Buat para suami, jika istri dan mertua tidak akur siapakah yang harus dibela? Beberapa orang menjawab, istri yang harus dibela. Beberapa lainnya menjawab ibu yang harus dibela. Banyak juga yang berkata bahwa tidak ada yang harus dibela, kedua wanita itu adalah orang yang paling penting dalam kehidupan seorang pria.
Ya, kita berharap, seorang suami tidak pernah ada dalam pilihan sulit tersebut. Namun, kenyataannya dalam budaya apapun seringkali terjadi perselisihan antra istri dan mertua. Ini adalah kenyataan yang harus dihadapi bukan untuk dihindari.
Sebagai seorang istri, saya tidak pernah mendambakan ada orang lain yang ikut dalam bahtera rumah tangga yang telah kami ikrarkan berdua. Perahu pernikahan hanya bisa di tumpangi dua orang, Tiga menjadikannya terlalu sesak. Perahu itu kemungkinan besar akan tenggelam. Saya berharap suami saya menghormati komitmen sehidup semati yang telah diucapkannya, menjaga api cintanya, dan menjadikan saya ratu dalam hatinya.
Namun, sebagai seorang ibu dari dua orang anak-anak laki-laki, saya pun tidak bisa membayangkan jika kelak mereka akan membela orang lain (nb, istri-istri mereka) daripada saya : Ibu mereka. Tentu ini akan mengingatkan bagaimana sakitnya waktu mereggang nyawa untuk menghadirkan mereka ke dunia ini. Saat dimana jika ada pilihan, menyelamatkan nyawa sendiri atau bayi-nya seorang ibu akan berkata “selamatkan bayi saya saja!”. Ini juga akan mengigatkan bagaimana dalam membesarkan mereka saya harus bersusah payah. Ketika mereka sakit, doa seorang ibu seringkali adalah “Tuhan biarlah saya yang sakit dan jangan anak saya!.”
Bagaimana mengatasi masalah yang sangat lumrah kita jumpai dalam kehidupan kita sehari-hari ini dengan bijaksana. Seorang pria tidak perlu menyakiti satu dari wanita yang telah ditempatkan Tuhan untuk menjadikannya seorang manusia yang utuh.
1. Open Wide Your Eyes
Ketika saya bertanya, “Jika Mami kamu tidak setuju kita menikah, apa kamu akan tetap menikahi saya?” (Mami adalah orang tua tunggal suami saya). Suami saya menjawab, “Tidak”. Ini tentu adalah jawaban yang membuat saya shock. Kemana perginya kekutan cinta? Bukankan pernikahan adalah untuk kita buakan untuk orang tua kita?
Sekarang saya mengerti, bahwa pendirian suami saya adalah yang paling bijaksana bagi seseorang yang sedang mencari calon istri. Open wide your eyes. Buka mata lebar-lebar, demikian kita sering dinasihati orang tua sebelum mencari calon pasangan hidup. Doakan pilihan Anda dan biar Tuhan bekerja. Semua yang datang dari Tuhan akan mendatangkan damai sejahtera, termasuk dari calon mertua.
Saya sangat bangga dengan sikap calon mertua saya, yang dulu sangat ‘picky’ dalam menyeleksi menantu. Banyak yang kecewa karena tidak terpilih dan menganggap itu keterlaluan. Tapi saya rasa mereka salah kaprah, karena selama tujuh tahun pernikahan kami, mertua saya tidak pernah masuk campur urusan rumah tangga kami. Seakan-akan, tugasnya sebagai seorang ibu dalam kehidupan rumah tangga anaknya berakhir pada waktu kami mengikrarkan janji sebagai suami istri. Selanjutnya, beliau menjadi teman yang senantiasa mendukung rumah tangga baru yang kami bina.
2. Honor Your Commitment
Meskipun pengalaman saya cukup ideal, tidak semua orang mengalaminya. Banyak masalah dalam keluarga, termasuk konflik ibu dan istri. Suami yang lemah cenderung tunduk pada wanita yang lebih kuat mengontrolnya. Jika istrinya lebih kuat, jadilah dia ISTI (Ikatan Suami Takut Istri). Dan jika ibunya lebih kuat, jadilah ia ISTI (Ikatan Suami Takut Ibu).
