A friend asked me to comment on beauty and the media. (He must have thought I was some kind of vocab factory capable of churning out profound quotes at the drop of a hat... hey, I am flattered). But I have to accept my limitations - I ain't no vocab whiz and certainly not in a position to comment on topics of such aesthetic nature with dexterity and wit.
But the thing is, if beauty is measured according to what everyone (including the media) says - from both inside and outside - then why are we still hankering after the external? Why do we desire to look good in order to feel good? Why should the standards of beauty be determined by celebrities whose existence depend on an army of makeup artists and photoshop backroom boys?
An accquaintance who worked at a popular slimming establishment once told me that the expensive slimming programmes actually put the clients in a worse-off situation than before they had walked into the shop. Sure, this is not news... but wait... if this is so, then WHY ARE PEOPLE STILL FLOCKING TO BE FLEECED?
The cosmetics industry makes serious bucks, along with their advertising and mass media compatriots - all to create, sustain, persuade and manipulate this desire (to be beautiful according to stipulated standards) and more importantly, to make this desire attainable.
It's like, if being more beautiful is within your reach, why not grab it with both fists? And throw a few more bottles of botox, some collagen, and a pair of silicone implants into the basket as well. After all, we all deserve to be beautiful and happy. Da de dum...
I guess people (despite the lip service) had forgotten that beauty has more to do with the inside rather than the outside. They'd forgotten that there was a time when beauty was used to describe goodness, truth, integrity, meekness, patience, selflessness. There was a time when character - not looks - made a man.
Why are these qualities a rarity in the media? Why the persuasion towards the external? To satisfy our base desire to covet? To feed envy? If so, we are in D.S., if we aren't already.
God, help me identify real beauty when it comes my way.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Babette's Dream
There are many things I like about the movie Babette's Feast. The colours, the cinematography, set dressing, the story, the emotions attached to it, the characters, aso asf.
But mainly I like it for its depiction of giving.
Everyone gave something in that story. The old father, his two ageing daughters, their maid Babette, the murmuring villagers, the general, etc, etc.
I guess in a world of take, take, take, that's an absurd, awkard and even stupid thing to do. Why give when you can keep? Why be selfless when it's your right to have it all?
But then again, why not?
Babette came from a world of aristrocatic splendour, of French royalty at its hedonistic zenith, to a drab existence of ale-soaked fish in the sleepy fishing village of Jutland where people involved themselves in petty talk about their petty lives.
She subsequently wins a lottery and instead of going back to France to live in her villa and dine on caviar everyday, she returned to Jutland to prepare a feast for her former employers and their bickering villagers - spending all her money to do so.
What on earth possesed her?
Maybe a hint of the answer is found within herself.
Maybe she has grown to love her employers of 14 years - two ageing sisters who, despite their age and own struggles, faifthfully knock on the door of each needy villager to cook, bring food, help and warmth.
Perhaps she had grown tired of the hollow extravagant parties in high society, the stress of keeping up with the Joneses, the futility of staying on top of the social ladder. Maybe.
My favourite interpretation however, is that Babette had a dream. In that dream she saw a place, a city actually, teeming with people. There is something different about this place because the animals roam around, and instead of ending up on the dinner table, these creatures co-exist with humans with ease. (People must have turned into vegetarians). There is a sense of purity and serence calmness about this place... it's uncanny, ethereal yet real.
Babette must have saw this place from afar, a place where:
Love and faithfulness meet together
Righteousness and peace kiss each other
Faifthfulness springs forth from the earth
and righteousness looks down from heaven
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Just Another Day
Things done today:
1. Renewed company's registration at the Registrar of Companies
2. Renewed LP's company at the same place
3. Took mom to the bank and clinic and back again
4. Drawn blood for some haemo-test at the lab
5. Emailed my daily portion to adopted father
6. Fetched my niece from kindy
All before noon!!!!!! (Good, good, good...)
Then, for the rest of the day:
7. Get Saturday's schedule sorted out (helping a friend to take some Zimbabweans out for lunch, movie in the evening, etc)
8. Rush to cinema to get tixs
9. Return DVD to another friend (long overdue!)
10.Go to OM office to meet the guys and rant about newsletter
Er - at some point I gotta get down to some reading. Have 4 books in line, begging to be flipped opened. Man, life is good!
1. Renewed company's registration at the Registrar of Companies
2. Renewed LP's company at the same place
3. Took mom to the bank and clinic and back again
4. Drawn blood for some haemo-test at the lab
5. Emailed my daily portion to adopted father
6. Fetched my niece from kindy
All before noon!!!!!! (Good, good, good...)
