Takeshi's Castle

It’s been a week since the showing of Takeshi’s Castle in QTV Channel 11. I was still a kid when the first run of this show was aired in IBC Channel 13 few years ago. :) I don’t really know but what I’ve heard is the prize is a whopping amount of 1 million yen! I just thought what is the point of doing all those stunts in exchange for the money or for nothing. In line with this, let me just share this devotional written by a good friend for the devotional book, Word 4U 2Day…

Sep 9 Life does have a point
Written by Marichris Reyes

‘I PRESS ON TOWARDS THE GOAL TO WIN THE PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED ME…’ PHILIPPIANS 3:14 NIV

Japan has always had a reputation for crazy game shows like ‘Takeshi’s Castle’. The program begins with 100 bonkers contestants all aiming to get through each crazy round in order to storm the castle at the end. Each round generally involves muddy water and normally sees contestants trying to balance on things, hang from things and jump over things. The result is normally that contestants fail quite spectacularly and obviously do themselves a serious injury. Eventually a few make it through to the final and, on the very rare occasion that they successfully storm the castle, receive absolutely nothing!

Many people live their lives as though they are on Takeshi’s castle. They follow the crowd and like the 100 nutty people in the first round run like maniacs to try and be the first to climb a huge slippery wall. No one really knows why they are doing it, but it looks fun so they do it anyway. As life goes on people get more hurt along the way and wonder what the point is. The survivors make it through to the end, battered, bruised, alone and exhausted and win absolutely nothing.

The Bible makes it clear that life does have a point, to know Jesus and make Him known. It’s life lived for an eternal goal and for heavenly rewards. If we live the Jesus life, we won’t get to the end and find we have nothing. But if we go along with the crowd just because that’s what they do and it looks fun, we’re in trouble. Chances are you will get seriously hurt along the way too.

click here to view the devotional's page

"Have it all"

This statement I saw from a cola billboard few weeks ago got stuck in my mind. Because of this, there’s a question hanging in my head… “Can I really have it all?” (I still like the regular cola over the ‘light’ variant… I need all the calories eh… Hehe Ü)

They always say… “You can’t have it all.” But really, “I can’t have it all?” Well, I guess it depends on the context of the last word – “all”. Maybe “all” means all the riches this world can offer. Or maybe a good job + good husband/wife (if you need one?!) + good children + good house + good friends + good family + good food + good/nice car + good/cool gadgets + (basta anything that’s good!!!) == ALL? Hehe I guess if you have these “all” you might think you don’t need God anymore. :) But when you have God, you may feel you “have it all” because you really “have it all”! I don’t know how to explain it further but let me just share some of my “have it all” moments...

…drinking a glass of ice-cold water when I’m really really thirsty
…eating a good breakfast – danggit and fried rice
…sipping hot chocolate one cold rainy morning
…listening to my fave song while driving the car with matching tapping the steering wheel and bobbing my head (take note: driving along a traffic-free road!)
…knowing that your loved ones were safe after a terrible storm
…group hug moments with my family
…meeting my good friends from college whom I haven’t met for a long time
…reviewing for an exam while listening to The Edge Radio over the internet in an air-conditioned room
…eating “binatog” as merienda, I think God reserved the last “binatog” for me because I haven’t eaten it for years (super savoring every spoonful of binatog! God is so gracious!)
…buying books at discounted price in a book fair with a good friend
…re-discovering old cassette tapes with my old favorite songs
…receiving audio/video CDs from a friend (kahit ‘burned’ lang!) :)
…seeing a rare kind of bird visiting our backyard (makes me want to do some bird-watching one of these days!)
…catching my favorite song being played over The Edge Radio and knowing that a friend who likes the song too is listening also
…eating Chickenjoy for lunch with my brother (both of us were really hungry)
…worshiping God freely in this country
…witnessing thousands of people gathered in a coliseum to worship God and knowing that there are thousands more worshiping through the satellite feed
…waking up in the morning knowing that I’m still breathing and alive
…and many many more to come :)

Sometimes I'm just such a "forgetful me!" of God's abundant grace in my life. :)

There’s another similar statement getting stuck in my head lately… but I have to resume my review session…next time na lang! :)

Ganbatte kudasai to me!
Jia you!
:)

how to mend a broken heart

I went to a book fair recently and bought a book with this title, "How to Mend a Broken Heart" by Nelson Dy. It's Mr. Dy's second book after his "Finding Comfort". Basically, the author shared in his book how God saw him through his struggles in mending his broken heart. It's an easy-read...about 133 pages. I liked his one-liners after every chapter. Very honest. It would be interesting to read a book like this from a woman's point of view. Hmmm...

Just want to share a prayer found in the book (page 54)...
"O Lord, You are the One who had mapped out my life. I pray that while my love life is zero, O Lord, turn the page. Since I know that You have plans for me, plans not to harm me, but to give me a future and a hope, I pray may there be someone for me ahead. And as You turn the page of my life, You will smile."

I like the last line... may God smile as he turns the pages of my life. :)

Psalm 23

One of my favorite chapters in the book of Psalms.

Well, I memorized this Psalm since my elementary days. It's amazing how God reminds me of this verses in different instances...

when feeling of discontentment creeps in... The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

when feeling tired and weary... He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside still waters.

when I've tried everything to be refreshed... He restoreth my soul.

when walking alone in a street at night (feeling afraid)... Yea, though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort.

hmmm...I've been thinking when did God reminded me of verse 5... anyway, the phrase "my cup runneth over" reminds me of God's grace, giving us what we do not deserve... and the song "Cry On My Shoulder" by Overflow band.

an awesome statement of David's intimacy with God -- Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

It's good to memorize verses because it's so helpful in times of temptation and struggles. I think I need some review on my memory verses and I have to add some more. I lack discipline lately.