Suami dan istri bukan lagi dua, namun mereka telah menjadi satu daging. Apa yang telah lebur menjadi satu dalam ikatan perjanjian di hadapan Tuhan tidak bisa dicampurkan lagi oleh unsur lainnya (aka keluarga). Dalam hal ini campuran yang telah menyatu tersebut tidaklah murni. Dan semua yang tidak murni mudah membusuk. Konflik antara ibu dan istri yang berkelanjutan akan menjadikan rumah tangga lebih rentan.
Inilah yang menyebabkan banyak rumah tangga retak dan menjadikan perceraian sebagai solusi. Perceraian meninggalkan luka di hati keduanya, belum lagi masalah yang harus dihadapi oleh anak-anak mereka. Pilihan ini adalah loose-loose
solution, dalam arti tidak ada yang diuntungkan kecuali master mind dari seluruh kekacauan di dunia ini : Satan.
Oleh karena itu, para kaum pria hormati komitmen yang telah Anda buat di hadapan Tuhan. Ikatan suami dan istri dibawah ‘covenant’ lebih kuat daripada ikatannya dengan saudara sekandung karena “Darah lebih kental dari susu”.
Hormati komitmen yang telah anda buat dengan sekuat tenaga. Menghormati sesuatu atau seseorang bukan berarti kita merendahkan yang lainnya. Demikian juga suami yang menghormati ikatan perjanjiannya bukan berarti ia merendahkan ikatan tali persaudaraannya. Menghormati justru akan menciptakan keseimbangan. Menghormati bukalah ‘favoritsm’ yang berdasakan pada alasan-alasan yang tidak solid. Menghormati menuntut kerendahan hati. Dan dimana ada kerendahan hati disana ada jalan keluar (Mazmur
25:9).
3. Move Out
Berikutnya, “For the goodness sake, move out from your parents’ house!”
Sebab itu seorang laki-laki akan meninggalkan ayahnya dan ibunya dan bersatu dengan isterinya, sehingga keduanya menjadi satu daging. (Kejadian 2:24)
Ini berarti sebelum berencana untuk menikah sebaiknya pasangan sudah bisa mandiri sehingga tidak bergantung pada orang tua terutama dalam hal mencukupi kehidupan sehari-hari. Jika baik pria maupun wanita masih bergantung pada orang tua untuk menafkai mereka, jangan berharap konflik rumah tangga akan diselesaikan dengan mudahnya. Konsekuensinya jika ada masalah akan melibatkan banyak orang sehingga membuatnya semakin rumit untuk diselesaikan. Seringkali orang tua yang merasa anaknya belum mandiri, otomatis akan memperlakukannya sebagai anak yang belum dewasa meskipun mereka telah menikah.
4. Grow Up
Sebagai orang tua kebahagiaan anak-anak saya merupakan kebahagiaan saya. Demikian juga kesusahan mereka adalah keusasah
saya. Seorang ibu yang menyaksikan bahwa rumah tangga anaknya harmonis dan bahagia tidak akan merepotkan diri untuk mencampuri urusan mereka. Mengatasi masalah suami istri dengan bijaksana akan membawa kedamaiaan bagi semua pihak.
Seorang pria seharusnya dapat menunjukkan bahwa ia telah dewasa dalam mengambil keputusan. Hindarkan diri untuk bertanya kepada ibu apa warna cat rumah atau jenis tehel apa yang paling baik. Biarkan hal-hal ini diputuskan bersama antara suami istri. Jangan pula meminta ibu anda untuk mengajari istri anda memasak atau membenahi rumah. Ini hanya akan membuat istri anda merasa tidak berharga dan membuat ibu anda merasa berkuasa. Terima istri anda apa adanya dan terima perbedaan-perbedaannya dengan ibu anda.
Jika terjadi perbedaan pendapat antara suami istri yang berakhir dengan pertengkaran, adalah tidak dewasa untuk mengadu kepada orang tua. Demikian juga istri jangan berkata, “Pulangkan saja aku ke rumah orang tuaku”. Biarlah apa yang terjadi dibalik pintu tertutup tetap berada disana. Orang tua yang mengetahui rumah tangga anaknya tidak harmonis akan merasa bersalah dan menuntunnya untuk masuk campur.
