our desires here on earth, can make us less aliens and more at home in, and more conforming to the values of this world. No wonder Jesus has said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." (Matt 19:24)! A verse though that ends with hope because he added, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matt 19:26)
May God grant me the wisdom and strength to make wise decisions so that I may live out the chief end of man - which is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.
If there is one challenge I have to learn to manage, it is the fact that work had gotten so much busier and had become so much more hectic that I don't seem to have time for anything except work and recreation.
Yet even in this fully blessed position, I'm counting the costs, costs that may have become too great to bear. My increased workload means that I am either napping or doing work on the MRT while on my way to work which had taken away my only quiet time for prayer, bible reading or time to catch up with friends via smses to find out how they are doing; I feel tired and have low energy all the time and though I feel care for my friends, it feels so much harder to get involved in their lives, find out how they are doing to pray for, care for and think of practical ways to help them.
Whatever I have, are all blessings for God and I'm fully thankful for them. Yet, I also start to realise, how the fuller meeting of our desires here on earth, can make us less aliens and more at home in, and more conforming to the values of this world. No wonder Jesus has said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." (Matt 19:24)! A verse though that ends with hope because he added, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matt 19:26)
May God grant me the wisdom and strength to make wise decisions so that I may live out the chief end of man - which is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Obsessed with joy
Being bitten by the salsa-bug had me exhibiting symptoms of dreaming about salsa dance steps, listening to latin american music so that I may acclimatise to the clave rhythm and looking forward to the next time we head down to union square. I am ashamed to say that the addiction had been so bad I wasn't able to sleep at night wondering how I could keep my balance while executing my right turn and pondering if the constant weight on my right leg will cause even more spider veins to pop unattractively out under my skin.
The joy of salsa laid in its exuberance, spontaneity as the lead designed the dance off-the-cuff supported by the follow who read the unspoken cues to react accordingly and innate cheekiness and playfulness as the couple danced (or perhaps it is the cheekiness of the people I'm with. :p ) In the year of pondering about my decision to take up salsa, I had wondered if it is something that will displease Jesus or cause me to be ashamed when I come into His presence through prayer.
An implicit question was "Is something displeasing to God just because it is fun? Does He not like it because I am happy doing it?"
My personal opinion is that most of us fall into sin because the reward of indulgence seem so much greater than acknowledging His presence in our lives. (In truth, He is in our lives whether we acknowledge that or not!) Just doctoring the figures here or there can lead to accounting firms keeping their clients who are really the ones actually paying them; closing an eye and submitting to a superior's questionable demands can lead to a favourable appraisal and a higher salary for the next year; sleeping together before marriage leads to enjoyment and gratification here and now. Yes, there's a God, but He is only a discipline master who is eager to punish when we're having fun and who snoops in order to catch us doing wrong. We can only be right with Him when we do our duty with our most morose face, surviving and functioning under the strict boundaries, rules and regulations that He has set and trying to steal that little bit of fun to relieve the tedium in sin.
But this belies the Word which says, "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." (Col 2:20-23)
If there is anything to be learned from the Apostle Paul, who was an ex-Pharisee (separated one - from all things) who became set apart FOR the gospel of God (Rm 1:1), it was this: That all our worship - that is the way that we live our lives - should be done with joy in Christ.
"...rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Rm 5:11)
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Rm 12:12)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. " (Gal 5:22-23)
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil 4:4)
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess 5:16-18)
Other books of the bible, notably Psalms in the OT and David's life example, also overflows with joy, awe and praise of God's glory.
When we became His children through belief in Christ Jesus, the doorway to God Himself (His presence in our lives, knowledge of Him) is open and that is the gospel (the good news!) The joy of really knowing God is so great Paul wrote, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ..." (Phil 3:8)
We can do this because it is only in the true Christ (not in His gifts of wealth, fellowship, talents etc) that we can have real, lasting joy. When we recognise Him (yes, He Himself) as (not source of) our Treasure and our very great Reward, the pleasure and power of sin diminishes. The created - money, popularity among friends (even Christian friends), fame (one expression of perverted glory in a sense) even salsa (in my case) - with all their potential of being used by Satan to becoming idols or temptations in our lives, simply become vehicles by which we enjoy some of His gifts in this life. If we have them, great and praise God! But if we don't, it is also well and good.
