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Three Trees
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down." When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat. Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it. The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
5.moon.sky was here at 7:07 pm
Nighttime Wonders
Drawn a halo 'round itself Beyond which lain diamonds scattered No one's to claim, none to follow
5.moon.sky was here at 12:17 pm
The Gloom of Thunderstorms
5.moon.sky was here at 9:37 am
For the Taking
The Merry Wives of Windsor Act 2, Scene 2, 2-5 William Shakespeare
5.moon.sky was here at 2:59 pm
My Prayer
I have no idea where I am going. I cannot see the road ahead of me. I do not know for certain where it would end. I do not know myself. I want to follow Your will but I do not. Even when I think I am following Your will, does not mean I actually am. However I do believe that the desire to please You does actually please You, and I hope that I will not act apart from this desire. If I do this I hope You will lead me by the right road, even though I do not know the end. This I will always trust even when I am lost and in the shadow of Death. I will not fear for You are with me and will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen. adapted from 'A Prayer' from Thomas Merton
5.moon.sky was here at 9:16 pm
The Letter
This went on for 2 weeks. By then, my clothes were soiled and my dreams were nowhere in sight. So I sat down to pray again, and I saw a poster: Poverty Foundation - Aid to the Homeless & Unemployed. I took my cue and went in search of that place, which happened to be nearby. With no strings attached (ie no family problems, no history of violence, alcoholism and abuse) and with a 'refugee' status, the Foundation worked a miracle on earth and found me a job, as well as providing shelter until my income could sustain me. This was how I got my job at Olivo's Bakery. At the Foundation, it was a happy and yet depressing place. The staff there taught me how to budget my funds, so that I would be able to survive and spend wisely when I moved out of there. They gave me meals, of which I never took much, but left more for my friends who seemed to need more than me. Friends! They were my first. The time we spent together was short, for I had worked hard and saved a lot to move out. I still remember those days when we had to grab blankets and sleep out in the lounge on stormy nights, for our bedroom ceilings were leaking. No one got much sleep, but we exchanged stories and had each other's company. They always marvelled at my peaceful nature, for they came from hard and bitter lands and were constantly stressed about their living. I gave them what I could - my compassion, peace and blessings. I would never know the sort of impact I had on them, but their impact on me was profound. I deeply felt their weariness, their troubled hearts and their burden, and I never forgot that sort of depression that had caught on even though I was free of worries of my own. With the help of the Foundation, I rented a small studio apartment at the public housing, and moved out after bading farewell to my friends. I continued my job at the bakery, and perhaps due to my diligence and peaceful nature, Mrs Olivo took pity on me. She raised my pay, saying I brought in more customers, and gave me the leftovers of the day to bring home. Having never needed to eat much, I saved quite a bit, and had plans to enter a part-time course in pattiserie. And then I met you. You were that man who walked past the bakery just before the morning crowd to grab a coffee from the cafe next door. I had always noticed you, because even though you were not my customer, you were always nearly alone on the streets, before the morning crowd hit. I always noticed you, because unlike everyone else in that morning working crowd, you did not seem to dread the work ahead of you. You were always carefree and eager to receive your cup of coffee. Yes I noticed you, and wondered why you were different. And then one morning, you walked in to Olivo's. Curiosity touched my mind, and I went over to serve you. From then on, conversation started, and we went out, and before we knew it, we were in a relationship. I was right about you from my first impressions. You were carefree even though you had full of things to do, and your job kept you busy. You had true and sincere friends, for whom you were always there when they needed you. You treated everyone with respect, especially me. Though you were an morally upright person, you also had plenty of compassion. I cannot begin to describe how deeply I fell for you, and God knows what it was that I had, but you felt the same way for me as well. Soon, we were living together. And life progressed from being peaceful to blissful. Before I knew it, I had sold my soul to you. Perhaps the start of all our troubles began with my worship of you. No man was meant to worship anything else but God, and I made that deadly mistake of idolising you. It was no fault of yours; you can't help being that perfect person you are. Even I had not begun to realise it until things fell apart. Though I maintained my job at the pattisserie, I was often distracted and gradually put no enthusiasm in to my work, for I was eager to get home to you, and unwilling to be separate from you at all. Things escalated, and soon I was facing a kind yet stern warning from Mrs Olivo's to 'buck up' my work. Honestly I tried, and things did pick up a bit, though never to the same person I was before. I told myself I was happy, but deep down I subconsciously knew that it wasn't just my work woes that put me in discontentment. Perhaps that was why I picked up that application form and signed up for that pattisserie part-time course. You were very supportive, as usual, and I ought to be have been happy about that, but I was not content with your reaction. I would be very busy studying, and perhaps I wanted you to be possessive over me, to want to spend more time with me. And it was the same when you went out with your friends, which was getting far and few between. I was moody when you went out, and yet I never wanted to join you on your social gatherings. This has gone on for a while, and you know it. Thank God, I finally saw the whole picture, on the night when I threw a fit and dashed out of the house, just so you would be worried. I was running, and you were looking for me, when I met my old friend John, from the Foundation. I called out to him, and he hardly recognised me. The first words he said were, "What happened to you?" I could not think of an answer, and tried unsuccessfully onto other topics of conversation. Soon, we baded each other goodbye, and I walked away. Slowly, realisation crept it. I could not talk to him. I could no longer communicate. I was no longer at peace, neither had I the compassion and interest