Monday, October 24, 2011
Adaptation
This thought crossed my mind as I was doing my journaling this morning. You know how when we are thrown into a new environment we need to adapt? I think all we who are called to be with Christ are in a constant state of adapting to a world that is unseen to the world, a world we share with Jesus, a world that is set apart, and as much as we are physically here on this earth, I think as we go through in life, we are slowly adapting to this other world. And hopefully, at the end of our lives, we would have fully adapted, ready to face our maker :)
So remember today people, that we were not made for this world :)
Just a short sharing :)
Rice
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Hey guys, just a short sharing.
So out of all the things I study in school, I really enjoy my lab. Pretty good at it in fact. Normally able to see and fix problems faster than others. My friend even smsed me to help him with his lab.
So I went into my own lab, thinking that I could solve it early and leave quick. However, I let my pride get the best of me. I didn't manage to solve the lab, no one did. And for the entire time since the lab, this problem has been sticking in my mind. Yet, on retrospect I have no even took a moment to center myself on God through prayer.
So no matter one's strengths, always depend on God. Talk to him today.
-Swee
Sunday, October 16, 2011
the ghost editor.
HI. not really related to anything but who is the one that is editing the layout! not that I have anything against people editing the layout but it's just nice to know who is this ghost editor.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin
Hey guyzzz. As y'all know, I'm leading worship this week! YAY. I'm quite scared so pray for me pleeeezee. But while you're doing that, I was looking for songs and I found this rly rly nice song! Well I really like it at least. It's called Unfailing Love by Chris Tomlinnnn :) I don't really know the song very well so we ain't singin' it. HAHA. But I hope you guys enjoy the songgg with this video! Have a great Saturday!
Cheerios, Alex!
Friday, October 14, 2011
SFX CONFI RETREAT 2011
Hello liver here! Using log blog for awhile to put up my google form link for the confi retreat service team to fill up. Sorry for the inconvenience! :/
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Jeremy Camp - My Desire
Friday, October 07, 2011
Decisions!
Hello everyone :)
Remember to blog please, because it's an important part of Greg's spirituality!
Anyway, I've been reading The Great Divorce by CS Lewis, and as with all CS Lewis' books it's been an insightful read. Here's a passage that I came across recently -
"There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him."
I think over the past few years, when this whole "where is your life going" started for me, and I hit a quarter-life crisis, trying to find my direction, I found myself constantly having to make decisions, and these decisions became increasingly significant in terms of changing the course of my future. And I have found myself time, and time again, so much so that I am exhausted, asking God, "God what do You want me to do, just tell me and I will do it" And often, He remains silent (or perhaps I remain blind, or stubborn), probably because He wants me to figure it out and make the choice myself.
But in this passage here, I feel it's really simple, what is right or "good" is so easily judged by whether it points towards God or away from Him. I have had to make so many decisions of late, taking on more commitments, dropping commitments, what to sacrifice for what.. And at some point I was just jaded, jaded for having so many things to control and engineer in my life. But of course, I never was the engineer, I just thought I was. And this passage was a good reminder that nothing is good/bad in itself, none of the choices I have to make are good/bad, it can only be defined in terms of its relationship with God.
I recently made the decision to leave Frontier, which is the company thing, which is also the class that I run off to at 2pm on Sundays, and I just sent the email in today. And I just feel so joyful, because I feel like I am free, I feel like for such a long time now, this company thing has bound me, bound me into feeling like I need it to ensure that I am going somewhere. Which is why I held onto it so tightly for so long. It didn't even really make me happy. And I will always remember this idea (but I can't remember where I got it from) that God loves you and at the very fundamental level, He wants you to be HAPPY. This does not necessarily come in form of ways you might actually WANT and realise, but He does, and when making decisions, very fundamentally if you can get to that very place inside your heart, where God resides, and find out what gives you that peace and joy that God desires so much for You and has already built you for... You would know what to do. And fear so often gets in the way of that because so often God works in ways that this world cannot understand, and it means taking a leap of faith time and time again. - Story of my life.
