Origins of Life

Are we it?

Is human intelligence the highest possible emergence state?

Or is it possible that there might be higher order of emergence?

If so, then it is also possible that our individual brains can no more comprehend such a state than a single neuron can comprehend consciousness.

Perhaps the universe holds levels of emergence beyond individual consciousness and beyond even the collective accomplishments of human society.

If thats true, then the story of life's origins and evolution is far from over.

Indeed, perhaps the story has only begun.

Robert M. Hazen - Origins of Life

Violence

Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can't murder murder.

Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can't establish truth.

Though violence you may murder a hater, but you can't murder hate.

Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that.

Martin Luther King Jr. 1967

New Year Resolutions 2010

It has been so long since I've updated this blog...

New year resolution 2010

1. Charity

2. Diet - resist the temptation of food

3. No more excuses!!

I guess focusing on three is good enough.

I wrote 10 the last time, but didn't get much done.

Will try to update this blog more often.

Just been plain lazy...

O.M.G. 我的神啊！

Ever wondered why people say O.M.G. （我的神啊！）but not O.M.B. （我的佛祖啊！）or O.M.MG （我的孙悟空啊！）？

I actually like the latter better.
Monkey God is kinda cool.
Definitely one of my favourite character (only 2nd to Piggy which I find rather cute).

Lets build a trend and start saying….

O.M.MG!!
我的孙悟空啊！！

Mid-year Resolution Review

Quick review before its too late to work on this…
1. Lose weight? Maybe a couple of kgs. Need to work on this!!
2. Residual physical damages… not fixed. Ongoing treatment but back into badminton.
3. ‘The’ gal of my dreams… have to say ‘yes’ for this one as my gal’s reading this blog. Haha.
4. Golf handicap… should be around the 60mark. Still a fair way to go.
5. Charity – ongoing (hopefully thru the recession).
6. Good food in Perth… still the same old but trying out new stuff.
7. One additional investment… does a gf count? if not then I’ll still need to work on this.
8. Trying out something new… haven’t done anything about this yet.
9. Spicing up life in Perth… there’s definitely some extra spice in my life now I guess!

You guys have any luck with your resolutions?

秘密

为什么人们会有这么多的秘密？
这么多不想让他人知道的事？

难道做人不能光明磊落些吗？

潮流

十年前觉得那时候好帅气的新车，
现在看它们实在老土。

十年前觉得很入流很时髦的衣裳打扮，
现在看它们也实在老土。

为何人们总是在潮流里兜兜转转？
是人类眼光在进步？
还是人类眼光已经商业化了？

潮流根本就是商人赚钱的工具。
别把自己捆所在潮流里，跟从潮流。
如果要的话，就带领潮流吧！

天无绝人之路

俗语说：天无绝人之路。

正所谓：山重水复疑无路，柳暗花明又一村。

因我自己知道我為你們所定的計劃，是使你們得平安，而不是遭受災禍的計劃；要賜給你們美好的前程和盼望。’這是耶和華的宣告。- 耶利米书29：11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  - Jeremiah 29:11

Happiness

Everybody desires happiness…
Everybody seeks happiness…
But where did this imprint of joy come from?
How did this imprint of happiness come into our memory?

St Augustine had a long contemplation and discussion regarding why we seek and desire a happiness life. In a nutshell, it basically asks why one desires and seek happiness even when one may never experience real happiness. It is therefore concluded that Happiness itself is imprinted into our memory which means we can recognise happiness when we experience it (e.g. we may see a familiar face but have forgotten his name, however, if the name is mentioned, we will instantly recognised the name as it is still in our memory which means we have not fully forgotten).

Did God left this imprint of happiness to us?
Or was this memory of happiness left in our genes by Adam during his time in Eden?

Cirque Du Soleil – DRALION

Watched Cirque Du Soleil in Perth.
Its amazing what the human body is capable of…

The Phantom of The Opera

Finally had a chance to watch the acclaimed most popular musical of all time…

Augustine on Astrology

When I demanded of him how it is that many things foretold through natal star charts come true, he answered that the simple rules of chance that are part of the nature of all things will tend to fulfil some of the predictions. If a man haphazardly opens the pages of some poet, who sang and thought of something wholly different, he will often notice a verse that has amazing parallels to whatever he has been thinking about. This isn’t something amazing. It is the soul of the person at work, unconsciously seeking out by some higher intellect to look for answers to direct the actions of the seeker. The answer comes by happenstance, not art.