to want to interact. I was self-centered, and I was lost. Coming here hasn't been easy. I remembered my first train ride, and the first time I flew on a plane. I had wondered why it took so long to travel. I cannot find myself, and my loss of direction is weighing you down. I do not want you to become like my first friends were - poor in spirit, with a house but no peaceful home to return to, and earning income that can never buy you happiness. I want you to find yourself, the person you were when I first met you - carefree and rich in joys and peace. So I am leaving to where I came from, to give you the space to find yourself. I have tasted the life of a normal human being. You may argue that I have not fulfilled my dreams; afterall I never made it to baking school. But my dream was to love. True, I have not perfected the art of living or the art of loving unconditionally, but I have tasted both. I would have liked to remain longer to master both life and love, but I would no longer risk the consequences with you. It is time to go. As with my arrival, so would my departure, be for love. When you return to this house, you will no longer find any trace of me. Everything that I have had will be gone. Check the drawers, the cupboards, and even the trash - you will not find anything that belonged to or were used by me. Talk to your friends, and you will find that they will not remember me. They will not have it in their memories that you were attached, and to them you will always be what they knew you as. It's your chance to continue from where you left off before I came into your life. Do not bother looking for me, for I cannot be found. I'm sorry that this is perhaps cruel, but all you will have left is this letter and your memories of me, no matter how hard you try. To your anguish, even your memories will fade, and in the future, you will only remember me and the life we shared as a dream. Without knowing why, you will remember that you should never give your soul away, to anybody or to anything. I hope this dream has been beautiful. Keeping your love, Your Angel
5.moon.sky was here at 7:10 pm
If Life Is A Drive
You first learn about how your car works (where the indicators are, how the clutch works), how to drive it, then about the rules and regulations of the road. You learn different driving maneuvers like doing parallel parks, turning right at intersections, hook turns (Melbourne roads), and if you were lucky enough, your instructor would advise you on how to drive in different road situations. The first few times you touch the wheel, stepped on the clutch and attempted to rev and hit the friction point, more often that not, you stall. It takes a few tries learning how to get the car moving. After you do, it's hard to believe you finally have control of the wheel. There are times when you feel like you're the safest driver ever - never speeding, stopping right at the red light etc. There are times when your instructor is always shouting at you because you never indicated, never changed gears, or for some reason, hopeless at parallel parks. Sometimes these mistakes arise because you did not know what to, or could not multi-task enough to do everything required at that split second; sometimes you just cannot be bothered. And the more we drive, the more we cannot be bothered. We get so comfortable being on the road such that we forget to be safe. We forget we have to follow the rules for a reason. Are you that sort of a driver? Some are reckless drivers, some are extremely safe. Some fall asleep at the wheel, and some are always uptight and tense. There are times when you obey the traffic rules, yet there are also times when you get impatient and dash through the amber and the zebra crossings without giving way to the pedestrian waiting to cross. After all, your aim is to get to your destination safely in the fastest manner possible. But what if the whole point of driving was not about reaching your destination or the route that you took? What if it was about how you drove? Life, and its many other things, is a Drive. Some started learning how to drive once past the age limit, and others not well into the ages. No matter when you touched the wheel of Life, stepped on its clutch and took control of it, no matter when your Independence Day was, you learnt how to make jokes, when to keep your mouth shut, when to be (or act) sympathetic, understanding etc. You learn the names of people just like your road names. You learn how to act in different situations. In the first few years of teenage/adult life, you often stall. You make mistakes in social protocol, you are quiet, shy, and often ostracized. But you finally get your car moving after a few tries. And suddenly, you have a life going. Sometimes you feel you're doing everything right - disciplined in studies, understanding and fun as a friend, obedient to your parents, and focused in everything you do. Sometimes you feel as though you're making all the mistakes in the world - lazy at work, taking your friends and family for granted, basically being altogether selfish and wondering why everything is going wrong. These mistakes sometimes arise because you have too many on your mind and tend to protect your own interests and forget to think for others, or sometimes simply because you cannot be bothered. And the more we drive, the older we grow, the more self-centered and un-bothered we become. It becomes less easy to trust, and more easy to think of ourselves and forget others. We wonder why we crash, why our friends leave us, why our family members become estranged from us. Sometimes it's beyond our control (car behind hit me for no rhyme or reason), but more often that not, we forget we have to be kind for a simple reason: so that it would be easier for others to be kind to us. So what sort of driver are you? Are you the reckless driver that has become so jaded to this dog-eat-dog world that you have forgotten what kindness and trust meant? Are you the person that fell asleep behind the wheel, so tired that you've lost all motivation? Or are you always uptight and tense about doing the right thing, such that you fail to enjoy your drive? More often that not, we're a bit of everything: obeying the rules at times and being gracious to people around us, being the bitchy one who can't be bothered about anybody else, or basically just protecting our self interest. After all, your aim is get where you want to be in the fastest way possible. But what if the whole point of Life was not about the route you took, but how you took it? What if how you drove your Life determined where you ended up? It's not about what you decided to do as a living nor the route you take. You could be a priest or a doctor or a tax collector. It's about what you did to others as a tax collector that determines where your final destination would be. If Life was a Drive, how are you driving it?
