on keeping our eyes upon God

Read this psalm this morning.

Psalm 63

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

O God, you are my God,
       earnestly I seek you;
       my soul thirsts for you,
       my body longs for you,
       in a dry and weary land
       where there is no water.

 I have seen you in the sanctuary
       and beheld your power and your glory.

 Because your love is better than life,
       my lips will glorify you.

 I will praise you as long as I live,
       and in your name I will lift up my hands.

 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
       with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

 On my bed I remember you;
       I think of you through the watches of the night.

 Because you are my help,
       I sing in the shadow of your wings.

 My soul clings to you;
       your right hand upholds me.

 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
       they will go down to the depths of the earth.

 They will be given over to the sword
       and become food for jackals.

 But the king will rejoice in God;
       all who swear by God's name will praise him,
       while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=63&version=310
-------------------------------------------------
haha, am just amazed by the depth of devotion in this psalm. On my bed, I'll probably think about God for the first 10 minutes, and drift off to lala-land after that. :p


may you be inspired to give God praise today!

Rambo (2008)

Rating:	★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Action & Adventure

Too much gore and carnage, and a bit too close to real-life for comfort.

Official site:
http://movies.break.com/rambo/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462499/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambo_%28film%29

on finding rest in God alone

Read this psalm early in the morning:

Psalm 62 (NIV)

My soul finds rest in God alone;
       my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

How long will you assault a man?
       Would all of you throw him down—
       this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

They fully intend to topple him
       from his lofty place;
       they take delight in lies.
       With their mouths they bless,
       but in their hearts they curse.
       Selah

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
       my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God ;
       he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
       pour out your hearts to him,
       for God is our refuge.
       Selah

 Lowborn men are but a breath,
       the highborn are but a lie;
       if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
       together they are only a breath.

 Do not trust in extortion
       or take pride in stolen goods;
       though your riches increase,
       do not set your heart on them.

 One thing God has spoken,
       two things have I heard:
       that you, O God, are strong,

 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
       Surely you will reward each person
       according to what he has done.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I thank God for His faithful reminder again this morning...

on sacred space within yourself*...

ok, the training session in the second half of the day was pretty interesting, in the sense that it talks about using art therapy to come to terms of healing within oneself. It was more free flow and kinda "stream of consciousness" style, as the trainer is a abstract artist by training, and she uses art to help people to draw out their inner emotions. So to use words to describe what she's doing is pretty limiting. Nonetheless, I think I managed to get a sense of where she was going with her "ministry". I think it's wonderful how the Lord allows her to use her talent of just welcoming people into her studio and using creative means to just paint out their lives. Sometimes words are really just now adequate, and one needs to let the emotions come out.

As usual, I went off tangent again, by thinking," Hmm, maybe we just want to be like our Heavenly Father in that respect, in wanting to create something..."

Amazingly, the trainer also talks about the art of solitude, and the importance of self-care. She said in day-to-day life, we are being assuaged by chatter in our minds, and not being present to ourselves or others. She commented we have lost the art of being still and waiting upon the Lord, or something to that effect. We need to create a space that is within us that can connects to others, and not being so obsessed about us. 

Again I was reminded of the picture of a vessel that's already filled with water and covered up. If you try to fill it up with more water, without removing the cover, then the excess water will just wash over the whole vessel, But if you remove away the cover, and poke a small hole at the bottom of the vessel, then fresh water can come in and be poured forth from the opening...

I think one of my co-worker connected beautifully with his analogy of looking at space within places of worship. In a temple, mosque, or cathedral, you usually have a large space within it to contain a vast volume of nothingness.** It's to remind the worshippers when they're inside on the vastness and infinity of God, to convey that sense of majesty and glory, even though if it's within a confined space of finite measurements. So space is important, to have that within ourselves, so as to allow God to come in and fill us.

The trainer was struck by this analogy, as she said it brings to her mind about how Jesus refers to our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*sounds New Age-y, but is not, i assure you :P

** Sorry ah, I not architecture student, so my terms will be insufficient to describe.  

on wanting healing without the pain...

or wanting "NO PAIN, ALL GAIN", when one need "NO PAIN, NO GAIN".

Yeaps, this tiny fact was awakened in my memories again, even as the trainer talks about how emotional wounds heal. Basically he was saying it's just follows the law of recovery in nature, which is to say it's akin to how physical wounds heal. When you have a physical wound, you must take care to keep it clean and let the body heal itself. Basically, as the wound heals and closes up, you will feel pain; but it's normal to feel the pain. If the feeling is successful, the pain will be gone and all that's left is a closed-up wound, or scar. The scar is not painful, but it's there to remind you that you've been wounded.

Similarly, for emotional and mental wounds, you need time for the injury to heal and "close up". Many a times, we just tell the injured party to just forgive, thinking that's it's only a point of decision in time. While it is a point of decision, the trainer was saying forgiveness and healing comes at the end of a process. The injured person have to have time to "grieve" and have his moment of catharsis, and appropriate help in due time of course.   

