Warkld-

Updates

2009-04-12T22:48:00.002+08:00

Hi dear friends who read this very non-happening blog. I will be entering into army tomorrow so my posts would be even more irregular.

Do keep me in prayer as I believe I will relive old fears.

Anyway the law interview on April 9 went terribly. Was asked whether a man who suffered a heart attack would be obliged to pay a passer-by doctor $1000(market rate). My views were: well he is not obliged, but I didnt know how to complete my sentence. I guess it was nerves which led to a mental block. Oh well, maybe next year I'll try again, with more preparation. It's a painful lesson well learnt.

Army here I come!

A Lifestyle Changed

2009-04-07T14:19:00.002+08:00

Once we realise that our lives and all that we have belong to God, and surrender our lives' ambitions and plans to Him, we have truly learnt to live life to the fullest.

I am all sold out for Him now. Yet I know I'm worth no less than purest gold.

You sought me out

among the multitudes

given me a hope

beyond despair

A mouthpiece

to the lost

is my heart's cry

but first, O God

heal my heart.

Busy as can be

2009-03-27T14:06:00.003+08:00

Bees work non stop, almost never resting. I feel the same way too. University admissions and applying for scholarships are too much of a chore. (what more work.family.church) And I can't reject my friends who want me to write recommendations from them can I? Jesus never said it would be easy to be His witness in the world, but that He will be with us and lift us up. I believe the things I reap would ultimate bear fruit during harvest time.

I'm extremely excited as I received a call from SMU informing me that I have an interview on April 9, which is Ee Ling's birthday, at the Faculty of Law, Seminar room 3-3. I actually forgot the time I am to report so I'll wait for the confirmation via email. Is this the path that You want me to take o God? I would feel very miserable if I went for it and didn't get through. I'm going to fast and pray about it.

2009-03-06T21:46:00.002+08:00

I felt really depressed, when I went back home, no one bothered to ask how I did or even acknowledge my presence at all. Dinner was extremely disappointing, but I can't blame my mum, she had a terrible day at work, doing some manual labour for less than 5 bucks for a whole day. So after dinner I went around trying to get a decent meal, and saw a guy biting or licking his girlfriend's hair in broad daylight at the food court. I guess such things occur so that we bystanders can really laugh at them and ruefully feel better. My expectations run counterwise to reality, and I thought they cared. Not even a pinch of concern coming from ___,___ and ___.

God's goodness

2009-03-06T18:36:00.002+08:00

Even through the storms and struggles and sins that I had to go through in 2008, God has been faithful. I see now the reason why He has placed me in MJC, where I can do well, instead of some other top notch JCs... How undeserving I am, yet God has given me quite a good set of grades, and what can I say but tremble in awe of His marvellous provision. I got Bs for Gp and Literature(H2), the rest As.

Now boggled down by the complexity of university admissions...And having lots of problems trying to figure out how to apply for SATs, so that I may stand a chance to get into Law.

A day of many occurences

2009-02-17T09:51:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, there were so many disparate events that happened and overall it was a bad, bad day.

1. Met Stephanie Sun Yan Zi at a Holland Village medical clinic (at Silver Cross and she really disguised herself well, an aunty pointed her out to me before I realised that the dark, bony, tall girl with dark long fairly highlighted hair was the singer herself)
2. Told to go through a typhoid injection (and all this while I have been handling tea without a permit? )
3. Saw a group of ten guys buy bubble tea after a pretty girl bought a few with her mum from my shop. (must I say how amused I were, even though they were from ACS-International, they still seem quite infantile in their thinking. )
4. Given a lecture by my uncle about my obsession with Christianity (not the first time, but this time I made my stand clear )
5. Observed real terrible business and really sultry faces on everyone in boon tong kee. (thus I had to lower down my tone and optimistic expression)
6. Met Sandy while working at Boon Tong Kee (hahaha quite embarassing and funny)
7. Missed a stop and had to pay 10 cents more. ( All due to Short term memory! I thought I left my ezlink card on the seat and went back up to the 2nd level only to remember that it is on my bag's pocket. And so that 1 mistake cost me a lot)
8. Had a conversation with Jun Hao. Am worried and discouraged by his response, which led me think about how terrible I am in discipling people.

And I really enjoyed Valentine's day with my cell group. With Sybil and Joy, with Glenn, with Cornelius's family and with Cheryl, though it was a few precious minutes.

The joys and pains of serving God

2009-02-16T00:12:00.003+08:00

I really enjoy saturdays and sundays, for this is the time that I can restore myself after slogging so hard for the entire week. I taught my cell group, Petra bible study on the topic: Applying God's Word into my life. Although I was jittery at the start since Ee Ling was there(stress), overall the lesson went quite smoothly(according to her:)). Hoped the point was driven across that God's Word is not boring if studied properly using SPACEPETS.

Grateful for God that He has brought Jasper, my 13 year old cousin to church with me. Really surprised to see him because his father is quite against Christianity for some reason. He joined my YPMS class and I hoped he made new friends and will continue to meet up with them and ultimately come to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Also thank God for the Petra core group meeting I had after church. Frankly, it was one of the more enlightening and encouraging meeting we had. Was clarified about certain nagging doubts once and for all, was he really sincere in the first place? My heart was broken when I knew what the leaders are going through yet at the same time I am stirred by their passion for their sheep, that they are still clinging on inspite of it. Reminds me of my family, which is supposed to be a place where love abounds, but choked with all kinds of malice, apathy and negligence.

God as you have entrusted Cornelius, Terence and Jun Hao unto me, help me to be accountable for them. I forsee so many obstacles and hardened hearts. Only You can tenderise their hearts. And also I am encouraged by Jeremy, Samuel, Glenn, Jun Hao, Sandy, Krystel's faithfulness in serving in YPMS. Help me to know them better too, I see some unpolished gems :)

Time to update!

2009-02-13T01:41:00.002+08:00

As the Chinese spruce up their house with the dawn of the new year, I am going to embark on this tedious mission of updating the missing links and bits and pieces of my life.

Updates - on work
No longer working as an administrative staff at Campus Crusade for Christ. Kudos to no more bloodshot eyes but a hard burn to my pocket! Instead I'm working at my uncle's bubble tea shop. It was really God's special arrangement that my uncle happened to ask me to help him when I JUST ended my admin work! WoAh, God answered my prayer before I asked for it. Though the pay sucks ( at 3.50/hr as a trainee, 4/h this week, 4.5/h next week), it is a blessing in disguise as I have received a 20/hr tuition assignment from an aunty working there and the chance to bring a Vietnamese boy/guy to church next Sunday (prayerfully)

Yup, I started giving math tuition to Sybil and Joy at Bedok Reservoir road this sunday. It was initially 1 girl, but God is generous! He added one more girl so that I can be more productive in my time!

More Updates- on Ministry
Young People Ministry (Sunday) is more demanding than I thought! I have to plan lessons for every week, save for the first sunday of the month, and 5th sundays which comes quarterly. Slept at 3 -4 am on the days I did the planning and sending of lesson plans. Serving God really takes a lot of dedication and hard work. Now I realise how busy John Lam is, and yet he never fails to serve God faithfully.

Even More Updates- on Life
A tired body but an unrelentless spirit. Reason to lose hope yet positive. Optimistic beyond idealism. I have never felt my time more better managed and better executed. I am loving God more each day as HE surprises me with prayers answered and new opportunities to witness to people at work!

On Family
The crisis has been averted, God has prevailed and death is broken. Restoration is within sight. Salvation is here (my earnest belief, and this song has been replaying in my mind, so i guess indeed Salvation is here)

And its 2 am. Time to edit the hyperlinks

Chinese New Year Surprise

2009-02-07T00:43:00.006+08:00

This was definitely a roller coaster Chinese New Year for me. I've seen my Chinese cousins for the first time and we managed to click quite well. I've seen my family crumble to its lowest and phew things could only get better from then.

