Day 6 Challenge - Life Transformation Now

I LOVE life transformation, and I'm speechless after watching this video. This is truly beautiful! (watch now)

---> http://tinyurl.com/2c4ou95

I'm excited to see where this goes.

I'm so happy to see knowledge like this starting to come into my life and networks.

On Day 6 of the 30-day challenge, I have committed to take ACTION & be part of Life Transformation Now Club. I'm looking forward to learning from the best of the best in internet businesses!

Video Clip - My Story & Testimony

As I mentioned yesterday during Day 5 of my 30-Day Challenge in September, I've made a decision to share my story as a response to the amazing Tamara Lowe's 6-Minute Challenge on her facebook post. Below is the result of that action point where I put together a video clip of my story:

Day 5 Challenge - Video Challenge

First of all, let me introduce you to Tamara Lowe today. Tamara is a motivational speaker who runs events and seminars all over the world.

Her GET MOTIVATED Seminar is an action-packed, fun-filled, explosive, exciting, inspiring, skill-building business event that is world famous for its mega-watt superstar speakers and spectacular stage production.

Have a look at an awesome motivational rap from Tamara here:



Recently, Tamara threw a 6-Minute Challenge for her facebook friends to share their story on a video clip. So on day 5 of my 30-day challenge, I've started to put together a video clip of my story. I'll post it here tomorrow, so stay tuned......

Day 4 Challenge - Transformational Strategy

My mentor shared with me, "experiences create our realities, knowing this make sure you experience what you want and thus the reality you desire..... foresight really is better than hindsight."

Visual imagery is very important when it comes to goal setting, and it's good to choose our memories in advance, that's why it's advisable for us to create a vision & dream board (I shared my vision board on day 3 of my 30-day challenge above).

When people are living transformation, the focus is more inclusive, and their well-being is in relationship with others. Interpersonal interests prevail. Our common humanity become the prominent values in life. Who I am and who you are, and who we are as human beings at a much deeper level become important. Our desire is connection, communication, networking and living, rather than separation and survival.

Today's action task saw me reflecting, brainstorming & listing key points to life's major areas, which will both help myself and others as I seek to inspire, encourage & facilitate people to transformation.

(1) Spiritual Life - Friendship with God (Being Aware of God's Presence, Practising Constant Conversation with God, Meditating on God's Word), Life Purpose & Destiny, True Joy, Peace of Mind, Freedom From Fear, Attitude of Gratitude, Spiritual Growth

(2) Relationships - Relationship Matters, Long Lasting Relationships, Communication & Connection, Listen - Really Listen, Showing Love, Realistic Expectations, Commitment Is the Key

(3) Personal Development - Dare to Dream, The Power of a Good Plan, Association and Influence, Life-changing Education, Living an Abundant Life, Making the Decision, It is A Marathon, Not A Sprint.

(4) Health - Spiritual Health, Physical Health - Nutrition & Exercise, Emotional Health - Mind & Will, Psychological Health, Mental Health

(5) Finances - Budget, Getting out of debt, Saving, Leverage, Investing, Spending, Giving

In the coming days and weeks, I'll give myself specific tasks for these areas. Stayed tuned......

Day 3 Challenge - Vision & Dream Board

Today I took some time out to do the task I set for myself on Day 3 of the 30-day Challenge in September to reach a better & richer life - to put together an online vision board!

Seeing the dreams and goals in front of my own eyes is a real motivator and helps bring them to life even more! It makes them seem more easily attainable and helps to remove the mental block that might be there with some dreams. Hope you enjoy my vision board.

Free scrapbooking design customized with Smilebox

What are some images of your dreams? I'd love to hear from you! :) x

Day 2 Challenge - An Ideal & Transformed Life

As I shared yesterday (the first day of the 30 day challenge) each day of September, I am going to give myself a task and an action point to do in order to achieve the goal I have set for myself to live a better and richer life.

On this second day of September, the task I have given myself to do is to reflect, list and share a bit about what I envision my ideal and transformed life would look like, bear in mind that transformation is an ongoing & progressive journey. Transformation is like a metamorphosis. Like a caterpillar to a butterfly, our values, our way of thinking, our actions, our total operating system is taking on a new life. It is also about empowerment – experiencing and sharing triumphs and challenges.

When I imagine my ideal & transformed life, I ask myself the following questions:
What makes life worth living?
What is so important that it is absolutely essential for an ideal life?
If time and money were not an issue, what would I like to see, have, do, become, contribute?

The answers to these questions point to my key elements — the fundamental drivers for everything that I do.

Imagination. Dreams. Passion. Ideals. Possibilities.

Here goes:
*A fulfilled, purposeful, meaningful, significant and balanced life
*Awesome marriage, friendship and relationships
*Success in business and financial freedom
*Tip top health & wellness in all areas of life
*Stand on the bank of the pathway to purpose
*Create my own online interactive learning environment that will make a huge difference to people's lives
*Travel the world, in particular see the 7 wonders (Machu Picchu in Peru, Grand Canyon in USA, Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, Serengeti in Tanzania, Taj Mahal in India, Pyramids of Giza in Egypt) :)
*Contribute to causes I believe in - in particular in the arts, education, ministry and mission endeavours
*Help people fulfil their God given dream, destiny and purpose.

What does your ideal & transformed life look like?

Day 1 Challenge - 30 Days To A Better & Richer Life

Today is the first day of Spring and the last quarter of 2010 here in Australia. Thinking back the last 3 quarters of this year, I feel there is a need for me to reflect on my personal ideal vision and goals. I was given 'a nudge' to participate in a 30 DAY CHALLENGE in September to a better and richer life, which is part of my experience of the ongoing process of transformation and growth in all areas of my life.

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” ~ Steve Jobs

For the month of September, I've taken upon myself a 30 day Challenge, inspired by both @LivingLifeNow where I did a 42 Day Challenge and Beyond back in 2007 & @30DLBL where readers are encouraged to live their best life.

Each day of September, I am going to give myself a task and an action point to do in order to achieve the goals I set for myself.

On this first day of September, the task I have given myself to do is to share the 30 day challenge on this blog (which I've just done hehe). I'd appreciate your encouragement and support in my endeavours to build a better & richer life.

I would like to add that to me, being rich isn't just about money. Being rich is a state of mind, which includes rich in spirit, rich in relationships (family, friends, romance & love), rich life experiences, rich mindset supported by financial literacy and total wellbeing, including health & fitness, business & career, recreation & fun, contribution, and personal growth. I will go through these in the next 30 days.....so stay tuned, and come back often!! :)

Marriage & Relationship

I stumbled upon the following article by Keidi Won a few times this week. And when I see things more than once, I generally pay more attention. This is a great reminder to all of us who are or will be in a relationship and marriage. It contains nuggets of wisdom and inspiration.