As usual, my mind went off tangent during the lesson. I was think of more how many a times we just want healing without the pain. It's like praying, "Lord, heal me! But dun let me have the pain!" I'm not being masochistic here, and wanting to have more pain than  what we can bear. But if I'm hearing the trainer correctly, pain is part and parcel of the healing process.

Ok, I'm overshooting again. In a nutshell, don't be afraid to embrace pain! Sometimes the healing is painful but necessary.

on a long long day in training...

My company has decided to engage two professionals today to talk to us about mental health, mental well-being, as well as communications method. Found it to be a very fruitful and enjoyable session. Think a break from routine is good once in a while. Even though we're kinda busy at the start of the year, it's great that the organisation takes time to learn together as a community certain truths together. I give thanks to God for providing this opportunity to be jogged in my memories about certain truths which has been long unused. Will probably write about the lessons revisited in the next few postings, so stay tuned.~

27 Dresses (2008)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Romantic Comedy

ok, so it's a chick flick. But not a bad one. I admit the main draw was that it's from the people who have us "The Devil Wears Prada" (TDWP). I wanted to see if they gonna quirky characters as TDWP. Well, 27 Dresses does have its merits, but somehow it's not as engaging as TDWP. There's no rating for 3.5 stars, so I'll just round it up to 4 stars.

oh, but you'll sure get a laugh over the 27 dresses... ROFL

Official Website:
http://www.27dressesthemovie.com/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988595/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Dresses

on "ang gu kueh" versus tiramisu...

hmm, my memory is jogged by the gossip thread in the morning. Basically what my friend told me over two meals, on his "ang gu kway" theory on choosing life partner:

Basically, most Singaporean women are high-maintenance creatures.* They are likened to always wanting the finer things in life, like say tiramisu.


My friend is looking for someone who can live with the humbler things in life, say "ang gu kueh"


So for him, his ideal situation, or "fantasy", is the following:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guy: Hey let's go out for tiramisu!
Gal: Eh, dun wan la, too expensive. Lets go for "ang gu kueh" instead...
Guy:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He repeated it on two separate situations, so it must be a consistent criterion bah.

Then somehow the conversation shifted focus on me. Cos I was telling my friends that I'm going for a dinner with some people whom my friends are trying to introduce me to new gers. Then my friend asked why don't I go for it? I was replying, "Seow ah? All so pretty, smarter than me, have more money than me, not possible one la"

Then my friend eyeball me and said, "Wa, lagi best. Your situation more ideal than me leh, Consider this:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guy: Hey let's go out for "ang gu kueh"!
Gal: Eh, dun wan la. Lets go for "tiramisu" instead. My treat~
Guy:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When i heard that, i did a ROFL...  Only my friend can think of something like that la...

-------------------------------------------------------------------

* the imperative word being "MOST Singaporean women..." My friend did not say "ALL Singaporean women..."

on forgiveness

Ha, my friend sent me an sms this morning:

---------------------------------------------------------

Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting... But forgiveness changes the way we remember it. It converts curse into blessings. Forgiveness allows us to claim our own power and not let events destroy us.

---------------------------------------------------------

Motivational, inspirational, wise... but not enough, in my understanding. I think we forgive one another, not because we are forgiving by nature, but because we are forgiven creatures. If we truly understand the depths of which we are forgiven, for our sins against a Holy, Just and Righteous God, then surely we would not withhold forgiveness from others who seek it from us.

I reminded again of this in the prayer which Lord Jesus taught to all his disciples:

"Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
   your will be done
   on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
   as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen."

(Emphasis mine)

May this ministers to you!~

on a gracious Master that's taking His time...

We're revisiting Matt 25:14-30 on last wednesday in our morning time of devotions, to look at eternal truths in a new way.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt 25:14-30

The Parable of the Talents

 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

 " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few mew thoughts that struck me, even as we're discussing the parable through:

1) It is written that the master came back after a long time. The first thing that struck me was why did the master took such a long time. Then I remembered the amount of wealth that he entrusted to his servants. It's not exactly a small sum of money. Our facilitator mentioned that  in those days, a talent is roughly equivalent to 5 years' of wages. Some more the first servant received 5 talents, that's 25 year's worth of "moola" and "ching ching"!*

If the master came back, maybe after a week or two, and demanded an accounting, then the third servant's accusation of the master being a "hard man" would be justified. So I think the master took his time to come back, not only because he had already entrusted his property to his three "amigoes", but because he wanted to give them enough time to earn back on their investments.

