The Lord works wonders
Thursday, July 26, 2018 ★ 7:07 AM │
It's been a really long while since I touched this page. However, recently I remembered of its existence, so why not I start again.
I just want to share with you two miracles that occurred today. The first was this afternoon in my email, I received a scholarship! Praise the Lord, it will cover my university tuition fees for this academic year. Having been awarded the scholarship last year, I was very disheartened to learn that this year even after submitting an application again (as this scholarship is only tenable for a year, so students have to apply again every year), I was not called for an interview. Hence, I was utterly frustrated and upset with myself that for a student going into my sophomore year, I could not get a scholarship to tide over the financial burden of university fees (my parents do not earn much). The Lord truly works wonders when you least expect it, and He always has a path for us.
Second work of wonder from the Lord: I was feeling really down and caught in between my parents' quarrel, I would not delve into full details of what made me so upset (as the person always unconsciously uses harsh language) as I no longer feel the Internet is as safe a space as before when I was a more naive, wide-eyed schoolgirl. Always have been a sucker for romance, I would never put a book down if it were of romance genre, even books/ dramas/ movies I watch have to have an element of romance, otherwise I would feel empty. In spite, as I grow older, I am questioning marriage even more. So what if you loved your significant other at the point of the wedding. In a few years, you would only love your children. I have heard of many stories where husbands and wives just become two strangers living under the shared roof. And my parents' relationship is far from a fairytale. However, I was suddenly inspired to read the catholic.sg website where Archbishop William Goh posts his daily scriptures reflection. It can be found here: https://www.catholic.sg/26-july-2018-thursday-16th-week-ordinary-time/
The gist is many of us become jaded of our lives and we become sick of our relationships, finding them burdensome, including marriage. And I feel as if God is telling me through this, that as we centre our relationships in God, we are no longer in a marriage just for ourselves. Honestly, I do not know how to put it in words, as I am not a very devout Christian. Though I attend church every Sunday, I realised I was stuck in this comfort zone and did not desire to know more about God. I hope throughout the remaining of the year, I can do more reflections from the scriptures and learn more about God too, and how I can apply to daily life and relationships.
Saturday, November 14, 2015 ★ 7:46 AM │
Limit Your Smartphone Use! (esp. for those ages < 20)
Monday, January 12, 2015 ★ 6:53 AM │
Found this in my email, and thought that it was very relevant to us netizens of this age and time. I am equally guilty of heavily using my smartphone ><
Use it only when necessary? Don't abuse it! It may lead you to cancer.
But it's your own lifestyle.
So, What's your final choice? Heavy users of wireless mobile phones face
increased risks of developing
severe brain tumours, according to the most comprehensive study ever
conducted on the possible link between cancer and the long-term use of
cellular telephones.
Researchers at the Swedish National Institute for Working Life and the
University of Oerebro compared the mobile phone use of 4,400 people—half of
them cancer patients, and the other half healthy people who made up the
control group—and made some disturbing discoveries. [The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration has since questioned the results of this study. For
information, see FDA Questions Results of Study Linking Mobile Phones and
Cancer.]
Heavy Mobile Phone Use
Increases Cancer Risk According to Kjell Hansson Mild, who led the study, heavy users of mobile
phones have a 240 percent increased risk of developing a malignant tumor on
the side of the head where they press the phone to their ear.
Published in the International Archives of Occupational and Environmental
Health, the study defines “heavy use” as
2,000 hours of mobile phone use in
the course of a decade, which "corresponds to 10 years' use in the work
place for one hour per day."
Of the 2,200 cancer patients in the study, who ranged in age from 20 to 80
years old, 905 had a malignant brain tumour and just under one-tenth of that
number were
heavy mobile phone users.
"Of these 905 cases, 85 were so-called high users of mobile phones, that is
they began early to use mobile and/or wireless telephones and used them a
lot," said the authors of the study in a statement issued by the Institute.
In addition, the study concluded that early users, defined as people who
started using a mobile phone before age 20, are also at greater risk of
developing a malignant brain tumour.
The study also took into account factors such as smoking habits, working
history and exposure to other known cancer-causing agents.
Limit Mobile Calls and Use Hands-free Options Hansson Mild advised that the best ways for consumers to lower their risk
of cancer related to mobile phones are to use their wireless phones less
frequently and to use hands-free options when they do make or receive mobile
calls. He said the research report about the study is not intended to cause
public alarm or to raise concerns about widespread risk for the majority of
people who use mobile phones.
"It does however give reason to use caution when calling on wireless
phones,” he said in an interview with Dow Jones. “Use hands-free and avoid
wireless when possible.”
Swedish Study Breaks New Ground
The Swedish study is the first to show a significant link between long-term
mobile phone use and cancer. Previous studies found no evidence that
radiation from mobile phones is harmful, but those earlier studies looked
at mobile phone use among fewer people over a shorter time.
The Swedish study is the largest and most comprehensive to date. Also,
people in Sweden have been using mobile phones since 1984, longer than
people in many other countries, so getting a large sample of people who
have been using cellular telephones for a long time was relatively easy.
*You have been warned! Share this essential information with others!*
-Aly xoxo
Labels: dangerous, health, limit, radiation, smartphone, technology, teenagers, the world
the crISIS
Monday, December 8, 2014 ★ 9:30 PM │
While the case of all the terrorism in Iraq and Syria seems to have died down from media outlets such as the television, social media, important news pages, the actual war against ISIS is not over. I received an email from my grandma talking about the happenings in war-torn, where Crisis Relief International (CRI) had posted updates in mid-November.
As the saying goes, "
A picture speaks a thousand words." Indeed.
