Thursday, December 30, 2010

happy n so thankful. =)

thank You for everything, my friends. for what You are doing in my life.
--

at Barnes & Nobles now. it's weird cos i keep feeling like i have a whole long day ahead but it's going to be dark soon.
cycled for the 1st time over here (in a long while). it literally took my breath away. it was sunny but deceptively cold! i almost freeze my fingers off! and got breathless just riding a short distance. the cold and biting winds just caught me off guard. i was surprised cos i used to journey high up in the mountains with very thing air n i m fine, riding a bike in and i feel breathless in 3 mins?! oh well. =) just thankful for bro who lent me his bike while he's gone. it's nice to ride again.
--

i (Jesus) came to give life and life to the full. - John 10:10.
thank God for the fullness. it is amazing.
the fullness is not in the ridiculously hectic schedule and unfinishable work demanding all of us and throwing us off other more important priorities. but fullness in the purpose of God that you find fullness in being you. ahh.... thank You Jesus!


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

i'm thankful for Barnes and Noble for always being so warm! ahh... it's cold n wet. what a nice hideout haven!

i'm thankful for my car, my laptop, my guit.
for dinner, for friends, for my apartment, for smiles.

Thank You God for simple and complicated, small and big blessings in life.

--

was rocked as i played "how great is our God" on guit tonight. saw myself before the throne of God singing directly to Him. i burst into tears. literally, Oh my God!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Oprah Winfrey's words on Barbara Walters Interview 2010.

“I am seeking the fullness expression of myself as a human being on earth.”

that’s what I say to God all the time “use me till you use me up.” That is what my prayer is.


i think this gayle and oprah tabloid thing is overblown. the world doesn't know what intimacy is. they equate intimacy to sex and have absolutely no grid for friendship or "without sexual relations". it's sad. it's time 2 take it back to what it is.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

all i want for Christmas is you (NOTA)

NOTA - all i want for Christmas is you



new release on itunes. my fav version of this song to date!

i had wanted to post this earlier but i saved in my drafts instead. oh well.

---

went to Julie's 4 Christmas Eve, Joy's 4 Christmas. (spent more than 10 hours at her place!)
had great fun.
will take this time to translate my dreams onto paper. it's alot tougher than i expected. God has shown me that these will happen sooner than i had thought, bigger too. so just the research for them is taking alot of time even!

2011 is going to be such an adventure. better than 2009 and this year. i mean... man, CRAZY, AWESOME stuff! thank You Jesus!
update from the last post:
in the end, i did get into some sort of a groove and stayed till closing or near closing i think. have been back in the lib many times since then.
and now too.

what's happening these weeks:
learning to steward hearts,
learning to see the details and enjoy the small lessons as i adjust to my spiritual growth spurt.
getting down to really work on what probably will be my life's work. detailed planning. but first research.
alots of thoughts and ideas so sort through and hear God and catch His vision on.
enjoying classical music in this season.
un-doing alot of perception filters

and of course alot of homework reading, personal research, KV cd tagging etc.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

it's sat 3.28pm. im actually bored in the library! this is bad. it's 1 of my fav places 2b. hmmm... ill give it another shot for 30 min. if it doesnt work out, i know what will =)! hee hee... i'll go exercise or a walk around lema ranch. oh dear! the camera's with bro. hmmm... so lema ranch is out.

deb wisely pointed out (on FB) that maybe it's cos ive been spending too much time in the lib. which i think is really wise.

i actually have lots to do tho. but so not in the mood! sorry to those whose emails i havent replied to! sigh... i would love some face time instead of emailing! hmmm... skype?? hmmm... i dun have internet in my apt so that means i have to do it in public places where pp can hear my side of the conversation... which i dont like.

random thoughts:
it's interesting how questions and can open up things to you that you have never considered before.

sometimes the stuff left unanswered/unsaid speaks more than what was.

i m trying to learn how to operate in a new level of sobriety or lack of.


more randomness:
interesting hotels -

Hotel Kakslauttanen, Finland

The snow igloos here are cool (pun intended), but what really caught our eye were the futuristic glass igloos, which guarantee unrestricted views of the aurora borealis from the comfort of your zebra-striped bed; the phenomenon turns the night sky dazzling shades of green, red, and blue from late August to April. (The special thermal glass doesn't frost over—even if outdoor temperatures drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius.) Staff supply wool socks and down sleeping bags for guests who opt for one of the 12 "real" igloos, where the interior temperature hovers between 21 and 27 degrees Fahrenheit. If you get cold feet, the property also features more conventional accommodations like wood cabins.