5.moon.sky was here at 7:54 pm
The Lord Made Them All
All creatures great and small All things wise and wonderful The Lord God made them all Cecil Francis Alexander
5.moon.sky was here at 9:33 pm
Love
Anonymous
5.moon.sky was here at 4:22 pm
Three Dollars Worth Of God
Wilbur Reese
5.moon.sky was here at 7:08 pm
The Prayer of The Little Prince
Prayed to the Lord for help My rose wounds me Those thorns of hers pierce me through Too long have they grown Too long have I left them unkempt Pruning hurts her and I have no wish to wound her but now I am pierced Leave her I will not Just do me a favour Draw these thorns out And heal me for now The thorns will grow again But just heal me for now The Lord heard And listened The thorns He pulled out The pain He removed Even as the green shoots budded out menacingly He did not stop there But offered His Word My people wounded me Those thorns and nails of hers pierced me through Too long have they sinned Too long have they been in distress Death hurts her and I have no wish to see her without life So now I have to be pierced because leave her I will not Die in her stead I will Just do me a favour Love your rose And prune out her thorns I will heal you I will heal her Those thorns will grow again but come to me I will prune and heal you both Dying is painful but resurrection is always preceded by death Come to me And I will bring you Life
5.moon.sky was here at 10:11 pm
Old and Bright
I reminisce Days long past Yet younger I feel Not vice versa Student days are childhood years Days of maturity are student years The rest are yet to come They will And still I will feel Aging days are matured years Days of wisdom Childhood years
5.moon.sky was here at 1:39 am
Riches
Serenity to accept things you cannot change Courage to change the things you can, and Wisdom to know the difference. Inevitably, change is the only constant. There is no good or bad about it. It might appear to negative, but there's usually always something good or valuable to be derived of it. Something is always left to be thankful about: at least you're alive. Think of it that whatever you have, has had been given to you - by God, or by the people around you. What you possess, your gifts, may have changed, but certainly not your riches.
5.moon.sky was here at 6:47 pm
Enough
And your sorrows merely be shadows that fade, In the sunlight of love. May you have enough happiness to keep you sweet. Enough trials to keep you strong. Enough sorrows to keep you human. Enough hope to keep you happy. Enough failure to keep you humble. Enough success to keep you eager. Enough friends to give you comfort. Enough faith and courage in yourself to banish sadness. Enough wealth to meet your needs. And one thing more: enough determination to make each day a more wonderful day than the day before.
5.moon.sky was here at 8:34 am
An Irish Blessing
May the wind always be at your back. May the sunshine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields and, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
5.moon.sky was here at 7:38 am
Stage Lights
5.moon.sky was here at 4:46 pm
From A Loving Perspective
"Not now girl, Mummy is tired." She then tried asking her father. "Why don't you go play on your own or watch some cartoons?" The girl sat down and thought to herself: When I grow up, and become a mother myself, I will always play with my children whenever they ask me to. Meanwhile, the girl's grandmother fell ill, and they went to visit her. The girl sat there, listening to the adults talk. She heard her parents persuading her grandma to see a doctor, and not to delay any further, but her grandmother would just refuse with a "No need for that, it's not that serious." She could not understand why her grandmother was so adamant about not going. Years later, that girl did grow up, and had children of her own. Her grandmother was still alive, but was in ill health, and had to undergo therapy everyday. On one of those days, she had accompanied her grandma to the therapy session, and they had just reached home. Her grandmother took out her key and fumbled with the lock for many minutes, still unable to open it, all the while mumbling on how after living so many years in this house, she still had problems with the lock. The girl, now a grown woman, took the key from her, examined the lock and opened it, commenting that the lock had spoilt, for the catch in it was a little rusty. A harsh snap came from her grandmother ("No it isn't!"), who snatched the key back and proceeded to enter the house. Tears stung the girl's eyes, who did not expect that. She returned to her own home a little sad. When she reached home, she sat down and tried to comprehend. Her little girl, seeing that her mummy was not doing anything, came up to ask if she would like to play. Her mother responded tiredly, "Not today, I'm tired." She watched her girl turn away, and the little girl, not knowing what else to do, sat down in the garden porch to watch the birds. Her heart was wrung, as memories evoked from her childhood reminded her of the familiarity of that scene. She thought of her own disappointment as a child, and saw the situation from a child's point of view. She recalled her own reasons now, and felt how her mother might have felt that many years ago. Feeling guilty for turning her daughter away when she had been in that same situation, she loved her child more. Regretting that she was too young to understand her own mother's feelings at that time, she loved her mum more. With love in her heart, she put herself in her grandmother's shoes, and saw and felt the hurt in her grandma's pride. She thought about how difficult it must be, for a matron that supported a home in its domestic affairs for more than forty years, to not even be able to open the door of that house. She finally understood why that many years ago, her grandmother would refuse to see a doctor. Pride is the keyword here. As a woman grows older and wiser in the ways of this world, her seniority increases. Her 'juniors' might be more capable in terms of earning money, being technologically savvy, but as a woman, her house is her domain. How wounded would her dignity be, when one day she, as head of her household, fumble at that lock which she had been so trained to opening, to have her grandchild outdo her and still comment that something in her house is broken? What a stab to a person's pride. Now, feeling the pain in her heart for not being sensitive enough, she loved her grandma more, and vowed always to be senstive to the needs of others, to put herself in their shoes, and to see from their point of view and perspective. For she knew, that no matter what their needs or demands are, how they might sometimes hurt her, how they look like etc, she would always love them. Her heart was filled with even more love now, and she realised one more thing. This love was not only for others around her, but also for herself. Love for others leads to love for yourself, for love does not distinguish.