My grandma, eldest uncle & wife, 6th uncle, eldest Aunt, my dad and mum sending off our Chinese relatives at Terminal 1. A sad scene.

Ding Shou, 2nd brother, the cheeky, playful, daring boy.

Ding Xiang, the fashionable, japanese hating, chinese trying to grasp english.

My grandma's house shall not be a gambling den! Its just a memory game-

Coerced to smile when my heart grieves

Lethargic

2009-02-01T19:30:00.002+08:00

I am tired as of late. Have even developed true blue eye bags. I scared myself during the night when I gazed at the mirror, to see two dark hues under my eyes. The first of its kind, I better rest myself. At the right time too, when I am finally done from my admin job which is too straining for my eyes.

Workaholic

2009-01-20T23:44:00.002+08:00

I've no time for long talk. I've nicely packed my weekdays, working from 9 to 5.30, then from 6.30 to 10.30. The former is an administrative position at Campus Crusade for Christ, then the latter is a waiter at Boon Tong Kee. Both jobs have their benefits, balancing each other off.

I'm tired, but it's worth it for my family, and I believe it opens up an opportunity for evangelism, so why not. I'm going to try to wake up at 6am to jog and train myself for an hour before I head off to work. So this is the Life.

In turbulent times, where do you go?

2009-01-16T21:31:00.003+08:00

In turbulent times, where do you go? Who do you turn to?

Keep to yourself and hope all things work out? Like the turkey that hid its head in the hole it dug?

Or do you drown yourself in all things imaginable? Clubbing, drugging, ganging, gaming, sleeping, gluttoning, mugging, shopping, gossiping, socialising, blogging, working, grumbling?

I turn to my God, who has answered my prayers and provided for me. What my family is unable to give me, He more than supplies with a big extended family that overwhelms me with love and concern, that it is really hard to grasp it.

God, I really hope you will see through my family through this tough time, and through this, help us to trust in You. I know that You are the light at the end of the tunnel.

Shenyang Trip + thoughts

2009-01-07T23:01:00.016+08:00

Did you ever think that I've forgotten this blog? A long recount awaits you. I went on an exciting adventure to Shenyang, China with Yun Long, his mum and aunt. That explains the long duration in which I didn't post a single entry. Jet lag, withdrawal syndrome and rashes from the cold... I needed time to recuperate and spending time on the computer isn't the best way to recover.

China, the place where the melanine incident sprang up from, the land of many thieves, of cheats and crooks, this was my destination. To the Northern Eastern part of this daunting land I proceeded, into the industrial city of Shenyang. What a welcome, a swirling tornado of gritty dust greeted me and newspaper shreds flapped at my ears. It was winter time, frigid cold and dry as rock. All the trees were hibernating, and there was hardly a shade of green unlike Singapore, except those hardy evergreens in the summer palace. The atmosphere was quite depressing, which explains why during winters, suicide rates tend to be the highest. The barreness of winter really exacerbates feelings of decay and death.

As I journeyed pass the city, I cannot ignore China's staggering rise to a global economic power. Tall, fanciful architecture arrested my eyes, again testament to the local government's endeavour to outshine its neighbouring counties. What is unsettling is that this fast pace of development is juxtaposed against slums at the parks, high levels of pollution and uncivil behaviour frequently encountered.

This is the view from my friend's apartment

Me trying to jostle with the fire, I'm a natural griller

Sitting on this piece of rock in the Summer palace with my buddy Yun Long

Apart from these general observations, I enjoyed my time snow skiing, walking around the place with my broken adidas shoe, eating (woah fantastic) and spending time with Yun Long's family. I did a lot of firsts in this trip, like eating bugs, playing with fire, witnessing a classic chinese squabble,snow skiing, doing quiet time daily during a vacation, and of course 1st Christmas spent on a plane and airport.

More importantly, through this trip God is putting a burden in my heart for the lost souls in China. Everyday I see them going through the routine, seeking after wealth, stealth and health, with no greater purpose in mind. As Yun Long's mum and 2 aunts and grandparents shared about their experiences during the CULTURAL REVOLUTION from 1958 to 1968, I realise why the Chinese are notorious for what they are now today. Books were banned and educated people massacred. During exams, answers were written on the board, and teachers are specially chosen from the worse performing candidates. (they had open answers)

Back then, they had to sing praises to Mao Zedong (they all call him lao mao now) 3 times a day and dance whenever nationalistic music is played. I found it hilarious but failure to do so is death by hanging. The scary thing was that even your friends and relatives could betray you and denounce you as a spy, so as to gain extra rations or promotions.

This I believe, led to the culture of backstabbing, ruthlessness and self-centredness we often see in chinese Chinese. But within this family I stayed with, they were very nice and I was very troubled. Even as non-Christians they could live so carefreely, as if without, we do we as Christians get choked up by the thorns of life, when we have God with us, with His mighty right arm that will deliver us. I was asking God whether God is really revelant in their lives. I left a chinese Bible in their house and hope they read it. Because after I leave, I don't think anyone will reach them with the gospel. I believe that God will touch their hearts and transform them.

The result of the 1 Child policy in 1979 :p a happy family potrait with my intrusion

Appetising, appealing? 2 of them got eaten by me, its flesh is yellow

The End of As

2008-11-25T11:12:00.000+08:00

I declare the A levels over.

Finding Literature

2008-10-03T13:45:00.005+08:00

"Stasis in the arts is tantamount to death." This quote by Charles Marsh aptly describes my lack of affinity in the blogosphere. Having being reminded of this degenerating blog by a friend who should be studying, I shall do myself justice this time(by writing this post) for the hard work I put in in creating this blog in the first place.

I believe with Orwell that "When language suffers, the general atmosphere must suffer as well. " Due to the lack of literary writing and practice due to my negligence, I have forgotten what it meant and felt like writing a literature essay. I have relegated it like an economics essay, or a geography essay, which is atypical and follows a tightly structured style that hinders creativity.

Whilst my grades for these 2 subjects did improve by a few grades from block test (thank God), literature has taken a drastic fall from its once glorious days. Do let me indulge in my fancies by writing this short, little allegory which I visualised on the bus a few months back(it underwent changes as I typed it). Hopefully, this comes out of my Imagining Other Worlds paper.

It scuttered out of the cracked device,
finding its new sense of freedom,
remarked breathlessly : "Brave new world,
that has such sights and smells in it"
That it vowed, "It shall be my dwelling place!"
There lies prominently, a yellow cube,
on top of the smooth marble-
deceptively deceptive.
It moves. Smells like marshmellow.
A nip or two won't do.
To stop would be a fool.
And so it does,
merrilly chewing upon its delightful find.
"What could happen?"
The yellow cube dissolves,
as with the rat.
Another success,
says the man.
Now whose the fool?

I hope you see what the yellow cube, the rat, the world and the man symbolises. I had a pre taste of laughter knowing that you have been led into thinking the yellow cube as the quintessential cheese cube, which actually turns out to be rat poison, irresistably deadly. (As with conventional thinking) Well the shift came in an inspiration, but also of a need to cut my semi poem short.

The rat would have survived if it remained in its 'cracked device', in conditions terrible in our human perception, but in a rat's world, dirt and grime, gosammer of webs, that is Christmas decorations. Likewise, I say that although in the world we live in, though it may be fraught with "sights and smells", temptations that are irresistably deadly, like the "yellow cube", we should still recline in the "crack device", which offers us a respite in this transitory life. After all, on the other side of the wall, lies a "straight and narrow" crack that only the wise and faithful rat can survive to reach, into abundant life and freedom on the fields of gold, God's heavenly kingdom.