AND IT GAVE ME A RENEWED SENSE OF COMMITMENT TO MY HUBBY!!!

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON?

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, 'How do I know if I married the right person?'

I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, 'It depends. Is that your husband?'

In all seriousness, she answered 'How do you know?'

Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind.

Here's the answer.

EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse/partner. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies (unconventional behavior/habit).

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called 'falling' in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, 'I was swept off my feet.' Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria (excitement) of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, 'Did I marry the right person?' And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else.

You could.

And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't 'find' LASTING love. You have to 'make' it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression 'the labor of love.'

Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships.

Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can 'make' love.

Love in marriage is indeed a 'decision'... Not just a feeling.

'God determines who walks into your life.It is up to you to decide who you let to walk away, who you let to stay, and who you refuse to let go.'

Gratitude Can Improve Our Lives

Gratitude is a powerful thing. It can dramatically improve our lives and the lives of people around us. Start embracing gratitude by counting your blessings, giving thanks for little things always and be content. And making it a habit too!

Do you know people who don't seem happy? Be ready with a smile and encouraging words each time you see them. You may need to have patience, but your friends will appreciate it. Your interactions with them will be much more pleasant. And as a result you'll have a new reason to be thankful! :)

I believe that hard times make good times sweeter. Remember that obstacles and challenges not only make us stronger, but they cause us to get out of our comfort zone. Without challenges, there can be no improvement. Without obstacles, there can be no achievement. Be thankful for the opportunities that they provide.

True gratitude can improve our lives, but it needs to involve action. Lend a hand to someone in need. Pitch in to help with projects. Give your time & resources. Listen to others. Give back as often as you can. Even a friendly smile can make all the difference in the world.

What are you thankful for?

The 5Cs of Self-Leadership

In 'The Ant and the Elephant', business strategist and Olympians, Vince Poscente, writes about the parable of Adir the ant and Elgo the elephant. Like two teammates who must work together to realize a common goal, Adir (the conscious hero) and Elgo (Adir's subconscious partner) must work as a single creature in order to reach the Oasis, their vision of paradise in the African savannah.

This simple story is a powerful metaphor designed to help the readers to strive in all aspects of lives. According to Poscente, there are five C's that will help us achieve leadership for the self:

CLARITY OF VISION - A goal with a depth of meaning has an emotional buzz.

COMMITMENT - Commit to a process of positive dominant thoughts.

CONSISTENCY - Apply consistent strategies.

CONFIDENCE - Strengthen confidence by breaking negative patterns.

CONTROL - Practice responses to the unforeseen events that may arise.

I am committed to these five C's in all areas of my life - spiritual, relationships, personal development, health and finances.

Servant Leadership

I believe that the theme of servanthood is an essential concept for leadership. All good leaders are servant leaders. Servant and leader are two roles that must be combined in one person.

The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the understanding that one needs to serve, and wants to serve. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. Jesus teaches all leaders for all time that greatness is not found in rank or position but in service. True leadership is grounded in love, which must issue in service.

The significance of the attribute of servanthood is Jesus’ example. Jesus listened to and served those on the periphery and the marginalised and encountered them with grace and love. He saw their needs and responded in kindness, not concerning Himself with their status or character. Through His ministry Jesus presented the gospel in a living and tangible way. The gospel ‘bridge’ must be two ways - not a monologue, but interaction - building relationships by serving.

The servanthood of Jesus shows us the freedom to surrender what one wishes, to serve the purpose of God and the good of others; the faith to believe that God’s power will be at work through our weakness – as it happened in Jesus, who offered Himself as broken bread and poured-out wine for the world. Jesus took on the very nature of a lowly servant when He entered human life in His incarnation. What an example Jesus provides of the spirit of humility, and being made in human likeness. Externally, therefore, Christ appeared as a mere human being; outwardly considered, He was no different from other people. This was indeed an act of great condescension for one who possessed the form of God. But Christ's incomparable act did not end here; He further humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death.

Work & Calling

I attended a Marketplace Ministry Conference last Friday, and was reminded that the Bible has a lot to say about work and calling. Indeed, Jesus said, “do work till I come.” So how would Jesus have us, in the midst of our busy and often stressful work environments, rise up and bear fruit to our Father’s glory?

During one of the workshops, we were told that many workers feel unfulfilled and frustrated in their work, including Christians. Work can be boring, mundane, stressful, and insignificant. Many do not see a bigger purpose for their work than simply earning money or meeting temporal needs of those served. While satisfying the needs of self and community are necessary, these purposes are ultimately unfulfilling if one does not sees a connection with God’s purposes.

For some, work feels a bit like the Egyptians must have felt when Pharaoh said, “let them collect their own straw but don’t reduce their quota of bricks.” This is not how work is meant to be. The Bible gives us an entirely different view of work – a realm where we can expect to see His kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This is the way God intended work to be from the beginning of time – His children managing His creation in relationship with Him.

We should establish that our everyday business as a call from God for which He anoints us and equips us. God’s personal invitation for us to work on His agenda using the talents we’ve been given in ways that are eternally significant.

Without Love We Are Nothing!

Psychologist Elaine Walster spent 15 years to interview over 100,000 couples, to find out how long their love lasted. She discovered that between 6 months to 2.5 years after people got married, they would start to feel bored of their wife or husband.

There are many kinds of love. The encompassing love of our parents begins our own life's journey of love, a journey that wends its way through love of parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, romantic partners, and eventually full circle to the encompassing love of our own children—and grandchildren. Without love we are nothing!

Love is fundamentally important to our humanity. Various expressions of love are important, including romantic, partnered love. No one theory captures the various forms of love, but virtually all of the love theories help us to understand love better. Love may manifest somewhat differently across both cultures and ages, but overall, people are more similar than different.

The sad reality is that many people only rely on feelings and romantic love, and neglect the real love (agape). 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 describes this real love, the kind of love that is everlasting, unfailing and undestroyable.

In summary, this real love is not only a feeling, but a decision and an action. It’s not a possessive, self-centred and selfish love, but kind, patient and sacrificial love. This kind of love is based on truth, righteousness and light.

As my first year wedding anniversary is approaching, I pray that our love for each other will continue to be based on agape, in God's strength.

True Fulfilment

God has a plan and unique gifts for us all. Instead of focusing on improving things we are not good at in the first place, we should focus on discovering and working on our gifts. No one can be good at everything, but each of us can be excellent at something.

Some people can naturally talk, its a gift from God, they use it properly, some can write, this is also a gift, they use it well, some can not sing or compose music but they want to because they like the recognition people have got from it, and that’s why there are so many songs that aren’t even worth listening to (Not knocking singers here, just saying the truth).

An important thing is to stop trying to be what you’re not, accept yourself for who you are, the truth is God sees you as precious, special and beautiful. When you do this you will see the winner that has been within you will start to emerge and then you will find true fulfilment.

