Pressing

Passion is a daily endeavour, not a constant emotional high.

Monday saw conviction and bawling, Tuesday featured emcee-ing in front of 300 colleagues, Wed saw newly formed marketers, Thu was seeing human dynamics at work, Fri was wondering about the great something that was due to happen.

Three weeks into bible school and I must admit there're doubts about whether I'm in the right place. But if He spoke indirectly about it, can it still not be correct?

Work challenges remain, if not, have toughened. Perhaps I've been slack, issues long pending have yet to be resolved.

Gotta keep praying for peace, joy, order and freedom...

Manufactured Landscapes (2007)

By Edward Burtynsky

Growing

Friend's grandma suffers incontinence, friend's suffers poor sleep and emotional stress. Grandpa lost 3 more teeth - he's more than 90yo - family suffers temporary worry bout.

Growing old's such a terrible thing. I used to tell myself I don't want to live too long - until someone pointed out that meant dying in your prime. Hmph, life offers much more than worrying about the inevitable.

Truly, we never know what's gonna be hurled at us. But when things are going well for one, can one ignore the plight of others? As Luke reminds us "...for everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required..."

En commute to work this afternoon, a 15yo beng sitting behind was going on loudly in chinese about his shi fu and his friend wasting his time. Crude mocking and playful wrestling inclusive.

I'm not ranting, really. Just wondering what brings one fulfillment and focus?

*ponder*

Burn You Like Roti Prata

Team name: Ham Chim Peng

Summary: 16 sporting, youthful ones went on round-island game of Monopoly. Sweaty, icky but fun :)

Tomorrow 8am PA duty... ARGH!

Excellence

n. (ks-lns)

quality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare
admirability, admirableness, wonderfulness - admirable excellence
impressiveness, magnificence, grandness, richness - splendid or imposing in size or appearance; "the grandness of the architecture"; "impressed by the richness of the flora"
civilisation, civilization, refinement - the quality of excellence in thought and manners and taste; "a man of intellectual refinement"; "he is remembered for his generosity and civilization"
courtesy of tfd.com

Big day / Day 1 beckons tomorrow.

Admittedly, was gripped by apprehension before this. Take it easy, you will enjoy, J my leader assured me.

How am I gonna balance tests/assignments/lack-of-sleep/overcoming-fears/
challenges-at-work/ministry-commitment/spending-time-with-loved-ones...?

Spirit-centered, I say!

Watering

The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.

(Proverbs 11:25)

Truly God will use you and your experiences to water others.

how small, how great

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:9 (NIV)

What do you do when you're down and out?

When God seems to be putting you through the toughest time of your life, when your family's kicked you out because you refuse to join the fold to follow old ways, when you're hiding at the void deck because you want to avoid spot checks, when you're desparately trying to start anew but no employer seems to want you because of your previous drug conviction, when your wife left you for another man and still lies to you, when you're living off NTUC vouchers from social welfare, when you don't even have that 10cents to make a phone call...

How do you react when you meet a person going through this yet he's backboned enough not to ask for money or any other help? J tells me he's humbled this evening. Me too bro, me too.

Let's touch a life today with a listening ear, an assuring pat and heartfelt prayers.

Worry is meditation on the wrong things

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Philippians 4:6-9 (The Message)

The right time

There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (The Message)

There's definitely a right time to decide to do the right thing. Don't procrastinate - value life, act responsibly... and act quickly!

Winning with

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)

In John C. Maxwell's Winning with People, the Lens Principle says that who you are determines what you see. This includes how you see yourself, how you see others, and how you view life and the world around you. And finally, who you are determines what you do in life. And who you are is determined by five things: genetics, self-image, experiences in life, attitude and choices about those experiences, and friends. Anyone of these can be a positive or negative influence in your life.

Awareness Test

God Foreknew...

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
Romans 8:29-30 (The Message)

phooey

I'm feeling restless ennui, is like a cheem, ang-moh way of saying sian.

Confess the positive, shake off the sian-ness, sputter less saliva when talking to girls...

Came across the above book today - wonderful collection of photos showing Viet street life with sprinkles of historical and cultural nuggets. Mmmm... if only one day I can produce such a book of my own.

Occurred to me today: It's when we're down or sick that we especially value love and concern when it's shown. Bro's fever the last 2 days made me remember how Mom used to towel us to cool the fever and I'd feel especially loved.

A Teary Weekend

No one has greater love... than to lay down... his own life for his friends.
John 15:13 (Amp)

Good Friday - Jesus died and buried.

Watching Him inexorably dragging the heavy cross to Calvary, Roman soldiers mocking and reviling, followers pleading and crying... It's more than a moving sight; even my 4th viewing didn't keep the tears from welling up.

Why this way, God? popped into my mind. Why such a tragic and wretched way to go?

I've never experienced the deep stab of betrayal or unbearable loss of loved ones. And how painful memories can keep one from letting go.

But I've suffered pains of my own and thankfully have given it all to Him.

Easter Sunday - Jesus resurrected and risen.

A new life, newfound self and renewed purpose.

Thank God for His grace and mercy!

Action

We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction.

Douglas MacArthur (1880 to 1964)

how could you...

Express, in words, a love that is eternal?

No chord or lyric can fully convey one's emotions - fears, anxieties included...

A Lot

"A Lot" conjures up...

1) Abundance of financial blessings and peaceful joy that follows

2) Messiness or confusion - especially when repeated in succession

3) Equities trading for the retail investor

4) Person who talks too much

Emplacement

Lesson to learn: Place people in positions that allow them to operate in their strengths. Too often we do so out of need, rather than through wise discernment, leading to disappointment when people fail to perform.

Personal desire also comes into play, especially when you're personally challenged to make a decision - soon.

Colleague surmised 2 key questions:
1) What are your strengths?
2) What makes you happy?

*are you pondering what I'm pondering?*

Kicking & Pushing

Second biathlon of my life completed. Timing TBC. Swimming felt tedious and inefficient but running was awesome - despite wine at Corby's wedding the night before :)

Onwards here I go!

One click

One click, I lay and do falter
One love, I wish I knew
Don't judge me again,
Spare me as You see my life before
One word, too many I utter
One heart, broken anew
Use me I cry, Your mercies follow me
Though I forget...