011-358/1666-7100, kakslauttanen.fi, glass igloos from $468 for two people.


Jumbo Stay, Stockholm, Sweden

For most jet-setters, getting on a big jet plane and going nowhere might seem like a prank of transatlantic proportions. Then again, most people have never boarded Jumbo Stay at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport. The 450 seats on this retired Boeing 747 have been replaced by 27 rooms, all of which, we assure you, have plenty of legroom. To fly really high, book the cockpit-located suite, where you can move the controls and push as many buttons as you'd like without ever worrying about crashing.

011-46/8-593-604-00, jumbostay.com, doubles from $149.


Palacio de Sal, Bolivia

If you're one of those people who believe you can never have too much salt, then we've got the place for you. The luxurious Salt Palace, located on Bolivia's vast salt flats, is made entirely out of the mineral. From floor to ceiling, including the walls, beds, and chairs, it's all salt, all of the time. And the 16-room property offers dishes like salt-encrusted lamb, of course. Sufferers of high blood pressure should probably look elsewhere for a room.

011-591/2- 62-2951, palaciodesal.com.bo, doubles from $135.


Hotel Utter Inn, Vasteras, Sweden

What's so weird about this pint-size property in Sweden? At first glance, the one-room hotel appears to be a cheery red house in the middle of the lake—yes, it's in the middle of a body of water but how strange is that, really? Don't be fooled: The room isn't actually in the house; it's 10 feet underwater. It's also the only functioning underwater hotel that started out as an art installation. Designed by artist Mikael Genberg, the 10-year-old inn's sole room consists of two twin beds with panoramic windows on all sides. There is no electricity, but there is lighting and a portable gas heater. When ready to come up for air, guests can relax on the deck or take the dinghy out to one of the nearby uninhabited islands.

011-46/21-39-0100, vasterasmalarstaden.se, from $328 for two people, open April–Oct.

Friday, December 03, 2010

i'm in a desert now. a real one, not a spiritual one. wahahaha. so terribly happy to be here.
Palm Springs, CA.
John Crowder School of Mystics
JOYyyyyyyYYYYYyyyyyYYYYyyyyYYYYYyyyyyYYYYYY!!!
learning so much,
flew down to LA, rented car and drove here. rented an economy car but when i got there at 12am, they only had minvans and SUVs left. so i got a white Dodge Grand Caravan for the price of an economy! praise You Jesus!!

John Crowder is amazing! praise You Jesus!
got the book i've always wanted from him - The Ecstasy of Loving God! so happy.
learnt about trances and the supernatural stuff in church history.

Christianity is spelt G-I-F-T! you cant earn it, work for it, perform for it.
Jesus bore all your sins and punishment on the cross. He took all the wrath for you. God is pleased, delighted in you. He is happy with you. He enjoys you.

oh JOY!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Seven herbs for indigestion

By Melissa Breyer
http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/seven-herbs-for-indigestion-2412331/

Common causes for indigestion include overeating, eating too quickly, fatty or greasy foods, too much caffeine, too much alcohol, too much chocolate, nervousness, and emotional trauma. Translation: The holidays.

Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is a term used to describe one or more symptoms including a feeling of fullness during a meal, uncomfortable fullness after a meal, and burning or pain in the upper abdomen; it may cause bloating, belching, and nausea. One thing is certain, it's no fun!

If that last wafer-thin mint has you cowering on the couch, you may want to try one of these natural aids for indigestion. Herbs have been used for millennia to treat any matter of ailments, and indigestion seems to be one woe that is well-suited for natural remedies.


Fennel / Fennel Seed
There is a reason Indian restaurants serve the fennel seed mix, Mukhwas, after dinner. Fennel seed has long been used to help fight gas, cramps, and acid indigestion, and to help ease spasms in the intestinal tract.

