Silent Christian

Humility

What is Time?

Realize the value of time. Time in perspective.

Imagine there is a bank which credits your account each morning with $86,400, carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day.

What would you do?
Draw out every cent, of course!
Well, everyone has such a bank. It's name is time.
Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.
Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose.
It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you.
Each night it burns the records of the day.
If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.
There is no going back. There is no drawing against the tomorrow.
You must live in the present on today's deposits.
Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!
The clock is running. Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.

And remember, time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.


The origin of this text is unknown.




There's a lot of variations on it, additions and even jokes. There's some stuff connected with it and found on the Net:



To realize the value of ONE LIFETIME, ask someone who has missed his or her chance.


To realize the value of A SISTER, ask someone who doesn't have one.
To realize the value of TEN YEARS, ask a newly divorced couple.
To realize the value of FOUR YEARS, ask a graduate.


To realize the value of A FRIEND, lose one.


To realize the value of ONE THOUSAND YEARS, ask a programmer who has programmed with 2 digits for the year's value.
To realize the value of ONE HUNDRED YEARS, ask a Hong Kong resident who has witnessed the Handover.
To realize the value of SEVENTY YEARS, ask a dying Christian who has never shared the Gospel with others.
To realize the value of FORTY YEARS, ask an Israelite who has traveled in the wilderness.
To realize the value of SEVEN YEARS, ask a professor who did not get his sabbatical leave.
To realize the value of FOUR YEARS, ask a U.S. president who was not re-elected for the second term.


To realize the value of ONE MILLI-SECOND, ask the (electric) power engineer who has brought darkness to a city.
To realize the value of ONE MICRO-SECOND, ask the person who has bought a Pentimum machine.
To realize the value of ONE NANO-SECOND, ask the digital circuit designer who has just been promoted.
To realize the value of ONE PICO-SECOND, ask the analog circuit designer who has filed many patents.
To realize the value of ONE FEMTO-SECOND, ask the physicist who has won the Nobel prize.


To realize the value of ONE MICRO-SECOND, ask NASA's Team of scientists.
To realize the value of ONE NANO-SECOND, ask a Hardware Engineer.

All the quotes are collected by Dmitry Shurupov, 2005.
http://www.shurupov.ru/time/

Marc Levy > Quotes > Quotable Quote

“If you want to know the value of one year, just ask a student who failed a course.

If you want to know the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

If you want to know the value of one hour, ask the lovers waiting to meet.

If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who just missed the bus.

If you want to know the value of one second, ask the person who just escaped death in a car accident.

And if you want to know the value of one-hundredth of a second, ask the athlete who won a silver medal in the Olympics.”

― Marc Levy, Et si c'était vrai..., Vous revoir, édition complète 2 en 1

“If you want to know the value of one year, just ask a student who failed a course. 

If you want to know the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. 

If you want to know the value of one hour, ask the lovers waiting to meet. 

If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who just missed the bus. 

If you want to know the value of one second, ask the person who just escaped death in a car accident. 

And if you want to know the value of one-hundredth of a second, ask the athlete who won a silver medal in the Olympics.” 
― Marc Levy, Et si c'était vrai..., Vous revoir, édition complète 2 en 1


“Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to used during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course? Each of us has such a bank, it's name is time. Every morning, it credits you 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off at a lost, whatever of this you failed to invest to a good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no over draft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no drawing against "tomorrow". You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and health. The clock is running. Make the most of today.” 
― Marc Levy, If Only It Were True

Strategic Reasons for Youth Ministry

I came across this blog post recently, written by a Youth Pastor about why he invests his life in youth  ministry despite many times he was asked, "When are you getting a real job?" as in a job to handle Adults. He shared his ten strategic reaons to serve in youth ministry :-

1. 85% of the people who trust in Jesus do so before the age of 18.*
2. The average teen has at least 200 online and face-to-face friends they can reach with the gospel.**
3. Teenagers have 100x’s more influence on their friends than strangers have (which can be unleashed to advance the gospel.)***
4. Generally speaking, adults would rather fund an outreach than actually reach out.
5. Many Christian teens attend public schools which provides them a daily context for relational evangelism.
6. Teenagers are looking for a cause and making disciples is the ultimate one (Matthew 28:18-20.)
7. Young people have been used to trigger revolutions and massive social change.
8. Major spiritual awakening have had teenagers helping to lead the way.
9. Teens are smart enough to make a difference and dumb enough to think they can (which means they can!)
10. God has chosen teenagers throughout Biblical history to advance His cause (David, Esther, Joseph, the disciples, etc.)