God didn’t make us to be mediocre, he didn’t make us to be unimportant or inferior. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). True fulfilment is doing what we are made to do, in His time.

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Garden Of Gethsemane

Today I learned that transitional prayer bridges from one season in our lives into the next. It may be described as prayer that flows from the heart of our Heavenly Father, with the mind of Christ to us. It is painful, powerful and a necessary type of prayer in the life of every Jesus follower.

Jesus had taken Simon and Zebedee's two sons with Him to the garden of Gethsemane, but although they were there with Christ, when it was time to pray the Lord went off to be alone with His Father. I was reminded that there are some things in our Christian walk that we can share with others, but there are other times when it can only be a walk of one, whereby we stand alone before God. Transitional prayer is such a type of divinely-inspired, one-on-One spiritual encounter.

"...Jesus began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to His disciples, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me."—Matthew 26:37-38

Mark 14:33 records Jesus, "began to be deeply distressed and troubled"

Jesus Christ's intercession in Gethsemane was extremely painful on levels that we can barely begin to understand. He suffered physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally as He prayed. Whilst our prayers and intercession cannot be compared to that of Christ's Gethsemane experience, nonetheless we understand that there are times when God gives us grace to pray and push through our own discomfort, in order that His purposes and plans may be released from Heaven to earth—both for us as individuals and also for a corporate faith application.

Have you ever prayed until it hurts? I recall a number of times recently I wept for several occasions as God unfolded the suffering of different people / people groups. I hadn't experienced this previously, but now I understand that I was identifying with the Father Heart of God.

The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.—Matthew 26:41

Jesus counseled His disciples that they must watch, and pray, and stay alert, and avoid the temptation of allowing their flesh to rule over the leading of the Holy Spirit in their lives. As disciples today, may we receive this word of encouragement today and pray even when it hurts; pushing through until breakthrough comes down in the presence and power of God.

The Father heart of God is so evident at Gethsemane. God released an angel to come and minister to His dear Son; God gave the gift of endurance to Christ to pass through Gethsemane and reach Golgotha.

"....everything is possible for you. Take this cup from Me"...—Mark 14:36

By asking His Father to take the cup from Him, Jesus raised a question of the possibility of not having to drink the cup of suffering. Jesus was an obedient Son and understood His destiny, yet even Christ asked the Father if it was possible for the cup to be taken from Him.

At Golgotha, Christ called out again to His Father with a question that did not receive an answer this side of eternity: "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtani?"—which means, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me" (Mark 15:34b).

There are times in our lives when we call out to God when our hearts are full of pain, with questions that have no answers. I recall such a situation many years ago and the comfort I received when I realised that our dear Lord died on the Cross with an unanswered question. Jesus can empathise with us in every situation. He is the Light at the end of the tunnel and the Light in the middle! He is beautiful in every situation and brings peace to our troubled souls. May we rest in His sovereignty and in His ability to meet us in the place of pain and help us transition to healing and wholeness, so that we may be used to pray life-changing prayers that flow from His heart.

"...Yet not as I will, but as You will."—Matthew 26:39

Surrender is about our ability to trust in God and obey Him. In love, He enables us to turn from self-reliance and become completely God-reliant. Boldness is preceded by a fresh brokenness in God's servants, in which Christ is lifted up and exalted through our adoration of Him and obedience to Him.

Attitude

What is an "attitude"? We all carry our attitude around with us. Think of Descartes’ famous quote: “I think, therefore I am.” Our worldview is limited by our own perception. Some say perception is reality, but the fact is that our perspectives in life, our experiences, education and personality all have a part to play in shaping our attitude to everything around us.

So, depending on how we perceive the world, we will respond, interpret and react accordingly. Our attitude affects how we behave and even how we feel.

Chuck Swindoll says that attitude is more important than facts, the past, education, money, circumstances, failures, successes, what other people think or say or do.
Attitude is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, church, a home, or even a country. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past. Nor can we change the fact that people will act a certain way. We also cannot change the inevitable. The only thing that we can do is to control our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you -- we are in charge of our attitudes.

Have a moment of soul searching - what kind of attitude have you chosen to embrace today?

Contentment

"I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need." (Philippians 4:11-12).

Not sure how many of us can say with certainty what Paul said here - being able to be content in any situation. Lately I have been reminded the importance of focusing on God in all circumstances. How? The answer is the next verse, which is one of my favorite verses in the Bible -"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil 4:13)

My life does not work well when I try to live it in my own strength. It does work well when I invite God to live His life in me by His strength. Every day I need to adopt this attitude: "I don't know all that this day holds, but I know God has designed my life so that I need Him today. I know that I need to be walking close to Him, depending on Him in every circumstance."

Do you think it's better to want what you have or to have what you want?

Wealth And Generosity

Are you rich? Are you generous?

If you live in America, Australia, or any western country for that matter, then the answer is yes - you are rich!

Most of us focus more time on what we don't have than what we do have. If you own a car (and your car has a house), you are rich. If you own a computer, and it's working, you are rich. If you have 3 meals a day, and clean water to drink, you are rich.

Why Christians are to serve and to be generous? In the New Testament, we are given a very specific charge and reason why followers of Jesus Christ should be servants & generous.

We need to give generously not because we have more than other people, but because that's what Jesus teaches us. Jesus teaches us that those who follow Him are to do more and give more out of gratitude. (Luke 6:27)

Wealthy people aren't necessarily generous people, but generous people are often wealthy people. (wealth in the sense of abundance and richness in the Lord).

Are you wealthy? Are you generous?

Vine & Branches

'Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.' ~William Carey

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that bears not fruit He takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue you in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." (John 15:1-5, 7-10)

Prayer: Ask the Lord to bring us into an abiding relationship with Him. Invite Him to prune us, make His words and direction clear to us. As you consider God’s love and provision, meditate on the above scripture as you pray.

(Inspired by Transforming Melbourne's 40 Days Prayer & Fasting Guide)

What Are Your Words For 2010?

On the morning of New Year's Eve, I spent hours looking back at my photos, journals & blogs from the last few years. I reflected back to the last New Year's Eve and how I was enjoying preparing and planning for our BIG DAY. Some of the emotions that I had about how the year ahead would pan out, the obstacles I didn't know I would have to face in life & ministry.

I was thinking about the new year ahead, vision, mission, dreams, goals, aspirations, desires and hopes for my family, ministries, communities, businesses, my city and the world..... I have many dreams, and I have many personal challenges, yet I feel strong and ready for an exciting New Year.

