con·sis·tent (adj) \kən-ˈsis-tənt\: marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity : free from variation or contradiction“

[Children] often say, “Do it again”; and the grown up person does it again till he is nearly dead. For grown up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps, God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes each daisy separately, but never got tired of making them. It may be that he has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” -G.K. Chesterton

The world drinks to forget, we drink to remember.

happy father's day!

Question: what do your love about your dad?

He's such an excellent provider. Not just in the monetary sense but also in terms of family administration.

He used to do the groceries (when we still cooked at home, we don't now since it's just not viable). He does the washing and sunning of clothes. He washes the porch. He pays the bills. He waters the plants. He takes the garbage out. He locks up at night. He feeds the fish. And when we still had Lucy (our dog), he used to feed her and take her for walks. He brings in the papers in the morning. He checks the car battery water at least once a fortnight and does the car maintenance. He gets people to repair equipment in the house that don't work. He sets up mousetraps in the house. He makes sure I don't stay up too late. He sends me to the LRT station almost every weekday morning. He brings along a bottle of water in the car makes sure I drink sufficient water.

He's not perfect (though I'm fairly sure he's among the best dads in the world =D), but he surely helps me understand the concept of 'providence'and subsequently what Jehovah Jireh means. I'm glad he's been such a wonderful portrayal of God as the provider to me. I know some aren't as fortunate as I am and some will always have struggle with the doubts wondering if God is able to provide. I'm really blessed not having to face that struggle because I have an earthly father who helps me understand.

"Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!- Matthew 7:9-11

On reading..

I used to have a habit of writing down quotes and little phrases that capture my attention in a little book. I haven't touched that book in a while (I've turned digital), but those little scribbles didn't age as I have. Timeless. Such is wisdom and art.

There are 3 quotes I'd like to share. I wrote them on the first page of my little book as a preface- a reminder to myself against ignorance and against closed-loop thinking:

"The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice." -Proverbs 12:15

"A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again." -Alexander Pope

"It is far from my intention to depreciate the value or deny the usefulness of books, without exception: a few well-chosen treatises, carefully perused and thoroughly digested, will deserve and reward our pains; but a multiplicity of reading is seldom attended with a good effect.

Besides the confusion it often brings upon the judgment and memory, it occasions a vast expense of time, indisposes for close thinking, and keeps us poor, in the midst of seeming plenty, by reducing us to live upon a foreign supply, instead of labouring to improve and increase the stock of our own reflections." -John Newton

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The third one is especially meaningful for me. I have a (horrible) tendency to read too much of other's people's thoughts on God at the expense of God's word. I don't discount the usefulness of other people's meditations but it's quite worrying that my concept of God has been hinging quite heavily on the authors that I read and less on His word. Dangerous stuff, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Lets do something about that shall we?

Petronas to participate in Kazakh oil and gas project

"Malaysia's Petronas will participate in Kazakh oil and gas project in exchange for Kazakhstan's participation in Petronas projects in other parts of the world, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said during his first official visit to Astana today.."

Read the rest of the article here.

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Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinking?! =)

Chasing life by its tail

I could really get used to this life. Isn't that worrying?

"Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." -C.S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory

Making mud pies or holiday at the sea? It surely makes more sense to play by the sea, build sand castles, surf the waves, dive the reefs and watch beautiful sunsets. Yet isn't it so very familiar?- feeling terribly happy with a tray of mud pies waiting to be baked. Isn't that so very worrying? Oh, I need a breakthrough. Don't we all?

Smile, because God is soooo good! =)

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Ah, so many reasons to visit the states now..