2) We always tend to look at the third servant and say "Tsk tsk, how can he be like that?" But many times we are exactly like the thrid servant. Like one of our co-workers said, it's interesting that we can have two different kind of responses from the three servants. Sometimes we can just miss the point, even when we've been a long time with our Master.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Let say in modern times, a worker received $3,000 per month. That's $36,000 a year. So the first servant was given a whopping 900,000 "big kahuna" to invest, the second servant was given 360,000 "ching ching" to work with; and the third servant 36,000

on "tio sexposed*"....

If people buy sharkfin's for me in the middle of the night, I would...

eat it up in front of the person, and ask him/her for 3 more portions! :D

 

 0

invite the person in the share the sharkfin

 

 0

pour it out on the ground, and say " 鲨大哥，安心上路吧！"

 

 1

break down and sob, wailing "Oh Lenny! what did they do to you!?" then turn to the person and cry "You B@#T#RD!"

 

 0

thank the person politely, and ask him/her to try to buy butter chicken from Mumbai, or cheesecake from New York

 

 0

hahahaha, my friend just showed me this interesting thread....

http://www.flowerpod.com.sg/forums/index.php?showtopic=55646

Talk about gossiping! :D But seriously, if people buy sharkfin's for you in the middle of the night, what would your response be?



*EDMW term for "being revealed"

the mrbrown show: bound to fail

http://www.mrbrownshow.com/2008/01/28/the-mrbrown-show-bound-to-fail/
aiyo, another hornet's nest!

YouTube - Square Rooms_ Al Corley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyZHXVJ9hp4
Haha, the other night at Timbre @ the Substation, Sara and Alvin from 53A were ribbing one another on who is Mambo king and Mambo queen. Then they belted out this song and even did the actions!~

------------------------------------
Thinking in square rooms
a human without illusions

Sad strains on a sad face
is that what we've come to?

Is the world bold
this love old
moving nowhere
and it's gonna cold.
The wind stops
the clouds go
we're all alone.
Oh
Oh
I know
I can see those.
Oh
oh
I know
I can see those.
I can feel those
I can see those.

Ohl oh
square rooms
oh
oh
square rooms.
They don't listen
they don't care
if a man is in despair.
Oh
oh
square rooms
oh
oh
square rooms. ...
Walks
long and long clears the vision of one with one

And you still move me
you undo me like you've always done.
But I realize now we've not made you out of words now

Just you and me
just you and me until the end of time.
Oh
oh
I know
I can see those. . . .
Oh
oh
square rooms
oh
oh
square rooms. ...
Oh
oh
square rooms
oh
oh
square rooms. ...
Oh
Oh
square rooms
oh
oh
square rooms. ...

YouTube - 潘越雲 - 野百合也有春天 - Michelle Pan - Wild Lily Spring

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiV7knbQ4kU
哈哈哈哈哈哈哈，来来，super oldie!~
---------------------------------------------------

彷彿如同一場夢　我們如此短暫的相逢
你像一陣春風輕輕柔柔吹入我心中
而今何處是你往日的笑容　記憶中那樣熟悉的笑容

你可知道我愛你想你怨你念你深情永不變
難道你不曾回頭想想昨日的誓言
就算你留戀開放在水中嬌豔的水仙
別忘了山谷裡寂寞的角落裡　野百合也有春天

啦......啦......啦......

YouTube - 五月天 - 彩虹

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dXaus0pbDE
lai lai, lets rawk!~

YouTube - 彩虹 (梁静茹)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AMfKaB48PA
That day went to 爱琴海民歌餐厅, tried to get this song to be sung. But think they confuse this with the new jay chow song. Here's the Fish Leong version. Personally i prefer the May Day Rock version...

-----------------------------------------------
作曲:阿信/梁伯君 作词:阿信

坐在浴缸里,蓬蓬头.代替我哭泣,像下雨.
其实我不知道,眼泪有没有流.就像这故事中,你有没有爱过我.
虚弱的窗帘,留不住.房里的黑夜,也要走.
清晨唤醒了我,照亮昨夜的梦,一直到这时候,才开始有一点懂.

你的爱就像彩虹,雨后的天空.绚烂却教人迷惑,蓝绿黄红.
你的爱就像彩虹,我张开了手.oh!却只能抱住风.
你的爱就像彩虹,雨后的天空.绚烂却教人迷惑,你的轮廓,你的爱就像彩虹,我张开了手.
oh!却只能抱住风.

吻我离开我,你就像.出太阳下雨,难捉摸.
· 越是努力揣摩,越是搞不懂.只好慢慢承认,这故事叫做错.

oh!一层一层,一层一层,一层一层,有一层层,的迷宫,我来不及回头.
oh!忽左忽右,忽上忽下,忽东忽西,忽前忽后,的折磨,都是你的捉弄.

　 吻我离开我,你就像.出太阳下雨,难捉摸.
　 越是努力挽留,越是一无所有.只有慢慢期待,雨后你的影踪

(Taken from http://www.inkui.com/a3/B/E/BE88A77EF9CBDBDA2F1F.html)

YouTube - R.E.M. - Losing My Religion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7vs21ZKrKM
WooT! Heard this at Timbre the other night~ Brings back fond memories sia...

