Daily Pep Talk

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. Lamentations 3:23

Once God has forgiven you, he doesn't keep track of your sins. What great news! That means you have a clean slate each and every day. And you are greeted by God's warm smile every morning.

Today I had a new idea. Being in Ministry, aka being a servant of God - is really like customer service - at a restaurant. Everyday, we gather in the morning to have a 'pep' talk with God on doing well for the day. If we missed that time, we might not be so encouraged or motivated by God. And God is a kind boss... who encourages and understands our problems and limitations.
So our primary motive is service.

Meeting Dotz last Sunday! My Easter Surprise!

Last Easter weekend was a cool one. On Good Friday - I watched 4 'in-house' movies - Confession of Pain (not too bad! Takashi Kaneshiro); Hoodwinked (COOL!); Eragon (I like it); DOA (not that bad lah.. ok maybe i just like brainless combat movies..);

Then Saturday was a cool one... we had our usual Youth Arise gathering at Eugene's place with lotsa good food!



Since it was the day before Easter (Holy Saturday) - we did a meaningful exercise (led by Jac!) on the theme of forgiveness, and so we did the washing of feet for each other! Awkward as it sounds, this was an exercise to show our forgiveness of any past hurts to each other and we also stood in proxy for other things. For example, I could go up to XX and ask XX to stand in proxy for the ministry and then say the things I'm sorry for, to the ministry. It's a self-liberation activity and it gives a person not only psychological, but also spiritual freedom as God's Grace comes over us to help us seek 'forgiveness'. It felt cheesy at first but after a while, I thought it was good and something i really needed. So thank God for this opportunity - to release, let go, and Let God do the healing.

Sunday - was the Easter Party at OLPS where we led P&W. I played the guitar. It was a good experience. I'm glad we're finally stepping up to show ourselves and be seen. I hope we will continue to be more daring and step up to lead P&W sessions even more. It gets worrying when I think about how not everyone is well equipped about P&W or not as good as it could have been.. but then again, these thoughts are useless... and i should just be happy with what we have, and make plans for further training or equipping then!


AFTER the Easter party was a cool time at Gabriel's Dad's 60th Birthday party. Well, what an idea - for next year -- somebody is turning 60 too.. my dad. Anyway, there was a live band - Gab's Dad's friends... and a whole house of people. Super cool for old folks! I was very very impressed! and can u imagine... all of us - the young people were so entertained. AND there was CHOCOLATE FONDUE!!! AND Durian CAKE!





But the most amazing part is meeting DOROTHEA!!!! MY NTU Comm Studies senior, NTU campus crusade disciple group leader in year 1 & 2. And so...I got a shock when I saw her and asked - why are you here? and found out that she's Gabriel's cousin! The world is indeed so small! GOsh!



Well, so far now, it's been an un-workable week - not in the mood for work this week - Well, after all the good stuff happening around... I need to FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS!!

HTML Gaga

I think the 1st lesson of the web media course is really not too bad actually... hehe.. at least it made me interested enough to go find out how to use CSS --- and now I'm going html-ga-ga!!!

:P

On the path to perdition or salvation?

It's maundy thursday today, and we go for the church-visiting. Went with dad & mum to OLPS, Holy Fam, and the city churches. Lucky to meet YAM along the way at our last stop at St. Joseph church. That was sweet!

Well, along the way, I brightened up visibly... and was obviously more chatty in the car at the end of the day. Before that, when we started our journey, i was feeling a bit black. I was wondering whether we're doing this because of an annual obligation. But well, obligation or not, at least we do this. At least there's some form of reverence for the Lord. Whatever way my parents want to contemplate their faith and relationship with God, I should not be too uptight about it and rather, pray and lift it up to God.

Today was actually a day of extremes. At work --- I arrived late at 10am! Went to buy some books for a survey prize and took like a 2hr break out of office! And my marketing director commented on my "Business Plan" for the online communities saying that it was better than he thought it would be (haha.. that goes to my extreme ability to crap and write really long stuff - i shoud write reports instead of short copy!)

ANother good thing is - I've finally developed my photos since October 2006 last year. 467 pieces altogehter! Whopping $96 bucks on developing alone - and another $30 for albums. But that's quite cheap already.

Been trying to rally people to midsummer's night dream and Phantom of the Opera. Another hole in pocket.

Then what next - the horror of the day - my phone fell into the Toilet!!! Ok it was clean!!! oh well.. now trying to save the numbers of everyone - typing it out painfully into a word document. Seesh. But i went looking at some new phones today... looks really nice.. i want a slim phone next... ;)

I've so much to say in this article - The latest Meiji Noir Venezuela Blend Chocs are very nice!!! I've got 1 box today just to relax and enjoy with.

At Art class - I'm painting SACRE COEUR - a tourist spot and church in France - which my art friend calls 'Taj Mahal'! It's really CHALLENGING!! How do you paint a white building? No.. not simply white and shadows, but you'll have to use a tinge of pink, orange, yellow, blue, purple.. etc etc etc etc... gosh... i really dun get it!!! & How to do the details (without being too fussy and perfectionist) - or 'niao' as my teacher calls it. Ahhhhh...

Meanwhile,.. finally back to my topic of this post which i shall end off with -- I quote from an article I read today:

There is a clearly marked way to salvation, back from the path to perdition. The ‘fear of God’ is the biblical door that stands at the beginning of the path back to God because it describes the necessary attitude and frame of mind needed to get reality back into proper focus.

This fear of the Lord - or rather, reverent Awe - is something that I believe, will propel people to deeper contemplation of the Lord. But what will propel people to service? Is it only some that are called? Or is it that everyone is called but that some are ignorant or choose not to follow this calling?

Actually God's 'mission' (to spread the Good News) is for EVERYONE who professes to be a christian. So then, everyone is called to christianity and thus, this mission. But my heart aches and ponders - why is it that even christians/catholics are so lukewarm about it? This divide, this gap, I cannot bear. It's heart-wrenching. Sometimes, I feel this pain because of that 'spiritual schizophrenia' that we have. One side church-goer - one side a worldly person - where's the witness? Where's the true life examples?

I ask this because I too am faced with that. Lack of life examples. Even I myself don't think I'm the best... I also am worldly at times... As much as I try to serve in church. But of course, perhaps I'm simply more conscientious at my 'calling' and passion in church. That's all. But all are sinners. We are all the same - all alike - in need of God's salvation. So then... why don't peole run to God? Why do we run away? this question, i ask myself too. It's easy to say run to Him, but our actions state otherwise. So then, are we really moving towards salvation or just sitting on the fence? Either way, it's our choice - that's why God is patient and waits for us to come back to him.

In that sense - God is truly faithful - and Man is truly the unfaithful one - the one who disobeys - and the one who needs to humble himself and return to the Father.

Happy Good Friday & Happy Easter!