The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy (1954) by Clive Staples Lewis, Book Review

 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy (1954) by Clive Staples Lewis

 This story is not as familiar as the famous ones made into movies like The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe or Prince Caspian or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (by the way, in 2018, Netflix already purchased the rights and will reboot the series. I have high expectations about the production quality. Still, I hope that they will not distort the character of Aslan and kept the stories as original as possible) and that's what makes it an exciting read. The Horse and His Boy is the third book in chronological order but the fifth book in the publication order. There are four main characters in this story. First, a boy named Shasta, who lived in Calormen, discovered that the man he stayed with was not his birth father and would be sold into slavery. It makes sense since Shasta felt that he had "little love" for his guardian. While thinking about what to do, Shasta was surprised to know that the would-be master's horse was a Talking Horse from Narnia. So, the second character is the horse named Bree. Together they planned an escape and heading "For Narnia and the North!" Then early on their journey, they meet another pair of runaways, the third character, a girl named Aravis, and a mare, the fourth character, a Talking Horse too, named Hwin.

Bree and Hwin know for sure where they are going, namely, the land of Narnia, their birthplace, before being captured as dumb animals by the Calormenes. Meanwhile, Aravis, a girl from a noble Calormene family, just wanted to run away as far as possible to avoid being forced into marriage. So she followed wherever Hwin went. Shasta (funny name), on the other hand, is very clueless. He still needs to know his identity. Before the journey, he always "look eagerly to the North" but doesn't know why and he felt very out of place as the 'son' of fisherman in the far south of Calormen. So like any other adventure story, the journey of these four characters is about self-discovery, friendship, conflicts, and especially for Shasta, an exploration of his true identity. Interestingly, the story takes place when Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy were kings and queens of Narnia (although Peter the High King was absent from this story because he was fighting against the giants elsewhere). The four characters encountered with the mysterious Aslan always fascinate me. He was 'there' even before they began the journey and every step of the way. When Shasta first met with Aslan (as "The Voice," then as "The Thing," and as himself), he asked, "Who are you?"

"I was the lion… I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to received you" (page 281). And as you read on - I hope you do - you will discover that Aslan was not 'safe' in a sense that he was the one who puts the children and horses amid danger, and yet he is 'good' because he would make sure that they will be victorious (although wounded along the way) to the end. Remember what Mr. Beaver said to little Lucy years ago about Aslan? "He isn't safe. But he's good." To enter Narnia, you have to be tested by fire! As I closed this book last week, I was inspired and shouted, "For Narnia and the North!" Of course, not too loud as to wake up my neighbors… ✅

 #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #TheChroniclesOfNarnia #CSLewis #RealmOfImagination #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (1950) by Clive Staples Lewis, Book Review

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (1950)
by Clive Staples Lewis

In my opinion, I don't think we should take Clive Staples Lewis' theology seriously. There are flaws in everyone's theology, I'm especially included, but some are more serious than others. I'm not saying we couldn't or shouldn't learn any good theology and wonderful Christian gems from Lewis. He is a brilliant thinker, a superb scholar of medieval literature, and an imaginative writer, but he is not a theologian in the real sense. Lewis, if you search a little deeper, doesn't believe in the inerrancy of the Scripture, his doctrine of salvation is very inclusive (almost, but not, a universalist), and he has a problematic view on the atonement of Christ (or lack of it) among others.

So, when you read The Chronicle of Narnia series, don't read them as if you're reading theological books and try to decipher every line or scene to find Biblical meanings. Narnia series: 1) is, first and foremost, a children's fantasy literature that is cherished by adults too, 2) written by an author who is, by the way, a Christian (one of my favorite rappers is Nathan John Feuerstein, a.k.a. NF. He said, "I'm a Christian, but I don't make Christian music." Thus when I listened to NF, I don't derive my theology from his lyrics. In the same way, don't treat Narnia as such), and 3) is influenced not just by Biblical themes and allegories but also magic, myths, legends, and fairy tales. From a lighter perspective, Narnia is a place where we can spark our imagination and explore possibility narratives (what a great form of escapism!). From a darker perspective, however, it can be a dangerous place to condition the mind to wild speculations and possibly, witchcraft (this also applies to The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and most novels as a fact). Let the reader apply discernment!