Sorry this blog post is not very well organised, I'm typing off the top of my head. But I think what I'm basically saying that I have learnt through my experiences of having to make tough decisions - is that - always choose the decision that gives you the most peace, always being wary of the fact that the devil is extremely skilled at pretending to be that option, but having walked thus far with Jesus in the course of our lives already, I believe I can recognise true joy that comes from the Father when I experience it. And right now, after having let go of this chain binding me down, keeping me away from the things I really want to do, things that give me joy, I know now I have made the right choice, and I thank Jesus for helping me make this decision :)
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Loneliness
Hi LOG! I've been wanting to share for a while, but I could not really formulate a coherent piece. I also realise that I have yet to share about WYD, but the WYD piece will come on FB as I really want to testify to it. This reflection will just be bits of my own thoughts so far being here in Manchester - sorry for being rant-y and incoherent haha.
I was talking to Von on my travels before arriving here, at which Von was already in Korea. She mentioned something about being lonely, even though there's friends, Singaporeans and exchange buddies and so on. I kinda knew what it mean then, but now I do realise. I hang out a lot with Singaporeans, the exchange students especially. The only angmoh people are the ones I follow to Liverpool to watch matches and my flat mates which includes three Chinese, two Bulgarians, one Russian and one Czech. As I try to fit in, I find myself in a very weird position. I think in my schooling life, I never had to try and fit in to where I am. I make a lot of friends in school, but I usually stop myself from getting too close to any group. My closest friends at school include my classmates, my softball teammates and my secondary classmates. Yet we have all distanced, except for the softball guys. But all of them remain friends whom I can and will meet up time to time and have no problem being with each other once again.
Now my closest group of my friends who follow my life are you guys, yet Jes said something during the pilgrimage that did strike a chord in my heart. She noticed that I don't have a "pair" in LOG (like Mel and Soo HAHA), or any one that I am particularly super close to. I think I've shared before that I am much closest to the community than anyone in particular, or perhaps accurately, I am close to everyone equally. I replied her that I understand myself - that I am a person who is very much ok being by myself, and at times more concerned about how others are, than how others give me concern. I don't really demand that attention or concern to myself in other words. But this has its downside, because this also means I give less of myself to others as well. Perhaps it is also because I have been in core for 3 out of 6 years that I was in LOG, and that made me think a lot of macro questions rather than really personally showing love to my fellow community members. And so, I think this break is good so far, helping me make the effort to talk to people back home and also to give myself time to think. during my travels (which I will share another time), I had lots of alone time with God, which was beautiful! So pray for me yeah, for me to be a better brother to everyone! To be vulnerable as Jes had written on the stone - ask her about it, think she blogged about it!
So its the same thing here sometimes. I make a lot of friends, add them on facebook but reserve my travel plans to myself. After all, I really love travelling alone, I see things I want to see, take breaks when I want to and do not have to consult anyone. Yet I also find myself planning alone. I guess its a trade off. The mass dinners are great because its really like one big family, cooking and eating chinese dishes. The exchange students are more carefree I guess and welcoming to everyone. Whereas the permanent singapore students here already have their cliques and (couples). I praise God though, for this group of people, and also for the few catholics I found around here, one of them being Wilmer who joined MSC recently after Se7en and Joseph, an NTU exchange student. I joined the catholic chaplaincy here, and it really feels like home every Sunday. But I won't be around most Sundays from now so sigh, bo pian I guess. Its hard to hang out with the angmohs when their agenda is all partying. Thought of joining them once, but when 9pm comes, I find starcraft 2 more appealing LOL. Not my kind of lifestyle, makes me think that Manchester wasn't a really good exchange place for me other than for soccer.
Then I went to London and met up with some friends. The London family of Singaporeans, especially friends from RJC, is really wonderful. I find myself thinking back on the possibility of studying in London with all of them. It would have been nice. But then again, I also see the loneliness they feel, questioning myself whether I can do this over 3 years. So I'm left with a lot of mixed feelings. I also keep noticing how my seniors who are guys get attached to juniors who are girls, Felly included. The relationships formed now will most likely go a long way because they depend on each other throughout the time that there are overseas. its so beautiful really, and I find myself pretty envious of this. Even here in Manchester, my eye candy is attached =( haha joking!
