More on Hunger Games

I finally finished the whole of the trilogy today. And oh! Book Three was so tragic. Before I reached half the book, I was like - could I please please just skip to the end? The last few pages and chapters, where there will be no more deaths, no more heartbreak? And of course I could (since no one could stop me), but I just couldn't put down. So hands gripping on my seat I read through everything.

Could just feel the pain when some of the characters died. :( Ending was rather bittersweet, but it was okay. It still ended on a positive note. (But nice endings can't bring back dead characters that grew on you right.)

So I guess unless you can take Book Three, don't start on Book One because from then on you'll be hooked and have no choice but to finish the whole thing.

Still. If you love a good story I recommend this book.

And on a completely unrelated note: I've just come to realize more and more how a guitar can't replace a piano. :( I should invest in a keyboard or something over here I guess. But stuff like that is so expensive and I'm still on stingy mode when it comes to money.

Hunger Games

I've been reading this trilogy sent to me by Mei in pdf format called Hunger Games. Please PM me if you want the full series.

I read the synopsis before starting and I would say that this is not my usual kind of book. My first impression of it through Wiki was this is going to be violent. And I don't like violent tales.

But it turned out that the amount of violence it actually portrayed is merely at the Harry Potter series level. But the emotions within run high. There are issues and feelings people can actually identify with. They are currently making a movie out of it too. But I do not think I will watch it. The movie will contain bloodshed which the book manages to acceptably conceal.

I shall try and share the background with minimal spoilers.

This futuristic science fiction is set in North America, then called Panem, years ahead of time, under the control of a central government Capitol. The country is divided into 12 different Districts, in which Hunger Games is an annual event. During that event, each district, will 'reap' two children aged between 12 - 20 (a male and a female), to participate in the Hunger Games, at which all 24 participants from 12 districts fight to their death for days or weeks in an unknown arena (equipped with weapons and natural/unnatural catastrophes), with only one surviving victor. The victor would be elevated in status and showered with money and gifts, which means a lot to the impoverished districts.

The story is narrated from the point of view of Katniss Everdeen, a Hunger Games participant. I love the details the author Suzanne Collins puts in the construction of the Games: Katniss' different costumes (particularly enjoyed this), special trainings and performances, how the character and design of the game affect Katniss. My favorite character across the trilogy however is Peeta. I love how this plain baker's boy evolved with such character and determination, displaying unexpected talents along the way. Some critics remark that Peeta was 'thinly imagined'. I think he's alright, but it would be great if we knew as much about Peeta, his thoughts and feelings, as we do Katniss.

Suzanne Collins tells a story as well as (or maybe better) than J.K. Rowling in Harry Potter. There are a lot of touching quotes throughout too. I was drawn mainly by her full construction in the mechanics of the game, how the system operates, how the people in the Capitol differ from those in the Districts. Then the interplay if Katniss emotions plus her relationship with Peeta holds me on. It's really worth a read.

Both this trilogy and Harry Potter draw me toward the same conclusion: how much we need God. Both series portray a battle between good and evil, in different ways; in how society struggles to get a 'good' dominating power in place. The Harry Potter series ends on a positive note, Hunger Games in a more realistic tone. What I feel is man can never be able to construct a truly good life/community for themselves. The struggle, the pain, the losses, and the incomplete victories easily overturned within a very short time - these are very real, because man is never perfect and never will be.

For a perfect world we need a perfect God. And this world is not our perfect world. However because of the imperfectness of this world, we get to hope on the next world, in fact the whole universe yearns for this perfect world so much that it has birth pangs of pain. Only God can put things right. Men can never stop this bleeding gnash inflicted by sin. They can only depend on God and if they do, they will not be disappointed.

Making Mistakes

I know people make mistakes, and accidents happen.

But if by saying the above sentence means the probability of mistakes/accidents happening = 0.5 or any statistical fraction, why does the probability of me making mistakes/accidents = 1?

That's why whenever I hear stories about 'who did what' in the lab, instead of thinking stuff like 'oh so he/she did that wrongly, shall take note and not repeat it", I always have this extra nagging feeling that "that thing could have been done by me too".

Sigh. Sometimes I think (or maybe I know) I'm a clumsy walking catastrophe.

Fortunately the thing that happened today wasn't that big. Well it was kind of serious but it could have been worse. Much worse. And I'm thankful it hasn't come to that. (Yet.)

However it makes me feel like every time I advance three steps in work, I retreat at least two when I do things like this. Plus all the undeserved patience and guidance and concern I received. It makes me feel both very touched and very guilty.

But if this is the way God wants me to learn humility: I'll say let the accidents happen and the mistakes be committed. If that's the only way for me to learn how to be careful and alert all the time, and think ahead and think on my feet; I'll say better now than later when things become bigger and consequences become more serious.

I can't help being clumsy, it's in me and it's part of me. But I can rely on God to overcome. Dear God, help me learn how to learn. Help me willingly learn how to learn Your way - even though it might not be the one I want to go through. Help me be thankful for these opportunities to learn.

Not Nine

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. How many fruits of the Spirit are there?

Just found out that in Greek, the word for fruit is 'karpos', and it is singular. There's only one fruit of the Spirit, and that one contains all nine graces.

I just found this out a few days ago, and the knowledge has particularly encouraged me. Particularly because I've been struggling with some of these graces. And wondering why after so many many years of being a Christian, I am still not there? Still not half there?

But as pastor has shared in the past few weeks, sometimes Christians burden themselves with a list of do's and don'ts. However, grace is not about those, but what has already been done. It is not my own righteousness I'm depending on, for I have none at all. It's Christ's. And the fruit of the Spirit, they are not mine but the Spirit's to bear. And because now I am free from sin's bondage, I have the liberty to show forth this fruit. And by being able to show forth this 'one' fruit, I can also show forth all nine graces in the fruit.

Sanctification is still an on-going process. But it's feels so much lighter to know, to reckon, it's not me it's dependent upon. It is Him who is doing the work. There's so much hope in knowing so for I know that through myself I can do nothing, but because it's God who's working, it can be done, it will be done.

Otherwise, it just feels so heavy. Still carrying burdens on my shoulder when God is already carrying me through. I've grown up believing in and relying on works. Because I know works are in a sense, manifestations of grace. But sometimes too much focus on works, to 'produce results' makes me undermine the power of grace to produce such 'results' and beyond.

It has been so tiring. But thank God everyday I can come to Him and lay down my burdens. And start with a new source of strength, not my own, but His.

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Work has been going on well so far. I am still learning many new things, and am improving in my hands-on lab practices.

What is worrying me is my desire to look for a purpose in work is quenched somewhat. The routine tasks, the increasing comfort of settling down, does obscure that part of myself one whole year ago, to look for something special in what I'm doing.

Where is that special purpose? I do not need to suddenly pop out and wave itself in front of me all at once. But I just need to remind myself always, that it is there. And it's not enough to work to earn $$. Or even just to work so that I can learn more things. Or meet more people. I'm still waiting.

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Am also thinking of starting some project of my own (with all the non-working hours I have), but have been too lazy. To write something, to compose, or to help out in forums like I did last time. Or maybe improve my Chinese/ English.

Hmm.

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Changed my blogger theme because the feeling of it being 'not me' is getting stronger. This current one doesn't look very nice yet, I know. But it will do for the meantime when I look for another theme that suits myself more.