A Christmas Essay: Emmanuel

How do you think about someone who name his child over another person’s namesake? Now, how do you feel when somebody decided to name his newborn child with your name?

Name is a one of parents’ keepsake for their children as a memento to remind him/her about destiny. A name usually represent hopes, how parents perceive their children will grow into. I, for some reason, like to study about names. For example, the name of places. The name of places usually contains long history about why those places have their names now. For example, the valley of Eskhol. It’s named Eskhol (“cluster”) because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. And then there’s the people of Edom. It’s named Edom (“hairy”) because of their ancestor Esau, the brother of Jacob, which is also hairy since from the womb. They’re still kept the name Edom / Esau because of the prophecy that Isaac told before his death, that even though the great blessing that should come down upon Esau is “stolen” by Jacob, and Esau was foretold that his descendant will be the servant of Jacob’s descendant, someday Esau / Edom will broke Jacob’s yoke from the Edom’s neck. And they are, because several hundred years later, Edom which is bond to serve Israel, was rebelled and separate themselves from Israel.

The “Me” I Never Talked About

Hello guys. If you’ve read my previous post, I’ve said that I’m currently watching lots of KevJumba Youtube movie in my spare time. Aside from the iOS programming activity, I found that his channel is entertaining. As much as I found his movie is hilarious, I found the comments are even more hilarious. I even spend longer time reading the comments than watching the videos. Sometimes, when I read the comments, I thought to myself, how nice it is to live a life where people love, and even adore us. How nice it is to be famous.

Then I realized that something about me is different.

Lame Excuses

Have you ever feel that you more “alive” than before? Yeah, you pretty much alive before, but after it — whatever “it” is — came into your life, your life is “never be the same” ?

I was pretty much alike. I do my routine days, my daily job, and I somewhat do enjoy what I do. But something is still missing. Often when I say to some of my friend in Church, that they have to found out what they really want to do in their life, what’s their vision, it’s like I’m also telling myself. I feel that I’m doing fine for a living. But I didn’t feel I’m doing great. And I don’t really know why I felt like that.

But in these recent days, I somehow find that missing link, that lost connection that I’ve been felt for years — when my very generous and kind friend introduce me to iDevice programming. I was evolve so much, from the hater of a non-Windows freak, to a more open-minded person who can understand and handle differences between OS, and now I’m almost officially an Apple’s fan! And that’s before my newly renaissance about developing apps for iDevice!

Whether We Realized It or Not

A few days ago, I’m going with my friend to visit his ill mom.

I’ve just prepared to meet someone in a bed, with a lot of tubes and wires attached to her body. I’ve just prepared things to ask, words to say, and prayer to pray. I’ve prepared myself. Well, at least that’s what I think.

It turns out that I’m not prepared enough at all. We arrive on a house where people “a little different than us” live. I thought these people are just another inhabitant, and his mother is taken care somewhere in this house. Then a woman came and greet me. We are looking for my mother, my friend said. Alright, just sit down, and I will call her down, she said, and then left us. We sit, and see people passing by near us. Mostly womens. One standing near me and staring with empty looks. One sit at the chair faraway, and also staring at me. Another one besides her busy with her activity. And another one coming, try to shaking my hand. I replied her handshake. This is my mom, my friend suddenly said.