tired

A fun tiring day today. Went For Sakae Sushi at CS with Es and Dre then proceeded to pick Duane-o up before going for church worship prac. Worship was good, not at level of Smash but wonderful indeed still. I am learning to slow down in my prayers. Da Boyz dressed up and everyone looked smart in their shirts and ties. Hey, its a yearly thing so it was still fun. Had a late meeting which was healthy and then went for dinner with KK, A Yeo, Kuek and LJ. Singapore beat Indonesia 3-1. Not a bad day indeed

cycle

Feeling better today. Tutors have been fine so far and Alexius Chia looks like a nice bloke. Oh well, thank God I say. Went cycling today to work up a healthy sweat. Proceeded to Popular to buy some Social Studies books. Who'd knew that all these people would wait till last moment to buy textbooks? What's wrong with them? This led to a great mass of lines and queues and wrestling. Sigh.

sick

was sick today, took an mc. Probably an accumulation of all the days of sneezing and coughing. first mc in nie, haha

restart

Today was the start of a new term at NIE. Saw the usual new year, said customary new year greetings. Started 'Teaching with Film' module today and confessed to being a Simpson nut to the class. Its only true people. Looks to be a decent module altogther. Scooted off at 10.30 cos there is no afternoon mass session. Cool, not much time wasted there!

Traffic was also pretty good today, what a pleasant surprise

rain

as i type this, it is raining outside. it has been a pretty wet new year so far. Attended 2nd svc today and df gave a good sermon, first of a series of five, on purposes in life. typical df, which means it was good. He also made some points on the tsunami which were worth thinking over. It is definitely not an easy incident to process and it is times like these where God's ways are higher than our ways, even if this does not translate well to a lot of non-believers (and some believers too). It is diffcicult to say the least.

Went for Edo Sushi at Paradiz with Chan, Chin and Toh Pon. Yummers

Happy 2005 from Da Boyz and DLB 

year

Started 2005 in the presence of God. He was awesome today. YMC3 was rocking kicking jumping stomping praising and worshipping. I knelt today in worship for the first time in ages. It was good. 'Forever' looks like it will work fine. People sang it. I thank God and at humbled that after 10 years in the ministry of leading worship and God still uses me to pick fresh songs that our congregation can take too. Thank you Lord. Remain humble and confident at once.

New year, new challenges. I'll be a teacher this year. Wow, scary eh? Need God more than ever I guess. New surroundings are never easy but with God they become easier.

"I'm so thankful for all that I'm allowed"

-All That I'm Allowed (I'm thankful), Elton John, 2004

Thanks DB, DLB and everyone else for making 2004 such a memorable. Heres looking to 2005 for bringing us closer to God and fresher revelations.

uncensored

A good event overall. God was truly gracious and mighty and we really can do lots of things through and with Him. Really pleased with Zhong in this one and he proved his ability tonight, no doubt. All the guys and gals, do take a bow, God is marvellous and you all used your gifts really well tonight. Glory to God!

excuse

More tsunami thoughts. The most devastating tsunami in centuries. Wow, that is really something isn't it? I never thought I'd live to see that in my lifetime. Bigger than Krakatoa, 65000 dead and counting. Did you think most of the people who woke up that day were thinking that they were going to die that day? I think not. So we need to ask ourselves whether we are wasting our lives on trivial matters or are we living our lives chasing and obeying He who loves us so. Apathetic youth of Singapore, this is your wake-up call! Especially the Christian ones. The Lord is merciful yet this is no excuse to change the channel on emerging disasters. Who knows when the next will come?

brink

Hey its time for Uncensored tomorrow. Really hope everything goes smoothly and fine. Its time to do our best for God and everyone is at his or her best now. Its up to people to bring and for God to show up tomorrow. I believe He will.

tsunami

Wow, so many dead already. This is big, very big. Its a sign of the end times though and well, God is still in control, isn't he? Just saw the Starbucks at Patong from which I bought a chocolate frap days ago. It is a mess with junk strewn everywhere. Weird. God IS merciful. Now I hear Jet Li is missing in the Maldives. Not good. But Chan Soo Sen is saved! Yay! He got off the island in time.

Just thinking that to the media, 5500 people dying on 9/11 is probably a bigger thing that the 10-15 000 dying in Asia one Sunday Morning. This is probably because of the ramnifications of terrorist action as compared to natural disasters. I mean, there is no enemy to strike at, is there? And also because to CNN 30 Bangladeshis or Indians or Thais or Malays washed out to sea are not the equivalent of 1 New Yawker roasting to death in his WTC office. Such is the Americo-centric nature of our mass media today. Such is life...

boxing

Wow, the biggest earthquake in 40 years just hit Asia. It totally destroyed coastal regions of Aceh, Phuket, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, India, etc. Thank God because my family and I were just at Patong Beach in Phuket less than 2 weeks ago and now its been destroyed. Thanks Father God! Also, Singapore has been spared with nary a scratch. God is indeed merciful. Can you imagine sleeping one minute and drowning under a tidal wave or tsunami the next. Singapore is indeed blessed. What an eventful Boxing Day and how fragile is life... God protects and our lives are in His hands man.

