Haughty Eyes! What do they mean?

Click here to watch part of my trip to Mongolia in Mansushir Monastery, July 2011


These are my thoughts. You do not need to agree to me.


July 24, 2011

It's Sunday and it was my first day back to church since I left the country for a vacation in Israel and Mongolia on June 21. It was an awesome feeling seeing other church members, though not all were present. I felt so blessed and I felt that I have more strength than before to encounter the oddities of daily life. Yesterday, I had a short chat with Lydia at the gym, a Christian senior citizen from Cuba, who, I think, one of the most mellow and positive senior (in her late 70s) at the gym. One thought she said that triggered my thoughts so much to be more reflective that day was when she said, "I try to be friendly to everybody. In such way, I pass to them the power of Lord though my outlook." What a powerful message she imparted to me that very moment. What came to my mind in that instance is the the word "countenance."

It is from Dr. Charles Stanley from his daily podcasts and TV messages that I came across of the word "countenance," and since then, I began thinking of the real essence to word to my daily life. In my understanding, it's how people perceive you- both words and deeds, and more so, by your mere physical presence. I know there are so many other things and better explanation about this word. As I think about it sporadically and occasionally (specially when the messages I hear or read has some thoughts about it), I began to think of the facial expression. In our face, the eyes, I believe, are the most important structures because eyes can tell more about us - as in the saying goes, "Eyes are the windows of our emotions." I do not know who said this, but I know that I read, learned and heard it sometime in the past.

In the past, I came across of the passage below that talks about haughty eyes. The website I posted in this blog made me recall the exact verse, in fact, it is from the website where I copied and pasted the full verse below.

"There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers" (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Click to see explanations about haughty eyes in a Christian perspectives

As I read through this article from be website above, I had a clearer understanding about haughty eyes. What a great reminder not be proudful on what we have! Many people will find this to be very difficult, as our human tendency is to keep on achieving both materially and physically.

The word "snobbish" is included in the definition of "haughty eyes" from the website. (The definition of haughty is as follows: disdainfully proud; snobbish, scornfully arrogant; supercilious.) This made me ask myself of the question: "How about those people you know but they pretend that they did not see you at all (considering you both are in the same location). Please do not tell me that this is not true and never happen. There are instances that someone will give a side look whom he/she knows pretend that he/she did not see him/her. Oftentimes the two-way interaction will only happen when the other person started saying "hi" or give a nice wave of hand as acknowledgement of his/her presence. Of course it is true ...it is very difficult to find a true person to be considered as a "true friend," One may not even find one. I have several friends on different levels

-good friends (may include acquaintances most frequently visited places such as the gym, colleagues in work places). I would say they are the "Have a good day" or "See you next time" kind of interaction. As Charles Stanley said, "They are the "fair weather" friends.

-close friends (may include people that you know for a long time that you can share thoughts and opinions but still you keep most of your private and personal concerns)

-true friend (this include the people who will still accept you after knowing who you are..and will always be there for whatever reason and circumstance in life you are in) I include my parents in this category.

As a Christian, my true friend is my Lord Jesus Christ....As the hymn goes..."What A Friend We Have In Jesus." One of my old time favorite hymns, which made me learn how play that piece in the piano...just one of the few pieces I know how to play.

Back to being "snobbish," I think a simple "hi," wave of hand, and a positive facial expression as a sign of acknowledging the presence of the other person will be good enough (specially during those instances that we do not want to be disturbed in the middle of our task) instead of totally ignoring the person. I believe that acknowledging the person boost the "sense of belonging" of the person that we acknowledge.

In my daily activities (at work, neighborhood, travels, in the gym, in the pool, groceries, etc.), I've encountered...let me put it this way...real and sincere people. As for me, they are the ones who will exert an effort (big or small) to show acknowledgement of your presence. In some cases, there are people that I met who will certainly "drop the ball" and take the time.

What are your thoughts about this?


Make it a great day...Jeah!


Photo taken in the Jumping Board in the Nam Song river during my visit to Vang Vieng in Laos last July 2010






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Very Grateful .... Etcetera...

Click here to watch part of my trip to Mongolia Summer 2011


June 19, 2011

In today's message in the church, Pastor Richard Bowman used a floral arrangement with 3 red roses in a single vase. It was very illustrative and made me easily understand one of the facets of his sermon. "We are all I interconnected with individual differences." The flowers are in one vase. Human beings have many "gifts and talents" but we all belong to one "human" genome. (All human beings have 23 pairs of chromosomes = 46 in total.) Scripturally, "one body, one spirit."

As for me, it's pleasant to see how each of us differ from each other in many aspects: physically, mentally, culturally (language, gestures, costumes, customs and traditions, ideals and beliefs...and many more.) In effect, this makes this world a "colorful" place to live in which makes it challenging. Challenges are good! At least for me, it test my patience, acceptance (in contrast with tolerance), and my spirituality. This quote is not always true: "One size, fits all." If otherwise, life is so dull and bland...Envision a house painted with one color - grey everywhere! - What will you feel?