----------------------------------------------
Oh, life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up

(chorus)
That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight, I'm
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool, fool
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up
Consider this
Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

(repeat chorus)

But that was just a dream
Try, cry, why try?
That was just a dream
Just a dream, just a dream
Dream

(Taken from http://www.lyrics007.com/R.E.M.%20Lyrics/Losing%20My%20Religion%20Lyrics.html)

Timbre @ The Substation

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Pub Fare
Location:	45 Armenian Street, Singapore 179936

My supervisor told me about this hang-out place on Monday. Said it's a fantastic place to chill on weekdays, with cool crowds, and cold beers that's really value-for-money during happy hours. :p

Went there to chill with a friend on Friday night. Sat there from 10 plus till 11.30pm. Cool night breeze, with half-drunk noisy army boys in front of us and 3 man and a babe* belting out old familiar tunes (imagine one of the guys singing sing TOM JONES! :D), chilling out with my fren and my Erdinger Dunkel. Man, all is well... :D

Check out their promos special:
http://www.timbre.com.sg/restaurant.htm

*One of our local bands, 53A.


Website
http://www.timbre.com.sg/t1.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timbre @ The Substation is opened every day from 6pm.
Live music from Mon-Sun with Michaela, Ngak & Renee, EIC, Fuze Collective, Timmy, The Goodfellas, Heritage/Paul Ponnudorai

Tel: +65 6338 8277

(Taken from http://www.timbre.com.sg/newsletters/newsletter_080125.htm)

Cloverfield (2008)

Rating:	★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Science Fiction & Fantasy

Alamak! Din stay all the way until the end :P. Filmed in the style of Blairwitch, if you hate jerky picture motion, best not to watch this!~


Official website:
http://www.cloverfieldmovie.com/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1060277/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloverfield

the mrbrown show: get your macbook right here...

http://www.mrbrownshow.com/2008/01/21/the-mrbrown-show-get-your-macbook-right-here/
hahahaha! Despite going weekly, I still tune in to Mr. Brown...

I want my iSheet too, Mr. Nemo! :D

on why men shouldn't ask too much sometimes...

Got this in my e-mail: Enjoy!~ :D
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other, except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.


For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one
day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the
shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.

He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she said, "my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll."

The little old man was so moved, he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.

"Honey," he said, "that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?"
"Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling the dolls."






A Prayer.......

Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;
Love to forgive him;
And Patience for his moods;
Because Lord, if I pray for Strength,
I'll beat him to death, because I don't know how to crochet.

on a early morning today...

because of my weird dream, was woken up at around 4am. Decided to snooze for 30 mins, before taking the laptop to the kitchen and start off my day in the wee hours. Decided to read Psalm 41 and 42, as part of my 2-psalms a day routine. When I came upon psalm 42, was just truck by its beauty:

Psalm 42

BOOK II : Psalms 42-72

1 For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.     

As the deer pants for streams of water,
       so my soul pants for you, O God.

 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
       When can I go and meet with God?

 3 My tears have been my food
       day and night,
       while men say to me all day long,
       "Where is your God?"

 4 These things I remember
       as I pour out my soul:
       how I used to go with the multitude,
       leading the procession to the house of God,
       with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
       among the festive throng.

 5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
       Why so disturbed within me?
       Put your hope in God,
       for I will yet praise him,
       my Savior and 6 my God.
       My soul is downcast within me;
       therefore I will remember you
       from the land of the Jordan,
       the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

 7 Deep calls to deep
       in the roar of your waterfalls;
       all your waves and breakers
       have swept over me.

 8 By day the LORD directs his love,
       at night his song is with me—
       a prayer to the God of my life.

 9 I say to God my Rock,
       "Why have you forgotten me?
       Why must I go about mourning,
       oppressed by the enemy?"

 10 My bones suffer mortal agony
       as my foes taunt me,
       saying to me all day long,
       "Where is your God?"

 11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
       Why so disturbed within me?
       Put your hope in God,
       for I will yet praise him,
       my Savior and my God.

Recognise at least 3 contemporary worship songs that takes their inspiration from this psalm:

"As the Deer" from verse 1,
"Why So Downcast O my Soul" from verse 5
"I will Offer Up My Life" from verse 7

Maybe you can take the time to find this songs, and listen to them as you read this psalm... ;D
-----------------------------------------------------------------

After this, went to my Facebook and Multiply account to reply to some friends' replies. So don't be surprised at the timing of some of my postings :P

on achy body and having weird dreams...

whole body achy and sore, after the badminton session on Saturday morning. Think it's because never do warm-up and warm-down exercises. Now having sore right levator scapulae*, achy both adductor muscles** and painful right gluteus maximus***. Cos holding the racket with my right hand and doing too many lunges. Man, praying that tomorrow during my swim, will be able to ease the tense muscles.