Five words came to my mind as I think about 2010:
1.Transformation
2.Purpose
3.Love
4.Healing
5.Provision

To me these five words are very powerful. I believe they will keep my spirit strong, they will keep me believing, they will keep me focussed, and they will move me forward. Out of the five words, TRANSFORMATION is one that I have the strongest emotions to. One of my life goals is to experience the ongoing process of transformation, and help others do the same. It's my heart's desire to be an agent of transformation.

I believe "transformation" is something we allow to be done to us, not something we do by our own power alone. I pray that we can submit to God's power and by His grace, "changed into another form" from "caterpillars" to "butterflies", hence becoming a "new creation" (2Co 5:17).

What are some of the words that come to mind when you think about this New Year?

Christmas Reflection & New Year's Thoughts

I am so thankful for all the Lord has done for me in 2009, and I am exceedingly excited to see more to come in 2010. As we enter the last week of December, I can't help but to look back on 2009, and look forward to a new year ahead.

This Christmas was the first Christmas Deric and I celebrated together as husband and wife, along with my beloved Mum and two of our good friends. We had a restful & relaxing day rejoicing in the Lord, amidst cooking and reflecting on the real meaning of Christmas - the birth of Jesus.

On Boxing Day we went to our church's outreach activity where there was a BBQ organised for people in the community. I got talking to a homeless guy and learned so much from him. That really reminded me that presence is just as important, if not more important than presents during Christmas and in our daily lives.

I am interested to know what the Lord has done for you in 2009? Also, if you have any thoughts and visions for 2010 I would love for you to share them in the comments. I'd love to pray for you and with you.

God bless you all right now & in this coming year of 2010

Are You Part Of Advent Conspiracy?

Three weeks ago a good friend of mine from the US asked me the above question. I had no idea what Advent Conspiracy (AC) was. She told me about it, and invited me to join the movement. (If you don't know what it is, you can find out more through their website on http://www.adventconspiracy.org/). I was so touched by the principles and concepts behind AC, but quickly forgot about it due to busyness. Tonight I was reminded of AC from the video at church, and decided to spread the word.

Christmas has the power to change the world. So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams and shopping lists.

And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

My new family has a 'no-gift' policy - all money for "Christmas shopping" will go to meaningful causes instead. Like one of the ethos of AC, we prefer giving presence over giving presents, for the sake of it. And we are determined to celebrate the reason for the season - Jesus Christ our Saviour! We vote compassion over consumption!

I want to encourage you to join this movement, and I pray that the Lord will use it mightily for HIS glory.

Wishing you all a blessed & joy-filled Christmas, as you celebrate the birth of our Lord, spend time with loved ones, and reflect on the glorious gospel and the wonderful news of Immanuel - God with us!

Peregrine Sojo | Kitty Cheng | TwitBacks.com

Peregrine Sojo | Kitty Cheng | TwitBacks.com

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Transformation

There are many crises of our times in all areas — family, economic, religious, moral, societal and political. There is an unprecedented need for spiritual renewal all over the world. If there is still the opportunity for radical transformation, we desperately need a way forward, a Godly strategy that will set forth the principles we need to follow.

Since becoming part of the Transforming Melbourne movement, I have been reading and reflecting on the subject of transformation. C. S. Lewis once argued, every culture has its own blind spots, its own outlook. It is good at "seeing certain truths and especially liable to make certain mistakes." C. S. Lewis placed great value on seeing through other people's eyes. He said, "My own eyes are not enough for me, I will see through those of others."

In this context we desperately need community, the church, so that we are stimulated to love and good deeds. The church, as Paul said to Timothy, was intended to be "the pillar and foundation of the truth" that transforms. We can hope for victory not because of our own strength but because the battle is the Lord's. We can trust in the character and purposes of our Lord. We need to intervene in the conflict, but we also need to maintain our strength through intercession. Even if we lose personally, our God wins in the end. That is our sure and certain hope.

Several concluding observations can be made related to transformation as a unifying mission for the Church at the beginning of the twenty-first century. A three-year World Inquiry related to the mission of God has shown that “the patterns of the past are showing ‘wear’ and are in need of repair.” A new paradigm that helps us interpret and organize our approach to mission for the future has emerged. God is on a mission of transformation and is calling out servants to act as catalysts in mobilizing the whole body of Christ to bless the nations through the transformation of people, churches and culture.

Are you willing to take part in that?

Holistic Health

Last night, I was feeling weary & weak. I had an early night and rested for most of today and now I am feeling better. Does that mean I am healthy and well?

The truth is, if we are able to eat, sleep and work, it does NOT necessarily mean that we are healthy. Health is holistic. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

Holistic view of health is a view in medical practice upholding that all aspects of people's needs, psychological, physical and social, should be taken into account and seen as a whole. Disease is a result of physical, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental imbalance. We need to develop a much more holistic and well-rounded view of what it means to be healthy.

There are three areas to each person:
(1) Our Body (the physical nature)
(2) Our Soul (the mind, will, emotional & intellectual nature), and
(3) Our Spirit (the part of us that transcends this world and communes with God).

Even though our body may not be 'diseased', we do need to make sure that our soul & spirit are healthy too.

How do you ensure that you're healthy and well all round? Please leave your comments below to share with me!

Fight Breast Cancer

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Australia. Although it is almost over, the fight for a cure isn't!

There are so many ways to help. Clicking at The Breast Cancer Site is one way to benefit the cause. Go to TheBreastCancerSite.com and click on the pink button that says "Click Here To Give - It's Free!" For every click, the sponsors donate funds to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to provide free mammograms for women in need. It's easy and it works: Over 20,000 women have been helped so far!

All of us can take action for the cause now, and I think it's important to make the fight against breast cancer a priority in October and beyond!

New Ventures In A New Season

It's been a while since I wrote this blog. I have been really busy since my wedding 5months ago and the recent postponed honeymoon in Malaysia. Along with my ministry with Transforming Melbourne, I have officially started writing the manuscript of a new book about transformation, as well as pursuing the idea for an online interactive learning environment (ILE) and I am very excited about it all!

I have started the program of building the website for this virtual online training about dating and relationships. With fear and trepidation I embark on this new venture so I can be even more equipped to help people in transforming their lives and achieving their dreams. Pray for me friends. I need to dive into the major world of e-learning, book writing and in depth research. Exciting and challenging so far!

When I Gave Up Talking.....

During the 40 hour famine last weekend, I went beneath the water, let the world above go on, and gave up talking. The experience was both enriching yet challenging! I spent a fair bit of time praying, as I believe that prayer could be like a canvas of silence, and on it we paint sparely, with no word or sound. Instead of 'talking' to God like I usually do during prayer, I simply spent time with Him, and realised that silence can really be a symphony bathing my ears with God's Presence. No wonder it's been said that silence is golden.

On the other hand, as I looked into the silence, at times I battled with a sea of mutes, which led me to begin thinking about those who don't have a voice in our society. There are so many injustice issues in our world, so many without a voice: the hungry kids in extreme poverty, the women that are trafficked victims, the refugees that have experienced war, the homeless people on the street.