Jadi, adalah penting bagi suami dan istri untuk selalu bersikap dewasa dan saling menghargai. Diskusikan ha-hal utama dengan pasangan dan jagalah rahasia rumah tangga baik-baik.
5. Build Up Your Faith
Terkahir, meskipun hubungan suami istri adalah satu daging yang tidak terpisahkan, masih ada pribadi yang lebih penting dari keduanya, Dialah Tuhan.
Jawab Yesus kepadanya: “Kasihilah Tuhan, Allahmu, dengan segenap hatimu dan dengan segenap jiwamu dan dengan segenap akal budimu. Itulah hukum yang terutama dan yang pertama (Matius 22:37-38).
Mengasihi Tuhan dengan sepenuh hati memudahkan kita untuk mengasihi sesama. Memiliki iman dan bertumbuh di dalamnya membuat cinta dua sejoli ikut bertumbuh. Ketika masalah timbul dalam rumah tangga mereka cenderung mencari Tuhan bukan mencari kesalahan pasangannya.
Orang yang takut akan Tuhan, menjaga dirinya untuk tidak menyakiti orang lain termasuk pasangan hidupnya. Mendahulukan kehendak Tuhan dalam segala hal mendatangkan sukacita dan damai sejahtera. Sebab Tuhan tidak menghendaki kekacauan melainkan damai sejahtera (1 Korintus 14:33).
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
This coming year is a special year for those who committed themselves doing wonderful things for the Lord. A year of increasing and a year of fulfillment. Let not your vision be dimmed and your hope be weaken by obstacles and life’s challenges. God will help you, TURNING HURT INTO HOPE.
Yesterday my husband and I were listening to a radio program where hosts discussed about ‘Good Looking People Make More Money’. They said, based on a recent research, pretty people get paid 5% higher than their counterparts. Meanwhile, the ‘penalty’ for being ‘ugly’ will cost you 9% less of wage. Means that good looking people gets 14% more money compare to those who aren’t lucky enough to be pretty.
It was not surprising, in the world that becoming more and more materialistic, the extension of Hollywood Kingdom which power ruled over mass media and the arising of plastic surgery industry, beauty becoming the number one commodity now. It reported worth of hundreds of billion dollars a year.
Where did the “inner beauty” holders go now? Do they grow old and lost power? It’s quite discouraging, especially for people whose look fall from beauty standard.
One of the reason is, they argue, beautiful people have more self confidence; the quality that make them hired or get promoted. Fact says, beautiful people treated better from the society which gradually builds their self esteem. Of course, this study result after other factors such experience and education was taken out. Because over all, intelligence and talent still are the premium factors of one’s success.
What the Bible response to this motion?
The Bible clearly stated that people fell from grace and destroyed the Image of God (Rm 3:23). This is the primary reason why so many people have bad self esteem and rely on physical appearance to be accepted. Once a person met Jesus and his/her self image restored, he/she will not looking toward his/her self the same again (Rm 3:24-25).
Initially, all the creation of God is unique and beautiful. Not only we are special delivery on the earth, but we are also specifically customized for a purpose. Finding that purpose and living with it is far more important than having big eyes and pointed nose. Once we are driven by the purpose of God in our lives suddenly the physical appearance not become a factor anymore.
As a normal human being, let say, I also like to see beautiful and handsome people. They caught my eyes, attracted me to know them more or just to be present around them. But many times, I found, those people are not as attractive as they should be. Some handsome men are self consumed and some beautiful women are selfish, thinking that the earth rotating to their own being. Those kinds of people trashed their beauty because they have not enough good personality to hold it tight.
Vice versa, I’ve met unattractive people -well, at least, when it measured by universal standard-, whose personality captured my heart. Their intelligence, talent, interpersonal skill, religious view, are speaking out loud, that they are indeed beautiful people. These kinds of people that I want to be surrounded with forever.
Therefore, for those who feel out casted because of their look, meet Jesus and let Him restored your self image. Second, develop yourself, get more education and experience, know more makes you feel better. Finally, don’t stop growing inside; means determine to be a better person in personality and character as part of your life process.