Think I did not have enough rest over Saturday night and Sunday, as I had a very weird dream when I slept last night. Basically dreamt that I was leaping off between surfaces in a square room.  When I leapt off, I would basically fly towards the surface in the direction that I want. (*WooT! Yatta! :D) On the surface that I was heading to, there were interesting two dimensional designs that became three dimensional and interactive as I drew nearer to the surface.

At first it was pretty exhilarating and fun. Then I leapt off towards a wall that had watery design. Somehow, I didn't stopped when I touched the surface. I plunged into water, and had trouble breathing. Somehow I remember the feeling of difficulty in breathing very vividly - think i was making snorting noises. I think in my panic, I cried out; but no voice came forth. I think that's the worst kind of dream to have. In the end, I woke up feeling very exhausted.

Analysis: Think I was snoring very badly, due to bad sleeping posture as well as too much fatigue. :p Think my body was trying to awake from all the noise I was making, but my mind was intent on having the nice dream. Then the body forces the mind to wake up by going into loud snoring. (hahahaah!) Thus conclude quack Dr. Lee's analysis!

--------------------------------------------------------

* neck muscles
** inner thigh muscles
*** buttocks

Visit to Mark and Sue's place 20 Jan '08

Woot! Went to the Lims' place for a small gathering. Sorta early celebration for Mark's birthday, as well as visit their new place. Loved the environment and the interior decor. Still quite messy, as they haven't fully unpacked yet.

on a brand new day each day, even Monday!

ha, some of my friends have always dreaded Mondays, like Garfield:

Well, while it might be cute for a cartoon character to gripe about Mondays, it's kinda dreary to hear the same old gripe from real people Monday after Monday. I mean, it's not even Biblical, where in the Bible did it say you have to be blue?? :P

So if you're tempted to gripe about Monday, or any other day, go wake up earlier and watch a sunrise, to the following song:



My Greatest Love Is You
Russell Fragar

Key: D

Verse:
D                        F#m7
Every new day Your glory unfolds
G2                            Asus4       A
Filling my eyes with Your treasures untold
    Bm7         F#m7/A            G2      F#m7
The beauty of holiness brings worship anew
Em7           Asus4    D   G/A
My greatest love is You   (repeat)


Chorus:
A/C#    G/B  D7/A  Em7        Asus4 A
Call me deeper   into Your grace
      Bm7        F#m7/A            Em7  Asus4  A
The river that flows from the Holy place
G/B              D7/A
Wash over me, cleansing me through
Em7             G/A    D
My greatest love is You.

©1997 Hillsong Publishing (Admin. in U.S. & Canada by Integrity's Hosanna! Music)
All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
CCLI song #2301534

(Taken from http://www.pwarchive.com/song.aspx?SongID=1391&v=1)

on a negative-sum game this week...

in terms of my physical regime. Here's in a nutshell:

Tuesday: Started regime by taking time off during lunch to go swimming 20 lap in 45 mins. (Plus). Evening went drinking mutton soup, kopi tarik and "la la" at Adam Road, followed by a single scoop of Tiger Sorbet at Island Creamery. (Minus)   

Wednesday: Went out with colleagues for lunch at Bedok Central food centre. Ate "jwee quey" (水粿), fried "sui jiao" (炸水饺) & "jiao zi mian" (饺子面), with grass-jelly drink mixed with soy-bean milk (青草加豆奶/“黑白”). (Minus)

Thursday: Swam again, 20 laps in 30 minutes. (Woot! PLUS!)

Friday: Evening go for fried fish noodle soup (炸鱼片面汤), followed by mango-sago dessert in Chinatown area. (Boo! MINUS!) Then had a big glass of passion fruit drink, plus chips and fried gyoza at 爱琴海 (Minus Square!)

Sat: Morning went for an hour of badminton (Steady! Plus!) Followed by "nasi lemak" with chicken drumstick and “黑白”at Alexandre Village. (Boo! Minus!) Then evening friends cooked sumptuous but healthy home-cooked food at their  home. (hmm, in between bah :P)

Sun: Afternoon had "mee goreng" for lunch (Terok la, dair! Minus for you!). THen decided to chill at Starbucks with a grande mocha frappacino... with whipped cream! (Thunder and lightning! MINUS to power of infinity!) then evening went to friends' housewarming party with lotsa good food, pie, cheese, dessert wine, ice cream... (SOB! MINUS to power of infinity +1)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ergo this week has been a failure. Hmm, i think have to be more disciplined liao, Must control my intake... :P 

on why worry about tomorrow

We're coming to the end of the passage study on Matthew 6:19-31 in our office morning devotions. Was just struck by what Jesus said in the last line,

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

As we're kinda into inductive bibles study mode, so it led me to think about what Jesus didn't say, or "read in between the lines", if you like. Jesus did not ask us to worry about yesterday, for yesterday's stuff already belongs to history. It's over and done with, so we got to give thanks for whatever happened, no matter how bad the situation may seems like. He also did not ask us to worry about today. For today is His, and if God is with us today, what are we to worry about? And of course, He ask us not to worry about tomorrow.


