Story of the Bamboo Tree

What started as a random sharing from my friend provided me with more food for thought. He was sharing with us how his bamboo tree, which once bore fruit had started shedding its leaves ever since he moved to his new home. Intrigued that a bamboo tree could even bear fruit, we started asking him more about his tree's welfare.

Apparently, a tree is able to bear fruit only when it is well nourished. And when there wasn't enough nutrients, the fruit would be the first to disappear and the tree would start shedding its leaves until it reached a bare minimum such that it would be operating on "survival mode".

As I pondered further about this, it was an apt reminder that the "fruit" we should be bearing in our lives can only be possible if we are spiritually well nourished first. Drawing from basic tree growing principles:

1. Checking the condition of the soil ie. the state of our hearts

Just like a tree needs watering and good soil to thrive, we need to ensure that we remain continually refreshed and recharged if we hope to be able to bear quality fruit.

2. Allowing ourselves to be pruned

John 15:1-2

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

Sometimes, there is a need to be pruned so that we can be even more fruitful. I guess it made me realise that the trials, challenges and tempations that we need to go through are all part of the molding process.

3. Monitoring our Environment

Interesting, when I asked him what was so different in terms of the living conditions now versus his old home that enabled his bamboo tree to bear fruit, he remarked that his new place could be too windy. Just like the environment affected the tree's growth, we are very much affected by our environment and the ways of this world.

Although it's hard to NOT be affected by what the world tells me and NOT see myself through the world's standards, this is yet another reminder of how I am still a WIP human being with very real flaws. *sighs*

I won't become a perfect being overnight but at least I can try my best to get my attitude and heart right.

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Putting things into Perspective

Had several same-themed conversations recently about finding fulfillment. Guess the one question most people seek to answer is "what are the things that would keep/make one happy?"

Is it all about getting THE dream job or garnering that coveted promotion, finding meaning in work/life or simply being surrounded by loved ones. Sometimes, the pursuit of happiness and contentment can seem so elusive.

As I continued to ponder about this whole innate desire for more and why there doesn't seem to be a "fulfillment" finishing line, came across Ecclesiastes 5 which put things back into context:

Riches are Meaningless

10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?

18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. 20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

Finally, there was my answer: To be continually thankful, count my blessings, enjoy all that I had been given and be occupied with gladness of heart.

Running after the Joneses

I have always been struggling with this desire for more and I have been known to 'overdo' things either by eating too much, buying too much, catching ALL the sights in ONE holiday..you get the idea. This time, my temptation was in the form of a really nice IT bag.

Conveniently forgetting that I had bought a new bag barely 4 months ago, suddenly all my bags didn't seem as nice as THIS bag. It didn't matter that I didn't need another bag. It didn't matter that I had ten other bags abandoned at home with each new one I got. I just knew I WANTED this bag NOW.

Realised I was reaching dangerous territory when I started entertaining thoughts of asking my mom to buy this bag for me in place of the wedding dowry. As my friend exclaimed when I shared with her my treacherous thoughts: "Har? You mean you are going to carry that bag on your arm when you walk down the aisle?"
Ee pauses to envisage the IT bag on one arm and Ed on the other. *nods eagerly*

My one consolation is that at least I'm not alone in this need for more...was reading this article in Forbes which put a wry smile on my face. Excerpt as follows:

The neighbors threw a party Saturday night. Nothing about the party wasn't fun. They had archery in back for the kids. A raffle to benefit leukemia research. Chips and salsa, fancy cookies and Mexican spiced coffee. The host even tapped me to sneak out and smoke a cigar under the starlight.

Yet I came home troubled, burdened, worried about something that I had difficulty even expressing to my wife. Their furniture, it was so ... so ... nice. The sofa, with its thick embroidered upholstery, shot through with gold thread, that looks as if it came from a medieval French tapestry. The writing desk. The little cabinet. So nice, and so much of it: chairs and love seats and sofas and ottomans and God knows what else. Our furniture, which had been so new when we bought it, suddenly looked threadbare and tattered and completely unacceptable. "We need new furniture," I informed my wife, gravely.

Call it envy. Call it competitiveness. Call it a desire to meet community standards. But the need to keep up with the Joneses both spurs our personal working lives and drives our national economy, and most of us don't realize it. The need to keep up is woven so deeply into our culture it can be hard to recognize.