Also Leon, Duane and Ho Ping dua-ed me today, asking me to go for a movie then cancelling on me when I reached the theater. Bums. Thank God Chin and co. appeared just on time to accompany me. Haha!

christmas

"So this is Christmas..."

John Lennon's Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

A very quiet Christmas. Spent the time with the "smug couples" and later left time to their Orchard soujourn alone as I left for home. The first time in a while I spent Christmas midnight alone. I guess its a different experience. Christmas is always about Jesus bringing peace to all men, but will all men accept that peace? Maybe for our Muslim and Jewish brothers, it cannot be. Happy Hanukkah anyway.

idea

Just wondering in order to deply more people into service in BBTC, we could maybe turn one service into something for young adults from 20-35, where ths songs and messages will turn to stuff that applies to them. This will challenge people to step up to the plate to serve in greater capacities. Messages could be like stuff on living for God in the work place and things like that.

Critics will say this might split the church, I say it opens up avenues for people to be deployed into service of the Lord, esp. now that adult service seems to be geared towards late 30s and 40 somethings. Just a thought from a humble servant. Hope this offends no one

anxiety

Just a few thoughts for today. Its coming down to the events for Christmas and things are looking fine and shaping up. There is an unusual anxiety over the people putting these together. I gather that this is because everyone takes the "Mega Event Mentality" (MEM) to every event, putting undue stress on themselves. People say this is a slack attitude, I say keep things in perspective and ramp up when big events come along. I may get flack for this but I really don't bother, because I know what is what and my own opinions count too. Sometimes, to be a revolutionary and to be successful, you need to stand out from the noise of the rest.

As people grow, people change and as our lives differ so do our opinions. Is it reasonable that we are the same person we were at 15 as we are at 25? Not really. People say Alvin doesn't change much, but then again, people do not know Alvin as well.

youth

Why do good people breed bad kids? Actually that is a biased statement. Good righteous church people do not intentionally raise ill-mannered, tempermental and troubled kids. I cannot see that it was their intention to sow a brat on this earth. But it appears that many nice people I meet in church raise kids who are rebellious and do not treat their religion seriously. Some of these even belong to the higher ups in the church circle.

Is the human make up wired to rebel instinctively to a more religious environment? Or is the lack of crises the source of this callous attitude? Then would not God send trials and calamities on every straying youth who is thinking of givng up his religion for other distractions? (pool? enhanced learning courses? part time work? cute girls and handsome boys?) But then, there are non-church people whose kids go down this path too. So it is not exclusive a problem at all, but a potentially widespread pandemic.

I believe that its just that the Christian life is not a smooth sure thing. Work out your faith with fear and trembling is so true and devotion is difficult, yet we are commanded to and pleasing God is a sweet thing. We can encourage and pray for and show love and promote inclusion. But we won't cajole, won't be distracted from our goal as a congrgation, won't turn our eyes from what we are supposed to do as a church.

Youth will come and go. Some will stick, some will fall away. But God is there. Its just that whether you can answer to him on the day.

punishment

i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.
i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.
i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.
i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.
i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.
i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.
i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.
i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.
i will not post unsubstantiated rumours on my blog.

There is my punishment. A sincere apology to the person I offended. Entirely understand where you are coming from.

difference

As i ponder about why I do what I do I wonder if the advice I give makes a difference to the people receicing it. I 'm sure some of it is utter drivel to some of them but there must be a few gems here and there that people take to heart. I could not have had 24 years of life on this earth for nothing right. I mean, they may not be the most exciting 24 a young singaporean could have but they are not the most experience-less ones either right?

money

funny how money changes things between friends, doesn't it?

landlubber

Did nt update on board cos it cost 33 cents a minute and the connection was none too good. The service and the cruise on board was wonderful and the staff was without parallel. Great number of Chinese nationals and Fillipinos on board who made us feel like kings more than guests, though we were only in cattle class. In Titanic times, we would be danicng Irish jigs in the hold like Leo DiCaprio. But really, this is something that everyone must go just to experience the truly wonderful Superstar Virgo service. Of note is that NONE of the serving staff were Singaporean. Penang and Phuket were meh and nothing to write home about.