His reasons are strategic and realistic but I have a different list. Here are my own personal strategic reasons for involving in youth ministry and believing in youth :-

1. I believe the youths are our future. Regardless what we think of them, they will lead and rule the world one day. If I am given an opportunity to shape someone's life who will make a better life in the future impacting others then why not?
2. Leadership is vital for happiness in this world. Despite having no leadership quality in many people (teachers, parents etc), eveyone will become a leader at certain stage of his / her life. Everyone should learn how to be lead and how to be a leader. The best time to teach leadership is during youth time.
3. Street-Smart is just as important, if not more important than high IQ, this is what we call living style and it is not taught in schools such as how to resolve conflicts with friends, conflict in leadership styles, being a host, how to respond in emergency situations etc etc. In Brigade, I get to teach girls every week about making this world a better place through good living.
4. Youths are in hunger for guidance and affirmation. When they seem to be indepedent and full of youthful ideas, a lot of them do not stand the test of time, they need guidance to make better decisions and they need affirmation of their ideas. Once they have learnt this, they will move forward and shine. 
5. Youths are teachable, believe it or not, they are at the most teachable age of their entire life! The next time they are teachable will likely be the day their world falls apart or when they bang their head real hard by incidents from this heartless world. Seize the moments to teach, catch them when you still can, for some youths, such moments are rare and do not come without a fight. 
6. They are at the best age to make a mistake in organising, planning or execution. They should be given a chance to "try and error" on organisation skills, so that if they make a mess, we could step in to redeem the situation. We could help to undo the wrongs in planning and organising and to teach them a lesson or two about what not to do in the future and give them a check list for what they must do. Youths who are denied of this chance of making mistakes, will still make those mistakes when they are adults and there be no more "try and error" or "undone" button. It will be too late and damage is sometimes not salvagable. 
7. Youth have many dreams and they are so positive about outlooks in life, so much so that spending more time with them will just make you rejuvenate your own life. You actually can be young in heart like them. I think youthfulness is contagious, age is just a number, as the saying goes : you do not stop playing when you get old; but you get old when you stop playing. With their dreams, they need some guidance, encouragement to grow their dreams and not give up.
8. Most of the successful people have a major influence and impact from their youth that transformed their lives. They could have met a mentor, discovered a philosopher, and that become a pivotal turning point of their lives.
9. Youths can be an influence to people around them, their friends. We realise that youths always listen to their friends' advises more than their parents. 
10. Helping and teaching youth is a give-back to my mentors during my youth and a way to pay-forward for my own next generation. The youths that I help today will be leaders to my own children and this is a cycle of influence going on and on.

https://www.dare2share.org/article/10-strategic-reasons-i-chose-to-invest-my-life-in-youth-ministry/

One Day When We Are Old

Recently, I read a blog that is dedicated to Old Age Happy Living, it provides tips and ideas on how to make living after 50, 60, 70, 80 meaningful. It promotes healthy-living lifestyle and it is not about food but about living with a clear conscience and mind that is set free from the usual cares and woes of young people such as grudges, unforgiveness and bitterness. Instead, it promotes a happy mind with a happy heart.

The Blog name is 當我們老了

http://www.whenweareold.orgs.one
http://www.whenweareold.orgs.one/show/93635

越老越快樂的10大秘訣，太精闢了，每一條都很受用！

 當我們老了 

花開花謝，潮起潮落，不經意間我們正走向人生的暮年。從呱呱墜地到兩鬢染霜，歲月的行囊里裝滿了酸甜苦辣。接下來的行程中，還會遇到很多煩惱和困難，讓生活並不那麼輕鬆完美。