What could be more shocking and heart wrenching than to see children having military guns pointed at their heads. Their wide eyes show so much fear. Their cowering posture just makes you realise that this world that we live in has gone mad. Why are innocent children, who are barely past the age of five, being treated as if they have murdered the whole village?
Before the news of children being beheaded or gunned down, it was the beheading of photojournalists from France, the U.S., or relief workers. Even before international scrutiny upon the militant group in ISIS, I am sure that there had been many unjust killings in the Islamic State (IS).
While the rest of us may still be complacent in our safe cocoons, wrapped in the warmth of our family and protected by the sturdy cement structure of our houses, we must not forget that somewhere else in this world that we live in - the only place in the universe able to sustain life - is unsafe for its inhabitants. Unbelievers are ridden of, or they are making desperate attempts to flee.
Yet, the question remains, 'How are we, normal and fortunate folks not living in that part of the world, able to help?' How are we able to defeat the transnational terrorist organisation and other fundamental terrorist groups? We are just a fleck of dust in comparison.
But, I would like to share this quote with all of you.
"
One tree can start a forest; one smile can begin a friendship; one hand can lift a soul; one word can frame the goal; one candle can wipe out darkness ; one laugh can conquer gloom; one hope can raise our spirits ; one touch can show you care; one life can make a difference."
In some way or another, we can help. We can gather friends of different religions to pray together. We can spend time with our families praying for God's intercession, guidance and mercy on those affected. Or we could even spend some quiet and alone time to reflect upon fundamental terrorism affecting the world at hand, and we could just spend a few moments each day to pray to God.
Keep the faith, and pray for world peace. You may think you will not make a difference, but I promise you, you will. An emphasis from the aforementioned quote, "one life can make a difference".
God bless all the victims of terrorism,
Alyssa xx
Labels: global issues, madness, terrorism, the world
Disappointment
Saturday, October 18, 2014 ★ 9:53 AM │
Her eyes filled with clear, saline fluid
Fists balled;
Crunch, crunch, crunch
The crisp white paper gave in
To her strong grasp.
Regret tugged at her heart
She had known it from the start,
Yet, she did not heed the advice
Of parents, grandparents, friends, teachers.
Only the bright red mark etched in her throbbing mind
F, failure, failure!
She had not made the passing grade.
Who's to blame?
No one, only her.
With that lasting thought,
Salty droplet rolled down her now flushed cheeks once again.
Labels: never give up, original poem, smile, teenagers
It's Hard...
Friday, August 8, 2014 ★ 8:14 AM │
Many a times, as we proceed through this arduous and challenging journey of our lives, we often feel inferior to others. Our self-esteems are lowered in the presence of more captivating and confident intellectuals, with the fashion, friends and popularity, capability, riches and beauty. We are never satisfied, but it is a human trait. We yearn for things we do not possess, yet we neglect and fail to cherish the treasures in our grasps.
While I feel like saying, we have to banish our envy, and that we have to appreciate what we already have, because what we have and yet take for granted may be another man's desires. However, like the title of this post, it is hard. Because we are humans, we get jealous of others and their strengths. This in a sense is what motivates us to push ourselves further. To be wealthy like Donald Trump, it is an aspiration that can be fulfilled. Why? The driving force of our innermost desires push us to our limits; we want to be like the rest. We want the rest of the population to look up to us in admiration.
Envy may seem like a bad thing, but it is the driving fuel for us to achieve our varying definitions of success. Labels: random, the world
Happiness is..
Friday, May 9, 2014 ★ 8:37 AM │
Hi my dear readers :D, I know I have been a rather inactive blogger as of late. I was having a few dark days of my own, after receiving my horrid results (which I deserved) and feeling lonely and left out from everyone. But this email or rather story that was sent to me from my mum, provoked some inner reflections of mine. This story really identifies with me, hence, I would also like to continue passing on this happiness via sharing this story to y'all.
I would like to disclaim that I do not own this story, I am just a messenger sharing it to others. All credits go to the author/ where it originated from.
This story is about a beautiful, expensively dressed lady who
complained to her psychiatrist that she felt that her whole life was
empty, it had no meaning.
So, the lady went to visit a counsellor to seek out happiness.
The counsellor called over the old lady who cleaned the office floors.
The counsellor then said to the rich lady "I'm going to ask Mary here to
tell you how she found happiness. All I want you to do is listen to her."
So the old lady put down her broom and sat on a chair and told her story:
"Well, my husband died of malaria and three months later my only son was killed in a car accident.
I had nobody... I had nothing left. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat,
I never smiled at anyone, I even thought of taking my own life.
Then one evening a little kitten followed me home from work.
Somehow I felt sorry for that kitten. It was cold outside, so I decided
to let the kitten in. I got it some milk, and the kitten licked the plate clean.
Then it purred and rubbed against my leg and, for the first time in months, I smiled.
Then I stopped to think, if helping a little kitten could make me smile,
maybe doing something for people could make me happy.
So the next day I baked some biscuits and took them to a neighbour who was sick in bed.
Every day I tried to do something nice for someone.
It made me so happy to see them happy.
Today, I don't know of anybody who sleeps and eats better than I do.
I've found happiness, by giving it to others."
When she heard that the rich lady cried.
She had everything that money could buy, but she had lost the things
which money cannot buy.
"The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are;
But on how happy others can be because of you..."
Happiness is not a destination, it's a journey. Happiness is not tomorrow,
it is now. Happiness is not a dependency, it is a decision. Happiness is what
you are, not what you have.
May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more,
May nothing but happiness come through your door! I love all of you who read this <3
Lots of love and happiness coming your way,
Al Labels: depressed, finding myself, happiness, never give up, smile
OLDER POST |
