THAT'S NOT HOWIE DO IT!

I tuned in for the first time watching HOWIE DO IT and I got turned-off especially when a crew interviewed people on the street. This interviewer asked one guy (on the street) how did he feel looking like a woman and taunted a girl how she felt dressing up like a prostitute. The girl and her friends (tooted) him all the way. I watched in bewilderment of how wild the show can turn up to be. Are script writers running out of tricks in the entertainment industry or they are just plain dumb? And Howie just felt smug about the whole thing and audience just clapped pretending everything is alright. Laughing at the expense of the embarassment of others. And the ones being offended didn't even get paid for being on the show! Come on! And come on Astro! I know the show is huge but it is not for us lah! Anyway, maybe people are enjoying it I don't know but I was upset. Anyway, God bless AMERICA!

WHEN WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE SUFFER

I am now doing my devotion on the book of Job. What I normally do when I start on a new book is to check the background and learn as much about the culture of the day as possible before I turn to the book proper, usually reading tightly and carefully, most of the time, every word.

Job was almost a "superman" as far as spirituality is concerned. Always sees everything through the eyes of God, being obedient to the core (sometimes I wonder where did he get the faith from without the Bible like we have). Perhaps it was his father/mother or grandparents that tell the story of God's faithfulness toward Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Job's story was a story of victory and not of suffering or defeat. It was a great example of a human's faithfulness towards God even in extreme circumstances. Job was extremely careful not to curse God when he was severely tested as opposed to Satan and even his wife. Yes, as human he felt helpless and frustated and that bad things could come to good people. Yes, as human, he felt that God was far away and he didn't deserve such calamities. However, deep down inside, he held on to his trust in God. His three counsellor friends had a strong theology that bad things would come to every man because every man had sinned. And that Job had sinned. Many Christians and preachers had also said that Job's fear that got him into trouble. Fearing that his sons would get into trouble with God, Job constantly offered sacrifice to God for them (in other words, he prayed constantly for his sons). Was he wrong in that concern that God has to punish him for that? Probably not!

When I read about Job's frustation and not cursing God for his predicament, I can't help but admire him. As human myself I am subjected to lots of frustations in life but deep down I am totally grateful to God! If hasn't been for God, my life will be in the dumps! Job would not get so rich in the first place. God trusted Job to even let Satan inflict him. It is a privilege to have God compliment him! The first time I read the book of Job I wonder why God has to play Job like a chess game. Today I read Job in a completely different light because I see that God wanted everyone to know that everything one has is given by God in heaven. And that suffering can come to good people but for a reason known only to the GOOD GOD we serve. Jesus suffered. Paul suffered. God did not punish Job for his frustations but instead angry with his three counsellor friends for insisting that God punished Job for his sin. When we suffer because we do good, God will vindicate us!

At the end, God not only healed Job, He gave back to Job twice more than he had before. Today, we may not know or understand why we suffer but we know that God knows and that He cares!

WHAT HOLIDAYS CAN DO TO YOU!

I apologise for not blogging for about 2 weeks as I was away for holidays.

I thank God for the opportunity to go Scotland and all Ireland for a 12-day holiday. I would also want to thank Air Asia partly for its low-fare flight to Stansted, London and then Ryanair (Europe's internal low-fare airline) that enabled me and my wife to travel so far. We are able to save quite a sum as compared to joining a travel agency here in Malaysia.

What holidays can do to you???

1. First of all, obviously would be the OOHs and AAHs of the spectacular scenery of both countries (Scotland in particular).

2. It was a good break from hectic schedules back home to just completely put to rest "work" albiet for a short two weeks (notice the word "work" with quotations as completely forget about work is a lie).

3. Holidaying in other countries helps us learn cultures which sometimes makes us more human rather than criticising what others did from far away without realising the actual reasons (Especially Northern Ireland's tulmultous history).

4. Experience more street smart skills by staying from city to city, town to town(sometimes it can be rather scary especially when you couldn't find your apartment you booked or one day, we found the apartment but couldn't get in because we do not have the codes).

5. We have interesting discoveries -

a. The ship, "Titanic" was build in Dublin's harbour which is the second deepest in the world (the deepest is Sydney's) - Dublin is in Republic of Ireland.

b. St. Patrick was called to Ireland when he had a dream of Irish's children crying for his help and literally brought Christianity to Ireland. His brithday is still being celebrated today.

c. Three band members of Westlife was born in Sligo, which is one of the cities in Ireland.

d. C. S Lewis, the author of Narnia Series was born in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.

e. The lead singer of Cranberies, (Yeah, yeah, yeaaah) had a house somewhere in Ireland where we drove past (it was a huge house, got a picture too).

f. Bono of U2 is the most famous Irish rocker! He was born in Dublin.

g. Northern Ireland (capital Belfast) is still part of the United Kingdom where you have to use pounds (Ringgit 5.4) and Republic of Ireland (capital Dublin) is an independent country and it uses Euro (Ringgit 4.8).

h. Few years ago, there was a peace treaty signed between the IRA who fights for Irish independence for Northern Ireland with the British after decades of fighting and bombing. Thousands were killed during those days. The peace treaty was signed on Good Friday!

i. There are two communities, Catholics and Prostestant who were fighting each other since the feud started about 800 years ago are now slowly healing.

All in all, the trip was full of learning experience as well as enjoying the beautiful nature of God's creation.