Three Minutes to September

Regrets I've had a few

But then again

Too few to mention


Frank Sinatra belted out these lyrics in his hit song "I did it my way" that even our former prime minister Tun Mahathir sang in one of his farewell bashes.

Before I go crying about how I've failed to blog consistently this month, I'd like to salute all you buggers, opps, bloggers I mean, for your passion in journaling online your most sacred moments to your silliest spells day after day without skipping a heartbeat, although some of you might have stopped a few hearts when you go C#@* colourful with your language.

Now, we all have our regrets. But he who looks back is like someone trying to cycle looking backwards. Ever done that?

Let's pull to the side of the road if need be, check our bearings and our gear, then kick off again to a clear strong course.

September. Another month to make history.

Oh yes. The picture I posted is a one year old shot I took with some of my 1983 former St John's Institution get-together. Wondering how many of us have one too many regrets to handle?

You're get to that age one fine day. Oh well, maybe that age but let's hope it'll be a fine day for you when you get there by God's grace.

Dont' take nothing for granted, yes?

What's the difference between a racist and a facist?

When the sirens go in your life

The other day, I was on the road to Klang. The traffic was heavy from Petaling Jaya on the Federal Highway. Then, above the din of the music in my car, I heard the muffled sound of a siren blaring and glanced at my rearview mirror. Aha, aha. My ticket through the congestion. The ambulance weaved through as the cars gave way, and once it passed me, I trailed it easily from a safe distance.

Other motorists cut in soon enough but at a distance I think too close for comfort to the ambulance.

How many of us have had this experience?

Someone's rushing. Someone's in trouble. And we somehow latch on to the opportunity arising from their misfortune.

Whether we do or not, the traffic would soon close in again. And the window of opportunity would be gone.

Seasons.

We're talking about timing here.

Are you watching and praying? Or are you just watching but not praying? Or simply just praying, but not watching? Either will not do. It must be both.

The sifting we've all be warned against is not over yet. It is August. And soon, we'll move on to the remaining quarter of the year. And that's when we expect to see the sifting transit to its final phase.

Look around you in the church. Are you hearing? Are you seeing? Are you discerning?

Eyes that see but do not interpret. Ears that hear but do not understand.

When the sirens go in your life...

Who's Gay?

Do you know who's gay next to you?

How would you know?

Is a bad thing to be gay?

Do you have gay friends?

Does someone chooses to be gay or are they born gay?

Who's a gay?

What's a gay?

Can a gay be a Christian?

Can a Christian become gay?

Do you have more questions than these or perhaps you have more answers?

Speaking Up

Last week, Senior Cabinet Minister Bernard Dompok broke ranks with his BN colleagues when he openly disagreed with Najib’s claim that Malaysia has been an Islamic State all these years since independence.

No one read about it in the mainstream media because the government placed a gag order on the newspapers. Only the PM and DPM could talk about it openly. The gag was "necessary" because right after Najib's declaration, Malaysians from diverse quarters started debating the issue. The government, predictably, wanted to stop the matter from escalating, and so, issued the gag order.

Thankfully, we have the alternative news to read. Malaysiakini published it.

We have been praying for strong men in the nation's leadership ranks to take their stand. Here, we find one fine example.

And so, we need to remember Bernard Dompok for his conviction and commitment to truth. In a rare show of courage - not common among the ranks of Cabinet Ministers to speak up when a gag order is in place – Dompok has chosen to remain true to his conscience by speaking up to remind the rest of the mindless or gutless ministers of the terms under which Sabah and Sarawak became part of the enlarged entity that exists today as Malaysia.

Let's continue praying.

By the way, did you guys notice our PM delivering his weak position before Dompok's statement?

Our velly blur and hapless PM fumbled saying Malaysia is neither a theocratic nor a secular nation. His statement raised more questions than answers.

So what does he mean?

Ironically, the predictable local media published his statement proudly.

Malaysia boleh.

Before I stop, let me just remind ourselves that “Malaysia was not meant to be an Islamic state” when the Malaysia Agreement was signed way back in 1963, six years after independence. Our founding fathers who negotiated the social contract and the people of this country who were present then knew exactly what was agreed upon.