Fennel has a long history of use in both food and medicine. Traditionally, it is said to act as a carminative, which means that it helps the body expel gas and sooth indigestion. Fennel is also a common ingredient in "gripe water," a traditional (and very alcoholic, by the way) preparation used for treating infant colic.

Fennel leaves can be used to make tea. NYU Langone Medical Center says that a typical dose of fennel is 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of seeds per day.


Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and has been a favorite since the Middle Ages for reducing stress and anxiety, abetting sleep, sparking appetite, and easing indigestion.

These days, lemon balm is commonly mixed with other calming herbs to help promote relaxation. Evidence suggests that lemon balm, in combination with other herbs, may help treat indigestion -- although just soothing the stress alone can sometimes help with dyspepsia.

To reduce indigestion, flatulence, or bloating, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends:
Capsules: Take 300 - 500 mg dried lemon balm, 3 times daily or as needed.
Tea: 1.5 - 4.5 grams (1/4 - 1 teaspoonful) of dried lemon balm herb in hot water. Steep and drink up to 4 times daily.
Tincture: 2 - 3 mL (40 - 90 drops), 3 times daily


Turmeric
Turmeric is the little minx of the spice drawer -- super bright, spicy, and boasting a broad array of health claims. You may know it as the main spice in curry and the one which imparts that intense golden glow, butturmeric is also used for health remedies.

In traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric has been used to aid digestion and liver function, relieve arthritis pain, and regulate menstruation. It has also traditionally been used for heartburn, stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, and stomach bloating.

According to the NYU Langone Medical Center, turmeric's superpower comes in the form of the substance, curcumin, that, among other properties, may stimulate gallbladder contractions. One double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed that 87% percent of the curcumin group experienced full or partial symptom relief from dyspepsia as compared to 53% of the placebo group.

The National Institutes of Health recommends a dosage of 500 mg of turmeric four times daily for dyspepsia.


Ginger
Ginger has long been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions. In China, ginger has been used to aid all types of digestion disorders for more than 2,000 years. Fast-forward to modern medicine, and health care professionals still commonly recommend ginger to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting. It is also used as a digestive aid for mild stomach upset.

Germany's Commission E has approved ginger as a treatment for indigestion and motion sickness. Curiously, while most anti-nausea drugs work on the brain and the inner ear, ginger seems to act directly on the stomach.

For most purposes, the standard dosage of powdered ginger is 1 to 4 g daily, divided into 2 to 4 doses per day. (To prevent motion sickness, you should aim to begin treatment 1 or 2 days before the trip and continue it throughout the period of travel.)


Artichoke Leaf
If you have ever wondered what in the world were those Italians thinking when they invented the artichoke aperitif liqueur, Cynar, here's you answer. In traditional European medicine, the leaves of the artichoke plant (not the leaves of the bud, which is the part that we eat) were used as a diuretic to stimulate the kidneys and as well as the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder; which plays a starring role in digestion.

Over the past century, much research has been done looking into the traditional medicinal uses of the artichoke plant; conclusions suggest that the plant does indeed stimulate the kidney and gallbladder. In the mid-20th century, Italian scientists isolated a compound from artichoke leaf called cynarin, which appeared to duplicate many of the effects of whole artichoke. Salute!

In 2003, a large study evaluated artichoke leaf as a treatment for dyspepsia; artichoke leaf extract proved significantly more effective than placebo for alleviating symptoms of functional dyspepsia. Germany's Commission E has authorized the use of artichoke leaf use for "dyspeptic problems" -- they recommend 6 grams of the dried herb or its equivalent per day, usually divided into 3 doses. Artichoke leaf extracts should be taken according to label instructions.


Peppermint
Peppermint is often used to soothe an upset stomach or to aid in digestion. Because of its subtle numbing effect, it has been used to treat everything from headaches, skin irritations, and anxiety to nausea, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, and flatulence.

Peppermint oil seems to be helpful for a variety of conditions that involve spasm of the intestinal tract. Most studies have involved irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for which peppermint oil has shown considerable promise.

