Abide in Me

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciple.
-John 15:1-8

Have you wondered what it really mean by abiding?

When you throw an empty bottle into the ocean, the bottle is merely abiding in the ocean.
But when you filled the bottle with the ocean water, and throw it into the ocean,
this is where the bottle abide in the ocean and the ocean abide in the bottle...

Dont be an empty bottle. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and abide in the presence of God.

Perfect Husband?

"Do you think you have found a perfect husband?"

"Nope, i dont think i have found a perfect husband. It doesnt take me long to find out that my husband is not perfect."

"So you are saying that you are not happily married?"

"Nope, i dont mean that. My husband hasnt found a perfect wife too. He doesnt have what i have, and i dont have what he has. Thats why we are the perfect match."

Have you noticed that imperfect people are always striving to be perfect?
Because Imperfect often speaks "i-m-perfect".

God will bring perfection out from an imperfectionist.
Let Him do the job is much easier.

-Just some thoughts flashing in my mind while i was on the bed.-

****
So are you still waiting for the perfect man?
In heaven, probably.

晨曦

早上的阳光好温暖。

今天去工作时经过组屋楼下的游乐场。
看见阳光普照洒满着大地，真让人有种冲动，来晒个日光浴。
懒惰的自己竟然让自己错过了那么温暖的晨曦!
本想下定决心要自己早点起床，到组屋楼下的凳子乘凉乘凉。。拿起一本书，享受着温暖的太阳下，也许也能索取些灵感。把老公也叫起，当他去锻炼身体的当儿，让我悠载闲载地沉进在这小小悠闲中。

“咚!” 还是要回到现实中。我这懒惰骨是很难叫得起来的啦。
不是不可能。。是心灵固然愿意，肉体却软弱。
身体上的劳累，也许需要十年追回来！哈哈。（好伟大的借口吧！）

其实很感谢主（应该有个"旗"字旁，但找不到上帝的‘主’）让我和老公得着那么好的家。在中区，交通方便，环境又很好。我喜欢维多利亚式，这里的环境就是维多利亚式。感谢主！！

别小看我哟。有一天心血来潮，我真的会特早起床晒日光浴哟！

晚安！

时间

时间走得太快,让我不知道什么是老..

神啊！救救我吧!
岁月真的是用飞的来形容的吗？

Faith!

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, say to this mountain be removed! and it will done so for you"
Matthew 21:21

ok! God, i will do it.
You got to be responsible for the calling You have called me into ok!
I will trust in You, i will work hard, i will work on my discipline.
Lord, i depend on You to make it work out for me!
You are Faithful, You are my Rock, You are my Protector!

Bitter or Better?

People may make you bitter. But you can choose to be better!

***
It is impossible to be bitter and get better at the same time.
You have a choice to make. You can let each hurt or problem make you bitter or better.
The decision is yours.

How can a hurt or problem make you a better person?
God does not bring hurts and wounds upon you, but once they are inflicted upon you,
He is able to cause them to benefit you if you will trust Him to do so.

(All things work out good for the kingdom of God)

People are not prefect, therefore we hurt and disappoint each other.
Go to Jesus with each old wound, and begin to receive His healing grace.
When someone hurts you, take that new wound to Jesus. Dont let it fester.
Take it to the Lord and be willing to handle it His way and not your own.
- Beauty for ashes

Bridge

What is the greatest architecture of our time?

If you ask me, i would say its BRIDGE.
Since young, i am always amazed and has a special likings on bridges. I do not understand why.

I heard a story that says that you got to cross a bridge with someone you love, so that the relationship will be everlasting. The bridge is called 情人桥.

You may find it hilarious like me probably. But come to think of it, it may not be fully wrong..

Jesus comes as a bridge that links us to God. He is the 情人桥 we have to cross so that our relationship can be everlasting. Not just the love between man and woman, but also brotherly and sisterly love, parents and children love, friendship love..

Cross the bridge, lest you fall into the deep blue sea..

