..continuation...

Yup, and so to continue on the middle east crisis, I asked HY what she thought of Israel? Cos they are God's chosen ple and nation. But I feel a sense of injustice for Palestians and the Lebonese, and I pray for the govt to exercise wisdom in their decisions. The Prime Minister said that the attacks was not just to bring back the soldiers in hostage, but it was to gun down terrorism, and ensure the safety of its ple. I'm not so sure that the attacks are a good choice to ensure the safety of its civillians. But the attacks sure caused a lot of deaths in Lebanon and the houses and infrastructure are all destroyed.
I can't comment much cos I don't really know the history of all that's happening. And HY said that she feels this is a spiritual war, not just a physical one. And I thought about it, in a way, it was true. And in a parallel way, I often asked God why is it that in the bible, the ungodly nations were just destroyed like that in war by the Israelites. E.g. the Amaleks, Phillistines. How abt Sodom that God destroyed? To question that would be questioning God's justice. And I have no doubt at all that God is just and merciful, and He loves the people He created much more than I do.
All I can do right now, I don't understand it...but I pray for the people, pray for Israel's govt leaders to have wisdom. And when Abraham was pleading for Sodom's behalf, it was like if there were any righteous men left in Sodom, God will not destroy it. I believe in God's justice and His sovereignity in redemption.

So back to Ecclesiastics, I think Solomon got so tired thinking of all these.

As mentioned, met up with Sinee in Bangkok, and also M-one of the staff in Ashoka. M was from the States and just spent 1 year volunteering at Ashoka Thailand, and was going to Paris (I think it is paris) to join her family for 1 year, before becoming a staff in Ashoka. And she will be in Singapore next week for the One Degree Asia http://www.onedegreeasia.org/
From all that, I gather that her family must be pretty rich, in order for her to be able to throw aside her family, do a year of volunteer work w/o pay, and then go Paris. In a way Maslow's hierarchy of needs comes in here. That ple must first settle their food and lodgings before they talk abt idealistic stuffs e.g. Self actualisation.

I wanna so much to spend 1 year volunteering as well. And I think in a way I can do that, cos I know my parents have enuff savings for themselves. I really love them a lot, want to be a filial daughter, and know that they are happy. And so I've been praying that they will understand when the time comes. And that they will be happy. And that their philosophy may change. The general chinese philosophy, to save for a rainy day may be changed to it is more blessed to give than to receive. And that, yes, God will, and must provide, watever route that I choose.