So in a nutshell, why worry? Hakuna Matata~ :P

on who are the wicked...

Well, this on my way to work:

------------------------------------------------------------

Psalm 36

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.

 1 An oracle is within my heart
       concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
       There is no fear of God
       before his eyes.

 2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself
       too much to detect or hate his sin.

 3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
       he has ceased to be wise and to do good.

 4 Even on his bed he plots evil;
       he commits himself to a sinful course
       and does not reject what is wrong.

 5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
       your faithfulness to the skies.

 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
       your justice like the great deep.
       O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

 7 How priceless is your unfailing love!
       Both high and low among men
       find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

 8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
       you give them drink from your river of delights.

 9 For with you is the fountain of life;
       in your light we see light.

 10 Continue your love to those who know you,
       your righteousness to the upright in heart.

 11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
       nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

 12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
       thrown down, not able to rise!

------------------------------------------------------------

I was just pondering on who are exactly the "wicked" mentioned in the first 4 verses? Is it referring to those who are against us in our lives? You know there are some people who gives us a hard time in our lives. Do we consider such people as "wicked"? :P Conversely if we see them as "wicked", won't they see us as "wicked" too?

Also, I'm reminded of what Lord Jesus commanded about the "irritants in the eye". (Matt 7:3-6, Luke 6:41-42). Before I call others "wicked", I better examine my own heart first and see whether the fear of the LORD is there.

on chilling out at Adam Road...

well, not at the road per se. Went there 2 nights ago with a friend, cos we both have craving for the fantastic drinks at Apit drink stall. We arranged to meet at 7pm, but in the end, we met up at 7 "pruss pruss". For me, it's because I've chosen to take the long, LONG, L OOO NNNNN GGGG bus journey of number 67. From my workplace Chai Chee, go past Kembangan, Eunos, Aljunied, Geylang, Little India, Newton.... man, just typing it makes me tired. Anyway, crazy traffic at evening rush hours. Managed to get a short but good nap on the bus though. 

Anyway, for those who could recalled, it was raining cats and dogs on Tuesday late afternoon. So we decided to have "kambing soup"! Found out my friend got very "atas"* standard - she only drink the soup without eating the meat. Because she said the mutton was not as nice as the one she tried at other places. She asked me to order mutton soup without the mutton, and I gave her the facial expression that means "Duh?!" That's like ordering teh tarik without the foamy part on the teh. So in theend, I get to eat her portion of meat on top of my mutton ribs soup. MMmmmmmm, nice! 赚到了!

We also ordered stir-fried "la la" in chilli gravy. I kept telling my friend that the "lala"s here are no match for the ones one can get at KL. She was kinda skeptical about that. Hmm, should go and get for her the address of that nice 煮炒place at Jalan Alor. 

After dinner, we decided to pop by Island Creamery for desserts. Was pretty stuffed by then, so decided to have a SINGLE scoop of Tiger's sorbet.  :D  

 so sat down there and chill for about an hour. Nice way to just "nua"... 

*high class

on that icky feeling...

... of not having a post-swim shower. What happened was the main water pipe burst, and there was no water supply to the showering facilities of the public pool. So after my 30 minutes, 20 laps swim*, had to put back on my office wear and travel all the way back to office for a shower. haha, all the way from the swimming pool back to office on the public bus, I was having the thought of "Unclean! Unclean!" :D


Am thankful Abba Father gave sunny weather again. May all the Tuesdays and Thursdays be like this!~ :D

*Woot! Improvement from Tuesday's swim already! :D

on old stories are still the best...

Received this in my inbox yesterday evening, but didn't have a chance to read it till now. Heard this before, but still a good story to retell
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"THE FACTS OF THE MATTER"

"A weekly letter of encouragement to business and professional men and women"

January 16, 2008

Good Morning!

WHAT REALLY MATTERS:+

“Some people understand life better and they call these people “retarded.”  At the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 yard dash.

 “At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.

 “All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry.  The others heard the boy cry.

 They slowed down and looked back…Everyone of them.  One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, “This will make it better.”

 “Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.  Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes.  People who were there are still telling the story. 

 “Why?  Because deep down we know this one thing:  What matters in life is more than winning for ourselves.

 “What matters in this life is helping others win even if it means slowing down and changing our course.”

 St. Paul reminds us, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself…” (Rom. 15:1-3a)

 QUESTION: In your highly competitive world where winning is everything, are you making it a practice to slow down your dash toward your goal in order to help a weaker or fallen brother?  Jesus did and so must we.