5.moon.sky was here at 11:56 pm
Angels In Heaven, Bride Of The Lamb
The Lord is God of the living, not of the dead. He is a God of life. We humans aspire to become gods, as it says in the Book of Genesis. This is the very lie that Satan told Eve: If you do this, you will be as gods. You will know what is right and what is wrong. Eve ate of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, because she wanted to determine what was right and what was wrong, and that brought death into the world. We are still eating of that fruit today; we are still bringing death into the world. We have become gods indeed - gods of death. We become gods of death when we assume we have the right to take away another person’s life, or even our own. We do this when we murder, yes, when we kill, yes, but we also do this when we engage or support mercy killing, termination of pregnancies, capital punishment, human embryonic stem cell research, and human cloning. We set ourselves up to be gods of death, but we are not real gods. If we were real gods with the power over death, we could prevent death from happening to someone living. And we are not gods of life either, because if we were, we could give life to those that are dead. We don’t have that kind of power, but the Lord does. He has the power to raise people from the dead. Truly he is God of the living. We only have power to bring about death. Small wonder then that Pope John Paul II calls this the culture of death. Directly related to the culture of death is how we view sex and love. Is there anybody reading this who can claim that he or she would be alive now if it weren’t for sex? Anyone? No. Because if it weren’t for sex, we wouldn’t be alive. The reason that sex plays such an important role in all of our lives is because sex is directly linked to life. It is where life begins. And this is sacred, because the Lord is God of life. He is literally the God of sex. He made it! Why did God make sex? Why did God make men and women? We see a fraction of the explanation in today’s gospel reading. Jesus tells us that when we rise from the dead, there will be no marriage. We will all be like the angels in heaven. The angels in heaven were created to be with God for all eternity. So are we humans, through a different path. We are created to be with God for all eternity. That is our purpose. While we are alive in the world, we retain that purpose and we have desires. We desire not to be alone, so we seek out someone to be with, for the rest of our lives. We marry them. This marriage reflects the reality that we are being prepared for - the reality of being with God for all eternity. That is why when we are raised from the dead, there will be no more marriage - because we will be married to God. We the Church, are the bride of the Lamb, as it says in the Book of Revelations. The basic unit of society is the family. A family is formed when a couple has kids. A couple has kids by having sex. Now if Someone wanted to destroy human beings and their chance for happiness, where would this Someone attack? We only need to look at what is being most profaned today to realise that this Someone has already been attacking us. This Someone has been destroying the meaning of sex (through contraception), the meaning of marriage (through divorce), the meaning of family (through homosexual unions). What do you think is next to fall? Pope John Paul II, in The Gospel of Life, tells us, “It is an illusion to think that we can build a true culture of human life if we do not… accept and experience sexuality and love and the whole of life according to their true meaning and their close inter-connection.” (The Gospel of Life, 97) Indeed, if the Lord is truly our God, then we too must be on the side of life; we must be pro-life. All Catholics, all Christians in fact, are bound by Christ to be pro-life. That is why politicians who support abortion are not in full communion with the Church and the Lord, because the Lord is God of the living, not of the dead. Catholic Writer
5.moon.sky was here at 2:24 pm
Stand Still
Then God said, "[N]ow you are sad, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you. When that day comes, you will not ask me for anything. I am telling you the truth: the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your happiness may be complete." (John 16: 22-24) So I asked God, "What do I do now? What do I need? I've asked for so many things but none of them seem to come. Tell me what I should ask you for. I've asked for humility, for the right judgement, for forgiveness, to forgive, for discipline, for love... What exactly do I need to ask from you to fill what I lack?" Then I remembered that morning's bible sharing, on what I shared. I chose the sentence 'he will lead you into all the truth' (John 16:13), and talked about how we should always turn to the Holy Spirit for answers, because He comes from God and will tell us what we need to know. So that was the answer. The Holy Spirit is what I need, because He is the answer to everything. I need God in my life - a life centered with God, a life for Him and with Him, and through Him and in Him I will have all that I need. He is sufficient. So what if there are crosses on my back?
5.moon.sky was here at 12:12 pm
Definitions
Yet, for feelings and some other issues in life, the more we try to define them, the more we come to realise that they cannot be defined. If Life Is Feeling Extensively, and feelings are objects known but undefined, so life is a broader perspective of something known, felt, and experienced, but undefined. To live life simply is to accept the fact that life can only be experienced and embraced but cannot be defined. It is not a parameter to be controlled.
5.moon.sky was here at 7:48 pm
Angel Imageries
But you just stare blankly back. And I don't know how to tell you not to. So I leapt from the ledge, stretching my white-feathered wings, carrying me on the wind instead of screaming back at it. I soar without looking back, knowing you did not follow nor even stare. I continue soaring, till the first pelts of rain hit my back. I never knew rain could hit so hard. It might as well have been bullets penetrating my skin, but these were nothing compared to the pain in my heart. So I stood on top of a tree, the highest tree there was in that big wide field, on the top of everything else, staring straight up, and feeling that rain on my face. Wings oustretched, rain trickled down it, and wet it. It grew heavier by the minute, and I let it fall to my side, slowly and gradually. All this while the wind whipped around me, still challenging. It grew stronger, or perhaps, I grew weaker. Rain lashed, the result of that challenge. My wings closed. Then I lost. That monstrous gale gave a triumphant roar and tipped me over. I plunged, down the length of that tree, which was long indeed. Fear gripped my heart hard, and for a moment numbed me of my initial pain. Sighing that it was about to end, I opened my wings, and slowed, till I landed on the soft earth that was mud with a thud. I would go home with brown wings today. The only bad thing about a thunderstorm is that the stars hide away, refusing to come out and play. Well, you can't have the pie and the cake at once. Running out of thoughts, my attention turned to you, once more. Sigh. I wish I could just lie there and not go home. Yes, be it in the mud. The rain is comforting. The wind cries, unhappy that it has not achieved its end. I laugh. I think to myself, I ought to cry, with you treating me like that. But no, there are no tears at all. Why? Because the tears of the heavens are greater than mine. The clouds cry for me, unto me, washing me of my sorrow. I am brown on the outside, but my heart is clean, clean of the red of blood. It is now white. I return home. And there you are. Staring blankly. I stare back, blankly, or so I think. How much of the remnants of my emotions leak out from those black holes of mine I cannot see, and only you can tell, if you bother to catch those shooting stars from my eyes. Now, no more screams, no more words, just a blank mind. That gradually turns my heart to stone. It is now grey. Stoned. I wash up, and lie on my back, folding my wings in. They keep me warm. Stoned. I forget I need you to keep my hands warm. Stoned. Stoned. The only thing I hear and feel is my heart beating against my chest. I thought it had turned to stone? Drowsily, I turned, and there you are, sleeping beside. Turning back, I close my eyes, and listen. I hear my heart. I hear your breath. I just wish I could hear your heart's breath. That being my last thought, I slept.