Having said that, I enjoyed reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, the second book based on chronological order but the first book in publication order. The illustrations in the book are very helpful. Although I already know the basic storyline based on my previous reading and the movie, it is important to know that the original book edition is always superior to the cinematic experience. Always! This book is special because C.S. Lewis dedicated it to his goddaughter, Lucy Barfield (her name is the inspiration for Lucy Pevensie, the youngest heroine in the book). "My Dear Lucy," Lewis begins, "I wrote this story for you, but when I began it, I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result, you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound, you will be older still. But someday, you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again..."

My all-time favorite line is this: "Ooh!" said Susan... "Is he [Aslan] - quite safe? I shall feel nervous about meeting a lion." "That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly." "Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy. "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver, "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Cause he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King. I tell you" ❤

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #BeChildlike #CSLewis #Narnia #TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew (1955) by Clive Staples Lewis, Book Review

 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew (1955) by Clive Staples Lewis

Based on the chronological order, this is the first book in the series, but this is the sixth book based on the publication order. According to HarperCollins Publishers, C.S. Lewis wanted or preferred The Magician's Nephew to be read first (although C.S. Lewis later said it doesn't matter). There is too much fuss about which one is better, but chronological order is good for me because of the way my logical mind works. I bought the one-volume book at BookXcess, and it was too thick! So I cut and hard bind it into each separate book. I've read the whole series in 2013, but now I want to begin the journey again into the magical world of Narnia!

In my opinion, The Magician's Nephew is one of the series's best and most important books. It told us about who Professor Digory Kirke is in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, how humans can enter the other worlds (ah, the rings must be influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, but it's not the only way), what is the mysterious place called The Wood between Worlds (I imagined Marvel multiverse here), sort of the origin of Jadis the White Witch (Queen of Charm), how Aslan the Great Lion creates Narnia, why the other children later can enter Narnia through the wardrobe, etc. The storytelling, the adventure, and the themes like good versus evil, are beautifully woven by C.S. Lewis. One of my favorite parts is when Digory begged Aslan to cure his mother, and as he cried, he looked at Aslan, he saw "great shining tears stood in Lion's eyes. They were such big, bright eyes compared with Digory's own that for a moment, he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself. 'My son, my son,' said Aslan, 'I know. Only you and I in this land know that yet...'" While sorrow hasn't entered the newly created Narnia yet, how can Aslan know? Ah, the story within The Story.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #BeChildlike #CSLewis #Narnia #TheMagiciansNephew #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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7 Reasons for Reading Books

I often said to young people, if you don't have a purpose in social media - quit! One of my purposes in having social media is because I have a passion for inspiring others to become readers. To add "Books" as 'Friends' in their lives. Books are exciting, wonderful and magical. And to be a reader gives us a terrific advantage.

Here are 7 Reasons for Reading Books 📚📖📔💡📸 #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Book Review: InGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity (2012) by Tina L. Seelig

InGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity (2012) by Tina L. Seelig

My first encounter with Tina Seelig was gone I searched the internet for talks and documentaries on innovation and creativity. Her TED Talk on the same title amazed me. And her Talks at Google caused me to say, ‘This woman is brilliant!’ She is an international best-selling author and award-winning Stanford University educator and she teaches creativity to students at Stanford and to business leaders around the world. With this credibility, she is the most suitable writer to write on how to be (more) creative and uses simple tools to enhance each individual creative genius.

In today’s world, innovation and creative problem solving are more important than merely having knowledge and good grades. Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination (or creativity) is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” That is not to say knowledge is not important – I vow to pursue knowledge every day for the rest of my life – but knowledge alone is not enough. Tina Seelig argues that creativity “is not just something you think about (knowledge) – it is something you do.” And because it is something we do, then, creativity can be taught and enhance from inside out – it is doable. The word ‘ingenious’ is derived from Latin which means natural capacity or innate talent. We can, Tina believes, ignite our inborn inventiveness. Let’s do it!