*****
"Be my Bridge. You shall connect people together and you shall connect them to me."

"But Lord, how am i able to do that? I am not eloquent, i am just quiet. Too quiet.. i do not know how to start off a conversation, i do not know what to say, what is apporpriate to say.. i am just a clumsy person whom nobody likes.."

"Do not worry about how or what you should answer or say. My Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. Why do you worry so much? Just let My Spirit guide you."
Luke 12:11-12

Do you receognise the King?

There was this high achiever, very competent and smart. Changed quite a number of jobs because he was being head hunted by big companies. So there was this day, he was on his way for an interview with a bank, for a high position, of course. While at the platform of the train station, he saw a pickpocket tried to steal an old man wallet from his pocket. The pickpocket was so fast that this young man could not respond in time or to do anything about. So he went up to this old man and said, "Sir, your wallet has just been pickpocketed." Just then, the train reached the platform and the young man needs to board the train in order not to be late for his interview. So he turned back and said to the old man, "I am so sorry, i dont think i can be of any help to you." Saying that, he turned and went into the train.

There were three seats infront of him when he was in the interview room. On the left side was the Managing Director of the bank. On the right side was the Accounts Manager. The middle was vacant. So while waiting for the Chairman of the bank to come in, the three men had a light hearted chit-chat. After a while, the door opened and the Chairman walked in. The young man got the shocked in his whole life. The chairman was the old man whom he witness his wallet was being pickpocketed in the train station. A surge of embrassment swept through him. In his mind, he wished that he could turn back time so that he can do something to help the old man back then.. but it was too late. He has failed to recognise the important man.

Seated down, the chairman looked into the eyes of the young man and said, "what can i be of any help to you?"

So did the young man get the job? You figure it out yourself.

****
well, alot of people, yea, including the christians, in fact, im talking about the christians, failed to recognise who is truly the King. And they shortchange themselves of the blessing that God intended for them. They come in late for service, take their own sweet time to come cell group. Leave half way during the bible study.. having their handphone on during meeting, or worse still, answer the phone when the speaker is still speaking. Well, who is the King? They failed to recognise that they are to worship the King and not the other way round.

Well, some may argue that the young man did not see the chairman before, how would he know that the old man would be the chairman of the bank? Well, let me tell you, you dont have to treat someone in regards of their status. Even God doesnt do that. By recognising Jesus as King, you will serve His people. and, you will never know, someone who needs help could be an angel. Dont always expect an angel is here to help you. There are irritating angel who will come and help you bear the fruit of long suffering, there will be poor angel around to teach you how to give. There will be needy angels around that will enlarge your compassion. and if you meet the angels' need, you are an angel to them! so everyone is everyone's angel. haha

Would you recognise Him even if He is going to stand right in front of you?
The key here is, be nice to everyone. In everything that you do, do in the reverence of the King.

Give Him the due honor, reverence. Because He is KING and He deserves it!

Jesus, You're worthy to be praised!

****
This is my 100th post.

WOW.

Make room!

Its a drag to go from Ground zero to the 45th floor every morning.
The lift has to stops in almost every level just to load and unload people.

After last night prayer, i have made a conscious decision to be patient with things like this (actually only this) that has been irritating me ever since i started work at IP. Can you believe it! it will take me about 7mins to reach my office at 45th floor from level 1! I dont even wait so long for a train in the morning! ok.. so i asked God to help me remember i had prayed.

So this morning, usual. The lift stops at almost every level to pick up passengers.
I felt so irritated. Why must those irritating people press the lift? Why must i wait so long to get to my destination? (well, if you are in a clarity of mind, you can see that its no body's fault? the problem is ME - i dont own a private lift. hah) I began to feel frustrated. And you know, God always answers prayers. yea, i was reminded of the things i prayed. So i tell myself to cool down and ask God for help. The lift went further two levels down and stops AGAIN for dont know the how many times. i almost wanted to destory the 'closed' button. Suddenly God spoke to me, that i should see this lift as His lift of salvation. I should allow as many people to come in as possible. Because everyone needs to go to His final destination. I should not be selfish, just being busy with my own things, wanting to fulfil my own agenda and in the end neglected or ignored the most important thing that i am called to do - to get as many people saved as possible. I should make room in my heart for a greater passion for the lost.

