Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Tak boleh tahan! Many more but I cannot think now. Give me ideas? Maybe I can update!
How inconsiderate can S'poreans be?
Went service again this week with help from my cell group and a blessing from my brother-in-Christ, Kevin Tay from my Uni days..! He drove me to church! Been so long since we caught up with each other... He also drove me around when we were back in Uni to pursue our love for pool, together with Say Keat, Shuping too... Those were crazy & fun days... Of course, he would drive me up the wall too, at times! Haha... That's wat friends are for. I thought I could agape Him but I realised I couldn't... It was not that easy afterall. I mean to love unconditionally and self-sacrificially, it is not natural, only SUPERNATURAL! I mean we got to really think of what we say when we love something. We love mee siam mia hum! We love our parents/ partners... Does this equate to our parents or partners or whoever to a plate of mee siam? I know God is asking me to love Him & serve His people and feed His sheep... I am rising up again to answer a call which I have ran away from, for years for fear of hurts/ pains/ disappointments that I have experienced. After service, a few of us ex-NTU guys went off to hang out. Kevin Tay, Ben Cheong, Chao Yang, Jiajun and myself! We went to cineleisure and sat down and chatted away, catching up on old times and cracking jokes. What a time! Time flew by. It reached 8plus. Ben showed off his latest catch to us and he went home. Not long after that, we all left too. I walked all the way to Taka basement taxi stand and a taxi gave way to me to cross the road. Cool! At the taxi stand, Chaoyang & I waited for the taxi in queue. Someone actually moved in front of the line because the couple in front of us were talking and did not notice it! I was ENRAGED!! I was in clutches yet he act blur and just moved forward. Next, he just put on his Ipod earphones and acted like nothing happened! Some other couple did that but they apologised upon discovering their mistake that they overtook us. That's much better. I was on clutches and this guy was so so so .... But I went home happy that it was a good day that God blessed me with. I really pray for more love and people of Singapore to be more considerate!
Service was good as there was little of His word but more of a time of response! A response to Him. Though the Lord asked us to confess sins and everything else, I felt mine was slightly different. Mine was a question of renewal of my love for Him. I always compared my love with others and said I wasnt that bad... I love Him what!?! However, He told me He want me to compare with His love for me. I knew I had no complaints liao...! How to win? Haha.... My love for Him was so so shallow...!
I responded to Him during alter call and walked forward with my clutches and all. Then He asked me this question:
"Jason, do you love me?" (This love was agape)
I replied:
"Lord, I can only phileos you!"
He then said:
"Feed my sheep!"
Some might wonder the difference... Let me explain:
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Intimacy with God Love needs time. Intimacy needs time. Intimacy is an action word. It needs us to make sacrifices...! We cannot just keep telling someone we love them but when they need our time or our help, we tell them we are busy? Come on! We would give time to the person we love regardless how little time we have, right? Other than action, we need heart also. We cannot do it grudgingly...! Always telling the other person, we did these, we did that. I mean it should be reciprocal but I mean we do not keep counts of the times the other person inconvenienced us! Do it out of a loving heart! As God reveals more, i will write more! Stay tuned!
It was something that sparked me to think: What was worship? Was it just some slow songs, as in "Praise and Worship"?
God told me... No! It was a lifestyle. A life that chooses to please Him and honour Him!
It was not just a life that chooses His ways but also a life that chooses to know Him, to be initmate with God. In Matthew 7, verses 21-23. Jesus spoke to people who called Him Lord that He DID NOT KNOW them! They were people of lawlessness. What a shock these people must have felt? What harsh words!
Yet it is the very essence of christian living, not justone that is holy but one of intimacy with Him. How then to be intimate?
I offer you three points?
Ever wonder why we like certain superheros? Why do we wish to be like them?
Well, I personally prefer spiderman... Why? He is a man with great responsibilities cuz of his great power! Haha... That's besides the point.
He starts out as a loser, whom many people can identify with. We all feel loser at some point..?! For superman, he is an Alien!! I cannot identify with him. Besides, so much for a costume to hide his identity, a pair of spectacles! Oh please!! Another costume no no!! Why wear undies on the outside? Too hurried to save people that he wore his costume first before his undies?
Same for batman! At least he has the decency to cover his face to save himself the embarassment of being recognised with his undies worn outside! Another reason why I cannot identify with him as much was that he was a millionare to began with. So his powers came from gadgets through his money. I do sympathise with his loss of parents though. Can feel his struggle.
