Most of us have seen or at least know the “colors of the rainbow” but do you know or have you seen the “colors of the wind”?
In fact everyday that we are awake, we have seen the “colors of the wind”, but how often do we take cognizance of it?
It’s out there, everywhere in the earth and sky. But because of our busyness, we have taken it for granted all this while.
If you will but pause for a moment and stand and stare, the beauty and splendor of the colors of Mother Nature are all out there for us to see.
Don’t you see, the colors of Mother Nature are replicated in the “colors of the wind”?
We see it’s splendor in the flowers, in the trees, in the sky, in fact in every living creature that stalks the earth, the sky and the seas.
Have you ever wondered why the sky is always blue, clouds are white and grass always green?
The colors of the birds and bees that fly, the fishes that swim, the beetles and snakes that crawl, the foxes and wolves that run and howl, the wild horses that roam free, and the butterflies, oh just how many colors from these alone can we see?
Indeed, Mother Nature has endowed us with colors, hues and shades of so many kinds that you can literally say that we truly live in “a billion-bit techno-color” world.
The beauty of the colors that surrounds us in this world is truly beyond compare! To whoever created all these, I stand in awe of Him.
I can’t imagine what kind of a world it would be like if it did not have all the colors to color it, can you?
Do we want a world that’s actually colorless, or colored at best only in black or white for everything? I think not. In a world that has no color at all or is not colorful, what a dull and sulky world indeed that would be!
Now let me ask you this - if you can paint with all the "colors of the wind", how would you apply them in this world, on things that move as well as on those that don’t?
It would be interesting to see with every stroke you make, if you would turn the leaves to a hue of blue, and tree-trunks to charcoal black and grass that’s anything but green; a sky that’s painted cherry-pink and a sea that’s glaringly red. Oh, no! Wouldn’t that be a disaster?
The Creator to whom Christians called God the Father, the one who made all these colors possible and blended them in such harmony for man to enjoy is indeed one great Master Painter-cum-Artist and I must say, is also one with a meticulous eye for detail too.
Take a look at some of the living creatures on the face of the Earth from the macro to the micro, and you will see what I mean. Darwin did that a long time ago and wondered why but do you see it just as Darwin saw it or more?
By every means I must say, it’s a no small feat as no human being that ever lived could have done such a fantastic and marvelous job.
Now aren’t we grateful that we don’t have to live in a world that’s painted only in black and white, but in one that’s literally littered with a million and one colors of intelligent design, superbly blended in a setting that’s uniquely indescribable, just like what we see everyday in the very ordinary yet splendid “colors of the wind”?
If you care, do take time to stand and stare, and take in with every breath, all the wonders of what is not only an immensely rich and colorful world that we live in but a world, in fact a whole creation, that’s quite unlike any other, indescribably unique and intricately vibrant.
Have you wondered how is this possible? Have you wondered why?
Take a cue from the lyrics of this beautiful love song entitled, “Colors of the Wind” which was taken from a very popular animated movie made by Disney called “Pocahontas”, the video-clip courtesy of Liz20788. TQ Liz.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Happy Anniversary
We all have birthdays. Sometimes we celebrate them, but sometimes, for one reason or another, we don’t get to.
There comes a time when we just let our birth-day pass like any ordinary day. Come that day, nothing special happens, and if we don’t make any effort, nothing will.
Wedding anniversaries are no different.
We tend to celebrate only the major ones, like once every ten years and the significant ones like a Silver Wedding Anniversary (commemorating 25 years of tying the knot), or a Golden one (50 years), maybe even a Diamond Wedding Anniversary (75 years), but how many of us get close to making it together to that age, much less seen doing it?
If there is nothing else worthwhile to remember, I think one should remember the birthday of one’s own spouse and one’s own wedding anniversary as these are milestones in one’s life and I think ought to be celebrated at the very least, on a modest scale.
If for want of anything else, a cake and a song to mark the occasion will do just perfectly. After all, it is the thought more than anything else that counts.
Come to think of it, my very own Wedding Anniversary is fast approaching. It’s my 38th one this year and it falls on 1st June, which is just about seven days away.
Time truly flies. Aren’t we blessed, we are alive and still together all these years?
On that destined day, like always, I want to wish my spouse, “Happy Anniversary” and hope to be able to say this when we eat our anniversary cake and toast to each other:
“Here’s to you and here’s to me,
and may we never disagree,
but if we do,
I’ll still love you.”
May God Almighty bless us with many more anniversaries to come.
To all the good people out there celebrating Wedding Anniversary of one kind or another, let me dedicate this lovely Kenny Rogers' song entitled, "Through The Years", the video-clip courtesy of cathykt, to all of you. Enjoy.
There comes a time when we just let our birth-day pass like any ordinary day. Come that day, nothing special happens, and if we don’t make any effort, nothing will.
