Thinking Aloud

…which means today is New Year’s Eve.

On the final day of the year. Here’s a list of some things that I’ve learnt, discarded and in the process of discarding.

I’ve Learnt that…

1) 1-2-1 Evangelism isn’t everything there is to being a christian.

2) Life is short.

3) The excitement of mission work. (Although I’ve never been on a mission trip, I know it’s importance now)

4) I don’t really like meeting new people. ‘Cause I’ll clam up and I don’t like that.

5) Swimming is a great stress reliever.

6) More of the importance of the local church.

I’ve discarded the view…

1) I am able to intepret what God is doing in my life. (Hence or otherwise, I don’t really like giving testimonies)

2) A group of Christian leaders are able to discuss an issue with an appropiate level of common sense in mind.

3) That personality tests tell you who you are.

And I’m in the process of discarding

1) The primacy of a ‘personal relationship’ with Christ as an indicator of the current health of my Christian life

2) That God has a wonderful plan for my life.

3) That apologetics is that big relevant thing to bother about.

And there’s that, my journey in the faith summed up in the list above.

… till 2006 and I realized several eternal truths.

that are neither spiritual, nor scientific but honest to goodness, good for the soul nonetheless.

Ehem…*clears throat*

1) Good music grows on you. Like the way Clara Haskil’s playing just wiggles and teases me over and over again. It’s an addiction.

2) Swimming cures headaches like panadol. ‘Nuff said.

Maybe this time, next year, I will be able to extend this list.

…and counting.

I’ve been talking about the past. Now let’s talk about the future.

Hopefully, (in no particular order of merit) I’ll meet that special someone whom I can share my life with, I’ll graduate, I’ll get into the Master’s programme, do some original(!) mathematics.

And in things I can control: Get involved in a PCM group. (Now that it is black and white, better do it yah)

And for other people in my life: That my father’s ministry in church (KL) will never fail to be one that honours Christ and touches people, my mother will keep her sanity in the madhouse that is MBS, my brother to continue to do well in his medical studies and my sister to settle down on her choice of career path.

For Suresh, a satisfying working and living experience in Miri.

But then again, one year is too long a time to predict what will happen. Let’s see the great things (and the not so great) that God is going to do.

…when I will wake up and wonder what’s the big fuss over the new year.

Oh yeah, its New Year mah, I’ll have to wait one whole year before I get to countdown again.

And what can one whole year do to a person?

Well….

…It can get you blogging. Yep, 2005 will the year that I started blogging.

It can only get better from here.

…to the new year, which will be starting 1 second late, according to scientists.

Year 2005 will be remembered as the year that I did well in my studies

It will be remembered also for the year that God reminded me that man is mortal. I guess it really hit home when I heard of Aunty Angela’s passing. Death can come at anytime.

Year 2005 will also be remembered as the year that I ‘rediscovered’ mathematics, and thus solidifying my resolve to continue on to at least a Master’s level.

But it was also a year of revelation, where I realized a part of me that wasn’t as Christlike as I would imagine myself to be. But then again, aren’t we all like that…stubborn children.

…to the end of 2005.

Blame it on my horrible memory, but 2005 was just like a dream. So I have 6 days more to really remember all the happenings in that year so that I can blog it down on the 31st.

Really looking forward to 2006.

Its really a NEW year. New as in really NEW. Me and my hall mates (most of them) will be GRADUATING. And most of us will be embarking of a NEW PHASE of life. Some may be CONTINUING studies at a higher level, some *might* (wink!) even get MARRIED.

Well, the sad part is that hall life, for the most part of it is coming to an end. But I guess, the friendship will always remain. Yes, somethings we will always TREASURE.

Though not exactly in the most Christmasy of moods, nevertheless

Merry Christmas everyone, God bless you and have a Happy New Year.

After the news I heard from my brother and email from home, I am in no mood to celebrate Christmas. Certainly not the goodwill, nor the ‘time with friends and family’ or time of good cheer.