Have you read Turning Hurt Into Hope? Get it on Metanoia, Gramedia or Other Christian Book Store in Indonesia. Or buy it online, here.
Bab 1 adalah pendahuluan yang memberikan gambaran umum apa yang dihadapi orang terluka kebanyakan berisi kesaksian penulis.
Saat saya membaca dari bab ke bab boleh diistilahkan saya seperti hanyut larut didalamnya, seperti org kehausan saat kita di padang pasir, buku juga demikian demikian saya rasakan , dibab Pertama, misalnya seperti apa yang Kak Nancy alami di tinggalkan org terkasih, tersayang yang banyak memberikan inpirasi dalam kehidupan kita, yaitu Daddy kita…
…pada intinya, isi dari buku tulisan Kak Nancy ini, banyak sekali emosi, permasalahan apa yang pernah saya alami, dan buku ini sangat membantu membagkitkan, menguatkan keimanan saya, di Bab 2, sayapun pernah mengalami penjara emosi, yang sama yang dialami, teman Kak Nancy, yang tertuang di buku… (Rima, Korea)
Salom, dengan bercucuran air mata priska secara pribadi sangat bersukur karena semua yg ada dalam buku ini,itu adalah masa lalu saya,saya diingatkan dari bab ke bab,saya renungkan,setiap bab yg saya baca Yesus membimbing saya secara pribadi dan diberi pengertian secara pribadi,banyak buku yg tlah saya baca,tapi setelah saya mengenal Yesus,bertobat,.. (Priska, Hong Kong)
Buku yang luar biasa! waktu pertama kali buku ini sampai di Korea dan Ps.Nando kasih buku itu ke saya, begitu pulang saya langsung baca buku sampai habis. So excited to read ur book. Sampai sekarangpun masih ada bagian yg saya baca berulang2. Buku yang sangat simple penuh dengan kesaksian dan kisah nyata yg mudah dimengerti namun sangat powerful and somehow I felt that it is same with my experience. Surely, buku yg sangat memberkati hidup saya. Dari buku itu, saya merasa lebih mengenal Kak Nancy~ pengalaman dan kesaksian hidup yg benar2 dipakai oleh Tuhan untuk menjadi berkat dan inspirasi buat banyak orang. (Johanes, Korea)
Wow K’nan. Luar biasa, Great Job, buku ini bukan sekedar buku tapi menjadi inspiration 4 me, to be honest bab pertama ini banyak meneguhkan saya . Dgn kehidupan yg saya alami kebanyakan use my emotion, apslagi di hongkong ini. Many times i fail, baik my job,my relationship with boyfriend..buat i realize, kalau sebenernya saya gak merasa puas dgn apa yg ada padaku. N baca bku ini aku ,di berkati banget and meneguhkan aku kembali. Thanks God,and bravo k’nan.@ Amazing Job. (Meyni, Hong Kong)
What a Powerfull Book i ever read K’nancy!!
Humm….Sometimes gw Screaaaaaaam kebawa Emosi juga..hahhaa
Coz..theres so many story there yg Gw ngalamin sendiri!
pengen Banget give for My fam,,but wait penulis pe tandatangan!hikzz…(Wanda, Hong Kong)
Tags: THIH
Playing and eating for adults are totally different in meaning. We don’t do them at the same time. But for 2 years old Matthew, they are just the same things. What we view as playing with his food he is actually eating it.
He squeezed his cheese, blended it with cereal and cookies before put them into his mouth. I gazed and going like “uegh, it’s disgusting!” I thought, I have to teach this little boy eating manner. And when he spilled his milk on the table and licking it, I thought he urgently needs a lesson to be a good human. He didn’t eat with the same manner each time and always invented a new creative way on how to fill his stomach.
It took a while before I withheld any judgment, pretending nothing happen and continue my reading on “Childhood Wounds” which gave me a glance inside the mind of a little child. After sometime, when I got back to look at him, he almost finishes the breakfast. A slice of cheese, a glass of milk, a handful of cereal and 2 pieces of cookies. He was doing all right.
If I just diminish the “graphic motion” on how he ate them, he became a truly responsible young boy and capable human being, with his breakfast.