So I'm learning and dancing salsa because it is fun, it makes me happy and it gives me a great sense of satisfaction when I'm able to execute the technical intricacies of the dance (ok, it is intricate for a non-dancer like me. :D ) As with any other gift, there can be temptations and abuse into sin - my current obsession that I'm submitting by prayer and reminder of other priorities in my life, the dance's innate sensuality (some websites refer to it as a courtship dance,) the usual dangers that are associated with clubs and clubbing.
But I know that my ultimate obsession is with joy, pure joy. And I pray that I may desire Him and the natural result of that joy even more so that the things of this world can be enjoyed in their proper time and place for even more joy and life. May I always "delight myself in the Lord so that He will give me the desires of my heart." (Ps 37:4)
The joy of salsa laid in its exuberance, spontaneity as the lead designed the dance off-the-cuff supported by the follow who read the unspoken cues to react accordingly and innate cheekiness and playfulness as the couple danced (or perhaps it is the cheekiness of the people I'm with. :p ) In the year of pondering about my decision to take up salsa, I had wondered if it is something that will displease Jesus or cause me to be ashamed when I come into His presence through prayer.
An implicit question was "Is something displeasing to God just because it is fun? Does He not like it because I am happy doing it?"
My personal opinion is that most of us fall into sin because the reward of indulgence seem so much greater than acknowledging His presence in our lives. (In truth, He is in our lives whether we acknowledge that or not!) Just doctoring the figures here or there can lead to accounting firms keeping their clients who are really the ones actually paying them; closing an eye and submitting to a superior's questionable demands can lead to a favourable appraisal and a higher salary for the next year; sleeping together before marriage leads to enjoyment and gratification here and now. Yes, there's a God, but He is only a discipline master who is eager to punish when we're having fun and who snoops in order to catch us doing wrong. We can only be right with Him when we do our duty with our most morose face, surviving and functioning under the strict boundaries, rules and regulations that He has set and trying to steal that little bit of fun to relieve the tedium in sin.
But this belies the Word which says, "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." (Col 2:20-23)
If there is anything to be learned from the Apostle Paul, who was an ex-Pharisee (separated one - from all things) who became set apart FOR the gospel of God (Rm 1:1), it was this: That all our worship - that is the way that we live our lives - should be done with joy in Christ.
"...rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Rm 5:11)
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Rm 12:12)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. " (Gal 5:22-23)
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil 4:4)
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess 5:16-18)
Other books of the bible, notably Psalms in the OT and David's life example, also overflows with joy, awe and praise of God's glory.
When we became His children through belief in Christ Jesus, the doorway to God Himself (His presence in our lives, knowledge of Him) is open and that is the gospel (the good news!) The joy of really knowing God is so great Paul wrote, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ..." (Phil 3:8)
We can do this because it is only in the true Christ (not in His gifts of wealth, fellowship, talents etc) that we can have real, lasting joy. When we recognise Him (yes, He Himself) as (not source of) our Treasure and our very great Reward, the pleasure and power of sin diminishes. The created - money, popularity among friends (even Christian friends), fame (one expression of perverted glory in a sense) even salsa (in my case) - with all their potential of being used by Satan to becoming idols or temptations in our lives, simply become vehicles by which we enjoy some of His gifts in this life. If we have them, great and praise God! But if we don't, it is also well and good.
So I'm learning and dancing salsa because it is fun, it makes me happy and it gives me a great sense of satisfaction when I'm able to execute the technical intricacies of the dance (ok, it is intricate for a non-dancer like me. :D ) As with any other gift, there can be temptations and abuse into sin - my current obsession that I'm submitting by prayer and reminder of other priorities in my life, the dance's innate sensuality (some websites refer to it as a courtship dance,) the usual dangers that are associated with clubs and clubbing.