Then, for the rest of the day:
7. Get Saturday's schedule sorted out (helping a friend to take some Zimbabweans out for lunch, movie in the evening, etc)
8. Rush to cinema to get tixs
9. Return DVD to another friend (long overdue!)
10.Go to OM office to meet the guys and rant about newsletter
Er - at some point I gotta get down to some reading. Have 4 books in line, begging to be flipped opened. Man, life is good!
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Who you are...
One of the moments that really got me while watching "Clear and Present Danger" (probably for the n-th time) is this:
Admiral James Greer (played by James Earl Jones - better remembered for his portrayal of the voice of Darth Vader) lay in the hospital dying. His protege Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford), the Deputy Director of the CIA was struggling on whether to investigate a growing scandal. The admiral's last words to his protege were:
"You took an oath, if you recall, when you first came to work for me. And I don't mean to the National Security Advisor of the United States, I mean to his boss... and I don't mean the President. You gave your word to his boss: you gave your word to the people of the United States. Your word is who you are."
Your word is who you are.
Admiral James Greer (played by James Earl Jones - better remembered for his portrayal of the voice of Darth Vader) lay in the hospital dying. His protege Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford), the Deputy Director of the CIA was struggling on whether to investigate a growing scandal. The admiral's last words to his protege were:
"You took an oath, if you recall, when you first came to work for me. And I don't mean to the National Security Advisor of the United States, I mean to his boss... and I don't mean the President. You gave your word to his boss: you gave your word to the people of the United States. Your word is who you are."
Your word is who you are.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Trapped... with Joy
Joseph of the Bible has always been great bedtime fodder when I was a kid. Sure, his story had everything that would put a Hollywood epic blockbuster to utter shame - extraordinary plot, great characterisations, important historical context, colourful settings and a happily-ever-after ending to boot.
But that was when I was a kid.
Years and countless character studies later, there are still lessons from this psychedelic-wardrobed (well - he did walk around in rainbow-inspired clothes) personality that stuck.
RT Kendall writes:
When God deals with a man in an extraordinary manner, He almost always puts him in through unusual suffering. The essence of that suffering is often the bleakness of the future. (Gulp!) What makes suffering suffering is the complete absence of hope, humanly speaking. (No kidding!) God chastens those He intends to use in an unusual way by bringing them right to the edge of despair (now, that sounds familiar...). This way (here comes the clincher!) they can never question the explanation for their deliverance when it comes.
Of course, he was talking about Joseph being incarcerated without fault of his own. About the suffering that ensues as each count the cost to follow Christ. I think anyone who seriously wants to follow Jesus would arrive here at some point.
Despair in my dictionary is described as rotten, suckky, yuckky, maggoty, phu-thuey, crap, aso asf. But then again, I am describing the reaction associated with the condition. The actual feeling is one of helplessness and despondency. Of being trapped, suffocated, gagged, handcuffed, bound, tied, shackled... you get the picture.
How easy to tell others that all would be well and beautiful when we become Christians! Liars, liars, pants on fire!!!! (Then again, if someone was to have told me the cost involved in following Jesus before I had made the decision, I would have darted off in the other direction at the bat of an eyelid.)
When Joseph was in the dungeon he simply wanted out. But God had far, far more in mind for him than a mere release from prison. Many of us have ambitions that, in their carnality, are way, way short of what God has in mind for us.
Little did Joseph know what he was being prepared for. As with us. Little do we know about the things God has in mind for us.
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them who love him" (1 Cor 2:9)
In that case God, please keep the light streaming in to the prison window. Please.
But that was when I was a kid.
Years and countless character studies later, there are still lessons from this psychedelic-wardrobed (well - he did walk around in rainbow-inspired clothes) personality that stuck.
RT Kendall writes:
When God deals with a man in an extraordinary manner, He almost always puts him in through unusual suffering. The essence of that suffering is often the bleakness of the future. (Gulp!) What makes suffering suffering is the complete absence of hope, humanly speaking. (No kidding!) God chastens those He intends to use in an unusual way by bringing them right to the edge of despair (now, that sounds familiar...). This way (here comes the clincher!) they can never question the explanation for their deliverance when it comes.
Of course, he was talking about Joseph being incarcerated without fault of his own. About the suffering that ensues as each count the cost to follow Christ. I think anyone who seriously wants to follow Jesus would arrive here at some point.
