Certainly not Manila, Hong Kong? Paris? New York?
In 2008, it is Zurich, Switzerland, life expectancy: 80.74 years! “The World’s Best Places to Live 2008“
Here is the complete top ten places to live:
1. Zurich
2. Vienna, Austria
2. Geneva, Switzerland (tie)
4. Vancouver, Canada
5. Auckland, New Zealand
6. Dusseldorf, Germany
7. Munich, Germany
8. Frankfurt, Germany
9. Bern, Switzerland
10. Sydney, Australia
We just came back from a short visit to Legazpi City in Albay province. That is where Mayon volcano is situated, rising majestically at 2,460 meters. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines, yet arguably the most beautiful with its symmetrical cone. In a word, breathless.
Anyway, we had a great opportunity to minister to some church members from UECL: Friday BS and the English Worship Service.
As I take a long break for Resurrection Day weekend, these are timely texts for the weary, (sic like me):
Psalm 103:5 “who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Isaiah 40:30-31
“Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.” (ESV)
Moses may have been high on drugs when he received the Law at Mt. Sinai–he may also have been hallucinogenic during the burning bush encounter. That and all, is the theory of Benny Shanon, professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He says he had this kind of experience himself. There is a difference, he claims, “But not everyone who uses a plant [acacia tree, etc.] like this brings the Torah. For that you have to be Moses.”
More at haaretz.com
Who among the Bible characters will be the next fall guy?
“Dumb and Dumber: Are Americans Hostile to Knowledge?”
In an article by Patricia Cohen last February 14, she seems to be saying that Americans are losing their taste for knowledge. So here is this Ms. Pickler who does not know that Europe is a continent, “I thought Europe was a country”! Not knowing which capital city Budapest is, she blurted out “Hungry?” “That’s a country?” actually it is Hungary.
Another funny incident is the conversation between two men who mentioned something like Pearl Harbor. So the other guy asks “What is Pearl Harbor?” And the other guy replied and said something like the Vietnamese bombed the harbor and finally the Vietnam War started.
So how do we fare? Are we better in recognizing a country that is found in Europe, Africa or Asia. Anybody knows the capital of Sri Lanka? Or how many provinces are there in the Philippines? Or what is the capital of Aurora province? (is it a province?)
This reminds me again: I’ve got to read more, and read wider.
Psalm 125
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!
ESV
Just a few more hours and the countdown to the new year begins. However, as soon as the clock strikes twelve, a few new year celebrations have already passed, and there are still many more to be celebrated. As we pass by the different time zones, we may be a few hours late but we are also a few hours ahead of others. SO what does the new year bring for us?
For the Chinese, we will soon welcome the year of the rat, (which includes me — just count multiples of twelve).
For the Filipinos, the New Year means fireworks and firecrackers. Tonight will again be one of those nights when cities become war-zone-like. The noise of exploding firecrackers, big and small, singly lighted or tied together, will usher in 2008 with a loud bang and bangs. What good does this bring? Heaps of garbage, polluted air, burnt faces, fingers lost, fires and busy hospital doctors, nurses and ERs. But we look with optimism to the coming year, that is why lots of food is prepared, round fruits are served for prosperity.
As the year 2008 comes, I am reminded of the many new things God has done for us through Christ. We have the newness of life, the transformation of our lives through the renewing of our minds.
It is not just the new year, but what God has in store for us that matters most:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Thank the Lord for His great and mighty work.
Actually my first blog was posted October of 2006, which means I’ve been a certified blogger since then. I might have started earlier but I just couldn’t imagine myself writing that much stuff then. Anyway, although I’ve been in and out of the blogosphere but I will surely stay on. The big question is, are what I am writing worth publishing though?
So what are my thoughts for this matter? I will try my best to make an impact to this world…
Some matters I have in mind for future blogs:
Theology: I hope I will continue to mature in my understanding of Reformed Theology. This includes Covenant Theology, redemptive-history, biblical theology, monergism, and amillennialism, not necessarily in that order
Faith: I am determined to learn more of sanctification in the lives of the Puritans (Owen particularly) and Calvin’s thoughts on this
Church: How good it will be if catechism can be reintroduced again
Bible: A better understanding of hermeneutics and application of God’s Word
Preaching: To ask the Lord to help me become a better proclaimer of His Word, a true minister of the Word (1 Cor. 2:2)
WSC Q/A: And to “enjoy Him forever,” what a lovely thought that is!
High ideals for a nitwit like me.
SDG
An article in yahoo says that “Thanks is good therapy” and “being grateful brings emotional, physical benefits.” I’d say this is nothing new, for we’ve known it all along. Does not the Bible command us to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) A grateful heart will always show a healthy heart and mind (spiritually, of course) which eventually will lead to a healthy physical being.
And what a glorious event it will be when we will bow down before God in heaven to worship him saying,
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!” Revelations 7:12 (NIV)
SDG
Double your thanksgiving to God; in fact, triple them if necessary! So many of us are receivers of God’s abundant, immeasurable blessings day after day. Not only that, we pray for more and more blessings each day: we ask for more grace on top of his grace, we seek for more strength upon strength and even desire more of God’s love upon his love. And God is so generous that he grants them to us.
Without any doubt at all God continues to grant his grace upon us. Yet we are so ungrateful that we only give thanks once in a while, if and when we remember. It is time that we thank God for everything again. Not just once but twice. Not only for the good things in life but also… My wife asked us once to give thanks for things that we’ve never really thought they are worth thanking for.
As the American thanksgiving holiday looms, we are also reminded to be a thankful people and generation. Besides the annual presidential proclamation for a thanksgiving spirit or the presidential pardon of a turkey, we do have our own ways of thanking our God and Savior Jesus Christ. (In 2005, Bush pardoned Marshmallow and Yam, that is me.)
These are worth thanking for:
God’s election and work of salvation (Ephesians 1)
The justification and righteousness from Christ (Romans 5)
His glorious coming and the blessed hope (1 Thessalonians 4)
The good that God is doing in our lives, sanctification, glorification (Romans 7, 8
And much, much more…
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