Be Grateful!

(The right photo is quite comical with three lories standing on top of a sign
encouraging visitors to feed them.)

(The left photo is confusing - as if the heads of the flamingos are all tangled up.
It also reminded me of the idiom, "Birds of the Same Feather Flock Together.")

(Left Photo: I was hoping two of the flamingos will come closer to form a heart shape but they did not. I could not afford to wait for it to happen as I needed to rush back to office for a meeting.)

(Right Photo: I found this plant interesting. Are they flowers? If you look at them intently, they look like birds! Haha.)

(Never knew birds are vain too. :-})

(Nice colours!)

I do not know what got into me - during lunch time I decided to head for Jurong Bird Park (since it is near my office) to spend some time in quiet with God. I also took the opportunity to take some pictures of the birds with my super-zoom lens.

I woke up this morning feeling a little down. It did not help that there were new things cropping up at work which now throw my week's schedules in disarray.

This week will be a super-busy one for me: I have to send a dear brother-in-Christ and his family off to Cambodia tomorrow at the airport; I need to prepare for a major meeting on Wednesday; I have to host a visiting Professor on Thursday; I have a missions forum to attend this Friday evening; and I have to coordinate a wedding for two siblings-in-Christ this Saturday.

As I was looking at my calendar for the week, I had no choice but to cancel a PlanetShakers' concert which I was supposed to help out as an usher. I agreed to do so when a dear sister-in-Christ from another church asked me.

A brother-in-Christ's grandma passed away this morning and the funeral is on Wednesday. I do not know whether I have time to visit the wake at all.

Anyway, I was feeling lousy this morning because last night when I got home from dinner with the MacRitchie Running Fellowship gang, I heard about a quarrel between grandma and mum. It was over a small matter. I had to be the mediator and the frustrating part is there was no reconciliation. It will come eventually but I was expecting one party to give in yesterday but obviously not.

When I was spending time with the Lord and sharing with Him my concerns for grandma, mum, work and ministries, one question popped up - "Are You Ever Grateful?"

Are we ever grateful...

1) That we have a family whereas others in the world do not due to war, famine, etc? (Ever heard of people complaining that they find their parents irritating; that they would rather their siblings dead; etc?)

2) That there is freedom of worship in Singapore whereas in other parts of the world, Christians are being persecuted? (Ever heard of Christians complaining that they would rather not go to heaven because it is boring to keep on singing throughout eternity; that they do not like the praise session of this church or that church; that they find the sermon of a certain church boring; that they have no time to read the Bible when they have the time to watch TV or movies, go shopping and play computer games; that it is such a pain to serve in a ministries; that they do not see the need to evangelise because other Christians are doing it; that they are not going to church because they are busy with work either from school or office?)

3) That we have a school or office to go to whereas others in many countries are unschooled or unemployed? (Ever heard of people complaining that they do not like the academic institutions they are at; that they find their salaries too low; that it is such a pain to go to school or work?)

4) That we have three meals daily whereas many in world are starving - not even having the luxury of having a snack? (Ever heard of people complaining that the serving of the food is too small; that the taste is bad; that they do not feel like eating this or that kind of food for a particular meal; that they are angry with not having what they want and hence throwing the food away?)

5) That we have money to spend on clothes, movies, holidays, etc whereas others do not even have a cent to call their own? (Ever heard of people ranting that they do not have enough clothes; that this country that are going to is a cheapo place; etc?)

I can go on writing but I shall not. Is it not sad that being so blessed to live in a country like Singapore that we are still taking the people and things in our lives for granted? Is it not ironic that God has given us so much and yet we cherish so little?

Well, perhaps many of us need to get a kick in the butt to wake up our ideas; perhaps we need to live in poverty to appreciate the richness of life.

Anyway, it was a time of awakening for me. I prayed after the above reflection and felt better.

I went on to do my photography (for about an hour) - above are some shots I took. It was rather therapeutic listening to the chirping of the birds and observing how they are so carefree, flying around as if there were no concerns in this world.

Thanks be to God for restoring my soul today! I am still in office. I thought I spend some time blogging first before continuing with work.

I guess it is time for me to get on with my work!

A busy week ahead but it will be over soon! God will be my help in time of need! :)

"... give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Psalm 23:2-3