 + From the Laws, First Marine Division Associate, January – March, 2005

My prayer is that you are having a great week!

R. Dwight Hill

To be removed from the Facts of the Matter mailing list please go to http://www.factsofthematter.org/PreRemoval.cfm

Facts of the Matter © 2000 - 2008 R. Dwight Hill - www.factsofthematter.org - Unlimited permission to copy without altering text or profiteering is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.

My 2008 resolutions

haha, already formulated my resolutions a while back. Just didn't have a chance to post them here. Anyway, Initially, I just wrote down a set of goals and stuff I want to achieve or see come to pass. It goes something like this:

---------------------------------------------------
1) cut down from my 87 kilo till about 75 kilo (2 "pruss pruss" kilo a
month)
2) pick up the guitar (not to "xian za bor"*)
3) finish reading the New Testament of the Bible once
4) Go climb Kinabalu!~
5) Go for 10 "click" at SC run
---------------------------------------------------

Then I'm reminded of the passage of boasting about tomorrow in James 4

"Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
- James 4: 13-17 (NIV)
---------------------------------------------------

So now I added 2 words to my resolutions:

---------------------------------------------------

My 2008 resolutions, Lord willing, are:
1) cut down from my 87 kilo till about 75 kilo (2 "pruss pruss" kilo a
month)
2) pick up the guitar (not to "xian za bor")
3) finish reading the New Testament of the Bible once
4) Go climb Kinabalu!~
5) Go for 10 "click" at SC run
---------------------------------------------------

2 short yet important words :p

* Hokkien slang for "chasing after skirts"

on a prayer of assurance and comfort

this morning was going through Psalm 32 on the bus-ride to work. At each "selah"*, I decided to pause and pray through the verses before it.

May you be blessed by this psalm too!~

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil. ^[a]

 1 Blessed is he
       whose transgressions are forgiven,
       whose sins are covered.

 2 Blessed is the man
       whose sin the LORD does not count against him
       and in whose spirit is no deceit.

 3 When I kept silent,
       my bones wasted away
       through my groaning all day long.

 4 For day and night
       your hand was heavy upon me;
       my strength was sapped
       as in the heat of summer.
       Selah

 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
       and did not cover up my iniquity.
       I said, "I will confess
       my transgressions to the LORD "—
       and you forgave
       the guilt of my sin.
       Selah

 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
       while you may be found;
       surely when the mighty waters rise,
       they will not reach him.

 7 You are my hiding place;
       you will protect me from trouble
       and surround me with songs of deliverance.
       Selah

 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
       I will counsel you and watch over you.

 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
       which have no understanding
       but must be controlled by bit and bridle
       or they will not come to you.

 10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
       but the LORD's unfailing love
       surrounds the man who trusts in him.

 11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
       sing, all you who are upright in heart!

* For those interested, there's another interesting article on what is "selah". Go to http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/faq/selah.html
and read about it

on having a good mid-day swim...

Giving thanks for yesterday's wonderful sunny weather. Yesterday was the first day of my 2008 fitness regime. Asked permission from my boss to take additional time off during lunch hours to go swimming at the public swimming pool near my workplace. The Lord gave really fantastic weather, i can see everything in the water! That's how clear it was. And I get to make lotsa vitamin D - was just smiling from ear to ear when I reach back to office after the swim. And the pool wasn't crowded, I got to swim along a whole lane to myself. Woo hoo!~


One amusing thought throughout the swim  I have is that I have trouble staying in a horizontal line in the water, cos of my bulging tummy. Better cut down on the beer, and start doing more crunches!~

Dun eat and drive

haha, saw this at

http://adeleide.multiply.com/video/item/28/Do_not_eat_in_your_car

Dun think it's new, but still good for a laugh :p

on a prayer of purity and courage....

this morning during staff devotions, was prompted to close with the reading of this psalm as a prayer for us all in my prayer group:

Psalm 27

Of David.

 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—
       whom shall I fear?
       The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
       of whom shall I be afraid?

 2 When evil men advance against me
       to devour my flesh,
       when my enemies and my foes attack me,
       they will stumble and fall.

 3 Though an army besiege me,
       my heart will not fear;
       though war break out against me,
       even then will I be confident.

 4 One thing I ask of the LORD,
       this is what I seek:
       that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
       all the days of my life,
       to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
       and to seek him in his temple.

 5 For in the day of trouble
       he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
       he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
       and set me high upon a rock.

 6 Then my head will be exalted
       above the enemies who surround me;
       at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
       I will sing and make music to the LORD.

 7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
       be merciful to me and answer me.

 8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
       Your face, LORD, I will seek.

 9 Do not hide your face from me,
       do not turn your servant away in anger;
       you have been my helper.
       Do not reject me or forsake me,
       O God my Savior.