It is not.

Suddenly what has been spoken of in Anntic, that Daniel prayed, ” Lord have mercy.” comes so unsettlingly relevant now.

If needn’t be this way.

That’s all I can pray and hope, “Father, have mercy!”

There used to be a saying among business: If your company is not in the US, you are not a global company. Now, if you don’t have a business in China, or planning to start one soon, you are not a global business.

Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. China is no empire, at least not yet.

The article focuses on economic growth and how China is coming up tops. That itself is enough to raise eyebrows.

Indeed, the world is changing.

Hard work pays off. But sometimes a little help from heaven doesn’t hurt either.

Just got back my exam results and I’m happy with it.

Let’s just say I’m 0.6 pts away from my target now. And by His grace I’ll make it.

Marcus tagged me…and I’m supposed to list 5 wierd things about myself. Now this is tougher than it looks.

1. I have that habit of ‘playing my elbow’. They may a Freudian explanation to it, but I prefer not to venture into that territory…

2. I don’t wear jeans.

3. I can be emotional at times (for instance, movies depicting deep family love move me to tears) though all people who know me would think I’m a cardboard.

4. I have a wild imagination. I will imagine myself as a swashbuckling pirate, or a Jedi knight, or myself as Robin Hood or even the cool Kakashi from Naruto.

5. I find it easier to sustain a conversation with a girl compared to guys. (Could it be because I’m not a football freak )

Nah, bared my deepest secrets for all to see.

Count yourselves tagged: Faith, Song En and ZHI YONG!!!

p/s Don’t crucify me on the last remark.
pp/s Zhi yong, you still haven’t responded to my last tag…

32 “He is not a man like me that I might answer him,
that we might confront each other in court.

33 If only there were someone to arbitrate between us,
to lay his hand upon us both,

34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,
so that his terror would frighten me no more.

35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

Job 9:32-35

Was reading this this morning, and it really struck me. I wondered what if Job was alive during Jesus time. What would the outcome be? As it stands, Job is bewildered, unable to even approach God and demand justice from Him.

But is a fair hearing what he really wants. I think that if Job met Jesus, like the blind man Bartimaueus, would cry, ” Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

It is like staring at a black rose, reading the book of Job. There is so much beauty in the poetry which serves to bring out the raw suffering of Job so eloquently. This is deep turmoil, a spirituality of suffering.

It’s Sunday, and I’ll be off to church in a while. But decided to put something down here.

I finished the Bible…fuh…

Actually started from Genesis and reached the end of the OT, decided to backtrack and reread the prophets and continued on to the end of Revelation.

So what has God spoken to me through this endeavour?

So many things! I really can’t list them down, but I guess the principle thing is that the most deepest and satisfying of human relationships is the relationship I have with my God.

Every meditation and reflection on this theme brings new light. And so often it reveals all the hidden idols that I have picked up over my 23+ years of life. Kyrie Elesion

So where do we go from here? This is my reading plan. Job before reading Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation (see the connection?) again. After that, another go through from Gen to Rev.

Saw something heartwarming today.

Was at the swimming pool and decided to have dinner there. There was a down syndrome child there helping out at the counter. The lady serving me dinner was talking to her tenderly and then reached out and stroked her hair.

Now, it can only be…

Was running all over the place today. Sigh…am so worn out!

I thought of doing some work tonight, but too tired…sigh, tomorrow lah.

Thisis the height of incredulity.

Certainly one single man’s opinion does not reflect the sentiments of a nation (or a religion), but then again, wtf…

I believe that it is these kinds of outrageous statements that make for tyrants and Hitler’s. The hunger for power that skewers all perception of the world.

p/s In an unconnected thought, something came to me yesterday: If we rationalize one sin, then we can rationalize every sin.

Stanley Tookie Williams was executed by lethal injection today. Honestly, I didn’t come across this interesting piece of news until Monday. It seemed interesting reading about the 11th hour pleas to save his life.