Turning Hurt Into Hope is my first book about how to utilize hurt to produce hope and brighter future. It took several months for me for writing and editing before submitted it to the Publisher. I am very greatful for receiving God’ s favor through this book. I didn’t experience a “New Author Syndrome” with many rejections from Publisher. I am glad to get connected to one of the largest Christian Publishing House in Indonesia. Thank for the Director, Editors and all staff of Metanoia.
The book now first will be distributed in Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia and several other countries. It will be available in most Christian Book Store all over the Archipelago. Hopefully, you would not miss it.
more about this book, click here
Buku pertama saya Turning Hurt Into Hope berbicara bagaimana memanfaatkan penderitaan untuk menghasilkan pengharapan dan masa depan yang cerah. Menulis dan mengedit buku ini membutuhkan waktu beberapa bulan sebelum diserahkan ke penerbit. Saya bersyukur tidak mengalami “Sindroma Penulis Baru” dengan penolakan di sana sini. Saya senang karena bisa bekerja sama dengan penerbit Kristen ternama di Indonesia.
Buku ini akan didistribusikan di Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia dan beberapa negara lainnya. Buku ini juga akan tersedia di toko-toko buku Kristen seluruh nusantara. Semoga Anda bisa mendapatkannya.
Parents, teachers be careful before you set a rule! Please kindly observe the children developmental stage, cultural background and social stereotype before do so.
When God gave me the opportunity to teach elementary students in an International School, there were many things I wanted to change immediately. One of them is to make the students speaks only English in the classroom. Almost all the students speaking in their mother tongue and totally ignore the Student Conduct Code they recite every morning: “I will speak only English in the school”
I decided to make a shortcut rule and told them “Children if you speak any other sentence beside English in my class, you will get one mark in your cheek” I said while holding a board marker and let everybody see it.
Soon my rule becomes famous. Most of them paid serious attention, thinking it is fun and in the same way, shameful.
I teach all the way from grade 2 to 6. After sometime I realized that the children at their level perceive the rule differently.
Grade 1 and 2: OBEDIENT
They fervently obey the rule and trying many efforts to communicate in English with me. They are lovely and cute, crowned me to be a proud teacher.
Grade 3 and 4: RULE IS RULE
Basically they still have this sincere obedience but they also give no compromise. When a new little girl later joining our class they wanted the same rule to be applied to her. I was reluctant because she was the only girl, small, quiet and shy. Look like she just knows little English.
The boys, bigger and stronger caught her uttered some non English sentences and demanding me to punish her. This situation reminded me when the crowd demanded Pontius Pilate to crucify Jesus. ):
They also caught me and forced me to cross my own cheek when I, myself failed to speak non-English sentence. They made me to be a confuse teacher, the victim of my own words. LOL.
Grade 5 and 6: REBELION
They deliberately rebel to the rule. When I took action to execute one boy, he refused it. I physically and verbally lost in the battle.
At the other time when I marked a girl, she cried. I came to her and apologized.
This situation paralyzed and nailed my pride. I am a shameful to my own rule. LOL
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The term development refers to how people grow, adapt and change over the course of their lifetimes. Effective teaching strategies must take into account student’s ages and stages development. That is every parent and teacher desire to give maximum impact to their children or student life without losing their own power and control.
Learning about Child Development has been a rewarding moment for me because of my passion for the children education and welfare. Besides, I am also mothering two smart little boys.
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to you children and to their children after them. (Deut 4:9)
Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. (Prov 17:6)
Learn more about Children Development:
Child’s developmental Stages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_development_stages
Child Developmental Tracker
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopment/
Child Developmental Info
http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/index.htm
Children Developmental Milestone
http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/devmile.htm
My family was in a hotel room in Semarang to attend our denominational conference when I first heard about Michael Jackson death. For us, it was a special day because we are celebrating my husband birthday too. Right away I intended to write something about what I know or feel about his sudden death, but till today, more than two weeks, I could not move my fingers to write a thing. The more I learn about MJ death, life and the world’s reaction, the less word I have to say. As a mother and pastor I have no clue what wisdom 
should we learned by now.