Peppermint relaxes the muscles that struggle with digestive gas and improve the flow of bile, which the body uses to digest fats. In studies on using peppermint to treat IBS, there seems to be a trend indicating mild effectiveness in the reduction of some symptoms, especially flatulence and abdominal pain and distension. However, if your symptoms of indigestion are related to a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, peppermint should not be used.


Cayenne
OK, this one is confusing: Doesn't spicy food cause stomach aches? According to the folks at NYU, evidence suggests that oral use of cayenne can reduce the pain of dyspepsia! Counter-intuitive, at best, but apparently hot peppers don't actually inflame the tissues they contact; in fact, hot peppers aren't even harmful for ulcers. Rather, they merely produce sensations similar to those caused by actual damage.

Oral use of capsaicin seems to reduce discomfort in the stomach. In a double-blind study, individuals with dyspepsia were given either 2.5 g daily of red pepper powder (divided up and taken prior to meals) or placebo for 5 weeks. By the third week of treatment, individuals taking red pepper were experiencing significant improvements in pain, bloating, and nausea as compared to placebo, and these relative improvements lasted through the end of the study.

For treatment of dyspepsia, cayenne may be taken at a dosage of 0.5 to 1.0 g three times daily (prior to meals).


For these and all herbs, do not exceed dosage recommendations, and be sure to consult with your doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any medication.


THANKSGIVING week break.

was such a great week!
sat had Asian Students Gathering, mentoring with tunia.
sun after church met Louis n family, then went to Joan's and watched the BBC 4 hour "Emma" series (which was so well done!) with greg, greg, holly, joan, joanne and rachel.
mon hung out with ruth and had dinner with Singaporeans. celebrated bro's birthday. had a GREAT time will about 2am with them. yummy food and great talk and ministry. there was such a profound sense of destiny for this group collectively. i had a breakthrough in recovering my prophetic.
tues had Bill J's thanksgiving meeting.
wed had coaching with Julie, went to chinese buffet with bro, had dinner with Tim n Em.
spent thanksgiving with ruth n jo.
fri black fri shopping and dinner with terese, tunia, then went over to Charity's and terese's for tea and great chat past midnight.
sat woke up after noon. now at barnes and noble.

was such a great week of connecting with people, good food, ministering in the prophetic and doing inner healing sessions. praise You Jesus!

theme of the week: God showing me He's handpicking "team" for me.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

this song hit me hearing it over the radio as i drove... i am a little worried about my finances - for my living expenses and my mission trip to Mozambique... great reminder from the 1st line of the song...

TO KNOW YOU - Casting Crowns


To know you is to never worry for my life, and
To know you is to never to give in or compromise, and
To know you is to want to tell the world about you
Cause I can't live without you

To know you is to hear your voice when you are calling
To know you is to catch my brother when he is falling
To know you is to feel the pain of the broken hearted
Cause they can't live without you.

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I'm reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you're all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

To know you is to ache for more than ordinary
To know you is to look beyond the temporary
To know you is believing that you will be enough
Cause there's no life without you

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I'm reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you're all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

All this life could offer me, could not compare to you
Compare to you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I'm reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you are all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

Compared to you
Compared to you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you
the best way to parallel park
pull up beside the car parked in front of your space until the two rear bumpers are parallel, leaving two feet of space between the cars. Put your car in reverse and back up slowly, turning the wheel toward the curb as far as it will go. Once the back of your front door is even with the rear bumper of the car beside you, begin to turn the wheel away from the curb and continue to reverse into the spot.

when it rains...
the first 10 minutes of rain are when roadways are most dangerous. Those initial minutes of precipitation cause the oil that has built up on the roads to make conditions extremely slick. So when it starts to drizzle, slow down immediately.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

ah so glad Aung San Suu Kyi is free! yay! i hope that she wont be imprisoned by this new found freedom seeing how the burmese flocked to her house! i pray that Myanmar will be released to move out of the clutches of their past and into their God-given destiny as a nation.