But yes, that is still an issue for me. After rushing into the Sarah thing (argh), I find myself taking it slowly I guess. thinking about the future and what I want to do, whether a relationship will hinder it or help it. Many of you guys are attached and i feel it sometimes, but i guess im ok with waiting. what happened to more relationships whenever someone is on exchange? come guys and girls, work harder! hahaha. or is it that i am not receiving updates :p because I refrain from being close to friends sometimes, i do feel that at times, I don't have a designated person to talk to. which is a good thing because I share with everyone, but then again, it still seems like a void. like a soul mate to have beside me. this made me realise too how I overload the other person when I become attached, and I expect too much of my partner to react and to care for me - precisely because I don't demand it from anyone else but her. This is a problem I kinda just realise while I am here. So i need to open up more and still the same word, be vulnerable!
so yeah, i think i reached the end of this sharing. haha this piece is so unlike my style and so rant-y but i'm glad i got to share some thoughts that have been going thru my mind!
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Priests
Click here before reading on!
hi log, october is the month of the rosary don't forget to pray a decade each day if you can. it helps
God's love and mine,
anne
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Genuinity.
There's a lot of talk amongst us Christians about "being who you are" and "taking off your masks". I guess I haven't really been thinking about such issues ever since I entered law school, but a certain incident last Thursday sparked my thoughts about this into life.
So there I was, walking to the bus stop after school to take 156 home. I met one of my friends along the way, and we just started chatting about the class that we just ended. (The route to the bus stop is dissected by 2 main roads, with 2 traffic lights). I had already crossed the first one and was making my way to the second one when I saw 156 waiting just before the zebra crossing for the oncoming cars to finish their right turn. It was 6.30pm and I knew that the bus would be crowded and the journey back home would be slow due to the work crowd, and I really didn't want to miss the bus... so I exclaimed "OH SHIT... *breaks off into whiny mode*".
So obviously this girl that I was walking with heard me and she was like, "actually if you run across the road now you can make it!" (I assure you this is relatively safe, there's this interval where there are no cars moving cuz the cars have finished turning right and the 156 bus is waiting for the red light to turn green). And yes, so I ran, with her shouting "be careful Tim!" behind me (yes, most people in law school don't call me soo).
Obviously I made it across in one piece, but what amazed me (and made me pretty pai seh as well) was that as soon as she saw that I was going to catch my bus, this girl let out an excited whoop of joy. I kid you not, it was like - WOOOOOOO! It was pretty loud for the quiet evening, haha. I was like thinking, who the hell does stuff like that?! She not pai seh meh? Walau now got so many people staring. Alamak why she still smile until so happy, not say she's the one that caught the bus what... and the list goes on. And it's not like she's this weird, unpopular girl in school (she's the law queen + dean's lister) with no image to upkeep.
The question was burning my brain in the bus. WHY? Why was this person so spontaneous, so free, so... genuine. AHA. There it was, my answer. This person WAS genuine! She didn't let her fear of what people thought of her restrict her emotions, thoughts or expressions. She just expressed it - albiet in a split second shout of exhilaration. She was genuinely happy that I could catch the bus, and this was reflected in her reaction. I know it sounds pretty muted and insignificant when I type it out now, but this small incident blew me away and remained entrenched in my mind for the rest of the entire day.
Think about it, when was the last time you were able to be genuine throughout the whole day? I'm pretty damn sure that I put up a front when I go to study law school - I'm not as easy going, friendly, uninhibited, expressive, as I would like to be (I actually am :p). The worst part is that we're Christians and we're supposed to be the ones on the forefront against the whole culture of "being someone you're not". I fail horribly at this, and this incident reminded me that it is a daily battle to fight to be genuine. How can we expect to be witnesses when we are so caught up in maintaining this front of ours, hiding behind our masks? How are we to be His hands and feet to reach out to those in need, when all our words are empty because our actions don't correspond to them?