NS medical checkup

2008-07-14T22:07:00.004+08:00

I forfeited school for the NS medical checkup. Had to thank Andre and Louis for their company in the rather monotonous way the entire medical assessment was conducted. Pre-enlistees like us felt like batches along the production process.

The part I enjoyed most was the Vocational Assessment. It was like a series of questions you have to solve within a short time span. At first I didn't know that there is an auto-timer and I just took my own time with the 1st test, and I guess I completed less than half of it. I felt real bad, and the rest of the tests went quite well, save for the "science section", where they asked terrible questions like which direction cog 1 will move if cog 2 moves clockwise, and along with it they connect chains, numerous other cogs, and mess it all around. I would fail that session terribly.

I enjoyed the linguistic questions, its interesting but it can get mind bogging at times, as with the number pattern and instructions test.

The entire series of tests took about 3.5 hours and we had lunch there.(The food is not bad) However we regretted it as we proceeded to the bus stop which was opposite Botak Jones, which I heard offers great western food at affordable prices and a most generous portion of fries.

Near the end of the assessment I saw my old sec friend. Met up with him later and visited his house. Discussed about God and religion but he was still as obstinate as ever, but he was gracious enough to let me pray for him and his house. Ah well, I really hope that he will come to accept God willingly. He is so indulged in his own world and it can collapse any moment...

Anyway surprisingly I got a PES A for the checkup. A prelude of tough trainings to come :/

Bitter-sweet Birthday

2008-07-08T22:25:00.004+08:00

Today was a more bitter, than sweet birthday.

Bitter as my Dad has forgotten clean about it despite reminding us that he was bringing the family out for dinner the day before. I had to call him to remind him of it, and that was awkward.
My family isn't so appreciative of me as well. My sister and brother(they just have to ruin everything) didn't even say a nice word to me all day. My heart felt numb towards their apathy. Only God's love can transform their heart that is the bile.

Now proceeds the good news, I am very happy that my beloved class A302, has managed to surprise me with a rather creamy birthday cake topped with white chocolate glaciers and assorted fruits, and nice clothes which my wardrobes need to fill. Thanks class, though I may appear somewhat nonchalant for the rest of the day, I am deeply appreciative. It is just that sometimes a sort gloom just wishes to press upon me, though I fight it.

Also many thank you's for those who wished me happy birthday and those who did not as well. Am glad that God has placed you in my life :) I also met 2 other people in school who had the same birthday as me, and one of them whom I vaguely know was sitting beside me in Literature Lecture, talk about the uncanny.

This was what I had for dinner, it was extremely filling and delicious, save for the stir fried mixed vegetables. At least it made up for the extremely oppresive car journey to Chinatown at Tam Kah Sharkfin's restaurant.

I am quite irritated as I couldn't upload the pictures onto blogger. The only one I could get was my least favourite dish, stir fried veggies. The top of it is a trace of the creative sesame fried chicken which they stuff shrimps, beancurd into it.

Structural Rigidities

2008-06-30T19:06:00.002+08:00

Many times we are instructed to be in the exam venue 15 minutes before the paper starts. Some overly enthusiastic students flock to the venue even half an hour before the paper begins.

As for my economics case study paper today, I arrived just 5 minutes before 1pm, since the venue for all my papers would either be too hot or frigid, and arriving there later would mean less of the surroundings I have to suffer.

Although this silent rule seems to have been laid down as to prepare the students' minds before they take the paper and/or prevent students from coming late, I observe that though the latter's objective has been successfully met, the former seems to be of contention.

Instead of calming the student's mind, the drollery of waiting for the paper to begin takes on an emotional, pyschological and physical toll on the student. The act of waiting creates an air of anticipation, and when we anticipate, time seems to have ceased temporarily. This lends itself to suspense, which comes with it thoughts of every nature, of which the pessismistic ones take precedence. To pass this time, we subject ourselves by lying on desk with our hands as our pillow, impairing our ability to write as legibly or speedily due to lack of blood flowing to our hands as a result of the wait. Also, it induces a drowsiness that refuses to be snapped out when we finally are able to tackle the paper.

Another type of student who has drank coffee, I assume, will be too perky to fall into a siesta(if its the afternoon with a baking sun) and would most probably be staring at his watch, the clock and the instructions on the question paper, at frequent, punctuated, calculated intervals. This anxiety is quite a pain on the neck, since he has to rotate his head or strain his eyes, he will not be as effective as when he does the paper.

For me, I am quite versatile between the two styles- it depends really on the subject. On subjects that I am dreadful of, like say English Literature, I mourn for myself in the pretense of sleep, whereas for no brainers like Economics case study(for mid years), I can't wait for the paper to start and look around like some beggar.

When gently admonished by a friend not to be so late though I was 5 minutes early for the paper today, I replied as such, with changes due to previous grammatical errors :

I was languishing in the comfort of the library and didnt want to suffer the insufferable heat at the intolerable e block classroom, and such a thought justified me being at the exam venue at the most precise moment moment before execution, that I take much to my delight and fancy, made more by the anticipation of the culmination of the examination at the dawn of the next day, much marked my mind during my missing in action whilst you waited.

If you read carefully, it might not make sense but well tomorrow marks the finale of my mid years! Physical Geography, one of the most terrible subjects I have to behold that I feel that I allude it to the sublime of academania.

Also I thank God for the sumptuous dinner yesterday by Caleb and Serene, such a lovely couple indeed, and a extremely practical gift of Everyday with Jesus, Joy edition. I guess it was divinely inspired that I got the joy edition, for I need it ! Thank God that my sister came back home after my chastise/or lack of it and although relations are patchy and volatile, she has at least obeyed and responded to me just now, which I am grateful of.

Bittersweet

2008-06-29T15:47:00.004+08:00

I seem to have forgotten this blog of mine. Caught in the pursuits of numerous other activities.

Time is just fleeting away, that even as I type, I can feel time slipping away, quietly, steathily.

I can't wait to attend the wedding dinner of Serene and Caleb later. This godly couple have blessed me much with their wisdom and leadership and it's a surprise that they invited me. I almost couldn't because I didnt rsvp. I didnt know what was that till i checked it just a few moments ago, rsvp= responez s'il vous plait.

Thank God the person in charge Adeline just let me off :) Haha I feel so blessed and embarassed at the same time.

I guess I have no time to prepare for my mid year papers tomorrow. I'll try my best, after all economics is a subject you can smoke through.

Mum's back!

2008-05-30T13:59:00.002+08:00

Finally after a short month, my mum's back from China, and delayed be a day too! (the China Airline plane couldn't take off and she had to stay in Xiamen for a night to return back to Singapore)

Besides herself, she brought back tonnes of exotic fruits, like pipa, yangmei, those minicsule peaches, and the white round bean( i shall call it lotus bean until I find out its true name ) and the fantastically fragrant beef balls that is unparallel. She really brought back a tonne, paying S$400 for excess luggage. Now, thats a staggering amount.

Thank God she's alright. The news about the Sichuan Earthquake didn't really scare me, I felt peace in my heart that my mum would be safe, and indeed she is. It was quite nerve wrecking when your relatives call you and interogate you how is your mum, where she is... and to reply that you don't know how to contact her. (Since my mum is travelling with my relatives across the whole of China, I can't track down the international calling code across the provinces, it shocked me to know that China had so many codes that I immediately gave up trying to call her on her phone.) I had to vouch for her safety and I daresay I wasn't convincing enough, they were rather insistent in pressing me for more details and I had to assuage their fears, instead of the other way around. :p

Another spectacle happened. When my mum came out of the belt with her luggage, the putrid smell emanating from the luggage was too palpable, and many heads were turned to my relatives and mum's company. You see, due to the delay in takeoff, the frozen stuff my relatives brought back home had dethawed and supposedly gone bad. It was thousand times worse than the wet market. Even I couldn't stand it. A few sniffs of it triggered an impulse to simulate the act of vomitting. When told to carry some of the luggage to the car boot, I was quite reluctant but still did it. (The luggage were wet and slimy cold, mind you) Even from the back of the car, I could smell the sickening smell of things gone bad.