Hmmm...makes mental note to set aside that covetous heart.

Golf Adventures Part 1

Golf [noun]
A game in which clubs with wooden or metal heads are used to hit a small, white ball into a number of holes, usually 9 or 18, in succession, situated at various distances over a course having natural or artificial obstacles, the object being to get the ball into each hole in as few strokes as possible.

Succintly put, this is an activity in which a stick hits a ball on a huge field and one should look good while doing this. Think Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie.

With this understanding in mind, I ventured out for my very first golfing lesson last Sunday. Must admit, my reasons for taking up golf did not include an interest in this sport. Firstly, had no desire to be a golf widow. Secondly, when my best friend asked if I was keen on learning, I thought it would be a great opportunity to spend time with her. Which was how I ended up at the driving range on a wet Sunday afternoon attempting to make sense of the various clubs (ranging from woods to irons depending on the distance) while learning how to swing.

Thankfully, there were no casualties and besides me aching in places where I never knew muscles existed, I survived! *beams* While I didn't fall in love with golf immediately, do agree it can be quite satisfying when one finally gets the coordination together to hear the clear clack as the club sends the ball flying perfectly straight onto the green all of 5m. *oblivious triumphant look*

To commemorate the occasion, YL and I did the usual: posed for the camera.

Stay tuned for more adventures...

Focus Areas for 2008

I was standing at the precipice of 2008, all set to share my new year priorities. Alas my procrastinating ways kicked in and I sat on this supposed posting for a month. Ever the optimist, at least this is still better late than never. *beams*

Although I'm not a firm believer of new year resolutions, do think it's always useful to outline the key priorities for this year which would set the framework for my to-do list.*

*An aside: Yes, I have been told I sound awfully corporate in my manner of speech these days. Can't help it since I have been an unnatural planner for the last 2 years. Guess all this planning lingo has surfaced even in the way I speak as well as the way I view issues outside of work.

So here goes, my focus areas for 2008:

1. Spending quality time with God.

The key word here is quality. I know that I should spend alot more time reading His word and I do want to get to know Him ALOT better in this year ahead. Even as I seek His will and plans for my life, I can only hear as much as I let Him speak. And I can only hear better if I have a closer relationship with Him which leads back to spending more time with Him.

Hence, I need to be more faithful in doing my QT, praying as well as learning to seek Him more in all that I say, think and do. It is also important that I can be a good testimony for him at work, church as well as at home. I might fall back into my old ways ever so often..but the important thing is to press on.

2. Preparing for marriage.

Awhile back, a friend mentioned that my only KPI (in the corporate world, this translates into Key Performance Indicator) this year is to get married. To a certain extent, this is true. Admittedly, this particular focus area is going to take up a large part of my time.

Reviewing the preparations leading up to October, this would entail the following areas:

Spiritual: Growing in our walks as individuals as well as a couple. Looking forward to starting marriage prep with his pastor and this would be a good platform to discuss sensitive issues as well as examine our relationship through different lenses.

Emotional: Learning what it means to love someone and how I can support Ed.

Logistical: In terms of the wedding coordination, finding a home, integrating our lives etc.

It is going to be a really busy 10 months leading up to THE WEDDING! In fact, we thought that it would be good to blog about our journey as a couple as we look back at how things started, prepare to get married as well as look ahead at being married. Hence, the start of our blog: Amalgamation of Two Lives for our friends to keep abreast of the latest updates.

3. Building friendships.

2007 was a great year of making new close friends as well as spending time with existing close friends. In the year ahead, definitely hope to set aside more time for some good old friendship building.

Although I know I have a tendency to thrive on a hectic schedule, would like to be more available for my friends. To intentionally setting aside time for them as well as being more alert to their needs, be able to encourage or offer a listening ear or two.

It's definitely going to be a year of transition. Be it getting married and saying goodbye to singlehood, finding out more about this new found role of being a wife, moving to Ed's church, settling into his cell group, thinking about my next steps in terms of work etc. The list just goes on...

However, the key is keeping my eyes fixed on Him and taking each day one step at a time with a cheery smile and a happy hop down this year ahead.

"8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
- Ephesians 2: 8-10