"so you think you can dance" - bleeding love

beautiful choreography! and another example of the kind of song that will get me so totally feeling melancholic cos i'm such a deep feeler. but now it gets me just enjoying so much - the deep emotions but without the depression or "bleeding/haemorraging" feeling. it's like God has mended the holes in my "bucket" and replaced the bottom of the "bucket" so that now it doesnt "fall out". understand what i m trying to say here? hmmm... n Jesus fills my "bucket" with good things.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life - Psalm 23: 5,6a

here's a song i LOVE... it's the song of my current season - the more i seek you (Kari Jobe)

Friday, November 12, 2010

jo's on ministry trip so that means i have the whole apartment to myself, which also means i can play my music without putting on my earphones. which means i took advantage of replaying the (christian and secular) songs i used to enjoy...

and i realised this: those sad sad songs that used to tug at my heart dont pull me down as much as they used to be. i have grown in this: i have a deeper abiding hope and joy now.
praise You Jesus!

Monday, October 25, 2010

should practice this sometime esp as a moring perk-up. declarations make things happen.


it's appalling how many spoofs this vid has spurn off. and most if not all are negative. we really need hope and life to be declared instead of lies and suckiness! i wonder how many really become "self fulfilling prophecies" or maybe they are accurate protrayal of their life? isnt it sad? it's interesting how pp whose lives suck throw slime on those who actually love their lives (no matter how young, uncynical, innocent, right they might be).

my whole house is great
i can do anything good
i like my school, dad, cousins, aunts, mum, sister,
i like my hair, my pajamas...
when life hands you lemons, make lemonade!

uses of lemon:
source: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/new-uses-for-lemons-2399928/#photoViewer=1

Lemon as Sore Throat Soother

Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.

Lemon as Laundry Brightener

Skip the bleach—add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle to brighter up those fading whites.

Lemon as Cutting Board Cleaner

To remove tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards, slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing. The best part? You'll have a house that smells like a lemon grove rather than chemicals.

Lemon as Hair Lightener

For subtle highlights in blond hair, simmer two sliced lemons in water for one hour (add more water if needed). Strain, then pour into a spray bottle.

Lemon as Browning Preventer

Stop apples and pears from browning by squeezing a little lemon juice over them.

Lemon as Table Decoration

Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.

Lemon as Toothpick Collector

Collect used toothpicks at a party so you don't end up with them all over your tables, seats, and floors. (Stick one in the lemon ahead of time to give guests the hint.

Lemon as Grater Cleaner

After shredding soft cheese or other sticky foods, go over both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon to get rid of any residue.

Microwave as Lemon Juicer

Squeeze juice from lemons with less effort by first warming them for 20 seconds in the microwave.

Monday, October 11, 2010

if you are in the wrong, you dont have the right to be angry. if you are in the right, you dont need to be angry. - P Rony T.

Surprising Origins of Everyday Phrases

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/surprising-origins-of-everyday-phrases-2395118/
historian Albert Jack, author of Black Sheep and Lame Ducks: The Origins of Even More Phrases We Use Every Day

"Bare-faced lie"
If someone has ever told you a bare-faced lie, you know they didn't make any effort to show guilt or remorse. the phrase refers to the idea that a clean-shaven face could not conceal any lies, unlike a bearded mug, which could hide all manner of deceit. But over time, explains Jack, "the phrase came to describe a person who didn't care whether or not he was lying and had no real intention of concealing his deception."

"More than you can shake a stick at"
Farmers with more sheep than they could control with their wooden staffs are believed to have inspired this phrase, which means you have more of something than you need. there's a second possible origin. "After George Washington was once seen waving a ceremonial wooden sword over the British troops he had recently defeated, other American generals began to use the expression to justify themselves when they had not been quite as successful as the great man himself was in battle. 'We had more men to fight than you could wave a stick at' was apparently a common excuse for failure on the battlefield."

"Run amok" or "run amuck"
A raucous partygoer can be described as going wild or running amok, an expression that derives from "the Malaysian word amoq, which, when literally translated, describes the behavior of tribesmen who, under the influence of opium, became wild, rampaging mobs that attacked anybody in their path," writes Jack. He reports that the phrase became popular in England during the 17th century, when travelers would try to impress people with their knowledge of foreign cultures.