Wedding anniversaries are no different.
We tend to celebrate only the major ones, like once every ten years and the significant ones like a Silver Wedding Anniversary (commemorating 25 years of tying the knot), or a Golden one (50 years), maybe even a Diamond Wedding Anniversary (75 years), but how many of us get close to making it together to that age, much less seen doing it?
If there is nothing else worthwhile to remember, I think one should remember the birthday of one’s own spouse and one’s own wedding anniversary as these are milestones in one’s life and I think ought to be celebrated at the very least, on a modest scale.
If for want of anything else, a cake and a song to mark the occasion will do just perfectly. After all, it is the thought more than anything else that counts.
Come to think of it, my very own Wedding Anniversary is fast approaching. It’s my 38th one this year and it falls on 1st June, which is just about seven days away.
Time truly flies. Aren’t we blessed, we are alive and still together all these years?
On that destined day, like always, I want to wish my spouse, “Happy Anniversary” and hope to be able to say this when we eat our anniversary cake and toast to each other:
“Here’s to you and here’s to me,
and may we never disagree,
but if we do,
I’ll still love you.”
May God Almighty bless us with many more anniversaries to come.
To all the good people out there celebrating Wedding Anniversary of one kind or another, let me dedicate this lovely Kenny Rogers' song entitled, "Through The Years", the video-clip courtesy of cathykt, to all of you. Enjoy.
Be Yourself
I think one of the best advice that anyone can give someone is this, “Be yourself”.
In our social life, we all wear masks of one kind or another, and we are often not the person that we truly are.
Someone once said, "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be."
Another said, "We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin." True or not?
So when we hear the advice, "Be yourself", it jolts us back to reality as the pressure to pretend slowly loses its grip on us.
It actually makes you feel good, for when you are really you, I think what you say and what you do will make a greater impact on others than if it was said or done from behind a mask.
But "originality" or "be yourself" is often so hard to be or do.
It actually takes a lot of courage to grow up and become who you really are.
I like what this guy, James Thurber said. He had said:
"All men should strive
to learn before they die
what they are running from, and to, and why."
You know to some people, if they truly knew themselves, they might run away!
Well, I hope that trying to define yourself is not like trying to bite your own teeth, is it?
I think it's a helluva challenge, trying to recognise what actually makes you or me tick the way we do.
But if you haven't found it, don't give up trying.
An old adage says, "Everyone of us has in him a continent of undiscovered character. Blessed is he who acts the Columbus to his own soul."
In conclusion, I quote John Mason, "You were born an original. Don't die a copy."
Cheers!
In our social life, we all wear masks of one kind or another, and we are often not the person that we truly are.
Someone once said, "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be."
Another said, "We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin." True or not?
So when we hear the advice, "Be yourself", it jolts us back to reality as the pressure to pretend slowly loses its grip on us.
It actually makes you feel good, for when you are really you, I think what you say and what you do will make a greater impact on others than if it was said or done from behind a mask.
But "originality" or "be yourself" is often so hard to be or do.
It actually takes a lot of courage to grow up and become who you really are.
I like what this guy, James Thurber said. He had said:
"All men should strive
to learn before they die
what they are running from, and to, and why."
You know to some people, if they truly knew themselves, they might run away!
Well, I hope that trying to define yourself is not like trying to bite your own teeth, is it?
I think it's a helluva challenge, trying to recognise what actually makes you or me tick the way we do.
But if you haven't found it, don't give up trying.
An old adage says, "Everyone of us has in him a continent of undiscovered character. Blessed is he who acts the Columbus to his own soul."
In conclusion, I quote John Mason, "You were born an original. Don't die a copy."
Cheers!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Biblical wisdom is beyond compare
You know, someone said this, "We are perhaps, uniquely among earth's creatures, the worrying animal. We worry away our lives!"
Another said, "It is the little bits of things that fret and worry us; we can dodge an elephant, but we can't dodge a fly." True but how pathetic!
But blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and you can say, too sleepy to worry at night. Such a guy is indeed blessed!
But how many of us are like that?
If you think your job is most important and your boss literally cannot live without you, listen to what Bertrand Russell, the famed English philosopher had to say about it.
"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important." Believe it or not is up to you.
As a matter of fact, the Bible contains a lot of wisdom on stress and worry and on how to handle them. Search and you'll surely find it.
For instance, in the Book of Proverbs, chapter 12 verse 25 it says, "An anxious heart weighs a man down..."
Elsewhere, the Apostle Paul advises, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (~Philippians 4:6)
In Matthew, Chapter 11 verse 29-30, Jesus said, "Take my yoke and learn from me...,and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
With all these good advice, shouldn't we lay down our burdens, and let's take refuge in our Lord?