Undoubtedly Michael has most appealing life’s story and probably the most misunderstood person in this planet. Many accused him of his sexual allegations and bizarre appearance. The allegations were acquitted legally then but left scars on people’s heart. There are continually pros and cons about the truth behind. I will not buy the otherwise than MJ was innocence so far. I believe that how people wanted to comprehend MJ is play a big role. Most of them failed in the first place. The death of MJ and how the world mourns for him make it more obvious.
In some of MJ’s private home video in Youtube, we learn how loving and caring MJ as a father. He shows love and care to his children, better than most of normal people do. He speaks softly. He embarrasses when talk about something un-traditional. To my surprise, MJ appears more conservative than most of the Hollywood celebrities.
In addition, what was not been exposed enough is MJ’s humanitarian work that more than any other artists. He participated in around 39 charities, produced millions of dollars for helping the underprivileged people around the world, taking time to visit hospitals and orphanages and brought gifts for the children. The action may to compensate the painful he has been enduring inside.
He earned the title “King of Pop”, “The Best Entertainer in the World” and “The Best Recording Artist” in history. Speaking of talent MJ is second to no one.
Beside the look and drug abuse, he may be a perfection
MJ carried on a difficult childhood. He lost most of his childhood time due to performing and rehearsing. He was physically and emotionally abused by his father or by people surrounds him who took benefit out of his talent. He is developmentally arrested in 10 years old (some says), trying to recapture his missing childhood and never let it go by being grown up.
He was prodigious as a child, most people would agree with that. When he was a child he sings, dances, feels, better than an adult. But as a grownup he behaves, weeps, plays like a little child. He was an ‘adult-child’ then and became ‘child-adult’ when he grew up. That when prodigy turns to tragedy.
He was also diagnosed with lupus and vitiligo (skin disorder), the curse added to his fame.
Rather than understanding or learn from his life, people made money by mocked and ridiculed him. Exposing MJ’s weirdness and bizarre life seem to feed the need of some people who love his talent but hate his fortune.
MJ is an example of extreme gifted person. A genius by the divine appointment. I believe there is a purpose of God to place such person on the earth. Not all of them ended their life victoriously; indeed, some were remembered end tragically. Giftedness may turn to tragic when we misuse it. That also what happened to William James Sidis, the most intelligent person ever alive, who died at 46 after endure a strenuous life between a desire to be normal and the social pressure of what should come up from a genius.
It is difficult for the rest of our society to understand those who are gifted. They may appear eccentric and weird. Their thoughts are not fit to what majority people could conceive. They are sensitive because they feel, think and know deeper. They are by nature being alienated due to their strengths. And most of us don’t really realize it until the time we lost them. That what came to light when my eccentric and dysfunctional father passed away. The time, I realized, how big I misunderstood his life, love, and behavior. I just wanted to have a normal daddy but when you have a gifted one in the family you don’t expect for 
normalcy.
The other reason why MJ is so fragile emotionally may because of his lack of religious foundation. We know the he was raised in Jehova Witness family and later involved in other sects such as Kabala and Nation of Islam. He was unstable and need spiritual direction. He seemed vulnerable to any kind of spiritual teaching. What he needed then is a genuine love and care.
I never know if there any attempt of Christian group or person to approach him and give what he need the most: A salvation assurance. An assurance that we are accepted. An assurance of restoration our distorted self image. An assurance of the eternal life. The work that only Jesus Christ, the Son of God alone could offer. The One that able to turn hurt into hope.
It maybe the ignorance -like what MJ said in one of the interview- that allows such a tragic end happen in our society. The ignorance of the media, the consumers and the viewers. Also the ignorance of the Christians who are confined to their four walls castle. There are many special people that need special attention around us. Some of them look normal and some look alien. They may apart from our tradition and religious values. What they need the most is what we receive for granted: the Grace.
Tags: Arti Hidup, Entertainment, Michael Jacskson
Are you afraid of growing old? Some of the young and modern women probably will say yes. Long line ladies and girls crammed skin care clinics in order to slow down aging or reverse their youth in major cities of Indonesia. The recent government announcement to withdraw some 70 dangerous cosmetics and skin care products wide distributed in the archipelagos gives no shocking to this crowd. Some people overlook the hazardous side effects because of a desire to get instant and visible younger look.
