Heaven

Finally, I'm posting again!! As my blog faithful would know, the lack of posts on my blog over the last two weeks (sigh, it has been that long huh?) has been due to the fact that I was BUSY BUSY BUSY studying for my mid-sem exam which I juz sat for 2 days ago. Yeah, I know I could have updated earlier, but betta late than never right? :P Anyway, I promise you that this post is going to be a feast for the eyes (yes, I know some of you are scrolling down already! :D), and my "post-exam post" is not going to be mainly about pictures with people (unlike Terence's) or as short as Jun Yet's LOL! :)

Newae, I know most of you would have come across the question: "What would you do if you won a million dollars?" before. There's the typical "saint" answers like "Oh, I would donate it to the poor!" or "I would sponsor a campaign or fund an organisation that stands for good works!" etc. Still, more "honest" ones would admit that they would use it for themselves or people close to their hearts. Whatever your choice, chances are, how often would one actually win such a large amount of cash?

Personally, if I ever get hold of one million dollars (or Ringgit after conversion ;P), I would decide to travel the world. Most of my life has been spent in Malaysia, a tropical country where it's humid all the time; where food lovers all around the world come to taste juicy cuisines and savour the results of fine culinary skills that make this country a gastronomic heaven; where we are renowned to have the tallest twin towers in the world; and where the political scene is but the butt of jokes worldwide. Ahh.. Malaysia! Malaysia! 20 years I have spent on Malaysian soil, how long more will it be before I get my opportunity to roam the world?

There's a whole world to see, feel and experience out there. From Paris, the city of love; to the vast urban jungle of the Big Apple (NYC); and there's the crisp and fresh air of the mountainous Swiss Alps. Then there's the global city of entertainment: Las Vegas; the luscious savannas of the African continent; and the beautiful reefs of Australia's waters. I could go on about everything I feel like doing that's within my somewhat vast knowledge of Geography... but what's the point? It's something I can juz dream about right now. Maybe someday my dream will come true, and if it is according to God's plan, I'll fulfill it with a special someone.

In the meantime, I can juz look at beautiful photographs of urban jungles all around the globe and admire the amazing concrete and metallic works of man's hands, and the magnificent lighting that usually encompasses them. Thus, I've included some pics of my favourite and most beautiful cities in the world for your viewing pleasure:

And presenting, last but not least, Kuala Lumpur!

Oops!! Sorry, nothing to see... TNB cut off the power supply!! :D

But you know what, the city of Heaven is greater and far more superior than any city than any man can ever build. Even the most advanced and modern cities face many problems. Pollution (at least thermal and sound), crime, health problems, and decreasing area of land for development are juz some of these problems.

On the other hand, the Bible in Revelation 21:1-4 says that Heaven (the Holy City of God) is a city of NO PROBLEMS: No death, sorrow, crying or pain! Scholars have visualised Heaven as a city where the streets are made of gold! Best of all is that we will finally get to see our Father who will dwell amongst all who are chosen to be saved in the name of Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross for a purpose: to save all mankind from the grip of sin. Oh, and admission into Heaven is a gift from God to men. In other words, it's free! You don't have to win a million bucks to get there. All you have to do is pray and accept the Lord Jesus Christ into your life and live according to what He says in the Bible.

Unfortunately for some, they will never see the beautiful city of Heaven. The Bible says that death awaits those who do not believe in Christ, our Saviour King. John 8:51 says, "I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

For those who know me and wanna find out more about what is stated above regarding Heaven and issues pertaining to it, feel free to drop me a message so that I can liaison with you, if possible (I'm in KL now). Oh and FYI I'm joining the Evangelism Explosion or EE, a global movement that aims to fulfill the Great Commission. This is going to be a leap of faith for me too as it not only requires a passion to serve others through evangelism, but it's going to require commitment and time for a good 13 weeks or so!

