Life's Simple Pleasures

One of life's pleasure is to travel overseas where you get to experience life in a different geography and social milieu. Even amidst the coronavirus pandemic, there are other life's pleasures which could be had at your home country such as listening to music, visiting art galleries, playing sports, engaging in outdoor activities and enjoying your meals.

With due appreciation, one of life's most sublime pleasure would be taking the time to have your meals. Maybe you have been super busy and had to rush through or perhaps even skip your meals.

May you find the time and rediscover afresh the simple pleasure of really enjoying your meals unhurriedly. If you are in Singapore, here are some relatively inexpensive meals you could have at hawker centres or kopi tiams (coffee shops). 

Fish head bee hoon soup

Chicken curry noodle

Yong tau foo

For an elaborate feast, then you might wanna consider the quintessential Singapore chilli crab.

Click here for a recipe on how to cook it by Violet Oon.

While we are hot off the wok, let Mark Wien enthuse you with garlic noodle dungeness crab from Los Angeles.

Click here for Garlic Noodles DUNGENESS CRAB!! 🦀 TOP SECRET Family Recipe - San Francisco Crab Tour!!

 

No More Lonely Nights

For working adults, the general mood from Mondays to Thursdays tends to be sombre and pensive. 

Friday nights are a turnaround though and the weekends would be the cause for the celebration.

On a recent Friday night as I walked by some pubs and eateries along Boat Quay and Circular Road, the place was abuzz with people chatting their hearts out. They seemed so carefree and could be overheard pouring out what concerns them or just making merry with laughter at the slightest of triggers.

Yes, it could be due to the weekends, drinks, food or atmosphere. Save for the few loners, the rest of the crowd have at least one companion to interact with. I surmise that it is the self-validation that they are getting from their human listener that makes them happy and free to let loose their feelings of whatever is on their mind.

If they were to chat with a basketball placed in front of them with a drawn face or an autobot on their mobile, the chemistry would be far-cry inferior to human interaction. 

Loneliness is real when we don't have anyone or a good buddy to chat with. A pet such as a dog or cat could offer some respite and distraction from social disassociation. People need people for, inter alia, self-validation  -- they want to be heard and understood, and at a deeper level -- accepted and loved.

If you do not have any family member, relative, colleague, ex-classmate or friend you can relate to meaningfully, don't despair. Practise mindfulness and experience yourself being fully alive and at peace with yourself.

As gleaned from various sources: Go to your favourite chair or place and sit down. You could have some congenial music such as Mozart or jazz playing in the background. Lift up your hands or place them on your thighs. 

Then, take a deep breadth and feel the air filling up your lungs fully, and then exhale. Repeat a few more times and you will find refreshing to your mind and pivot with new thoughts or ideas. 

Corollary to this state of relaxation, you are now in a good place of being still and getting in touch with your inner self and opening the gateway to the Creator of this universe -- God Himself. In Him you will find the purpose and meaning of your life beyond what can be found through human interaction alone.

People will come and go in your life as you journey from one station to another over the times and seasons of life. But, when you are in touch with your inner person and your Creator, you would no longer feel lonely and listless.

At the end of each day, every person would be alone and there would not be another human around. To find the solace of inner peace, everyone needs to be in touch with his or her inner self and make space for communion with God.

Even when you are alone at Christmas, which is the most wonderful time of the year, you will feel okay as you can overcome loneliness and despondency by being still and connecting with your inner self and God Himself.

Have a Merry Christmas and Wonderful New Year!

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing.

The Importance of Clarity

Clarity is important in life. When we write clearly, our readers would be able to understand what we meant. Similarly, when we speak clearly, our listener would be able to comprehend what we are saying.

When work processes are clear, the workers would be able to undertake their tasks confidently and productively.

If we have a clear view of life's priorities and non-negotiables, we will be able to make sound decisions that would simplify life for us.

Oh, yes, we also need to be able see clearly to move around and go about living our best life yet. That's where eyewear would play am important part for those who have less than perfect vision.

Guess what is the most outstanding element of this picture?

The boy looks smart with neatly-combed hair and dashing in a suit. "Myopia" on the newspaper is also a standout.

I find that the most outstanding feature is the clear lenses fitted on the pair of spectacles. Essilor has certainly makes it point clearly with this advertisement.

Gift Ideas from LEGO

The folks at Lego are not lacking in ideas to create a whole new world with their signature bricks.