In this book, Tina offers a revolutionary creative model she called ‘Innovative Engine’ which explains how creativity is generated on the inside and how it is influenced by the outside world (refer to pic below, comment section). There are 6 crucial components: the three insides are – knowledge, imagination, and attitude; and the three outside are – resources, habitat, and culture. In the inside, knowledge provides the fuel for imagination; imagination is the catalyst for the transformation of knowledge into new ideas, and attitude sparks curiosity to acquire related knowledge. From the outside, innovation is influenced by resources, habitat, and culture (think of Google creative-culture).

Tina shows many easy and fun examples in this book: Chapters 1 to 3 delve into the process of enhancing our imaginations by reframing problems, connecting ideas (or ‘connecting the dots’ said Steve Jobs) and challenging assumptions. Chapter 4 focuses on the power of observation to gain knowledge. Chapter 5 to 8 investigates the factors in our habitats that influence our creativity including space, constraints, incentives and team dynamics. Chapter 9 to 10 address our attitudes in doing and thinking about problems or new ideas. And the last chapter 11 she pulls the components back together and shows how all the parts fit together to create the ‘Innovation Engine’, a powerful engine for innovation.

In conclusion, Seelig writes: “You hold the keys to your Innovation Engine and have creative genius waiting to be unleashed. By tapping into this natural resource, you have the power to overcome challenges and generate opportunities for all dimensions. Your ideas – big and small – are the critical starting point for innovations that propel us forward. Without creativity, you are trapped in a world that is not just stagnant, but one that slips backward. As such, we are each responsible for inventing the future. Turn the key.” Buy this book!

[Btw, I bought this book from book fair last year, just RM10. I’m one happy reader!]

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Book Review: The Giver (1993) by Lois Lowry

The Giver (1993) by Lois Lowry

Wow! Emotional, adventurous and a richly provocative novel I ever read since I read Paulo Choelo's The Alchemist. Thought-provoking and very imaginative storyline. Novel like this remind me of how wonderful and joyful it is to read book.

Jonah, the main character in this book, lives in the 'perfect' world. Everything is under control and orderly systematic. There is no war, no fear, no lies, no pain, and sadness. There is no future, no room to be rude, no differences (except for their assignments) and obedience to the Rules. Free food, safe place, the Sameness. Everything is predetermined and everyone is assigned a role in the Community. Perfect.

When Jonas turns twelve, age of adulthood, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver by the Community Elders. The Giver is an honourable job and also the most difficult one. The Giver alone holds the memories of true pain, true happiness, and the pleasure of life. In short, The Giver alone have all the memories of the world. From here, Jonas went into adventure of his lifetime, of realisations and the meaning of life, real life. 

This book is a wow!

[P.s: 20 years later, there is a movie The Giver (2014) based on the novel. Both book and movie are very good. Well of course, there are differences between the original and the interpretation of it. The book require additional imaginations; while the movie put us into people's imaginations of it. Both are good. Book is better, you know...]

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Simple Book Review: "Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination" (2015)

Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination
(first edition, April 2015) by J. K. Rowling

J. K. Rowling is internationally known as the author of the bestselling Harry Potter series, The Casual Vacancy and some other novels. This book (or should I call it notes?) was a compilation of Rowling’s commencement address at Harvard University at 2011. You can find her speech at YouTube too.

This book is only 70 pages, about half of it are illustration pictures and you can finish reading this book in 10-15 mins. I once saw at MPH that this book price about RM40+ (What?!!). Publisher probably sale her name or maybe because of the royalty will be channel to charity. Understandable. It should cost cheaper. Btw, I brought this one for RM10 only!

When giving the address, Rowling speak to the graduating class about two topics that are very close to her heart: #1 The benefits of failure, and #2 The important of imagination. Having the courage to fail, she said, “is as vital to a good life as any conventional measure of success”; and imagining ourselves into the place of another – particularly someone less fortunate than ourselves – is “a uniquely human quality to be nurtured at all cost.”

What does it mean to live a good life? Rowling explained it very well. This is a good book, but if possible, don’t buy it. Just go to YouTube and type J. K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement and/or go to TED Talk for JK Rowling: The Fringe Benefits of Failure.

