Day Four

It's just so hectic in my life, I even stop eating. LOL.

Day Four : Created for Eternity

The content this time didn't surprise me one bit. Just because I have heard about a similar sermon not too long ago. The minister said, "We are not made to go to Heaven, assigned our post, given a golden harp and halo, and sing in choir forever."

How do you picture "Heaven"?

That's a very inaccurate but often used image of Heaven

Before this, I know that the bigger part of our life is on the second part - the eternal after life. But I didn't take it that much seriously because, well, I separate it : the live before death, and the live after death. It seems so different, and I am always terrified of the 'eternal' nature of our second life: it sounds boring.

Much more if we only need to sing and on a high dose of happy everyday.
That;s why there are a lot of jokes about people wanting to go to Hell because that is where the party start.

It just become clear to me that our live in the second part is a continuation - simply a continuation of our first live. What we are doing right now will define how our future - far future in the second live - would be like.

The only differences are :
1. All our effort is nothing to grant us a happy future. It was given to us by the grace of Jesus.
2. Nothing we do on our second live can fix the mistakes of the first. If we messed up, we can't "just work harder latter"

Seems unfair that we are only given a limited time to decide for eternity, but when given this limited time, we already fall so many times, what if we are given eternity? It was tiring to watch! I would have given up my life and fall into depression given that much time to life. Normally.

Do you realize how limited is our time on Earth?

Now then, we should really treated the first live with care, because it's the only chances we get.
The second live is what's matter. The first live is so short that it's not worth the time to life fully in this one and throw away the second one. The same  minister I stated above once said, "You the young ones might not know yet, but the middle aged one like me know : Time flies. At one time I am 17, marrying the love of my life, and BAM! I blinked, and here I am, in my 50s, having 5 grandchildren already."

I might not hit my 50s yet, but I agree - after some time to think. I have never think about it before, but if we stopped to think about it, it's obvious. I can feel it myself : without me knowing, I have been working for a year already.

The time given to us is not enough! I bet even though we are healthy until out 100s, we still haven't done all we'd like to do in this world. That's why, investing our time and effort to our distant future is important. We are not investing it to live in the clouds, singing our heart out. We will roam the earth once more, this time with Jesus, walking alongside us, no sin, no malicious intent, no sadness. Wonderful, right?!

I don't know whether it's the right description of Heaven, but one thing I know : after Anti-Christ and Satan have been thrown to Hell, there will be 1000 years of peace where we reign the Earth with Jesus.

I love travelling, and I know there are so many beautiful, magical places on the Earth.

Given the opportunity to explore it for 1000 years?

Works for me.

Yanni

Day three

So, I am distracted again ~ hoho. This is day three, when something is really thrust into my consciousness, awakening something.

Day Three : What force drive your life? 

"Don't think activities means productivity. You can be very busy without making progress and without purpose, but what's the point?"

Yeah, everyone needs their daily dose of what keep them moving. What keep us moving? What make us do thing? Some of us have more pride in what keep us moving than others - some sounds noble, and some sounds silly. But one thing remain - if the drive of life is suddenly decreased - we might lose our momentum and then, well, in the most extreme cases, stop moving? What happened to people who lose their will to live?

The book says there are 5 major drive of people life : 

Guilt 

People who are haunted by their past and searching for atonement or a way to run from their past. They are so bothered by their scar from the past, they let it control them. Originally, I respect this reason of living. Hell, not all people could go on with their heavy burden as a fuel for them to continue living. At least, they are still advancing. Moving forward, although maybe in the wrong direction. Better than people who are entirely empty. But perhaps, it's only good in the world's eyes? It's not in God's. After all, He gives His only Son to help us from the past. Why still live there?

Hate

People who hate others and building their life around that hate. More often than not, the source of their anger and hate has already stop hurting them, but they still can't escape from hate. This reason is so common for the film theme. Someone who wants revenge for their lover/parent/child/whole family are on the quest and didn't mind if they have to lose their life on the mission or after that.

Fear

People who are driven by fear make their safety the number one priority. They don't dare taking risk and feeling comfortable maintaining Status Quo. Doesn't mean they can't advance, maybe they are in a good social or monetary possession just for the secure feelings they need.

Materialism

Well, you know this. The drive to possess more and more, whether it's goods or if it's status, position, etc. But having more won't get you a feeling of satisfaction.

The need to be accepted

People in this group so often long for acceptance by people surrounding them they ended up just following what's needed to be accepted and not being themselves. They usually listen to all suggestion and failed, because no one can make EVERYONE happy. 

What I am sure is that, I am not driven by guilt, hate, or fear. I think it's combination of materialism and the need to be accepted. But even then it's still "wrong" I think? I am not that shallow. I don't know what drive me forward. I am bored of money from ages ago. My family is not hard up, neither do we have more than we know what to do with it. Standing at that position, I know very well money is freaking boring. You can't solve everything with money. 

What drive my life is the need to prove m own way. Then perhaps, the need to be accepted. Not the way depicted in the book actually. Other things. I want people to be wept up with my current, not the other way round. I have no intention to. Usually, I am not even aware that I am against my surrounding's current. But if people can't accept my current because it's not "normal", I am annoyed. So, I am going my best to make myself better and bigger that no one can reject it anymore. I am generally moving up a good road this way, but I don't know if it's a good reason to live. 

But big as my goals are, God's grand plan must be more grandeur and wonderful. Yeah I KNOW. He told me as much. When I am praying for my future plan, I have a tingling in my ears saying "Only that much, Yanni? I want to bring you to a lot higher one. Yours is not even half."

The Life Driven by purpose

 We need to know our purpose so we are driven towards the purpose, the book says. We could simplify our life, know our life have a meaning, making us focused into what's essential, drive our life, and to prepare us for eternity with God. 

I am especially "hurt" by this one sentence : 

"Don't think activities means productivity. You can be very busy without making progress and without purpose, but what's the point?"

I agree, because I am afraid of not doing the essential preparation needed in case I discover my purpose. When I finally found my calling. I haven't found it yet. I'd done them all - without selecting, without caring if I like it or not. I am curious and wants to try it all. I am one who will go through all side quests in game while stuck with the main game. My life is a messy bunch of anything I could think of, anything I could try. Anything that can go on and me bear with it. 

I know about a lot of people who are not living their lives, only trying to follow a lead they think will benefit them. At least I know how one ended up - he throe everything up and make a fresh start. And before the fresh start he is stressed up to the point he collapsed. And...well, he looks a lot better now. 

Turns out I am not a lot better than them, huh? I am only following what I think is good.Haha

Well

Can I keep to a way once I discover what's my purpose?

...

Hope so.

Yanni. 18 September 2015