If you wanna build a Ferrari without any background in engineering, you may do so with the following pick:-

For an Adidas shoe that that will never wear out, then this would be a lasting good choice:-

You can have a piece of both history and movie with Titanic as follows:-

For a piece of office relic which would bring back memories of how far we have come in terms of innovation and productivity, then Typewriter would make for a great conversation piece:-

The fun is in the building of these products. For those who just wanna enjoy the finished products, I wonder if Lego could offer such a service directly or indirectly through a pool of freelancers, if not already made available.

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing.

What is the first name to chocolate?

Chocolates are still faring well even as society steers away from other sweet bites like sweets, toffees and jelly beans with their high content of sugar.

Chances are you will be having more chocolates around this time of the year as they make for excellent gifts which would come your way one way or another.

Which name comes first to you when you think of chocolate? Some giveaway names would be Cadbury, Delfi, Ferrero Rocher, Fry's, Ghirardelli, Godiva, Guylian, Hershey's, KitKat, Kandos, Lindt & Sprüngli, M&M, Mars and Toblerone.

Let's turn to Wikipedia and be reminded of Van Houten:-

"In 1828 Casparus van Houten Sr. (and not his son, who is usually credited) patented an inexpensive method for pressing the fat from roasted cocoa beans. The center of the bean, known as the "nib", contains an average of 54 percent cocoa butter, which is a natural fat. Van Houten's machine – a hydraulic press – reduced the cocoa butter content by nearly half. This created a "cake" that could be pulverized into cocoa powder, which was to become the basis of all chocolate products.

The introduction of cocoa powder not only made creating chocolate drinks much easier, but also made it possible to combine the powder with sugar and then remix it with cocoa butter to create a solid, already closely resembling today's eating chocolate.

In 1838 the patent expired, enabling others to produce cocoa powder and build on Van Houten's success, experimenting to make new chocolate products. In 1847 English chocolate maker J. S. Fry & Sons produced arguably the first chocolate bar. Later developments were in Switzerland, where Daniel Peter introduced milk chocolate in 1875 and Rodolphe Lindt made chocolate more blendable by the process of conching in 1879.

:

Coenraad Van Houten introduced a further improvement by treating the powder with alkaline salts (potassium or sodium carbonates) so that the powder would mix more easily with water. Today, this process is known as "Dutching". The final product, Dutch chocolate, has a dark color and a mild taste."

This is a shout-out to the Van Houtens father and son team for creating the underlying process for making chocolates and bringing forth this popular delectable product. 

As you enjoy Van Houten's chocolate in this modern times, you will appreciate the rich history and significance behind its name.

Back to the question, Daily Refreshing is of the view that Van Houten would be the fitting first name to chocolate.

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing.

 

Fresh Take on Singapore by Ghib Ojisan

From what I have gathered through his popular Vlogs, Ghib Ojisan has lived in Japan, the United States and now Singapore. He has married a Singaporean wife and has been living here for just under three years.

Through his postings on YouTube and other media channels, he will help you suss out the wonders of all things Japanese (especially food) in Singapore. He will also offer you snippets of life in Singapore as well as his travel overseas. 

Photo by Jisun Han on Unsplash

If you have time on hand, sit back, relax and go on a virtual tour with Ghib and enjoy what he has curated for us. Trust that you will find them refreshing!

Click here for One of the Most Rare Japanese Restaurants in Singapore! TUNA(Maguro) Izakaya  

Click here for I've Found The BEST Char Kway Teow in Singapore

Click here for Sentosa Cove Insider Tour

Click here for I Spent Two Days at Singapore’s Secret Island

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing. 

Happy Holidays 2021!

Things are looking up as overseas travel is seeing the light of day and all the merrier around Christmas -- the most wonderful time of the year.

All that pent-up urge to travel can now be assuaged, but make sure your passport is still valid for more than six months from the expiry date.

This is also the time when even the nights are brighter.

Click here for Orchard Road Christmas Light Up 2021 - Christmas in Bloom [4K]

Make Over Your Mindset with Mary Kate

Chances are that you would have seen the initials "MK" a lot on handbags and shoes, in particular, by Michael Kors.

Besides looking good on the outside, you might wanna consider "MK" (Mary Kate) for your inner wellbeing. She majors in the Law of Attraction by providing you with the ins and outs of how to change your mindset through feeding your subconscious mind with the affirmative stuffs to make this law works for you.