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Simple Book Review: "The Extraordinary Cases of Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Extraordinary Cases of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

After watching BBC Sherlock (from season 1 to 4), I was convinced by the genius of Conan Doyle (who also penned a famous book The Lost World), mesmerised by Benedict Cumberbatch convicting act, and after browsing a book entitle Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes - I decided to read the original J

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Simple Book Review: To Explain the World (The Discovery of Modern Science)

To Explain The World: The Discovery of Modern Science (2015) by Steven Weinberg

Weinberg hope to answer these questions in his book [very ambitious, but he tried]: How did we come to understand the world? How did we learn physics and astronomy? Matter and poetry? Music and mathematics? Motion and philosophy? And the connection and influence (or not) of science and religion? “I chose ‘Discovery’ instead of ‘Invention’,” writes Weinberg, “to suggest that science is the way it is not so much because of various adventitious historic acts of invention, but because of the way nature is.” This book is divided into 4 parts: 1) Greek Physics, 2) Greek Astronomy, 3) The Middle Ages, and 4) The Scientific Revolution, and about 90+ pages of technical notes such as Thales’ Theorem, The Pythagorean Theorem, Irrational Numbers, Terminal Velocity, The Theory of the Rainbow, etc. Don’t assume that I know all of these things (I wish I can!) but it is such an amazing read to try to understand how the universe work!

Here are some of interesting knowledge that I want to share with you: #1 Thales, one of the first philosophers of ancient Greek claimed that everything is made of water. Then, Anaximander identified it as a mysterious substance he called the unlimited, or infinite. Anaximenes then came out with air, and Heraclitus assumed it was fire. Empedocles thought of all matter is composed not of one but of four elements – water, air, earth and fire. But Democritus finally claimed that all matter consists of tiny indivisible particles called atoms that moving in empty space. Wow! [Btw, now we know better that an atom is not the smallest matter nor nucleus nor proton nor electron but quark. And an atom is about 99.99999% empty space!];

#2 It seem that the rise of religion had something to do with the decline of original work in science. “Once one invokes the supernatural, anything can be explained, and no explanation can be verified.” I agree to some extent; #3 What excite me is that many theologians of the middle ages were also scientists!; and #4 The author claims that Isaac Newton was the climax of the scientific revolution. I simply love this one chapter The Newtonian Synthesis. John Maynard known to write, “Newton was not the first of the age of reason. He was the last of the magicians, the last of the Babylonians and Sumerians, the last great mind which looked out on the visible and intellectual world with the same eyes as those who began to build our intellectual inheritance rather less than 10,000 years ago.” He learned Latin and theology, arithmetic and geometry, a little Greek and Hebrew, and he began his education with Aristotle’s works. He wrote many books in which none can match the history of physical science, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) or shortly known as Principia Mathematica. Here are some quotes on Newton by his friends:

“Then ye who now on heavenly nectar fare,

Come celebrate with me in song the name

Of Newton, to the Muses dear; for he

Unlocked the hidden treasuries of Truth:

So richly through his mind had Phoebus cast

The radius of his own divinity,

Nearer the gods no mortal may approach.”

And,

“Nature and nature’s laws lay hid in night;

God said, ‘Let Newton be!’ And all was light.”

Overall, I learned so much from this book. I have to study some of the subjects in the internet and YouTube for illustrations and imaginations. I recommend this book to any curious readers out there who love science!

[P.s: Since I admires Albert Einstein more than Isaac Newton, I was amused when I read this additional two more lines on the praise of Newton many years later, “It did not last: the Devil howling ‘Ho, Let Einstein be,’ restored the status quo.” :P]

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Jesus Unites Us: Why Prayer Meeting is Very Important? (Acts 1:12-14)

“Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers”
(Acts 1:12-14, NIV)

Lord Jesus ascended to heaven (1:9) from the Mount of Olives, near Bethany. After the angels told the apostles that He would surely come again, they returned to Jerusalem, about 5/8 mile or about 1 kilometre (my NIV note) away. They stayed there as Jesus had commanded (1:4) and spent the days in “constant prayer” in an upper room. I noticed that Jesus’ disciples had a habit of praying together. This was part of Jesus’ legacy to them. Remember when they asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1)? Jesus examples of constant prayer had influenced His disciples all over the world. Prayer is a wonderful privilege and every true Christian should seek the Lord’s face in prayer every day.