Another facet of the "floral arrangement" analogy is that we are not alone. At least in our daily existence, we interact (phone, emails, Facebook -hahaha, Twitter- hehehehe, friends, colleagues, parents and family with an exeption of those who are incarcerated in a dark jail). I am flying my life solo and I love it...As I always say to anyone who ask me why...my answer has been always ----> "I do not like compromise." Inspite of this fact, there is always interactions in my daily existence and I find it so welcoming and I approach it as new learning and awareness. I am so grateful to our Lord and I am so blessed with good people including my parents, brother, sister, nephew as well as friends and acquaintances at the gym, pool, work, few from the neighborhood, stores (such as 7-11 in Portola Ave., Santa Cruz) and elders at the church. Not to forget to include in this list is Dr. Charles Stanley who had been in every step of my way has been used as an instrument to keep my faith in God burning through his daily messages from his podcasts and Internet broadcast. In addition, the Daily Audio Bible family (www.dailyaudiobible.com) has been another instrument, too. I am always in touch of His words from the daily oral readings Brian do in his podcast, and of course, the people from Windfarm who, every time I post a prayer request specially for my world travels, always responds and always says a prayerful thoughts upon my request.

These past weeks, people who knows about my travels starting on Tuesday had been sharing good thoughts and prayers for me. Wow! They are all sincere people including my neighbor this morning who I always inform of my absence at home since no one except my plants are in my home each time I leave the country. The home security I have will not be enough. It's alway a great I move to inform a trusted neighbor. Doris at the church hugged me so tight and said, "Honestly, I do not ,want you to go there." What a real elderly concerned I felt from her. I was about to shed tears." I replied, I will safely return and I have praying for it." There are other important people in my life that I am very grateful because of their thoughtful wishes prayers they have for me in this trip --- my mother, my father, and my sister. Thanks mom for all the prayers....I know it and it has been very powerful. Thanks for the zucchini bread, too that you always bake for me each time I travel...so I have diet food on the plane....hahahaha....True. My sister, of course my travel companion in Costa Rica last November, who always there each time I ask for a request! Of course, my father, more often than not, always show some fears each time I leave the country. His fearfulness about where I go makes me feel "very special" for him. Jeah!

To be continued...I'm tired.

June 21, 2011

I'm very grateful for the safe trip from home to the San Francisco International Airport and the safe take off. It's been almost an hour now since this plane Air France took off. Hmm....I smell food..I hope they give me the pre-requested meal I asked almost 2 months ago. Opss, got sidetrack!

What a good timing this morning before I left. I saw my neighbor (who I seldom but a trusted one) and took the opportunity to inform them about my travel out of the country. it's always a great idea to inform a trusted neighbor each time out of the country. Also, they keep eyes of the surroundings of my home. I am grateful to have good neighbors.

I am grateful to have....

....a mother who is always there..and I know that I am always in her fervent prayers. I like the zucchini or banana bread she always baked for me each time I travel. They are light and healthy! There's no other mother like my mom.

...father who always think about me each time I travel. Last night, i went to their home and he looked worried (as always) in my travel. I assured him that all will be safe. I am leaving away safely and returning back safely. He has been a great provider for the family.

...a sister who always ready each time I ask or request something, plus, she is just wonderful. She is a one-woman band...a single mom, a worker, a marathoner, a student. She is "strong."

...work which provides me opportunity to grow professionally and, of course, the economy it provides...and not to forget to mention...many days of vacation I have..and that's why I decided to be a teacher....hahahahaha. I do not like swing shifts, grave yard shifts and I need my Saturdays and Sundays as weekends. Thank you work.

...church where I belong. I have been at Prunedale United Methodist Church for almost 7 years now. It's a small parish and mostly elderly. I feel like I'm home surrounded by people with great "wisdom." I believe that wisdom comes with age as long as a person looks at life with full positive learning opportunities and open for constructive change.

...time to swim and time to workout. Swimming and working out has been parts of my daily routines no matter what. I've established sets of swimming and workout routines. I am a self-thought swimmer and each time I hit the water there is always something new to refine and practice and get better. In addition, the workout routines I've developed have been so encouraging for me. This makes my work out day a brand new one with eagerness each time I hit the gym. Swimming and working out do not make me tired because the benefits it gives me. On the other hand, working (as in job) gets tiring oftentimes. As the saying goes..."You work for someone when you work and you work for yourself when you workout. Do you see the analogy?

To be continued...about to land in Paris...

June 21, 2011 in the plane en route to Tel Aviv

Before boarding Air France bound to Tel Aviv, the screen by the Gate E15 says: "Certain country follows other security measures in entering their country. Our sincere thank you for following security formalities. Carry on luggage will be hold by the aircraft upon boarding." At first it was not clear to me. I observed what was going on. Luggages hand carried by passengers were tagged and stored as they present their boarding passes. I waited in line and they just let me go with my luggage as I presented my boarding pass. As I walked in towards the tunnel, I looked around and found some passengers were pulling their luggages to the plane. Woowhooo! I was spared. I always wanted to have my stuffs next to me so I will not think about it as I unboard the plane. This is another simple moment that I am very grateful. I said a prayer and silently uttered Joshua 1:9 ("Be strong and courageous, do not be discouraged nor dismayed. God is with you everywhere you go.")


almost time to land now.... In Tel Aviv, Israel!

To be continued .....



Photo taken in Beijing, China July 10, 2011







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