By why save a convicted murderer’s life?

STW had been writing children’s books behind bars, doing his level best to promote an anti-gang message. I do not doubt his good works have saved maybe more than one life. At least with the amount of people going for him ( I mean the ordinary people, not the high hitters), he must have touched more than one life.

Of course nobody is asking for his pardon, but a commuting of his sentence to a lighter one (namely life sentence with option of parole). Indeed, this concept is not strange; prisoners are given lighter sentences for good behaviour.

Indeed, the arm of the state is harsh. Justice may be married to mercy, but the need for justice, I humbly submit is always greater than the need for mercy.

CNN.com news coverage here.

Democracy has to be one of the most overused and yet misintepreted word.

Doubtless there will be many who will seek to disagree. By all means.

But for me, I intepret democracy as this, amongst the multiplicity of its meanings.

It is a political system meant for one thing: To prevent the saviour from becoming the tyrant.

Ok, now I get why some people can’t stand mutton. It stinks.

I ordered some herbal mutton soup for lunch at Bizad. Not too bad. But now, I have that ‘milky’
after taste in my mouth. Argghh…bad breath.

Anyways, just submitted my application for the graduate programme. Gosh, I wonder how this is going to turn out.

I’m making good speed on my first draft of my thesis. But looking back at it, it is not something I can say I’m proud of.

I’m looking for something really original which I can write up.

But otherwise, life has driven to a complete monotony. Not that I’m complaining. There is comfort in routine.

With luck, I can finish the very first draft by this week.

I can’t believe that this is the very tail end of the year. 4 years in NUS and VCF really pass quickly.

Anntic was a great time of laughter, worship and learning although I realized one thing, I’m getting to old for camps…

Here’s a little something for my group Habakkuk.

Amanda (GL): I really had a great time through your initiative of organizing the two-truths and one-lie game. You really have a warm personality…

Sean (BSL): Hehe, good first time leading Bible Study. Continue to learn and grow in the knowledge of Christ.

Cristelle: Aiyar, you missed the seafood on the last night. All the best in your third and also your fourth year.

Ling Yin: Great job organizing the camp. Glad to know that you made great friends in Anntic com and got to know a little more of student ministry. God bless you!

Man Chi: You added a little ‘fire’ to BS discussions and your sincere earnestness was encouraging to all. Continue to seek his wisdom and power.

Wei Chin: You are the live wire of the group man! I’m glad you truly want to seek God and his ways for your life. Hope that you will always be true to what God has made you to be.

Sharon: You are really cute and endearing leh…may the joy of the Lord be with you always.

Lynn: Although I didn’t get to really know you during camp, I pray that you will encounter God in a special way through your entire studies here in NUS and among the fellowship of brothers and sisters in christ in VCF.

Ming Hui: Glad that God healed you and enabled you to come to Anntic. Your contributions are indeed deep and insightful. May He make his way plain to you as your continue to seek Him.

Grace: We all benefitted from your mature presense. Having a alumni in the group really makes a diff. The Lord continue to give you strength and wisdom as you serve Him in wherever you are.

How wierd. I’ve been gone for a week and I have been spammed??

GET OUT!!

TV SMITH’s Every Picture Tells A Story (PART 68)

I didn’t want to put up the picture here for reasons of courtesy. So click on the link to see why I named this post as such.

Beautiful. I love my country!

No not mine but Jamie and Tim’s.

Jamie was my CGL when I first stepped into KE7. And now, 3 1/2 years later, she’s married.

My heartiest congratulations to them both. God bless you both!

p/s The catering was good. It is a cardinal sin not to have sushi for your wedding reception. John Tey remember that yah! *evil wink*

Read this

Now tell me…

WHAT’S THE HELL WRONG WITH M’SIA!!??

The fact that this is another of those senseless murders by mindless barbarians…

…the real murderers are in fact the hospital staff.

This is a tragedy in every sense of the word.

p/s The news alert came from Jeff Ooi’s Screenshots