Well, God always has His ways to teach and remind you isnt it? Even in situation like this.
This is amazing. what a wise God i serve!

"Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding." -Matt 9:22

Why 5 stones?

David killed Goliath with 5 stones and a sling.

But why did David pick 5 stones where there was only one giant?
He has no faith? Thinking that if he missed one, he still have four more chances??

If you read the story further in 2Samuel, you will realised that Goliath had 4 sons.
That means, there were 5 giants! Which means to say, David wanted to kill the 5 giants all at one shot!

He has faith. Great faith! And his faith is specific. 5 giants, 5 stones.

He didnt go by the natural, bring 5 stones to kill 1 giant - flawed faith.
He didnt presume that he could kill more than 5 giants - presumptuous faith.
He has faith. And his faith is specific.

Dont be frustrated when you see the problems. Take one giant at a time.

Chew on it!

I was reading a book this morning, and i felt this story is good!

While hopping about one day, a frog happened to slip into a very large pothole along a country road.
All of his attempts at jumping out were in vain. Soon a rabbit came upon the frog trapped in the hole and offered to help him out. He, too, failed. After various animals from the forest made three or four gallant attempts to help the poor frog out, they finally gave up. "We'll go back and get you some food," they said. "It looks like you're going to be here for a while."

However, not long after, they took off to get food, they heard the frog hopping along after them. They couldnt believe it! "We thought you couldnt get out!" they exclaimed. "Oh, i couldnt," replied the frog. "But you see, there was a big truck coming right at me, and I HAD TO."
(compliments: Attitude 101 - J C Maxwell. Thanks to Kevin for lending me the book)

As long as we have acceptable options, we will not change.You must have the desire to change!

***
After bible study tonight, David, Alvin and i went to meet this new friend whom one of Alvin's friend recommended.

He is trying to introduce the MLM business to us, and we are trying to reach out to him. Can you see, we are converting each other. Both parties are at the market place, but marketing different thing. hahah.

i was just sitting there, trying to look interested, listening. And i find something very ironic.

Let me give you some background of this guy. He is 22 years old. Been in this business for 6 months, part time working, part time studying. He is a irregular attender of our church.

We are in the discussion about Time. Saying that we have no time for a business like his because we want to spend more time in church. We want to have a freed up lifestyle and to serve God the best that we know how. So this guys talked about prioritizing, setting the time aside. If we are in this business, we must be committed to it and to give it our time in order to be successful in this business.

Woo. I thought he never know about prioritizing!

That was what we were conveying to him about coming to God half the time throughout the conversation when he said that he has no time to commit. And there he is, talking about committments himself, trying to convince us into this business, without realising that he can actually use this belief of his, arrange his life and make room for God! I felt that we are like earthworm. Two heads, sharing the same body (belief - about committment only), but heading different direction.

This guy has no desire to change. He has an acceptable option - to stay free every sat/sun for friends, family, money, hobby etc. For this instance, he has to wait for a big truck (crisis) to come, to make him HAD to jump out of the pothole - for a good cause, of course. =)

Bite on it

I overheard a conversation in the lift today. It goes like this...

Man: "what are you listening to?"
Woman: "songs lo..."

Any answer lamer than that?!?

conclusion:
1. The woman does not understand what the man is asking. (maybe thats why man and woman are still trying to understand each other! haha. Hmm.. actually not neccessary though, sometimes it happens with man-man, woman-woman. hee)
2. The man is not specific in his asking. So the woman is not wrong with her answer also.
3. But common sense tells us that what the man meant was, "what songs are you listening to?" (if i know that you SAW me listening to a MP3 player, of course i would anticipate that you are actually asking me what songs im listening to! - its like: you see me sitting infront of a big TV watching a programme. "What are you watching?" "TV." ~.~"' hello?? anybody home?? The TV not big enough? duh)
4. Lame question, lame answer. (you get what you give. Give peanuts? you get monkeys!)

ok la, one thing i have learnt is that communication is really a skill. You got to be really specific in order to be understood. In this case, none is at fault. Even if i have to choose one, i would say the man who asked the question is at a much fault than the woman who answered it.

