Understanding Wisdom

I find it interesting how, when I've hit some spiritual breakthrough, I am so tempted to think that I now fully comprehend everything and am ready to consider myself some sort of expert on the matter. It's almost as if I think I've hit an epiphany that the rest of the world has yet to see when the reality of the matter is, a good chunk of the world probably have experienced that breakthrough and I'm only merely scratching the surface of it.

I'm talking about how to really live a godly life and what it means to be spiritually discipline. While, I'm not trying to take away from the significance of this understanding I've come across, I find now it more important than ever to keep a humble mentality over it. To know that while I may be one step closer to putting it all together, I still have a long way to go.

Ultimately, if this is wisdom, it comes with the price of responsibility. It's knowing that I should have even more motivation to keep pushing forwards and less of an excuse to revert back to my old self. The toughest challenge out of all this is understanding and remembering that wisdom itself is a gift from God and should be used for his glory and not my own.

Learning To Live - Part II

I'm learning to accept that my entire past, even the ugly sides to it, is such an essential part of me. If for nothing else, it shows me how far I've hopefully come from the person that I once was. Also, I'm learning that the future is just as essential because we're trying to reach a destination at the end that's marred with fears and obstacles. Most importantly, I'm trying to learn to really cherish those special moments when they do happen and learn the meaning of having true passion. A friend of mine once told me that if you can't find heaven in life, there won't be a heaven for you in death.

Another thing I realized is that, it's how you pray that matters just as much as simply praying. I pray not to ask God to do something for me, but to work through me and give me an extra bit of determination when I'm discouraged and think about giving up. Maybe this is the way he really wants it.

I've always heard from others their "recipe" on how to live life fully but I never truly understood what they meant by it. I most often find that the ones that know this best are the ones never have to say it. I'll always be blessed to have met these people in my life. I wouldn't say I've learned how to fully live life yet but I hope I'm coming closer to figuring it out. In the end, I hope I can be an inspiration and blessing to others and just share whatever recipe of life I may have like countless others have done for me.

The more I keep writing about the things I discovered during the weekend, the more I'm left in awe by it. I never would've imagine to find such profoundness on a ski slope but I shouldn't really be surprised. God works that way. He always has.

Learning To Live - Part I

I had came back from snowboarding for my very first time this past weekend. I was absolutely mortified about the thought of it just because everything you hear about how your butt is going to hurt at the end, your wrist will be sore, you might break something, it won't be any fun...etc..etc. Despite all that, and with some convincing by a friend, I went through with the whole thing and guess what? I absolutely loved it.

Going down the run I remember concentrating only on the my very next action and adapting to what the slope was giving me at each and every turn while getting the technique down properly. I wasn't putting all my focus on reaching the final destination at the bottom of the run, how I was planning on getting there or how many times I had failed and bailed in the past. The key thing here is that I didn't put all my focus on these things, but they still were very much in my mind the entire way. I did all this while asking God to protect me and to just let me go out on the hill and give it my very best.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how synonymous it really is to trying to live our lives. Trying to focus and live in the present to our best efforts while always keeping the past and future in mind. It's such a tough balancing act, but such is anything worthwhile. Maybe it's only really tough because we let outselves get too caught up in the past, the future or neither.

Between You and God

I got this quote from, of all places, my "A Joke A Day" subscription. It's called "Between You and God" and it's by none other than Mother Teresa.

"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do you anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the end, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway."

Mother Teresa

The Man In The Arena Part II

"It is not the critic who counts; nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotion; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt

I posted this famous quote around seven months ago and I decided it was worth posting again. Why? Because at this stage in my life, when I am scared about what's possibly waiting for me in the future it reminds me to not lose hope and not to be afraid of making mistakes in the name of effort.

I really like this quote because it speaks to me on so many levels. I have it posted on my clipboard just to remind myself to keep going, especially on days when I hit that mental wall and want to stop trying at everything.

It's interesting, I find that the most valuable lessons I have ever learned wasn't anything that was revolutionary but often the same old lesson that has to be drilled into my head time and time again.

Inspiration from Les Mis

I'm not going to say too much in this post. I just finished watching Les Miserables and I found the lyrics to the Epilogue to be very beautiful. If you've seen it before, its the part where both Fantine and Eponine are singing to Valjean when he is alone in the shadows. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

Here's the lyrics.

Take my hand
And lead me to salvation.
Take my love.
For love is everlasting.
And remember
The truth that once was spoken
To love another person
Is to see the face of God.

It sounds so much better when you sing to it.

Ring In The New Year

2004 was such an absolute blessing for me. I had a chance just to think about all the wonderful people I've met, friendships I had a chance to develop, the chance to figure out what I want to do with my life and most importantly find out just a little bit more who I really am and what my passion is. Most importantly, I'm starting realize just how special life really is and how important it is make use of the time we have.

The past year, I discovered that there is a spiritual side that does exists within me. That there's a musical side to me that I love expressing through my voice and guitar. That there is so much out there in life than I ever imagined.

I have so many questions about the coming year. So many uncertainties, so many things I want to accomplish. The thought that in four months time, I'll be done here really has me scared beyond belief. I really pray I can make good use of the rest of my time here. More than ever time seems to so scarce. I made myself a list of goals I'd like to accomplish over this semester and just in this lifetime. Try to remember what I dream about.

List of things:

Take care of my body that I have been blessed with (175 lbs. Bench Press 175 lbs.)
Keep developing my relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ
Finish reading the Bible Once
Learn Cantonese and/or Mandarin
Learn Piano/Guitar
Be humble and content with everything given to me.
Have a burning desire to seek God

Above all else, dedicate myself to what matters most in life. Relationships.

Most of the time I think I sound way too serious for my own good. I found an quote that put things in a nice perspective for me. Check it out.

"Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things, God will bring you to judgement."

Ecclesiastes 11:9