I was in deep anguish as the food that was brought back cannot be consumed anymore and it was made worse when my mum recounted how much food she brought back; 20 packets of the lotus bean, a huge bunch of bouncing beef balls, fruits, foie gras(too bad she didn't get it) and how these perishable food would have to be thrown away. Being the passionate food lover I am, I couldn't bear the thought of such good food gone to waste.

I prayed that God will do a miracle and preserve the food, turn it from bad to good, after all Jesus could turn water to wine. What I asked was just a reverse chemical reaction. I didn't tell my family explicitly that I have prayed for the food as I was fearful that if the bad food remained bad, it would have a dampening effect on my parents' and siblings' perception of God being a Passive God, one that cannot answer prayers or do miracles.

As it turned out the food was fine! Despite the insanely vomit-inducing smell, the food was fine and eatable! I declared how God answered my prayers and such, but they didn't really believe it. This brought me to reflect my lack of faith then, to declare there and then on the car that I will be praying that the food will be ok. Had I have done it, it would really bolster our faith! Oh well next time I won't hesitate and miss out such great opportunities to share with them the power of God.

Nonetheless, I really praised God for the miracle, and the good food that ensued that night (28th) . I ate more than 5 beef balls, and had a bowl of the lotus bean soup(the beans were overcooked I think), close to midnight. I shall see what I can bring to share with you all the little things she brought back.

Tribute to my leaders

2008-05-25T19:52:00.002+08:00

All of us have role models to look up to, and I am really glad that God has placed so many people in my life to guide me along, influence me, encourage me, care for me, love me, although I am not much lovable nor excitable.

I am very inspired by my leaders in church, by their faithfulness and commitment to serving God and for their passion for God. Even as I begin to be involved in Ministry, and rise up the ranks to be a leader as well, in Petra as a core group member(youth ministry life group) and in Cephas as an assistant leader(sunday school ministry life group) Assistant leader for Cephas, I am constantly amazed at the people shepherding me.

There are a few very important people whom have really made a great impact in my life, and really propelled me to want to serve God and to love Him wholeheartedly. There are many of them, and thank God for placing me in Church of Singapore, where they can be a blessing in my life.

They are none other than Justin, Doreen, Ee Ling, Estella, Serene, John, Kevin, Priscilla and so many more, like Matthew Chern, maybe the current youth director.

Week after week, as I see them serve God, my heart yearns to be like them as well, and I am thankful that we are all running the same race, to become more like Christ, and that I can partake it alongside them.

I find that my sentences to have very tenuous linkages, haha don't know what happened to me, but I am brimming with joy now! I shared with my sister about Jesus after I came back from church and though she didn't seem to register anything, I know a seed has been planted in her. I will continue to sow and water the soil, and pray that God will do the rest.

Rest well dear friends!

Cabal management

2008-05-15T15:44:00.002+08:00

These days I am spending too much of my sleeping time playing Cabal, pulverising monsters till 5am since last Sunday. I wonder what is the motivation behind it, perhaps my heart is pining for my dear parents to reconcile and to return back home. It is actually scary that you feel so accustomed to them not being there that they no longer have any bearing on your life.

I would like to thank God for really refreshing my spirit everyday, for He restores me when I am weary. I've had less than 10 hours of sleep in 4 days but apparently I can't seem to fall asleep during lessons, till as incisive as ever.

Yet all this cannot continue indefinitely, my studies I have neglected. My teachers are raising their eyebrows at all the missing assignments, late tutorials and shoddy pieces of work.

All I can say is that things will get better. Finally a post, sigh...

Sweet farewell

2008-04-27T12:28:00.004+08:00

I sent my mum to China at Terminal 1 this morning. I guess it'll be good for her. It will be a while(a month) till we have a family reunion. How sweet will that be. Pity I won't be able to fetch her back home. Pre U Seminar.

Poetry contest, Take Part!

2008-04-21T18:56:00.004+08:00

As the organiser of this year's Earth day which is on the 22nd of April, I have this sudden urge to compose this poem, envisaging the apocalyptic scenario Man will land himself in if he persists in destroying God's creation. Hopefully it does not come true, but it certainly serves as a cautionary tale. Try and analyse what I am trying to hint at, it is quite a tricky poem with multiple layers and perspectives. Hopefully I can enrol myself in it and win a prize for the poetry contest. Enjoy the "Thoughts of a wanderer"

Thoughts of a wanderer
They say she is gonna die,

so are we just gonna sigh?

The pretty little flowers

the lush grass by the roadside

the fluffy white clouds hanging-

against the blue expanse and

the bursts of light peeps through

basking her in golden hue

a canopy of colours

The Creator's masterpiece.

They say we ain’t gonna care,

so are we just gonna stare?

The tiny weenie i-pods

the metal cogs at the beach

the noxious fumes overhead-

amidst vortexes of Fren-

zy storms, Jupiter’s Red Spot

where day and night collapse.Oh-

Mankind’s very own playground.

They say you hafta come back,

what else more do you still lack!

The petite fragments of rocks

littered across the bare earth

the sun is reached with a touch.

Perpetual light blinds the sight-

place where there is no darkness

yet we see shadows. How vain

of Man to escape the mess

and make another his home.

I inhale from my tube and

leapt off Eville, away from her

Severing all ties- yes all!

With this dark nightmarish world

My memories are intact-

The pretty little flowers

the lush grass by the roadside

the fluffy white clouds hanging-

***********

I can’t hear them.

I’m reaching… soon…

***********

We can’t hold on anymore,

Food has n’ver run out before!

So we turn to each other

***********

The End of Man

A Respite

2008-04-20T21:37:00.004+08:00

Wow, it has been over 2 weeks since I posted a new entry. I'm busy with Green Transport Day on 22nd April and the SLA exhibition the next day(pray that we can get the 1000 prize money!). Here is a sample of the quiz my friend qiu xuan and I set for the college. Have fun choosing the most appropiate answers!

The six main greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, Methane, Ozone, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and _______________.

Sulphur Dioxide Potassium Oxide Sodium Hydroxide Nitrous Oxide

______ of the last thirteen years(1995-2007) rank among the warmest years since 1850.

Four Twelve Five Eleven

Climate change results in processes such as greenhouse effect and _____________ to develop.
Acid Rain Global warming the splitting of the Earth Fluidization

How many people could be homeless due to global warming by the year 2050?

5 million 150 million 1 billion 2 billion

Which lighting options produce the least amount of greenhouse gases?

Candles Normal light bulb Gold plated light bulb Compact fluorescent light bulb

______ Percent of the 5.22 million tons of waste generated yearly is being recycled.
22 36 51 67

7. Singapore ratified the Kyoto Protocol in ___________.

10 February 2004 11 March 2005 12 April 2006 13 May 2007

8. Carbon Intensity is the term used to describe the amount of C02 emitted per _________.
GDP dollar person in a country industry in a country land size of a country

9. A whooping ___________ plastic bags are used each year by Singaporeans.
750 million 1500 million 2500 million 5000 million

10. The longest dry spell (period of no rain) in Singapore lasted for ______ days.
ten twenty thirty forty

11. Singapore’s main source of energy comes from ______.
Solar energy Natural Gas Coal Crude Oil

12. The urban heat island effect (UHI) is a phenomenon whereby ______.
+ An island heats up rapidly due to the surrounding ocean bodies
+ The urban area relatively warmer than the rural areas
+ The urban area acts a heating device to warm the surrounding areas
+ An island experiences a higher temperature than a landmass not surrounded by the sea

13. Singapore contributes to ___ if the world’s C02 emissions but it is only ____ of the earth’s land surface.

0.02, 0.0000047 0.05, 0.00047 0.02, 0.047 0.05, 0.0000047

14. Which of the following is NOT an example of anthropogenic mitigation methods to reduce greenhouse gases?

Walk or cycle more – use the car less planting more trees

Use air refreshers more often implementing the “Three Rs Principle”

15. You save on average ____ of your energy bill if you turn off them when not in use.

10% 11% 12% 13%

Forgive me for the mess! I am technically untechnical.