Photo by Alysha Rosly on Unsplash

Her definitive mantras for you include the the following:

"I AM CERTAIN that ... ."

"I KNOW AND TRUST THAT I AM WORTHY OF HAVING WHAT I WANT, namely,... ."

"I AM OPEN AND READY FOR FINANCIAL ABUNDANCE."

"IT ALWAYS WORK OUT FOR ME. EVERYTHING IS RIGGED IN MY FAVOR."

These slogans in themselves are not magical, but she gives you some background information on how the brain is wired and goes to great length explaining why you can indeed empower your brain to invoke the law of attraction.

Click here for The Ultimate Law of Attraction Hack | WORKS FAST! 

Click here for Say THIS Before Bed to MANIFEST WHILE YOU SLEEP | Law of Attraction

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing. All the best to you in your makeover.

Be Empowered by Letting It Go

Are you carrying something that you should be letting go?

Things like unforgiveness, hurts, bitterness and anger which are toxic and would poison your dreams, happiness and attitude towards everything in life. 

Over time people would tend to mellow with age as they gain more experiences in life and wise up (hopefully) to let go of things that hurt themselves. Don't be an angry bird no more.

Photo by Jeremy Hynes on Unsplash

Listen to the following message by Pastor Joel Osteen, which includes an anecdote on how the strong eagle lost the battle to a mole that it was carrying. Learn to soar with wings like an eagle instead.

Click here for Let It Go | Joel Osteen

The Power to Change

You have the power to change the world, but you might wanna start small by changing yourself first. So, what do you want to change about your life?

Some people (not you, of course) don't seem to know what they want in life and they are blown about by the whirls and twirls of trends in social media, fashion, celebrity lifestyle and so forth without charting their own course.

Others (not you, of course) know what they want but never really got down to doing it after a flash in the pan ''I will" declaration. Take action and let's get this jargon on some t-shirts soon -- "I'm rolling good".

Yes, you can be a neat and tidy person without a KonMari certification. Get rolling, starting from now. As Marie Kondo would tell you, “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.” (Note: Reader's discretion is required. There are certainly things which may not "spark joy" but you keep them such as first-aid box, toolbox, washing machine, insurance policies and legal documents.) 

Do you want to be a comedian, seriously? Why not? You can if that's your natural talent which you have been able to nurture into a self-sustaining passion. Start spreading your brand of humour like what Steve Harvey says: "I'm going to take this God-given gift of being funny, and I'm going to spread it out like peanut butter on everything I do."

Changing the way you look is a sure-fire of changing people's perception of you and may indelibly influence them to treat you better. Some of these attributes would be your posture and gait, confidence level and whether you are well dressed (doesn't have to be expensive or over the top). Hey, even a new hairdo could work wonders. 

All of the aforesaid external manifestations are a reflection of the changes in your thinking to take charge of your life and create a more fulfilling life. 

It is never too late to change. Who knows, if Colonel Harland Sanders had started KFC earlier, his younger self could have been the poster for his restaurants the world over.

Get started and start rolling.

What Makes You Happy?

“It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” -- Dale Carnegie

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Answer: It is what you think about.

So guard your thoughts and choose wisely what you think about. Your happiness depends on it.

Stop Procrastinating : Go forth with TA-DA

When we procrastinate we keep putting things off and end up with loads of unfinished business.

                               Photo by Brandon Lopez on Unsplash

One effective way to get things done is to use the TA-DA formula (Think/Ask/ Decide/Act) as outlined in "The Power of Focus" written by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt.

1. Think

Take a look at your station in life and list out all the things you wanna get out of the way so that you can live your life more abundantly. For example, what is keeping you from enjoying your weekends or holidaying in Hawaii? 

Then prioritise the list so that you can focus on the top few items.

2. Ask 

Having decided on what to focus on, then gather as much relevant information as you could so that you could get all the help you need. 

Internet resources such as Google and YouTube could well provide you with sound advice from the world over. Or, just go check with an expert in person through your contacts. You will be amazed by the natural outlandish talents that different people have. What seem like a mountain to you might only be a molehill to someone else.

For example, you might think that Lersida is an invincible champion fighter and no one would not be able defeat him. But, Gabriel Varga had trained with a game plan and showed that it can be done.

Click here for How I Beat "The Most Evasive Muay Thai Champion Today"

3. Decide

This is the biggie tipping point. Make your decision and don't look back! Move forward as you already have an arsenal of good reasons for getting this done. You have a backbone for your decision and you are not going to back down.

