netizens of philippi!

a peek into the heart of God

2010-09-19T19:34:00.003+08:00

1 You are always righteous, O LORD,
when I bring a case before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all the faithless live at ease?

2 You have planted them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.

3 Yet you know me, O LORD;
you see me and test my thoughts about you.
Drag them off like sheep to be butchered!
Set them apart for the day of slaughter!

4 How long will the land lie parched
and the grass in every field be withered?
Because those who live in it are wicked,
the animals and birds have perished.
Moreover, the people are saying,
"He will not see what happens to us."

5 "If you have raced with men on foot
and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble in safe country,
how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

9 Has not my inheritance become to me
like a speckled bird of prey
that other birds of prey surround and attack?
Go and gather all the wild beasts;
bring them to devour.

10 Many shepherds will ruin my vineyard
and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
into a desolate wasteland.

11 It will be made a wasteland,
parched and desolate before me;
the whole land will be laid waste
because there is no one who cares.

I listened to a sermon on Jeremiah last night.

Jeremiah felt exasperated and frustrated over the incessant rebellion of the people against him and God, and complained to God. God, in His response to Jeremiah, told him that what he has seen can't be considered as anything, they are but a little bit of how God consider man to be sinful and rebellious from His perspective. God Himself has saw His own creation turned upside down, and He wants Jeremiah to gain insight to how God feels - the sense of betrayal, of being turned against.

Sometimes, as we go through certain experiences, God would also want us to experience a little bit for ourselves what God Himself went through - the pain, sufferings, pangsehed, mocked, shamed, wronged.

But you know what, Jesus Christ went through all these too..

let us look to Jesus as the author and perfector of our faith, being the example for us to follow. And in the process of going through life's experiences we too can learn to appreciate God's love, His grace and His mercy.
vin

two is better than one

2010-08-26T01:15:00.003+08:00

Its quite a feeling to see and hear of my close friends now being attached with a girl in a relationship. One. by. One.

But then, when they are sharing about their accounts, some which were eyebrow-raising, i'm thankful to God that I can remain single for now, because I know for sure I do not have the maturity to handle a relationship, or the clarity in setting the direction of a relationship, and building on it.

Trusting in God,
vin

disappointment

2010-03-05T00:43:00.003+08:00

I have learned to trust in God, because I come to realise and be reminded that anything I could or could not do, have or have not done, did or didn't do, would change God's purposed plan. His plan is perfect.

I was so disappointed yesterday, but when I look towards God, He is the head of the ministry. I am disappointed coz I looked at what I could do by myself, but I'm reminded that actually God is the one who is in control, so I shouldn't be that disappointed. I may not have a chance to see how other Christians are reaching people for God, but at least I am heartened to hear that there are Christians who has this desire and I trust that God would allow them to function for His glory's sake.

vin

2010-02-18T21:07:00.003+08:00

I'm thankful for God's abudant grace. Even though I'm so sinful, but He has chosen me to be His child.

Pray that I may live a blameless, righteous and holy life, displaying Christ likeness. Put off the old self, put on the new self which will show outwardly, from inwards.

Ministry work, on the yfc side, is fine. But as much as I wish to see it grow, to be more happening (set up prayer mtgs/small grps in schs to give support to students to reach out to their friends with the gospel), I find myself not working hard enough. Sometimes I run into a block not knowing how better can I challenge my students. I pray that I'll keep this ministry desire in prayer, and work hard to contact students, meet them, follow-up, challenge them. its disheartening when students don't respond. But i know that God is in control and He will not let His ministry fail. Pray for faithfulness.

Aside from that, I thank God i've been able to juggle my ministry service with my academic studies well. At times it may leave me tired especially when rushing out of school and back again. The timetable this semester is not kind to me, but thank God for some new responsibilities in ministry. I sometimes wish I could give more to His work, but I have to do what I have in my hands well first before I'm capable of more.

Studies wise, I havent been very hardworking, quite lazy to revise my work. So I would wanna work hard in studies too, so that Lord will be pleased. I find myself enjoying writing, and reporting, for the school newspaper (more practical stuffs) rather than studying for the main modules. But I pray that I would wanna give my best in all that I've been tasked with.

Blessed CNY to all
vin

hear this

2009-12-18T15:19:00.005+08:00

Would like to share a song which I'd recently been introduced to during a camp. Its words are so rich and its essence so meaningful & compelling. Do take time to listen & ponder upon it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnlHIz9AfnE&feature=related

O Church Arise
by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

O Church Arise
and put your armour on
Hear the call of Christ our Captain
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given
With shield of faith and belt of truth
We’ll stand against the devil’s lies
An army bold whose battle-cry is Love
Reaching out to those in darkness

Our call to war to love the captive soul
But to rage against the captor
And with the sword that makes the wounded whole
We will fight with faith and valour
When faced with trials on every side
We know the outcome is secure
And Christ will have the prize for which He died
An inheritance of nations

Come see the cross where love and mercy meet
As the Son of God is stricken
Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet
For the Conqueror has risen
And as the stone is rolled away
And Christ emerges from the grave
This victory march continues till the day
Every eye and heart shall see Him

So Spirit come put strength in every stride
Give grace for every hurdle
That we may run with faith to win the prize
Of a servant good and faithful
As saints of old still line the way
Retelling triumphs of His grace
We hear their calls and hunger for the day
When with Christ we stand in glory

musings

2009-11-26T01:56:00.002+08:00

in these few days, my ex-classmates from my secondary school have created a facebook group for the class. haaha, I've found myself laughing at the screen each time i recall something silly, either triggered by what they post on the wall, or my own recollections.

I find that my sec 1-2 years are just plain brash silliness, stopping just short of fooling around & moving towards indulging in the golden period of adolescence, while celebrating what we've uncovered along its path.

If my lower sec days were about mindlessness and carelessness, then it would very well be a breeding ground for upper sec, when we would grow wings and fly, but remain pesky, brazen and fearless. Those days were marked by plain merry go jolly around, untamed brats who fed on teachers' esteemed skins.

haaha I find myself missing my secondary school days, and on top of that, my friends. I miss wearing all white and all that nonsense. I'd better share the gospel to those who I've not shared to...
I'm reminded again lately of the fragility of life, and how real death really is. The shock to read that somemore who I know has died in a freak accident. The overriding sadness and regret that when he was still alive, I didn't tell him about life after death. *sigh hard*

indebted to non Christians the good news of Christ.
vin

on surviving a testing day

2009-11-24T14:20:00.002+08:00

yesterday was the 3 paper onslaught. which I've fought it, and came out of it. Thank God for His guidance, and through many prayers. Thank God for allowing me to trust in Him. Yep, even though, there were questions which I didn't know how to answer, marks that were lost, I'm thankful to be able to trust in Him, coz I know that no matter what results I get, it doesn't matter, but its the response towards it, and how this experience serve to build me up on godly character. I mean, He knows what results I'll be getting already, I just need to trust Him.

I slept for like 12 hours yesterday, coz I was just so tired. haaha, like after church on Saturday, I felt so mentally burnt that I went home, skipped dinner and slept for 12 hours, even though I had known that time was precious and I could not finish my revision for the 3 papers on Monday. yep, but I'd realised that I wouldn't be productive if I'd stayed up then, nothing would have went in.

yep, exams are not over yet, even though its probably over for many fellow students now. I've got 2 more papers, the dreadful history being the final battle. haaha..

now right, I'm thinking of taking my mind off exams a while, head down to kinokuniya or borders. yeah, I think I'll do that now.

vin

2009-11-23T02:49:00.002+08:00

I'm just doing my last minute revision and wanna take some time to post this from my notes coz i think its a brief guide to how friendships are built up:

Role-limited interactions:
Initial encounters –stick to familiar and safe topics. Exercise care in making disclosures.

Friendly relations:
Check the other person to see if there are any common interests to develop a good friendship.
Explore the potential for a deeper relationship.

Moving towards friendship:
Involves stepping beyond social roles.
When we arrange for meetings and activities.
Could introduce a more personal topic.
People talk more freely about feelings, values, goals and attitudes.

Nascent friendship:
Increased involvement and caring.
Friends begin to work out private ways of relating and interacting.

Stabilized friendship:
Benchmark = assumption of continuity.
Assume that they would continue meeting each other.

Waning friendship:
Friends drift apart because each is pulled in a different direction by career demands/personal circumstances.
Common interests and experiences that had once fuelled the friendship begins to dissolve.

Ok, haaha gonna trust God for my 3 papers tmr. of which i am so unprepared. i have not even touched my French revision yet, and am struggling through the 2 cores. haaha. yep, am gonna sleep and rejoice tmr! :) its a brand new week and its gonna be good :)

rejoice in the Lord always
vin

2009-11-09T11:16:00.002+08:00

I'm into the 12th hour of stationing myself here at Starbucks. The morning is almost going into afternoon now. I've just shifted my seat and i've noticed that my butt shape has made a mold out of the cushion seat I was stationary on for 99% of the 12 hours I have been here.

I'm really really really very thankful to God in guiding me through. Even though I have not slept a single bit, I have not felt a single bit of tiredness. I think its really amazing. thank God for Mag's and huEy's prayers.

Was working through the first half of the 12 hours tog with leong. Could sense his frustration in trying to complete his assignment. Its so frustrating coz of the lack of direction, lack of resources, and everything felt so blurrish so blocked. i guess we can pray that faced with these situations, we may be calm and know that we do what we are able to. I guess as long as its an effort that we have put in our best, the Lord would be pleased.

Ok, I guess I'll hang around here for some time longer, then head straight to school.

PS: i wish that i am lounging here, with no assignments to rush out. haaha, like the angmohs who stroll in for crossiants, latte and muffins.

dotz
vin

2009-11-03T23:58:00.002+08:00

a song for those who seemed to have lost everything in wake of the nat. disasters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHjMogG98X4&feature=related

I am moved
vin

2009-10-29T23:31:00.002+08:00

Thank God, after almost 10 weeks into university life, I think I've finally settled down. Even though the perennial struggle of catching up with work, meeting deadlines, understanding to absorbing what is being thought, are still very much present, I thank God for settling me into a rhythm of round and about.

Particularly in the past week, the fear of exams is slowly crawling up everyone's sleeves. There are more calls to mug together, and alarm bells, for some, have sounded. For me, as usual, I have been so lax about the entire situation that I've always seemed to be heading towards a black out. But somehow extraordinarily God has been so gracious to me and I've been able to get myself together in time.

Thank God, I've received back positive grades these 2 weeks. Last week, I was so thankful to get my first A (it was an A-) for my media writing assignment. Today, I've added 2 more, in history and my press release assignments. I was totally surprised by my history grade. coz history has been a massive struggle for me since the start.

yeah, I'll continue to press on, and rely on God to give my best effort (i really pray for this).

Here's a glimpse of my schedule:

~~29 Oct: 201 MCQ Test & History Tut. Presentation~~
30 Oct: Small Prayer mtg (morn), Mtg student Bible study, Band Prac
31 Oct: big group prog mtg, Writing Assignment due, friend’s 21st B’day party
1 Nov: Edna’s B’day celebration
2 Nov: French test
3 Nov: Church mtg
5 Nov: Test
7 Nov: Big Group, Christmas campaign/ camp briefg, church MC
8 Nov: C’mas prog mtg
9 Nov: History MAJOR Assignment due
13 Nov: lead songs/games @ camp

2009-10-27T02:12:00.003+08:00

haaha couple of posts back I said that I wanted to spend the night at Starbucks here in Raffles City.

This place totally rocks. In less than 5 days, I've spent 2 nights here :)

Let's do some constructive work. I'll talk more about my experience the next time

vin

tread the path with me

2009-10-16T01:36:00.003+08:00

My Ex Bible Study teacher: 'Hello! Please don't stay up late, go sleep, even though you have no school tomorrow.'

Me: 'HELLO!'
Me: 'haaha ok I will. Thanks for your wise advice'

She went on to say that now that she has gotten a student to sleep, she'll go sleep too.

I am really thankful for my Bible Study teachers who have guided me and walked with me as i took my baby steps as a Christian. I'm thankful to God that I could always count on them for sound advice as they've always been an exemplary example in most ways. I just pray that I'll be capable myself as I take on the same role now, like them when they were guiding me along years back.

maturity, i need to mature now.
vin

Boomz

2009-10-04T15:23:00.003+08:00

Thank God for a wonderful week.

My whole family went on holiday.
Parents, on Sunday night decided they wanted to go Taipei, and they flew on Tuesday morning. I went with Ben to neighbouring Bali, which was really beautiful. But Ben fell really sick over there.
Bro ferried over to Stockholm for a 4 day trip as well.

So yep, my family at one point was everywhere.

Now I've got tons of work to clear.
vin

2009-09-16T23:50:00.004+08:00

I've promised myself, that one night, I will work through the night at Raffles City Starbucks (the one just on top of the MRT station). Its 24 hours, and has plenty of sofa seats. yep. doing work anywhere else, home included, is kinda stressful.

I mean, for now home is the best place to do my work. But sometimes I wish I can make a cozzee corner out of the vacant corner of my room. Lay out a carpet, seat cushions, a short wooden table. perfect. Right now, I have this newly bought wooden work table, with a matching chair from IKEA. They were bought by my parents, who are more than eager to provide me with a study table to spend endless nights in front of. I love it too, coz it has a neat and clean feel to it. but it is wonderfully dull and boring, and I'm forced to concentrate on whats on the table, nothing else except the wall that blends perfectly well with the pale coloured table and the light.

Yays! Thank God I've completed my history assignment! :) I think I didn't make a lot of sense but I'm thankful that I've persevered. The assignment is only worth 10% of the final grade, but I felt like I was working for a 50%. Makes me wonder what do I need to do for the other 90% huh.

vin

God loves me

2009-09-14T02:01:00.002+08:00

When I'm totally clueless about how to start on the history assignment, God still loves me.