Busiest week of all time

2008-04-03T20:55:00.003+08:00

Despite my busyness I shall post a shall one. Was interviewed by Channel News Asia today along with my group members in the SLA Spatial Challenge. I was expected to answer back in Chinese, and given my lack of exposure for 2 years and counting, it was terrible. Ah well, I hope they edit it here and there. It could be aired next week at the evening news slots. (what a glamourous way to become infamous)

I can only ask God to sustain me through this busiest period of my life. I need more of you. Prayers highly demanded!

The HAir Scare

2008-03-30T18:50:00.002+08:00

Since this Monday, after sporting this new ''Botak" hair of mine, I received to my extreme surprise, a blend of extreme opinions about it. So I guess it wouldn't hurt to add suggest my own reasons for on such an unconventional hairstyle for me.

Well, the first and most primary reason I did so was simply to save money in the long run. I wouldn't have to cut my hair that often now. A little savings go a long way, it just feels better.

Next, I wanted to test my friends' responses out there, hoping that they would think that I have entered NS already, well it was quite well received, they assumed it without much questioning. Whereas for those who I thought gullible, to say I was balding was another attractive alternative. (Cut my hair to minimise the signs of my balding)

A few interesting comments-
Foong Chin= You look like a monk travelling on alms, with that hair of yours and bag slouched at the back. So I was conferred the title of Xu Shifu(Pugilist Master Koh) for the training today. I treated it with much solemnity.
Someone but i forgot whom= You siao ar?! Ya, I hope you didn't have a heart attack(jokingly).

Anyway I attended this seminar yesterday- BReaking a Millionaire Code by Thomas Mathew. It was splendid, 3 hours long yet i didn't even have the time to feel drowsy. Great speaker and imparted great tips on how to indeed be a millionaire- quite easily. The youngest one he groomed turned out to be 24. I'm going to place my money in their team, IPP. I want to be a good steward of my money, to glorify my Master with what He has given me.

That should be all, please pray for me- the Wushu Taiji Quan competition on 9th April, the SLA Spatial Challenge, and VJC Economics Symposium, that I shall shine for God, no matter how insignificant I am.

-Softball-

2008-03-24T18:07:00.009+08:00

I just witnessed a softball match by my greenhorn-ish juniors opposite my house, at East Spring Secondary School. They lost, quite badly. I couldn't keep track of how many runs they trailed behind.

Sad. They lacked the fighting spirit, the mutual encouragement and support, and the tenacity that a softball player should uniquely possess. Despite this harsh critique on them, I myself and many others have fallen prey to defeatist attitudes as well. I have great hopes for them, so for any of you softballers who may chance about your senior's blog, don't despair for it is not all doom and gloom! I believe you have untapped potential, seeing that you all just don't see yourselves that way.

I then realised how much I miss this sport, still returning to watch a match, under the relentles s sun, occupying a good one eighth of my day. This team game, that was the catalyst of many a lifelong friendships and the development of a strong willed individual that I am.

With this I pen down this poem, in memory of this sport which I can or never will sever with. And to the teammates whom have made softball the elusive sport that it is.

SWING BATTER, BATTER SWING!
From what came strangers formed an unlikely team
of talents not appreciated, demeaned.
No field of our own,
bats, gloves, nets we had to loan.
We have grown.

Terrible we were, a blatant fact
couldn't hold a bat, baffled by the act,
no wonder it led to Mr Yeo's rambling
Yes spilling on and on- numbing.
We have grown.

zhu zhu, zai zai, long long, (yun long, zai hui, shyang long)
yuan yuan, ming ming zuan, (zhen yuan, zuan ming)
shan zhu, tkt, guang sh(it) or GS, (hejun, kim tien, guang shun)
aaron, sikai, joseph. (alvin)
We have grown.

The first match- MATI!
Against Mr Yeo's own Chai Chee,
Cocky bulls they were, brawny
whilst we docile lamb, scrawny.
We have grown.

The honour of a privileged few,
The First of our kind to invade the field,
Thrice a week we strenously train.
Then picking balls from the slimy drain.
We have grown.

Year 2004 marks our foray
into the East Zone, ready to play.
With our minds rehearsed, reflexes sharpened,
Against our adversaries our emotions sullen (may be disputed)
We have grown.

A disappointing defeat by arch nemesis to be -Damai,
Second to none but nepalese Damai.
Only to happen again in Year 2006,
To crush our wishes that irksome Damai. (Becky!)
We have grown.

Yet beyond the triumphs and the doldrums
Nothing can match the exhilaration
of holding a bat and commandeering the play,
especially so, scoring the ecclesiatical home run.
We have grown.

How long has it been, a year or two?
With each of us walking his own way.
Search deep, lurking within us,
lies an earnest desire to rekindle the past.
And we have grown.

Hmm... Soft sport, they brazenly mock,
Unaware of the perils it knocks,
Wait till a softball comes crashing down,
I pray you'll be safe and sound.
They have grown.

And so have we.

P.S. I had a fun time reminiscing all of these fond memories, and really, such words are quite unable to capture the enormity of feelings I have for softball and the 'gang'. I don't ascribe calling ourselves the gang because it's too boorish. Anyway, a picture to remember!

Short post

2008-03-10T20:04:00.001+08:00

This shall be my shortest post ever! Stay strong and be healthy and get plenty of rest, fellow petralites and classmates and dear friends! I will remember to pray for you!

Remnants of Cambridge-a delight to the eyes

2008-03-09T00:25:00.007+08:00

Whats the fuss about a pile of big rocks? Plenty,
there is an unqueasy energy in this place.

Looks familiar, hey wait isn't it the harry
potter bridge, without the stream?!

What a classic, yet imposing abbey. Cut down the trees, chop down the signboard!

Hope it adds life to the blog:)

Relative time, relative importance

2008-03-07T09:19:00.006+08:00

Time is said to be relative, that is you use time efficiently, you have more time, you use it inefficiently, you have less time.

I am in short, spending my time on such an array of activities all in the span of a week.

(Pre-U Seminar emcee sessions, SLA Geographic Imaging Systems competition, VJC economics symposium, Who wants to be an Econnaire, Youth Connect exhibition, giving weekly friday tuitions to primary school kids, wushu training 3 times a week, now 4, wednesday morning prayer meetings in school, weekly thursday meetings with Campus Crusade, Investment Cashflow game on Saturday, followed by church till night, Sunday church cancelled due to training, not to mention the crafting of lesson plans, planning of games, and sharing of testimonies)

Couple that with a slew of piping hot tests that spills all over the week and the impending block tests in a week, it could be quite a tramatic experience. However, despite the overwhelming workload, I am still quite stress free, and quite numb overall to the entire experience. By God's grace truly.

