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. 

Courage to Carry On

"Courage is, with love, the greatest gift. We are, each of us, defeated many times -- but if we accept defeat with cheerfulness, and learn from it, and try another way -- then we will find fulfilment." -- Rosanne Ambrose - Brown

Take a cup of courage and do not stay defeated by setbacks. Learn from them and resolve to bounce back to tackle the challenge using a different technique or tactic. Nobody can hold you back except your own mindset.

Photo by Oliver Cole on Unsplash

 

 

Dark is the night before daybreak and the dawn of a new morning.

May you find fresh perspective to tackle your besetting difficulty by changing tact and tack, and never giving up. 

A good morning is coming for you and you will relish your sunny side-up egg afresh. Believe that you can be an overcomer. That's a good place to start.

Australian Booster

Do you need a BOOST from Down Under?

On the surface, BOOST serves fresh fruit juices and you can get these there as with other places. 

But, that would be missing out on the secret ingredients that they offer in the form of boosters comprising:

* Energiser Booster 
   (guarana extract, ginseng extract, taurine and vitamin E)

* Superfruit Booster
   (acai berry, cranberry, goji berry & pomegranate packed with antioxidants)

* Wheatgrass Powder
   ("a concentrated dose of essential vitamins & minerals")

* Green Tea Booster
   (green tea extract)

* Immunity 
   ("supports a healthy immunity system with green tea extract, echinacea extract, vitamins A, C and zinc")

* Vita Booster
  ("at least 10% of your RDI of essential vitamins and minerals")

Then, there are Super Boosters like Wholegrain Oats, Whey Protein and Chia Seeds.

Packed with so much refreshing goodness with added boosters, I think you will be able to find a Boost juice or smoothie that would give you a reason to smile.

Click here to find your Booster.