Our DPM himself who was only four years old then must have a very good reason for declaring otherwise.

So next time you declare something. Check your facts. Know your faith. Then speak up.

Blog with God

Wow. Everyday passes by so swiftly.

Looks like blogging my thoughts can be quite a challenge.

It seems like those of you who manages an hour or more a day is doing amazingly well managing the rest of your time.

Remember to blog with God ya?

Yes. Sign up everyday and spill the beans with God and go online with Him in your special chat room. Don't rush so He can speak to you too.

London Bridge is Falling Down

Much has been said and reported about the Minneapolis bridge collapse over the Mississippi River that resulted in five killed and scores injured last week.

Compared to the 25 million stranded low and wet in the South Asia floods with 1400 killed in the worst monsoon rains to hit the region in decades, the US tragedy seemed like a tiny scratch or a mere drop in the ocean.

The former, caused by human negligence, the latter by a freak turn of naturn that could be traced inevitably to, again, human negligence.

Global warming has been cited as a cause of the turbulent storms we've seen this many months and the harsh climate changes in recent times.

What do all these point to?

This blog is titled: The Eleventh Hour.

Pretty clear huh? No?

Have you checked YOUR bridge over your life lately? What's the weather like deep down within your soul? Neglect over the days, weeks, yea months and years could be taking its toll.

Psalm 1 says Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

How's your company of friends? What habits have you been putting up with? Who have you been sitting in scornful judgement of and passing sentence on lately?

Basically, how have you been guarding your heart? Proverbs 4:23 says Above all else guard your heart for it is the well spring of life.

Before I knock off, some of you might be wondering: What's with this London Bridge is Falling Down?

There's been so many stories about it. In fact, there's not one bridge only but numerous in the course of history. Old bridges. New bridges.

One thing has been certain. Bridges come and go. Why some came tumbling down sooner than others is fodder for thought.

Perhaps you could tell me why?

Do the Right Thing?

Have you watched the movie, "The Insider" by Russell Crowe and Al Pacino, based on a real life story about Dr Jeff Wigand who blew the whistle on Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company with Journalist Lowell Bergman helping him to push the truth through for all to watch on 60 Minutes in 1993.

By the way, both of them are my favourite actors.

What price are you and me willing to pay to push the truth through for all to watch in our lives?

Jeffrey Wigand said: I am honoured people think I am a hero. But I do not accept that monicker because there are others more deserving of it. I did what was right. Having no regrets and would do it again. As you see, we were just ordinary people placed in some extraordinary situations and did the right thing... as we all should do.

Hmmmm....

Grounded

I had lots of laughs reading Janielle's blog today. She talked about how she was grounded for various misdemeanors. No thanks to her pesky sister whom she was allegedly guilty of oppressing and her perky preoccupations that took her away from watching over mom's soup on the stove. So, she was grounded. No TV. No PC.

We all make mistakes. All kinds. Some awful, others trifling. And it's really good when there's someone we know who watches over us reins us in once in a while. Otherwise, we'll be scooting off here and there creating all kinds of ruckus and making it a habit in no time - and never knowing the trail of disaster we're leaving behind.

But what happens to adults who messed up? Who grounds them?

The Bible tells us that God disciplines those He loves. And He loves all of us! That's why He has infused in our world fundamental principles and laws.

When we violate a law, or disregard it, we experience the consequence of breaking it soon enough. Don't think so? Try running into a wall like you're Invisible Woman. Don't brush your teeth for a whole week. Don't drink water or any liquids for one day. Shout at someone.

The list could go on. For every action, there is a reaction. The sowing and reaping principle. Now you remember ...

The sad fact of the matter is, sometimes another person's violation results in a series of chain events that affect many other people.

Did you watch the movie Babel by Brad Pitt released last year, for which he earned his second Golden Globe nomination. You must watch it if you haven't. One of the better ones he did. The whole show points to the consequence of each man's action. How we all affect others one way or another.

We all make history. That's the punchline.

So, who's watching over you today? And what are you doing that leaves an imprint?

Are you going to get rewarded for it? Or are you going to get grounded?