下面就給大家介紹10大妙招，記住了，越老越快樂！

1. 要存一點錢

年紀大了，還是需要一點老本的，這樣才能保證自己的生活。

不過，錢不在多，夠用就好；錢不在多，會花就好。所以不要總是說自己錢不夠用，所以根本就無法去瀟灑，也不能快樂，這其實是觀念上還沒有轉變過來。

2. 多結交朋友

朋友，是人生的財富，是老年的一種依託。不過老了，只有一兩個朋友還不足以談幸福。

如果老了，你還有16名可以依賴的朋友或熟人，才會對生活感到十分滿意，才能感覺到幸福。

所以，多交些朋友吧，多和朋友融洽相處吧！多和朋友們彼此交流、相互信任、相互幫助、遠離孤獨，生活過得充實有安全感，豐富多彩。

3. 走出門旅遊

說實話，說走就走的旅行，其實是屬於老年人的。

因為老年人經過幾十年的積累，有了一定的積蓄；老年人不用上班，有了一定的時間；老年人不再是養家餬口的主要幹將，少了一定的壓力；老年人操勞了幾十年，是時候獎勵自己了！

老了，更需要旅遊去看世界。記得有機會，就與兒孫、親友結伴出遊，既可飽覽祖國的名山大川，又能鍛鍊筋骨，愉悅身心。

4. 不依賴子女

養老還是要靠自己，不要太依賴子女。

我們對兒女的付出，不要指望他們會等量地反饋回來。社會給年輕人的壓力越來越大，為人父母，也要體諒孩子的辛苦。

老年人也不要為孩子的一些事情勞力傷神，睡不著覺。兒孫自有兒孫福，路是他們走，該放手的必須放手。讓他們自己獨立，我們才能放下擔子，好好享受自己接下來的生活。

5. 學點新東西

學習，是保持年輕的一個重要秘訣。進入老年，學點新東西，不僅能獲得知識，還能讓自己保持年輕和快樂。

老了，也要保持閱讀的習慣。讀書總是能讓人有所收穫。我們能從書中獲得明事理的言與行；能通過讀書不斷充實自己，增加新知識，充實自己的生活。

老年人還要培養自己興趣愛好。如看書、跳舞、下棋、攝影、集郵、釣魚、養鳥等，既強身健體、陶冶情操、怡情養性，還能豐富老年生活，讓老人過得更快樂。

6. 繼續追求美

很多老人穿衣打扮比較隨性，大部分是不太注重了的。這樣真的很可惜。

心理學家認為，瀟灑大方的儀容常會使人感到年輕。這種「還我年輕」的心理，會給老年人帶來愉悅感和滿足感。

可見，老年人還是要多講究穿衣打扮、儀容之美，這樣可以增加生活情趣和愉悅感、自信感、滿足感，這樣離幸福感也就不在遙遠了。

7. 給自己找樂

這個世界並不缺少快樂，而是缺少發現快樂的眼睛，和創造快樂的內心。學會調節心情，讓自己快樂每一天，笑口常開，容顏不老。

只要心中有快樂，好運就會無處不在，人生的幸福也將受之不盡。

如果你有一顆寬容的心，有一顆善良的心，有一顆充滿生機的心，你就是播下了快樂的種子，就會收穫一顆快樂的心。

8. 要正視衰老

老年人應該正確面對自己的衰老，別把正常的衰老當成病。

衰老是一種自然規律，如同花開花謝，日出日落，不可避免。就像一部機器運轉時間長了，會出現老化一樣，人的各個器官使用多年以後，也會出現老化。

建議健康老人一年查一次體；有基礎疾病或者健康風險的老人，在醫生的指導建議下，每半年或三個月體檢一次，發現疾病及早治療，不要把健康當作負擔。

9. 不要去 計 較

老話說「生年不過百，常懷千歲憂。百事從心起，一笑解千愁」。如果想到我們都是來去匆匆的過客，只不過是到世間走一遭，還有什麼雞毛蒜皮的小事值得計較呢？

不要總是生氣。氣是一隻虎，抓肝又傷肚，只當它是屁，放了才舒服！

不要把有些事情放在心上，要「厚臉皮」點，不怕說，不怕議，不怕背後嚼舌頭，而且不受委屈，遇到有些不講理的人，自己走開不和他講就是。

10. 就活在今天

人生只有三天：昨天、今天和明天。昨天已經過去，不可重來；明天還未到來，虛無縹緲；只有今天是真實存在，可以把握的。

享受生活中的每一件小事，因為將來有一天，當你在搖椅中的時候，你會發現，這些事都是大事。

人生百年，不過是一個過程，好壞自知，想要瀟灑就必須有自己的生活信條，不為他人所動，追尋輕鬆自然的生活，就是你生命精彩的路徑！