By asking question, you are trying to lead someone to something. Thus, you are a leader. A leader brings someone to the right place, in this case, to give the right answer. Isnt it what it is all about? Leaders inspire people to make the right decisions in their life. Follow the wrong leader, you ended up in the zoo! Well, nothing wrong with the zoo. The question is, 'what kind of zoo'? The Open Safari kind, or the one which keeps animals in captivity?

Thus saith Yi Lin...

Reading the creation of the world in Genesis on the top of the world... is splendid.

Standing on the 45th floor, with the magnificient seaview and the full horizon in sight, the word of God manifested its flesh right before my eyes.

"Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear": and it was so."

Scientist said the age of the earth is in its millions. I do not believe it as first, thinking the earth would be the most 6000+ years old. But after reading the bible, why not? God created the whole world in 6 days. 1 day in heaven is 1000 days on earth. Which means to say, the earth would be at least 6000-year old before God rested on the 7th day.

Think:
1. God created the greenery.

Gen 1:11 "Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth";
vs12 and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind. And God saw that it was good."

But the earth was not populated with trees and grass (according to its kind) at once. Because it says "the herb that yield seed grow according to its kind... whose seed is in itself, on the earth." God always start with a seed.

vs11 - God did the planting, the sowing. vs12 - His words was manifested into flesh.
So vs11 and vs12 is a 1000-day?

2. Gen 1: 21-25 "So God created great sea creatures and every little living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on earth." So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind; cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth accodring to its kind. And God saw that it was good."

God has created the animals in pair - male and female. (Thats how God re-multiply the earth again after Noah's Ark. He asked Noah to gather two animals of each kind - male and female, so that the earth can be populated again) If God has created a hundreds or thousands of animals at one shot, then God would not say to the animals "be fruitful and multiply" (vs22). Whats there to multiply if there were already so many of them? yea.. you may argue that multiply into even more many animals.. but think...

3. God only created 2 persons in the Garden of Eden - Adam and Eve, Male and Female. This is how He started the human race. He also said to them "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Gen1:28) You get my point? God did not create half of the human generation in advance. So... if God created hundreds of animals all at one go, Adam and Eve and their decendants would not be able to finish them for hundreds and thousands of years! yea, God is a God of abundance. We wont be able to finish up all the animals on earth. But my point is, God is a God of balance also.. so His abandance comes when He created the animals before man, so that animals can multiply first before man come and consume them, at the same time balancing the population between man and animals. If God were to create man first, then i think man would be vegetarian liao. haha

What i shared here is only 'Thus says Lin..", not "thus says the Lord.." k.. so above has no concrete prove. Just my little inspiration as i was reading the bible. Please correct me if i am wrong. Lets discuss if you have the time. =)

********
Gen 2:9 - And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Man was made "innocent". Man was created not to know evil, but good. I think thats why a defandant can be set free when he was proven innocent. Jesus was innocent of all sins, thats why He pleased His Father.

Be innocent for Christ!

Archie

my dear bought me No.20 Archie comic today. so sweet.
I love every bits of Archies! Thank you! thank you! THANK YOU!!!!!!

A couple of strips caught me. Here's one, i find it rather... er.. humoruous. (you may beg to differ)

Little Reggie saying to Little Archie and Little Jughead:
"A peanut sat on a railroad track-- his heart was all aflutter!
A train came along the way-- Toot! Toot! PEANUT BUTTER!"

(HAHahhaHAHAHha..) er.. not funny? hee.
maybe you need to understand the character of Reggie in order to see the humorous line of this gag.

anyway.

i learnt something too!