5.moon.sky was here at 11:01 pm
His Words
less loving, less caring, less confident, less joyful, less strong, less humble, and have less faith than any of you out there. But I will try to be more loving, more caring, more confident, more joyful, stronger, more humble, and to grow in faith in people and in God. For God said never to judge yourself unworthy of His kingdom though the rest of this world may judge you to be unworthy of them. He will lead us to the springs of life though the rest of this world smothers life out of you. We will reach the kingdom He promised, just as He led His people out of Egypt to Canaan, out of this world that we are in now, into a Church standing in eternity and out of this dimension of time. He is there.
5.moon.sky was here at 11:17 am
God's Child
Or are problems getting more difficult Feeling dumb Low in intellect Muted Used to have solutions Ready at hand Now my mind draws a blank Used to be able to step aside and look at problems from a distance Something separate from myself Now I question my identity Until the Lord told me If you do not know who you see in the mirror Stop defining Just remember It doesn't matter whatever else you are You are My child.
5.moon.sky was here at 10:26 pm
On The Road To Life
Besides making new friends, joining a new community, and gaining knowledge (all these were beautiful), I gained an insight to life. During my stint in NUS, I could learn without stress, but was still under pressure to do well. The consequences were not life-threatening, but I tried my best to study hard so I could get the most out of it. Shouldn't life be like this? Life, afterall, is not our final destination. Death is. Or rather, the life after death. For those who believe, it is what you do here that determines what sort of life you will have after your death. So life here on Earth should be like my stint in NUS. It does not matter what grades you get, what splendid achievements you have achieved, but what you get out of it. Life should be thought of as fleeting. Try your best, but don't stress too much over what you should do, and whether you will be happy. Your effort counts. What you learn from your effort counts. Hopefully, we are all on the correct routes to that same destination.
5.moon.sky was here at 2:37 pm
Truth, Love and Grace
I think God does not accept all ways. He has His own definition of love, which is the unconditional giving and sacrifice, perfectly demonstrated by the sending of His son to die for us. Can a person's over-possesiveness be called love? Then his concept is warped, and is not in line with the way God wants us to love. This is when the grace of God comes in. He knows your weaknesses: your inabilities to conceptualise perfectly His idea of love, your selfishness, your lack of wisdom to discern etc. So he takes that into account when He considers your intentions. If your intention is far from wanting to love, even though you may appear to do so, that He might not pardon. But if you really want to love, and am trying hard, even if you are doing it the wrong way, He sees your effort and notes it. He strips away all of you, and just looks at your heart. He does not take into account your emotional abuse that you suffered as a child, the poor family relationships that you had resulting in a cruel and wicked mind, but as long as you spare one effort trying to do good, he will take note of it, and store it in His book of merit. That's the grace of God.
5.moon.sky was here at 9:31 pm
Living Alone
Living alone in a different world entails coping with being alone in a new place at night, in city with sounds unfamiliar. It involves exercising your influence into your new abode, erasing the memories of its previous occupant's existence. It includes breathing in air that is fresh -unfamiliar to your lungs- and navigating through streets by their names, instead of by their landmarks. In that different world, you need to learn how to be thick-skinned. You will need to learn how to ask for help from anybody about everything. All these require courage. It requires courage to leave the pride of knowing your environment well. It draws courage to leave readily available help. It extorts courage to face four walls with all your things around you, but with nothing to do, and no one to face. Don't worry I'm fine. You meet new friends, see new sights and smell new flowers. The worst is over, and things can only get better. When they do, my life will bloom. After all, winter must pass before spring arrives.
5.moon.sky was here at 6:55 pm
Unbreakable Hearts
CS Lewis Let our Hearts be On Fire.
5.moon.sky was here at 1:02 am
If You Were Magic
Correction. Banish the thoughts. Like an emperor the unwanted concubines. Away, to the Cold Palace. Which, in my mind, is still in my mind. Speak not a word more, speak not a word less. Wrong. You spoke not a word more, spoke not a word less, (Of yourself.) Like magic that first appears. If there is a definition for that word, You would be the answer. I Cannot This magic Banish from my Cold Palace because I cannot banish you From my mind into my heart.
5.moon.sky was here at 11:31 pm
Wellsprings of Life
But they are not life. They can spur you on and give you hope for a while, but you cannot draw life from them. Many a times our own wellspring of life runs out, and we start drawing life from other people. Soon these people will find that you are drawing life from them, and it tires them, so they leave or distant themselves from you. Where to find life then, if it is not present in memories nor in other people? The Lord is the ultimate and true wellspring of life. Drink, and you shall not thirst. Only when you have life, can you give life, and not kill others around you. Are you life-giving, or life-drawing? Are there things that you do or see or hear that kills life in you? Stop being obsessed with the moon. You'll fall into the water, and start calling yourself Lucy sooner or later.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:29 am
Bond Lengths and Swimming Lessons
Someone described this relationship as the 'bond length' between two atoms. At a distance too far, no bond -no relationship- exists. At a distance too near, the atoms get too close and repel, and the relationship is unstable too. Between atoms there is an 'optimum bond length', a distance where the most stable bond is formed. I guess this analogy applies to all relationships. We all need breathing space; and we all need contact. With regards to the relationship with God, there is yet another analogy. Those who have taken swimming lessons will know that after you have learnt your first strokes, your coach will stand in front of you, arms outstretched, asking you to swim to him. When you do, he just moves away, further from you, making you swim even more and harder, and for that moment, you just feel that you will never be able to reach him. But evantually, you do. Similarly, God taught you the strokes of life, taught you to survive. He wants you to try now to reach out for Him, so that when you do, you'll appreciate Him and His teachings even more. This sense of accomplishment that He also grants you will encourage you to swim further in life. At the times you are close to Him, He loses you sometimes, so that you'll remember He is there by His absence. He forces you to look for Him, because He wants you to always search for Him, renewing your relationship. Life is a struggle. A struggle to do good, to make the right choices. A stuggle to have Him in your life. A struggle to suffer for Him. But he always be there. Just remember that.
