He's my friend (Jesus is all the world to me - Will L. Thompson)

This song really touches me, especially at the end of every stanza. He's my friend.. wow, He's my friend!!! What on earth or heaven can every describe that! A precious gift, unfathomable grace!
For me, the title of the song should be "He's my friend" :)  

Know what? I will let you read the lyric and decide it for yourselves whether He's your friend or not :) I sure hope that He is :)

1. Jesus is all the world to me, 
 my life, my joy, my all; 
 he is my strength from day to day, 
 without him I would fall. 
 When I am sad, to him I go, 
 no other one can cheer me so; 
 when I am sad, he makes me glad, 
 he's my friend. 

2. Jesus is all the world to me, 
 my friend in trials sore; 
 I go to him for blessings, and 
 he gives them o'er and o'er. 
 He sends the sunshine and the rain, 
 he sends the harvest's golden grain; 
 sunshine and rain, harvest of grain, 
 he's my friend. 

3. Jesus is all the world to me, 
 and true to him I'll be; 
 O how could I this friend deny, 
 when he's so true to me? 
 Following him I know I'm right, 
 he watches o'er me day and night; 
 following him by day and night, 
 he's my friend.

4. Jesus is all the world to me, 
 I want no better friend; 
 I trust him now, I'll trust him when 
 life's fleeting days shall end. 
 Beautiful life with such a friend, 
 beautiful life that has no end; 
 eternal life, eternal joy, 
 he's my friend.

Life will hit you hard

For a start, I'm going to quote Rocky Balboa as he was saying, "You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward". Pheww, really? The saying is great and kinda cool, but living thru the saying is harder than just reading it.

Just few weeks ago, a promise was given to me and oh boy, it cheered me up. Not until few days ago, due to a certain situation everything was turned upside down. The promise was not kept, I tried to smile, tried hard to just let it go, tried very hard to accept it. Man.. even when I thought I'm strong, I'm not. It hit me really hard, the disappointment lingered in my mind. Envy began to creep in my heart.

I got back to my knee, tried to find the real meaning of this for me and argued a bit... To my surprise, it made me realize that it's been quite a long time that I really got on my knee. It seemed that I almost lost something precious in my life and my Friend, the truest friend, had been willing to lend His hand and pulled me back. His grace endowed me and I began to thank Him for everything.. For I really do know that everything works together for the good of them that loves Him.

Now to summarize, life will hit hard but blessed be those who have the truest Friend for they will get up and keep moving forward. As for me, somehow I know what to do for the months to come. It is clearer than ever. Grace... abounding grace overflows from the Highest place, cover your servant and let your servant truly see You in all and all.

It's the team that matters the most, not you!

It's very rare for someone to really work alone. In fact, I think, nobody works alone. Somehow in the team, there are always people who think that they themselves are more than the team. This kind of people will put their own interest ahead of the team and it would be very hard to find them sacrificing themselves for the team. If they did, it is only when they feel like it or is it only a show off?

Anyway, I won't continue any longer on that topic. I just don't like to dwell there :) it is far better to speak about more positive things, like this one I'm going to tell. I just read a soccer news (here) and there's an interesting saying about teamwork. The one that I will always keep in my mind:

"It's like swallows. They always fly together in a group, in a V formation, and those at the front do the majority of the work. And they alternate regularly. If one swallow flies out of formation, two others go to get him and bring him back into the group. It's the same in my teams - sacrifice, friendship, and the giving of oneself to the team." (Sir Alex Ferguson)

 Teamwork, it's about the sacrifice, friendship and the giving of oneself to the team. I do believe that if everybody in the team think like this, not only we're going to see a lot of sacrifices but more than that. We will see a lot of joy and laughter in the togetherness of the team through the hard times and the good times.

I do wish that everybody that I work with have the same spirit but as everyone knows, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. One thing for sure! If I got one that doesn't have the team spirit, I will always show him the good thing about teamwork and hopefully he will learn and have the good team spirit at last.

I know whom I have believed (I know not why God's wondrous grace)

This morning at church, this hymn was sang. And it reminded me exactly what I should do since days or even weeks ago. I got job offers and I decided that I'm going to make the decision during this weekend. But still this thing was, if I could say, running crazy in my mind. I considered all possibilities and all aspects and they were endless :)
At one moment, I decided to go this way, but upon hearing other facts then I decided to go that way. And it went on and on, I tried many things to steer it to my so called ideal plan. But it just won't go as I wish it would.
Now I know it's time for me to get off, be still, open my eyes and ears. And I'm sure that I will be surprised by how God will lead me and show me the way.... as he already had and will always be.