Little Jinx: (happily, leaping with joy) Well, Charley! I made it! I got promoted!

Charley: I feel funny, little Jinx! I thought our teacher didnt like me, but I've changed my mind..

Little Jinx: Oh, really, Charley, why?

Charley: I overheard her talking about me to another teacher.. She said it was the happiest day of her life when i was promoted to the next grade.

Little Jinx pengz.

True as it may be. There are people like Charley.
May not be bad. At least, he is positive of himself.
I believe this is one of the vital thing anyone should be and have.
However, it may not be good either.
He may be too full of himself and no teachability.

Life, trial and error.
Everyone is trying to balance the Balance Sheet of life.
However, we can always open a suspense account when our life is out of balance.
After much evaluation and investigation, closed the suspense accounts and GO! get your Balance Sheet balanced.

BUT, dont keep the accounts suspended for too long.
Problems still have to be rooted out, deep.

if you do Accounting, you would know what i am saying.
***
i love Archies















(how true! haha)

I.Q vs A.Q

I.Q = Intelligent Quotient

A.Q = Attitude Quotient

A Yale University present some years ago gave an advice to a former present of Ohio state:

Always be kind to your A and B student. Someday one of them will return to your campus as a good professor. And also be kind to your C students. Someday one of them will return and build a two-million-dollar science laboratory.
***
Wow, wOW and WOW! what a powerful speech. There's always hope for those who doesnt do well academically! (but well, please dont use this as a leeway not to work hard!)

There is very little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference.
The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.

But i feel that this story can bring another message too. Dont just persue life. You may be at the top of everything, i.e. a very successful career, top student in school, ace relationship with family and friends.. but yet, persue the life Giver, who can give you more abundantly.

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
-Matthew 10:39

Attitude

Attitude is really about how a person is. That overflows into how he acts.

Here's a story to share...

A grandpa and a grandma visit their grandchildren very often. Each afternoon the grandpa will lie down for a nap. One day, as a practical joke, the kids decided to put Limburger cheese in this mustache. Quite soon he awoke sniffing. "Why, this room stinks.." he exclaimed as he got up and went out into the kitchen., He wasnt there long until he decided that the kitchen smelled too, so he walked outdoors for a breathe of fresh air. Much to grandpa's surprise, the open air brought no relief, and he proclaimed, "The whole world stinks"

Isnt it so true? We carry "Limburger cheese" in our attitudes, the whole world smells bad. We are individually responsible for our view of life. Truth has contained in the scripture, "For whatever a man sow, he will surely reap". Our attitude toward and action in life help determine what happens to us.

Life is not easy. Almost daily we witness jobs that are held but hated and marriages hat are tolerated but unhappy, all because people are wiating for others, or the world, to change instead of realizing that they are responsible for their own behavior.

Our attitude determines our approach to life. So change.
***
Just a drop of dew
Can make your life anew~

Big pockets, small mind

I came across an article yesterday in Her World magazine.
Was fuming mad when i read it. How on earth such people exist in here?!
Its a long article, but want to blog it out and share with you guys and gals,
Please, when you become rich one day, dont become like this..

***
"What rich women do to stay rich"

A young woman walks into a high-end boutique and picks up five dresses but pays only for two.
Two doors away is her regular jeweller, where she tries on a necklace and matching set of earrings. She pays only for the necklace, and waltzes out the door with the gold and diamond chandelier earrings swinging off her ears.

At the makeup counter in the department store, she tries everything, buys nothing, then leaves with a bag full of samples - all in full sizes. Then its off to her plastic surgeon's clinic, where she;s booked for a Botox and microdermabrasion session.

She emerges hours later with a fresh new face and no intention of paying for the procedures. "I'll pay you the next time," she lies breezily to the glabbergasted nurse as she climbs into her Lexus and drives home to her three-storey terrance off Orchard Road.

If you're looking around for store security and the police to show up by now, dont bother. No one has blown the whistle on Vicky (no her real name), and n one likely will.