When I'm struggling to research on that history assignment, God still loves me.

When I can't really understand what I am reading, God still loves me.

:) I'm so happy!
vin

2009-09-08T21:57:00.003+08:00

I've just submitted my first ever graded assignment this afternoon. It was a big struggle to complete it. But its good training though. I had make a sudden change to my news angle, and the difficult part was because there weren't any specific issue to write about. We were supposed to go find our own story.

Last night I even went to meet up with Esther and LiQun for dinner, my 2 JC classmates. I havent met up with Esther since we left school, which makes it like almost 3 years? I've missed all the gatherings during the 3 silent years. hahaa.. So when she initiated a meet up last Monday, I readily agreed to it, not knowing about the bomb that would come the day after. So I couldn't miss our dinner appointment yesterday, and we had a good time nonetheless.

I reached home at 930pm, terribly worried and growing flustered and freaking out coz I was yet to start on my assignment. Coz I hadn't written a draft first, anything could go wrong. So wrote with trembling hands, afraid of the potential threats that could very well throw me off my track. like a ticking time bomb u know... What if I suddenly found out that my story has no issue? What if its inappropriate? What if the sources are irrelevant? What if I couldn't finish writing a good story in time for submission before my brain starts to shut down?

Thankfully I steadied myself and slowly punched in words to form paragraphs, erased entire paragraphs, shifted their positions... Thank God I managed to finish writing it :)

Thank God for He gave me creativity. Our God is a creative God too :) He created everything unique, and according to their kinds.

Hmm, i'm just thinking... Since I found it so hard to complete a supposedly easy assignment, I think its frightening to think about how I'm gonna get through the harder assignments to come. But hey, trust in the LORD, for He is good :) yep

vin

the sun is setting

2009-09-03T00:34:00.002+08:00

I'm gonna update this place now, something which in getting increasingly uncommon. But coz I urgently need to pour out some of my grief.

My favourite gal tennis player just went down in the 2nd Rd of the US Open. Its so painful to see her surrender the match so meekly to a player 9 years younger. The scoreline couldn't save any face or salvage any credits for her. Its so sad, even the commentators said so. Its such a sad phase to watch, when you know the time cycle of an athlete. Its like watching someone who's accomplished so much in her life struggle in her dying days.

I think the organisers were so nice when they scheduled her to be on centre court (Arthur Ashe), coz she's among the lower rung of seeds. Only something special about a player would convince organisers to place her on the largest stadium.

Sighz, saddenz siaz.

Ok, I'll write out a full article on that when I have the time ok.

Right now, I have to scramble to complete this bomb of an assignment, due in 6 days. I have yet to source out people for interviews. We're supposed to get prominent people for interviews, like principals, chariman.....

Cheers!
vin

2009-08-18T23:26:00.002+08:00

I'm slowly settling down, yea, however so slowly, I have to thank God for everything thats occurred in school thus far.

Today was a totally mentally draining day. I had to sit through 3 X 2hr lectures, all on communications, and some of which was repeated by different lecturers. So it's become a point that i found it to be torturous. You know, throughout my 1st lecture from 9-11am, I think I yawned like 20 times, fidgeted non stop and was on the verge of feeling claustrophobic. I felt kinda bad for the girls that were sitting on both sides, so I apologised to them when the lecture ended, as an act of courtesy in any case they thought that I was totally unaware that my constipated movements were distracting them.

But I couldnt complain. Because I would think of the footages which have been replayed over many times on the news. I felt so fortunate that I still have the opportunity to study, when schools have toppled over in Taiwan, and many more have been swept away by typhoons :( So I can't complain.

I can't complain coz I'm thankful that God has given me a place in this course, and my parents paid so much for university fees. So I can't complain.

In other fratty matters, I realise that Singaporeans (or at least those in my course) are really trendy people. There are a shocking number of students who are using macbook. A quick glance down the lecture room and you might think that apple actually sponsor notebooks. So many students either own a mac, or an equally sleek sony...The situation is so bad that my laptop appears to be a dinosaur beside them, which forms a small part of the reason why I'm still not bringing my laptop to school yet.

The people in my course are really smart... I was scanning through the lively discussion boards, and their posts are detailed, machiam like writing essays. hahaa, which again forms a part of the reason why I haven't contributed anything yet, coz I can't come up with that intelligent/ lengthy/multi faceted angled points.

I was so tired when the day ended, that I slept through my journey back home! hahaa... yea. I hereby dread Tuesdays : /

Thank God for guiding me through this week so far, will continue to rely on Him for strength and everything in the days to come :)
Cheers!

oh ya, forgot to mention abt my electives.
So I am suffering from the flashbacks of the horrors of economics. The warm smiles of my econs tutor didn't help to change my thoughts of economics as an evil monster. I think its a suicidal move to take Econs this sem. But now, even though I can still choose to drop, it will be difficult coz I'm very happy with my timetable now.

Thankfully, after Econs tutorial, I found redemption of my senses in a refreshing and entertaining French class. yea, I guess learning a language is a welcome break from all that academically heavy Econs graphs, or even my favourite Maths formulas.

Bonne Nuit (Good night)
vin

2009-08-16T23:24:00.002+08:00

oh ya, besides the dark cloud that hangs dreadfully over school, (which shouldn't rightfully be the case), I've been enjoying taking the family car out for late night suppers, and making full use of the newly acquired convenience to go for an army chalet/gathering, and a spin with my friends to Marina Barrage when Singapore is sleeping. ~~The city sleeps, but not we who have cars.~~
I say, Marina Barrage is stunning. Great place to lose yourself for the moment. Who wanna go there at 1am jio/ask me k, unless its ur preserved time with ur girlfriend/boyfriend...

Today after an event mtg, we drove to Old Town for tea :) love that place, xi mut milk tea (cold) is siap-siap-illy good. Yea, so thank God for a car, but i'm afraid all that crazy midnight blitz may have to be suspended/or cut down in frequency, when all the school work start to pile up.

Was listening intently to the N'tl Day Rally by PM just now, and boy am I so privileged to be born a Singaporean :)

Suddenly I feel like travelling agn... I reminisce my short trip to Beijing in May, miss eating the noodles, and the satay-like street food, miss crossing the roads in a cars-please-look-out-for-me manner, miss speaking China mandarin to cab drivers, and being so happy in the thought that I'm a visiting tourist in a foreign land!!

k, till next time
vin

2009-08-16T22:22:00.002+08:00

I'm having the very 'sian' feeling abt next week, not exactly looking forward to the start of a full school week.

Last week, I was scrambling around for modules to fix up my timetable, and attended 2 core lectures. I felt really uncomfortable the 2 days when I was in school, coz of the new environment and everything. Coz everyone seems to know their way about in school, and settled down already, while I am a totally new freshie, who hardly know of anyone in my course, dunno where to get textbooks, or dunno where the canteens are located. My worst fear is that I'm losing some ground while struggling to settle down these 2 weeks, (& tutorials start this week) yea, so dunno if I'll keep up with the pace...

vin

2009-08-05T01:48:00.002+08:00

I've completed my working stint, and now having a week of rest before the university term starts.

Thank God for the wealth of experience that I've gained through these 4 months. I see myself on the steep, upward part of the learning slope. haha... hmm... I really hope to build on that, and to broaden my scope in the coming years...

I'm having very mixed feelings on going back to school. But each time I get worried and all, I'll almost immediately remind myself not to be, its like there's this certainty within me that I should, and will trust God in everything. I will trust God to fix up a timetable that will enable me to cope with ministry & studies. So if I manage to get in a CCA, good. If I don't, I know that its all in God's good plans for me. I will trust God to give me a good company of friends. Coz I've missed almost all the get-to-know-each-other meet ups, and furthermore I'm not staying in hull, My first day will be like my first day in sec school, in jc, in army.

Hmm... I've just returned home from the airport, went to send my bro off. I feel a little sad now, coz the next time we'll see him in person will be 2010.. yea, thats a long period of time...

ta
vin

2009-07-27T17:04:00.003+08:00

'twas a packed but fulfilling day yesterday.

headed down to the official opening of the brand new Sengkang sports complex cum CC. The first of its kind. Good news for us living in Bukit Panjang, coz the 2nd of this new model, which is still being constructed, will be opened next year (April 2010), next to jelapang CC aka huEy's house. hahaha! gonna be awesome man.

After which, cabbed down to True Way Pres for Charity Not Enough mtg. After the mtg, cabbed down to office in Kallang. Settled some work while waiting for my bosses. We were supposed to meet at Kallang Macs before walking to National Stadium together for the match. At 530pm, Kallang Macs was filled with Liverpool fans already, and there was a huge traffic jam on the road leading to the stadium.

When we reached the stadium, the excitement grew. It was like NDP! haaha... The sea of red supporters made up the stands, and when they belted out the Liverpool anthem - You'll Never Walk Alone, my hair stand sia. They were trying to convert non-Liverpool supporters. hahaa...

I've never experienced this kind of thing before. I mean, it was the first time I'd seen an EPL team live in action. I've been to many sport events, but this experience was a little different from the rest. It wasn't like when Quah Ting Wen & Co. brought the house down at the Sport School earlier this month, and wasn't entirely like the National Inter School Track & Field Champs, when schools try to drown out their rivals by the loudest cheer. You know, the Liverpool game was watched on by Liverpool faithfuls, who sang the anthems with gusto and passion, and all wanting to get a piece of their beloved idols.

It wasn't a great game in terms of quality, fans were left red faced after the first half, when Liverpool fielded a team of mostly second grade players. It wasn't long before they made their impatience known with chants like ,'We want Torres'. hahaa. Rafa listened, and started to pour in the people's players, like Reina, Alonso, and Torres!!!! It was like an Eruption man, the lousy first half forgotten, and fans began to cheer at their loudest, especially when Liverpool stamped their superiority by adding 4 more goals in the 2nd half. whoa.. actually i feel kinda sad for Singapore, coz the crowd just wanted to see more Liverpool goals, at the expense of Singaporean pride. If can make the score 10-0, the crowd even happier. haaha.. some of our local players were quite pissed off.

As the match came to its final minutes, I grew increasingly nervous. Coz I knew this was my final chance to get Torres to sign on my jersey. 'Will I be able to get it? Will Torres stop to sign? AHH!!'

I just wanna share how the Liverpool jersey came to me. On Thursday (the day when Liverpool arrived in Singapore), I went to Oriental for the media conference. My boss (liverpool fan) went prepared and after jostling with the security, he managed to get Torres, and a few other players to sign on his jersey, after the media conference.

I was just sharing with him that my bro is a big Torres fan, but I was unsure of whether I should go get a jersey, coz I wasn't very confident of getting him to sign on it. I felt that the chances are low. Then on Friday, he surprised me when he went to buy a jersey for me in the afternoon!!! Thank God ! It wasn't cheap, it cost $109... Until now, I still think I wouldn't actually go buy one... Really thank God!

On Saturday, I was hopeful la. Went for their media conference again at the Oriental. But to my disappointment, I didn't get Torres' autograph. But I got Reina (Goalkeeper), Rafa (Coach) & Kuyt to sign on my jersey. hahaa... was rather unprofessional la, media not supposed to do that, coz we're like making use of our access privileges to chase down players. haaha.. but we're not gonna let our chances slip away!

So yesterday, once the final whistle was blown, my heart was racing like crazy. Torres was the one I was gunning for. We went to the pitchside, onto the mixed zone (for doorstop interviews with players). haaha... but most of the media people 'abused' our privileges, and wanted to get autographs. haha... we were acting like fans ourselves. haahaa.. then the fans who were on the stands above us kept begging us to help them get their stuffs sign. One fan was super happy when one media person helped him to get Kenny Daglish (English football legend) to sign on his shirt. hahaa

When the players streamed out of the dressing room one after another, heading to the team bus, I added their autographs onto my jersey. It was when Torres came out, that I ferociously lunged forward for his autograph!!! Thank you Fernando :D

Thank God for this experience. I'm gonna send the jersey for framing :)

haaha... when everything is done and dusted, when almost everyone had left the stadium, my boss was waiting to get the tape containing the highlights of the match (we purchased it to play it on our website). We went to raid the team's dressing room, haaha, got a few players' bottles for my friends.

YiXin, I've got one for ya! Not trying to convert you to be a Liverpool fan haaha!

Thank God for last week, it was very very tiring, but a lot of paparazzi experience haaha...

i've not been converted to be a fan of Liverfool.
i'm getting baptised end this month.
vin

(i'll post some photos here, but I've left my cables (both my camera & laptop) in the office yesterday)

2009-07-20T01:13:00.002+08:00

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Titus 2:11-14

I'll pray that since i'm living in the grace of God, I wanna live self-controlled, upright and godly lives, while waiting for the glorious hope.
vin

2009-07-18T23:27:00.002+08:00

In light of all my struggles, and difficulties, Let's rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. I've been reminded that through these trials, what will result is good christian character being refined. We can rejoice in having this unshakeable hope that one day we'll be transformed into our end state. No longer struggling with sin, no need for any more worries. Coz we'll be perfected in our new bodies.

Lately I've felt so inadequate. I felt that I wasn't able to challenge my christian students. I felt stuck. It made me feel so disappointed with myself, coz I feel that I'm not being effective in this ministry that i'm in. I want to mobilise and encourage students to share the gospel, but I dunno why I just can't seem to challenge them to do that, and most of the time I will give in to their reasoning, or excuses for some. I pray that God may grant me wisdom to be able to plan for them (What is best for them), and faithfulness in seeing that these plans are being carried out. Right I know that I should not be discouraged at all, but continue to be faithful in the work, while trusting God.

vin

Saving the Best for the Last

2009-07-07T01:04:00.005+08:00

The Games are practically over now. No more competition tmr, no medals to be given out tmr, all venues are being derigged. The shuttle buses between venues have operated their last day today, and only a few athletes still remain here in Singapore. Tomorrow is officially the final day of the Games, there's only the Closing Ceremony left on the schedule.