How I look forward to Saturdays and Sundays, where I would once again, be restored to strength to strength, as Isaiah 40:31 promises : "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Friends always remark at how I survive this hectic, frenetic, maniacal schedule of mine, if they can tell or do know, (since I am always so stress free.) Well my God does it for me, and He can for you too :)

I hope that as I take time off to compose this poem , you would also take time off to contemplate on it. My greatest satisfaction would be the elevation of your souls. (hmm) You can try figuring out the rhyming scheme(its quite tough! Took me quite a while to get it, you can doublecheck below)

Look Forward
As we toil in our daily cares,
let us not fall into the snares,
of living an existence
which bears no resemblance,
to what you have in mind.

"Seek me first, and you will find-
fulfillment, love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self control "
to say the least.

How I await the great feast!
Where people from every nation,
tribe and tongue,
would gather in unison-
To praise our God in jubilation!

An attempt at a little more complex rhyming scheme, aabbc cdefd dghgg.

Carried in His arms

2008-03-01T12:16:00.006+08:00

This is going to be the testimony I am going to share with newcomers and dear friends at my church: Of God's faithfulness and love for me in my lowest of lows since December last year. This account is of course not fabricated in any sort, nor is it supposed to be. THIS is my personal story of how God led me through this tumultuous times and is still carrying me, in His arms.

For many of you, especially those who have known me in school, would unanimously agree that I am of the ENFJ personality type: Loud, straightforward, critical, jovial, intelligent and 'witty'. In church too, I am much the same, though perhaps a bit more reserved. That said, as I begin to familiarise myself with my brethen, I am slowly 'coming out of my shell' and am pretty much the same Chong Lip in school as in church.

It has been 2.6 years since I surrendered my life to Jesus. As I reminisce, it tickles me as to how idealistic I have been: To think that all things would proceed smoothly now that I have become a Christian. I wouldn't be hypocritical and say that God has blessed my family richly or my relationships richly as of now. But He has blessed my life richly, and I can confidently proclaim that He has made me a better person, a wholer person, than before. I would very possibly degenerate to a beastly like thing have I not followed Christ. So, thank you God, for choosing me.

Last december, after I went back home from the 'THINK' camp in church, I found out that my dad has not been at home, for a few days already. He only came back in 2 weeks. And left in the wee hours again. Without a word of notice. He didn't dare look at me in the eye when he came back, it must have been guilt of a strange kind. My father became a stranger to me. My mum, being Mrs Bennet, was hysterical, writhing, going through rages and bouts of depression, worsened by the fact that some friend of hers witnessed seeing my dad with another 'pretty, China woman'. My siblings didn't care, I was the one who tried to console her, to assure her, when I myself struggled inside; I simply could not ascertain that my dad was unfaithful to my mum; That God allowed such a thing to happen in my family . That period as short as 2 weeks could be said to be the absolute worst in my life.

Now, where is God's promise as in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. " I felt battered, wearied, lost, without hope and still, acting as if I am alright and well, outside the confines of my home. How futile it is, how unsustainable, to keep up this double life of mine.

Many times, I asked God. I ask him, why is this happening to me, why do I have to be in this family. I envisioned myself worse off than a starving baby languishing in the slums of Africa. Though he didn't have food, he had not tasted the emotional anguish that assailed me.

I pored over the Bible, read the Daily Bread daily, since there was no one else I could turn to. I didn't know my church friends well enough, and I only told them a slice of what was happening in my family. Grief was my friend.

I began to journal down my thoughts and prayers. I wrote down verses which God revealed to me through His Word, and mediated upon them.

Sunday, December 16, 2007. This was the first verse i jotted down. Psalm 46.10 - Be still, and know that I am God. Indeed, the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) I felt so strongly God's peace and presence as I quieted down my spirit and just 'Be still'. Even as I am typing this now, God is ministering to me. I was enlightened in a sense, how silly i have been not to hope and trust in God, whom is the creator of Heaven and Earth.

I would also like to share with you another verse from 2 Corinthians 4:8-9- We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. May this bring hope to those of whom are hurting, despairing, for God is always there for you.

Remember the Lord, who is GREAT and AWESOME, Nehemiah(in 4:14) says. Though things are still quite as bad as before, God has heard my prayers and begun a recuperative process in my family. Though the devil continues to throw snares, I can know that what God promised in Jeremiah 29:11 is not a feint one. For this is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us-whatever we ask- we know that we have what we asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

Even if it is restoring peace between my siblings and I, and the reconciliating the relationships between my parents, and even with some of my friends whom I have ignored, God is mighty and able to. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

I hope that you will come to accept God and His love for you. Make a personal choice today, to follow Him.

P.S. Those observant ones would realise that I didnt blog during December, January because I simply wasn't in the best state of mind :p

Bee-sy See-ly Lee-py

2008-02-26T16:19:00.006+08:00

Busy as a bee!
no time to pee
I hope in glee
how to be free . ! ?

Oft'n, a poem reflects the poet's state of mind, be it consciously, or semi-consciously.

Vary Valentine~

2008-02-14T20:33:00.007+08:00

This day of the year can hardly be more heart fluttering or heart breaking. Thankfully I am none and in between these two extremes.

I would like to take this editorial to thank my beloved friends from A302 for all the ingenuous(and ingenious) letters, which very much fizzled the day for me. By courtesy of Lizzy, I shall reproduce part of her risible poem. (It has no title)

Roses are red
Violets are blue
But mushrooms aren't flowers
And so aren't you!!

What an unconventional twist to an otherwise flaccid poem. By such a mere glimpse of the activity of my classmates, one can hardly not be stupefied by the dynamism and the esprit de corps we share. Thanks A302 for the cherished friendships and partaking in this odyssey with me.

Whilst others are with their sweet hearts, I had a sweet time spent with God, Stephanie and Geraldine. Had half and an hour of animated discussion and prayer. Really excellent time.

Ah, before I sign off, I have this spunky poem for you. No guessing this time, just think about it! Do give feedback! I submitted this poem to the Library Love Poem contest. Haha, only 3 submissions thus far, fancy guesswork will tell you that I may stand a high chance of attaining the voucher!

Ok- Enjoy it, laugh over it and God Bless :)

How LOVE came about

Love drifts in the air
and brushes through my hair.

I chance upon her.
A most exquisite pearl.

Her features so smooth
and exceedingly fair.

Anticipation builds,
tingling. Excitement brews.

My mind overflowing-
Too overpowering

I fall head over heels.
Yes! That is what I feel.

‘‘Take the leap of faith!
Or join the nameless grave.’’

Both our eyes meet-
my heart missed a beat.

Vowels I manage,
Man, do I sound savage!

She gave a smile. A
reassuring, sweet smile.
…
Good night, out of sight-
Our journey takes flight.

For love’s a strange one.
Even I can’t crack it.

P.S. It isn't what I feel about love though. It rarely begins with a 'Love at first sight' syndrome. Sorry to drown your utopia. Love is more complicated than this :p (refer to earlier post)

Back with a Vengeance?

2008-02-12T21:40:00.000+08:00

After a long hiatus, of say 3 odd months, I have returned to the blogosphere. Alas, with such a freedom of expression in a blog, it is indeed poses as an irresistable threat/allure.
Life has been insufferable at some points or another the past months, which delivered a major stab into my blogging endeavours. So, with the advent of this entry, you may easily postulate that things may have gone for the better, but much waits to be unfolded.
As always, i would like to end my blogs with poems and today i shall attempt to create one, His love, in lieu of Valentine's Day.

His Love
Love of a deepest kind,
Draws us to Him.
Comatose to the human mind;
Even Ah Lim.

No abomination None too great
Nothing, really! Murder! Idolatry!
No exaggeration He forgives, He forgets
Undoubtedly- Unconditionally.

Love of a feeble kind,
Draws me to Him.
Challenges me to will my mind,
To love like Him.

Have fun deciphering who He is! I'm sure some of you would find it easier to guess. Have a loving, blessed day!