Enter the world of the rich woman who gets away with plunder.

Vicky has, in the spce of one afternoon, left behind thousands of dollars in unpaid bills. She can afford to pay those bills many times over, but expects the stores and plastic surgeon to write them off. What is more alarming is that they will. Case closed.

Why are women like Vicky, a 31-year-old single who receives a few thousand dollars in pocket money a month from her father, above the simple laws of the land? The answer is simple: because she is rich.

Vicky is a customer that these businesses cannot afford to lose, because she has proven at least once before that she has the means to ring up huge bills - and pay up. More importantly, she also has friends who can.

"I spend a lot at these place that i patronise, and I'm always introducing my many girlfriends to them. They should be prepared to give out freebies to keep customers like me," says the impeccably groomed socialite, whose parents have two maids and two cars for their family of four. What most people would loook upon as daylight robbery, Vicky thinks is just good customer service.

As the first link in a chain of big spenders, she feels entitled to rewards for her part as a deal-maker. She calls her freebies her "commission" for recommending customers to her creditors.

"I am not a cheapskate. I have been contributing a lot to their business over the years. The clinic and stores can always call me to remind me about an unpaid bill, or remind when I'm there, but so far, i have heard nothing from them. What does that tell you? That they regard me as a very important customer."

There is no dispute there. These businesses that cater mainly to the wealthy all agree that such women are an invaluable asset when it comes to word-of-mouth publicity. But if they had a choice, they would rather be the first to offer thanks to these women thatn to have the thanks yanked out of them, and in ways that would raise an auditor's eyebrow.

To add salt to gaping wound, most of the friends whom these women recommend tend to share the same views on the Great Commission come payment time.

One retailer, who did not want to be named for fear of such women turning nasty on her, has put up with Vicky and her friends for years.

She recalls, "She came to my shop, bought about $200 worth of stuffs then helped herself to a few more items from the shelf - worth over $300 - all because she has been a regular for the last few years. telling her to put it back would only ruin the relationship. Chances are, she will get angry or offended and will never step into the shop again." The customers Vicky recommends dont help the shopowner recover her losses. "Her friends? They aren't very different. They expect free gifts too!" To which Vicky simply replies: "It's a matter of give and take; you help me, I help you."

People like her know they can get away with it because many store owners would rather keep quiet than take them to taks and risk them spreading negative publicity of the store to their rich pals.

Its an ugly word, but women like Vicky and her friends are freeloaders, and boutique owners and plastic surgeons are at a loss as to what they can do about them.

Why plastic surgeons alone and not all doctors? The smae reason why these women wouldnt pull a fast one at restaurants - you dont want to offend the one who prepares your food or fixes your heart. But with plastic surgery and aesthetic work, it's about elective surgery - and elective payment. A doctor in private practice observes with pained amusement that wealthy freeloaders "see it as an entitlement, that we doctors should think ourselves privileged that they would even consider us to touch their faces."

Its get more audacious than this, he adds: "some tell me after I've done the treatments: "Hey, I'm a walking advertisement for you. I've got lots of rich friends I can recommend to you, so why should i pay you?"

Then there is this unspoken presumption. "They have the impression that we make a lot of money from aestheic treatments and wouldnt feel the pinch of an unpaid bill."

Freeloaders who are less bold would show up at aesthetic clinics asking for "free trials", or blame the doctor for performing work that they didnt ask for.

Says a consultant dermatologist: "Soon after I introduced a new IPL machine, i was bombarded by calls from 'old friends' whom i dont remember meeting at parties i dont remember attending. They will come to my clinic, ask for the cheapest treatment, then agree to add-ons when they're being treated.

"If my nurse asks them to settle the bill, they will say they didnt ask for the add-ons, that i suggested they try it so that shouldnt have to pay. Usually, i'd let such cases go than to stand there and haggle with them."

Such save-money, lose-face methods are not the domain of wealthy women. Men, too, are guilty - and so are famous personalities. A senior dermatologist in public practice recalls how years ago, one popular Singaporean actor tried to get away without paying his bill of thousands of dollars.