That's why I identify with Spiderman's character more. He also lost his foster father, his uncle Ben. He has more internal struggles, making him very human (not exactly, given his powers)! He battles with himself as he grows up, whereas for Batman, though a dark character, is too mature when we meet him, only showing glimpses of his past through his flashes or nightmares.
Spiderman decides to help others at the expense of his own welfare... How noble! He even shuns the love of his life, Mary Jane, to protect her from possible risks for fear that enemies might kill her just to threaten him. His internal struggles through seeking to find answers for himself, to even find out who he is, who he is to become are so intriguing.
Forced by circumstances to be a hero, he chose that path to protect the innocent. I mean, same as the other superheros but this guy just has struggles that made me identify with him more...! So give me spiderman anytime!!!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Wonder who in my form class or which of my volleyballers might read this...?
It's been more than a month after I fell and broke my leg. To be precise, it's been 1 month and 11days!!! I do think of my students... I miss the interaction I have with my form class. They visited me in hospital which was so sweet. My volleyballers wanna come visit me at home. I decided not to allow them to come my house. I still prefer to make my address a secret! Haha... Sorry, students!
I am worried with how many of my class might/might not pass maths. I am worried they start to be quarrelsome again. I am worried they are not studying. I am worried they are not cooperating with one another and with the teachers.
As for my volleyballers, I love to spend time with them all. Regardless which division or which gender... They are my 'babies' too. It is the students that I love but it is also them that drives me MAD!?!
Love hate relationship. I mean there are those who just melts your heart! Well, I mean I hate the administrative work and all that but I love them all!!! I kinda miss them. Some of them sms-ed me & called me to tell them they missed me. Mind you, there are boys too... I am not some heartthrob, making all the gals go gaga..!! How nice to go back soon. Let's keep our fingers crossed and keep praying!
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Indeed it was a sun service! What do I mean? I am still immobile due to my leg so my cell came to my house to have cell group. On top of that, they travelled all the way down. Let me remind our audiences that some of my cell members stayed near Changi Prison and Marine Parade. They came so that I can have cell with them and then later travel to EXPO with them.
We had cell. They carried my bag, helped me climb down stairs and we took a cab to EXPO. They helped me buy food as I was seated down. What SERVICE, right?
Then it all happened so quickly and service was over. They went on their way to their various stuff. As for my leader, he and Jiajun's cell accompanied me to walk from Hall 10 to the MRT station. It was the longest walk in a long time!!! Long long time and a long long walk! It was agony to be so slow. My first outing since I fell on the 12th of July (medical appointments were not included).
We went to Changi Airport for dinner. Dinner at Swenson was fun, with loads of suan-g...! Then with many a pang sai talk!! Haha... It was madness at its best. With Chaoyang & Jiajun around, there is sure to be madness?!
Had to make them all take the lifts with me. Told them I didnt feel comfortable with the escalators. All the way, it was filled with SERVICE, particularly Danae's friend - Adeline Tan, sweet and always thought about my comfort. I don't mean the rest didn't. She was particularly sweet when she went faster ahead to press the lift button so that I didn't have to wait too long.
Time to go home at the end of the day. Took a train from Changi Airport to Redhill MRT. From there, Chaoyang sent me back in a taxi and he brought me upstairs before proceeding home. WHat a SERVICE? But it was also fun, considering I was bored stiff for a month plus. Lying in bed, sitting down and cannot do much. U must also remember that I am a hyper kid too (PE teacher who loves the outdoor!)
A friend asked me this the other day. She asked me to choose. Which would be more important to me?
Without hesitation, I answered skills. 'Why?', you might ask. Here goes my analogies:
1.soccer:
If you read about soccer, about how to play, you have the knowledge but do you really know how to execute the moves? Or what good is a person who knows all the rules of the soccer game? However, when one possesses the skill to play, the knowledge would come eventually. I feel passion here is more key than anything else. No passion, all is lost!
2. God
I mean many pastors used this illustration. Many bible scholars know aobut God. They know a lot about God. Do they know Him? In an intimate and personal way? How do we know someone? Through interpersonal skill and spending time. I mean you can spend countless hour with someone but still do not know someone if you do not know how to relate.
Thus, I said that skill is important, to know a friend and to know God. Friends and God need us to spend time to relate, which is a skill. Intimacy with someone else cannot be achieved through mere knowing about the person. I know his/her likes and dislikes, I know her character profile but it can never make up for the dynamic situation in a relationship.