Yeah, I guess that's all I'm gonna write for this post-exam post of mine. For those that wanna know, my exam went alright, and I found the questions easier than the ones I sat for during the mid-year (probably because I didn't blog since I started my proper revision LOL!). However, I'm glad the Lord saw me through the 1st sem, and I know He'll see me through the rest of the year! :)

~Tim~

(Dis)Illusioned

Hey, it's me again updating my blog. (finally!) Now don't give me that disapproving look if you feel I don't update my blog more often. Being a medical student, you should be grateful that at least I take some of my precious time to keep this page alive! (hey, I update more often than most of my meddy peers yo! That's a known, well-established fact! :P) Been really busy lately, studyin for my mid-sem exams which is juz around the corner. Yes, in less than 2 weeks (see my countdown for more info), the Year Ones will be sitting for yet another exam. *Sighs*

Anyways...

According to the glossary of psychiatric terms in my medical syllabus, the word illusion refers to a specific form of sensory distortion. It describes a misinterpretation of a true sensation. Illusions may occur with more of the human senses than vision, but visual (optical) illusions are the most well known and understood. The emphasis on visual illusions occur because vision often dominates the other senses. For your viewing pleasure, I've incorporated a bunch of them below (compliments of Jacelyn! =D):

11 ships OR 3 ships + 8 arches?

Do you see faces OR all houses?

How many horses in this picture? Should find 7!

People OR faces?

A picture puzzle!

People OR flowing water?

See more than one deer?

Look at the middle column. Where does it end?

Do you see 4 people?

What do you see here? Do you see the word 'LIFT'?? Or, a bunch of black splotches?

GIRLS ARE ABLE TO SPOT THE WORD 'LIFT' EASILY; MEN FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE WORD 'LIFT'!

Sometimes in real life, we too can see things from a distorted or biased point of view... things are not always what they seem. The events that happen around us, in our community, in the country, as well as globally, affect us in one way or another, whether we realise it or not. As I learnt previously in secondary school, the word "History" actually comes from the two words, "His story". Hence, a story or event retold by another takes into account that person's stand and beliefs about it, with no hint of subjectivity at its core.

We are made to think differently when 'disillusioned'. All sense of right and wrong is mindfully warped, critical reasoning affected and any abstract form of reasoning diminished. Perception... the key to which every action, word and thought is based upon. How you react to a situation is how you perceive it to be. For example, pain is something felt by the body, and it can be intense due to a dislocated shoulder or bone fracture, or as mild as what one might feel as a result of a needle prick or papercut. However no matter the intensity, for some, pain is all in the mind. They channel all the pain via other pathways and this could either be a good or bad thing.

Focus. Most of us need it. Some lack it. Others utilise it for more than one action a.k.a. multi-tasking. All of us need something to motivate us to focus on doing something worth doing. What's yours?

Think about it.

~Tim~

Lessons

Soon, a new dawn will come...

A new day will begin...

Another chance to live another day...

An opportunity to uphold what is just and cast out the demons inside you...

Life is but something you only go through ONCE...

Therefore, live it to the fullest with no regrets...

Life is not measured by how long we live, but how we live...

And it starts by getting right with God, treating others the way we want to be treated, and respecting our individual rights and self-worth.

It's God first, others next, then you... with no compromise.

5 real-life lessons contributed by others to make you think about the way we treat people:

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African-American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance, and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.

It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The Obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but no one did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.Hope these passages inspired you to rethink how sometimes we take things, situations and most importantly, people, for granted. Well, now you can change for the better; doing what is right, doing what matters and doing that which can leave a good impression and legacy that will stand the test of time in the hearts of many.

I hope reading this inspired you to rethink how we treat others around us. More often than not, we tend to take things, situations and most importantly, people, for granted. But all that can change; let us do that which we know is right, that which matters, and that which will make an impact and impression on others around us... a legacy that will stand the test of time.

Father James Keller once said, "A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle."

