Second Chance

Every night, before I sleep, I pray to God and ask for forgiveness.  As I list all my wrongdoings to God, I start crouching lower in shame of how much sin I have committed that day.  Surely, it is an “Amazing Grace” how God has given all of us second chances from his everlasting love.

In the hymn, “Amazing Grace”, it says, “ I was once lost, but now I am found”.  The concept of founding of the lost comes out frequently in the Bible.  For example, Jesus tells a story to his disciples about a father and a son.  The son wastes all the inheritance his father gives him.  He becomes lost but his father forgives him and welcomes him back with open arms.  This is personally very touching for me.  I feel like God will always welcome me into his heaven even though I sin and become lost. 

The Easter Assembly helped me understand deeply about the core of Easter.  The part I remembered the most was the video about Peter and Jesus.  As I was watching that video, many questions pondered in my head:  “Why is Jesus forgiving Peter when he BETRAYED him three times?”  “Am I also like Peter, a betrayer?”  “Why did Jesus save a sinner like me?”  I felt completely guilty after watching the video and thanked Jesus for sacrificing himself to save all the people.

Easter is a time not only celebrating the resurrection of Jesus but also remembering the second chance we got.  Although we do not deserve such grace from God, He loved us so much that He sent His one and only son, Jesus, to the world, to save us from the evil.  This is crucial to Christians including me because Jesus’s death on the cross built a bridge between God and me.  

Shema

My God is .....

1. Personal
2. Caring
3. Almighty

When I was in 5th grade, I had this disease on my hand.  It was this bacteria ripping the skin of my fingers.  The only way to cure this disease was by freezing my hand and killing the bacterias.  It was hard for a small 5th grader to handle these painful procedures.  After 5 months of continuation of freezing my hand during the weekends, I was tired.  Also, there was no change in my hand.  I prayed to God for the pain to end.  The weekend after I started praying, the doctor suggested an alternative medical procedure, a less effective yet less painful procedure.  Interestingly, after just 2 weeks I have taken this new procedure, my hand cured.  God helped me.


I remember and revere my God by praying every night and going to church every sundays.

Shema:
God always answers prayers with a: yes, no, or later.  It is our duty to ask him and receive an answer.  His love is omnipresent for everyone.  We should be thankful for his love and care.  He is powerful and is able to create all miracles. We should always trust that God will help us in times of despair, no matter how impossible it seems.

Sacred Poetry

Easter Island

Easter Island is a polynesian island in southeastern Pacific Ocean.  Jacob Roggeveen was the first European to reach the land in 1722.  Ever since the discovery of the island, the maois, monumental statues created by Rapanui people, were highly interested by archaeologists. These 887 maois are distributed throughout the coast of the Easter Island.  No clue of origin or purpose, these statues of Easter Island remain mysterious.



Poem:

Oh God, Dear God listen to our prayer,
save us from the devil in the blue ocean over there.
To please you we set up tall moai here,
I hope this message reaches your ear.

A prophecy we will die by the force of water,
we sure are scared by such terror.
O God, we set up these moai with harsh breath
Come to us and save us from the hands of death.

We have only one purpose, just to please you
We sweat and set up the moai across the land that meets blue.
Because once the devil comes over to our land,
the only force that could resist the devil is you and your hand.


5 characteristics this poem fulfills:

Belief in spirit-forces or invisible power,
Close ties to a particular area or locality,
Concern with survival,
Concern about death,
Prophecy

Muslim Leaders seek exemption of Gay Marriage

"Muslim leaders have called for the same legal exemptions as the Church of England in gay marriage legislation." (BBC News)

Muslim leaders believe that they should follow The Equality Act of 2010, giving freedom of gay marriage.  Plans to actually start allowing gay marriages will start from the new election in 2015.  However, some Muslim leaders strongly disagrees with such idea, thinking gay marriage as an immoral thing.

Questions of the Universe

How do we know what is right (moral)?

             I have always believed that all human carry around the innocence they had from  when they were babies.  Although many lose much of their innocence as they get older, they still carry it deep inside their heart.  As I approached the question of morality, I have believed it might be different for each individuals.  The range of morality might differ for people depending on how much their innocence is left.  Confusing?  Let me introduce some examples.

A boy wanted attention from his peers.  He throws a rock at a stray cat walking around.  I'm pretty sure some feeling struck him as the cat fell in pain.  It was his innocence notiying him that his action was not "right".

An emotionless criminal murders a person.  Due to his lack of innocence, he wouldnt notice his action isnt right.  However, many people who approach this story would comment "that is not right".  This is because their innnocence is telling them such action is not right and that they should not commit such cruelty.

I believe the concept of morality shouldn't be approached from a wordly view, but be approached from a personal view. People should acknowledge the fact that each individual's concept of "right and wrong" is different.