As the Games wears on, our spirits get lifted, our faces furnish more of smiles rather than tired frowns. We feel relieved that the Games is going to be over, and with that so does the craziness which everyone has been put through the past few months in preparing for the Games. At the same time, we glow in satisfaction, seeing the product of our hardwork. We are well aware that this Games has fallen short in many aspects of people's expectations, and it may not be that well organised in some parts. But hey, you know when was the previous time SIngapore organised a multi sport event of this sort? 1993! To put together a show in a short span of something less than a year is hard enough, to deliver a great show after 16 silent years is too much to expect isn't it?

I find it hard to find the reason why I love the nature of these multi sport, cross culture kind of Games. There's so much that I enjoy about it.

Quah TIng Wen & her girls will grab the headlines at home, and people will sing praises of our contingent's performance.Student volunteers will return to school and compare their collection of pins and post up facebook photos taken with the cute and handsome Koreans. I will hang up my accreditation pass, take a break, look forward to school.

What I will remember most to last through time will, incidentally be the last of the competition action at this Games. At a few minutes past 9pm, one hour after Ting Wen & Gals ended off the 5 days of swimming action on a high, and minutes after the Majulah Singapura was being played over at Bowling, I tuned in to the live streaming from Jalan Besar Stadium, where the football finals was being played. I watched the final minutes of the game between the 2 Koreas. I rested my chin on my hands as the final whistle was blown. What proceeded on after that got me all emotionally stirred up. After the customary handshakes, both sides mixed as they joined to form a line, and raised each others' hands to acknowledge the crowd. It all felt like they were a team. Not only that, the players from the South wrapped their arms around their neighbours affectionately, seemingly to tell everyone that they are brothers.

I hope the political leaders see that. The North may have lost out to the South, but I believe they've gained a kinship.

Thats the most beautiful thing that happened this Games.
vin

2009-06-28T20:27:00.003+08:00

This week was another happening but tiring week...

Tuesday: Went for Mass Comm interview at NTU in the morning, thank God for arranging this interview. I am thankful for it, even though I didn't feel very good about my chances after that. PArtly due to my dismal record at interviews, and knowing that my reusults aint good enough for the course.

But I prayed that I'll trust in the Lord as He holds the future and best plans for me. Yup, any other time I will be worried sick, but this time I didn't allow myself to be troubled by this.

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long for the outcome. I received the admission package on Thursday! Thank God that He's allowed me to get into the course, and I pray that He'll continue to guide me through the course.

Was so tired just now, that I was falling asleep during the Charity not Enough mtg. Thank God for Jiayan, who shared a cab with me home, and I had some time of badly needed rest.

I've been really busy with preparing for the Games, and its been rather draining on everyone, more on those who are in the frontline fighting wars everyday and some of them have fallen ill. But seeing all the boy boy girl girl from all over Asia come here and compete is interesting, most of them are wide eyed youths just having the time of their life here.

If I have the opportunity to interact with any of the athletes, I will choose to spend time with the North Korean team. I'm just dying to know what is going through their minds when they see Singapore, and come into contact with the people, culture here. Even though I think its minimal, (I bet they are banned from visiting the lounges, and not allowed to watch tv, even their movement may be severely restricted, which means no walk around at the malls just below where they're staying) still something about whats here in Singapore, a foreign country that strike them right? The food? The buildings that are populated by people? People who actually go to work in business suits but not in fields, people who dress nicely to work but not to perform a cultural dance on stage? Surely on their way to the training grounds, in the bus, they would have said 'wow, wow, wow'. I am so intrigued by this, coz its not everyday I can get to see people from the North.

Well, so I'm hoping that in the next 10 days, I will get more than, and out of just an exchange of grins with a North Korean player. I have nothing against them they should know, I wanna know them better.

vin

2009-06-24T00:36:00.002+08:00

Thank God for leading me through this past week, was really busy, and had to labour through the weekend. Was in JB on Sunday for the Hockey finals and the matches were great, but it also meant that I reached home past 12 and still having to work on the article. Well, I'm kinda glad that the 2 weeks of action is over, and now is time for the Games. For the Games I will be doing something that is totally different from writing. So these weeks I've been managing 2 different portfolios and thank God for keeping me healthy and still going on.

Anyways, I went for my interview at Comms Studies today. (Wanted to give it a final shot). Well, I didn't think the interview went down too well. But you know, I've learnt to trust God. I mean, there's no point in worrying when I know that everything is in God's hands. So yup, see where God leads!

vin

oh ya i did

2009-06-17T23:21:00.002+08:00

I wanted to do a shout out here earlier this week when news came bubbling in fresh, but didn't have the time to do so until just, now.

Oh wait, I realised that I've already announced to fellow netizens here that I've passed my driving test right, yep so until now I'm still very thankful.

ta.
vin

2009-06-15T23:06:00.002+08:00

I've finally passed my driving test. Really really very incredible and amazing. I feel so thankful.

Going into the test today, I didn't think I stand a chance of passing. Considering that I had not went for a lesson since my previous failure a couple of months back, and I've hastily arranged a 90min lesson before the actual test, I seriously didn't think I will pass.

I was even thinking of how should I respond when I fail, I was running through the right response in my head.. But all of that didn't come to materialise, as I PASSED. wah really thank God for being so gracious.

Haha, even when I told my instructor abt the outcome, this was exactly what he said over the phone, 'Har?! you get 10 points only ah? wah see you blur blur also can get 10points'. Oh well.. yea I won't disagree to that.

yays!
thank God! for teaching me patience.
vin

yay its sunday

2009-06-14T01:11:00.002+08:00

phew, thank God that I'm coming to the end of the week :)
Anyway it doesn't make any difference to me, coz even weekends seem like I'm cluttered with work. Thank God for these work, that I have the chance to learn through experience, and serve Him while I can. So I can not only let myself be clouded by the work at hand, but also enjoy it joyfully.

I am still contemplating on whether to head down to AVIVA finals tmr evening. Should I? I really feel like spending the day at home. hmm... will weigh out the 2 options tmr.

Oh ya, today my boss asked me how many off days I wanna take after the Games, and when I wanna leave, in prep for Uni, and he urged me to go on a holiday trip b4 school starts. HAHA... another short holiday sounds good... :)

okok, no time to think abt that for now...
vin

bz bzbz bz

2009-06-13T01:09:00.003+08:00

Thank God for PlayMAX at St. Andrew's Cathedral today, I think it was an excellent event for students to play to the max (really!) and to hear the gospel in a very comfortable and flowy manner.

My group stayed from morning right till closing time (5pm), whoa, I still can't believe it, I actually had the energy and strength to play, interact talk with the group from 9-5pm. Whoa, its like almost one full day at work. Thank God for sustaining the excitement and energy level.

After that I headed back to office to clear up some work related stuffs, and really hate it when, by the time I leave the office, the only convenient place to get food is Macs :( sad part of working late, when you see all the shutters coming down and have no choice but to go to Macs to get a burger.

Ok, busy days ahead. I am busy when I don't even have time to check my emails, and go on facebook, and meet my family for dinner (I have not had a meal with anyone of them since last Saturday morning, when my dad was fetching me back to office).

vin

2009-06-08T23:08:00.006+08:00

this is joy tea - Oolong + Black + Green. Heavenly.

a cup of joy tea in office today..

Some shots from Saturday:

we are all sad that Geok Lan is leaving for 6 wks.

the best shot of the day ahahahaha

vin

2009-06-07T18:51:00.002+08:00

I'm very thankful that this week has come to a close...

Was a crazily busy week, and a very nervous 24 hours from Friday night till Sat.

On Friday night, I missed the connecting bus to church (I knew I was gonna be late by then, just didn't want to be later than late), realised that I left my script at the office. So I was feeling really lousy then, all sweaty and was thinking that I've screwed up. THank God He provided me with a seat. You know how rare it is to get a seat during peak hours right. So I redid my script on the bus.

Saturday morning was at work, when my team was conducting training for the people who will be involved with us in our functional area. Made a couple of major embarassing errors in the persentation slides, but thankfully my boss was very forgiving.

Saturday evening was service, and after that conducted 大组 with JiaYan. Again we're very thankful that everything went smoothly and we all had a lot of fun. A wonderful start.

Its French Open finals later! C'mon ROger!
vin

nightfall

2009-06-05T02:19:00.002+08:00

I was just saying that nights are the only time when I can have a little time to myself now. Well, I've learnt that it may not even be the case sometimes, like this week!

Wah this week is about late nights, never ending work, work pressing from all sides and ministries, all nights are taken up.

But thank God for giving me strength :) Thank God for allowing me to think and focus even though its so late at night.

Its rather cool on the mind even though I'm still workin it hard when it should be resting. Coz I've put on my playlist Westlife's live verson songs. (I didnt download them illegally, made a playlist from a free website).

Anyway I'm furious over something which I've encountered in church on Wednesday night. Its like opening up a packet of rotten worms after I thought I've gotten rid of it over time. Oh my goodness, Lord, teach me to love the person. Please dun ask me abt it, coz I'm not gonna say anything, its between me, the Lord, the person.

I woke up 90 minutes later than usual this morning, realised that I actually took only 55mins to get to work! Compared to the 90mins of travelling time I take when I wake up at the usual timing of 615. But this doesn't mean I want to wake up 90mins later than usual from now onwards.

vin

2009-05-29T23:06:00.002+08:00

Another week like this one is flying by. haiyo, but nonetheless a happening one.

stepping up on efforts to publicise and getting students to go for our major event happening next next week. Thank God for the many students who've responded through school programs! Continue to pray for the many students who are still pondering about it and yet to confirm, pray that they may come for a day of fun, and to hear the gospel among among the fun stuffs that they'll enjoy.

Thats not the only thing thats on my mind, have a few more responsibilities to fulfill this June, and June is set for a totally burnt out month. I pray that I may be faithful and responsible to the duties and commitments. Need the Lord's grace and direction.

The stuffs that I've been up to is taxing - reaching home late at night everyday, heading out to work early everyday is draining. Its like whenever there is still sunlight outside, i'll be out at work; only when night falls, I can be home. hahaa. But thank God for giving me energy :) He's been teaching me a lot, for a greater purpose...

The working environment out there runs contrary to that in a christian setting, I mean nowadays even the secular problems are found in Christian orgs. People are selfish, unloving and quarrelsome. Well, I'll just have to guard myself to prevent myself from seeping into these behind-the-back politics.

Long weekend tomorrow. Publicity in morn, band outing in aftnn, and will be at the Sundown at 630pm for flagoff and 2am when the first insane ultramarthoner is expected to come in. What can I do in btwn? Will I be sleeping on a loose chair by the roadside at 2am?
Sunday's the Robbie Fowler match. Am contemplating whether to head down a not.

yup yup
Alvin

a very pyongyang day

2009-05-25T23:12:00.005+08:00

Today was an interesting day.

For the entire morning our E-mail system at work was down, which kinda crippled everyone. So i commented that in this era we are so dependant on the internet, or specifically E-mails, see what happens when the internet breaks down? We can do almost nothing! No updates coming in from vendors, meetings can't be confirmed, basically info leading to immediate action is being blocked, therefore no action can be done! so all the guys juz hung around chatting about their weekends, holidays... while others (like me) continued to sit at my own workstation/cubicle to surf the internet.

Amusingly enough, I had this appetite to learn more about North Korea this morning. I dedicated the entire morning to feed myself abt the DPRK. I was totally absorbed into it, and found out so much juicy adventurous dark suspicious, on the edge of dangerous, stories of the North. Just by googling PyongYang or North Korea opens up a door that allows us to be taken on a tour of the North, something that not many in the world has done. It is interesting to compare between what the North write on their websites, and the detailed recounts given by the few discovery seekers for truth, or just seeking to whet their what-the-heck-is-going-on-in-north-korea appetite, who've been inside the North.

When I came back from lunch, when we were informed that the E-mail system has been restored, the first thing I saw on my Yahoo page (which I had left on my screen over lunch) was a piece of featured news that PyongYang has just shocked the world by conducting a nuclear test, followed by a series of missile tests. The North did it agn! They made headlines by doing something so atrocious and brave, but something that leaves no one in a better position.

As today wasn't a very busy day, I kept one eye on my google news page, rotating between using keywords North Korea & PyongYang for my search. I'll wait with much interest to see how things unfold this time round. Its gonna be explosive i hope.

vin
PS: I consider myself to be one of the what-the-heck-is-going-on-inside-North-Korea travellers, just that I've yet to make a trip there to play guess-the-answers-yourself.

in front of my laptop

2009-05-19T00:22:00.002+08:00

Its been almost 2 months now since I began working, and have enjoyed a great deal of experiences which I'm very thankful about. I've been a lot busier and have found that time zips by. On the downside, free-time like this, is hard to come by.

So now I'm just sitting at my living room watching the finale of Survivor Tocantins, not knowing who are the competitors, and wondering when will I get to follow a complete series of one of my favourite reality tv shows like how I'd used to when I was in Secondary School. I've let slip of a whole bulk of shows which I've been a loyal follower of during my younger days. The list includes the Amazing Race.

Ok, this is not really a free-time, I'm waiting to bathe, and sitting on an incomplete article. These are the times when I wish I can sprawl on a bed of carpet grass with a few good buddies and mix bantering with work in between sips of our choice of beverage.