Despair in my dictionary is described as rotten, suckky, yuckky, maggoty, phu-thuey, crap, aso asf. But then again, I am describing the reaction associated with the condition. The actual feeling is one of helplessness and despondency. Of being trapped, suffocated, gagged, handcuffed, bound, tied, shackled... you get the picture.
How easy to tell others that all would be well and beautiful when we become Christians! Liars, liars, pants on fire!!!! (Then again, if someone was to have told me the cost involved in following Jesus before I had made the decision, I would have darted off in the other direction at the bat of an eyelid.)
When Joseph was in the dungeon he simply wanted out. But God had far, far more in mind for him than a mere release from prison. Many of us have ambitions that, in their carnality, are way, way short of what God has in mind for us.
Little did Joseph know what he was being prepared for. As with us. Little do we know about the things God has in mind for us.
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them who love him" (1 Cor 2:9)
In that case God, please keep the light streaming in to the prison window. Please.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
The Face of Faith
What does faith look like?
An exerpt from "Believing God" by RT Kendall, on the chapter describing Abraham: (This was when Abraham has demonstrated great faith turning his back on Ur and pitching tents in Canaan - the Promised Land. But darn, there was a famine in Canaan and here was what Abraham, the great father figure mentioned in all three theistic religions of the world, did to save his skin).
"Once Abraham made the decision to go to Egypt he began projecting. His projection was the vehicle of his unbelief. What is a projection? It is a defence mechanism by which we superimpose our own fears on to our ideas of another's actions."
To make it short, Abraham projected that Pharoah would be attracted to his wife - he was spot on. (Sometimes our fears can be justified).
Then he projected that in order to stay alive he had to tell a lie, that his wife was his sister - he was wrong. (Projections can lead to unbelief).
The slippery slope of self-projection can spiral to sin of unbelief.
Abraham by this time, has degenerated from awe-inspiring greatness to a considerable muddle of mess.
Of course we know the end of the story. Abraham eventually became the great father from whom the Jews and Arabs draw their religious ancestry. He died a great man of faith, according to the Christians, and was awarded quite a bit of Bible publication space.
Despite that, Abraham's sojourn to Egypt was not mentioned in the book of Hebrews, in that famous chapter that dealt with faith. Possibly, Egypt represented the time of his spiritual descent, a time where his human reasoning led to paranoia, and eventually to a dark, sorrowful chapter in his life.
So what keeps me glued to this issue?
(Because I am at a place which I think is the Promised Land. However, I do not know for sure, and on top of that, there is a famine right here. Due to lack of (mostly external) confirmation, I began to doubt the promises. There is of course, the option to move elsewhere without famine, like Abraham did. But to do that would make null and void the very important principle below:)
"It is better to be in the will of God without the external confirmation - even in famine - than to be out of the will of God with all its inevitable sorrow."
I am VERY, VERY glad there is a Bible to slap me outta delusions and keep me in the straight and narrow.
An exerpt from "Believing God" by RT Kendall, on the chapter describing Abraham: (This was when Abraham has demonstrated great faith turning his back on Ur and pitching tents in Canaan - the Promised Land. But darn, there was a famine in Canaan and here was what Abraham, the great father figure mentioned in all three theistic religions of the world, did to save his skin).
"Once Abraham made the decision to go to Egypt he began projecting. His projection was the vehicle of his unbelief. What is a projection? It is a defence mechanism by which we superimpose our own fears on to our ideas of another's actions."
To make it short, Abraham projected that Pharoah would be attracted to his wife - he was spot on. (Sometimes our fears can be justified).
Then he projected that in order to stay alive he had to tell a lie, that his wife was his sister - he was wrong. (Projections can lead to unbelief).
The slippery slope of self-projection can spiral to sin of unbelief.
Abraham by this time, has degenerated from awe-inspiring greatness to a considerable muddle of mess.
Of course we know the end of the story. Abraham eventually became the great father from whom the Jews and Arabs draw their religious ancestry. He died a great man of faith, according to the Christians, and was awarded quite a bit of Bible publication space.
Despite that, Abraham's sojourn to Egypt was not mentioned in the book of Hebrews, in that famous chapter that dealt with faith. Possibly, Egypt represented the time of his spiritual descent, a time where his human reasoning led to paranoia, and eventually to a dark, sorrowful chapter in his life.
So what keeps me glued to this issue?
