Freedom...

It's so close... I can almost smell it... =)

Running

I must say, I sometimes enjoy a good run. Its effect on your mind to take away the stress and mental tiredness works quite well. So, if you haven't had a good run this week, go and have a jog =).

Personal note: accomplished personal best of 10 km of continuous running and 1 km of walking today (cooldown)

=)

Music + Silence

What is music? To me, it is an extension of a feeling, message, or atmosphere. It is an outlet by which we express what's in our minds or hearts in an artistic format which can universally be understood to all those who have ears. Without the core, I feel, music is useless but rather a random collection of frequencies that interact with our eardrums.

What differentiate, (in my opinion) good music from bad music? The message. That is exactly why, I don't listen to pop music, because the messages it tries to portray is either: a) love, b) not being loved, c) self idolizing, d) random crap. Occasionally, there is pop music with substance, but not often.

What about music without words? That is the beauty of music. It doesn't require words. It can be understood by anyone, whether it is a sad melodious piece of music, or high energy music.

Despite, the title "music", I believe this applies to all forms of art.



Second of all, I've been practicing just spending several minutes a day in complete silence (or as silent as possible). I really think it is key to clear your mind of everything that distracts you in your daily life, and just to think about what life is all about in general. I'm not talking about like some "art of zen yoga relaxation new-age breathing" stuff, but rather just taking a few minutes each day just to reflect. Try it, if you aren't already. =)

Man from Calgary

I doubt anyone probably reads this except for myself, but I would just like to dedicate this post to my man Kevin Lee (aka Calgary). He's been a great leader in my eyes, not in terms of the loud outspoken type but rather someone who really walks the walk and leads by example. Take care back in Calgary, and... Go Flames Go!!

Church

I know it's april fool's, but don't worry, this post is april-fool's-free.


I'll start this post off by I guess saying where I come from. My family started going to church when i was a young age of five. Initially, the reason my parents brought us to church was because they heard "church makes your kids grow up good".. whatever that means. (FYI, it's not church that makes your kids grow up good, it's only through the realization that you as a parent can only do so much but that it's all ultimately up to God's hands). Well, I've been in a church for about 14 years of my life, and I will honestly say, church does nothing to change your life, but it is only Jesus Christ that can truly change your life so much, that you can say you are born again.

Now, I'm not saying church is not good for you. Church is absolutely KEY to growing as a Christian. It's integral that you go to church not just for the service alone, but to fellowship to one another, to pick someone up when they are down, to be picked up when you are down, and to share your spiritual journey with other people.

I know a lot of people have been hurt by the entity of the church, and many harbor deep resenting feelings against it. First of all, I believe the church isn't perfect. In fact, far from it. Who makes up the church? Perfect people? No, but rather ordinary people like you and me. No one is perfect. It's sometimes hard stay part of a church, because you have been hurt by it, and I personally can say I have been hurt by it myself. As hard as it may seem, sometimes you have to step back and think. Is it really about me? Have I really ever thought how can I serve others instead of how others serve me? This leads me on to my second point, which is that it's not really about going to a specific church b/c "They have good worship music" or "There are a lot of cute girls/guys to pick up". It's not about what I can get out of the service, but about what I can put in. This is usually a hard thought to swallow as Western Culture dictates individualistic thinking. As a personal testimony, I can say that often times, the more I devote myself to God and give what I have to Him, His blessings on me multiply tenfold, and even more.

So as I close off this blog, I guess a personal thought of mine is that am I going to church for the right reasons? I personally don't know exactly what the answer to that should be, but I do believe giving back to God has been one of my personal reasons.