"He said he would pay up later, but we never heard from him. Later, we called him, but the number was no longer in use. We also sent reminders to his house, but the letters got returned because he wasnt living there anymore. In the end, we just dropped the as it wasnt worth the hassle."

One day, the same actor calls the clinic for an appointment. "He must have forgotten that he owed us money - or hoped that we had," says the doctor. "The nurse recognised his voice and reminded him that he had an unpaid bill. He said he would send the cheque but he never did, and that was the last we heard from him."

While the five plastic surgeons, aesthetic doctors and dermatologists we spoke to have all come across wealthy patients who default on payment, the numbers are not staggering enough to warrant strong action.

An Orchard Road dermatologist puts the number of bad debtors at under 1 per cent, "despite repeated reminders." Cosmetic surgeon Martin Huang of MD Specialist Healthcare says unpaid bills can come up to several thousands dollars annually. Others sat it ranges of between a few hundred to a few thousand.

It may not seem like much, but as one general practitioner who offers aesthetic treatments puts it, "every doctors who are stuggling to keep their practices open because of bad debt.

Among retailers, the losses are less significant. One estimates that such "free advertising" cost her about $500 to $1000 a month. Others put it at $200 to $300 per person. Instead of reporting these culprits to the authorities, or filing a claim at the Small Claims Tribunal (which handles cases where less than $10,000 is at stake), everyone is keeping mum, sayin it's not worth the time, money and goodwill.

Says a boutique owner, "These taitais can be very influential. If they badmouth my store to their friends, i may lost more money than the value of freebies i am forced to give out."

For plastic surgeons, many of these freeloaders are social acquaintance of their friends' wives - whom they may be seated next to at the next society do. If they dont keep mum, rest assured that any frozen looks cast at them then wont be caused by Botox.

Not every creditor is taking this financial sitting down.

Common practice among the plastic surgeons we spoke to is to keep a little black book of tardy patients. "We wont turn them away, but we will ask them ot put a 20 per cent deposit when a surgery date is booked and to pay up on the day of surgery," says Dr Huang. "Is she has a bad credit assessment in our records, we will ask her to pay the full sum before any work is done."

And instead of offering package deals, where a patient is more likely to stop returning once they see some improvment to their looks, doctors are turning to pay per-treatment services. Others simple decline requests for deferred payments.

A patient has even thrown a tantrum at one such clinic, where she dramatically overturned her handbag and emptied it of its contents to show that she really had no means to pay up there and then.

The nurse stood her ground long enough for the woman to relent and finally fish out a credit card - a platinum one, no less.

extracted from Her World, Septemeber issue P144 to P146
***
i have learnt something. The world is never fair. God is not fair. And please, rejoice that He is not a fair God. Blasphemous? Read on.

Fairness = You are not treated as an individual. You are being treated in a corporate view. Everyone get their fair share, the good and the evil.
Justice = You are being treated distinctively and uniquely. God gives you personal attention. And He treats you according to what you deserve. Good or evil.

God is better than fair. He is JUST! (well, the wicked will have their fare)

But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation.
- Luke 6:24

So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
- Luke 12:21

He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.
- Luke 1:53

I must pray that i will not become like these taitais when i become rich! If i will be, please! dont let me be rich! i only want to be righteously rich. i want to be a blessing - big pockets, big mind and not forgetting, a big heart!

And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
-Deu 8:18

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
- Matthew 19:23-24

My flesh says, "good verse! God, dont allow these rich taitais go to heaven!! yes!!" But my spirit says God loves them all, good or bad, He loves them all. I want to yield to my spirit, so i CHOOSE to be magnanimous. Anyway, who am i to judge? I felt happier and less unjustifiable. Anyway, its none of my business. hahha.

Yeah friends, its just a matter of A CHOICE.

There's so many things you can be angry and unhappy about..
com'on, choose to live longer.

Staying happy.