Click here for How To Make Better Decisions - 12 Decision Making Tips

4. Act

Take the first step and repeat regularly till the momentum gathers. For example, start with ten sit-ups a day and you would be able to reach 100 or even 300 daily over time.

Maybe you have decided to run with your two hands. Go for it!

Click here for The fastest man on two hands - Guinness World Records

Don't remain status quo. Rather keep learning and grow.

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing.

Eat the Fruit of Your Words

 Your tongue is like the rudder of a ship. Be careful with what you say as it would chart the course of your life.

The good news is that you have control over the rudder of your life.

Speak the good stuffs and you will eat the good fruit of your words.

Click here for Keep Speaking Victory | Joel Osteen

Jonathan Antoine - A Superstar is Born

 "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men." - Proverbs 18:16 (KJV)

If Jonathan Antoine had not taken the step to join Britain's Got Talent (BGT) in 2012, it is anybody's guess if he will ever be transformed. 

At BGT, Jonathan together with his singing partner, Charlotte, brought the house down and received the validation that changed his life for the greater good as he realised that his gift can make a difference. Best of all, he has found his gifting and learn to flow with it.

Click here for Opera duo Charlotte & Jonathan - Britain's Got Talent 2012 audition - UK version

Click here for Jonathan Antoine - Parla Piu Piano (The Godfather Theme)

  

Taking Rubik's Cube to a New Level

As gleaned from Wikipedia: 

"The Rubik's Cube is a 3-D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. Originally called the Magic Cube, the puzzle was licensed by Rubik to be sold by Ideal Toy Corp. in 1980 via businessman Tibor Laczi and Seven Towns founder Tom Kremer. Rubik's Cube won the 1980 German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle. As of January 2009, 350 million cubes had been sold worldwide making it the world's bestselling puzzle game and bestselling toy."

It's a good day to be a sculptor and enjoy the possibilities of seeing how far your handiwork could go.

Well, while most of us are still trying to master the Rubik's cube, others have been taking part in competition to solve the puzzle in the shortest time.

And, some few have taken to juggling and solving it, concurrently. That's masterclass!

Click here for He JUGGLED and SOLVED 3 Rubik's cubes! - Guinness World Records

Click here for How to Solve a 3x3 Rubik's Cube In No Time | The Easiest Tutorial

 

Watching Clouds Go By

The weather in Singapore has been overcast of late. Today (18/09/2021) is different as the sky is bright and blue. However, a blue canvass in itself would be rather staid.

The magic begins when the fluffy cotton-like clouds appear and paint the sky white silently. If we remain cooped up at home or in our workplace, we would have missed the ever-shifting spectacle as the wind fashions the shape of the clouds in unique and never-the-same formation.

Besides taking time to smell the roses, you could take a spin with 'watching the clouds go by'.

Here is a sample for your refreshing:-

Click here to view the gallery of clouds from The Cloud Appreciation Society which might just take you to cloud nine.

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing.

Read Literature

Unlike the gamut of mass media blast which are mere news and gossips to prick our senses, literature ("Lit") is food for our soul as with movies, music, theatre and other forms of entertainment. 

Reading Lit allows us to immerse ourselves into the world of the characters in the story and engages us to identify with them as they deal with situations and relate to other people in the story which reflect what could happen in real life. It helps us to reflect and understand what it means to be human -- our strengths, weaknesses, foibles, inclinations, potential and blind spots.

Read local as well as foreign Lit because each country consists not only of concrete buildings, farmlands, factories and other infrastructure, but also a collective soul of people who share a set of norms or manner of life that is unique. This will help us to appreciate and understand people at home and overseas better.

The following two Singapore Lit are used as illustrations as they are what I have picked recently from a local library.

In "The Teenage Textbook" (This book is for teenagers from 11 to 81.) written wittily by Adrian Tan, you will discover that Singapore has its own four seasons and why the alternative title of this book is: "The Melting of the Ice Cream Girl". And, you are sure to remember this character for a long time to come along with his full name and credentials: Dr E Sopramaniam, MA (East Anglia), PhD (Calcutta). That is just a spoonful of appetizer. Read the book unless you are un-teenager of age. 

The second book "Balik Kampung 3B" (Balik Kampung is translated into English as: Going Home, or Going Back to Village/Heartland) is a collection of "nine exciting tales that will deepen your appreciation of three eastern and six western locations of Singapore and give you fresh insights about the human condition". 