5.moon.sky was here at 5:17 pm
Swimming Pool
I once read somewhere that parents exist for their children to have something to act against, and that is so true. Even over the most minor things, children have a tendency to oppose, to rebel, to retaliate. Like professional swimmers in a race, the wall exist for you to kick against for your back flips, to change direction, to head you in the correct direction, to give you thrust. Keep on swimming, but do not forget those walls.
5.moon.sky was here at 6:10 pm
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Dylan Thomas
5.moon.sky was here at 10:32 pm
Ice Cream for the Sick
5.moon.sky was here at 12:00 am
See You
scatters stars like a lily might its blush. Yet you call it th'mark of a whip. See th'pen flying like a feather on the white blank, cr'ates an apple like a daisy might its sunshine. Yet you call it the squirt of an urchin. See th'mice dancing 'mong the pansies from a fantasy, spreading joy that brings you 'way from harsh realities. Yet you call them 'cumbers treading nettle. See that only you are not of the sea; yet the horses, lions and cows are. See that you might 'less there're changes; yet the sea has never stopped changing.
5.moon.sky was here at 10:43 pm
Hiding
Yet, many of us hide our pain. We do it on a habitual basis, a reflex action, probably arising from our desire not to let our surroundings change because of us, especially the happy ongoings. Some of us do it so often that all people see is our happy side, and they think we could never be really sad. Some of us do it so often that even our happy side is gone -- we simply hide everything. Our all inner and true feelings hidden, that other people only see the superficial side, the trivial side, and don't take us seriously. Those of us like this don't realise that because we are like that, many of our relationships are spoiled. How so? When people don't take you seriously, you start to blame, and start to think that no one truly understands you. There is a hurt in you that will never heal because the people cannot see it to heal it. Remember, it is not time, but love that heals. Certain hurts go away after long periods of time, but it is really because of the amount of love that accumulates during this time. Some hurts can never go away fully, till you forgive, or are forgiven. Hurts will never be forgotten. Unless you lose your memory. Sometimes there is no right or wrong, just the need to make up.
5.moon.sky was here at 11:42 am
Virtual. Reality
mimosas in pink. Cavalry on horses trot the field across the Gobi. To fight, to fight my love. Mempats: the wayside trees. Insignificant, unnoticed. Petal by petal, the Singapore Sakura falls, till the tree is bare Awaiting, awaiting, the next Spring. Still unnoticed.
5.moon.sky was here at 10:04 pm
Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough
I don't wanna use you just to have somebody by my side. And I don't wanna hate you, I don't wanna take you, but I don't wanna be the one to cry. And that don't really matter to anyone anymore. But like a fool I keep losing my place and I keep seeing you walk through that door. There's a danger in loving somebody too much, and it's sad when you know it's your heart you can't trust. There's a reason why people don't stay where they are. Baby sometimes love just aint enough. I could never change you, I don't want to blame you. Baby you don't have to take the fall. Yes I may have hurt you, but I did not desert you. Maybe I just want to have it all. It makes a sound like thunder, it makes me feel like rain. And like a fool who will never see the truth, I keep thinking something's gonna change. There's a danger in loving somebody too much, and it's sad when you know it's your heart you can't trust. There's a reason why people don't stay where they are. Baby sometimes love just aint enough. And there's no way home, when it's late at night and you're all alone. Are there things that you wanted to say? And do you feel me beside you in your bed, there beside you where I used to lay? And there's a danger in loving somebody too much, and it's sad when you know it's your heart they can't touch. There's a reason why people don't stay who they are. Baby sometimes love just ain't enough. Baby sometimes love... it just ain't enough.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:33 am
Circles Of Life
The essence of my life is God and my faith. The wall is my family, protecting me from society's harms and keeping my faith safe. My closer friends remind me of who I am. The follicles are events that happen in life, people you meet along the way that are not part of your being. They add to life's experience, enrich you perhaps, but are not very essential. Some of our natures are such that we need to have lots of follicles in our lives. To keep us busy and occupied, to keep our lives exciting and bustling. But sometimes, follicles grow too much, and crowd till we can barely see the essence of our life. We lose focus, and lose sight of what matters to us. At these points of my life, I call the follicles that crowd around 'red herrings'. We are missiles in the ocean of life chasing after ships, our targets. Sometimes we hit on red herrings instead and lose our target -- our dreams, passion, family and friends. Time to push away some follicles, get the red herrings out of sight, and go for the essence of life.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:30 am
That Steep Slope
It's kinda like rollerblading till you reach the top of a steep slope. You can choose not to, and just blade back. Or you can let your blades take you on a ride. A ride that if you take, you may enjoy, or conversely, it will cause fear to grip your heart so tight you can't breathe. A ride that may land you sprawled on the road like a dog, leaving you bleeding, bruised, undignified and scars to remind you for some time to come; a ride that may land you safe and sound, on some flat platform that you can continue to rollerblade with more self-confidence, assurance and security. Will you take this ride? Or bear to leave without knowing if you can overcome it, without knowing what's beyond that slope? Perhaps self-confidence is learnt from surviving such obstacles.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:17 am
In a big big world It's not a big big thing If you leave me But I do, do feel That I do, do will Miss you much Miss you much
5.moon.sky was here at 1:49 am
Dance
No more hesitating, focus now. Don't wait till the end of the dance to regret you could have done better. Save the last dance. Save your dance now. P.S. Remember to buy shoes of love, humility and faith.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:15 am
Children
Just a few years back, everytime I read newspaper articles about taking time off to relax and 'smell the roses', I would wonder: why, does it take such a load of effort to stop and smell the roses, to appreciate the beauty and wonders of nature? For, to me, that was easy as breathing. Yet, as years pass, as the harsh reality of this world drills in, there is less time, less opportunities, and less of a mood to do so. Finally, I understand why people, working adults in particular, have to make a conscious effort to 'smell the roses'. They left that child behind.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:29 pm
Singapore Sakura
Sitting beside and leaning over a gushing stream The gushing stream Ambitious and full of energy Falling sakuras Set to create a scene so purposeful Yet the raging water pays no heed
5.moon.sky was here at 11:51 pm
Judo
And I've found that there is something else that shares this Judo nature of taking falls and withstanding pain. Love also has this nature. It brings you up in the air, but can cause you to fall and hurt you deep. However, you cannot blame anyone for how you feel. You cannot control your feelings, neither can others control theirs. We have to absorb the consequences of our own feelings and be responsible for it. Such is the nature of love. There is no need to apologise.