I've got so many stuffs to do this week, especially ministry wise!
Press on!
vin

2009-05-06T23:06:00.002+08:00

some of the mentionable stuffs which I did in BJ, arranged in order:

Teppanyaki dinner - which was pretty good and deserves a mention here
串儿 for supper
Eat 串儿 for lunch - And almost cracked when tasted a 变态辣 chicken wing.
雅秀 Bargain Place - which I bought 2 pairs of snickers (finally I have something else beside sport shoes)
Walking around 西单 - some expensive shopping malls area like Orchard Road Bird Nest & Water Cube - amazing
Tiananmen Square
Forbidden City
798 Art District
Walk around 王府井 - another expensive stretch of shopping malls like Orchard Road
Russian lunch at a gorgeous Russian restaurant.
Walk past the DPRK embassy and gawked at it.
Slack at my friend's place -Sitting by the marbled parapet overlooking the CBD, or dozing off at the plush sofa
Scrambling to find a way to the airport when the airport express broke down and no cabs. I scared leh.
watched my 1st 2 movies in a vvvvvlong while - kate winslet

Things which I wanna do if my stay had been longer:
Great Wall - duh
Make pancakes with the housemates - I was out on the days when they made pancakes.
Stay up till 4am to talk to the housemates
Eat more 串儿s.
Try Peking Duck.
Window shop at 动物园 - its like far east plaza.
Continue wishing that I can just hop over to PyongYang by getting a visa while in China.

vin

BJ

2009-05-05T01:37:00.002+08:00

I'll be leaving Beijing in a few hours after the daybreak, and I really think that my stay here as a tourist is way too short. My visit here is rather incomplete, because I've missed out the signature attraction - Great Wall. I was too tired after covering the Forbidden City and the lovely artsy 798 art district yesterday that I thought it will be better for me to just slack around in the city today, even thought today is my final day to do anything here.

I have to say that the 798 art district really made this whole trip worthwhile. Together with the Olympic Venues (Water Cube & Bird Nest) which I went with huEy on the first night, these are the fondest memories of Beijing that I have.

Thank God for my friend, who's been so gracious in having me stay at his place, which has an awesome view of the CBD. My favourite is the odd shaped CCTV building.

I've grown to like Beijing really. Whatever bad or ugly impression which I'd formed previously has now been reformed.

back to SIngapore, and work.
vin

2009-04-29T18:19:00.002+08:00

I failed my driving test. Yet again! Even though I had only 1 practice(which was last night) since I failed my first test 2 months back, I felt pretty confident that I will pass it this time round. The test actually went supremely well and smooth. But when the results were revealed to me I couldn't believe it. Anyway I was heavily penalised for all the safety errors that my instructors don't emphasize on. sigh.. really felt so discouraged just now. But I'll trust in the Lord, and thank God for teaching me through my mistakes which I don't realise.

Work is driving me up the wall, so I'm actually quite happy that I can spend some time at home in the day today. For the 1 month or so, I've always been reaching home late at night all exhausted and find my dad sleeping. Thank God that I had lunch with my mum today, it'd seemed like ages ago since we last had a meal together.

I'm on a very tight schedule this week, and so is everyone else in the office. I'm prepared to stayover tomorrow night to blast out newsletters, something which has to be done on the 1st of each month. That comes with another press conference report to attend and come up with tomorrow. 1 May - Labour Day will also be the day that I'm finally leaving for BJ.

vin

su su na!

2009-04-13T00:18:00.002+08:00

Since the start of work, time has been passing by doubly fast, as I can get so caught up with work. I'm not complaining, in fact I love what I'm doing, less those admin stuffs that they'll naturally give newcomers to do.

I've learned what really is fast food and its trade. I mean, since the start of work, I've settled for 4 Mc Chicken burgers and 1 subway for my dinner on the go. Such is the rush, and thats essentially how time zip by.

Other than that, I thank God really, that I've found writing thoroughly enjoyable, (and my bosses love my articles). Thank the Lord.

Ok, let me draw attention to the worsening situation in Bangkok. I'm a week away from my mission trip and there's fresh chaos over there in the capital. I mean, I'm not that affected by it, by I'm concerned because my parents, and I'm certain those of my fellow mission trip members', are gonna block us from going... So do pray for us.

Also pray for the university students who're overly stressed out by their papers. Pray that God may allow them to have good focus, and peace of mind to quieten themselves down when they're studying... jiayou!!! su su na! - hahaha, learnt that from Mag ytd. thai for jiayou

Alright, on other things. I've finally plucked the courage to ask my boss today about BJ. And surprisingly, he said yes!!! woohoo! So i'm going bj 1-5may now!!

vin

2009-04-06T01:18:00.003+08:00

I thank God, everyday for listening to my prayers, for walking beside me. Its really great to live a life depending on Him. Whenever I face a mighty mountain, I will frown for a little while, but I know that through the whole process God is at work, and He always has His best plans. I mean, it feels really great to be close with God, in times of hardship, or those times when we just have to sail along under His wings.

vin

2009-04-01T23:06:00.002+08:00

Last words before I go to bed...

First 2 days of working: experienced working in a secular setting. Its so different. Thank God for His grace to get me going on this job. I'm fast getting used to the surroundings and the like. I stayed till later than usual today, coz I had to blast out emails which almost sent me crazy, and the same goes for tmr, when I'll have a mtg in the evening. But the fun parts are only just coming in I guess...

I've lost my battle in fighting to keep bj alive. I've tried twisting and turning my booking around, but the ticket has been so tightly protected and shielded that everything that I've tried in peeling the protective layers off have failed. And anyway I can't go to Lavendar to collect my new passport in time. :(:(:(:(:( I feel so sad.

just somemore samui bits. I'll just chop them up and leave u guys to fill in the spaces to form ur own complete picture.

sun. lots of sun. clearest waters. no oil tankers out at sea. snorkelling. kayaking out at sea. clean soft sand beaches. angmoh girls. angmoh everywhere. getting ripped before knowing how to bargain. bargain. bargain for fake branded stuffs. never ending stretch of nightlife. sawadikarp. kohpkunkarp. green curry,basil leaves, padthai...... people watching at the beach, along the busy streets, and in the restaurants. Dodging transsexuals. Avoiding transsexual masseurs. Getting touched by erm.. the girls? A super beautiful airport. Seeing our camp & the Singapore Flyer on our way back in the aircraft.

i'm still very very very sad about bj
vin

2009-03-30T22:36:00.001+08:00

Samui was awesome. It was everything that I'd imagine it to be. The sun, sea and sand. Its paradise really. Its the place where everyday's a holiday.

Thank God for a wonderful trip!
vin

2009-03-27T14:27:00.002+08:00

I'll be going for my long awaited holiday, like finally, to Samui later. So as I pray for the sun to shine ever so brightly and the sea to sparkle in all its glittering beauty, I have to leave some unsettled matters behind first. I mean, as much as I hope to leave with no unfinished business, with a good mind not cluttered by disruptors of peace, I have to say that I've fashionably failed.

I'll continue to hand them over to the Lord and depend on His lead everyday in my prayers...
Right at the top and one of the little annoying rascals that has a shot in disrupting my attempt at unadulterated enjoyment, is my planned visit to BJ. I've not only upset and angered my friend in BJ by my misguidings, which i'm terribly sorry about, I'll forever be suffering in my own guilt, and pay the heavy price of my failed plans. Now the whole trip is hanging delicately in balance and I'm desperately trying to save it from collapsing. Its so dramatic on the domestic front that I can't believe its happening. U know, like how AIG and those big financial blocks in US operate in their last days, when there's nothing they themselves can do to help themselves, they hope for a saviour. If not, its doomed. I'm praying that the manner that I go about resolving these things, seeking forgiveness from my friend, explaining to people (e.g my parents who are v unhappy) may be godly. I may not be mired in my guilt but be open to reproof and seek their understanding.

Ok I've got other matters still but I don't want to bring it all up now.. I pray that I'll continue to grow in spiritual wisdom and knowledge, to discern what is best for me.

Please pray continually for the mission trip team in Thailand. Pray that through the things that they present, the villagers might come to know the Lord who cares for them, who knows them each by name, even though they might feel that no one else understands and acknowledge them. May God touch their hearts to turn to Him, their creator.

Vin

My life would suck without you!

2009-03-16T23:35:00.005+08:00

Thank God for guiding me through a busy saturday last week :) was quite stressed up coz I had to meet 2 Ct students at noon, then play the keyboard for service - something which i haven't done in such a long long time, and finally to run the KangLi-youth games. I thank God, the sermon was a comprehensive, well thought, and exciting lesson of faith and God's promises. I was really spiritually filled. Thank God for His teachings :) Then came Yi Xin's testimony which was super encouraging.

This week: Tuesday to Friday at Teen Games Soccer at East Coast.

haha... I'm not planning much for the BJ trip. For one, I really dun feel like planning; And I dun really have anything specifically that I look forward to in BJ. I mean, I know I will surely go to the Great Wall, that tiananmen parliament place, the watercube and birdnest, but even these places don't really generate that much excitement in me. shopping? not me. eating? probably. most probably i'll be excited to try peking duck! haaha. But I love this unhurried state of ignorance. No rush to settle accomodation, no rush to fix up the itinerary. I'm just gonna open my eyes really wide, suck in the culture which i've always thought is largely similar to Singapore's but know that its very different, and be transformed. I want to know why my friends who've been to China ends up loving that place. And its not the same love as in going to one place and miss it when u come back. Like I love the Eiffel Tower and the Pyramids, I miss them, but I don't feel like they have anything more to offer the next time I visit them. The difference is feeling connected to the place, and getting the sense that there is much more to get out of China that is misunderstood by others, or unkindly interpreted, and so that generates the love.

Oh ya. Thank God for my parents who got me a laptop. So I'll bring it to bj, find a cozy corner at starbucks, and give updates. I'm not sure if I can openly read the bible there. will I get arrested? hmm..

I'm totally drawn into this song - My life would suck without you - Kelly Clarkson. Saw her performing on American Idol last week. Its another one of those emo angsty branded songs. But it rocks, coz not only youths will sing it. everyone can.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heTjFdMui68&feature=related
vin

2009-03-11T21:59:00.004+08:00

yesterday's tennis was mind blowing. It was my first real workout of any kind - running, sweating it out whatsoever, since a casual led run after I returned from Australia. That makes it like 4 months! since I ran. I've really just free fell in terms of fitness. So it actually felt really awesome to be back running and panting away, to feel the blood travelling into my brain as quickly as it is being channelled out. Thank God.

After tennis we crossed over to East Coast Park which is just on the opposite side of the road. Had hawker fare at the food centre which very much resembles my favourite Newton Food Centre, except that its a little more spacious and bigger in size, but offering the same old favourites of my palate. I love East Coast Park, its romantic, its beautiful at night, its nostalgic. Sitting down under one of the unoccupied shelters, and having a good time of fellowship among a few close friends brought together by our common shared experiences, these are lovely times that will be cherished.

And I do hope that we as Christians may find ourselves growing even closer to each other in love and unity. Because its just not very right if we see that our bond with non-Cts are closer than that of Cts - the family that we are gonna spend eternity with.

Sigh, I must really learn that I should show more love and spend more time with Cts, and I should cherish them even more. I mean, who can help me grow in my faith other than Cts? Will non-Cts actually point out to me my wrongs? No! In actual fact, I always find that in these get together with non-Cts, worldly ideals and its values are often influencing us and attempt at eroding our Ct standards. Its like a serpent hissing at us, and when Eve actually believed in the serpent's lies, doom befell. Yes, its more fun to be with these people, we want to hear what our itching ears wanna hear - those of sex, lies, and more bad behaviour. But what goes into building a healthy relationship is helping one another grow positively as a person. Of course, we Christians know that specifically we are to grow in Christ-likeness. And I realise that only by hanging out with fellow Cts will ensure that we grow healthily together in the faith. But I won't stop hanging around with non-Cts for sure (we can't!! & we shouldn't!), but we hope that we can be a beacon of light that may actually shine for Jesus in our interactions with them. So instead of them spluttering out all those ungodly stuffs in our direction, we can try to sprinkle some of the correct stuffs supported with christ-centered reasons into the exchanges. I need to remind myself not to switch off the light and be happy to be in darkness.

Tomorrow's a long day of programs. publicity in a school, a school prog, meeting with a fellow mission tripper. Need God to go through everyday.

oh ya forgot to include.. I have added to my growing(hopefully its stopped) list of overseas trips!
this time i'm doubly excited and its bursting out of my nose. I'M GOING BEIJING!!!! WOOHOO!
ok actually i'm not that excited about holidays, coz i wanna settle in on a job first. But i think i'll just go ahead with the trip first, coz my friend kept asking me 'when come when come'. I think if i delay it any further i'll most probably end up not going at all. So i'll lock it in first. somemore tickets are cheap cheap - 545SGD. i think normally its close to a thousand? i'm not sure....

i'm finally going china =)
vin

2009-03-10T15:13:00.002+08:00

i'm praying that it won't rain later as i'm gonna play tennis!! whee :):):):):):):):):)

went for the s**thv**w program this morning, and it was great fun. hahaha... the kids are really very lovable and adorable. I just pray that we may help them improve on their studies, and continue to have a good friendship with them, as we influence them with values that are according to the gospel of Christ.

i think i'll go ahead in my plans to go beijing. even though the snow has melted away :(
vin

2009-03-09T19:17:00.002+08:00

nothing much has changed since i ordied, and to my disbelief, its been a month since that very day that I retrieved my pinkic. I've been trying to make this time as useful and meaningful as I can, but I can't help but feel a little lazy sometimes. Probably its because I'm taking this time to compensate for all the sufferings that I've been through in NS. But i'm unsettled, because I've never been in this position of purely waiting and being only uncertain about things. You see, in the past, even though I'll be waiting, at least I've a form of consistent routine to follow and stick to while I ponder about the uncertainty, or any new and exciting ventures into the uncertain future. I guess the value I can gain from this will be the one on patience.