The Father heart of God breaks over His voiceless children. What would our city look like if the voiceless children of God are cared for?

Thank You!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Examen

I came across Darren Rowse's post on how he mediates, which really inspires me. The meditation is called "Examen", which includes 5 steps/parts to it:

1. Recall you are in the Presence of God
2. Look at your day with Gratitude
3. Ask for help from the God as you Review Your Day
4. Review your Day
5. Reconcile and Resolve

I think this will be helpful for me, and I'll try to use this exercise regularly.

Courage

These last few days / nights saw me feeling both pumped (excited) and under the pump (stressed) about a number of things, including the expenses of the wedding, my upcoming marriage, plans for the future, work, ministries and business. These mixed feelings cause my emotions to be up and down lately.

But God spoke to me, which really comforted and helped me. He said:

" I am here. Fear not. Can you really trust Me? I am a God of Power, as well as a Man of Love, so human, yet so divine.

Just trust. I cannot, and I will not fail you. All is well. Many are praying for you.
Such wonderful things are coming to you: Joy - Peace - Assurance - Security - Health - Happiness - Laughter - COURAGE!!"

Praise you Lord!

May God Smile On You :)

I read the following article by Rick Warren, and was very encouraged by it.

The smile of God is the goal of life. Since pleasing God is the first purpose of your life, your most important task is to discover how to do that. The Bible says, "Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it" (Ephesians 5:10 MSG). Fortunately, the Bible gives us a clear example of a life that gives pleasure to God in the story of Noah. In Noah's day, the entire world had become morally bankrupt. Everyone lived for their own pleasure, not God's. God couldn't find anyone on earth interested in pleasing him, so he was grieved and regretted making man. God became so disgusted with the human race that he considered wiping it out.But there was one man who made God smile. The Bible says, "Noah was a pleasure to the Lord" (Genesis 6:8 LB).God said, "This guy brings me pleasure. He makes me smile. I'll start over with his family." Because Noah brought pleasure to God, you and I are alive today.Over the next few days, we will learn from Noah's life the five acts of worship that make God smile. Here is the first one:God smiles when we love him supremely. Noah loved God more than anything else in the world, even when no one else did! The Bible tells us Noah "consistently followed God's will and enjoyed a close relationship with him" (Genesis 6:9 NLT).This is what God wants most from you: a relationship! It's the most astounding truth in the universe: our Creator wants to fellowship with us. God made you to love you, and he longs for you to love him back. He says, "I don't want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don't want your offerings—I want you to know me" (Hosea 6:6 LB).Can you sense God's passion for you in this verse? God deeply loves you and desires your love in return. He longs for you to know him and spend time with him. This is why learning to love God and to be loved by him should be the greatest objective of your life.Nothing else comes close in importance. Jesus called it the greatest commandment. He said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment" (Matthew 22:37-38 NIV).

Let us all pursue this worthwhile goal of putting a smile on God's face :)

Reflections From Prayer

I am following the 40 days of prayer and fasting from Transforming Melbourne. This week the theme is "Seeing the Church as Jesus Sees it." God has been asking me if I am open to see and respond to what He shows me. I felt challenged when I prayed with no agenda but Him alone and felt the Lord wanted me to do more than that.

The prayer coordinator Sue Tinworth from TM said she had felt Jesus’ invitation to love 'the Church’ for Him. The Church (His bride) that He loves so much. (Ephesians 5:25-27). This dear woman whom He entrusts to His son to take to His home. (John 19:26-27). He entrusts His bride to us, friends of the bride groom, while she is waiting for Him. John 3:29 Before he left Shepherd entrusted His lambs to those who truly, truly, truly love Him, saying, Take care of my sheep. (John 21:15,16,17). Do we see the Church as lovingly as Jesus does?


I resonate with Sue's reflections on being one with Jesus, and I long for that quiet rest, satisfaction and delight in Him. I desire to focus on who Jesus is in these weeks of prayer and fasting, and beyond.....I am committed to loving Jesus with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I must admit the idea of Jesus' invitation to seeing and responding to what He shows me about the Church and loving ‘her’ for Him is quite surprising, if not foreign.

Lord, please help me to truly see the Church as lovingly as you do.

Failing Forward

I read an article in a magazine by Dr John C. Maxwell, which is titled "Failing Forward". John Maxwell talked about Vincent Van Gogh's many failures: he failed as an art dealer, failed his entrance exam to theology school, and was fired by the church after an ill-fated attempt at missionary work. In fact, during his life, he seldom experienced anything other than failure as an artist.

Although a single painting by Van Gogh "Stary stary night" would become one of the most paintings in histroy, in his lifetime Van Gogh sold only one painting, four months prior to his death.

Before developing his theory of relativity, Albert Einstein encountered academic failure. He was expelled from school and another teacher predicted that he would never amount to anything. Einstein even failed his entrance exam into college.

Failure didn't stop Vincent Van Gogh from painting, or Albert Einstein from theorizing, but it has paralyzed countless leaders and prevented them from reaching their potential.

At some point, all great achievers are tempted to believe they are failures. But in spite of that, they persevere. In the face of adversity, shortcomings, and rejection, they hold onto self-believe and refuse to see themselves as failures. Here are seven abilities of achievers that enable them to rebound from failure and keep moving forward.

Romans 8:28

God uses every circumstance in the lives of those who love Him to shape them and use them for His purpose! It can be hard for us to accept this. It does not mean that God is pleased with all things. God grieves with us when we see the many who have died of the bush fires in Victoria, Australia or when we bear the brunt of someone else's sin. He is angry when a drunk driver slams into the car of someone we love. He grieves and groans with us. And He understands our painful experiences.

But God sits on His throne above all these things, and He overrules even the most evil purpose and uses even those fallen, evil or senseless things to accomplish His good purpose in our lives. That means we can embrace any circumstance we find ourselves in (good or bad) as God's opportunity for us to grow and to minister in His name to others.

**inspired by John North**

Colors Of Website

Today I received an email from a very successful business owner, who told me that the use of the colors on website has implications. When people see certain colors they can change their emotions or they can symbolize things related to the colors. According to this person, here are a list of colors with some emotions and symbolizations they can cause:

Red - love, excitement, warmth
Pink - romantic, affection, sensuality
White - purity, peace, perfection
Blue - sky, water, travel, freedom, truth
Purple - royalty, dignity
Black - space, night, authority
Green - money, calm, envy, greed
Yellow - light, purity, understanding
Orange - autumn, youthfulness, fire
Brown - wood, comfort, strength

What do you think?

Relationship With God

It’s interesting how fast January 2009 seems to have flown by, its already February 2009. I have been really enjoying the One Year Bible Blog. My marathon pace is going well. The wonderful habit of reading from God’s Word regularly is settling into place in my life, and I want to keep my eyes forward on the path before me in 2009!