If you count how many of the apostles left after Jesus’ ascension, you’ll find out that there is one person missing – Judas Iscariot. He wants his own agenda and political version of messiah, thus rejected Jesus as the Suffering Messiah. He also loved money rather than Jesus, fall into temptation by listening to Satan’s lies and sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. When Judas realised what he had done, he didn’t repent but went out and killed himself. Both Peter and Judas denied Jesus. But as for Peter, he quickly repented of his sins and was restored with the apostles and become their leader again. Others who were praying in the upper room were “the women” who had loved and followed Jesus faithfully. One of them was “Mary the mother of Jesus,” and with her were “his brothers” [Jesus’ step-brothers, refer to Mark 6:3 for their names]. These brothers did not believe in Jesus at first (John 7:5) but after His death and resurrection, they realized that He was truly the Son of God, the Saviour of the World.

Now, imagine this with me: imagine the different kind of people gathered in the upper room (Close your eyes first, and imagine). Let me just select few of them here – Peter was very impulsive and acted cowardly, but after this he became bold and courageous; James was selfish, conceited, vengeful and fiery, but after that he became committed apostle for Christ and courageous even to the point of death; John was like his brother, James, very judgmental and power-craze but after that he became bold, loving and compassionate; Thomas was so doubtful and inquisitive but then he became courageous and faithful to the end; Simon was a Zealot, which means he was very patriotic and loyal to the nation but he became a changed man, passionate and sacrificial in his service for Christ; Judas (or Jude) and James, the brothers of Jesus, were very sceptical of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God soon became leaders of Jerusalem church and both authored the Epistle of James and Epistle of Jude; among “the women” was Mary Magdalene, who has been identified as a sinful women (perhaps a prostitute) and was possessed from seven demons, now became a faithful follower of Jesus and being listed as having a leadership role among the women.

All of them “joined together constantly in prayer” (1:14). This is very encouraging to me – and I hope to you too. Their Lord and Master is one, Jesus; their common faith and love is one, Jesus; their uniting power is one, Jesus. Even though we come from difference sets of background, gender, race, ideology and status like Jesus’ disciples – in Christ – we are one. Praying together (or prayer meeting we called it today), have the power to unite us together. As we pray, we wait for God to act among us. Oh yes!

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Ezekiel on Prophets Who Give False Prophesies, Visions and Divinations (Ezekiel 13:1-6, 10-12)

“The word of the LORD came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins… Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled… They lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash… When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, ‘Where is the whitewash you covered it with?’”
(Ezekiel 13:1-6, 10-12, NIV).

From his vantage point in Babylon, the prophet Ezekiel could see that everything was decidedly not all right.  Back in Judah, there were so-called prophets who kept telling the people everything was going to be okay. They said things were going to get better, there would be peace instead of war (If today, it would sound like this: “I declare prosperity and health are coming your way…”).

Ezekiel knew better; the Lord told him greater judgment was coming. The false prophets’ message didn’t match with what the Lord had already said, that the people would be punished for their (conscious) rebellion against Him. The people hadn’t repented, so why should things change?

It’s easy to say, “Thus says the Lord…” It’s even easy to convince yourself that something is truth when you’ve just wished it or made it up. Ezekiel marveled at the prophets who prophesied out of their own spirit and imagination, and then expected their words to be fulfilled. As yesterday, even today, there are false prophets who want to “lead [God’s] people astray.” Be careful what you hear and read today. In the end, the Word of God is the only reliable basis for what is true and what is not. Amen.

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God created Us for His Glory (The Crystal-Clear Reason for Living)

John Piper, my all-time favourite preacher, wrote in his book, my all-time favourite and life-changing book, Don’t Waste Your Life (2007, 2009), “The Bible is crystal-clear: God created us for his glory. Thus says the Lord, “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory” (Isaiah 43:6-7). Life is wasted when we do not live for the glory of God. And I mean all of life. It is all for his glory. That is why the Bible gets down into the details of eating and drinking. “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). We waste our lives when we do not weave God into our eating and drinking and every other part by enjoying and displaying him.