 10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
       the LORD will receive me.

 11 Teach me your way, O LORD;
       lead me in a straight path
       because of my oppressors.

 12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
       for false witnesses rise up against me,
       breathing out violence.

 13 I am still confident of this:
       I will see the goodness of the LORD
       in the land of the living.

 14 Wait for the LORD;
       be strong and take heart
       and wait for the LORD.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

May it ministers to you also! ;D

on being faithful to Him...

Read through Psalm 25 and 26 this morning, and re-read it just now. Was just chuckling to myself, and musing can I say with a straight face

"I have led a blameless life;
       I have trusted in the LORD
       without wavering "

and

"...I lead a blameless life;
       redeem me and be merciful to me.

My feet stand on level ground;
       in the great assembly I will praise the LORD."?

Then again, I tell myself, "Dude, you're doing it again. You're focusing on yourself. Look to God! And He shall make this comes to pass..."

Lord, teach me to be strong in your grace.

on dwelling on His glory and grace

one of my resolutions for this year is to go through 2 psalms a day. Today came upon Psalm 24 in my reading; and it ties in with the theme of stewardship that our local office is meditating upon this month.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Psalm 24 (NIV)

Of David. A psalm.

 1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
       the world, and all who live in it;

 2 for he founded it upon the seas
       and established it upon the waters.

 3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
       Who may stand in his holy place?

 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
       who does not lift up his soul to an idol
       or swear by what is false. 

 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
       and vindication from God his Savior.

 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
       who seek your face, O God of Jacob.  
       Selah

 7 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
       be lifted up, you ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.

 8 Who is this King of glory?
       The LORD strong and mighty,
       the LORD mighty in battle.

 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
       lift them up, you ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.

 10 Who is he, this King of glory?
       The LORD Almighty—
       he is the King of glory.
       Selah

Taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=24&version=31

---------------------------------------------------------

Again, the apt reminder that everything belongs to the LORD, and He is in control. Even Satan belongs to God; and whatever evil that is plotted by the devil, is allowed by the permission of God.

Does that mean that God is evil, in allowing evil to perpetuate on this earth? No, rather, I see it as God being gracious and good in containing whatever evil the devil has wrecked upon this earth. If God has given the devil free reign, I guess the whole earth has descended into chaos by now. That is not the case, as we can see in the book of Job, Satan has to even seek God's permission to do what he wants to do upon Jacob first. And God protected Job, by limiting what Satan can do to Job's life.

Another piece of info that has been jogged in my memory by this psalm is that our Lord is the king of a thousand hills with oxen on them. He doesn't need our "sacrifices of oxen" to sustain Himself; indeed He Himself provide us with our daily bread. Nonetheless, He has given us the system of sacrifices for our own needs to respond to His grace and to draw nearer to His holiness. In simpler terms, the sacrificial system is for not only for atonement of sin, but for restoration and fellowship with the Holy of Holies.  

Thus, if we had made a covenant of bringing something to God, we ought to fulfil it unto the Lord. For once we made that promise with our hearts, the Lord will seal it and see that it is accountable on our end. He doesn't need anything from us, but once we promise something, He will see it as something we need to be reminded of.

 

Big Ben Outing (11 Jan)

Decided to go to our favourite pie-joint after a month of hiatus.

Office Celebration of Jan and Feb birthdays (09 Jan)

yea, and the celebration commences!

Kudos to Eddie for providing the pictures. For a look at da man himself, goto
http://edify001.multiply.com/photos/photo/115/27

on movies to look out for in the next few months

27 Dresses (2008)


ooooo, chick flick, from the same people who gave us "The Devil Wears Prada".

Official Website:
http://www.27dressesthemovie.com/

IMDB Entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988595/

(Release date: 24 Jan 2008 in Singapore)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Rambo (2008)


he's back! Somehow the trailer crack me up, but i think i'll still catch this himbo flick~

Official Website:
http://movies.break.com/rambo/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462499/

(Release date: 24 Jan 2008 in Singapore)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check it our ,Yo! / Chekeraccho!! (2006)


Featuring music from Orange Range! Yatta!

IMDB entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0809918/


(Release date: 24 Jan 2008 in Singapore)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2008)


Johnny Depp! In a musical! Whoopie~

Official Website
http://www.sweeneytoddmovie.com//

(Release date: 07 Feb 2008 in Singapore)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cj7 / 长江7号 (2008)


Stephen Chow. Nuff Said. :p

Official Site:
http://www.sonypictures.net/movies/cj7/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0940709/

(Release date: 07 Feb 2008 in Singapore)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Be Kind Rewind (2008)

hahahaha, return of Jack Black! :p

Official Website:
http://www.bekindmovie.com/

IMDBEntry：
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0799934/

(Release date: 06 Mar 2008 in Singapore)