无颜的爱

爱，是什么颜色？

浪漫热情的红色？
辛福快乐的黄色？
舒适迷情的橙色？
和谐清澈的禄色？
稳定忠诚的蓝色？
独立奢侈的紫色？
单纯完美的白色？
深而奥秘的黑色？

我说啊。。 爱，是无色。
透而清晰，毫无遐思，100%的纯洁。
让人看得彻底，看得清楚。

就是这样，简简单单。

简单爱。

在为这个blog做些research时，偶然的发现一个网站关于颜色。蛮好的。瞧一瞧！
http://www.mariaclaudiacortes.com/colors/Colors.html

***
教我如何去爱你。
我还在学习。

Happy Birthday

Today is my bloggy 2nd birthday.

Happy birthday metamorphoziz.blogspot.com!

Nothing to blog.. but just want to share a pic of my friend..

I love this pic! So cute and innocent!!

***
Life is great, so flaunt it!

Inspired

Its FOP again. Been a long time since i went for FOP. for the past 3 years, i think?
Reached indoor at 6pm, doors has already opened, and the queue was huge.
Was directed to the balcony, but managed to find 3 seats on the "T" section. Diagonally from the stage. far far away. But gave up my seat and went to sit with Pascale's friends - Yanqi, Peihua and Poh Lin at the balcony.
First time at the balcony. lots of new songs by Hillsong and Delirious. Cant see the screen, cant catch the lyrics. Enjoy though. Atmosphere no good. But the presence of God is there. I can feel it. Strange. haa.
Lesson learnt: Atmosphere can be created. Presence cannot. God is real, you cant denied it.

After the meeting, met this man, Mr Wilson Tan. His stories are truly inspirational.
Saved at the age of 17.
By the age of 32, he was a general manager of a American company earning thousands. A man without any degree qualifications.
Spectaculated in shares, earned his millions. Couple of millions in his bank at his disposal.
Drove big car, stayed at a bungalow with 15 rooms at Holland Village.
Age 35. Puffed up by all this riches, thinking that he achieved it alone without God and backslided.
His befall begins. Lost two millions, four hundred thousands in debt. Wife and children left him. lost his house, his car. Declared bankruptcy.
No jobs. Heavily in debt. But he kept reading the bible despite he backslided and the Lord showed him Deu 8, Remember the Lord Your God..

"Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgements, and His statues which i command you today, lest - when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, ... then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, i testify against you this day that you shall surely perish."

He repented and picked himself up. He started his own business.
For 3.5 years, he has been praying for a financial breakthrough. Nothing. (most people prayed for 2 days and got angry with God.. but this man prayed for 3.5 years. See his persistency?) Worse still, his admin assistant stole his money. She didnt submit 5 quarters of GST and IRAS summoned him a fifteen thousand penalty.
In debt still, pocket zero cent. where to get the money?
He got angry and shouted at God one day. God finally spoke. Daniel 3:16-18, the story of Daniel and his three friends.

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnance, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

The word of God stroke his heart. He heard the Lord speaking to him. He has been loving God conditionally with strings attached expecting God to bless him each time he serve and give to the Lord. But for Daniel and hi s friends, they loved the Lord unconditionally. Even if God did not come true for them, they still choose to love the Lord and not serve other gods.

He repented immediately. That week he closed a one million dollars sale. That year, his company growth 1000% and ever since then, his company has been growing by 60% each year. He even set up two businesses, one, all profits to bless China, the other profits to bless India (if im not wrong, should be India). He was so blessed now simply because he gave the Lord his unconditional love - Lord, if you come through for me in this crisis, i will praise You, it didnt happen, i will praise You the same.

God is seeking for the unconditional love. Friends, when God did not answer your prayers and give you what you want, what would you do? Get angry with Him and leave Him? Then you missed out what loving God really is, and you will never experienced His unconditional love. His love is, even He knew the world would reject Him, He still come and die for you and me.. a love so true.

In all times, remember Romans 8:28,

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

All things work out for your good! Amen!!