5.moon.sky was here at 9:49 pm
The Dream
"I think she went to meet Him." That feeling of doom loomed in my heart. The person she went to look for was a stranger, a person who had called to her by some means of a message. Like a magnet, she had to go. He was dangerous, drawing her to Him as such. I looked for her even more desperately now, hoping to get to her before He does. While the rest of the group had just decided to give up the search, I recalled the message, and remembered a mention of some basement. Before that, I had searched the basement of that building, only to find a sleazy pub tucked under the winding stairs. I decided to try looking there again, and went down to the basement, but she was not there. I was her now. The search for a friend, the search for something more than this world had to offer, led to the search for my true self. Now I looked and waited for Him instead. Where is He? Who had called me? And why? A feeling of mystery lurked about, not just curiosity, but a sense of doom as well. I was just about to begin my way up the stairs when He came. He was tall and dark in black shirt and pants, with a cloak about Him. The moment I saw Him I knew He was a magician. I bolted, or tried to, but I could not. His magic was too strong. I struggled for my life. Suddenly I was in contact with Him and I fought tooth and nail. He never got hurt and neither did I, but I could never escape His grasp. No matter how hard I cried, how hard I struggled, His magic held me to Him, in His arms, unable to escape. He let me struggle, not forcing me but never letting me go either. He wanted me for His own. We were outside the building, along the black tiled sidewalk in the dark of night, with many passers-by. I continued screaming and shouting and crying for help, struggling to escape. Those passers-by never noticed me, or if they did, they just smiled at me. The magic he'd cast created an illusion, such that things never appeared what they should be. This is an inner struggle, from within, between the two of us. "It's your magic!" I screamed at Him in exasperation. He just smiled at me. Suddenly I managed to escape from His clutches and ran. While I was running on that sidewalk, a girl in black tights ran past me in an opposite direction, slapping me on the cheek as she did so. I sensed her jealousy towards me, yet I was not threatened by her, understanding that He would protect me against her. I had His favour. He had let me run, but when she joined Him, He gave chase, with her running alongside. As I ran, I screamed for my life for help at people nearby, but the words just could not come out of my throat. He must have used the word 'muffliato', I thought. Running on the side of a road now, I saw a huge truck come my way. In desperation, thinking I'd rather die than be in His control forever, I ran in front of the truck, hoping it'd kill me. But it didnt. I ended up running under it, coming out unharmed. "So you'd rather die?" I nodded. Knowing that I'd rather die and leave all of this dreamworld behind than let Him have me must have hurt Him, but I could not care less then. Still I ran hard, wanting with all my soul to sprint, but I seemed to be slowing down instead! I screamed in anguish, and watched Him come running after me from the back, coming closer, with the girl beside Him. All of my hope died. I stopped dead in my tracks, and waited for Him to reach me. I had surrendered. He banged right into me, and laughed. I looked at Him again. He had changed. His hair was now golden. He was no longer in black, but in a white striped shirt. I had realised He will always be behind giving chase, and coming to terms with that I had no choice but to surrender. Now that I had, that terrible and looming figure had disappeared. He was good and whole, and He just wanted me for His own - to love and to protect. I hugged Him and said, "I can never get out of you." I never felt anything as comforting as His warm embrace. There was this sense of belonging, of being tamed, and from then on I knew His protection would never leave me. And I never tried to escape from Him after that. I had gained my true freedom. No longer searching, no longer running from Him.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:09 am
God's Gift of Narnia
There's peace and quiet and beauty and repose It's hidden in a valley Beside a mountain stream And lying there beside the stream I find that I can dream Only of things of beauty to the eye Snow peak mountains towering to the sky Now I know why God made this world For me Enjoy the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and body. Immerse yourself and soak Him up in daily prayer. Like a sponge, the more you empty yourself the more you absorb. God gave us prayer, and He gave us the natural beauty of this world. Though He gave us a haven here on Earth, through our actions we have made it imperfect. Only if we see this world through the eyes of a child, can we appreciate the Narnia in this blemished world. On the final day of judgement, if we have believed and have hoped in Him, we will live to see the true Narnia: the kingdom of God.