I thank God for granting me the grace to be affected by such a minor incident, and I hope this post reminds you that each of us are called to be His living witnesses, in thought and action, and what better way to do this than being genuine in our love for others (: (especially in SCHOOL where we spend the most of our time!)
C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity (an exerpt from the chapter "The Great Sin")
Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call 'humble' nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.
Let us all aim to be the humble man, and they'll know we are Christians by our love!
For the lost and confused.
For the lost and confused, just a random reflection from my past that I thought I'd share.
Periods when you feel like you're walking in the dark, and every action you take is just, really, a stab in the dark, you don't know where you're going, and you just don't feel like Jesus is there to guide you anymore. These periods of time actually are the most comforting, if you think about it, you know that God won't abandon you, ever. These periods of time, for me, were periods of time when I felt the most free, because I have zero control = God has 100% control. I don't even need to think or make decisions, because I don't even know where I'm going. After a while, and much reflection, I just gave up trying to control things, and just let it go, and the journey just got a lot more enjoyable after you manage to work through all that frustration of feeling lost.
I felt this lost, and stabbing in the dark, feeling the most in the period of time before I got this job at O School, I was anxious, and frustrated because I did not know why God would give me such a gift, but seem to remain so silent on how I am going to use it. But well, look where I am now :) I don't know where this will continue to take me, but I'm not afraid because I know Jesus is in control, especially when I have none :)
Love,
Rice
Stumbled upon this amazing and beautiful song today, the student band leading morning chapel worship used it. I know how I always joke about how being in a methodist christian school is... well... let's say I have few nice things to say, but I think today I'm kinda grateful that I'm in a school that still points the way to Christ. I guess its a blessing in disguise of sorts and just revives that faith I have in a divine, perfect plan.
At this current moment, I'm freaking out about PW. Sort of in a panic mode trying to meet the deadlines, get everything together, spur people on, plan ahead, check off the to-do-list and all the while trying to find that shred of motivation and hope that everything will turn out fine. I don't like this. I've never been one to care very much or get stressed up over these kinda things. I'm like having mood swings and stuff. ARGH. Yeah so angst and stress aside, I'm just scared that things don't work out and all this is for nothing.. Hopefully not. I still have a bit of faith left haha.
But I guess the point of this (and the point of this song) is that not matter what; come hell or PW, God is by my side, whether I feel Him or not. No matter what I do He will also be here loving me. In His love I shall find strength.
2 Comments:
Love, Andrew
By 
LoG,
October 24, 2011 9:07 PM
awesome song! yay you have same music taste as me. haha. another song i like by them is called "Love is Here", go listen! and jiayou for pw, SJI boys all get As :p
Soo
By 
,
October 25, 2011 12:45 AM
Adaptation
This thought crossed my mind as I was doing my journaling this morning. You know how when we are thrown into a new environment we need to adapt? I think all we who are called to be with Christ are in a constant state of adapting to a world that is unseen to the world, a world we share with Jesus, a world that is set apart, and as much as we are physically here on this earth, I think as we go through in life, we are slowly adapting to this other world. And hopefully, at the end of our lives, we would have fully adapted, ready to face our maker :)
So remember today people, that we were not made for this world :)
Just a short sharing :)
Rice
1 Comments:
*likes* :D
______________________________________________Thursday, October 20, 2011
Hey guys, just a short sharing.
So out of all the things I study in school, I really enjoy my lab. Pretty good at it in fact. Normally able to see and fix problems faster than others. My friend even smsed me to help him with his lab.
So I went into my own lab, thinking that I could solve it early and leave quick. However, I let my pride get the best of me. I didn't manage to solve the lab, no one did. And for the entire time since the lab, this problem has been sticking in my mind. Yet, on retrospect I have no even took a moment to center myself on God through prayer.
So no matter one's strengths, always depend on God. Talk to him today.
-Swee
3 Comments:
I solved it!
haha thats fast! God heard you!