What does it mean to glorify God? It may get a dangerous twist if we are not careful. Glorify is like a word beautify. But beautify usually means “make something more beautiful than it is,” improve its beauty. That is emphatically not what we mean by glorify in relation to God. God cannot be made more glorious or more beautiful than he is. He cannot be improved, “nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything” (Acts 17:25). Glorify does not mean add more glory to God.

It is more like the word magnify. But here too we can go wrong. Magnify has two distinct meanings. In relation to God, one is worship and one is wickedness. You can magnify like a telescope or like a microscope. When you magnify like a microscope, you make something tiny look bigger than it is. A dust mite can look like a monster. Pretending to magnify God like that is wickedness. But when you magnify like a telescope, you make something unimaginably great look like what it really is. With the Hubble Space Telescope, pinprick galaxies in the sky are revealed for the billion-star giants that they are. Magnifying God like that is worship.

We waste our lives when we do not pray and think and dream and plan and work toward magnifying God is all spheres of life. God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that he really is. In the night sky of this world God appears to most people, if at all, like a pinprick of light in a heaven of darkness. But he created us and called us to make him look like what he really is. This is what it means to be created in the image of God. We are meant to image forth in the world what he is really like” (page 32-33).

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The Domino Effect: One Thing at a Time

“Every great change starts like falling dominoes” (BJ Thornton)

In Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, on Domino Day, November 13, 2009, Weijers Domino Productions coordinated the world record domino fall by lining up more than 4,491,863 dominoes in a dazzling display. In this instance, a single domino fall that cumulatively unleased more than 94,000 joules of energy, which is as much energy as it takes for an average sized male to do 545 push ups.

Each standing domino represents a small amount of potential energy; the more you line up, the more potential energy you’ve accumulated. Line up enough and, with a simple flick, you can start a chain reaction of surprising power. And Weijers Domino Productions proved it. When one thing, the right thing, is set in motion, it can topple many things. And that’s not all.

In 1983, Lorne Whitehead wrote in the American Journal of Physics that he’d discovered that domino falls could not only topple many things, they could also topple bigger things. He described how a single domino is capable of bringing down another domino that is actually 50 percent larger.

Do you see the implication? Not only can one knock over others but also others that are successively large. In 2001 a physicist from San Francisco’s Exploratorium reproduced Whitehead’s experiment by creating eight dominos out of plywood, each of which was 50 percent larger than then one before. The first was a mere two inches, the last almost three feet tall. The resulting domino fall began with a gentle tick and quickly ended “with a loud SLAM.”

Imagine what would happen if this kept going. If a regular domino fall is a linear progression, Whitehead’s would be described as a geometric progression. The result could defy the imagination. The 10^th domino would be almost as tall as NFL quarterback Peyton Manning. By the 18^th, you’re looking at a domino that would rival the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The 23^rd domino would tower over the Eiffel Tower and the 31^st domino would loom over Mount Everest by almost 3,000 feet. Number 57 would practically bridge the distance between the earth and the moon! …so when you think about success, shoot for the moon.

[Like The Domino Effect] when you see someone who has a lot of knowledge, they learned it over time. When you see someone who has a lot of skills, they developed them over time. When you see someone who has done a lot, they accomplished it over time. When you see someone who has a lot of money, they earned it over time.

The key is over time. Success is built sequentially. Its one thing at a time.*

*Quote without permission from The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan (Bard Press, Austin, Texas, 2012). Page 12 to 16. Bracket mine. Buy this book!

The Domino Effect. In everything you do, the key is over time.

Success is built sequentially. Its one thing at a time.

As I always end my post – THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Be a Reading Person or a Boring Person

A research says that ‘reading engages the mind. Reading materials, by exercising our memory and imagination, can contribute to happiness in ways similar to active positive thinking. Regular readers are about 8 percent more likely to express daily satisfaction’ (Scope, 1999). Even if we don’t read any research at all, we know that those who read books benefit from what they learn and entertainment or inspirations they receive. In addition to that, they get to exercise their brain, and when we do that, we feel satisfied that we are spending our time wisely.

