The HOOD, yo!

I was talking to my guy friend the other day, and we were discussing about this. We had a rather interesting chat discussing this from the girl point of view and from a guy point of view. 

Have you ever come across the term 'brotherhood' or 'sisterhood'?

According to The Free Dictionary, brotherhood means the relationship between brothers and the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of people or all people. Sisterhood means the exact same thing. The relationship between sisters and the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of women or all women. 

Today, the fine distinctive line between the relationship of girl and guy is blurred. Generally, in our community today, guy sharing to a girl and vice versa is perfectly FINE. 

Not that I am against it. 

I shared my life experiences to both genders, as well. I found out that both genders do give different angles to a subject - the way they view, their opinions. 

Sisterhood had always existed because we girls are generally more in touch with the sharing of our hearts. Girls generally finds it easier to open up to another girl - there's nothing to hide. Most of my guy friends also finds it easier to share to a girl rather than a guy. This is because most girls give that assurance and support to another person who is sharing their life experiences. 

My friend told me when guys come together, all they talked is very surface level and don't usually open up (in short, crap!). In his words, he said guys fear of being looked as weak. Many guys have been brought up in their family background to be STRONG, to be TOUGH, don't CRY in public, don't look weak. It's sad that many of them who had issues do not know where they should be turning to.

I also have been thinking is there true brotherhood out there? I have been pondering about this for quite sometimes. When I see guys, there's a longing to see the formation of brothers who are willing to open up and share their inner most fears. 

However, on ONE occasion, God showed me the light that THERE'S STILL HOPE IN THIS. I witnessed four guys on campus who keep on the look out for each others. They are genuinely caring and willing to journey along with each other. Carrying each other. They shared with each other from their perspectives, which is something the girls may not be able to. They supported each other. At these age, they had learned the simple truth of journeying with each other. 

What a bliss! 

We can only bring someone to where we are. That is, if a guy shared to a girl, a girl is only able to share from the way they view the world. While if a girl shared to a guy, she is only able to get the perspective of guy. 

Till today, guys are mysterious creatures to understand from a girl's point of view. Guys said the same things about girls too: we are difficult creatures to understand. 

So, don't try to UNDERSTAND the opposite sex, just ACCEPT who they are. 

Having your own brotherhood or sisterhood is IMPORTANT. 
They are your safe place. 

A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress

Proverbs 17:17

The Year of Jubilee

The year 2012 had been a significant year for myself: The year of Jubilee! 

Leviticus 25:10 - 13

Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields. In the Year of Jubilee, everyone is to RETURN TO HIS OWN PROPERTY.

What does this mean to me and you? What does this got to do with us? Does it mean we don't work throughout the year and shake legs and just use what we have in our bank accounts? 

It goes BEYOND that, my friends. 

It's a SPIRITUAL JUBILEE!

JUBILEE in Hebrew literally means the TRUMPET BLAST. What trumpets do: arrest attention! They pierce the noise. They dominate. 

God is TRYING TO GET OUR ATTENTION. In this fast paced world, where there are so many things that captured our attentions so easily! This is the only way we can listen. The only way God can captured our attention to start our life anew with Him. 

Truthfully, when I first heard the shofar blast sometime last year, I find rather irritating, especially during worship. This year, I had learned what it really meant by the shofar blast. And now, everytime I hear the shofar being blown, my heart humbly bowed before my Lord. I remembered it was Jesus Christ whom I was attracted to during my university years. He brought me out of my 'slavery bondage'. It is Him who brought me back to where He wants me to be. It is Jesus Christ who I am attracted to. Since then till now, I am hooked by my God. 

MALAYSIA JUBILEE and Student Movement(FES) JUBILEE

The word 'PRIVILEGE' came to mind as I remembered the celebration of both Jubilee in Malaysia and also the student movement. How many Jubilee can one celebrate in one's lifetime? For myself, I have been given that PRIVILEGE to celebrate two Jubilees. 

Malaysia came to birthed in the year 1963, where our forefathers had fought for this country. Because of the radical decision made by our forefathers, I can proudly say I am a Malaysian. As I prayed for my country, I began to hope to witness a better Malaysia and to live out 1 Malaysia theme. My heart was deeply moved as I stand in the midst gatherings of different generations - young and old coming together to pray for Malaysia in the Klang Valley Combined Prayer Meeting held in Damansara Utama Methodist Church. I was moved to tears as I heard the cried of young orang asli kids at age of 8-10 praying for God's forgiveness upon their parents. May this continue to burn in our hearts to move us from being indifferent to passionate people who desire to see a change in Malaysia.

Fellowsip of Evangelical Students (FES) Malaysia too have celebrated their 50th year of student movement in Malaysia on the 6th October 2012. It was indeed a CELEBRATION with a difference! Many different generations of people came that evening - raging from as young as 4 years old to the vibrantly elders. What a great representation of people that came. Like how my friend had put it, it's the holiest festival thus far. It was for me too! The same God who work throughout different generations piercing from 60' to the 2000'. That evening, again I was reminded by the goodness of God. How He had waited patiently for me and shaped me to the person I am today. My God who never let me go also had not let go any of the ones that had gone before me. It is through them that I now lived a testimony of His goodness in my life.

Psalm 145:4 

One generation commends your work to another; they tell of your mighty acts.

Mazmur 145:4 

Perbuatan-Mu akan dipuji orang dari satu generasi ke satu generasi; mereka akan memberitakan perbuatan-Mu yang hebat.

I look forward for the days ahead, to experience Jubilee in my personal life. It's truly a life-changing spiritual renewal. As Mel Lawrence wrote, 'I know that if my life becomes one long blur, it won't be good for me and it won't be honoring to God. I need to stop, to experience Shabbat. I need to ask God to teach me again about forgiveness and redemption and liberty and justice and about all the things that really matter. 

And maybe I will learn that everything really can be different.'

This is God's way of helping His people to start over. It was a time to stop everything that normally happened, take a look around and set things right. God gives new beginnings! 

Will you say, "I need to get back to the important things, the essential things"? 

I did. And indeed it made a difference!