In the meantime, I've got many other things to settle and deal with in the pipeline. As each day passes by, its coming at me, and growing in size. Kinda scary.

vin

Beattitudes.

2009-03-05T23:10:00.003+08:00

Met up with Uncle Freddie this morning, over cups of coffee, the way I like it. Thank God that he's still very much concerned about us, and remembers us (yes all the youths!) like an endearing father who's stationed at a distant outpost. Hmm.. It was a good time of catching up, so thank God for that.

In my QT today, I went back to the Beattitudes. I think for a Christian, it can be a good yardstick for us to gauge how 'spiritual' we are.

Poor in Spirit: Do we recognize the need for God in our lives?
Mourning: realising the gravity and how disgusting sin is, which brings us to a heart of repentance.
Meek: demonstrating self control, even when we are mistreated.
Hungry and Thrist for righteousness: longing to be holy and pure.
Merciful: showing mercy to others
Pure in Heart: single mindedly, sincere in our devotion to Christ, in motive or action.
Peacemakers: sharing the peace in Christ with others, and promoting peace among people.
Persecuted coz of righteousness: willing to suffer for Christ's sake.

vin

nothing in mind

2009-03-04T21:29:00.003+08:00

hmm... for the first time I've got nothing much to write about this time.

My grandmother passed away last Sunday. Yesterday I went back to Malaysia intending to stay up to Thursday, when the deceased will be buried. But i came back last night, because I didn't want to participate in the many processions. haaha.. my parents were like 'if u stay, u must take part. otherwise its better u go back home'. Thank God, i could have ended up in a sitcky situation.

oh man, i can't wait for 27march!!! I so want the sun, the sea, the sand!!! I so want to get out of Singapore now. I'm not looking for cobblestoned walkways amid intertwining streets with eclectic architectures, nor the minarets of the middle east, i just want some of frolicking in the clear blue waters under a clear blue sky.
vin

Beautiful Night

2009-03-02T00:41:00.002+08:00

It is beautiful out there tonight. The air is still, the temperatures have dipped a little bit, and I can actually see a lot of stars suggesting that there's little cloud cover. It is beautiful as we consider that it'd been pouring heavily due to the North East monsoon. Thank God for the quietness tonight.

Its been almost a month now, since I've ordied. Various commitments have sprung up, as expected, and I'm still looking to steady myself by landing on the job. Finding a job isn't that easy given the difficult market out there, and furthermore I'm asking to do something that I'm passionate about. I'll continue to pray about it, and I believe that the Lord has the best plans for me. In the meantime, I'll just continue in filling up my schedules with ad-hoc meetings and commitments.

You see, its pretty hard and I'm a little blur about whats next for me, the decisions to make, or whether I should push myself to go find a job. The commitments will overlap and so for now I'll wait and see how it all pans out, then i'll get a clearer picture.

So far, I've locked into my schedule 2 trips to Thailand.
Holiday to Koh Samui - 27-30Mar
Mission Trip to Bangkok - 19-26Apr

Thank God and I pray I'll continue to trust that I'll use my time wisely in this period of waiting.
Vin

2009-02-23T10:59:00.002+08:00

The famous Vanessa Hudgens & Zac Efron (from High School Musical) actually performed alongside Beyonce and the host in some cabaret like performance musical to show what makes a musical a musical. I'm like O.O whoo!

I think Slumdog Millionaire will win the Oscar for Best Picture.
vin

2009-02-22T23:22:00.002+08:00

i'm watching the movie 'The Pianist' on Okto now. Its not my first time, not even the 2nd or 3rd time watching it, but I can still feel the revolting shot to the gut.

tmr's my driving test. Nerves, nerves , nerves.
vin

there's a time for everything

2009-02-10T00:59:00.002+08:00

Thank God, my NS life is over. and I thank God it is. It has been a long journey, and never short of exciting twists and turns along the way. I've been through the many highs and lows, and I thank God that He's been there with me always. Really, as cliche as it may sound, but its true - I will never have made it without God.

It had been an amazing journey in NS. I'll miss the times but I will not want to relive them. I'll still be afraid to face them but I'll not forget those times. The times when I shivered in the cold, all drenched out in the forest, the times when I felt like collapsing under the weight borne by my shoulders but still I have to trudge painfully on. The times when I had to keep awake in guard duty and fight through that light floaty feeling that one gets without sleep to carry on the next day's routines. The many times when I struggled and failed as a commander and soldier, when I did things my own way without regard for any stated rules, when I just wasn't competent enough.

I'll remember the times when we perpetually teased one another, when the commanders would hop over to Bedok Food Centre at night and its one thing that I can feel privileged about in being a commander in the Battalion. The times when we lounged at the Siglap Starbucks or half priced cakes and waffles at Cafe Cartel and Gelare.

I'll miss the long bus journey to camp and back home. In a way I've enjoyed it very much, those were the times when I had my own moment by myself. I found myself in my own capsule when I can let my thoughts run freely. I'll miss stopping by City Hall. I love the papery smell of books when going into MPH. I love the dense smell of donut. I love walking about in the Basement, thinking of what I want to eat on the go. And I'll miss having coffee & peanut thick toast from Toastbox.

I've much to be thankful about. God has supported me with wonderful co-workers, a disciplined group of commanders, cooperative soldiers under my charge who've stood by me and supported me. Whatever that was lacking in one of them, another will come in to fill the gap to make up for that shortfall in standards and in manpower. I'm grateful for that. Relationships built with these guys will last I'm certain of that.

I've expended my entire set of feelings during the course of NS. Guilt when I did something wrong. Anxiety when awaiting what the consequences will be. I've been upset when I was wrong or misjudged. upset with myself when I couldn't get things right or when I'd committed mistakes. But I've got much to be happy and thankful about when I saw God's loving hands in everything.

Saying goodbye to one thing marks the beginning of another. I said a personal quiet goodbye on a rooftop in camp on a still night, on a place which I got close to the Father when I just got posted in, when I'd always felt so small but precious in God's vast expanse in all His creation, when I'd poured out all my fears and asked many 'whys' on a troubled night, when I'd seeked His comfort and solace. I would return to the very place that I'd once cried out to the Lord, and unwittingly I'd marked my beginning and the end of this journey. Standing there the last time I was awashed with thanksgivings and thoroughly convinced that the Lord cares and protects and is ever present, this time with a bright smile.

Its time to move on. To all the people that have made this journey with me, i thank you.

2008-12-30T00:24:00.002+08:00

i've learnt to pray, i've learnt to love the living beings, and thank God for absolutely everything.

lately i've been thinking. have I been too stingy on my prayers to God? have I been taking the norms (including people) for granted? am i caring less about people in this ministry that requires love? have i been showing favouritism in my preaching of the gospel?

i wont bother to write everything down here... tsk tsk.

i wish my birthday wish will come true. dear Lord. will many more people come and know you as their personal saviour.
vin

I Love Baby Evan.

2008-12-23T23:33:00.002+08:00

went out today with Hsiao Ling and Baby Evan. He's SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSSOSOSOSSOSOSOSO cute. SO CUTE.

Celebrate C'mas in S'pore involvement was great, did manage to share to some groups of youths the Christmas story. But was only able to do so before the performances start at 7pm. After that can forget about sharing, unless people find you more attractive than the bright lights,tamborine dancers, bands,and choirs.

I'm rather concerned for our church youths who'll be going down on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve scene in Orchard Road is notoriously dangerous for the people who do not party. Be very very careful.

vin

some Christmas errands

2008-12-14T23:15:00.002+08:00

thank God that yesterday's BBQ went well. Even though I was quite concerned over somethings, but He's provided and delivered everytime. Through the process I was thinking, 'I shouldn't be worried coz God won't let His event fail, so nothing I do or didn't do will affect what His intended outcome for the BBQ will be'.
next week will be my last working week in camp this year, probably even my final full week staying in camp, which brings me ever closer to my ORD.

So i've gotten myself a facebook account finally. haha... still exploring... but concerned that it might be somewhat harmful...

there are also something I wanna do in the upcoming week. Hope I will set my heart and get down to doing them this time.

-write/post some Christmas cards
-plan a bible study
-Christmas Street-E on Saturday - i'm not going family camp
-something to give to the army guys to share with them the spirit of Christmas and the best gift from God
-get a few deliberate presents for the a few special ones (I havent gotten anyone anything for Christmas for so long)
-catch up with friend(s) over the open weekend

inshallah
vin

Can I Have This Dance

2008-12-06T01:24:00.002+08:00

Go look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U_l-tr4LEI

among some of the songs in all the High School Musicals that I like, I think this might just be my favourite.

vin

There are some parts in that video which is largely similar to figure ice-skating (pairs). haha...

working hard, playing just as hard

2008-12-04T23:58:00.003+08:00

this week is stay out week. There's practically nothing to do in camp, and we're made to be present in camp for the sake of clocking working hours. Its been 8-5pm everyday. But the travelling distance and time taken is long.

I don't see much action around in camp too. Many people are on offs, leave or just doing their own thing in bunk. Oh almost everyone is going/has gone for a holiday. Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, US, even Europe... - some of the places that my friends in army have went/ are about to go to, and it makes me wonder whether i'm still in army or not. For me, i'm not even thinking of going anywhere before I complete my service term. After that, i've got some things to think about too, so going on holiday is at the back of my mind at the moment.

Things will get back to normal next week coz our container from Australia will be back, so there'll be things to wash, unpack and keep us busy.

But when there's nothing to do in camp, I have to say that its exactly the opposite for the ministry side, when there's even more things to do in this period of time. I have 2 BBQs to plan, CCIS coming up, chasing after students as anxiety creeps in to ensure that this season don't just slip by without non-Christians hearing the gospel. those are the things that occupy much of my thoughts.

pray for Uncle Freddie, who'd just come down with an allergic reaction. Its quite serious :/
vin

Ending on a High

2008-12-01T01:17:00.004+08:00

Just when I thought my hopes of watching High School Musical 3 on the big screen has died; when all this while I've been dying to watch it, I finally caught it in its dying days, today!

After feeling so lethargic and dead after yesterday's duty, the only thing that I was looking forward was watching the movie with a sick poor DZ, flanked by 3 girls who looked more tired & lethargic than me, namely Geok (yu) Lan Su Ying Jia Yan. <-goodness can u believe it none of them have a Christian name, now the name when put together looks like some medical concoction or some tourist site in China, I havent added in De Zhang yet. haha...kidding :P Can hardly blame them coz they'd woken up so early for combined church service. But thank God we watched it together, coz all of us fully agreed it was an immensely enjoyable show.

You know, that show is just what i needed really after reading 2 fictitiously true books which contained so many stories of people dying, blown up, raped, flogged, tortured. In fact, when I finished up my 2nd book over a cuppa at Toastbox this morning (while waiting for the rest), it left me with a sorrowful uncomfortable feeling. Its like something gripping at your heart and tightening it, not allowing your emotions to pour out. Furthermore, the last few shows i've watched, it'd always left a melancholic aftertaste in me. Like Forrest Gump yesterday, Million Dollar Baby on Tuesday.

I love High School Musical really. I treasure it. Coz I think I most prob won't find another show like this anymore in the future. A show with no hint of sexual content, no vulgarities/bad language. But all energetic hopefuls, believers that good will always triumph over evil, that its better to be a good guy always, that relationship in itself is so lovely. goodness. i love it entirely, it grows on you and me. But the danger is that they can be idols lor. They're all so clever in their studies, so idolised by people coz they can dance, win trophies, become the star player, and they're pretty and handsome people.

Stepping out of the dark cinema is like a rude shove and i'm knocked back to reality. Harsh realities of life that the movie doesn't show. Life isn't easy, and its the truth. So no point living a vicarious life in troy and gabriella i told myself. Get down to earth man.

sigh. thats the way things end.

but i believe in rainbows, and thats a reason for hope, and happy endings.
vin

senseless killing

2008-11-27T18:40:00.003+08:00

i woke up at 1245pm today. greeted by fresh chaos in Mumbai (Bombay), and followed the tense situation on the local & cable tv stations. theres enough chaos in the world already to keep reporters busy and i believe countless sleepness nights. what in the world is happening?

yay. Jesus Christ is coming soon. We can all be righteous again! We can be liberated in our constant struggles with sin! We can be with our Father forever without any sadness or worries again!!

People are getting more and more corrupt, God has given them over to sin. How disgusted i felt when the guys in army hacked a harmless komodo dragon or lizard into 2, just for the sake of fun in Australia. You know how senseless and murderous they all looked? All of them surrounded a single tree which the frightened creature was parched atop, and they proceeded to chop the tree down, then gave chase to the creature and then hacking it to death. If causing death isn't enough to satisfy their animalistic ravenous hunger, to dissect the poor corpse will do the job. Its only completed when they take a photo with the head of the creature in a victorious pose. I felt so sick and disgusted and angry. Right down to my stomach. But i realise its the state of humans in this present age.

Years ago, my bible study teacher answered a question posed by another person on whether killing an ant is considered a sin. She had this reply, 'you have to ask yourself why you want to kill that ant. If that act is done out of no reason, then it reveals the character that you have. whether its unwarranted anger, or you're just being cruel and have that kind of murderous thought.'

I muttered a prayer to God as i followed the updates on tv throughout the afternoon. Please if you're reading this, do just remember the world and its people in your next prayer.
Bangkok, Mumbai, financial crisis (people who've lost their jobs, people who're worried about the future, governments who're under pressure to rescue...)