For example, in the story "Sayang" (translated into English as: 1. Love; and 2. Pity) written by Joey Chin and Wong Hongyi, you will feel the struggle that Chuan, who hailed from China to work as a cleaner in Singapore, faces. In another story, "Mrs Gupta  and the Squeaky Trolley" written by Pooja Nansi, you will learn how Mrs Gupta and her husband, who came from India to work with a computer firm, never turned back and made Singapore their home. Her squeaky shopping trolley that day irritated her as with the two young adult foreign Indians whom she overheard criticizing her beloved home country. What happened next? Go read the book.

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing.

  

Stay Amazed

Even as I look around my room, I am infused with wonder that we have come a long way from caves and treehouses. When we are sheltered from the elements and living comfortably, we might be inclined to take for granted the amenities that we enjoy such as lighting, ventilation and clean water. 

And, toilets which save us from going to the bushes.

Swanky photo of a public toilet near a MRT station

Not to mention the table, chair, cupboard, bed, computer, mobile phone, refrigerator, clothing, shoes (yes, we all have more than a pair of shoes), and so forth.

Let us be thankful for the tangible things that God-given ability in humanity have been able to produce thus far by harnessing from our natural environment. We do well to take care of our natural environment for future sustainability.

 

Coolest Toothpick Dispenser

This is the coolest toothpick dispenser that I have seen thus far.

I had my reservations that this contraption would actually work.

As you press the head of the bird, the drawer containing the toothpick opens while its beak reaches downward.

And, whaddaya know, the bird and its manufacturer have dispelled my doubts.

Good job, birdy! 

Cool Coconuts Are Hot In Singapore

Coconuts have been around for the longest time and while there is a dearth of coconut plantation in Singapore, there is no shortage of supply to keep us going nuts over it from the shores of Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

If you want to have the real McCoy and do-it-yourself, then you would need to get hold of a parang and learn to use it like a pro before you go and cut up the coconut (without risking injury or endangering others).

For fuss-free coconut drink, then head to your neighbourhood store or supermarket and be splashed with a wide selection of the pre-packed natural drink as well as processed ones.

If you die-die want to eat the pulp as well, you can buy pre-cut coconuts or go to drink stalls which would cut the fruit for you and let you enjoy the drink with a drinking straw and pulp with a spoon.

Click here for 7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Coconut Water

Fret not, if you are overseas. With online grocers, the coconut drinks are well within your reach.

Do Something New

Make a change and do something new to enrich your life.

Food-wise, if your staple are fish-and-chips and cheese-caviar-and-cracker, you might wanna take your palate on an adventure with Russian borsch soup, French coq au vin, American apple pie, Romanian sarmale (cabbage rolls), Penang laksa, Hainanese chicken rice, Singapore chilli crab, and so forth.

 Main dish: Iberico Pork Jowl

If you spent your growing up years in Asia, you might be familiar with White Rabbit candy which has a coating of translucent wafer that melts in your mouth. Well, you might now wanna try the novel ice-cream version of it.

Don't stay in the same well and remain constrained by the usual walls of limitations.

In the field of sports you can do beyond soccer and baseball to new arenas such as volleyball, rugby and skateboard whether as a spectator or a participant.

If your tummy is in the way, then one of the best way to up the game of your life is to flatten it and enjoy the productivity-gain. Usual advice would be to steer clear of food after 8 pm, start an exercise regime and watch what you eat. 

With a trim abdomen, you will find greater mobility with ease of movement and sharper mental faculty to focus on the stuffs that you do. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) would also improve and yield the attendant health benefits.  

Click here for STRONGEST BELLY FAT BURNER DRINK LOSE 15KG | 30LBS IN 2 WEEKS

The following statement gleaned from a T-shirt is for your reflection:

Take Time To Do What Makes Your Soul Happy

Enjoy your life and be open to try new things. It will give you more options to do what makes your soul happy.

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing.

Making A Song Of Bruises

Growing up you would probably have had your fair share of bruises brought about, say, when learning to ride a bicycle or skateboard. Then there could be scars sustained from contact sports which you wear as a badge of honour for having won trophies with the team you represented.

Further down there could be heartbreaks which you have undergone and came through, in which case, the Taylor Swift in you could turn them into songs, if you knew how to.

Regardless of your age, you would find yourself getting hurt, misunderstood or unloved. 