As Paul tells us in Philippians 3:14 - "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Let us each press on toward the goal! At the moment, I am up to the readings in Exodus with the Plagues, the Passover, the Exodus, the Crossing of the Red Sea, and Manna from Heaven! Matthew brings several incredible Parables, Palm Sunday, The Great Commandment and the Seven Woes!

I have set some big goals and resolutions for 2009 and amongst that, I know that ultimately my life is in a very good place because I am moving forward with my relationship with God. Reading and studying God’s Word regularly is a high priority. How about you? Do you agree that reading from God’s Word each day and growing in your relationship with God is a priority and very important in your life?

Forgiveness and Forgetfulness

After his previous poem, 'Smashing China Plates', my dear artist / photographer / poet friend John Englezos had written another beautiful poem called 'Forgiveness and Forgetfulness', which really touched my heart. Here goes:

Forgiveness and Forgetfulness are sitting, holding hands,
out on their verandah hearing songs of old jazz bands.

Forgiveness has lost all her teeth, Forgetfulness is blind.
Forgetfulness forgets the words, Forgiveness doesn't mind.

He only sees her youthful face from all those years ago
and even though he's lost his sighther touch he'll always know.

She asks "Do you recall past pains?"He answers "No I don't"
He turns and asks "And you my Love?"She smiles and says "I won't".

They weren't always this happy. This couple that you see
They once lived in a townhouse in a town called Misery.

He'd write, all night by candlelight, His face a solemn frown,
Recalling every single wrong and writing them all down.

She wasn't that much better,With her face a furrowed pout
All day long she'd wash her clothesher stains never came out.

Her head down and teeth gritted. Her deep cries left unheard.
His mind forever in the dark. He never spoke a word.

Both of them had wounded heartsone hard, the other broken.
Both together, yet apart. No words of grace were spoken.

Until one day the house caught fire. There was noone to blame.
They ran out and watched all they owned, get swallowed up in flame.

She lost all of her wardrobe all those clothes covered with stains.
He lost his precious journals full of all his precious pains.

So hand in hand they walked away, And left it all behind.
Her jaw unlocked, her teeth fell out!In daylight, he went blind!

Their new house is called Happy,it makes noises through the day,
The floorboards creak but they’d not have itany other way.

So if you asked what he once wrote. That he would not recall.
And if you ask her what she needs, She’d say “I have it all”.

He can't remember what they lost. She knows how much she has.
We watch them both sit back and smileand listen to old jazz.

Now Is that not the life you want. The story you’d be living?
The joy and peace that could be found, Forgetting and Forgiving…

“An Eye for eye and tooth for tooth”This worldly law is ruthless.
But Forgiveness and Forgetfulnessare quite happy… blind and toothless.

By John Englezos

Transforming Melbourne Blog

I have started another blog called "Transforming Melbourne Blog". “Transforming Melbourne” is a movement of Christians praying and acting together with the vision that God will renew His Church and not only bring new life to the people of the city of Melbourne (Australia), but transform its culture and society. The focus include: Fostering Unity, Promoting Prayer, Researching Needs, Networking Pastors and Leaders, Stirring Faith and Vision, Informing God's People & Trusting God.

A 3-year project of Transforming Melbourne "ALL MELBOURNE MATTERS" has been completed. It's a research of the Church to reach the city. The vision of the project is the systematic research of the demographics of Greater Melbourne and the size, locations and vitality of all churches across the City to enable and encourage the whole Church to develop a common vision and coordinated strategies for ministry and intentional mission to our city.

Feel free to go over to the "TM Blog" and read the articles.

Smashing China Plates

A friend of mine wrote the following poem about the 'fruit of the Spirit', which I like very much. I'd love to share with you:

Love sits at a tables lowly smashing china plates.
Wondering whatever happenedto those canceled dinner dates.

Joy is a red head girl he wants to ask to dance
her friends come past and then she leave she never gets the chance.

Peace is a baker in furious passion he bakes
but noone comes into his shop to try his bread and cakes.

Patience is a foster mum, her house shrinks and grows
she tidies up the children's mess and on and on it goes...

Kindness will work overtime at no extra cost
but noone compliments her dress or how much weight she's lost.

Goodness opens wide his doors, he shares a meal with ease,
but when he goes into his lounge they've taken his cd's.

Faithful coughs and sneezes he stands shivering in the rain,
she said "I'll just be back in five"but didn't come back again.

Gentleness eats alone in a quiet place she'll cry
she wants to go and talk to him but won't because she's shy.

Self control is a werewolfby day he hums a tune by night
he sits upon the roof and howls up at the moon.

For those of you who hear and know it is of Fruit I speak,
perhaps I'm just too cynicalor maybe getting weak.

But as we slowly turn to grey I fear this world's blind eyes
It seems these godly qualities Noone will recognise...

So take the time to look and see and show people you know
You'll be watering God's garden then sit back and watch it grow...

*******"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.Against such things there is no law. "Galatians 5:22-23*******

(POEM BY JOHN ENGLEZOS)

One Year Bible Blog

I'd like to invite you to join me on the One Year Bible journey in 2009! This wonderful One Year Bible Blog provides daily bible verses including both Old Testament and New Testament filled with commentary, encouragement, beautiful pictures, questions for reflection and music through youtube. They currently have over 7,852 people in 55 countries around the world signed up to be part of the group, and I personally have been blessed by it. To join us on the journey in 2009 click on this link for more details and to sign up!

Happy New Year

I just wanted to wish you and your family a Happy New Year, full of God's blessings, I hope 2009 is your best year yet.

A Prayer For You

Dear God,

The people reading this is precious in Your eyes and you love them. Help them to live their lives to the fullest.Please give them the strength to excel above their expectations. Help them shine in the darkest places where it is hard to love. Protect them at all times, lift them up when they need you the most and let them know when they walk with you - they will always be safe.

In Jesus' name I pray, amen!

Some Special Thoughts

Received the following thoughts from an email - would love to share with you!

"You ask me, what the most important feature of Christ's character was. I will answer you: it was his confidence in the greatness of the human soul.
He saw in a person the reflection of God's image, and therefore, he loved everyone, whoever a person was, without regard to his life or character." - William Channing

"Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living and the other helps you make a life." ~~--Sandra Carey, Therapist

"Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless." ~~--Thomas A. Edison

"Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done."~~--C.S. Lewis

"Life isn't worth living, unless it is lived for someone else." -- Albert Einstein

"Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you, all things are passing, God is unchanging. Patience gains all; nothing is lacking to those who have God:
God alone is sufficient." ~~--(Mother Teresa)

"If you don't have a vision for the future, then your future is threatened to be a repeat of the past." - A. R. Bernard

Christian Faith Is Vital To The Future Of The World

In 2005 a book by American sociologist, Rodney Stark was published, called The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success. The ‘modern world,’ he argues ‘arose only in Christian societies’ thanks to Christianity’s commitment to ‘reason, progress, and moral equality’

The capacity which Christianity has to contribute to social, cultural and economic progress has been long observed.