5.moon.sky was here at 10:09 pm
Can't Tell If You're Beautiful
The starlight on the tree tops You admire it beside me Can't tell which is more beautiful Reaching our meeting place The rain behind my back Only you seem to notice it Can't tell which is more beautiful Something's abound behind that stare Something's amiss behind that pretty face I never dared as much To ask you what it is But I just can't get over you (Oh I can't just get over you) Listening to that tune So familiar with its meaningful words You sang it along to me Can't tell which is more beautiful Talking to your best friend Seeing you walk away Knowing more about you Can't tell which is more beautiful You struck me so You brought me down You left me so And I never knew why nothin' happened There's an undeniable attraction to you
5.moon.sky was here at 11:11 pm
Of hope surrendered not of hope fulfilled, A peace that looketh not upon tommorow, But calmly on a tempest that is stilled. A peace there is, a sacrifice secluded, A life subdued, from will and passion free, 'Tis not the peace that over Eden brooded, But that which triumphed in Gethsemane. Resurrection is always preceded by death, and dying is a painful process.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:31 am
Speaking Out Loud
Not many of us can reflect our thoughts and opinions in our actions, for that requires time and therefore patience. Not many of us can express our feelings and emotions by our words, for that requires passion and articulation.
5.moon.sky was here at 10:29 pm
Literature
5.moon.sky was here at 10:57 pm
Enough
What's love without pain Stars would not be what they are without the dark
5.moon.sky was here at 12:57 am
Starfish
"But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish," said the old man. "How can your effort make any difference?" The boy looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it safely into the waves. "It makes a difference to this one," he said.
5.moon.sky was here at 12:33 am
Ironies of Life's Journey
That dark and moonlit alley Has that silver light crept in through your heart's valves Warm and chill you in your deepest emotions Away from people's incessant talk That blatant noise pollution Have you realised that blasting music spoils your ears Screams of that dictator seem to hurt you more Recoiling from recalled broken dreams That bittersweet memory How came it to be an act of cowardice Stemmed from passion's naivety and courage Silence now staring from hidden stars That have been overshadowed Why do they speak volumes of understanding Vast and unfathomable constellations Close now to your inner self and heart That universe infinite Why does this black hole collapse unto itself Freedom tempted run to the ends of the earth Gasping in at this unexpected That friendship reunited How it calmed your fears relieved you of worry An alien gift a great service of the Lord's Reaching the ends of the streets of life A stirring realisation The brush that chooses from emotions' palette Penultimately paints your final sunset Standing at these gates of St Peter Who told you nothing but truth The streets you once walked to your destination Chooses for you the stars or the blackest hole
5.moon.sky was here at 11:47 pm
Bittersweet
"What you cannot enforce, do not command." But to enforce we have to command? "It is simple to live in complexity and complex to live in simplicity." I guess this statement cannot be less true. If you do fail in accomplishing your dream, remember always that the by-products of chasing this dream will be what ultimately pulls you through this failure. Regrets will be inevitable. You will wonder, why did I choose this dream, knowing it was near impossible? Why did I not face up to reality and continue deceiving myself? Even when the truth had stared at me in the face. Why did I hope? Why did I fail? What did I do? What did I not do? A hundred and one questions and unquestions will run through your mind, and you will stand there, shocked and helpless. A stampede of truths and untruths will be presented. Suddenly the tears that ought to accompany this doesn't flow from your eyes, but in your heart. Unable to express and release this pain, you turn to stone, and live in redundancy. If you really do regret in this way, then you have truely been brought down, not by your failure to accomplish your dream, but the failure to face up to it and live life as normal. Be patient. Live with this pain if you have to, as you continue with life. One day, someday, it will pass, by some revelation, healing, or by courage to start a new dream. I will miss you.
5.moon.sky was here at 9:14 pm
Spiderman
i'm not that naive i'm just out to find the better part of me i'm more than a bird... i'm more than a plane more than some pretty face beside a train it's not easy to be me wish that i could cry fall upon my knees find a way to lie about a home i'll never see it may sound absurd...but don't be naive even heroes have the right to bleed i may be disturbed...but won't you concede even heroes have the right to dream it's not easy to be me up, up and away...away from me it's all right...you can all sleep sound tonight i'm not crazy...or anything... i can't stand to fly i'm not that naive men weren't meant to ride with clouds between their knees i'm only a man in a silly red sheet digging for kryptonite on this one way street only a man in a funny red sheet looking for special things inside of me it's not easy to be me inside of me,inside of me,inside of me i'm only a man in a funny red sheet i'm only a man looking for her dream i'm only a man in a funny red sheet and it's not easy it's not easy to be me "Tell ne Bruce, why do we fall? To learn to pick ourselves up again."
5.moon.sky was here at 1:24 am
If We Hold On Together
You've come so far, don't throw it away Live believing, dreams are for weaving Wonders are waiting to start Live your story, Faith hope and glory Hold to the truth in your heart If we hold on together I know our dreams will never die Dreams see us through to forever Where clouds roll by, for you and I Souls in the wind must learn how to bend Seek out a star, hold on till the end Valley, mountain, there is a fountain Washes our tears all away Worlds are swaying, someone is praying Please let us come home to stay If we hold on together I know our dreams will never die Dreams see us through to forever Where clouds roll by, for you and I When we are out there in the dark We'll dream about the sun In the dark, we'll feel the light Warm our hearts Everyone If we hold on together I know our dreams will never die Dreams see us through to forever As high as souls can fly The clouds roll by, for you and I ~We're all holding on together. so come what may~
5.moon.sky was here at 12:43 am
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