The precedent is far more obvious in South Korea, the country that earned “the plastic surgery kingdom” name. The inconvenient feeling of Korean women mostly with their eyes, nose and chin gives enormous revenues to this field. A report from Cholsun Ilbo (the nation English Newspaper) says there are more than 400 plastic surgery and dermatologist clinics spread in Kangnam District alone. This area become ground that attract young and mid-age ladies not only from the country but elsewhere outside Korea. Japan, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia are some of the countries that contribute to the Korean Economic through the beauty businesses. In the time of economic crisis, when many industrial companies gravely wounded, the plastic surgery is one way to boost national income by lure medicals tourists.
Why it is become such a trend in our modern life? Why for some people looks and appearance becoming major assets to set a self identity? Isn’t it something that we can’t hold for eternity?
If someone asks me whether or not I share the same fear of growing old, I will honestly answer yes. But for a different reason. It is not the wrinkles or sagging skin that feared me the most. What fear me the most is growing old without getting wise. Gain nothing but age from the nature. Learn nothing but failures from the school of life. Finding myself, 20-30 years from now in the corner of a nursery house helplessly regretted the past.
My life is yield to the purpose of God. I have more concern to the poverty in our society, lack of education and opportunities in children, moral crisis in youngsters, emotionally and physically hurt in families. I am starving to be significant, motivational and inspirational by how I handle life’s crisis and survive from difficult trials. That’s what drives my life. That’s what makes me afraid of getting old. I wonder if I have enough time to fulfill my destiny. I am worry of spending my time out of target.
Beauty will fade, riches will decay, flesh will decompose but deeds remain ever after.
Are you ready for the end?
Have you packed your clothes and booked a spaceship that will bring you to another planet?
How the end of the world will come?
Will it be demolished by the World War III? Look at the negotiation between North Korea and USA that failed. Nothing can stop the reclusive communist country to do what they want, to reign the full power nuclear seat. This is the next test to Obama administration after gradually brought its nation recover from economic crisis. But the risk is no way to compare. The fail of USA economic will result in depression but the fail of diplomacy with NK will most probably exterminate my life (I live in South Korea) and yours (if you are living in this planet).
There will be no winner or loser. The only curtain that separate peace and war, life and death is humility. When pride comes, then 
comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom (Proverb 11:2, NIV). The poisonous pride and arrogance will destroy this planet and humankind but those who have wisdom will avoid a harmful action.
But that isn’t the only way we’ll meet our end. How about Global Warming? Go to Al Gore and ask more about it. He must be busy to save two of his staffs detained in North Korea right now, but at least you can watch his award winning movie “The Inconvenient Truth”. It tells that without participate in serious actions, the humankind perhaps will sink in the 2nd floodwaters when the arctic meltdown. If not the rainbow that remind us about God’s promise to not let the world destroyed in such event -Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again (Genesis 9:11), we will believe that is how the end comes.
Enviromentalists say the only ways to prolong the age of this planet are by mitigation (reducing further emission), adaptation (reduce the damage) and geoengineering (to reverse)* The procedures used by many women to fight aging. Let say mitigation is using anti aging cream, adaptation is having botox injection and geoengineering is face-lifting. While maintaining a younger look will not give us extra years but we are hopeful that the similar effort can prevent the world from dying young.
These two are not the only ways intelligent people think will destroy the earth. Astronomers have other concern rather than World War and Global Warming because they believe the universe will find its destiny in the same way it came to exist, by a big bang. They live to believe that the earth will collide with another planets and they get paid well to prove it.
Recently a striking phenomenon emerges. Experts believe a stellar explosion will soon happen in our galaxy. A star named Betelgeuse which very close to the earth is shrinking and will apparently cause another supernova. A supernova can radiate enormous energy that the sun could emit over its life span. Of course it will cause more damage than North Korean, Iran and all the earth’s nuclear weapon combined. Compare to this blast, suddenly the World War III is seems just like a game. It means that migration to another planet is not an option too.
Whether these are facts or myths, all to remind that we are mortal. Even the most intelligent people think that our lives are vulnerable. Therefore we must humbly accept the existence of the Ultimate Being that prevail our mortality. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:11), and how it will end? I believe we are the generation to see.
* source: wikipedia