In his book Jesus in Beijing, the journalist David Aikman tells of a lecture he attended in China in 2002. A professor from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences had this to say to a group of American visitors about his years of study in the West:
'One of the things we were asked to look into was what accounted for the success, in fact, the pre-eminence of the West over all the world. We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because you had more powerful guns than we had. Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on your economic system. But in the past twenty years, we have realized that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. The moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics. We don't have any doubt about this.'

From a Talk by Professor Stuart Piggin of Macquarrie University
At the Kingston Mayoral Prayer Breakfast
National Day of Thanksgiving, May 2008

Follow this link to see the full paper

http://www.pastornet.net.au/mpn/StuPiggin.doc

Many have sadly come to believe the lies of the secularists that the Christian faith does not have a place in modern society. Stuart Piggin and others reveal the opposite: Modern society exists only because of Christian Faith and will collapse without it.

Stuart says it is way past time for the Church to know and boldly take up its crucial role.

Is Jesus Like Joe?

Joe was a drunk, miraculously converted in a street outreach mission. Before his conversion he'd gained a reputation as a derelict and dirty wino for whom there was no hope. But following his conversion to Christ, everything changed. Joe became the most caring person at the mission. He spent his days there, doing whatever needed to be done. There was never anything he was asked to do that he considered beneath him. Whether it was cleaning up vomit left by some sick alcoholic, or scrubbing toilets after men had left them filthy, Joe did it all with a heart of gratitude. He could be counted on to feed any man who wandered in off the streets, undress and tuck him into bed, when he was too out-of-it to take care of himself.

One evening, after the mission director delivered his evangelistic message to the usual crowd of sullen men with drooped heads, one of them looked up, came down to the altar and kneeled to pray, crying out for God to help him change. The repentant drunk kept shouting, "Oh God, make me like Joe! Make me like Joe! Make me like Joe!"

The director leaned over and said, "Son, wouldn't it be better if you prayed 'make me like Jesus?'"

After thinking about it for a few moments, the man looked up with an inquisitive expression and asked, "Is He like Joe?"'

Do others see Jesus in you?

By Tony Campolo, http://www.tonycampolo.org

Grieving

Have you ever had to grieve? I was reading an article today, and found the following 5 pre-requisites for healthy mourning for loss.

(1) Commitment to grieving as a healthy personal priority, without excessive guilt, ambivalence, or anxiety.

(2) Consistent inner and outer permissions to (a) feel and (b) express our natural shock, disbelief, rage, and despair - over and over; and to (c) turn our mental confusion into clarity and order, over time, by asking questions, and repeated venting, discussion, and meditating.

(3) Restated - grievers need a stable, pro-grief (high-nurturance) environment to move steadily through the phases toward loss-acceptance.

(4) Motivation and opportunities to reflect, sort, feel, and process.

(5) All the time we need, and patience as we mourn a day at a time.


Work through the denial that hides the anger; ...

Work through the anger that hides the hurt; ...

Work through the hurt that hides the loss and loneliness; ...

Work through the loss and loneliness that hides the lack of self-worth; ...

Work through the lack of self worth that hides the total confusion; ...

Work through the total confusion that hides our unwillingness ...

to give up our own control and to surrender our lives to the Creator.

- Anonymous -

Positive Interventions

Today I was told of a concept called "positive interventions", which basically encourages us to to look for the positive in any situation. I find it interesting!

One exercise for an application of this concept is called "Daily Three Blessings". At the conclusion of each day identify three things that went well and why. Do that regularly. Statistics show that people who have the attitude of gratitude are happier and less depressed.

Another application of this concept is to take the initiative to support other people to validate each other in a way that makes them happier and feel better.

In addition, we should say yes to positive emotions, engaging to others, noble purpose, building positive relationships, enabling good conditions of life, and contributing to the society.

Post-Olympics & Paralympics

Now that the Olympics and Paralympics are over, Beijing can get back to its old ways, right?

According to the Wall Street Journal, while the Olympic guests from all over the world may be gone and construction work in Beijing started up again, other measures are extending the Olympic spirit a bit further into the daily lives of people in the capital of China.

Some of the Olympics security measures are also staying put. Authorities decided that bag screening on the subway system will be retained permanently. A municipal public security official said that over 18,000 contraband items were found in the 72 million bag searches conducted during the Olympics period, and 32 people detained.

And for the National Day holiday (1 st October), some security measures in Beijing are even exceeding the Olympic efforts. Beijing media reports that subway stations near Tiananmen Square are closed from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3 and trains will skip those stops during this period. Olympic-style security checks at parks and tourist sites will be retained during this period, and additional crowd control measures will be put in place at a popular pedestrian shopping street.

Some Facts About The Two-Third World

They say when speaking or writing if you want to grab people’s attention, grab it early, grab it impactfully, and grab it precisely. They don’t say the grabbing has to be positive or soothing so let me be precise, if unsettling. Let me paint a not too positive picture about current world situations:

About 5 million children per year die per year from diarrhoea and related conditions in developing countries. This is the largest single cause of death of young children.

About 16 million cases of malaria are reported annually.

About 3 million children under five die annually from malaria.

About 3.5 million children under five in developing countries die each year from one of the six following diseases which can be largely prevented by immunization:
- diphtheria;
- whooping cough;
- tetanus;
- measles;
- polio;
- tuberculosis.

Probably as many become disabled from through these largely preventable diseases.

- About 0.5 million children each year become blind from vitamin A deficiency. Two-thirds of these children die.

- About 6.7 million children show signs of moderate vitamin A deficiency making them more vulnerable to infections and other diseases.

- There is 10% more food in the world than would be needed to feed every person on earth, but 730 million people are too weak from hunger to work.

- Chronic malnutrition kills 50 million people a year and affects one-quarter of humanity. (50 million a year = nearly 100 a minute).

- The world spends enough ($17,000 million) on weapons every two weeks to provide food, health care, water and education for everybody on earth!

- Over 0.5 million women in developing countries die each year from pregnancy-related causes, leaving at least one million infants without mothers.

- Only a little over 1/3 of children under five living in developing countries have access to clean water.

Is there anything you can do about these?

Excitement & Promotion

Yesterday I was told that I am an excitable person. I think that's true! I find that even little things can make me smile, laugh and happy :) And I don't have a problem promoting the people, things or events that I believe in!