By jes,
October 20, 2011 1:24 PM
Haha. extra 2 hours in the lab
______________________________________________Sunday, October 16, 2011
the ghost editor.
HI. not really related to anything but who is the one that is editing the layout! not that I have anything against people editing the layout but it's just nice to know who is this ghost editor.
*ps. thanks for fixing the font in the first 2 boxes. though now there is the weird gap. :\
0 Comments:
______________________________________________Saturday, October 15, 2011
Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin
Hey guyzzz. As y'all know, I'm leading worship this week! YAY. I'm quite scared so pray for me pleeeezee. But while you're doing that, I was looking for songs and I found this rly rly nice song! Well I really like it at least. It's called Unfailing Love by Chris Tomlinnnn :) I don't really know the song very well so we ain't singin' it. HAHA. But I hope you guys enjoy the songgg with this video! Have a great Saturday!
Cheerios, Alex!
0 Comments:
______________________________________________Friday, October 14, 2011
SFX CONFI RETREAT 2011
Hello liver here! Using log blog for awhile to put up my google form link for the confi retreat service team to fill up. Sorry for the inconvenience! :/
CONFI RETREAT SERVICE TEAM CLICK THIS LINK:
oh and welcome to LOG blog (:
0 Comments:
______________________________________________Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Jeremy Camp - My Desire
Hello Everyone :)
Guess who? ........
God Loves you Outrageously!
Greg =)
0 Comments:
______________________________________________Friday, October 07, 2011
Decisions!
Hello everyone :)
Remember to blog please, because it's an important part of Greg's spirituality!
Anyway, I've been reading The Great Divorce by CS Lewis, and as with all CS Lewis' books it's been an insightful read. Here's a passage that I came across recently -
"There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him."
I think over the past few years, when this whole "where is your life going" started for me, and I hit a quarter-life crisis, trying to find my direction, I found myself constantly having to make decisions, and these decisions became increasingly significant in terms of changing the course of my future. And I have found myself time, and time again, so much so that I am exhausted, asking God, "God what do You want me to do, just tell me and I will do it" And often, He remains silent (or perhaps I remain blind, or stubborn), probably because He wants me to figure it out and make the choice myself.
But in this passage here, I feel it's really simple, what is right or "good" is so easily judged by whether it points towards God or away from Him. I have had to make so many decisions of late, taking on more commitments, dropping commitments, what to sacrifice for what.. And at some point I was just jaded, jaded for having so many things to control and engineer in my life. But of course, I never was the engineer, I just thought I was. And this passage was a good reminder that nothing is good/bad in itself, none of the choices I have to make are good/bad, it can only be defined in terms of its relationship with God.
I recently made the decision to leave Frontier, which is the company thing, which is also the class that I run off to at 2pm on Sundays, and I just sent the email in today. And I just feel so joyful, because I feel like I am free, I feel like for such a long time now, this company thing has bound me, bound me into feeling like I need it to ensure that I am going somewhere. Which is why I held onto it so tightly for so long. It didn't even really make me happy. And I will always remember this idea (but I can't remember where I got it from) that God loves you and at the very fundamental level, He wants you to be HAPPY. This does not necessarily come in form of ways you might actually WANT and realise, but He does, and when making decisions, very fundamentally if you can get to that very place inside your heart, where God resides, and find out what gives you that peace and joy that God desires so much for You and has already built you for... You would know what to do. And fear so often gets in the way of that because so often God works in ways that this world cannot understand, and it means taking a leap of faith time and time again. - Story of my life.
Sorry this blog post is not very well organised, I'm typing off the top of my head. But I think what I'm basically saying that I have learnt through my experiences of having to make tough decisions - is that - always choose the decision that gives you the most peace, always being wary of the fact that the devil is extremely skilled at pretending to be that option, but having walked thus far with Jesus in the course of our lives already, I believe I can recognise true joy that comes from the Father when I experience it. And right now, after having let go of this chain binding me down, keeping me away from the things I really want to do, things that give me joy, I know now I have made the right choice, and I thank Jesus for helping me make this decision :)
1 Comments:
yay praise God! thanks for sharing rice! this means that you'll be staying all the way for sessions and joining us for lunch after right :D
Soo
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Loneliness
Hi LOG! I've been wanting to share for a while, but I could not really formulate a coherent piece. I also realise that I have yet to share about WYD, but the WYD piece will come on FB as I really want to testify to it. This reflection will just be bits of my own thoughts so far being here in Manchester - sorry for being rant-y and incoherent haha.
