On Match Makers Part 2

Recent conversation with my mother made me recollect some events in the past.

It is certain that I strongly believe match making is a sin, on most aspects, since those who committed it are unsure of the consequences as if a gambler who either thinks he/she is incredible when winning or leaves irresponsibly after losses.

I have seen the match makers around me. Some put no effort, as if playing lottery, and see if the church will grow this way, some however, do put in some effort.

It is regarding the latter one, that I am putting this entry now.

They indeed showed some level of care and enthusiasm. Inviting me and the other party for a nice dinner, introducing parents, relatives, with much effort, somewhat.

However, one terrible fault was made. Now I've always made myself and my stand clear before anyone could blame their errors on oblivion. But whether they have their own belief as to where I should go or they were simply overflowed with enthusiasm, that does not give them the right to suppress true motive with a general motive.

So in return, I did make some friends and a free delicious juicy dinner. I have, no doubt, felt sorry whether I had been too harsh upon such "usage of blessing" upon a human being, and have prayed long and hard upon such issue. But in the end, I am certain, always tell the truth, true motive must be shown in both verbal communication and action, so that there may be no regret nor embarrassment. They could consider what regret and losses they have suffered as payment for such lesson.

My God is the God of TRUTH.

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The Best Restaurant?

Ever since my interest in culinary art, and reading upon all the feast invitations in the Bible, I have often wondered, which restaurant would I consider as the BEST of the BEST, quality wise alone, that I would take some special guests to.

I've not been to many, but some rather costly ones, sometimes paid by company. The View could perhaps be my first taste in a very high class expensive setting. It would appear that a dinner with around 6-8 courses at a price range around $60-$80 is considered very high class.

Of course, my recent curiousity is focused on Hell's Kitchen host Chef Gordon Ramsay's restaurant in THE LONDON, New York City, in addition to the Trustee's dining hall in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Then again, I have promised myself not to treat myself alone to such places unless it is with someone important like pastors, visiting friends and relatives and homeless people. And I surely cannot use these latter part as an excuse for myself solely to satisfy my curiousity.

Last but not least, reading how Jesus rebuked the hosts of those who invited Him for feasts, taught me that being a host, the attitude of a host, knowing when to accept rebuke and when to display or defend the honor of my Lord is extremely crucial in the art of HOSTING, be it at home, or giving a treat outside.

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Windows XP Pro SP3 Boots Straight into Administrator without asking for password

Thanks to Mary Jo of bit-tech forum, if Windows boots/restarts into Administrator automatically without asking for password, the solution is:

In RUN type "control userpasswords2" and tick the box "users must login with password".

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Th Lifespan of Satellites

Can the lifespan of artificial satellites be extended to the equivalent of the moon's orbit?

What's the factor of a satellite's lifespan limit?

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Who is my teacher

Teachers are those who affect certain aspect if not all of one's life. There are many forms of teachers: spiritual, parental, academic and natural.

Those whom we truly perceive as our teachers (though that doesn't necessarily make them true teachers), are those whom we are willing to accept rebuke and admonishment from.

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Pareidolia

Pareidolia means the making of creative figures out of random patterns in nature. Such as Man in the Moon, faces in the clouds, etc.

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Roxio Media Manager

During start up, this keeps popping up...as if trying to install something, gathering information, and then asking for CD on one client's computer. Cannot find the uninstallation icon anywhere including Add/Remove programs in Control Panel.

But thanks to a forum,  the uninstallation can be done under the BlackBerry Desktop Software Uninstallation process in Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> BB Desktop Software -> Modify -> Check Media Manager -> continue...if asked to insert BlackBerry Desktop Software CD/msi file, one must make sure to use the same BlackBerry installation CD as the last time, it may be possible to download the right version off BlackBerry's website, but after trying to download different versions with and without media support, I gave up to try further (multilanguage/English). I looked around for the CD and it worked.

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How better parents are we?

Looking back at our childhood and parents, and even family, we often thought that we could be better future parents. But could we? History is the beacon of our conscience. And look at today's so called "Focus on Family" or Christian family studies, do they really know what they are doing?

On one hand, we know they have upheld humanity so high that they have corrupted their children; on the other hand, some have made their children so self-centered that they think everyone is an island of his/her own. Eitherway, they are spoilt.

I've read articles on trying to follow Christ's example or the Biblical principles on parenting, and I have always wondered: How sure are they in thinking they are qualified to write such things - besides adding "I leave it to God"?

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Luke 15

Reading the parables of how there is joy in Heaven for one sinner that repents, I thought to myself, wouldn't it be wonderful, if a church, a fellowship, or even a family celebrate with a special feast over a new convert.

True, the Baptists always rejoice during baptism ceremony with hymns and praises. But then that is hardly what the Reformers define as convert. And today's ministry has allowed others to take repentant conversions for granted, for thanks to some crackpot ministers there are too many non-christians who consider themselves Christians, and churches try to avoid issues of repentance because they do not know how to deal with awkward moments of truth.

Jesus' reputation as the righteous is not unheard of in those days. Or the learned ones would not be so fervently against the Lord. The publicans and sinners were like that of Zacchaeus, wanting to HEAR the words of our Lord, which is nothing short of upright. Unlike today's compromised gospel, in order to show how they have the same spirit of Christ with them, these ministers sugar-coated the blessings of the gospel and suppress the first commandment of God. This is even worse than making "Love thy neighbor" as first commandment and "Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength" as second.

In Jesus' version, the prodigal son was truly ready to become a mere hired servant of his father, showing an upright education of right and wrong he still has in his mind and heart which no doubt his father has something to do with while raising the two sons up. Today's ministers' version however, exposes the grace of God as a whore, teaching everyone including the sinners that there is no need to become a mere hired servant according to their crackpot logic in concluding the meaning of this passage, and they sing Amazing Grace in tears as if they are in a cinema playing some touching romantic movie instead of having a sober and repentant heart.

Therefore, it is crucial that we see non-christians as non-christians. So that there may be joy when they are converted.

To many, such feast celebration may be too much, or laughed by mockers, but I believe it to be a worthy cause. For this is a great miracle and it keeps us honest to our confession and with the promotion of content, it also teaches us the seriousness of repentance.

May there be true joy on Earth as it is in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Luke 15:10.

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City Park 50-meter pools

After a discussion yesterday, I have taken the liberty to catalogue all olympic size swimming pools in the $75/yr membership for 5 boroughs city parks area. Note that some are outdoor pools which are for Summer season only.

All the >= 50 meter pools listed below are outdoor pools except for the Flushing Meadows Corona Park of Queens, which is indoor.

Bronx:

Van Cortlandt Park

Crotona Park (More than 50 meters - 330')

Brooklyn:

Betsy Head Memorial Playground (More than 50 meters - 330')

Sunset Park (More than 50 meters - 259')

Kosciusko Street Park (More than 50 meters -230')

Red Hook Park (More than 50 meters - 330')

Manhattan:

Hamilton Fish Park

Highbridge Park (More than 50 meters - 220')

Jakie Robinson Park (More than 50 meters - 235')

Central Park (More than 50 meters - 240')

Marcus Garvey Park

Thomas Jefferson Park (More than 50 meters - 239')

Staten Island:

Lyons Pool

Queens:

Astoria Park (More than 50 meters - 330')

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

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