Recently a number of things really excite me (apart from the fact that I am getting married in a few months :)), and I am promoting them. As you can see in my previous posts, I am excited about the fringe festival, particularly Michael Connell's stand up comedy show JUST ME, as well as the Special China Focus Night (China beyond the Olympics) I am hosting where the opportunity to support and work with various projects in China will be shared.

Also, I am really pumped about the Global Poverty Project, which was just launched in New York. I have a strong concern for the world's poor, and I am passionate about contributing to making poverty history. I believe in the impact that the Global Poverty Project is going to make to combat extreme poverty, and am extremely excited about the 90 minute feature slideshow that will be delivered around the world as a result of this project. I want to be part of this.

Another thing I can't wait today is the grand-final BBQ in my friend's home - yes I'm more excited about the BBQ and the chance to catch up with friends than watching footy (for my readers who are not familiar, footy is the Australian rule football) ...but hey any reason for a party right? - especially on such a lovely warm day!!

Go cats, go hawks, and go doggies - yes I informally support the western bulldogs hehe!

Yay I'm off to the party now!

China Beyond Olympics

China is tranforming - becoming a fundamentally different society. The once backward and feudal "sleeping giant" is undergoing modernization with incredible acceleration. No longer satisfied to be asleep, China has awakened to a new day and is determined to mark its place in this world. A National Pride swelled when Beijing was the host of the Summer Olympics in August this year.

There are many avenues for people to be involved with the work in China - charity work, business endeavours, aid and development, open crowd festivals, teaching English and learning Chinese. Will you respond and serve China and her people, whether you stay at home, or go there? This special China focus night will tell you how. Come along....

Saturday, October 25, 2008 starting at 6:45pm
36 Barton Street, Hawthorn

Free refreshment, Chinese snacks & dumplings provided!

JUST ME

I just came back from seeing Michael Connell's "Just Me" - which includes stand up, film and music. I really enjoyed the show, and couldn't stop laughing the whole time.

Michael shared about his high school experience, as a sudoku champion and a supremo on the harmonica. The thing that impressed me about Michael and his show is that he is hilarious yet inspiring, and clean.

I agree with Beat Magazine, which says that "His show is intelligent, moving, and most importantly, funny! You'll be impressed"

If you live in Melbourne, I highly recommend that you come along and see the show. We even have the special 2 for 1 deal ($16 for 2 people).

~~~
Tue-Sun 8.15pm
Sat & Sun matinees 3pm (27-28 Sept, 11-12 Oct)

Tix:$16 adult/$12 concession or groups of 6+

Bookings:9660 9666 orwww.melbournefringe.com.au

Hope to see you there! Kitty x

Nothing Compares To You

I was given the following poem today, which touched my heart....

Nothing Compares To You
by WhtDove

I'm sitting here filled with wonder
At the amazing things you do
How the waters stay in the oceans
And the vast beauty of the view

How the stars are hung in the sky
Within them is written your word
How we are the following sheep
And you are the only Shepherd

How the sky is painted with color
Bursts of orange in the sunset glow
How much knowledge it took to make
And how little us humans know

How intricately you planned it
There was nothing you left unthought
From the delicacy of a baby
To all the sins of ours you bought

There's no other love that's out there
As deep and as faithful and true
No other comfort to be found
Because nothing compares to you

Nothing compares to your miracles
Or the listening time you spend
How you always take good care of us
And our broken hearts that you mend

To us, our problems like mountains
To you, they're no problem at all
You're ever so watchful and there
To help catch us, when we do fall

Welcome Back Australian's Olympians

Australia's Olympians, having achieved so much in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, received an extremely warm welcome of loud and happy cheers in Sydney on Tuesday.

With a total of 46 medals earned by the Australian Olympians, including 14 gold, the Olympic team was greeted by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and hundreds of family and friends.

Most of the 435 Olympians arrived home early Tuesday after finishing sixth in the medal tally and winning a podium position in 14 sports. The team was obviously "pumped" to be back in Australia.

Kevin Rudd said the preparations for the 2012 London Olympics would begin today. "Every man, woman and child in this nation Australia is proud of every one of you, well done," he told the athletes.

"To hear the roar of the crowd in China welcoming this great team for Australia says for me one thing - you are great ambassadors for Australia and the nation thanks you," the prime minister said.

YAY! We are proud of you! :)

Cute Girls Love To Crochet & Just Me

If you are in Melbourne, I'd like to invite you to 2 really good shows produced by Candlelight Productions



CUTE GIRLS LOVE TO CROCHET

Shows from 18-20th Sept (4 performances only!)

It weaves heart-melting and witty words with beautiful, quirky music that sounds like it was written for the Amlie soundtrack. It's the follow-up to Chevalet's gut-wrenchingly beautiful album A Souvenir of Sadness and A Bottle of Bliss, and this one is infused with a gentle hope and a striking beauty that makes me want to sit in a corner of a cafe in Paris and watch the world go by.

Cameron Semmens from our show Squeaky Clean Comedy(and resident poet on Light FM) returns in Chevalet with Mike Carney (composer, on piano) & Rod Gear (from Sons of Korah on double bass). I encourage you to visit www.myspace.com/chevalet- listen to their music online and you'll fall in love with them too.


"Cool boys play croquet.
Cute girls love to crochet.
Let's knit our lives together..."

There are only 4 performances, so tickets are very limited - book now to avoid missing out. It's only 1 week away!

Bring knitting or crocheting to do on stage during the performance and we'll buy you a drink.


Tix: $20 adult/$15 concession or groups of 8+

Bookings: 9639 0096 or www.easytix.com.au

Or you can contact me directly for tickets too.

Another show during the Fringe Festival:


JUST ME

25th Sept - 12th Oct

Comedian Michael Connell (Comedy Festival, Youngblood Tour) also joined Candlelight for Squeaky Clean Comedy and he's back... He merges stand up, film and music in an autobiographical show about learning how to be happy being 'Just Me'. It's an inspiring show about following your dreams... no matter what anyone else thinks.

He's clean, legitimately funny, a sudoku champion and a supremo on the harmonica. This is your chance to see �a comedian with a promising career ahead of him (Inpress His show is intelligent, moving, and most importantly, funny! You'll be impressed (Beat Magazine).

~~~
Tue-Sun 8.15pm
Sat & Sun matinees 3pm (27-28 Sept, 11-12 Oct)

Tix:$16 adult/$12 concession or groups of 6+

Bookings:9660 9666 orwww.melbournefringe.com.au

Hope to see you in both shows! Kitty x

China Games Pilgrimage

I can't believe it's already August 20. I have already been in China for 21 days. The pilgrimage has been fantastic, and I have learned so much during this trip. The Olympic atmosphere here in Beijing is awesome, as is the opportunity to meet with many people from various countries, doing community festivals and connecting with the locals. I have truly understood the difference between being a pilgrim as opposed to just being a tourist. More sharing to come later.