(Because I am at a place which I think is the Promised Land. However, I do not know for sure, and on top of that, there is a famine right here. Due to lack of (mostly external) confirmation, I began to doubt the promises. There is of course, the option to move elsewhere without famine, like Abraham did. But to do that would make null and void the very important principle below:)
"It is better to be in the will of God without the external confirmation - even in famine - than to be out of the will of God with all its inevitable sorrow."
I am VERY, VERY glad there is a Bible to slap me outta delusions and keep me in the straight and narrow.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Seventh Commandment
Adultery. Bad news wrapped around illicit acts with deliciously tempting Hollywood frosting. Of course no well-intentioned person ever starts off wanting to commit adultery in the first place, but hey, this is an increasingly confusing and liberal age we live in, and ever so subtly our emotions draw us to the accessibly forbidden, masking it to be absolutely legitimate.
"If it feels good, just do it."
"Do whatever makes you happy."
"Follow your heart."
All around us, culture, society and the media (which shapes the culture anyways) repeatedly pound us with the benefits and pleasures of unbridled sex with anyone we happen to fancy at anytime we feel inclined, omitting the hassles of commitment and obedience to God's word. It's supposed to be cool to have multiple partners, be homosexual or even a bisexual. Yup, let's celebrate our differences (in sexual preferences). After all, the 10 Commandments were only applicable to the people of old and not to our modern-day society. What does the Bible, which was written so long ago, know about the people of the 21st century anyways?
Years ago, when I was making plans to co-habitate, it felt like the perfect solution for a person of my temperament. What is marriage anyways, besides a piece of paper from a poor rainforest tree sawn before its time?
To cut it painlessly short, all those lofty domestic plans came to naught when I met Jesus. Not only, I discovered, that I was supposed to stay sexually pure; I had to work at it too (which means I am responsible for guarding my heart and mind from wandering - a fulltime pre-occupation since I am prone to daydreaming).
So God, help me understand this. How is it that You created men and women and then clamped them with all these restrictions?
Possible things to think about (in order of priority):
1. Partnership
2. Pleasure
3. Pro-creation
I may never understand completely why God only allows sex in the context of a monogamous marriage, but I can see its benefits. I can see how faithfulness is displayed in these relationships, reflecting the character of God. I can see how God's promises are fulfilled in the sphere of a permanent and committed relationship. I can see how God loves enough to want this kind of relationship and work at it.
Question is: Do I love enough to reciprocate?
"If it feels good, just do it."
"Do whatever makes you happy."
"Follow your heart."
All around us, culture, society and the media (which shapes the culture anyways) repeatedly pound us with the benefits and pleasures of unbridled sex with anyone we happen to fancy at anytime we feel inclined, omitting the hassles of commitment and obedience to God's word. It's supposed to be cool to have multiple partners, be homosexual or even a bisexual. Yup, let's celebrate our differences (in sexual preferences). After all, the 10 Commandments were only applicable to the people of old and not to our modern-day society. What does the Bible, which was written so long ago, know about the people of the 21st century anyways?
Years ago, when I was making plans to co-habitate, it felt like the perfect solution for a person of my temperament. What is marriage anyways, besides a piece of paper from a poor rainforest tree sawn before its time?
To cut it painlessly short, all those lofty domestic plans came to naught when I met Jesus. Not only, I discovered, that I was supposed to stay sexually pure; I had to work at it too (which means I am responsible for guarding my heart and mind from wandering - a fulltime pre-occupation since I am prone to daydreaming).
So God, help me understand this. How is it that You created men and women and then clamped them with all these restrictions?
Possible things to think about (in order of priority):
1. Partnership
2. Pleasure
3. Pro-creation
I may never understand completely why God only allows sex in the context of a monogamous marriage, but I can see its benefits. I can see how faithfulness is displayed in these relationships, reflecting the character of God. I can see how God's promises are fulfilled in the sphere of a permanent and committed relationship. I can see how God loves enough to want this kind of relationship and work at it.
Question is: Do I love enough to reciprocate?
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Hope
Hope is a good thing... perhaps the best of things. And no good thing ever dies...
(Frank Darabont, screenplay of The Shawshank Redemption - 1995)
Several things happened yesterday:
1. I had a discussion with someone about producing a feature film documentary.
2. I met up with my friends from Wycliffe, who have moved on from OM.
3. I also met my senior from The Star, who urged me to return to journalism.
Immediately after #1, my heart soared with possibilities. Ideas were beckoning from the back of my mind... but I was still cautious (didn't want to be hurt / disappointed / disillusioned again).