Truly, Biblical wisdom is beyond compare!
Here's another heart-soothing hymn which to me is also a great "stress-reliever". Listen and tell me what you think?
It's entitled, "I Will Offer Up My Life", the video-clip courtesy of citrail.
Another said, "It is the little bits of things that fret and worry us; we can dodge an elephant, but we can't dodge a fly." True but how pathetic!
But blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and you can say, too sleepy to worry at night. Such a guy is indeed blessed!
But how many of us are like that?
If you think your job is most important and your boss literally cannot live without you, listen to what Bertrand Russell, the famed English philosopher had to say about it.
"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important." Believe it or not is up to you.
As a matter of fact, the Bible contains a lot of wisdom on stress and worry and on how to handle them. Search and you'll surely find it.
For instance, in the Book of Proverbs, chapter 12 verse 25 it says, "An anxious heart weighs a man down..."
Elsewhere, the Apostle Paul advises, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (~Philippians 4:6)
In Matthew, Chapter 11 verse 29-30, Jesus said, "Take my yoke and learn from me...,and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
With all these good advice, shouldn't we lay down our burdens, and let's take refuge in our Lord?
Truly, Biblical wisdom is beyond compare!
Here's another heart-soothing hymn which to me is also a great "stress-reliever". Listen and tell me what you think?
It's entitled, "I Will Offer Up My Life", the video-clip courtesy of citrail.
The Value of Stress
Once every year or so, especially if you are over fifty, we deliberately go into a medical centre and do a "stress test" in order to check our heart condition.
That is good because it will ensure that we don't have any blocked coronary arteries, and if we do, it will spur us on to take early or immediate remedial action.
These days we often hear about "stress tests" being applied even to financial institutions especially to the big banks of the world, a much needed health check I must say, to see whether in fact they too can survive the storms of the severe economic downturn which is sweeping across the globe today.
Indeed, despite technological progress, today's modern life has become very stressful. And as more and more people lose their jobs, family resilience is stretched and resources taxed to the limit.
By and large, governments of the world have not been very helpful and sadly people's hardships everywhere especially those of the poor and the marginalised continue to mount.
We need to come to terms with stress and manage it if we are to stay sane and healthy, otherwise the anxiety, discontentment and restlessness that flow from stress will slowly but surely eat our hearts out.
Look at it this way. Perhaps there is a positive side to stress. We probably need to go through the "heat" in order that we can come out of it stronger and wiser.
See, if the pressure is taken off a piece of coal, there will be no diamond. Removing the irritating grain of sand from an osyter's tummy means having no pearl.
Pressure, irritation, and pain may be the only tools to develop people into better human beings that no other way could possibly do.
Truly then, adversity is a great teacher.
The great motivator Napoleon Hill had this to say, "Every adversity carries the seed of an equivalent benefit."
Indeed, there is value /benefit in "Stress". But you'll have to look for it.
Surprisingly, did you know that "STRESSED" spelled backwards is actually "DESSERTS". Coincidence? I think not!
To those who are stressful, weary and burdened, my advice is do seek refuge in God Almighty. I recommend the reading of Psalm 34.
May you also find comfort, peace, and a measure of victory in this beautiful hymn entitled "Let Us Exalt His Name Together", the video-clip courtesy of Nathanoj76.
That is good because it will ensure that we don't have any blocked coronary arteries, and if we do, it will spur us on to take early or immediate remedial action.
These days we often hear about "stress tests" being applied even to financial institutions especially to the big banks of the world, a much needed health check I must say, to see whether in fact they too can survive the storms of the severe economic downturn which is sweeping across the globe today.
Indeed, despite technological progress, today's modern life has become very stressful. And as more and more people lose their jobs, family resilience is stretched and resources taxed to the limit.
By and large, governments of the world have not been very helpful and sadly people's hardships everywhere especially those of the poor and the marginalised continue to mount.
We need to come to terms with stress and manage it if we are to stay sane and healthy, otherwise the anxiety, discontentment and restlessness that flow from stress will slowly but surely eat our hearts out.
Look at it this way. Perhaps there is a positive side to stress. We probably need to go through the "heat" in order that we can come out of it stronger and wiser.
See, if the pressure is taken off a piece of coal, there will be no diamond. Removing the irritating grain of sand from an osyter's tummy means having no pearl.
Pressure, irritation, and pain may be the only tools to develop people into better human beings that no other way could possibly do.
Truly then, adversity is a great teacher.
The great motivator Napoleon Hill had this to say, "Every adversity carries the seed of an equivalent benefit."
Indeed, there is value /benefit in "Stress". But you'll have to look for it.
Surprisingly, did you know that "STRESSED" spelled backwards is actually "DESSERTS". Coincidence? I think not!