Questions: Which would you choose to be, a person with an ever-decreasing attention span, or a person with an ever-increasing attention span? A person with access to the second- and third- work that would have been considered rubbish two decades ago, or a person with access to the work of the greatest minds we have ever known? A person with access to limited same basic story with the same basic characters, or a person with access to hundreds of choices that span nearly an infinite imagination? A person who likely won’t be able to remember a story in ten minutes later, or a person who might carry the Story for the rest of his or her life?

Last question: Which would you rather be, a person who usually spends his or her free time in front of the television, the internet and smartphone, or a person who usually spends his or her free time reading?

Reading is important for me because as Stephen King says

“If you don't have time to read,

you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Rich Malaysians in an Age of Hunger

What a typical Malaysian family would need to give up if we were to adopt the lifestyle of a typical family living among our marginalized, unseen and poor neighbours? Let us imagine:

“We begin by invading the house of our imaginary typical Malaysian family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, Astro and television set, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a small kitchen table, and a wooden chair. Along with all of these, so goes the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his ‘wardrobe’ his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.

We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards… The box of matches may stay, a small bag of rice, some sugar and salt. A few sweet potatoes (or ubi kayu), already in the rubbish bin, must be hastily rescued, for they will provide much of tonight’s meal. We will leave a handful of onions, and a dish of long beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods…

Now we have stripped the house: the bedroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to a smaller house with no fan… Communications must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books, smart phones, tablets, computers – internets! – not that they are missed, since we must take away our family’s literacy as well. Instead, we will allow only one old radio instead…

Now government services must go. No more policemen, no more firemen, no 1Malaysia shops. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms… There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided that the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely… by boat if the family can afford to buy petrol… Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash of RM15 daily. There are no way to apply for BR1M because nobody care for marginalized people anymore, not even valid Malaysian citizen with I.D. card. The family may get a one-time cash of RM6k if only they ‘sell’ their soul and faith for a religious. Most of the time, ignored.”*

How many of our brothers and sisters confront that kind of grinding poverty today? (Maybe less, but surely happening today). Probably at least hundreds (or thousands, who know) of people in Malaysia are as poor as this. They know hunger in a way that most of us have never known. Why? Not because it doesn’t exist, but because we don’t care to know and see. Jesus through the apostle John is telling us now: “[If] anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18, ESV). For the sake of Christ, are we identified with the hunger and the poor (as above imaginary family situation)? Do we care for the marginalized and the oppressed? Do you love Christ?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*I use and modified the imaginary family analogy above from Ronald’ J. Sider’s Rich Christians in An Age of Hunger book (Introduction, Part 1).

A Timorese Student Explore the Art of Reading

I rewrite this article from a Timorese student name Natalia Reali because it is very good written. I have asked for permission from Jovem Bravo Magazine (First Edition I/XI/2012, page 13), a Timor Leste English-Tetun magazine, to post this article in my blog.

Now, I know that when we get to this certain age in our teens, most of us tend to think that reading is boring, or is just homework, but I hope to prove you wrong. I am already a teenager and I love reading! Reading for me is a way to broaden your vocabulary, to learn new things and even to be able to travel without needing to leave your room! Some books can captivate you on the very first page. They sometimes include characters that are going through the exact same thing as you. Books can make you feel all the emotions the characters are going through, they can invite you in to live the fairytale along with them.

Books can allow you to travel the world at every page, they can make you smell things, feel things, hear things and see them. I personally find reading a book way more effective then watching a movie. A book is more personal and it allows you to leave some things to the imagination. Books are also great for other things, books for one inspired and still inspire me to do great things, like I am sure I want to become a published author one day. Books can teach you lessons, give you ideas and tell stories at the same time!

Nowadays getting a book is so easy! There are public libraries in Dili such as ‘Xanana Gusmão Reading Room’ or ‘Camões Institute’ at UNTL, where you can borrow a book for a few weeks. You can also download books for free from the internet and read them in any computer. It is easy to access them online, so we have the freedom to do so, and already be able to have a book in a few minutes. There are also already a few public places in Dili where you can get free internet (like the ‘Lecidere Garden’).

There is a really good website where you can find over 36,000 books for free (www.gutenberg.org/). This website is named in the memory of Johannes Gutenberg, a famous German inventor who made the first book that wasn’t handwritten. He was born in 1398 and died at around 1446 (approximately 70 years old). This was a very famous discovery because before that, only the rich were able to afford books, because they were handwritten and cost a fortune. The first book he made using his invention was the Bible (known as the Gutenberg Bible).