When you reach a low point, get some space to reflect and journal your thoughts. Meet up with a loved ones who is known to be an empathic listener to share your feelings and make a connection with him or her to diffuse the tension on the inside of you. Go for a walk in a park and let your mind wonder off to take in the splendor and sound of nature. 

                                                          Photo by Motoki Tonn on Unsplash

  

Regather your thoughts to face the reality of your bruises and decide on an appropriate response to move forward. When you able to do, you will be the stronger for it. Much like the Japanese art of kintsugi (golden rejoining) where broken ceramics are restored with gold-laced epoxy and transformed into an upscaled and high value masterpiece.

Or, as with the following song, "bruises make for better conversation".

Click here for Train - Bruises ft. Ashley Monroe

 

Singapore Stands By You

The pandemic has made this world a bleaker place and it has impacted us in more ways than we were prepared for.

We have learned to adapt and cope by making adjustments and getting vaccinated. This is the indomitable human spirit which was last best seen during World War 2.

So we soldier on and chipped in to make our world a brighter place with whatever we have in our hands. This present darkness is fleeting and it too will come to pass.

In the meanwhile, please stand alongside others to unravel treasures of darkness that stem from hidden human potential to dream again, re-create, re-build and restore our former glory and make it greater.

May the following clip inspire you and let you know that you are not alone.

Click here for Singapore Stands By You.

 

 

So Near and Yet So Far

Overheard, the Olympics is not like your school sports day. It is a rarified contest where qualifying for it is already in itself an achievement. 

For the athletes who overthink the event and let it get to them, it could put a halt to all their preparation and years of hard work. As for the athletes who have undergone more than the normal distribution of hardship, this could actually be a blessing in disguise to help them weather the limelight with a broader perspective and circumspection.

That said, I would like to appeal to sports journalist, in particular, to hold their horses when a medal could be in sight. It would be better to lower the expectation of success for their country's athletes and not raise high hopes for the nation before the golden eggs are hatched. 

An optimistic overture that is not met would crush the hopes of many who are appropriating sporting success. Please hold back and save the champagne for when the medal is obtained.

Photo by Alexander Naglestad on Unsplash

That said, let us savour the golden feats of Sunisa "Suni" Lee and Hidilyn Diaz.

Click here for The Truth About Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee

Click here for Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz wins Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold medal

Click here for The Philippines welcomes home nation’s first Olympic gold medallist, Hidilyn Diaz

Dreams and Breaks

The following slogan on the T-shirt of a passerby caught my attention and you might wanna chew on it:-

"Dreams don't work unless you do." Unless you do the work, for clarity.

And, if you have been working too hard, this is a gentle reminder to take some breaks.

Click here for Why Taking Breaks Is The Key To Productivity.

Here's one great way to take a break. 

Automat by Edward Hopper
Courtesy of www.EdwardHopper.net

While you are taking your break with your cuppa, you might wanna contemplate the circumstances of the woman in the picture which could be fodder enough for a novel (a la a picture paints a thousand words) and the following quotes by Mr Hopper:

“If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.”

“No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination.”

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing. This has been a good break for me to write as part of my dream to be a writer.

No More Condemnation

Nobody likes to feel condemned for the wrongs that he has done. When we err, there will be a recourse such as punishment, penalty fees and jail term.

But condemnation is that which lingers on after we had paid our due. It could be a social stigma that hangs over our head. Also, other people and the devil himself will also keep harping on our wrongdoings. Worse of all, we may unwittingly be our own worst accusers (out of a reflex sense of self-righteousness) and play the devil's advocate to our own detriment.

If that's how you feel, I have good news for you and your soul will find afresh that the sky is blue and grass is green under the shadow of God's grace. 

The following teaching from God's Word by Pastor  Joseph Prince will show you that the law and your own efforts will be futile to make you a righteous person, but there is a new kind of righteousness in Jesus Christ given by God (it is a gift and not a reward that you work for) that even those who have been Christians for the longest time would be surprised that this is exactly what is written in the Holy Bible.

Click here for Break The Power Of Sin With This Truth by Joseph Prince

Click here for Joseph Prince - The Root Cause Of Your Problem Is Condemnation

"Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe." (Romans 3:20-22a; NKJV)

When we sin against God, the Holy Spirit will convict us of our sins and we need to confess our sins and repent. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9; NKJV) Once we have repented and received our forgiveness, there is no more condemnation.

May you find freedom today and receive the revelation from God that there is no more condemnation in Jesus Christ.