"Blood is thicker than water"
Anyone with a tight family bond will tell you blood is thicker than water. But they may be surprised to learn that the saying has little to do with familial ties. Jack explains that in ancient Middle Eastern culture, "blood rituals symbolized bonds that were far greater than those of the family." That explains "blood brothers"—warriors who symbolically shared the blood they shed in battle together—having a stronger bond than biological brothers. Furthermore, Jack says there is an expression from 3,000 years ago that says: "The blood of the covenant is far stronger than the water of the womb." Jack suggests that the true meaning of this phrase became muddled by English nobility who wanted to stress the importance of bloodlines.

"Butter someone up"
It's easy to assume that the idea behind this phrase—which means to lay flattery on thick—has to do with how smoothly butter spreads onto bread. Not quite. Jack reveals an ancient Indian custom of "throwing butterballs of ghee (clarified butter commonly used in Indian cooking) at the statues of the gods" to seek favor. Additionally, the Tibetan tradition of creating butter sculptures for the New Year "can be traced to the Tang Dynasty and the belief that such offerings would bring peace and happiness for the full lunar year."

"Cat got your tongue?"
According to Jack, there are two possible sources of this phrase, which refers to when a normally chatty person is at a loss for words, often for suspicious reasons. The first refers to when victims of the cat-o'-nine-tails––a whip the English Navy used for flogging––were left speechless from the pain inflicted upon them. The second, which is equally morbid, traces back to medieval times, when punishment "for liars and blasphemers [was to] have their tongues cut out and then fed to the cats." Ancient Egyptian cats were considered to be gods (and would eat just about anything), so giving them the tongue of a liar was "seen as a human offering to the gods."

"Have a yen for"
When you really want something, it can be said you have a "yen" for it. But the phrase doesn't actually refer to Japanese currency—it refers to Chinese opium, which was available in Britain and America in the late 1800s. "The phrase comes from the Chinese word yan, which can be translated to craving,"

"The writing is on the wall"
The roots of this phrase, which means that something negative is inevitable, trace back to the Bible, explains Jack. In the Book of Daniel, God punishes King Belshazzar for boasting and foreshadows his demise by having the words for “Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, Divided” (which all refer to how he was to be taken down) literally written on the wall.

"Turn a blind eye"
The 1801 Battle of Copenhagen is at the root of this saying, which means to pretend you don't know what's happening. During the battle, Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, commander of the British fleet, attempted to stop Horatio Nelson from launching an attack on the enemy. "When Nelson's officers pointed out the order, he famously raised a telescope to his blind eye and replied: 'Order, what order? I see no ships.'"

"Pass the buck"
Don't want to take responsibility for something yourself? Just pass the buck, or hand off the duties to someone else. The phrase originated in the American Wild West during poker games. "The most common knife available was known as a buckhorn knife. As all cowboys and ranchers carried them around, one of them would be placed in front of whoever was due to deal the next hand, and in games where the stakes were running too high for a player, he could opt out of his turn at dealing by passing the buckhorn knife on to the next player. But even if he did choose to play, he still avoided the responsibility of setting the bets next time around by passing the buck along.

"Give the cold shoulder"
Giving someone the cold shoulder is a rude way of telling the person he or she isn’t welcome, but the origins of this phrase are actually quite polite, explains Jack. After feasts in medieval England, the host would signal to his guests it was time to leave by giving them a slice of cold meat from the shoulder of beef, mutton or pork. "It was regarded as a civilized and polite gesture."

"Go cold turkey"
If you want to quit anything, from alcohol or cigarettes to chocolate or soda, without weaning yourself off it, you can say you're "going cold turkey." "The original idea was that a person withdrawing from using drugs would find his or her skin turning hard to the touch and translucent to look at, with goose pimples all over—like the skin of a plucked turkey," writes Jack. It's also been suggested that the phrase is a comparison between eating a no-prep meal of cold turkey and stopping heavy drug use without preparation.

"Eat humble pie"
Oddly enough, making an apology and suffering humiliation along with it, as the saying connotes, has little to do with "eating humble pie." Jack explains that the phrase dates back to the Middle Ages, when, during a post-hunt feast, the lord of the manor would eat the finest cuts of meat. But those of lower standing would be served the entrails and innards, known as "umbles," baked into a pie. "It was common practice for people to be humiliated by finding themselves seated at the wrong end of the table and served 'umble pie.'"