Then #3 happened. My heart did a little number again, but it was not as high as what happened in #1. My senior (I keep calling her that because she was my "babysitter" whilst I was a rookie reporter doing the court beat) hadn't seen me in 10 years. She's now Asst. News Editor and kept urging me to go back to journalism. Wow... another skip.
By the time #2 occurred, it was already w-a-y into the night. I spent the evening with a friend who worked in the Doulos pantry with me. Back then, we had lots of fun learning the ropes of evangelism (and pantrydom), conquering our fears, struggling to give up our rights and to prefer others. Tough but critical issues. This friend is now overseas with Wycliffe, still undergoing life's struggles but has grown to tackle them as they come. I am so proud of her. She came back with a future husband in tow too... great going!
So what's that got to do with hope?
Plenty.
After three years of not knowing what to do with my life, I was basically on the verge of losing hope. In God's plan, in my confidence, in the future. I thought I was a has-been, despite all the assurance God has said in His word. I began to doubt because God was silent on those matters. I began to think that He has forgotten me. (I tried to be content in that but somehow it oscillates between coming across as something self-manufactured and a rested confidence...) I see my friends, peers, mentors and 'mentees' moving on in ministry, work and basically life in general and I am happy for them. It is a genuine kind of happiness, but joy was elusive.
Back to hope.
I told my friend that I see this period as a testing time for me. God is working on my charatcer and I don't understand what He is doing. (Not that He consults me or lays out the entire blueprint, you know). I am the type who would find it easier to fight the enemy in the battlefield than stay at home. So I reckoned, God is zeroing in on my weakest point (dread of boredoom) and perhaps wrenching out the dregs of carnal flesh so it can be used later. The entire problem is - it's SO DARN HARD to allow that to happen! I don't want to go through this process! I want an instant solution! Aaaargh!
Yet, hope makes things easier. Somehow the sky seems brighter on a starless night, and the world seems larger in a prison room. And hope makes possible what is presently perceived. I can dare to hope again...
Help, Lord Jesus, to catch me at times when hope falters and I despair.
(Frank Darabont, screenplay of The Shawshank Redemption - 1995)
Several things happened yesterday:
1. I had a discussion with someone about producing a feature film documentary.
2. I met up with my friends from Wycliffe, who have moved on from OM.
3. I also met my senior from The Star, who urged me to return to journalism.
Immediately after #1, my heart soared with possibilities. Ideas were beckoning from the back of my mind... but I was still cautious (didn't want to be hurt / disappointed / disillusioned again).
Then #3 happened. My heart did a little number again, but it was not as high as what happened in #1. My senior (I keep calling her that because she was my "babysitter" whilst I was a rookie reporter doing the court beat) hadn't seen me in 10 years. She's now Asst. News Editor and kept urging me to go back to journalism. Wow... another skip.
By the time #2 occurred, it was already w-a-y into the night. I spent the evening with a friend who worked in the Doulos pantry with me. Back then, we had lots of fun learning the ropes of evangelism (and pantrydom), conquering our fears, struggling to give up our rights and to prefer others. Tough but critical issues. This friend is now overseas with Wycliffe, still undergoing life's struggles but has grown to tackle them as they come. I am so proud of her. She came back with a future husband in tow too... great going!
So what's that got to do with hope?
Plenty.
After three years of not knowing what to do with my life, I was basically on the verge of losing hope. In God's plan, in my confidence, in the future. I thought I was a has-been, despite all the assurance God has said in His word. I began to doubt because God was silent on those matters. I began to think that He has forgotten me. (I tried to be content in that but somehow it oscillates between coming across as something self-manufactured and a rested confidence...) I see my friends, peers, mentors and 'mentees' moving on in ministry, work and basically life in general and I am happy for them. It is a genuine kind of happiness, but joy was elusive.
Back to hope.
I told my friend that I see this period as a testing time for me. God is working on my charatcer and I don't understand what He is doing. (Not that He consults me or lays out the entire blueprint, you know). I am the type who would find it easier to fight the enemy in the battlefield than stay at home. So I reckoned, God is zeroing in on my weakest point (dread of boredoom) and perhaps wrenching out the dregs of carnal flesh so it can be used later. The entire problem is - it's SO DARN HARD to allow that to happen! I don't want to go through this process! I want an instant solution! Aaaargh!
Yet, hope makes things easier. Somehow the sky seems brighter on a starless night, and the world seems larger in a prison room. And hope makes possible what is presently perceived. I can dare to hope again...
Help, Lord Jesus, to catch me at times when hope falters and I despair.
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