So while the tv is switched on, I continued to read my book...... today is rest day...
vin

some reflection

2008-11-26T23:49:00.003+08:00

i'm back home from an exhausting 6 days! Can't believe that i didn't even go back home after i left my house on Saturday morning at 7. Ever since then its been mostly shuttling between different places and making Bedok Camp my resting place for the nights.

came back from the camp (y fc). you know i look back at my days back then when i was a youth among others like Chris, Gerald, Ben, Geok etc, and we'll be student participants for these camps and for other events and activities. I'm thankful, for the good guidance that God has provided me through our group leaders or mentors. You know the group leaders will sit down with me and talk, and they'll always dispense godly advice.

So now moving on years later when i'm no longer a student (i miss those careless days), when i'm a group leader in the camp, i found myself sitting down with individuals at the end of the day and talking through with them what they'd learnt, and also from what i'd observed about them. i found myself being a dispenser of godly advice, and to challenge and provoke them to change their ways to please God. I found myself praying for them, and helping them to see which areas in their lives need some alteration, and working through with them how they may mature from something they've learnt thats new to them which had sprouted out of the camp activities, (e,g, approaching strangers, good character like discipline)

So i thank God for providing me with someone in my younger days to always ensure that i won't deviate far away from the truth. Its really important to be with Christians everytime (in those days, i'll meet that 'someone' most saturdays.) who you know that can look out whether you're on the correct path. When after a week in school when you've maybe skewed a little because of all that the outside world including peers that may influence you, that 'someone' can nudge and influence you back to the right track. So its really important to stick with the right group of friends.(but thats not saying that we ignore all our other friends)

now whats up next. 2 days of rest. i hope to catch up with a few students who i havent met for some time.
saturday: another guard duty

oh yes. I've got myself an IPod nano! at a great great steal of $40. haha.. my good friend bought the newest version of IPod for himself in Australia and he sold me the one that he'd been using. I dont really listen to music or need/want an IPod, but getting one will make my lengthy bus rides to and fro camp more bearable. He's sold it to me with all his songs inside, not a lot, mostly John Mayer. I plugged it into the computer speaker at the office yesterday and i kinda like his music.

I missed High School Musical sadly. Whatever.
I've been enjoying reading the 2 books which i've borrowed from my friends when we were in Australia. I'm halfway into the 2nd book now.
& watching Million Dollar Baby made my heart tear. Its so heart-wrenching. Its one of the 3 DVDs which i've purchased in Australia.

Vin

remember remember, V for vendetta?

2008-11-19T23:13:00.003+08:00

Remember V?
V for Vendetta.

I've finally finally finally watched the movie, and thats after i've read the book, got myself all amused by it, and slotted the book neatly in between others to let itself be dissolved in time, treasured but forgotten.

I borrowed the DVD from one of the platoon guys (whose house i visited last night for the gathering), and his room was a collage of the past, present and future movies. He has movie posters plastered on his walls up to each of its corners, and a library of DVDs.

V for Vendetta, goodness me, is superb. I love every minute of it. it just explodes with goodness.

oh anyway.
I found out that Hard Rock Cafe is going to open their own in Doha! Happening right.

ok, i have a crazy schedule ahead of me right until next wednesday and it starts tomorrow. Please pray that i may have energy and stamina. it goes like this:
thursday report back to camp for duty.
friday join in yfc camp whole day, tasked to lead song :/ and be station marshal at dustbins along Orchard Road :)
saturday michelle's wedding lunch, church.(i dare not slot any meeting in between these 2 as i'll have a mad rush) dinner appt with a friend whom i've not met for over a year, report back to camp for sunday's duty
sunday 24hr duty
monday straight into yfc camp2 till wednesday.
(tuesday report back to camp for another 24hr duty)

Vin

a day out at home

2008-11-19T14:38:00.002+08:00

Had a tiring day yesterday. Left home at 7, went to the East, did a walk through of town (part of the yfc camp program), then joined a platoon gathering at one of the guy's place at the North, and finally back home at the North-West past midnight.

i've realised that i've reverted my body clock back to what is perceived as normal & healthy after Australia. I will now feel sleepy when the time reaches 10-11pm, when before that i'd no problem staying up late till 2am.

glad to be back home. So far its been all play. But I've got some work to do already. Mostly ministry matters.
Vin

Thank You Lord

2008-11-16T14:56:00.002+08:00

you know, during my time in Australia, i'm really grateful & thankful to God, coz the Lord has shown me that He's there with me in many ways. I was sharing with ShaoNing ytd that He's reminded me of His presence in both obvious standout and not so obvious subtle ways. Its so amazing. you know its like when you actually enjoy that closeness with God, looking forward to living everyday with Him, you can get to see in so many ways how the Lord is showing you and telling you that He's there in every single thing. I guess thats made possibly easier during my time in Australia coz the doors leading to us being distracted and brought away are shut. Unlike in Singapore when we can always access the internet, reach for the handphone, be with our friends & families, indulge in habitual doings that can make us feel good, or occupy ourselves with normalities that fill up our schedules which we sometimes dread doing.

So in Australia when i can be only concerned about the tasks at hand, when instead of proper buildings & tarred roads i'm greeted in the mornings with blue skies, fresh cool air (at least for 10days until the smog emission from forest fires polluted the air) and the brightest of untempered sunshine, i can better focus on the relationship between Father & me coz there's not a lot of things can chip your attention or concern away. Its just me, the Father, work. Can you see how connecting them together has been made less difficult? And the Father expanded that scope to open my eyes to see His beauty, experience His grace, feel His presence. Remembering the Lord in all I do, while fixing my eyes on Jesus.

So my heart is filled with thanksgivings. I thank Him even in little delights like sightings of kangaroos & wallabies. Utter delight. Thank God for the heli rides which gave me the chance to awe at the vastness of land. Thank God for walking under starlight. I've never seen so much stars in my life, trust me not even in Malaysia. Thank God that i got my hands on a book that i've been dying to read. Its unbelievable. It happened that the guy who slept beside me in the tent brought the book to read. For the past few months i've pondered about whether i should go ahead to purchase it, and the intent almost came to implementation as I came closer to the date when i would depart for Australia. Coz I heard that its advisable to bring our own form of entertainment to Australia. Since I do not own a PSP, I-Pod, I'd really wanted to get that book to bring along. I'd walk into MPH Raffles City, stare longingly at the book, give long exaggerated thoughts, run my fingers over the book cover, and try to disconnect what my heart was telling me from logical rational reasoning. This happened like 4-5 times. So to think that I'd find the book there was so coincidental. He finished reading it a few days later and lent it to me. Thats not all, a few days later I found my good buddy reading another book from the same author. Needless to say, I borrowed the book too and both books are now with me at home. yay!!

Sometimes thanksgivings arise from more macro stuffs which can only be seen in the bigger scale of things. Like how the Lord flashed a rainbow on our return from our final outfield exercise, and on that very night it finally rained, it was a frightening storm with howling winds which threatened to tear down our sturdy tent, it poured like its finally releasing what it'd been held back from the days leading up to it. Thank God coz on the nights before that, when we were still outfield, we felt like 10seconds of raindrops, and I prayed that God would hold the rain.

Vin

precious lessons from memories

2008-11-15T00:37:00.003+08:00

There are so many things i wanna remember from the training trip, that i want to hold on to, that i want to stash away into a compartment in my memory within my easy reach. If in any case i need it in the future, i can fish out the lessons from God in my memory, and it serves to remind, guard, and guide me for the rest of my life. I think that can be considered growing in wisdom.

I'll spill some of those memories here, portion by portion, as much as i can remember or my memory can contain.

Thankfully i had the good sense not to trust my memory's capacity to actually do the counting of my blessings, because too many times i've told myself that i wanna remember the goodness of God but end up forgetting it. So i'd decided to go with the time-consuming way of writing them down. I did it almost everyday, sometimes immediately after an encounter, other times i would empty what i'd stored up at the end of the day. In this way i can not only remember God's blessings, but also remember how sweet it tasted.

I watched 4 movies in 12 hours yesterday - 1 in the local cinema coz we had too much time to spare for too little things we could do, 3 on the ride back home coz i was too excited to sleep. I was quite disappointed that High School Musical wasn't showing yet. Hope that i'll be able to catch it back here.

vin

i never walked alone

2008-11-14T15:57:00.003+08:00

By the grace of God, i've returned home after spending nearly a month in Australia. During which i've experienced the wondrous blessings from the Lord and encountered how the Lord has shouldered my burden when i'm weighed down by the massive load, protected me from submitting to worldly pressures, and walked by my side in each step that i'd taken.

Praise Him for He is worthy. His blessings are limitless.

Thank the Lord for all your prayers, i do pray that the Lord's blessings may extend even more bountifully to you guys.
vin

Gone for now

2008-10-18T13:16:00.003+08:00

the plane is going to be heavier with heavier hearts onboard.

haha... i didn't even sleep last night! i was as awake as some active nocturnal creature. Went to sleep after watching a tennis match as when shades of daylight were seen faintly. And from the moment i woke up i felt the power of anxiety, nerve, fear, stress, reluctance & sadness. An emotional bundle of mess.

then again, thank God for reminding me that He bears my burden, so i'll commit all that heaviness to the Lord.

I'll see you guys again when i'm back.
vin

when the oceans rise & thunders roar
i will soar with You above the storm
Father (God) You are king over the flood
i will be still & know You are Lord
- a song to remember, like how i'll remember the Lord in these times.

tiring enjoyments

2008-10-17T18:01:00.002+08:00

hello hello!

its down to the final hours. I'll be leaving home for :( long-long ): i feel like i'm enlisting into NS all over again. Its this sense of impending gloom & doom and everything extensively negative which blankets over. But i'm very sure this time it'll will be the last time i'll ever feel this way again in my NS life.

Please pray that i may not think too much about the 'sufferings', but rather being able to experience the grace of God through the 'sufferings'.

this week has flown by. I felt for certain like i'd skipped some days or something. Ok whatever, i can't escape reality. But thank God for this week, even though i was on the verge of falling really ill at the end of last night, and at the end of all my different recreations throughout the week. I was enjoying myself at an unprecedented level this week. I've never been out to town so many times in a week before. (well, i realise that i didn't go to the main Orchard Road town-ish area but i've been to Plaza Singapura/ the Cathay place 3 times this week!)

And i think its one of the rare times my planned schedule has panned out almost the way i've planned it to be. The only glitch there was when i'd wanted to meet a couple of Christian students but it fell through.

So i was dating different groups of people and different individuals everyday. Been to 2 buffets - Carnivore & Vienna (at Novena). Watched 4 different movies on as many days, each film increasing in complexity. its quite tiring, and the damage to my health is done.

My final day here is of course dedicated to staying at home. Because partly i've got no more energy to go out; partly i want to prevent a manifestation of full-blown illness; mainly i want to spend time with my family, in the comfort of my own familiar home.

vin

bearish times

2008-10-10T12:37:00.003+08:00

After doing so much cleaning, scrubbing to rid every nick and cranny of our items of every spore of dust or foreign particles, I've gone quite beserk. Can you imagine, everything is to be made to look as new as it'd been like when its just been issued to us - like 18 months ago.

the bad thing is that its not the end of all that intensive overly exaggerated cleaning and inspection. Apparently the first flight that landed in Aussie ground last week was stranded in the airport for like 6-8 hours! The reason is quite obvious right.

Alright. In wide retrospect, my difficulties arent comparable with what many people in this world is going through in this period of financial turmoil. A depressing and pessimistic feel has descended on the financial market. This pandemonium has been ruling the front pages for weeks man. Sigh, its effects will be shelled on all of us, its really just only a matter of when lor. Brace yourselves for it.
I was checking some stock prices on the SGX website just now and all i see was pages after pages of plunging figures :(

vin

Bedok to Bukit Batok

2008-10-07T23:00:00.002+08:00

i did the unthinkable today. I had to walk from my camp (Bedok) to Bukit Batok Nature Reserve on foot! This is the event that marked my Battalion's anniversary, and the final 'march' and also the longest so far, before we set off to Australia next week.

The distance was so long that i couldn't imagine myself completing it within its stipulated time. But walk on we did. An amazing route that spanning the entire MRT Green line from EXPO, Eunos, Geylang, Kallang, Beach Road to town, Selegie Rd, and the entire stretch of Bukit Timah Rd which started at Little India, passed Newton to King Albert Park, and ended at the Bukit Batok's peak.

I will have a very very very very busy 2 days ahead. We have to wash, rewash, pack our stuffs which we are bringing up to Australia. The Australian quarantine system here is just offensively meticulous. A speck of sand won't make the pass.

going to sleep now!!
vin

things that annoy me

2008-09-28T15:16:00.003+08:00

when i'm reading the newspapers and another guy pops up his head beside mine and reads what i've been reading. the newspapers will have been lying around there, untouched for as long as it can be but the intruder makes himself share the papers with me the moment when i'm reading it. Its so irritating. It seems to suggest that because i'm reading it, it must be something interesting and the intruder will want to know about it too. It happens everytime.

my incompetency in handling IT stuffs. Be it a new software in my computer, or installing a new program. I hate it, and i just cannot connect with all that sophisicated clicks, when one click be so lethal. I mean i wish i can be good at it, but at this moment i can't.

watching a movie in a packed cinema. getting a lousy seat in a cinema (like the front row).

vin

in search of bliss

2008-09-23T23:43:00.005+08:00

i caught Mama Mia! the movie last night with a few jolly good fellows at the Grand Cathay. My word, the Grand Cathay is HUGE, and has a Victorian feel inside. I think the reason the Grand Cathay felt so grand was because the theatre had barely a third of its capacity that were occupied, so i felt so small in comparison.

Mama Mia! is basically an oldie version of High School Musical. The trailer of HSM was screened before yesterday's show and i can't wait for it to come out :) it'll be so hot.