"Blow hot and cold"
Have a friend who constantly changes their opinions? You might say he’s "blowing hot and cold." Jack informs us that the expression comes from a story in classical mythology in which a traveler is given food and shelter by a kind woodland god. "According to the legend, the woodland god gave the traveler a room for the night and some hot soup. The man blew on his fingers to warm them and then, with the same breath, blew on the soup to cool it. Irritated at the man's apparent indecision, the woodland god packed him off outside and sent him back on his travels.

---

today at lunch, ruth p explained the origins of "graveyard shift". originated in England, people were getting buried while still alive but in coma or some sort of dead-like state. they would tie a string to the person's hand that rings a bell should the person move (in his grave). and they hired people to keep watch over the graveyards at night to dig up people from their graves if the bells ring.

thought it interesting cos after lunch, i came online to find this on yahoo.

so there u go.


Monday, October 04, 2010

this is the song (n version) that i've been playing over n over on my laptop these past weeks.
somehow it has been so therapeutic. especially since i've been feeling more melancholic, vulnerable and teary these past weeks. no worries. i'm fine n i'm not fine at the same time. no biggie. u know what i mean? =)

"I'll always be Yours"

[[i'm yours]] bebo contest winner

- there's such a strong need in each of us to belong. it's so often that we miss the point that it is d desire to belong to someone more than a place or an entity. like i mentioned here on my blog sometime back - Home is a person. it is not a place.
- there's so many things that pull at your heart, to win your heart's affections. most of them distract and detract. and you end up with a divided heart. ps 86:11

i'm Yours.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

last night i attended the Feast of Tabernacles!
it's outside the Alabaster House and spilled over to the parking lot. i was at the right place at the right moment, standing inside the main area as 5 shofars all around me blew. surround sound! it was such a good time of food, worship, and celebration. gave me a better understanding of what the israelites/israelis do on this festival. so much worship and dancing, rejoicing before the Lord. with e setting sun as the backdrop it was a beautiful pic! wished i had my camera with me. 1st time hearing 2 Spirit-filled Rabbis! i m so happy! Praise God!
these 2 days are really nice, restful, fruitful, worshipful ones. i love it! (didnt have sch cos it's retreat week. we take turns in groups to go)
will be going on school retreat thurs-sat.
tomorrow, we'll be blessing the 1st years' socks off! haha!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

update on 911 quran burning event: CANCELLED!!!!! YAY!!!!

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/11/florida-pastor-calls-off-quran-burning/

(CNN) - The pastor of a Florida church says his congregation has decided to call off the burning of the Quran that was to be held Saturday - the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States by the al Qaeda terror network.

"We will definitely not burn the Quran," the Rev. Terry Jones told NBC's "Today" on Saturday "Not today, not ever." The burning had been planned for 6 p.m.

Jones arrived in New York late Friday night and was working to set up a meeting with the imam in charge of the Islamic center planned near ground zero. The planned meeting, Jones had said, helped persuade him to halt the burning.

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but no such meeting took place in the end.


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here's what i thought is ridiculous. (i m against being ecumenical) Jesus said, "I am the way, the Truth and the life. no one comes to the Father except through me." we should stop swinging to the other end in reaction to some err we want to counteract!

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/13/churches-read-from-quran-in-face-of-proposed-quran-burning/

Journalist Amy Zerba filed this report from Gainesville, Florida:

Rev. Larry Reimer says there's a simple message at the core of his faith: people have more in common than they have in conflict.

It's one reason he chose to have a passage from the Quran read at the United Church of Gainesville, part of the United Church of Christ, on Sunday.

And he wasn’t alone.

More than 20 religious leaders from Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim backgrounds around Gainesville had the same Quran passage read - along with Christian and Hebrew scriptures– at their congregations over the weekend. Local synagogues made it part of their Rosh Hashanah celebrations.

It was a sign of unity after weeks of talk by a Florida pastor who threatened to burn the Muslim holy book on 9-11 but who ultimately cancelled the event.

“It just seemed that the reading of Quran was the most affirmative thing we can do,” said Reimer, who has served at the United Church of Gainesville for 36 years. “You might say (we) befriended the Quran and brought it into everyone’s framework, everyone’s point of view.”