Visitations

2007-11-08T20:03:00.000+08:00

The prayer and healing conference i attended today could very well propel me towards a whole new level of relationship with God. There i was challenged to pray an hour, non-stop, and did time pass and go! So surreptiously that it felt like fifteen minutes. I was reminded by the words of Jesus in Matthew 17:20 : "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."
Indeed, if we truly believe and not doubt, all things are possible in God and *coughs* my throat problem was no more. Thank you God.

After the meeting i was visited by another supernatural being on the bus number 12. Being a logical person, much like Edgar Allan Poe's characters, i shall attempt to depict the ghastly image of what i saw in the brevity of seconds, sticking to nothing but facts and what my eyes could testify.

I looked up from my seat,
and unwittingly saw
this pallid face staring
straight at me.

It was not a normal face,
for i could see no visible
nose; a crack was there.

It was smiling,
a most aberrant smile,
the lips looked sewn
but still it could smile.

The eyes, most gaudy of all.
With sheer deviousness it gazed at you,
at the moment i felt my blood run cold.
Wonder what could enfold.

Its arched eyebrows
further accentuates
the absurdity of this face.
All at the back of an old man's glabrous head.

I told whatever it is that i am not scared of it, and it fled. I thank God for people whom have started to pray for me and yes, God that He chased that filth out of my sight. Indeed i have nothing to be scared of, since Jesus's blood is my protection.

IF you feel uncomfortable reading this blog, you should be. Because you have been living too much in the dark, wantonly wishfully thinking that all's well will end well. There is simply more to life than your games, your lovers, your friends, your family, yourself. IF you are offended, i offer no apologies but i invite you to question yourself, why?

P.S. If you think that i have gone mad, you sure are silly! :p God bless and good night :)

PW Expires

2007-11-07T22:42:00.000+08:00

PW, which means project work, is a largely forgotten thing of the obscure past. I guess after today, it would never cross my mind today. To mark this joyous occasion, A302 marched off to suntec city where we splurged our $50 dollar Pizza Hut voucher, which we got from the Green Transport Quiz. On introspection, though perhaps we may have gotten it through underhand means, but at least we were sane enough not to be aboveboard and claim the 1st prize, which for this we deserve recognition for our valor and humility.

I cant wait for tomorrow as the Prayer Conference commences tomorrow. All are welcome to join it at 7pm, Church of Singapore. Do buzz me at 9483 2232 for any relevant details. I hereby end this short post.

one week without prayer makes one weak.

The Green Booth

2007-11-06T20:19:00.000+08:00

As the title succintly points out, this post will primary talk about the the 'Green Booth', which is held in Suntec City Convention Hall this entire day. At the invitation of the rhapsodic Miss Sim, i am to meet her at StarBucks at 7.30am where she would give me a treat. That is a pretty good bargain, considering i have to wake up at 5.45am to meet her. Of course i do have to change my opinion of her, perhaps i was a tiddy bit critical of her.(refer to the Trouble Me Not post earlier) Anyway lets focus on the Green Booth. The pictures below show how Meridian Junior College's booth looks like. The blueberry muffin is nice... Would do with more blueberries.

Display wall: Look! A picture is topsy turvy ;0

Left Side of Booth Right Side of Booth

As you can see, it is pretty and such. However lets proceed to more worthy booths and exhibits.

Interesting? No, its just colourful. Angler Fish made of Rubbish

After viewing these recherché exhibits and displays, you must be panging for more. I shall post more on a later date as i have to prepare for my 1st ever lesson for my goody-good sunday school kids, and the topic is on 'Presenting Your Body' (actually the primal reason is that i simply am too fed up with the difficulty in uploading and dragging the pictures to the desired spots) Please pray for me fellow comrades, as i would seriously need a double dose of God's anointing. Before i end this post, i have a little riddle for you to solve.

She

She moans, she groans,

but we never seem to care.

She sows, she plows,

but you never seem to care.

She loves, she serves,

but I never seem to care.

She wars, she roars

only do we seem to care.

God bless y'all with the ingenuity to guess it :)

P.S. You could either comment the answer(s) or tag it on the tagboard. IF you keep mum, i assume you dont know ): Cheers!

Lethargic...and Mystery revealed!

2007-11-05T18:05:00.000+08:00

Many of you readers have absolved to solve the mystery posted on "Tragedy",(posted November 3) 'Where lies my toy'. Frankly speaking, even I was not in the know of the culprit at the instance whilst i was writing, so this riddle may be a tad too hard to unravel for you, unless you are some Sherlock Homes, who is unfortunately pure fiction and so that means you arent. For those who are new or unawares, please stop and scroll down to the earlier post to inform yourself, if not this will read like a nonsensical post, not owing to my bad craftsmanship, but to your apparent ignorance. (dont be lazy and check the answer before attempting)

There being only 3 viable culprits in 'Where lies my toy', it is quite a quandrary as to why some people offered the explanation that I, the persona, misplaced the toy. Yes, on introspection it does seem plausible, and even a brazen attempt; a fresh, unconventional way of analysing the poem, but yet sometimes its just N.A, out of point. Well i infer that you are such a person who is rather creative but i guess a little too reckless and doubtful.

The other options are apparently she, her and him, being my mother, younger sister and younger brother respectively. WEll, the answer is actually she, my mother, which i guessed no one guessed correctly. An overwhelming answer was my younger brother, which i predispose to you having an irritable brother and thus stereotype(though in my case its truly true), putting him as the ideal felon. Perhaps a note to take, it doesnt mean that the more i write about him, the more likely its to be him, its a superficial sort of reasoning.

To those whom may have chosen the 'playful' her, you have taken the less trodden path. Perhaps you are just misogynistic, and like to apportionate blame to innocent little girls. (generally they are, but my sister is an exception) Anyway, i took pains to verify that it was not her, after all, she was playing audition sea all day long, so she would have no use for the gameboy. This rings a bell, its a gameboy, not a gamegirl, so she wouldnt want it too.

Finally, why is it my mum? Surely there are some hidden clues in the poem. IT looks so glabrous and paltry! You may argue that ..., but always, the poet has his reasons and is right.(most of the time) For one, my choice of diction, I described her as one who 'governs the household.' Circumspect readers would well-nigh guess that she tyrannizes the family and plays a dominant role in it. That would serve as a hint as to who took away my toy.

Next, i would like to invite you to question the motives behind the stealth. Unsurprisingly, they have different and equally plausible motives. WEll, then lets proceed to the success rate of them commiting such a treason against me. Here then, its apparent that my mum has the upper hand, and thus the sustainability in carrying out the plan. OF course, she being my elder, i cannot demand that she return it to me, but for my sister or brother, should they commit to stealing my gameboy, it would result in detrimental effects i say. So this is the Analysis of 'Where lies my toy' Hope you enjoyed it as much as I in writing it.

God bless with cheers and smiles :)

P.S. I know you will get better as you attempt more of such riddles. So dont be disappointed. I am so tired now...

Trouble Me NOT! with Green Transport Booth!

2007-11-04T20:36:00.000+08:00

What would be a sanguine week ahead was utterly vanquished by the unmistakable beep on my handphone, from Beverly. OH, she is a pretty ordinary Chinese girl who speaks with an unavoidable Malayan accent and looks like an innocent little lamb. But as with snow-white little lambs, they like to slack all day and go babaaa black sheep. Did i mention she was one? (didnt mean to)

I was to contact Miss Sim(a quintessential geography teacher) as soon as possible. Now, i would like to pause as i recount my first experience of encountering the uncouth, boorish, ungenteel, elegant Miss Sim, whose Doppelgänger would invariably feel the same way. If they should meet, it would be a real uncanny sight, i ascertain.(probably cant recognise each other, too snobbish i guess) Oops,forgive me for the sidetrack, let me continue with the thouroughfare of events that took place.