Looking for a cheap and good meal downtown? Look no further. Fancy this, Aston's Specialities at the Cathay will solve all mealtime woes. And its your answer to lamentations like, 'how ah? any nice but cheap food in town a not?' 'don't tell me food court again' 'haarr?? Macs, Long John, BK - come to town also must eat these kind of food ah?'.

My friends and I finally went to dine at Aston's. We've heard of it ever since a year ago when there was only the Katong branch around. A few months later demand was so strong that a 2nd outlet popped up rather quietly at the Cathay. And ever since its been a case of being one of those treasures that is tucked away and well hidden in a sparsely patronised mall. We waited for like 40 minutes still! And the food is good! :) utterly satisfying.

We agreed that we were not done with eating yet. We trotted down to Starbucks and washed down the meaty barbeque taste and doused the flames with a mild cup of Caramel Mach. To aromatize ourselves with 2 different cheesecakes was just perfect.

vin

for that peace and quiet time alone

2008-09-22T10:51:00.003+08:00

Yesterday was a relatively peaceful day at the office. Sometimes i'm really thankful and glad that i'm rostered to do these weekend duties because of the wanting to spend time alone, by myself. And there's no better place to go to escape the crowd other than the isolated grounds in camp!

The morning wasn't really very nice as there were a few guys who were called back to do some stuffs. The time after they left in the afternoon, i finally had my undisrupted peace and space to myself. I went on according to my entertainment schedule which had been hastily planned. I'd borrowed 2 DVDs from my guy when i popped by his house last Monday when i brought them out to Bedok Food Corner for a comfort meal before the dreadful outfield. Anyway my guy lives just opposite the camp too. I watched the first DVD -'Just Follow Law' in the morning, and reserved 'the Holiday' for the later part of the day.

While watching the show, i ran thoughts of giving myself a break, away from the people you meet all the time, away from familiar ground and terrain. Doing weekend duties in camp is a good chance to be all by yourself alone, but it does not give me the freshness of a new breath of air because i'm still facing the same landscape and buildings. haaha.. how blissful it will be to escape to somewhere else right.

But still, thank God for yesterday. My OC surprised us with a friendly box of donuts. Oh my goodness, thank God for his kindness. And thank God for a little update from Hsiao Ling over ebuddy.

vin

almost there now

2008-09-20T13:43:00.002+08:00

I've bid goodbye to outfield overnight training sessions in local terrain yesterday, at least for the rest of my days as an NSF. With that, I hope that all the unpleasant uncomfortable irritants that form a large part of the 'outfield' experience have come to a closure for now. So goodbye to sandflies, mosquitoes, and the whole feeling of shivering in the wet & cold conditons.

In every way i have to thank God for being there with me always. Right after NDP i plunged into this training period and was worried that i may find it hard to get through the days. Thank God that i'm still standing, i'm still surviving, and for His work of grace in caring and protecting me all these while. Yes indeed its been hard and tiring, but thank God for good leaders who've organised the trainings in such a way that it is progressive and specified. I've come out of this 1 month of training to praise and thank Him for it.

Alright. I'm absolutely over the moon, the sun and the stars now that i've got some time to relax before setting of for the finale in Australia. I'm some compulsory days off and leave to clear so i'm gleefully thinking of how to 'enjoy' myself before being 'exiled'.

Vin

welcome to my life

2008-09-07T19:54:00.007+08:00

Me & fellow commanders.

here are some of the photos which i saved into my e-mail yesterday when i was looking through the photo files in my office, and to let you see who are the guys (some is more like monkeys) that i see in camp, and my green face :(

my friend is holding the walkie talkie in front of me coz i'd dropped one into the river the week before this photo was taken.

NDP 08 BayBirds

'3-2-1 BayBirds fire'

Guards Challenge - a competition.

The platoon monkeys

The platoon commanders

Army Museum

Latest photo taken in Tekong 2 weeks back. The big square hole is dug by my team of 3, including me. And that night was so so sos sos sososoossososososososososososososooooooo cold.

Will have a helicopter live-task tomorrow through to Tues morning.

thank God for today, when i had a wonderful time with my army friends, who, although are all based in Bedok Camp but dispersed inside. So i went to Shokudo Japanese Food Bazaar at Raffles City. hahaha... nope i ate no sushi, but some pork and egg rice. I did feel a little bit nauseous halfway into the rice though. But the red bean mochi dessert was really yummy. i've a sweet tooth i guess.
Anyway thats not the point, i've a great time with them, for reasons i'll tell you next time.

i've to book in later and looking forward to another week with Jesus by my side.

Gotta go prepare for it.
Vin

in the midst of hard work

2008-09-05T23:39:00.002+08:00

thank God! i've survived my 2nd outfield. You know words cannot express how thankful i am to actually have come out of that fine. Bearing all that heavy load and walking long distances is tormenting. And thats only one of the many parts that makes the whole time outfield so arduous and tiring. I'll always be making a mental picture of what its like when Jesus had to carry His own cross until he just couldn't take it physically. Thats training for me to feel what its like when Jesus suffered for our misdeeds, and what it requires of us to take up the cross and follow Him.

Thank God He's been teaching me on joy in QT. I'm just into this series and am excited to discover and learn more about it.

I've got to spend a full day of my weekend in camp tomorrow. So i'll probably spend some time reading, typing out lengthy emails, and have some rest.

oh yes, Formula 1 is happening this month. I was on the bus today when i passed by the City Hall area and saw that all the barricades, spectator stands, lightings are all up already. How cool is that, the whole race is like a live advertisement for SIngapore la! when viewers get a close up familiarisation tour. familiarisation because they're going to see the same buildings for like 60/70plus laps repeatedly? I think any tourist will know their bearings, erm like how to get from Marina Square to the Flyer.

and i received a postcard from Mexico! my goodness. A friend from afar, who became my saviour when i was a desperate lost sheep in a land far away, is on holiday in Cancun, which makes her even further than how far she is from S'pore. I'm still very amazed at how the postcard actually made its way around the world to end up neat in my letterbox. wow.

got some work to do
vin

2008-08-30T02:05:00.002+08:00

when things aren't looking that fine and the strings that hold your life together are loosening, when the ones you'd normally turn to for a listening ear or a hug deserts you, when you don't produce the good results you deserve by the amount of hardwork you put in while watching those lazy bums do better than you, when you do people a favour repeatedly without being reciprocated, when the bad seems to be thriving over the good, when you suddenly feel like you are just so alone, so taken advantaged of and downright pathetic.

following Jesus goes beyond earthly security :)
do things to please Jesus, tell Jesus about the troubles.

He'll right the wrongs.
He'll triumph over the evil.
He'll bring justice.
He'll listen to your cries of frustration.
vin

goodbye beijing

2008-08-25T17:02:00.004+08:00

coz i've missed the 2nd half of the Beijing Olympic Games, i've tried to search for some of the action that i've missed on the internet. But i'm disappointed that due to broadcasting or some licensing rights, i'm unable to watch the replays from my computer in Singapore.

However some of the action which i've caught which will most probably go make it far in both our memories and in history includes Micheal Phelps winning 8 gold medals, Usain Bolt bolting on the track in an insanely easy anyday run but losing popularity points due to his cockiness, Singapore table tennis team silver, the spectacular Opening Ceremony.

Although i really wanna catch this young bubbly girl by the name of Shawn Johnson in gymnastics. Before i left for field camp, she's gotten 3 silver medals with 1 event to go. Everyone wants her to win it because it will be a terrible injustice for this extremely likeable girl to walk away without a gold medal especially when she has done nothing wrong throughout the competition. Put another gymnast in her position and she will definitely drown in disappointment. However she did not openly reveal disappointment in her 3 silver medal appearances, but instead she gave hugs and kisses to her rivals, who she'd beat routinely in the past but strikes timely while having a perfect day at the Olympics, and gave assuring and comforting hugs to her underperforming teammate who'd denied her a gold. Such is the sportsmanship and character that eludes most athletes out there but Shawn Johnson has nothing to hide. So of course all fairness came into play and she finally saved many breaking hearts out there (which will really break if she misses out on a gold again) by winning in her last event. Thats so wonderful.

vin

2008-08-25T10:55:00.002+08:00

i'm so thankful to the Lord for enabling me to survive the 6 days in tekong.

Its been really tough, i remember the last night (>24 hours ago) when i was shivering and suffering out there, being drenched and all freezing up, and i was desparately in need of some heat. However coz we weren't allowed to set up even a small flame, me and my guys just had to bear with it in what seemed to be the longest night. Really makes me wonder what if the body of a soldier really succumb to chills.

my foot is in the worst condition ever in my army life. i dunno what happened but its swollen, red, battered and sore with red patches holding back the flesh. I couldn't even walk/stand properly yesterday after the field camp. it was like stepping on needles after each step. I can't bend my toes now but i can still walk la this morning, just slower than usual.

thank God for being my strength and being with me both in the good and bad times. Thank God for watching over me. I know i couldn't have survived it without Him.

vin

2008-08-13T18:51:00.002+08:00

my 'holiday' period is drawing to a close.

But thank God for good relaxing times which i've enjoyed. I've caught as many movies this month as the past 6 months. I've went for a good buffet at Carousel and thats another thing done in my 'i hope to do this during my holiday' list. Spent some time outside camp with my guys, and fellow commanders. many sessions of marvelling at the fireworks.

the these 2 days the exhilarating action in Beijing has gotten me totally glued to the tv. I've watched the chinese gymnastics teams vault and twist their way to gold, upstaging the Americans in some heartstopping action; the unstoppable Phelps blowing his rivals away in the pool; the chinese dominating the other end of Water Cube in diving; again the chinese powered their way to the 6 gold medals so far in weightlifting. I've witnessed so many world records tumbling at such disrespectful ease.

now its almost over for me.
vin

Beijing 2008

2008-08-12T00:57:00.003+08:00

a quickie, and once again i'm writing off my mind.

Olympic action has gone into full swing now, and over at the Water Cube (Aquatic Center) where pool related events are held (with the exception of water polo), world records and Olympic records are tumbling like pins in a bowling game. Its incredible, when early this morning 6 relay teams went under the previous world record, with the winning team shaving 4 seconds off the previous mark. Thats not all, the records are even rewritten in the evening heats. My goodness, this is really crazy. It kinda makes me wonder:

1. when will all the breaking of the world records come to a halt. i.e. you know the point that no amount of technology put into the swimsuit that provides an extra propeller to the swimmer can actually make the swimmer go any faster, or just that we've finally reached the cap for a human to cover this amount of distance in a quickest time possible.

2. how unjustified the glory of the previous holders of world records. For some, their records are longstanding, like for years and decades, but with the sudden introduction of the new swimsuits, their glory is shortlived, erased to make it seem like a slow timing of the past. Oh ya, you know, its down to minutes now that the records are actually broken and broken again. Incredulous right.

I watched the Opening Ceremony on 080808. Its undeniably the best opening ceremony of any games ever. EVER. Everything, from the start to the end, was a WOW moment. Impressive throughout. I waited patiently for Team Singapore's turn to parade. haha... i arrived at Simpang Bedok at 915pm and contingents were already coming out, my friend and I ordered food, finished our food, ordered more food, finished more food, yet we still couldn't catch Team Singapore. My friend's patience was wearing thin (after seeing Dominica, Kiribati, Cayman Islands, Tuvalu, USA walk by) but i refused to budge, and eventually they came out at 11pm.

right. China is looking pretty on top of the medal standings, and i'm happy that there's so much action captured on tv, and i'm very sad that i'll miss the later half of the Olympics because my crazy tune-up to 2nd evaluation(coming October) is starting next Monday.

vin

a good buffet

2008-08-05T01:24:00.003+08:00

today was a fabulous day.

Staff meeting in the morning, dozed off at Esplanade library while killing time, met a christian student to pray with him as his prelims starts tomorrow, Carousel buffet dinner, and movie to end the day.

finally i went to have a good buffet other than Seoul Garden. FINALLY.

Doha rewind.

i do have this penchant for desserts, or chocolate.

the rich fountain of erupting chocolate. they do have very good cakes too! while my friends are downing oysters after oysters until the point when i see oysters swimming in their tummies, i helped (stuffed) myself generously to their desserts, hot and cold - chocolate mousse, bread & butter pudding, pineapple crumble +++++

after that we went to the same cinema where we split up to watch different shows. haha... the show i chose to watch -Wedding Daze was so stupid. well, i wanted to watch something light, shallow, funny, silly. The Wedding Daze fit that billing, except that its not so funny. Its not bimbotically humorous, witty humor is nowhere to be seen. Its just so so stupid. thankfully i paid only $6 for the show.

vin

2008-08-01T01:49:00.002+08:00

just back from the movies. again! yay, sort of living a life of a movie buff lately. and guess what someone just requested a song from High School Musical over the radio now.

Went to watch the Mummy, it was a nice show. Nothing much to think about, just follow lor. I love the Chinese elements in the show. haha, its a fusion commonly seen these days. But Michelle Yeoh can be more natural in her lines. She looks really old, but beautiful in her sorceress role. The fighting scenes were forgettable and just doesn't cut it, there're better ones out there. Other than that, haha... just follow lor.

i've been eating a lot lately. anything i wish to eat, i'll just eat. The thought of the tough trainings lined up after NDP...

the countdown to the Olympics is down to a week! goodness. goodness. I'm excited, even though i'm in the army. will China pip USA in the medal standings this time? Will Singapore bring home a medal?
vin

music therapy

2008-07-27T02:11:00.002+08:00

i've discovered the function of creating a playlist of songs that i wanna listen to off the web. Thanks to my very resourceful friends in camp, i'm now able to pick and choose from an extensive library of all kinds of songs (i believe they have every song out there), and listen to them while i'm working on the computer :)

And i must say, thanks to DeZhang, i'm typing this entry while listening to Christmas songs by Celtic Woman. Its very very good, for both the mind and the soul. These ladies have such angel-like airy-fairy voices that it'll do to our spirits a little fluffy effect. On the same therapeutic note, thanks to DeZhang again, i've cast aside initial reservations about High School Musical being a show used to bluff kids about how perfectly beautiful a place the world is, and i've actually grown to like it. Its a happy show, and in a very good way, it'll stir up a lifting effect on the spirits. And so i've added a couple of melodious duets from the Disney movie in my playlist. Thanks DeZhang :) I'm now a little off the ground on a silent night dreaming of a white Christmas, while having a renewed sense of confidence in a happily-ever-after.