Now I challenge you to immerse yourself in a fantastic world of reading and discover how much fun you can get from home with a book in your hands!

I, Richard, challenge you too!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Thoughts on Selfie Phenomenon

Pictures are extremely powerful. A picture worth a thousand words, so people say. The pictures from television, the internet, DVDs and Youtube always batter our conscious mind in our homes, office, bedroom, or in the cinema. To tell the truth, pictures is not easy to wipe out or to forget. It is not neutral but has values own its own. “I love to take pictures,” said my friend recently, “especially pictures of myself.” “Yes, you do,” I replied quickly, “You’re king of selfie! Hail the king!”

Welcome to the selfie phenomenon. I’m using Mircosoft Office Word 2003 (very old version, right?) to write this short article and it is not a surprise to find out that the word “selfie” is not in the auto-dictionary, so I have to add it. Online Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary also doesn’t have the word “selfie” (as per date) but Online Oxford Dictionary is more updated. It is defines as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.” You know what does it mean, right? You seen it somewhere or probably, you did it yourself and uploaded it daily. Selfie is the latest phenomenon and I predict that it will be part of the world culture in years to come. (For your info: There is even a Selfie City (selfiecity.net/) and Selfie Police (selfiepolice.org/) in the internet! Wow!).

There are many great articles on selfie phenomenon. Read some of it. But here I would like to share my thoughts about it. I like to ask myself, ‘Why people do selfie?’ First, simply because it is the most fun thing to do – casual, normal, no harm. Secondly, I think selfie, especially when one intentionally takes one look-cute photos, is for the purpose of getting positive comments or likes about one appearance. Not just physical appearance – no – but also to show off new outfit or face make-up or hairstyle or that one is at a cool event. Thirdly, selfie is the easiest way to boost one confidence due to lake of self-esteem and high of boredom. This is hard sayings, this is the truth. And finally, but not least, selfie is an effective way to create desired image of oneself. It might be a false image but it doesn’t matter because the image is who one wants people to see not who ones are. Thus, most selfie pictures are edited first before one posts it online. Ugly becomes pretty, pretty become prettier, prettier become ugly!

To want to look-cute, to gain confident and to seek attention is totally human. Most psychologists will say that it is normal with warnings. Due to the rise of social networks, things will be out of control. Selfie becomes an addiction and there is a tendency to go into overdrive (taking four to six pictures in the same positions with different face-expressions compiled in one photo is overdrive – overkill!). Psychologists also noted that those who repeatedly, daily post selfie struggle with self-esteem. It can become a self-destructive form of narcissism that potentially leading to harm. An unhealthy obsession, the experts added, could be a warning sign for some type of mental disorder. Beware.

As Christian, I identify this excessive obsession with selfie as an indication or the outward expression of the inward spiritual loneliness. A sign of emptiness – the God-size vacuum – that only Christ can fill it. The solution is not to read the entire Bible or memorize it or pray every morning daily or going to church every week. These are important but not the first thing in God’s mind. God want us first and foremost to know Him personally, to engage the living Christ and to walk in (and with) the Holy Spirit. Everything else is the means and effects of (continuous) knowing God of the Scripture. When you find yourself addicted to selfie, check your spirituality.

As for closing, I would like to quote at length what Melissa Walker writes in Teen Vogue magazine (August 2013 Issue). A practical and wise advice to selfie lovers: “Overall, opinions vary on whether selfie culture is lame or legit, which means it's up to you to shape the future of the habit. Ask yourself: Are my selfies for fun, or do I need the comments? If you fall under category two, [Psychologist] recommends shifting your perspective. That could mean cutting selfies out entirely or just scaling back and making them more fun. Bottom line? Everything you share on social media reveals something about you, and you are in control. So maybe you like to travel, or read, or dance, or create crazy 3-D nail art ... post that! Take it from us: It's so much more interesting”

Don’t stop selfie, don’t overdo it either

Control it before it controls you.

Remember, if Christ is in you and you’re in Him, know that God loves you. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.