The conversation was far from pleasant(overtly pleasant, with exchanges of pleasantry). Yet being mild mannered and courteous as I am, i readily acceded her request of taking charge of a green' booth in Suntec City. [Ahh, here goes my daily rest and peace...] With the culmination of Project Work, life should be a breeze, but always something unexpected has to crop up. I must comment it was through gritted teeth that i accepted her offer, and of course i could sense the exasperation in her voice that as a gentleman i simply cannot leave her to canker much like a damsel in distress.

More details of the booth will be showcased on later dates, meanwhile, i would like to dedicate this little section of my blog to thank God for the wonderful service this morning and the intriguing, behind the scenes PETRA core group meeting. It was really a time well spent as we planned our future plans for the growth of the ministry and of course the upcoming Christmas gathering. Thanks guys for the warm welcome; Justin, Doreen, Ee Ling, Estella, Tai Wei, Isaac.

God bless y'all with a fruitful week ahead.

P.S. Miss Sim, should you venture to read this puny blog of mine, please do not succumb to the whims of rage as you would have possibly gleaned, it was written in the measure of pure fun, and i am in no way trying to discredit you whatsoever. However, i hope that should you read this blog, you could possibly see through the lenses of how your potential students may view you. I must say that you are quite a jolly-well person, with perhaps a stern demeanour that might stagger faint hearted students like me :o RElax.

Tragedy!

2007-11-03T22:32:00.000+08:00

Tragedy, tragedy, tragedy. This is such a tragedy. Why so, as belows it shows.

Where lies my toy
For my toy has gone,
And so here i mourn,
reduced to a life
of a vagabond.

Indeed who could be
so cruel to me?
Where thou my gameboy:
What a devious ploy!

Could it be she, who
governs the household.
Or her, the ever
playful girl; behold!

Could it be... t'was him
on hindsight it seems,
Younger of my kin,
Guilty of the sin.

So who could it be?
Do help me to see,
Go try if you're free,
To enlighten me :)

As my readers, i hope you are able to help me find where my gameboy belies. Meanwhile, i hope you enjoy reading this little epithet of the culprit. With this i end my post. (Sobs, i got no toy to play with as of now, save for my handphone games, thanks ZM.)

P.S. God bless y'all with the ingenuity to guess who is it!

Altruism

2007-11-02T23:21:00.000+08:00

After all the fun and games of the yesterdays, I guess that we have to veer unto the untrodden path. I guess many of you readers would have pondered why I would suddenly express such a desire to blog?

Perhaps one of my secret agendas is to voice out how i feel about certain issues, and to inject an element of fun into my faithful audiences at the same time. It also serves as a reminder of how God has been faithful to me all this while, as i walk down memory lane.

Today has been a fantastic day. (or rather yesterday; i stopped blogging halfway cause my internet connection went bonkers) I went volunteering at the Esplanade as a buddy for the children in the homes(orphans/children in dysfunctional families) at the request of my friend, hejun. Might as well, given the capricious state of affairs in my household.

Alas, it is impossible to capture the enormity of the emotions I felt. What started as cold strangers blossomed into bona fide friendships. Yes, we had our quarrels, yet within those few hours, the interaction produced a deep ringing joy that fills my heart. I could sense that God was prompting me: This is your mission field.

I could remember so distinctly of Amos, that mischievous, hyperactive boy, bouncing about and ultimately getting caught by the disciplinary mistress. Then like all naughty boys do, he will try to wriggle out of her hands, and sport a pouting face. Ah, this reminds me of my old self. Haha.. Of course, the girls were more brazen with me, taking advantage of my good nature and spamming me with the nickname donald duck. I do not know why, but apparently their reasoning is that i have lips that resemble Donald Duck's? I do not really agree and i attribute their misgivings to their perhaps undeveloped eyesight(too young) :p

AS i bid them goodbye, i am reminded by this verse: Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.(Mark 10:14) Though they may be forsaken by their parents or live in dysfunctional families, God always has a place for them. So do volunteer, I'm sure even a cold hearted person like you will melt at the infectious joy of these little children.

P.S. I got no CIp hours for it, yet it was worth all the while.

The Serendipity

2007-11-01T19:04:00.000+08:00

Isn't it wonderful to chance upon archaic relics of the past? It would have been an absolutely boring day had i not found this little treasure trove hidden surreptiously in the lonesome drawer under the bed where my parents reside. It must have been screaming for me, and i could say tears ebbed silently as i caressed its dust-licked face.

IT was dead.

Or not.

With a few swipes, it sparked into life. Well some say that Dogs are man's best friend, but i beg to differ, this little toy of mine far supercedes the furry, flea-infested canine. (Ah, this is but a small stab unto these aficionados)

Up
Left Down Right
I could play it throughout the night.
On and Off, start and select,
Let it test your intellect.
A button here,
B button there,
together they make one good pair.

So have you guessed: what is it?
It is: by no means an easy feat.
So, if you do please do,
leave a comment to say I do, too. (with the answer)

God bless y'all with the ingenuity to guess it (:

P.S. I hope you enjoyed racking your brains as i did . Do tell me if you like/dislike this style of blogging as I am trying out something uncanny.

Ruminations of a Blogger

2007-10-31T13:02:00.000+08:00

Writing is a creative entreprise. After perusing a few blogs of my fellow mates, i can only frown at envious amazement. Their blogs are generously speckled with what nots-flowers; nuts; chocolate. What more music streams in like a heartwarming welcome(though some are just pure jarring noise)

I would really have to brush my blog up, if not i might as well cease its life. Cruel eh? I can already sense the mute protest emanating from your larnyx. WEll, as the jolly-polly person I am, i could bear with the agony and continue on this.

As a blog's foremost priority is to encapsulate the essence how an individual felt about the events that occured on a particular day, acting as a platform for him to pen(or rather type) it down in a so called personal dairy(blog), which ironically is exposed to onlookers to scrutinize; I shall continue with this sacred tradition of recounting my travails on this fateful day... Those who are easily bogged down by a massive splash of words can give your eyes an exercise. [Warning, which i guess its too late]

I wonder why 2 serious bouts of stomachache hit me in the morning before my OralPresentation. But it was a real relief, afterwards. Fumbled here and there and forgot my script, yet i managed to end it off with a blast. Tip 302 for those who are hysteria, smile always and do read up your Q&As, your examiners from my observations, are not very creative with their questions. So stop thinking that you cant do it and earn the grade you deserve! And lastly a word from me, dont roll your eyes, its naseauting. Slap yourself if you do.

God bless y'all :)

P.S. Someone please enlighten me the art of crafting a blog, i want the special designs and such, not some factory-manufactured blog. Also, it would be great if it could include instructions on how to put up pictures, tagboards(???) and such

MY first debut onto Blogging

2007-10-30T20:16:00.000+08:00

I do not wonder why, or how. But i guess this blogging bug has bitten this boy that is me. Ah well, dont blame me if you cant catch what i am blogging about, cause i aint going to lax on my english. Yups, you better be armed with a dictionary(maybe not so) but be sure to correct me when i make silly, grammatical mistakes that i absolutely aBhor.

Haiz the agony of what to type is seeping in, much like water creeping into the crevices of cracks on concrete(trying out on consonance).

Oh i can talk about the PW OP that would be tomorrow. Ahh... its such a startling revelation. I guess that its then or never, hope that i wont make any slips of the tongue(the tongue is such a monster!) and be able to work magic unto my examiners. The semblance of the entire OP seems like a mini magic show to me, rivetting yet enarmoured with expressions.

With this i end my first ever post, if its what its called, to embark on the seemingly dry MMM game proposal. Indeed its something to rack my brains on, after all, that is the reward of being an OGl.

God bless :)