I was talking to Von on my travels before arriving here, at which Von was already in Korea. She mentioned something about being lonely, even though there's friends, Singaporeans and exchange buddies and so on. I kinda knew what it mean then, but now I do realise. I hang out a lot with Singaporeans, the exchange students especially. The only angmoh people are the ones I follow to Liverpool to watch matches and my flat mates which includes three Chinese, two Bulgarians, one Russian and one Czech. As I try to fit in, I find myself in a very weird position. I think in my schooling life, I never had to try and fit in to where I am. I make a lot of friends in school, but I usually stop myself from getting too close to any group. My closest friends at school include my classmates, my softball teammates and my secondary classmates. Yet we have all distanced, except for the softball guys. But all of them remain friends whom I can and will meet up time to time and have no problem being with each other once again.
Now my closest group of my friends who follow my life are you guys, yet Jes said something during the pilgrimage that did strike a chord in my heart. She noticed that I don't have a "pair" in LOG (like Mel and Soo HAHA), or any one that I am particularly super close to. I think I've shared before that I am much closest to the community than anyone in particular, or perhaps accurately, I am close to everyone equally. I replied her that I understand myself - that I am a person who is very much ok being by myself, and at times more concerned about how others are, than how others give me concern. I don't really demand that attention or concern to myself in other words. But this has its downside, because this also means I give less of myself to others as well. Perhaps it is also because I have been in core for 3 out of 6 years that I was in LOG, and that made me think a lot of macro questions rather than really personally showing love to my fellow community members. And so, I think this break is good so far, helping me make the effort to talk to people back home and also to give myself time to think. during my travels (which I will share another time), I had lots of alone time with God, which was beautiful! So pray for me yeah, for me to be a better brother to everyone! To be vulnerable as Jes had written on the stone - ask her about it, think she blogged about it!
So its the same thing here sometimes. I make a lot of friends, add them on facebook but reserve my travel plans to myself. After all, I really love travelling alone, I see things I want to see, take breaks when I want to and do not have to consult anyone. Yet I also find myself planning alone. I guess its a trade off. The mass dinners are great because its really like one big family, cooking and eating chinese dishes. The exchange students are more carefree I guess and welcoming to everyone. Whereas the permanent singapore students here already have their cliques and (couples). I praise God though, for this group of people, and also for the few catholics I found around here, one of them being Wilmer who joined MSC recently after Se7en and Joseph, an NTU exchange student. I joined the catholic chaplaincy here, and it really feels like home every Sunday. But I won't be around most Sundays from now so sigh, bo pian I guess. Its hard to hang out with the angmohs when their agenda is all partying. Thought of joining them once, but when 9pm comes, I find starcraft 2 more appealing LOL. Not my kind of lifestyle, makes me think that Manchester wasn't a really good exchange place for me other than for soccer.
Then I went to London and met up with some friends. The London family of Singaporeans, especially friends from RJC, is really wonderful. I find myself thinking back on the possibility of studying in London with all of them. It would have been nice. But then again, I also see the loneliness they feel, questioning myself whether I can do this over 3 years. So I'm left with a lot of mixed feelings. I also keep noticing how my seniors who are guys get attached to juniors who are girls, Felly included. The relationships formed now will most likely go a long way because they depend on each other throughout the time that there are overseas. its so beautiful really, and I find myself pretty envious of this. Even here in Manchester, my eye candy is attached =( haha joking!
