Don't Fall Into the Trap of Hypocrisy

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in someone else's eye and pay no attention to the plant in your own eye?....you hypocrite Jesus said. A man with a plank of wood in his eye is totally blind, yet he is trying to take a tiny splinter of wood from someone else's eye. Sounds familiar........yes, we (including me) often critize others. Must admit that much of our criticism are blinded by ignorance. The Roman philosopher Cicero once said "They condemn what they do not understand". 

In short, whether you admit it or note, hypocrisy is the gap between what we show on the outside and what we know is true on the inside. Indeed, the things we criticize in other people are often the things we see in ourselves. By criticism, we build ourselves up (often without us knowing at the expense of others). Speaking ill of others is a way of dishonestly speaking well of ourselves. It makes us feel better to gloat over the sins & shortcomings of others - hence it is no wonder gossips and scandalous stories are much sought after by society. We tend to lap up all the sordid details to help us ignore the 'logjam in our own eyes'.  

UNLESS, w first remove the plank of judgementalism from our own eyes, we will not see clearly to remove the splinter rom the eyes of others. As John Stott puts it "We need to be as critical as we often are of others, and as generous to others as we always are to ourselves." Lets be kind to others and watch our heart for the words that come out of our mouth speaks of the heart. Anyhow, we are not perfect to begin with........God bless you all. 

Bicycling

About a month back, my wife finally got me my belated birthday present. it was pretty late, but better than never. It was a nice surprise as she got me a bicycle! It's not those fancy bikes that you see on TV but a decent one that will take me from point A to point B without much fuss. Since then, I have been hitting the roads around my neighborhood almost every other day whenever I can, day & night. I must say that I am now an official cycling addict. Why not? I can only think of all the positives out of cycling. To share, here are some of the benefits of riding a bicycle, and at the end of this article, I do hope that you'll give yourself a try on a bicycle. So, the benefits are:-

On-going use of a bicycle has virtually NO carbon footprint.
Bikes increase mobility for those who don't qualify to drive a car.
Bicycles increase mobility for those who can't afford motor transport.
Bikes increase mobility for those who don't want to drive motor vehicles.
Bicycling can be faster than walking, transit or motor vehicles - especially if you're living & working in town.
Bicycling is the most energy efficient form of transportation ever invented.
You get a healthy exercise from bicycling.
You notice greater details of things when you cycle compared to traveling in a fast car.
Save travel money by biking. If the switch is from a car this includes purchase price, gas, tires, fluids, insurance, maintenance, washing, parking, etc.
Bicycling is a great form of stress-reliever - wind in your face.
Biking is therapeutic for the mind and spirit - is fun and can make you happy.
Cycling is therapeutic for the cardio-vascular system, live healthier.
Regular cycling provides better muscle tone, bone mass improvement, clearer skin
Regular bicycling helps with personal weight management -- new full-time bicycle commuters can expect to lose an average 13 pounds their first year of bicycle commuting if they maintain the same eating habits.
Regular cycling may (depends how your lifestyle is) lead to lower health care expenses -- save money for a nicer vacation.
Allows the rider to appreciate the more of the nuances of the natural and built environment around them.
Bicycling brings you back to a slower-pace, indirectly humbles you.
The exercise increase your productivity at work
Cycling improves your self-esteem.
Save on the membership to a health club, get your exercise bicycling to work, school, shopping, etc.
Bicycling is nearly a life-long activity.
Bicycling is a great full family and friends activity.
Cycling is low impact on the body.
Cycling is low impact on the environment
Bicycling in your neighborhood is a great way to meet your neighbors and build community.
Camaraderie of cyclists makes it a great way to meet a nice stranger with a similar interest.
Feel the satisfaction (liberation, freedom) of biking past a traffic jam in the bike lane.
Predictable commute time.
Leaving your car at home provide a parking space for someone less fortunate.
Reduces the demand for parking lots and paving the earth.
Reduces air pollution -- bicyclist emit few poisonous gases. A four mile bicycle trip keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Reduces water pollution -- bikes don't drip brake fluid, anti-freeze, transmission fluid, toxic dust, etc.
Reduces noise pollution -- even without a muffler bikes are quiet, creating a quieter community.
Reduces road kill and saves animals.
Demonstrates a concern for the future -- walk (ride) your talk.
Most importantly, its FUN..............

Marriage Contracts

Whilst researching on a point of Malaysian law, relating to a minor (those under 18-years old) capacity to enter into a contract, it is interesting to note that under Section 4(a) of the Age of Majority Act 1971, a minor can in fact act or contract in the following matters namely marriage, divorce, dower and adoption. Minors may also sue and be sued for breach of promise of marriage, unlike the position in England. However, a person under 21-years of age (though of the age of majority) still needs to obtain his or her father's written consent before marriage - as per the law in Section 12 of the Law Reform (Marriage & Divorce) Act 1976.