But I know that my ultimate obsession is with joy, pure joy. And I pray that I may desire Him and the natural result of that joy even more so that the things of this world can be enjoyed in their proper time and place for even more joy and life. May I always "delight myself in the Lord so that He will give me the desires of my heart." (Ps 37:4)
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Metaphor of men-women relationships
My determination to just watch salsa in my debut experience with salsa had me hugging my bag while seated. Until my good-natured colleague and her group of warm friends (feeling bad because I'm left out of the fun) got me to stand up to try out the basic salsa step and turn to the count of "1-2-3-pause, 5-6-7-pause" and a few basic cues by which the lead will signal to the follower what he wants done. And suddenly, I was in the middle of the dance floor, so I thought, "Ok, let's just give it a shot."
It's interesting what happened next. Basically with me only knowing the steps, the turn and cues, the lead was able to execute patterns and variations that were beyond my comprehension. I just simply delighted in being part of a unison that is working well together and following his unspoken cues, little as I know. It suddenly dawned on me that this is the perfect metaphor for the ideal marriage and men-women relationships.
With Christ mapping out the basic template and boundaries of what the dance is supposed to be, man led and woman followed and supported. It doesn't matter if the man chose to keep to a tight spot in order to consider other dances or chose to take up more space and shine so that he can become a model for others, woman simply followed, helped and adapted as long as man is within the boundaries of the dance.
There are of course other factors, that can come into the dance. What if man is less experienced in the dance than woman? How can woman humbly follow so that man can lead and yet learn to be a better dancer? What if it is obvious that the couple is on a crash course with another couple and man is oblivious to it? How can woman influence without sabotaging the leadership position of man? What if man is obviously violating every rule in the dance? What can the woman do?
And of course woman can always exercise her choice of "No" even as it is man's prerogative to initiate. When a player, a wolf in sheep's clothing, a predator wants to initiate a dance with you or even if a decent guy were to choose to initiate a dance that you believe to be against His will, you can choose to diplomatically refuse.
And of course there is this unspoken rule that is generally true in this male-led dance, "When things go awry, it's never the lady's fault." =D
These could be some considerations of the lead:
i) How much does she know, and how complex can my dance design be so that she can follow?
ii) Where are the empty spaces I can lead the lady to?
iii) How tall is she and where can I hold her so that she is comfortable?
iv) How firm/gentle should my hold be so that she is comfortable yet allow for clear signalling?
v) How can I teach her new moves so that she looks good?
The successful dance is the basic premise of the man and woman moving well together. So, do you dance? ;)
It's interesting what happened next. Basically with me only knowing the steps, the turn and cues, the lead was able to execute patterns and variations that were beyond my comprehension. I just simply delighted in being part of a unison that is working well together and following his unspoken cues, little as I know. It suddenly dawned on me that this is the perfect metaphor for the ideal marriage and men-women relationships.
With Christ mapping out the basic template and boundaries of what the dance is supposed to be, man led and woman followed and supported. It doesn't matter if the man chose to keep to a tight spot in order to consider other dances or chose to take up more space and shine so that he can become a model for others, woman simply followed, helped and adapted as long as man is within the boundaries of the dance.
There are of course other factors, that can come into the dance. What if man is less experienced in the dance than woman? How can woman humbly follow so that man can lead and yet learn to be a better dancer? What if it is obvious that the couple is on a crash course with another couple and man is oblivious to it? How can woman influence without sabotaging the leadership position of man? What if man is obviously violating every rule in the dance? What can the woman do?
And of course woman can always exercise her choice of "No" even as it is man's prerogative to initiate. When a player, a wolf in sheep's clothing, a predator wants to initiate a dance with you or even if a decent guy were to choose to initiate a dance that you believe to be against His will, you can choose to diplomatically refuse.
And of course there is this unspoken rule that is generally true in this male-led dance, "When things go awry, it's never the lady's fault." =D
These could be some considerations of the lead:
i) How much does she know, and how complex can my dance design be so that she can follow?
ii) Where are the empty spaces I can lead the lady to?
iii) How tall is she and where can I hold her so that she is comfortable?
iv) How firm/gentle should my hold be so that she is comfortable yet allow for clear signalling?
v) How can I teach her new moves so that she looks good?
The successful dance is the basic premise of the man and woman moving well together. So, do you dance? ;)
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