But yes, that is still an issue for me. After rushing into the Sarah thing (argh), I find myself taking it slowly I guess. thinking about the future and what I want to do, whether a relationship will hinder it or help it. Many of you guys are attached and i feel it sometimes, but i guess im ok with waiting. what happened to more relationships whenever someone is on exchange? come guys and girls, work harder! hahaha. or is it that i am not receiving updates :p because I refrain from being close to friends sometimes, i do feel that at times, I don't have a designated person to talk to. which is a good thing because I share with everyone, but then again, it still seems like a void. like a soul mate to have beside me. this made me realise too how I overload the other person when I become attached, and I expect too much of my partner to react and to care for me - precisely because I don't demand it from anyone else but her. This is a problem I kinda just realise while I am here. So i need to open up more and still the same word, be vulnerable!
so yeah, i think i reached the end of this sharing. haha this piece is so unlike my style and so rant-y but i'm glad i got to share some thoughts that have been going thru my mind!
2 Comments:
omg <3 affirm u much tangtang.
By ,
October 05, 2011 11:33 PM
haha. indeed! this does not sound like you! but it's still nice (:
By jes,
October 06, 2011 1:23 AM
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Priests
Click here before reading on!
This is extremely random because i was watching fast and furious 5 and i thought that the Rock in the show totallylookslike Father John Bosco. so i was looking for pictures of father bosco online to compare and i came across our SFX homepage which had a description of father b's history which i never knew. as i continued searching i chanced upon the article above. i'm ashamed to say that a few years ago, i didn't even know he passed away. all i remember of him is him saying mass in the columbarium and his little beetlecar. i was honestly touched from reading everything that he did as a missionary.
which brings me to my point. each seminarian, priest, nun or religious has one particular story that he holds dear to his heart. this is a very powerful story that represents their entire journey of service to Jesus and his bride. I'm sure most of you remember when father bosco came to SFX, his first homily was a sharing about how he answered yes to the call of God. the fact that i still remember it must be some testament to how much an impression it left on me. i mean, how many homilies can you possibly remember?
what i'm proposing is a collection of these life changing moments. A collection of these "yes" moments or other stories that they hold close to their hearts. because these stories are at the core of what drives them to serve us day after day. alot of times we complain about priests and the few/little/many things they do that annoy us that we often miss these inner moments of vulnerability.
i think these stories will have a great impact. stories about themselves, about others that have gone on, across the whole archdiocese of Singapore. as many as we can find of those who are willing to share. its just an idea that i'm putting down on paper from my head, but it sounds promising. anytime in the future.
poey
3 Comments:
posts like these justify having a 'like' button on blogs. incidentally, we just mentioned abt fr fossion today! tho i can't rmb e context.
hi po, i believe that there is a book that has been published with all their conversion stories and it was given out at parishes some time ago! i guess publicity for such things can be improved :D do try to get your hands on one of these copies! can't rmb the name though
-soo
By ,
October 03, 2011 10:47 AM
omg u&gwen made to be larh. i was talking abt this today and she told me the exact same thing!
By ,
October 04, 2011 12:22 AM
hi log, october is the month of the rosary don't forget to pray a decade each day if you can. it helps
God's love and mine,
anne
3 Comments:
can try-dom
Hi anne,
Where are you?
By T.SwEE,
October 02, 2011 6:28 PM
annnnnne come and lead us in rosary :D
______________________________________________Saturday, October 01, 2011
Genuinity.
There's a lot of talk amongst us Christians about "being who you are" and "taking off your masks". I guess I haven't really been thinking about such issues ever since I entered law school, but a certain incident last Thursday sparked my thoughts about this into life.
So there I was, walking to the bus stop after school to take 156 home. I met one of my friends along the way, and we just started chatting about the class that we just ended. (The route to the bus stop is dissected by 2 main roads, with 2 traffic lights). I had already crossed the first one and was making my way to the second one when I saw 156 waiting just before the zebra crossing for the oncoming cars to finish their right turn. It was 6.30pm and I knew that the bus would be crowded and the journey back home would be slow due to the work crowd, and I really didn't want to miss the bus... so I exclaimed "OH SHIT... *breaks off into whiny mode*".
