Unplugging the cable modem

This morning, I did something drastic that I've been wanting to do for a while. I unplugged the cable modem and stored the modem in a place suffeciently inconvinient for me to replug it in. With the exams around the corner, as well as a test next week - it's a good move definitely, just that there is a great reluctance within me to do so.

I think most of the people reading this blog would know that I stay online at home until very late. I guess it's partially due to the fact that I live alone that I spend most of my time online talking to people. But it's reached the point where switching on the computer is the first thing I do when I reach home, and frankly I feel it's becoming a very big addiction in my life.

If I ever sit down and write down a list about the things I wish I could change in my life, I'd imagine that that list would contain quite a few things. Putting away the modem will help me tackle several issues, amongst them, the tendency to sleep very late, while doing nothing productive.

It is quite daunting to think about how many things I look forward to changing, but what gives me hope is that this is just the start of my Christian journey. It's like, what, only 2 years..? I still have a solid half a century of my life ahead of me, and little victories over my basic nature gives me satisfaction and hope for the future..

Enduring renewal

Wow, so much has happened in the past few months. Hebrews 11:1 has always amazed me for it's simplicity - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Have struggled painfully with the last part for the past few years, now, the focus has been shifted to the first part of the verse.

And if I were to draw the line between these two periods of time, I'd draw the line, around the past few weeks.

It's been often said that Christianity is more of a lifestyle rather than a religon. The question is, what do I hope for in life? A tough question to consider, especially in light of the questions raised these few weeks by Pastor Jeff, as well as Claramae.

I think the "two track life" syndrome is something prevalent amongst Christians.. for me, that two track life has been that of, shutting myself within church and being myself outside of it. Now, I'm starting the uncertain process of uniting these two tracks of my life together. Volunteered for ushering, think I will start next week. Looking forward to it ^^

As my priorities change, and as I start to think seriously of what I want to do with my life outside of NUS, I realize that it will be a challenging one and a half years ahead. Much like climbing a mountain, and reaching the small summit; the view of the climb ahead is daunting indeed.

Yet, I cherish the view that I have from this small summit =)

Predestination?

Haha, this particular comic is cool on many levels. While I was in the army, I spent a bit of time pondering over this particular question - If every event in my life has happened for a reason, doesn't it mean that I effectively have no free will over how I act?

This army guy I knew replied me in a way similar to Utahraptor's answer. Free will and predestination are mutually compatible.

Two ways to explain that would be

1) Free will is utterly deceptive. That means that even though we think we are acting out of free will, actually we aren't. But it doesn't matter, so there.

2) What one person views as predetermination is actually another person's free will. For example, if I put a normal piece of sweet into a bottle of containing ants, I can know that the ants will be attracted to it, before I even put the candy in. The ants to the candy out of free will, but my actions predestined the ants reaction.

(If you're gonna answer, "But humans are not ants!", a substitution of ants and candy with say, a human and a hundred dollar bill can be made.)

Similarly, as Christian, Psalms 139 is used as to substantiate the point that God has an ultimate plan for us (ie presdestination), even before we were born. Leads to pretty fascinating questions like, "Why does God curse some people to be gay ?", or , "Why does God curse some people to have Down's syndrome?"

I mean, scientists have made flies gay, and Down's syndrome is definiately caused by a duplication of a chromosome. So, I do believe that many afflictions have a certain level of predetermination to it, especially as a life science student.

I think, this answer can only be truly answered, along with many other questions like "Why did happen", by, Only God knows. Besides, Christianity is more concerned about the betterment of one's life, and the fufillment of one's destiny, through a relationship with God. It provides a good way to live one's life, not the answer to (many) tough philosophical questions.

So, as T-rex says, "Now, let's never talk about it again!" I have really much more pressing things to think about anyway. =p