Reimer came up with the idea a few days after he learned of the planned Burn A Koran Day from worried parishioners. He approached local religious leaders to join him in reading common Hebrew, Christian and Muslim scriptures at their Sabbath services.

The response from the community was overwhelming positive, he said.

Shanna Johnson, 40, a member of the United Church of Gainesville, said the proposed Quran burning forced the Gainesville community to talk “rationally” with others about different faiths.

“The things that we have in common can really come out in this type of situation,” Johnson said.

Reimer plans to continue connections with clergy from other faiths. A group of religious leaders will meet in October in Gainesville to try to improve interfaith relations.

“My whole ministry, my whole faith is designed around the sense that we have much to learn from each other that we are a common family and that our division is not among religions but it is among fanatics and extremists on both sides that we have to overcome,” Reimer said.

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"Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, a professor of religion and African-American studies at the University of Florida, read from a Hebrew Scripture (Deut 6:4-5); a Christian scripture (Matt 22:34) and from the Quran (Aal 'Imran 3:64) during a Sunday service at ehe United Church of Gainesville in Folirda. the common message between the 3 passages was "one God," she said.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so, these 3 religions are mono-theistic. so? does that mean it's the same?


Microwaves Myths
Source: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/6-biggest-lies-about-food-busted-2391419

Myth: Microwaving zaps nutrients.
The Truth: This is misguided thinking, says Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Ph.D., R.D., professor of nutrition at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Whether you’re using a microwave, a charcoal grill or a solar-heated stove, “it’s the heat and the amount of time you’re cooking that affect nutrient losses, not the cooking method,” she says. “The longer and hotter you cook a food, the more you’ll lose certain heat- and water-sensitive nutrients, especially vitamin C and thiamin [a B vitamin].” Because microwave cooking often cooks foods more quickly, it can actually help to minimize nutrient losses.

Myth: Radiation from microwaves creates dangerous compounds in your food.
The Truth: “Radiation” might connote images of nuclear plants, but it simply refers to energy that travels in waves and spreads out as it goes. Microwaves, radio waves and the energy waves that we perceive as visual light all are forms of radiation. So, too, are X-rays and gamma rays—which do pose health concerns. But the microwaves used to cook foods are many, many times weaker than X-rays and gamma rays, says Robert Brackett, Ph.D., director of the National Center for Food Safety and Technology at the Illinois Institute of Technology. And the types of changes that occur in microwaved food as it cooks are “from heat generated inside the food, not the microwaves themselves,” says Brackett. “Microwave cooking is really no different from any other cooking method that applies heat to food.” That said, microwaving in some plastics may leach compounds into your food, so take care to use only microwave-safe containers.

Thursday, September 09, 2010

it is sad that a 50-member church (Dove World Center Outreach in Gainsville, Fla) and a revengeful pastor (terry jones) can hijack the media and thousands of minutes of airtime. and organise a burn the quran day "in the name of Jesus." whatever happened to turn the other cheek?

just as the Filipino hostage situation involving a bus load of HK tourist should have had a media black out, similarly this burning of the quran event should have. the former resulted in 8 deaths. the latter would bring much more.

if the media has not fanned the flames of this runaway spark, it will not have turned into such a huge worldwide religious fire that is so hard to put out. we cannot continue to sacrifice peace and social harmony, international relations and inter-personal decency on the altar of sensationalism. it is time to call the media to attention and to hold them to good journalism and worthy news coverage. it is time we should re-think how our media function such that a delinquent minority will not waste the time and resources of the majority and that their lame causes not be inflated above and beyond that they are.

ever since the media caught wind of this, it has blazed the world over and this time round the fire is being flamed by the church in Germany that Pastor Jones has founded. that church has disowned and renounced Jones in 2008 but now felt need to voice their disapproval of Jones' antics to the world. the Church (note capital letter 'C') need to live not in reaction, not in retaliation but in reconciliation and for restoration. we are ambassadors for Christ (1 Cor 5:20), we are called to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). Jones in his call to burn quran to send a message to the muslims is doing so in retaliation. the church in germany, and all the world around are reacting, and thus give rise to probable more escalated reaction on the recipients' part and over-correction of a minority's error by government or society.