So obviously this girl that I was walking with heard me and she was like, "actually if you run across the road now you can make it!" (I assure you this is relatively safe, there's this interval where there are no cars moving cuz the cars have finished turning right and the 156 bus is waiting for the red light to turn green). And yes, so I ran, with her shouting "be careful Tim!" behind me (yes, most people in law school don't call me soo).
Obviously I made it across in one piece, but what amazed me (and made me pretty pai seh as well) was that as soon as she saw that I was going to catch my bus, this girl let out an excited whoop of joy. I kid you not, it was like - WOOOOOOO! It was pretty loud for the quiet evening, haha. I was like thinking, who the hell does stuff like that?! She not pai seh meh? Walau now got so many people staring. Alamak why she still smile until so happy, not say she's the one that caught the bus what... and the list goes on. And it's not like she's this weird, unpopular girl in school (she's the law queen + dean's lister) with no image to upkeep.
The question was burning my brain in the bus. WHY? Why was this person so spontaneous, so free, so... genuine. AHA. There it was, my answer. This person WAS genuine! She didn't let her fear of what people thought of her restrict her emotions, thoughts or expressions. She just expressed it - albiet in a split second shout of exhilaration. She was genuinely happy that I could catch the bus, and this was reflected in her reaction. I know it sounds pretty muted and insignificant when I type it out now, but this small incident blew me away and remained entrenched in my mind for the rest of the entire day.
Think about it, when was the last time you were able to be genuine throughout the whole day? I'm pretty damn sure that I put up a front when I go to study law school - I'm not as easy going, friendly, uninhibited, expressive, as I would like to be (I actually am :p). The worst part is that we're Christians and we're supposed to be the ones on the forefront against the whole culture of "being someone you're not". I fail horribly at this, and this incident reminded me that it is a daily battle to fight to be genuine. How can we expect to be witnesses when we are so caught up in maintaining this front of ours, hiding behind our masks? How are we to be His hands and feet to reach out to those in need, when all our words are empty because our actions don't correspond to them?
I thank God for granting me the grace to be affected by such a minor incident, and I hope this post reminds you that each of us are called to be His living witnesses, in thought and action, and what better way to do this than being genuine in our love for others (: (especially in SCHOOL where we spend the most of our time!)
C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity (an exerpt from the chapter "The Great Sin")
Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call 'humble' nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.
Let us all aim to be the humble man, and they'll know we are Christians by our love!
2 Comments:
oops forgot to sign off, this is soo!
By LoG,
October 02, 2011 12:53 AM
I expect more random WOOOHOO!s from you!
By jes,
October 02, 2011 1:02 AM
For the lost and confused.
For the lost and confused, just a random reflection from my past that I thought I'd share.
Periods when you feel like you're walking in the dark, and every action you take is just, really, a stab in the dark, you don't know where you're going, and you just don't feel like Jesus is there to guide you anymore. These periods of time actually are the most comforting, if you think about it, you know that God won't abandon you, ever. These periods of time, for me, were periods of time when I felt the most free, because I have zero control = God has 100% control. I don't even need to think or make decisions, because I don't even know where I'm going. After a while, and much reflection, I just gave up trying to control things, and just let it go, and the journey just got a lot more enjoyable after you manage to work through all that frustration of feeling lost.
I felt this lost, and stabbing in the dark, feeling the most in the period of time before I got this job at O School, I was anxious, and frustrated because I did not know why God would give me such a gift, but seem to remain so silent on how I am going to use it. But well, look where I am now :) I don't know where this will continue to take me, but I'm not afraid because I know Jesus is in control, especially when I have none :)
Love,
Rice
2 Comments:
P.S. I love the new template Jes! Thank you :) It's so much cleaner and nicer to look at :)
By LoG,
October 01, 2011 2:15 AM
thank you for the sharing rice! =) i feel the same way here sometimes. the more i hold on to like my days here, the least i enjoy them. when i rely on God here in Manchester, I enjoy it a lot more!! -mark
By mark.tang,
October 02, 2011 4:47 AM