Summary:
I am just writing a brief portion of what I know I could elaborate when I engage someone in a chat.
To me, knowledge is headware and skills is more heartware. We cannot actually do one without the other because, we are made in His image. He is both intellectual and affectionate. If we possess only one, we become lop-sided.
As Pastor Khong preached on last sun's sermon, he mentioned that the bible made no distinction between either heart and mind. They were only made so through later years...
However, I believe in being hands-on, to put into practise what we know. Then only would the knowledge become relevant. We can also gain knowledge through trying. Having knowledge may not necessary translate into skills. The probability is so much lower!!
Skills over knowledge! But as I said, we shouldn't operate one without the either for we were not made this way!
Sunday, August 13, 2006
It's been so so long... I have been out for a month now ever since I broke my leg. Broke my shin bone (fibula for those who knows anatomy) & I also twisted my ankle so badly, kinda like dislocation. What an ordeal!
It happened on the 12th of July when my HOD decided to do something active for our PE meeting. We were trying out some tossing sport. One of my colleague threw the ball over me, way behind my back. I had to leap up & backwards, unaware that there was a soccer ball behind me.
Guess where I had to land? On the soccer ball! Right leg came down on the soccer ball. Body weight comes crashing down due to Newton's Law of Gravity! Ball rows to the right as I am coming down. Leg is twisted right, with ankle twisted up & as I land, leg was at a forty-five degree angle, meaning weight is coming through the middle of the shin. So what happens? SNAP! Yup, I heard it! My friend heard it.
Rushed to NUH's A&E. Took X-rays. To no avail. They detected nothing! Went home. Leg swelled up. Decided something was amiss because I clearly heard a snap & I was told there was no fracture. I went to Raffles Hospital for consultation and had another X-ray done and they discovered that I had the fracture. Now what? Raffles Hospital said I needed an operation costing an estimated sum of $4k! 4 gees? 4 grand! I decided to seek 2nd opinion. So I went back to NUH, demanding to see a specialist!!
I got my wish eventually. Had to be admitted, had to wait for swelling to subside. Then the operation. All went well... Now I am out of the hospital with some extra metal pieces in me. A screw through my ankle & a metal plate for my fracture. When I go through Airport customs, wonder whether I might trigger a metal detector? Haha...! Still can't walk though. It's been so so long since I have been standing or doing something. Getting kinda bored... Anyway, during the hospital stay, many colleagues, friends, students came. So heartwarming... Leaving it for next time.
What constitutes to IQ or EQ for that matter??
Well, for me, IQ speaks to the HEAD & EQ to the HEART. People relate to one another through these main 2 forms. One is using the intellect, which uses the HEAD. There are those who relates through through the HEART, people whom you can feel sincerity when they ask you how you are doing... People who uses the HEAD, when the same question comes out, it just comes out cold & bland.
I have seen my fair share of people with high IQ but simply low EQ. The way they say & do things are simply a matter of BLACK & WHITE. No space for discussions and they simply follow SOPs. Standard Operating Procedures because they have a preset belief of right and wrong. They do not accept other's opinions of the matter easily. Mainly, a lot of scholars fall into this catergory, with high IQ but simply low EQ. I mean a lot, not all!!! But this has been my experiences so far.
For people with high EQ, they may not necessary lack the IQ but maybe just not as that skyhigh when comparesd with the previous example. Maybe if you look at it, they realised that having the BEST IQ is not everything so they have decided early on, IQ is not all that matters. They rather chill with their friends, spend time kicking a ball & maybe some people's butts along the way & the likes....
So what constitutes to success then? Is it high IQ or high EQ or a matter of both? High IQ gets you to CEOs... But may not make you the most popular man. High EQ can get you into high places too but soon, one comes crashing down. WHY? The higher you go, the low IQ forgets that the air is too thin thus they get lightheaded & KABOOM... Down they fall....
My five cents worth on another topic of life!
What Kind of Girl Will You Fall For? | |
 | You will fall for the cutie. You like girls with a personality. She's got to have a nice smile and a sense of humor. Although she doesn't have to be a model, she has to be that girl-next-door. |
| Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com | |
Thanks to all the blogs i referred to (countless) for html code help :) (esp. cyn' and sixseven)
Adobe Photoshop Elements for supernatural abilities