I know not why God's wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

But I know Whom I have believed
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I've committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His word
Wrought peace within my heart.

I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noon-day fair,
Nor if I'll walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.


My prayer is that God will forgive me for my foolishness in not looking to Him for this matter, thinking that I could handle it and steer it myself. How conceited I was, amazing grace how sweet the sound... I was blind but now I see.

Remember this when you are angry

I've been watching myself, my family and my colleagues recently and especially during their worse time. Each time the anger came out and after it subsided, regret always follows. But the damage has been done and sometimes it could not be recovered. There's always a price to be paid.

It came to my mind that each time we're angry, it is more like we are pressing the self destruct button. But more than that, it is like pressing destroy surrounding button. Not only us, but the people surrounding got hurt also. Our wife, husband, children, closest friends or mour aybe colleagues. Do we really want to hurt them? or do we really want to hurt ourselves?

If you really think that it's okay to hurt yourself, then at least consider this one fact. Your creator, the one who weaved you while you're still in your mother's womb, He loves you more than you do love yourself. And if I could say this, your creator doesn't deserve it. If you hurt his creation, it hurts the creator also.

Now, take some time. Be still, go to the place where you could at least sit down and close your eyes. There still so many ways to act besides being angry, so many kindness could be done, so many beautiful things you will see. If and only if, you'll surrender your anger and have mercy on the one who angers you.

Forgiveness and peace does go hand in hand, a beautiful fact that is often forgotten. How to forgive? Hmm... sometimes the eyes need to meet with the creator eyes to be able to see the beautiful things unseen yet and will be seen when forgiveness comes to action.

The love of God

"Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky"

Quoted above is the 3rd verse of a wonderful song, The Love of God, by Frederick M. Lehman. One said that this verse was written on a prison wall, which even put more beauty on the meaning of this verse.
Let's step aside from our busy day for a moment and take a minute just to really read the verse. I hope that it will be a blessing to you as it already blessed me.

Here is the whole lyric :

1. The love of God is greater far
   Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
   It goes beyond the highest star,
   And reaches to the lowest hell;
   The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
   God gave His Son to win;
   His erring child He reconciled,
   And pardoned from his sin.
   • Refrain:
     Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
     How measureless and strong!
     It shall forevermore endure—
     The saints’ and angels’ song.
2. When hoary time shall pass away,
   And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
   When men who here refuse to pray,
   On rocks and hills and mountains call,
   God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
   All measureless and strong;
   Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
   The saints’ and angels’ song.
3. Could we with ink the ocean fill,
   And were the skies of parchment made,
   Were every stalk on earth a quill,
   And every man a scribe by trade;
   To write the love of God above
   Would drain the ocean dry;
   Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
   Though stretched from sky to sky.

Thankful list

Here's my "growing" thankful list :

1. I have the most beautiful and understanding wife.. yep, I'm the luckiest guy.
   
2. I run over no nails today (hey, I'm riding a motorcycle, I should be grateful here :)).
3. The sewer in my house works! Yes, if it simply just work and nothing stuck inside (whatever it is).
4. I have the happiest boy on earth. It may seems that I may be exaggerating, but not for me.
   
5. My son can tell if he wants to pee :)
6. My son can sleep alone... not until you have a child that you'll understand.
7. I don't feel any pain when I swallow my food. You have to imagine that there's a blister on your throat.
8. I'm blessed with a DAUGHTER!!! Yes, a DAUGHTER!!! :) completes my family. (a bit late entrying this one though)
9. I learn about the meaning of being loyal to your company in a nice way.
10. It's a beautiful scene to see my son cares for his little sis.
11. I felt what it was like to be in an end user office (though as a vendor support)
12. I saw anger and how it could led to evil. A very sad fact.
13. I still can see the beauty of forgiveness.
14. Both my children are healthy though the weather seems to be strange lately (it's very hot and suddenly it rained very hard)
15. My son said "Papa, I glad you're back!!!", hearing this really froze me. It sounded good to my ear... no, it sounded GREAT and it will always sound GREAT :)
16. I have the most beautiful wife :) been thru good and bad together and it still feels blessed to have her.
17. Walking together with my wife for 15 years (it's 2011! :)