To those who are stressful, weary and burdened, my advice is do seek refuge in God Almighty. I recommend the reading of Psalm 34.
May you also find comfort, peace, and a measure of victory in this beautiful hymn entitled "Let Us Exalt His Name Together", the video-clip courtesy of Nathanoj76.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Hello, my friend
Can you imagine what life would be like if we didn't have any friends?
Indeed, as William Blake, the great English poet had once said, "A bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship."
Yes, in good times or in bad, I think we all need a friend.
Now, who then is a friend and what is friendship truly made of?
Well, here are some nice quips for us to ponder.
"A friend is one who accepts us as we are yet helps us to be what we should." (~Author unknown)
"Only your real friends will tell you your face is dirty." (~Sicilian Proverb)
"A good friend is someone who knows you're a good egg even if you're a little cracked." (~Author unknown)
"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be." (~Douglas Pagels)
"If I had to sum up Friendship in one word, it would be Comfort." (~Adabella Radici)
"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." (~Lois Wyse)
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." (~Martin Luther King Jr.)
"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." (~Oprah Winfrey)
"Friendships can dissolve very quickly in bear markets." (~Author unknown)
"One friend in a lifetime is much, two are many, three are hardly possible. Friendship needs a certain parallelism of life, a community of thought, a rivalry of aim." (~Henry Brooks Adams)
"He who has a thousand friend has not a friend to spare, and he who has an enemy will meet him everywhere."(~Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone. A man should keep his friendships in constant repair." (~Samuel Johnson)
"There is no greater love than this that a man is willing to lay down his life for a friend." (~Holy Bible)
Yes indeed, I believe the greatest healing therapy in this world is friendship and love.
So in conclusion let me say, "Hello again, my friend"!
Indeed, as William Blake, the great English poet had once said, "A bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship."
Yes, in good times or in bad, I think we all need a friend.
Now, who then is a friend and what is friendship truly made of?
Well, here are some nice quips for us to ponder.
"A friend is one who accepts us as we are yet helps us to be what we should." (~Author unknown)
"Only your real friends will tell you your face is dirty." (~Sicilian Proverb)
"A good friend is someone who knows you're a good egg even if you're a little cracked." (~Author unknown)
"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be." (~Douglas Pagels)
"If I had to sum up Friendship in one word, it would be Comfort." (~Adabella Radici)
"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." (~Lois Wyse)
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." (~Martin Luther King Jr.)
"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." (~Oprah Winfrey)
"Friendships can dissolve very quickly in bear markets." (~Author unknown)
"One friend in a lifetime is much, two are many, three are hardly possible. Friendship needs a certain parallelism of life, a community of thought, a rivalry of aim." (~Henry Brooks Adams)
"He who has a thousand friend has not a friend to spare, and he who has an enemy will meet him everywhere."(~Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone. A man should keep his friendships in constant repair." (~Samuel Johnson)
"There is no greater love than this that a man is willing to lay down his life for a friend." (~Holy Bible)
Yes indeed, I believe the greatest healing therapy in this world is friendship and love.
So in conclusion let me say, "Hello again, my friend"!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Wear a smile, one size fits all
Do you know that it takes seventeen muscles to smile and forty three to frown? Yet, smiling more often than not, seems so hard to do.
Indeed, don't ever under-estimate the value of a smile.
If you smile at someone, they might smile back! So, let's smile often and see if in fact that happens.
Let me share this interesting piece of truth with you. It is written by an author unknown but it means so much.
"A smile costs nothing but gives much.
It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give.
It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it.
Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.
Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give."
Keep smiling, even if it makes people wonder what you've been up to. It will but that doesn't matter.
As someone had said, "A smile is a powerful weapon, you can even break ice with it."
A friendly look, a kindly smile, one good act, and that's what makes one's life worthwhile. Try it and you'll be so glad you did.
Wear a smile, and be surprised that one size fits all!
Here's a 1972 favorite, "Wheels" performed by guitarist Neil Levang and backed by Lawrence Welk & Orchestra:
Indeed, don't ever under-estimate the value of a smile.
If you smile at someone, they might smile back! So, let's smile often and see if in fact that happens.
Let me share this interesting piece of truth with you. It is written by an author unknown but it means so much.
"A smile costs nothing but gives much.
It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give.
It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it.
Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.
Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give."
Keep smiling, even if it makes people wonder what you've been up to. It will but that doesn't matter.
As someone had said, "A smile is a powerful weapon, you can even break ice with it."
A friendly look, a kindly smile, one good act, and that's what makes one's life worthwhile. Try it and you'll be so glad you did.
Wear a smile, and be surprised that one size fits all!
Here's a 1972 favorite, "Wheels" performed by guitarist Neil Levang and backed by Lawrence Welk & Orchestra:
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