~Tim~

HEALING RALLY

Yes, I know it has been exactly ONE WEEK since I updated my blog. But as some (or most) of you would know, I along with my other fellow Year One meddies spent 5 days in Segamat (Tak Yee's hometown!!) from the 28th of July to the 1st of August. It was supposed to be a rural site visit, with its primary objective being to expose us to the healthcare system in "not-so-modern" areas of the country. What was ironic was that Segamat, although being quite far away from Johor Bahru, was not all that rural. Heck, there were plenty of fast food outlets, restaurants, most of the roads were paved, and we stayed in a hotel for the entire event!!

We adhered to a scheduled timetable which consisted mainly of visits to a health office, a palm oil factory (which I disliked; it was smelly, humid, and to me, purposeless), and various visits to both rural and community clinics in Segamat. Our transportation to these places was mainly by buses and the Monash vans. All of us were divided into 12 groups and given assignments and tasks that needed to be completed at a specific time in the future. Thus, most of the days were normal 8 in the morning to 6 in the evening. Breakfast and lunch were provided, but we were asked to find our own dinner each day. Not that we were complaining of course, since it gave my friends and I plenty of time to venture around the vicinity of the hotel to look for food. :) It also gave us time to socialise, play basketball and football, go shopping (there's a Giant supermarket next to the hotel!) and chill after each day's arduous and lengthy schedule.

Highlight of this camp: Probably and arguably the durians!! (Arguably because I know Rachel, Nick & Pat will strongly disagree :P) On the first day, we were treated to a truckload of durians sponsored by the hotel manager. There were plenty of durians to go around, with no shortage whatsoever. Even an avid lover of the 'king of all fruits' such as I was filled to the brim on that day. If you thought that was it, well guess again. On Wednesday, half of the group visited the Juaseh Dam, which was the designated health office this time. After an interesting experience being 100 feet or so underwater (as we went down the dam shaft), we were treated with another round of durians compliments of the dam manager. And this time, they were better; more yellowish, aromatic and tasty! The flesh was really juicy as well. I know my dad would love them too!

Oh for those who are scrolling down looking for pictures of the rural site visit, you won't find them here. That's because I posted all the best ones that I took on FACEBOOK already, and you gotta add me as a friend to view them. =P Here's a quick link to my Facebook profile where you can find the photos --> link

For this post, I'd like to touch upon the gift of healing (hence the title). You may ask, why the random topic? Well, it is NOT random, and I can justify it by saying that I witnessed God's miraculous and divine, omnipotent power through a famed healer known as Roy Durman. Yesterday night I went to my church FGT and as mentioned earlier, saw the Almighty One's power, in particular to heal the sick. It was a healing rally hosted by FGT, and Roy Durman, (if I'm not mistaken he is 82 years of age), was God's tool to reach out to the people here and sending them a message that God is indeed real and that He loves us, his ultimate sacrifice being Jesus Christ's death on the Cross.

As I am typing this, the final night of the rally is going on. Scheduled for three nights in a row, each night Mr. Durman would focus on specific diseases and disabilities that people had. Not everyone who was there and prayed for was healed, as healing only came upon those who believed without a shadow of a doubt that Christ is real and He could heal them. However, yesterday night, I witnessed the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the lame walk and people with certain blood diseases cured. It was truly something extraordinary, and anyone who was there would be taken aback, breathless by the astounding glory of God's power. Tonight, Mr. Durman said he would focus on people suffering from cancer and its effects. On Friday night, he focused on people with hernias and lumps on their breasts, and those who had it and believed that Christ could heal them were cured instantly. It is as the Bible writes in John 5 where Jesus healed the leper at the pool of Bethesda. Science and medicine cannot explain it. All I have to believe this undescribable phenomenon is FAITH. And FAITH is what gives people HOPE.

These are juz some of the pics I managed to 'sneak' to the front to take. Most of the pics were taken by expensive SLRs and high-quality cameras. Oh and the entire session was recorded on video as well. =) Yeah, anyway I think I'll end here ppl. Till my next one, toodles!

Smile! =D

p.s. my finger's getting a little better gradually, juz wanna thank all those who prayed for me and are continuing to do so... God bless!!

~Tim~