I'm preparing for bible study tomorrow morning, while waiting for tennis on the tv.
sweet dreams.
vin

2008-07-25T11:47:00.002+08:00

the Lord has been gracious to me.

while i'm unable to go to church on Saturdays, i've been invited to attend staff mtgs on Mondays with the purpose that i can listen to the preaching of God's Word in a congregational setting. I'm thankful for that really.

Not too long ago i was praying, and i still am, that the Lord may allow me to get to know of new like minded Christian students who express their desire to reach out to their schoolmates with the truth. the old blood of the older Christian students are a fast fading batch, soon to be graduating no matter how much effort they've put in in their God-given ministry in the setting of their schools or classrooms. So if little is their effort, much will be their regret, and how irreversible time will seem to be for them. I know that kind of feeling man. So the new blood brings fresh hope in the garden of withering floras, where trees are struggling to bear fruit.

However Chris reminded me not to place too much hope in this new batch of students. Have we not seen students who are so eager but after a year or so fatigue sets in, their facial expressions change and they drop out disinterested? After all, we will not have discovered that the tree has been planted in a wrong garden until after a certain period of time signs can spotted and seen. Following that the tree can be uprooted to another garden so that it can be rendered effective to bear fruit.

i watched the Dark Knight on Monday night. I think its one of the better shows after a really long wait for good shows ever since that Oscars period. But i got quite lost during the show, i'm lousy in understanding these kind of movies which have inhuman characters in it :( thanks to huEy for clearing the many question marks i had after the movie.

more updates to come
Vin

feeling sore

2008-07-21T19:24:00.002+08:00

i've got a weak throat. After teaching a bible study this afternoon i've come down with a sore throat already. even when i wanted to take a nap just now, i could not as its so painful and i've to 'swallow' for like countless times. i'm not happy.

and i'm even planning to go for a lunch buffet tomorrow at Carousel! haha...

vin

2008-07-13T23:32:00.002+08:00

sadly, times have changed. gone are the days when i find that christian students (new contacts made) are willing to meet up for bible study, or even meet up at all. Its been generally harder to call students up for a meeting with them without them suspecting that you're up to some kind of suspicious act that involves them being added to the pile of skeletons in your closet.

you know, being involved in this school ministry requires great heavy responsibility, but do not ever ever lose dependance on God, because after all it is God's ministry we are involved in. whatever happens, God will bring it to good as He works according to His own purposes.
finding like-minded Christian students to share the gospel to their schoolmates. these students very soon will graduate, so we need to find new Christian students to continue the good work in the schools. I'm thankful to God that He's kept the momentum going when i got to know of 2 boys who fall into the category of like-minded christians who is willing to be partners in reaching out to their schoolmates. I'll just keep praying and praying.

vin

2008-06-22T14:40:00.002+08:00

it was a blissful chilly Sunday morning, after a good night of rest. I'd decided to spend the night in camp because NDP rehearsals had wrapped up late yesterday. By the time i got back to camp, it was 12am already!

There are certainly things to look forward to, highlights and nice parts that you can't wait to see, for each rehearsal. In my case, i think i'll enjoy them so much more because of all that laborous heavy heavy stuffs that have to be done for every Saturday. Launching and Keeping 40 boats, including their engines and all those stores and props is really tiring stuff man. What you'll see on the actual day undermines the work effort that we put in. You know i used to think that my NDP involvement will be like more in-the-public-eye sort of thing; standing in the crowd, looking smart and directing their movement, or issuing tickets while interacting with the public. haha... too bad. So I'm on the water all the time, victim of curious stares from tourists riding on DUCKtours, dragonboaters, worshipping tourists who surround the vomiting Merlion, people standing the platform in front of the Esplanade, and even the construction workers over at our Clifford Pier holding area standing tall above us leaning on handrails and looking at us like we're some hippo exhibit in the zoo...

But i have to say from our position in the parade itself, we're the closest one can ever get to the fireworks. So close i am that the water buoy to demarcate the out-of-bound safety area is just in line with and beside the position of my boat. I'm thankful that we get treated to fireworks display which when seen, will always trigger euphoric ecstasy in everyone. And also a spectacular aerial display by the fighter jets; of how these jets pencil on a sheet of skyblue canvas. its brillant i tell you. Especially when a heart-shape is drawn, i can like imagine gasping couples in one the Singapore Flyer capsules doing their romantic thing, with that symbol in the background. Snap a photo and send it to the Straits Times man.

I'm eagerly waiting for my Dad to return back home - anytime now. For the past month my family is very much disperse. So i'm looking forward to us getting together again.
vin

2008-06-18T17:18:00.002+08:00

went down immediately to meet a student after guard duty today. Had initially planned to conduct bible study but was informed to go through a set of evaluation points with him which he was asked on Saturday to consider and ponder upon. Objectives were met in our 2 hr meeting and thank God for the problems that surfaced which we identified. Thank God for the discerning mind to reproach and dig deep to find the root of the problems. Thank God for gentleness in the way i made him realise his wrongs, but uncompromising in driving home the seriousness of it.

vin

2008-06-16T21:48:00.002+08:00

my upcoming 3days off (which i was so looking forward to) is rudely wrecked by a 24hr duty caught in between Wednesday and Friday. This coupled with my guard duty tomorrow, i can only sadly say that my offdays and the enjoyment which can be exploited out of it has been trimmed to the bones. But still i hope i can still meet my student on Wednesday or Friday.

vin

'i'm fine'

2008-06-15T22:28:00.003+08:00

i've been absent here for too long a time that i've accumulated a rich farrago of things/thoughts that have corralled into a space deep within my recesses that threaten to spillover, or explode. too many things to share with you that is well out of the comfortable reach of conversing even when we meet eye to eye over a cup of mocha. its not your fault, i know its primarily mine. We all have different vocations, occupied with activities so different and our schedules are a starking contrast in difference. But nonetheless i just thank God that we get to meet each other at least for a few hours set apart by all of us to commune in church. That just proves it all isn't it, we may be spending 6 days of a week doing different things, but we'll still give each other that brother/sisterly smile or ask that question of 'how are you' that is heartening. Although you can't understand fully the struggles i face when we part from church falling back to our steady rhythms of life, i believe that you care and love me. haha :)

vin

company cohesion

2008-05-24T02:42:00.002+08:00

right. i know its not right coming online at this time of the (mid)night.

i had an absolutely crazy time at Sentosa today with my army guys - both men and commanders. It has been so long since i last set foot on Sentosa. Gee, it has changed and quite some bit, and definitely a step in the right direction. The beaches still look the same, but the pathways, signboards, toilets went through some makeover, and the whole place looks inviting and fresh. There's even a slow tram that ferries beach-goers along the path that runs the stretch of the beach to the beach station, where you can conveniently board a rail that will bring you all the way back to the main island(vivocity). I mean, i was impressed. Hassle-free and too convenient i must say.

ok thats not the main thing.
i've cleared the last SOC that i'm ever going to do in my life. Thank God. i couldn't really sleep well the nights before the test, coz i was anxious about it. But believe me, when i place myself in a humble position just trusting in the Lord and abilities given to me by Him, I felt really comfortable :)

Sentosa
this trip to Sentosa is a little different from all the previous Sentosa outings i've had. For one, all those around me are mostly non-Christians, and all guys. So if you put like 100 non-Christian guys on a beach, i guess i will leave everything - what can be seen or heard.. up to your imagination :P

BUT i most probably won't share this with you guys in church or when i see you later. So i will just write bits about it.

ok like really boyish fun. Although its all rough and messy and dirty and rough and rough, i guess its just essentially fun. no one under the radar was spared, not even me. i was scooped up in manhandling motion midway through hitting a few volleyballs and mercilessly tossed into the sea, this happened even when i'd cautiously distanced myself by choosing to hit balls at a court as far away as possible from the 'beaten zone'. then a few hours later, shockingly and most unexpectedly i found myself a fallen prey again to their attack. It came out of nowhere and this time sand went down my pants and all. see the difference? but i definitely won't condemn these kind of fun :P Audacious it is, but not wicked nor malicious.

crazy fun aside, played a few games, and beach volleyball was enjoyable. We played through sunset which was beautiful.

StE and Timothy Trail is on schedule for Saturday. I'll have duty on Sunday-back to camp.
Vin

2008-05-15T17:33:00.002+08:00

i have thanksgivings!

i've patched up with my pal who i had a dispute with. well, not really of any dispute, just severe unhappiness. Gosh, it lasted a month! This past month was so frustrating man, and this thing has bogged my mind like a festering sore.

thank God, on Monday it almost seemed like we were back on good terms again. well, things are on the up. i'm relieved.

i'm also praying for those grieving in China & Myanmar in wake of tragedies. After all, Sichuan and Burma are common places churches hold mission bases in, or hotspots for mission work. I was at team meeting last friday night, and was told of many teachers and students of the Word Place who have perished in the disaster, and the newspaper reports are increasingly depressing. lets pray that God may have mercy on them.

among other things, my family is going for a independant getaway to UK next week, a well deserved trip i must say. So i'll be independant at home too haha :)
vin

Goodbye Henin

2008-05-15T12:40:00.003+08:00

i'm taking a day off today.

tennis
i'm deeply saddened to know of World no.1 Justine Henin's retirement from the sport last night, which is still sending shockwaves all around. The reading on the seismometer is comparable to that of when: say, Tiger Woods (Golf), Liu Xiang (Athletics), Roger Federer(Henin's career closely mirrors his'), Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer) all announce their departure from their respective sports.
sigh, Henin's departure is a great loss, especially when she's at her peak with what was an astoundingly impeccable year and near perfect report card that she raked up in 2007, epically winning trophies after trophies. She's one player that i admire much - her quiet demeanour that she brings with her everywhere she goes, on court or at press conferences. She doesn't show much of emotion, but one can always be more interested in her because she's got that kind of girl-next-door feel, when you kinda keep guessing whats more to her than her tennis. She cuts a small svelte figure, but takes down towering opponents swiftly or match their shotmaking power with her graceful precise intelligent gameplans.
This year she experienced a dip in form, but still her retirement came so unexpectedly. Justine's personal life was tainted with so many problems, and thats probably the reason why she's not the glamorous fiesty gal that many of her rivals are now. She was estranged from her family and has only just patched up recently, and she was brought up by her coach Carlos Rodriguez, who is always seen on courtside whenever she plays. I always felt that their relationship goes far beyond a player - coach one, but more of father - daughter kind. Justine has channelled all her childhood to adolescent emotions, including her separation from her husband of 4 years, that has built up into her tennis that she has well refined to reach the pinnacle of success.
Justine is a great champion, who has inspired and impressed me by how she has lived through adversities yet achieving so much by true will and hardwork , but not thriving on glory.

vin

2008-05-11T17:29:00.002+08:00

i'm glad to back home :)
although i was like extremely sleepy so i made up for my lack of sleep in the past 24 hrs when i reached home this morning. i did 24 hours guard duty as guard commander again. getting more experienced with what i'm supposed to do coz for some reason i've been rostered into this position for the 3rd consecutive time and a 4th coming up later this month. I felt a little bitter about this rostering, coz there are so many more fellow commanders who have YET to perform this role, and i've had 3 under my belt already!

but i can look at the positive side of things, i can refine or work on my commanding abilities. Its not easy waking up sleepyheads at 6am for area cleaning when they were each rotated to do duties spanning the night. thank God the everything went smoothly. Thank God that i've my past experiences to bank on, and it has definitely a boon for me (so its not entirely a bad thing that i'm always the guard commander). Despite the heavy human and vehicle traffic flow constantly in and out of camp, no hiccups was major enough to pose any serious problem. really thank God, i was like so worried that i may not be able to perform my duties well, coz there'll be like NDP performers numbering a thousand entering the camp premises for rehearsal, and this is on top of the usual waves of men taking IPPT or coming for remedial training. Thank God my guys were generally cooperative.

today's mothers' day. I thank the gracious Lord again for such loving parents that He's given me.

to my absolute delight, i've just found out today that Starhub CableTV has recently brought in a new channel - Eurosport. Its the channel that i've been dreaming of having all these years because almost all the tennis tournaments throughout the year is screened live on the channel. But i've dismissed it as wishful thinking coz i don't see how starhub will find it profitable to air alongside with stalwarts like ESPN, Star Sport, Football Channel & SuperSports. yay! its like dream come true :D lovely.

i've been missing a number of saturdays and weekends, its been 3 weeks? since i've been to church. But its a kind of training i'm going through. Part of the God's providence.

update again
vin

2008-04-27T18:50:00.002+08:00

i havent been meeting a lot of students lately. Partly due to the fact that the students are unable to meet on weekends. And now they are moving into the exam period, so i really hope that i can still meet them up after their exams.

next week's church's holding parents' day thanksgiving lunch. i really hope again that i may be able to attend the event.

really hope to catch up with you guys soon
Vin

2008-04-27T09:56:00.002+08:00

i've fallen sick, at a critical time. 2-day evaluation starts Monday, and i'm dogged by illness. fever and a clogged ENT system. thank God i've been given a lot of rest and i hope i may be able to be fit for the tests. well, even if i am unable to recover in time, i'll still have to go for it, so i'm just hoping for the best here.
vin