- by Augustine in Confessions

Graced

I believe that He has been leading my steps..
guiding me in everything I do (almost anyways)..

I remember how hard it was to look for a job.
I’ve joined a marketing company,
shit job shit pay but I’ve actually learnt a lot from it,
was an eye opener and it has shaped me for the better…
to shape me for my future jobs to come.
I have to admit that without this job,
my future jobs would not have gone so smoothly.

Then I came back to the world of Oz,
Worked closely with mother Earth, 
Wasn’t really a great job,
but the experience was worth it as well.
Greatly benefited me in my next job.

Bought a house.
That was a bit more than I could chew actually.
Fortunately God provided me with another job.
This was a relief as it has greatly decreased my burden.

The job didn’t last too long before another job was offered to me.
This is really God-guided again I’d say.
Recession came just after I resigned and accepted the new offer.
This is a much smaller company but my position was pretty secured.
Heard from the news that my last company has retrenched quite a number of employees due to the recession and termination of one of its projects.
If I’d stay I’d probably be made redundant.

I’ve been looked after so to say…
God has guided my steps.
God has provided.
Thank you Lord.
Amen.

The Two Prayers

For seekers:
“God, open my eyes to who you really are, and then I’ll open my life to you.”

For believers:
“God, here I am, fully submitted to you; use me as you have never used me before.”

Left Behind

Left Behind - this was the book I read a couple of years ago. There are 16 books altogether in the series.

This series ‘literalises’ the book of Revelation. It is the story of those who has been ‘left behind’ from the rapture.

It challenges the reader’s faith to accept God’s words literally and not giving excuses saying that most things in the bible are just metaphors or saying that God didn’t really meant that literally.

This series is definitely a definite must-read for those who’s interested in the Revelation and the End Times.

The Golden Rule

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount,

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12

He did not say,
“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others”
(see Ethic of Reciprocity)

 

The negative form would teach behaviour like this: If you do not enjoy being robbed, don’t rob others. If you do not like being cursed, don’t curse others…. If you do not care to be clubbed over the head, don’t club others over the head.

However, the positive form teaches behaviour like this: If you enjoy being loved, love others. If you like to receive things, give to others. If you like being appreciated, appreciate others.

The positive form is thus far more searching than its negative counterpart. Here there is no permission to withdraw into a world where I offend no one, but accomplish no positive good, either.

- D.A. Carson 1982

The Supermarket Door

The door may seem closed, but it’s only closed the way a supermarket door is closed. It stays shut when you remain at a distance, but as you deliberately move toward it, a magic eye above it sees you coming, and the door opens. God is waiting for us to walk forward in obedience so he can open the door for us to serve him.

– Anonymous

Extracted from Lee Strobel’s “God’s Outrageous Claims”.

Let us all walk with God, in obedience and faith.

Do you know?

Do you know
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

Do you know
do you understand
that when you treat me with gentleness
it raises the question in my mind
that maybe He is gentle, too.
Maybe He isn’t someone
who laughs when I am hurt.

Do you know
do you understand
that when you listen to my questions
and you don’t laugh,
I think, “What if Jesus is interested in me, too?”

Do you know
do you understand
that when I hear you talk about arguments
and conflict and scars from your past,
I think, “Maybe I am just a regular person
instead of a bad, no-good little girl
who deserves abuse.”

If you care,
I think maybe He cares –
and then there’s this flame of hope
that burns inside of me
and for a while
I am afraid to breathe
because it might go out.

Do you know
do you understand
that your words are His words?
You face, His face
to someone like me?

Please, be who you say you are.
Please, God, don’t let this be another trick.
Please let this be real.
Please.

Do you know
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

- Anonymous

Extracted from Lee Strobel’s “God’s Outrageous Claims”.

We are all God’s witnesses and Jesus’s representative to everybody we know.

of Moobs and Beer Bellies

I have noticed for a long time,
that all (except one) the guys in my current company,
have beer bellies and moobs.

For those who is unfamiliar with moobs,
its just m(an)+(b)oobs.

No I dread to become like them.
Everytime I look at them,
I see myself.

NO I REFUSE TO BECOME ONE OF THEM!

To Love at all is to be Vulnerable

To love at all is to be vulnerable.

Love anything,
and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken.
If you want to make sure of keeping it intact,
you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.
Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries;
avoid all entanglements;
lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket —
safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change.
It will not be broken;
it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

C.S. Lewis in ‘The Four Loves’